The Edmonton Oilers are in a bit of funk at this point in October. They just dropped a back-to-back against the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks over the weekend. A combination of inconsistent goaltending, glaring mistakes, and a lack of scoring have prohibited the Oilers from having better results than their 4-4-2 record.
With November on the horizon, and a larger sample size in the rearview mirror, it’s reasonable to suggest that they will get better as the season progresses. After 10 games, they have 10 points, the same number of points as the last Wild Card team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Oilers have some decisions to make in the next week. Zach Hyman and Alec Regula will return soon, which will force the organization to make some tough choices. Here is the likely list of players who will be demoted or traded in the next week.
Troy Stecher
Troy Stecher, 31, is loved by his teammates and the coaching staff. Unfortunately for the 5-foot-10, 184 lb right-handed defenseman, he may be a victim of the numbers game.
The Oilers currently have 22 of the 23 active roster spots filled. Once Hyman or Regula come back, they will be maxed at 23. The team could carry eight defenders or 14 forwards, not both. That means a forward or defender will need to be traded or sent down, and if the move comes on the backend, Stecher is the odd-man out.
Elliotte Friedman has recently reported that the Oilers could be looking at moving a defenseman when the time comes, “When (Alec) Regula is healthy and Walman is coming back, they’ve got eight or nine guys, including guys in the AHL. So I think Edmonton could be looking at that too.”
Isaac Howard
The Oilers deployment of Isaac (Ike) Howard hasn’t been great. He will be featured on the top line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl for a shift, but finish a game with less than 10 minutes played.
For Howard’s sake, sending him down to the Bakersfield Condors is the best way to go.
Once Hyman returns, his ice time will certainly be cut down. Hyman is likely to be inserted into the top of the lineup, resulting in less ice time available for other offensive-minded players.
Mattias Janmark
Ever since the summer there has been chatter that the Oilers could move on from Mattias Janmark. Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now was the first insider to suggest this move. The one hinderance to that prediction coming to fruition is his health.
Janmark has yet to step foot on the ice for a game this season. This is less than ideal for a potential trade partner to see what exactly Janmark has to offer. Until he plays, it’s unlikely that something happens – but not impossible. After all, stranger things have happened.
Curtis Lazar
Curtis Lazar signed a one-year contract with the Oilers this past summer. He was brought in to fill out the Oilers forward depth, potentially as a fourth-line center.
With Noah Philp emerging as the player the Oilers need him to be, that has relegated Lazar to the press box. However, it’s possible that he stays on the roster in favor of a waiver-exempt player being sent down.
One way or another, the Oilers will need to make sure their roster is compliant once they get a few more bodies back. The clock is ticking.
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