With only a couple of games remaining in pre-season, the Edmonton Oilers have some big decisions to make. Darnell Nurse is medically cleared, but should he slot in for the last two contests? Meanwhile, who is going to get the nod as the depth defensemen on this team and potentially play alongside Nurse? How much should the coach listen to Connor McDavid, who is clearly itching for the team to ice its regular roster? Finally, there is good news when it comes to Calvin Pickard’s injury.
Darnell Nurse Medically Cleared
“He has been cleared, he can play,” head coach Kris Knoblauch said when asked if Darnell Nurse was going to get into any pre-season games for the Oilers. Knoblauch added. “He’s been participating in every single drill, and has been physical, he feels well.”
But, it doesn’t sound like the Oilers are totally confident they’ll put Nurse in for the last two games of the exhibition season.
The Oilers have taken their time with Nurse and Knoblauch explained:
“We have to be cautious putting him in the lineup and overextending him where he’s playing 25 minutes in the first game, 25 minutes the next night. I don’t think that would be good,” the coach explained. “We’d be cognizant if he played both games, we’d have to make sure his minutes stay lower and not overdo it, or do we just play him in one game? That’s something we’ll decide tomorrow.”
McDavid Itching for A Full Oilers Lineup to Play
“We haven’t played much with our group. I think you’ll see that the next two games. I’m hoping so, just to get some rhythm, camaraderie. You know that stuff is important,” McDavid said when he spoke after the team’s 3-2 shootout win against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.
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McDavid hinted that he’s feeling like the roster might not be firing on all cylinders, which is tough when the regulars aren’t in the lineup. For example, Monday’s game was the first time the second line of Leon Draisaitl, Jeff Skinner, and Viktor Arvidsson played a pre-season game together. It took some time for them to gel, and they still were relatively quiet.
He couldn’t answer questions about what he thought of his team as a whole because they’ve not been on the ice together. “I’m definitely itching for that,” he noted. It was also reported that he asked to play in Monday’s game, despite not originally being slated to.
Should Knoblauch listen to McDavid when he says he wants the full team on the ice? Or, does the coach stick to his game plan, especially if it’s different than his captain’s?
Could Ben Gleason a Surprise Choice Later in the Season?
The Oilers have a tough decision to make. With no real standout defenseman taking the No. 4, 5, or 6 job on the blue line, the positions are still up for grabs. Troy Stecher, Ty Emberson, Josh Brown, and Travis Dermott (PTO) are battling for the role. But, one defenseman potentially threw his name into the mix on Monday.
Ben Gleason had a solid game for the Oilers and played 21:49. He quarterbacked the power play and scored a goal. He won’t make the team to start the season, but Gleason can play both sides and could be an early call-up if things don’t go well with the other names mentioned.
The Oilers did place Gleason and Lane Pederson on waivers for the purpose of reassignment Tuesday. James Hamblin was also sent to the AHL.
Good News on Calvin Pickard’s Injury
“We expect him to be back on the ice in a few days,” Knoblauch said when asked about the status of backup goaltender Calvin Pickard. He added, “His neck is pretty sore, obviously being cautious, but he should be alright.”
Pickard was knocked out of a preseason game after a collision with his teammate Noah Philp (thanks to some help from Seattle Kraken’s Yanni Gourde). It doesn’t sound like Pickard will miss any regular season time and the Oilers are just making sure he’s good to go before putting him back in.