2013-14 record: 29-44-9 (67 points)
Missed the playoffs
Captain: Andrew Ference
The Edmonton Oilers missed the playoffs...again. Once again, it was the defense that let them down, ranking last in the league. However, their offense wasn't exactly any help, as only four players scored north of the 50 point mark, and those four (Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, David Perron, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) were also the only players to score more than 11 goals. Part of the problem was that the Oilers were easy to push around, which was why the likes of Nikita Nikitin, Mark Fayne, Teddy Purcell, Keith Aulie, and Benoit Pouliot were brought in. All are 6'3" and taller, which will at least add size to a team that has lacked grit and size for years. They are still short in those categories, but the gap isn't nearly as wide as in previous seasons. Offensively, a bounce-back season from Nail Yakupov would help, as would Leon Draisaitl...if he makes the team straight from the Draft. The addition of the defensemen will at least provide the team with the idea that they actually have NHL caliber defensemen, something they could not claim for their starting six last season, as players such as Jeff Petry and Justin Schultz had to play more minutes than they needed to at times. Goaltending is the biggest question mark, as the duo of Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth have never gone into a season as the starter. Someone has to emerge as the starter because it can't be any worse than the duo that started last season (Jason LaBarbera and Devan Dubnyk).
Prediction: 7th in the Pacific Division
The Oilers have been in rebuild mode since their last playoff appearance in 2006. It's time for the fruits of that rebuild to show up, but there are far too many holes for them to be anywhere other than in the running for the Connor McDavid/Jack Eichel sweepstakes.
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