The boys are back on the bus.
The Captain’s Skates are underway as is Rookie Camp. The first pre-season games are not far away.
Based on some early looks, how may Mike Babcock deploy his troops?
That and more in this edition of…
9 Things
9. Josh Samanski and Ike Howard were spotted together at Commonwealth Stadium Saturday night for the Elks game. Terrific when Edmonton’s pro teams can support one another. More on Samanski coming up…
8. With Darnell Nurse gone, expect the club to officially name another person to the Oilers’ leadership group and wear an “A”. Veterans like Mattias Ekholm and Zach Hyman would certainly be worthy candidates. But I can not help but wonder if we ultimately see Evan Bouchard get the nod.
7. I see Josh Samanski as the 4C on this club until he proves that he cannot be. The fact that he will have to impress a new coach will be a factor. Samanski followed a club-provided off-season plan designed to improve his core strength and quickness. He is getting a few reps in Rookie Camp before he graduates to main camp. More on the critical Center position in a minute…
6. A report early Saturday from The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun has spelled out what appears to be the terms of the Mike Babcock contract in Edmonton: A three-year contract, with a Coach’s option of a fourth season. So much for that chatter about a short-term deal. In addition, LeBrun reports that Associate Coach D.J. Smith will be one of the best compensated men at his position in the entire league. Whatever you think of Daryl Katz, you must admit…Mr. Katz has always been willing to spend what is required.
5. There is an old saying that a former boss of mine used to quote which I have come to believe very firmly in over the course of my own career: Take advice only from people whose opinion you respect. There have been a few anti-Babcock players coming out of the woodwork since his hiring. Then, there is this from non-other than Sidney Crosby (courtesy The Hockey News): “The Oilers are getting a “really organized” coach (in Mike Babcock). Really good bench management when it comes to matching lines, just a feel for the game. He was really good at painting a clear picture on how he wanted us to play (at the Olympics) and what guys’ jobs were.”
4. What should we expect from recent UFA signing Alex Formenton? Even though he has reported in excellent physical condition, I believe getting back up to NHL speed after three years in the Swiss league will take a while. And the short training camp may not help that process. While it would not be the end of the world to send him to the AHL to get some reps in, Formenton was brought in to be a placeholder for Matt Savoie. So, time may not be on his side. However, if Formenton can even come close to what he was in Ottawa before his suspension, this could end up a significant on-ice win. The player will also need to be able to manage the off-ice pressure that he will face, and at least to start…that will be considerable.
3. In a decision that certainly surprised me, goaltender Connor Ingram has retired. Ingram was an Oiler last season, posting a 16-10-3 record, with a 2.60 GAA and an .899 SV%. And he was the better of Edmonton’s goalies in the playoffs, too. He became a free agent and had still not been signed. Ingram’s goal is apparently to return to school (psychology) and use what he learns to help others. His Instagram post reads “Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened. Thanks hockey, I owe ya”. Ingram proved to be a resilient guy on and off the ice and was easy to cheer for. I imagine most people will still feel that way about him in retirement. Good luck to you, young man. I admire the new path that you are about to follow.
2. Normally, I would read very little into any lines and pairings that we see in the Oilers’ Captain Skates. These have always been informal team workouts, sans coaches. Little more than scrimmages. And while I still feel that way, I do wonder if reality changes a bit now that training camps are so short. If you think about it, how much would it take for a message to get from Mike Babcock to the players on how he hopes to initially deploy the guys? That way, everybody can get an early feel for how it might work? If the Oilers are as committed to winning as they say in interviews…then should we be at all surprised if they try every little trick they can? There will be a focus on starting well. So, I expect they will examine every possible advantage available to them.
1.Barring any future acquisitions, we are getting our first substantive glimpse during the Captain’s Skates of just how Mike Babcock may deploy his troops down the middle. There are pros and cons to having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the same line. Personally, I have long been in the “pro-together” camp. And that is where these two were for the early captain skates. Big picture, I see this whole debate as not really about those two guys at all but how the other three lines fare without them. Or…perhaps survive, even. Because when they are healthy and going, I do not think there is a defence in the league that can adequately contain a 29-97 pairing. So, let us look at the options available to him.
The two critical names in this conundrum are Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jason Dickinson. In my view, Nugent-Hopkins is a probably no more than a “good” 2C at this point in his career, but would be a superb 3C. Dickinson, conversely, was a “pretty good” 3C at the peak of his career. In the cold, hard light of day in 2026, he is probably a superb 4C. And therein lies the heart of the McDavid-Draisaitl debate. And if Dickinson ends up at 3C (with Nugent-Hopkins up the lineup ahead of him), then the pressure is on someone else to fill the 4C slot.
Josh Samanski is the early favourite. But if he does not cut it, then who? Most of the guys listed as Centers feel more like wingers: Trent Frederic, Colton Dach, Connor Clattenburg and Mattias Janmark (hurt). A dark horse would be Owen Michaels, signed out of Western Michigan. He is a right shot Center who plays a bottom-six, meat and potatoes game. I have a sense that he is the reason the Oilers did not extend a contract to Curtis Lazar. But fresh out of college? You would have to assume he needs some AHL time first.
It suddenly feels a little bit like Josh Samanski or bust, doesn’t it! On paper, few NHL teams would have a stronger spine down the middle than McDavid, Draisaitl, Nugent-Hopkins, Dickinson.
But it feels like they drop one than just one peg at pivot, with the two big guys together.
This article is not AI generated.
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Bruce McCurdy, 1955-2025.
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