Roster battles heating up after impressive win by Oilers over Jets

The Edmonton Oilers came into the preseason with several roster spots up for grabs. But after another strong showing from their young forwards against the Winnipeg Jets, things are starting to get complicated.

Noah Philp, Quinn Hutson, and Ike Howard all put together impressive performances. Add the likes of David Tomášek and Matt Savoie to the list, and the number of players with little NHL experience pushing for roster spots is quickly becoming the most intriguing storyline of camp. 

Noah Philp

A two-assist game from Philp early in the preseason is a great start for a player who just missed making the team last season. He may not be the youngest guy vying for a roster spot for the first time, but he is continuing to build on his game.

He led all Oiler players with a 58% expected goal share and had the best faceoff percentage, winning 61% of his draws. As one of Edmonton’s few right-shot centers, the ability to win faceoffs and drive play are keys for him to make the team.

In this game, he did some nice work on the forecheck; he forced several turnovers and rushed, uncontrolled zone exits.

The most notable play he made was his second assist of the game. Philp picked the puck up along the half wall, and with his head up, he fired a perfect saucer pass onto the tape of Emberson, who scored the eventual game-winning goal.

There weren’t many noteworthy moments in transition from him in this game, but his work in the offensive and defensive zones was exemplary. Could Philp earn himself a spot over a veteran NHLer like Curtis Lazar? It’s something to keep an eye on.

Quinn Hutson

The most consistent player for the Oilers so far is Hutson. He has points in three of the four games he’s played since the start of rookie camp and continues raising his stock.

His goal in this game came on a fantastic deflection. He parked in front of the net and got good stick position on Kale Clague to redirect the puck top-shelf. Hutson’s knack for getting himself in the right spots has been a theme all camp.

The chances he generated on a second-period power play also caught my eye. First, a high danger pass right into the slot, and then a one-timer. Neither resulted in a goal, but they were terrific chances.

Hutson was not someone I was expecting to see on the team come opening night, but he is starting to make a believer out of me. At this moment, I would have him slotted ahead of Mattias Janmark on my depth chart.

Ike Howard

Howard is getting more and more comfortable each game. After an underwhelming rookie camp, Howard has found his stride in the preseason. This game was his best showing yet. Howard has a sound understanding of how to move off the puck in the offensive zone. He looks like a kid in a candy store when he finds himself open, tapping and waving his stick.

There was an extended shift where Howard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Kasperi Kapanen had the Jets on their heels for over a minute. He constantly telegraphed one-timers, moved in and out of traffic, and got himself open in shooting positions. It wasn’t long before he finally buried his first goal on the power play. It was his signature one-time rocket on a brilliant feed from Nugent-Hopkins.  

Howard was all around the puck in this game. Whether it was cycling in the offensive zone or slamming on the brakes during a rush to hit Kapanen in the slot, he seemed to be feeling confident. He looks ready to play middle-six in the NHL right now.

Roster Implications

We’ve seen these players in action a few times this fall, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that they all deserve a look in the NHL. Taking jobs away from veteran players who have been through multiple deep playoff runs is difficult. But, at this point, Mattias Janmark and Adam Henrique are depreciating assets.

There will always be a bias toward veteran players in the NHL because coaches trust players with experience. But right now, Savoie, Howard, Philp, and Hutson are earning it.

There should be room for most, if not all, of these players to be on the opening night roster while Hyman is out. But how many young players is too many for a contending team? And would the Oilers ever consider sending someone like Janmark to the minors to make room for them all? One Thing’s for sure: these NHL hopefuls aren’t just knocking on the door, they’re kicking it down.