The Ultimate 2024-25 Edmonton Oilers Tier List

The Ultimate 2024-25 Edmonton Oilers Tier List

And you know what else we enjoy? Tier list. Tier ranks. Okay, let’s see what we got. So, this one, Erin, if you you care to explain because you obviously set this one up for us. So, here we go. I’ll give you give you a little look right here. It’s your classic just tier rank. S tier, that’s the elite of the elite. Then A, B, C, D. I could have done F, but I didn’t want to over complicate things. D for dog I’ll put it at that. S is your absolute best. I uploaded every head shot from Oilers who played significant roles. I even put Matt Seavoy. He only played four games, but I knew that I would rank him up high, so I was willing to do that. But play along in the chat, Liam. I can’t see the chat while I do this. Okay, I’ll I’ll manage the chat. You man that right there. Okay, let’s kick it off. Let’s get which way do you want to start? You want to start at the top or the bottom? Let’s go. Let’s get a couple of these out of the way. Like these are easy, right? These are important. You change the title, the the the things on them right now or is that done? I can change that. Okay, just go awesome. Or should I put god tier? God tier. Yeah. Okay. God. Um, solid. Uh, fine. I love our descriptions. Uh, needed more, but okay. No, too many words. Yeah. Um, yeah, that’s fine. Need more. Terrible. Underwhelming. Do underwhelming. Yeah, Mark. Yeah, that’s fair. That works. That works for everybody. Okay. All right. Let’s go through. Obviously, the first couple here are uh pretty solid. Leandry said I should have won the the hard trophy. God tier. Conor McDavid is God, so we should probably put him up there. Evan Bard. Now, I think this actually deserves a bit more of a conversation than just throwing him right into the god tier. First thing we need to address, we’re doing all season, right, with playoffs. He was unbelievable in the playoffs. The best player. He was god tier in the playoffs. And the rumor has it he was injured. That’s crazy. So, that’s crazy thing. Regular season, we can all agree underwhelming. Should have been better. Needed a bit more from him. He only had 60 points. And there’s the backb breaking errors, the stopping skating, all that stuff. But he was down from last year. He was a point per game player in the regular season. People are saying fine. I’m going solid without a doubt. I think God, I think his playoff performance out trumps everything that he does in a regular season. However, to make this fair, we’ll make a poll and we’ll come back to we’ll do that at the very end cuz he is definitely the most polarized. I’ll do that wrong right now. God solid. What do we got? God solid. Fine. Need more. Yeah, needed more. The next one. I’m curious how this is going to go as well because our player is Ryan Nent Hopkins. I think fine. We talked about I’m between fine and need more. I think need more. I needed more. When I needed more from Ryan Newan, he showed up. So that’s why I wouldn’t put him in need more. I think fine is good. Obviously the other day we talked about him in the sense of that I think he’s the number one player next season that needs to improve on what he did. His numbers have dropped off significantly. Who knows what role he’s going to play with the team. I think fine is a really really good one because also too like if we’re measuring this on playoffs he was great against Dallas. Unbelievable against the Dallas Stars. Got injured against Florida. So, it’s hard to fully you can’t really put anything on that. But I think throughout the playoffs, showed up consistently, even in the regular season when McDavid and Deta were both out. He did really, really well. I think fine is fine. I think fine is fine as well because of that stretch he had with O’ Conor and Leon. He was fantastic. Zachary Martin Heyman up next. Now, this is another tough one. It’s hard to forget that the hard to remember that the had a very poor regular season. They really didn’t have a lot. What did he finish with goals-wise? I really wish I had more monitors. 20 Aaron has two monitors by the way. And I got my phone with the chat now so I can see you guys. He had 44 points, 27 goals in 73 games, but you will probably remember he struggled to score early in the season and Ryan S just put it in the chat and I definitely agree. Yeah. Need more. Need more. Without a doubt with without a doubt. Without a doubt. He underwhelmed. I love Zach Kimman. He figured out a different kind of role for himself as well in the playoffs, but again scored five goals before he got injured and two of them came in the game before he got injured. So, I think that’s important on um Warren Fog said, “Why isn’t Kane on there even though he showed up for the playoffs?” Damn it. Cuz I went to the regulars. I can add him. I can add him. That’s okay. I think Kane is fine. Yeah, he I would have put Kane in fine. Yeah, I think but now he’s dead to me. So, his overall workload throughout the the playoffs, I think, was decent. He was good against uh LA, really good against Vegas, decent against Dallas, fell off a cliff against Florida. I also don’t think that was 100% his fault. I