Do you think the Oilers will trade their first-round 2014 draft pick? If not, who are they taking? Sam or Aaron?
No chance the Oilers are dealing away a probable top three draft pick. GM Craig MacTavish was singing a different tune a few months back, saying he was open for business to deal the team’s first-rounder but that was before his club tumbled to the current depths of 29th in a 30-team league. It looks like Buffalo (30), Edmonton (29) and Calgary (28) are in a group for the first overall pick in the lottery. The Oilers won’t take Kootenay forward Sam Reinhart (not big enough).
They have taken enough forwards first off and many feel they should have taken defenceman Ryan Murray rather than winger Nail Yakupov in 2012 when they were picking first although there is a theory the Oilers’ scouting staff couldn’t come to a consensus on a blueliner — Everett’s Murray, Oil Kings’ Griffin Reinhart or Moose Jaw’s Morgan Rielly — so went with the unanimous choice for forward, that being Yakupov. They need D-men considerably more now and Canadian junior workhorse Aaron Ekblad, in some scouts eyes, can play in the NHL next season. It should be noted they also like Prince Albert’s German-born centre Leon Draisaitl if Ekblad was gone when they picked, but most scouts feel Ekblad is a cut above the 6’2” centre who did not have a good world junior in Sweden.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/edmonton-oilers/Matty+Oilers+focus+figures+defence+draft/9409967/story.html