Oilers’ Lack of Organizational Defensive Talent Will Be Costly – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers enter the 2024-25 season with only one goal: to win the Stanley Cup. This can be achieved in the franchise, not only because they reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last season, but also because they did not lose important pieces this season. While the core remains intact, there is a lot riding on this season, and the organization’s lack of defensive depth and talent will likely be costly.

Few Defensive Prospects

On the current Oilers roster, there are just two defensemen under the age of 29: Evan Bouchard and Ty Emberson. Bouchard is a top-10 defenseman in the NHL, and Emberson is on his way to becoming a solid second-round, defensive defenseman. However, without these two 24-year-olds, the Oilers defense is aging, and there is little talent in the prospect pool in the lineup.

The Oilers’ top defensive prospect is Beau Akey, a right-handed defenseman selected in the second round of the 2023 Draft. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury 14 games into last season while playing for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and had four goals and nine points in those games.

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Akey has started skating again, but his path to the NHL is unclear. Not only is he right-handed, like Bouchard and Emberson, but he’s only 19 years old. There is reason to believe he will develop into a top four defenseman. Still, he’ll need to recover quickly and elevate his offensive game to make a big impact in the NHL anytime soon.

The Oilers acquired Paul Fischer from the Blues following the offer sheets of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, and he, too, could have an impact on the team in the future. Fischer is a 19-year-old defenseman, selected by the Blues with the 138th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He had 16 points (two goals and 14 assists) in 34 games with Notre Dame last season. He’s a good skater and projects to reach the NHL sooner than the average fifth-round prospect.

Fischer’s path to the NHL will be easy given the Oilers’ lack of youth and talent on the left side of the defense, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. He stands just 6-foot-1, so he has to learn to use his frame once at the pro level. He’ll also be fighting for a roster spot on the Stanley Cup contender Oilers, so some of his positioning issues and expenses endured in college may not carry over once in the NHL. Like Akey, Fischer projects to be an NHL defenseman, but he’s unlikely to be a difference maker on the team’s blue line.

Without Akey and Fischer, the Oilers have no defensive prospects who are destined to be NHLers. Since Broberg was selected in the first round of the 2019 Draft, the Oilers have selected a defenseman twice in the top 180: Akey, 56th in 2023, and Luca Munzenberger, 90th in 2021. last season, and at 21 years old, there is little reason to believe he will make the NHL.

Aging NHL Defense Core

The Oilers lacking defensive prospects is one thing, but having an aging defense core is another. Besides Bouchard and Emberson, the team has Mattias Ekholm (34), Darnell Nurse (29), Brett Kulak (30), Josh Brown (30), and Troy Stecher (30). Considering that Ekholm is the best, and the oldest, there are serious concerns about the future of the blueline. And while the Nurse may return to her former self it is unlikely.

Age won’t be a problem for the Oilers if they look at this season as their only chance. With Connor McDavid under contract for two more seasons, likely more, and Leon Draisaitl now under contract for the next nine seasons, the team’s window has expanded. This does not mean that they should not participate in every game this season, but the future must be looked at. What happens if Ekholm backs down? Or when he possibly retires after a few seasons? Sure, a trade could be made to bring in a young defenseman, but wouldn’t those assets be better used to add a more proven, solid veteran piece at the trade deadline?

The Oilers have had an underwhelming season, so entering the season with question marks is understandable. The team handled the turmoil well, allowing them to enter the season as Stanley Cup favorites. They need to address an aging defense core sooner than they want to maintain success during the McDavid era. As it stands, it is unlikely that the six defensemen who started in Game 1 of the regular season will be the same six on the ice during the playoffs.