think the refs were really seeking out trying to call some penalties on him. So, thank you for throwing that out there. Warren Fogle, you’re not on the list cuz we traded you. Oh, you didn’t want to say anything. Fighting Amish said three monitors is the bare minimum if you’re a real nerd. If you knew how close I am to Liam right now, but it doesn’t look like it. We’re in a shoe box over here. Yeah. You want to see how close we are? Check this out. Oh no. You might not be able to Oh, there it goes. They can see the monitor. Yeah, I got lock in that far. There we go. Okay. Uh Matias Holm, the Viking. Another tough one cuz until the injury I’m between solid and fine before the injury. We’ll go with fine. I think fine. Yeah, I think and again a bit of an underwhelming season from Matias Echol. I think there was a lot of moments where Evan Bushard took the heat when it was actually Ekko making the mistake. Totally. I don’t think need more is out of the realm of possibility. Ryan Esut need more. I Well, put fine. If it’s the playoffs, I need a lot more. He did almost score 10 goals and only played 65 games. Exactly. So, if he like 33, what’s the math on that really quickly? I can’t go solid. No way. No. No way. Fine. But I can’t I can’t go totally need more. So, cuz that’s just recency bias thinking of the NHL playoffs. He was on pace for 42 points on the season, which would put him in a point every other game as a 34 year old defenseman in the league. I think that’s fine. We’ll put him at fine. I think we’ll put him at fine. Uh Darnell Nurse, the doctor. This is a tough one. Again, decent regular season, dude. He’s another guy that And so it was last season. I thought Darnell, remember we were jokingly doing our hashtag nurse for Norris and up until the All-Star break of that year, he was good and then it really fell off after that. I felt this year he was solid for the regular season and then against tougher competition in the NHL playoffs. I think we we saw a definite downturn in his play, but for for a large portion of the regular season, Darnell was good. Not god good. Yeah, not god. Throw some in the chat right now. Ryan’s in with a solid. Westside is a fine. I wish we had a g one between the two of them cuz I didn’t need more. I didn’t need that much more in the playoffs. I think I’m going darn fine. I’m going darn fine. Fine. I think he’s solid. He could be solid, but the NHL playoffs has taken that down from me to a fine. Davin said, “I don’t remember anything from nurse this season, which is good, right?” That’s that is good thing. I think it was fine. Yeah, we we’ll stick with five. Cory Perry, man, I’d be pretty close to putting him in God. I’m pretty close to putting him in god tier. He’s at least solid. I think he’s another player we can come back in a dry. Actually, you know what? I’m screw that. I’m going in god. I was about to say Liam, it’s our list. We got the guy scored 30 goals. Like it it combined. He’s 40 years old. What more could he have done to be in god tier? Like he he exceeded expectations by 100fold. He literally took Zack Heyman off the power play in the playoffs. How well he was playing. I think and I’ve said this a few times on the show outside of McDavid and Dryidle, Cory Perry was the Oilers’s best player. And that might not be that’s not necessarily a good thing, especially when you have Zackman in need more. And I’d argue he was one of their most consistent forwards all season long. Like not huge scoring, dry spells, stepped up. What more could he have done to be a god? He has to be a god. Connor Brown solid. Yeah, you want to go solid. What did he finish with points wise? He had 13 goals. That’s solid. 13 goals. Don’t forget how much he contributed in the playoffs as well. had like big moments for them in the playoffs. Disappointing Connor Brown’s gone. Don’t get me wrong. I’m I’m very okay with solid. 30 points this season for a million bucks. That’s solid. That’s really good. You know what word comes to my mind when you say that? Solid. Solid. Solid. Uh Jeff Skinner. Look, we all wanted Jeff Skinner to work here. It did not. I think Aaron has just slid him into the right spot for need more. I think the Oilers see more. I think Jeff Skinny gave them a lot. Don’t get me wrong. He was actually really solid in the playoffs when he played, but at the end of the day, he wasn’t an everyday player because he couldn’t meet that standard of what the organization wanted. I do think we saw too throughout the year, like I remember joking like you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Halfway through the year, you saw Jeff Skinner playing defense, backing hard, getting into battles, competing. I guess Nami just didn’t see enough. We all know how we feel about it. Everybody in this chat, we wanted more. Good. Career low for Jeff Skinner. Go Sharks. Go Sharks. Sharks. Uh, Victor Arbertson. Need more. Yamar. I’m willing to put him in Yanmark. I think Yamar. I’m willing to He flopped. He flopped like a fish on the ice way too much. That’s Yanmark territory. And I the fact he was playing fourth line minutes in the playoffs for some certain moments. Was a healthy scratch in game six of the