Our Edmonton Oilers player power rankings are back. Twice a month throughout the schedule, we will be ordering players based on their contributions and value to the club, taking into account recent feats, statistics, failures and some of the more intangibles. Here is our list this week:

1. Connor McDavid (Last week’s rank: 1)

It sure didn’t take long for him to climb into the scoring race. OK, it took an uncomfortable amount of time to get to this point in the season, obviously. But once McDavid flipped the switch, he added 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 10 games, only being held pointless in one of them to break the streak. (Yes, it had to be that unsufferable 5-1 loss to the basement-dwelling Buffalo Sabres, of course).

He sits second overall with 32 points (nine goals, and a league-leading 23 assists), just one point behind Nathan MacKinnon. Though it should be noted everyone else in the top five has three or four games in hand.

While just a single point separates them, MacKinnon, sat at plus-19 on the first-place Colorado Avalanche, while McDavid dropped to minus-6. You know, in case anyone was wondering how things have been going for the rest of the Oilers this season …

2. Leon Draisaitl (Last week’s rank: 2)

OK, maybe not all the rest.

This guy also stands out among the pack, having earned eight points in four games (four goals, four assists) heading into Tampa on Thursday night, after being held pointless in back-to-back games for the first time this season.

That has him solidly in second in team scoring with 26 points on the season, including 14 goals, which has him tied for the league lead, for now.

With 23 goals between them, Draisaitl and McDavid accounted for one full third of the Oilers’ offence after 23 games.

3. Jack Roslovic (Last week’s rank: 4)

With 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in the past 14 games, Roslovic’s torrid pace continues to make the late roster addition the biggest bright spot among the many new faces at forward.

Despite sitting out of training camp, the newcomer soon found his footing on a second line next to Draisaitl, and now finds himself playing on the top line next to McDavid, even despite the return of Zach Hyman to active duty.

4. Matt Savoie (Last week’s rank: —)

Last but not least has been Savoie’s motto when it comes to the carousel of replacements for an injured winger on the Oilers top line.

David Tomasek, Trent Frederic, Andrew Mangiapane. None of the new faces had been able to hang with McDavid (let alone McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line). Until Roslovic mixed up some chemistry with Draisaitl on the second line, which translated to the power play and more opportunities on the top line.

That was the spark, and the Oilers are hoping Savoie can add some fuel. Heck, he’s lasted longer than most others already.

5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Last week’s rank: 3)

A recent injury doesn’t help his case, interrupting what’s shaping up to be a bounce-back season for the elder statesman of the Oilers dressing room, who is closing in on 1,000 NHL games — which hopefully he can resume soon.

Despite missing the past five games, Nugent-Hopkins remains in the top five in team scoring with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists). Three seasons removed from his career high of 104 points (37 goals, 67 assists) the last time he played all 82 games of the schedule, he won’t be challenging those numbers this year. But if he can get himself healthy relatively soon and regain his early pace, he can still shoot for the 67 points he earned two years ago. And certainly eclipse the 49 points he earned in 78 games last season.

6. Stuart Skinner (Last week’s rank: 5)

So, where exactly does Skinner fit in all of this?

Is he the most consistent player ever to man an NHL crease? No. Not at this point in the 26-year-old’s career, anyway.

Has he shown potential, ever since claiming the starting role following an all-star rookie season? It’s sky high, though it comes with a timeline that requires patience.

Does he give his team a chance to win hockey games? Most nights, sure.

His 47 goals-against stick out like a sore thumb, even more so than his .882 save percentage and his 3.00 goals-against average. But he’s still right up there in the wins category in the top half of the league’s goaltending stats. And he’s done it behind a headscratchingly porous defence.

7. Vasily Podkolzin (Last week’s rank: 8)

He continues to lead the team with 70 hits in 23 games. And if you don’t think that’s an important stat, please see the following entry on Hyman.

With all the motion and commotion in the lineup this year, Podkolzin has shown his dependability as a player anchoring the left-wing spot on the second line. With eight points (three goals, eight assists), Podkolzin isn’t turning many heads. But if opponents don’t keep track of where he is on the ice, they could end up losing theirs. And that’s a factor the Oilers don’t have enough of lately.

At the same time, he really needs to start showing up more on the scoresheet.

8. Zach Hyman (Last week’s rank: —)

The long-awaited return of Hyman from a wrist injury suffered in the Western Conference Final back in May did not disappoint.

He’s gotten in on some plays and provides the Oilers with an offensive weapon opposing coaches can’t simply ignore.

But mostly it’s been good to see him pick up where he left off in the physicality department. (Because, again, it’s something this team has sorely lacked). He’s currently being used to help ignite the third line, as well as try and give a push start to some secondary scoring.

9. Darnell Nurse (Last week’s rank: Runner-up)

Maybe the best of the worst unit right now, considering the way things are going on this Oilers defence. A lot of points are being given up, and it doesn’t all fall on goaltending. A league-high 82 goals-against, to be exact.

Nurse sits second overall with 58 blocked shots, and has twice come up with two-goal games over the past three weeks.

To say Paul Coffey’s services in the coaching department are sorely missed right now is an understatement. But it was about time we included a defenceman on this list.

10. Evan Bouchard (Last week’s rank: 10)

We meant an actual defenceman. Not Bouchard, who sits third in team scoring with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists). He plays a team-high 23:55 a game and is part of the first-unit power play as well as the go-to overtime trio.

That alone should be enough to get him ranked somewhere on this list. But there will still be those who think he belongs nowhere near it. The giveaways, the inconsistency and overall general lack of urgency count against all the benefits of having his offensive gifts on the blue line.

He gets harped on enough. Bottom line is it wouldn’t be so frustrating if it wasn’t so obvious how good he could be if he were just able to clean up some of the mistakes. OK, a lot of the mistakes.

Runner-up:

This week, it kind of has to go to head coach Kris Knoblauch, who is tasked with holding it all together amid rumours swirling about the Oilers looking to go in another direction with their coaching staff. (Hey, at least he’s not the new new blue-line coach, Mark Stuart. Right?).

The fallen:

Adam Henrique (Last week’s rank: 6)

Jake Walman (Last week’s rank: 7)

Andrew Mangiapane (Last week’s rank: 9)

Disagree? Have your say over who belongs where by sending your submissions to:

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

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