I will be rating each team on three different areas which of course are goalies, defensemen and forward. The ratings are from 1 to 10. The rating consists of his personal ability and his importance to the team. This means that a player who scores way more points might get the same rating as someone who does not. There are two categories that i will rate: Every position as whole and then every single player. I will also put in the lines that i think/hope they will play next season. Then last i will give a grade to the whole team.
Edmonton Oilers
Goalies
Nikolai Khabibulin: Started as the starting goalie, but did not enjoy much success, as he only won 10 games out of 47. Will be backup this year. His best years are behind him. Rating: 7
Devan Dubnyk: He played really well and fairly got the starting role. Put up impressive numbers in the team that allowed second most goals and finished last in the entire league. If Devan can keep on playing like he did Edmonton will have one thing less to worry about. Rating: 8
If Devan Dubnyk can keep up his good work or perhaps even improve Edmonton will have a solid goalie for a decade. Khabibulin is still decent backup, but he will have to be replace in the coming years due to his age. For goalies rating: 8
Defensemen
Ryan Whitney: Whitney is a really good defender, who unfortunately missed most of the last season due to an ankle injury. Hopefully he will be back in top shape to lead the Edmonton blue line next year. Rating: 9
Andy Sutton: Sutton brings some considerable size to the Oilers defense. He is good in physical play and you can be sure that the league does not include many players that are bigger than him. Good acquisition, though i would have preferred Kurtis Foster. Rating: 8
Ladislav Smid: Smid is a decent player, but i think that been drafted 9th overall brings a lot of expectations and he perhaps has not been as good as, at least, i hoped he might be. Still a relatively young player who has not been playing in exactly winning franchise, so far. Rating: 8
Theo Peckham: Another young player who played quite well last year. He should make the opening night roster again this year. If he can keep on improving he should have a bright future ahead. Rating: 7
Tom Gilbert: Gilbert has missed only 3 games in the last four season, all of them last year. Gilbert has been one of the most important players in Edmonton the last years and should keep his role as a top 2 defender. Really good in both ways. Rating: 9
Cam Barker: Another high drafter defender ( 3rd overall on 2004). Played one really good season with the Blackhawks, but threatens to be a one-hit-wonder. If he can find that level again he will be a top acquisition. Rating: 8
I really like the Edmonton defense. There is a lot of potential in it just waiting to unfold. It will still take some time for Edmonton to be a serious challenger for the Stanley Cup, but when they are ready these players will be there. For defense i will give rating: 8
Forwards
Ryan Smyth: Bringing back a player like Smyth was a really impressive move by the Oilers. Not only is he a long serving player for the franchise, but he also brings veteran presence to otherwise so young team. Who knows perhaps he will teach those kid a trick or two. Rating: 9
Magnus Paajarvi: Paajarvi had a really good rookie season. He also played really well in the World Championships in Bratislava and was the only Swdish player who scored in the final. He has a really bright future ahead of him. Rating: 8
Linus Omark: Another Swedish player who had a really impressive first season in the NHL. dazzled many with his shootout moves. Added a good amount of points for a lower line Oiler. Rating: 8
Ryan Jones: Important bottom line player. Was thirteenth in average ice time, but third in goals
in Edmonton offense. Good player, but with super promising youngster will eat his ice time even more next year. Rating: 8
Darcy Hordichuk: Hordichuk brings a literal fighting spirit to the game. Bottom line tough guy or perhaps an avenger... Good in his role, but does not contribute in anything else than penalty minutes. Rating: 7
Shawn Horcoff: Horcoff will start his eleventh season with the Oilers. He is the captain of the team and should keep his role as number one center. Very important to the team. Rating: 9
Ales Hemsky: He was nominated to the all-star game, but was not able to attend due to a concussion. Soon after he got a shoulder injury and missed the reminder of the season. He is still a very good player and will claim the first line right winger spot. Rating: 9
Taylor Hall: This is the player that Edmonton is building around. He will probably lead the league one day with fellow first round first pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. His future is written in the stars. Rating: 10
Sam Gagner: Another top prospect in the Oilers squad. He has lot of potential and with the Oilers finally heading to the playoffs instead of the first draft position he will hopefully break all his career high statistics. Rating: 8
Jordan Eberle: Another highly talented prospect in the Oilers squad. He will hopefully be the right winger of the second line. Hopefully he will also rewrite his current career high statistics, he has the potential to do that. Rating: 8
Ben Eager: Eager brings some checking ability and a lot of penalty minutes with him to Edmonton. Solid bottom line checker type. Rating: 7
Gilbert Brule: The former 6th overall pick has not been able to stand up to his expectations and only got 9 points in 41 games. Edmonton tried to trade him to Kings, but he never got there as Colin Fraser was traded on his position. Brule will most likely send Brule to their AHL affiliate if he regains match fitness. Rating: 7
Eric Belanger: Belanger was probably added to play on Brule´s position as a bottom line center. Lot depends on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and his readiness for the NHL. Belanger is a good center who can help the Oilers significantly. Rating: 8
I know that many people will ask why Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was not on the list, but like i said earlier i only analyse that players that are listed on the teams own website on main roster. To the offense, Edmonton has a group of players who have more potential than ability at the moment, but that will change in the following years. Edmonton will be on the verge of playoff line, but this year might still be hard. Future is bright. Rating: 8
Lines
Smyth-Horcoff-Hemsky
Hall-Gagner-Eberle
Paajarvi-Nugent Hopkins-Omark
Eager-Belanger-Jones
Whitney-Gilbert
Smid-Barker
Sutton-Peckham
Dubnyk
Every position got 8 this time so that will be the overall rating, but to all the Oilers fans your team has a potential 10 offense and 9 defense and goalie, just wait. Rating: 8
Key factors:
+They found what seems to be a good goalie
+Some really good player
-Still more potential than actual ability
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