cup final. That’s terrible. Yeah, that’s that’s terrible. Adam, Adam Henrique, I’m need more. I’mma simply need more. You need more. I’m not going to be as critical enough to ever put him in the Anmark category, but I mean 35 there was a lot of games where you just saw like we joked remember last year about the cardio line with Ryan Mloud and Warren Fogle and whatnot. They just skate around. At the end of at the end of the day with Rico a lot, I just went, “Well, did he did he do anything tonight? Do I remember anything memorable from him?” So I think that’s need more through and through. I would have him been fine just cuz my expectations are incredibly low. See my expectations are but maybe that’s me. Maybe that’s a me problem. Well I think too like but he’s playing a defensive role like he’s adapted to what he’s supposed to do. But if you want to put him in need more if you want. What do I got in the chat here? Need way more. Need more. Need more. I don’t know if that’s tell me in the chat as well. Like when you say need more for Henry, like what do you want? Like Aaron just explains like sometimes I just feel like he just skates around. He scored 12 goals and 27 points this season as a third line center essentially the whole time. That is I need another 10 points. I need another 10 points. Okay, so you want him at like 40 points. 35 35 35 40 points. Just a little bit more. Just a little more. I think you will get a little bit more from him. I think he was fine throughout the season. Uh Brett Kulak. Wow. Let me just I think God I think he was solid. You’re damn right he’s solid. Consistent throughout the season. He’s a guy in the playoffs you can elevate in your lineup. His play deteriorated a little bit when Ekkhon came back but it’s also a reminder that he was playing top pair of minutes for a lot of the playoffs as well. for three rounds of the NHL playoffs where we said Evan Bousard is a Matias echol leech reculak I mean he’s the definition of solid it’s right there he’s very consistent the one thing I could say and I like think about it I want to put him in god tier just cuz I think that about my boy but when he switched to the right side there was definitely a big downturn now is that necessarily his fault who knows but that play right there I can’t put Jane go on tear from that cuz and he was not good in the cup final vil I’m man enough to admit it, Liam. I’m man enough to admit it. Villiod Coulson, I think he could fit in three categories here. I think you could put him in solid. You could put him in fine. I think you could put him in need more. So, I think we should just meet in the middle. We put him in put him in fine. Yes. Was consistent and because no offense wasn’t. That is a beautiful breakdown, Liam, because he was fine. There’s moments I needed more. There was also moments where I went, “This guy’s solid as a rock.” Like this guy is consistently played next to Leon Dryle for the whole season. So you weren’t ever upset with him. Yeah. No. No. Well, maybe if he missed the net. Uh Michael Parsons just put out a statement saying thank you Dallas. Did he get traded? I don’t have enough monarchs. Unfortunately, I wow. He said I no longer want to be here. Damn Parson’s leaving to join the Detroit Lions. I could only assume Patriots got money. Let’s go. Wow, that’s crazy. Jerry Jones just driving dudes out of town. Yeah, what a Davin said capital fine for puppeteers. Okay, let’s rip through a couple of Yamach. Yeah, you know where to put him. Well, we’ll put him in the front. Yeah. Wait, can I? Yeah, there we go. Uh Matias Yamach need more goals. Need Need more period. I need more goals and less of you. I’m kidding. But you’re on a three-year deal for 1.3 million. Ty Emerson, why D said, “Why is it okay that Kulak can’t play his offside?” But you guys roasted Broberg as a rookie being forced to play his offside. Uh, that’s not true. Broberg was awesome for the others in the playoffs. And against the Florida Panthers when they played him on his offside, he stepped on a stick. So, I’m not sure what you’re talking about, D. Move on. I mean, also like rookie NHL defenseman compared to NHL veteran that’s been in the league for a long time. I would say those are different. Those are different scenarios. Ty Emerson, I’m going to say fine. I think obviously he didn’t play in the playoffs outside of the first couple of games in the first round. It’s a rookie. Need more of course, but I think that just comes with the territory of being a young player in the league. I’m going to say fine. I was pleasantly I was Yeah, he was pleasant this season. He was There was moments, flashes of good. You never expected Ty Emerson. I mean, you hope that maybe in the playoffs he’d have that big role, but I still believe he’ll play a role in this team next year. He was fine. He was fine. Cheeks need more really. I would say need more consistency. I think it’s fair. like can’t sit here on Welsh Yammark for not doing much often and then he just had those flashy he had some moments of but then he had moments where he was health bombed as well. I think back to game four was when the Oilers came back in the cup final and he was literally uh the