Oilers losing draft lottery a blessing in disguise
For just the third time in the last six years, the Edmonton Oilers will not be making the first selection at the NHL Draft this June.
The team entered Saturday's draft lottery with the second-best chance of capturing the coveted pick, but instead saw fate push them back two spots to a less commendable fourth-overall slotting.
Related: Report: Top 3 picks 'unlikely' to be moved; Oilers' No. 4 pick 'in play'
The move sees them miss out on yet another 'franchise player.' While the Oilers might be a little sour - though they have no reason to given their recent success with the lottery - the fourth-overall pick should and will certainly yield an incredibly talented prospect.
In fact, claiming the fourth-overall selection might have been the best outcome Edmonton could have hoped for entering Saturday.
The Oilers have been chastised in years past for consistently selecting the "best player available" - though Connor McDavid is a clear exception - rather than addressing the team's needs at that moment in time. In other words, the team has a history of electing for the high-scoring forward instead of the dependable defenseman.
Sportsnet's Mark Spector reported in late March that back in 2012, the team's scouts had pressured management to select defenseman Ryan Murray with the first-overall pick instead of Nail Yakupov. Management ultimately vetoed the recommendation.
This time around, the Oilers will select fourth and will likely miss out on highly touted forwards Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and Jesse Puljujarvi. However, perhaps this finally forces Edmonton's hand to select the defenseman they so desperately need.
The team finished with the fifth-highest goals against this season, which was actually an improvement from the team's 30th-place finishes in the two seasons prior. This team needs assistance on the back end.
This year, the two defenseman making the most noise are Olli Juolevi of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights and Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting.
Juolevi is a rookie, but the Finn is making quite a name for himself early in his first season in North America. The youngster finished the season with 42 points in 57 games, while finishing third amongst all defenders with a plus-38 rating.
He currently sits fifth in playoff scoring amongst defenseman, with 11 points in 14 games. According to TSN's Craig Button, his closest NHL comparison is New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonaugh.
"He's not going to put up big points, he's not going to be on the highlight reels, but as a coach and teammates you want that player on the ice in every critical situation because you know he will deliver," says Button.
The Oilers could also entertain Chychrun, whose draft stock has dropped slightly this season but still remains among the best d-men available.
The 18-year-old finished fourth among OHL defenders with 49 points this season, ranking first with eight power play goals. Chychrun's greatest asset is his speed which Button suggests allows him to recover from his mistakes and allows him skate the puck out of his own zone with ease.
His NHL comparable is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, according to Button.
Chychryn and Juolevi rank fourth and fifth among North American skaters on the NHL's Central Scouting rankings, and would be welcome additions to a thin defensive core.
Other forwards such as Pierre-Luc Dubois, Matthew Tkachuk, and Alexander Nylander project to be solid NHLers, and could catch the eye of the Oilers.
That said, with the unique position the draft balls have bestowed upon the Oilers, the team has no reason not to finally make the move they've needed all along and draft by necessity.