divider on the bench between the defenseman and the forwards. Then he came out and he got the assist on Jake Wman’s goal that gave the Oilers a lead in that game. I’m seeing some fines and solids considering he was a waiverwire pickup. Yeah, sure. Fines. That takes me to fine then. That’s Yes. Thank you. That’s a good That’s a good point. Who is that? That Yeah, Jake the Snake. Jake. Oh, Jake Wman. His face looks like weird, isn’t it? And sorry, Jake. I think he was a really good addition for the team. I’m putting salt. I think solid. I think solid. Like he came in that first game against the Dallas Stars. We were all unfamiliar with his physicality when he lit up Miko Rant and in the next four or five games he’s blocking every shot that came his way. I only knew of him as an offensive gritty guy and by gritty I mean literally the gritty guy. Jake Wman he he he exceeded my expectations when he joined the Oilers. Great player. Yeah. Next Derek Ryan. We all love DM but he’s in the market. I agree. Uh Troy Stcher fine. I’m putting fine. Yeah, honestly like he can push solid for like the role he had whenever he came in our lineup. I thought he was and he played playoff minutes. Played played with Darnell. He had the moments of being a Darnell whisper. Yeah, John. That photo of John. He’s a tough one. He’s a really tough one because he was terrible for them in the regular season. Just awful. I was surprised he ever played for them again. I remember having a clip and some guy screenshot and sent it to me and it was me saying, “If John Clingberg plays meaningful minutes in the playoffs, we are so fucked.” And then he was unbelievable. Turns out he was a night and shining armor coming out of nowhere and he kind of saved the day a little bit, but he was dreadful in the regular season. Unplayable. Fine. Fine. But because the playoffs matter. Playoffs matter. Yeah. Max Jones. Yamuk. He then earned himself a $4 million deal. Yeah, he’ll be back. He’ll be back. Keep your Keep your Clingberg jerseys, folks. Got his apartment. He’s paying for it. Uh Max Jones, Yammok. Yeah. Noah Phelp needed more to be to be honest. Yep. Josh Brown. Yammok. Yep. Matthew Seavoy. Fine. Fine. I would agree with that as well. Yeah. Um where did we end on the poll? The poll. Um, solid for Evan Bushard, which is fair. There you go. There you go. There’s your final list. Aaron, I’ll let you make one change. If I were to make one change, that’s a tough question. Oh, we didn’t have the goalies. Oh, yeah. I just did forward Okay, just imagine where would you put Steuart Skinner? Need more. Where would you put Calvin Pickard? Fine. Yeah, I might even put him in solid, but probably fine. I’d probably settle with fine. I just think I really do think back to that Anaheim game and I know it’s just Anaheim Ducks in whenever that was February, but like the Oilers were on such a skid at that point. Had a huge win against Carolina and he played so well and then really let them down against the Ducks at home in the first period. And I don’t think the team necessarily played terribly either in front of him. It was just like some some bad errors from um Mati Matias Jamok. Hilarious. Uh Calvin Picker. If you could make a change, what would you do? I’m kind of stuck here. Also in the chat, play along. If you could make a change, what would you do? Uh D said Cory Perry was not a god. D I don’t know if you were in here before. We kind of just pointed out how he scored 30 goals as a 40-year-old. What more could he have done to get into that territory? Um Davin said, “Too many yam marks, bro. How do we make the final?” Honestly, it’s a great question. You also got to think like three of those guys didn’t really play for the others at all. Well, one of them played one game and Josh Brown, Derek Ryan, and Max Jones didn’t play. It is um just looking at the list, quite frankly, amazing that the others did make the cup final. But how underwhelming the year was, you know, what a journey, what a roller coaster. I can’t wait to do it all over again. My change would be Evan Bush. That would be the only one I would change. But I think putting him in solid is fine. I would say God. I just think back to those moments in the playoffs, man. Like the LA Kings, how huge he was in that game. Put Yanmark below the Yanmark level. Hell yeah. Finally fighting on Yanmar himself. Uh D also said, I think Pickard was one of the best backups in a league. I think he did a fine job. Yep. Uh Lance said Yanmar to god. I don’t know. I think I would have had I would have had Henrik a little bit more too, but again, I fully admit that my uh my expectations of him are lower than maybe what other people would think. But I don’t think he was by any means anything spectacular on the season. But anyway, there’s a tier list. What’s up, Nation citizens? If you like that video, then you need to be subscribed to the Oilers Nation YouTube podcast, live shows, exclusive interviews and analysis, everything you need from your favorite voices at Oilers Nation. and you don’t want to miss any of it. So, hammer that subscribe button.

Liam and Aaron put together a tier list to decide who the best and worst Oilers were last season.