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Canada • 2013 Years Old • Male

Oilers Picks and Analysis - 2013 Draft

The Oilers traded down twice to collect 10 players in the draft. Some are questionable picks and others have some great upsides. Here is a list of all of them along with a professional scouting report.

18 year old Canadian D – 6’5 192 Lbs

Darnell Nurse GP 68 G 12 A 29 P 41 -15

Darnell Nurse is a big, mobile, gifted blueliner who has a lot of Chris Pronger in his game. He’s an imposing presence on the blueline and has the tools to be successful at both ends. Beyond the bloodlines and support (aunt, father, mother are all elite athletes -- uncle by marriage is Donovan McNabb), Nurse has it where it counts most -- between the ears.rnThe young blueliner has already assumed a significant leadership role on his Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds squad and will likely play a key role next year on Canada’s World Junior Hockey championship squad.

He easily projects as a top-two blueliner, although his offensive game may not be refined enough to be considered a true number-one. He will be an elite shutdown blueliner who will add at least 25 to 30 pounds of muscle to his 6’5, 200-pound frame. Nurse will be well positioned to be used in all segments of the game (PP, PK, even strength), and his development could rival presumptive first-selected blueliner Seth Jones. – Hockey Futuresrnrn

18 year old Canadian Center – 5’11 161lbsrnMarc-Olivier Roy GP 65 G 29 A 38 P 67 +12

Though only average sized, he keeps his motor running and his legs moving at all times on the ice and is a solid player because of it. A great skater who will fight through traffic to make a play, Roy has soft hands and a quick release. Creative in the offensive zone, he also has some great defensive instincts, but will benefit by getting stronger. – Hockey Futuresrnrn

18 year old Russian Center – 6’4 201lbs – Played Russian league just below KHL

Bogdan Yakimov GP 48 G 14 A 21 P 35 +20

Yakimov is a large center with a terrific set of hands. Owns great playmaking ability and vision. Is very hard to knock off the puck. (EP, 2012)rnrn19 year old Russian LW – 6’2 194lbs – Played KHL

Anton Slepyshev GP 26 G 7 A 2 P 9 -2

He is an above-average skater, with agility and free movement, as his shiftiness makes him hard to check. He has a plus shot and he knows it, as his mentality is often shoot-first, even from distance. He can still make plays, and he does not have tunnel vision, but his playmaking skills are not his best element. His physical game has progressed, and he has added strength since last season. He can protect pucks moderately well. He will display physical effort, although it could be better at times. He also needs to work on his defensive game. – Hockey Prospectus

18 year old Canadian RW – 6’0 194lb

Jackson Houck GP 69 G 23 A 34 P 57 -16

Houck entered this season known for his intangibles and physical play, and he added a scoring touch to his repertoire, leading the Giants in points. He has just average size, but he still displays notably above-average physical value, delivering big hits and winning a lot of battles through his effort. He has the heart and soul elements desirable in a good penalty killer. His offensive upside, however, draws some divide among scouts. One says he is very average, while another says his puck skills enable him to have potential in that area. He protects the puck well, drives the net, and has solid creativity. Skating will be his main issue. He plays with good energy, but he struggles to get to where he wants to go.

18 year old Canadian RW – 5’11 176 Lbs

Kyle Platzer GP 65 G 5 A 17 P 22 +7

At first blush (raw stats) there’s not a lot that stands out about Platzer, a 5’11, 176 lb forward (mostly!), who was buried on a deep, successful London Knights squad. In his first OHL season he played 91 regular season, playoff and Memorial Cup games, scoring just 8 goals and 30 points, but managed to post an overall +12, albeit on a heavily plus team. He had just 23 PiM as well, all of which could be suggestive of minimal ice time as anything else. – Edmonton Journalrnrn17 year old Canadian LW/C – 6’3 183 lbs

Aidan Muir GP 37 G 17 A 23 P 40

Muir is a 6’3″ 180 lbs. power forward. He’s a decent skater for his size, though there is still some room for improvement. With his frame, there’s also the potential to add a little more strength. His biggest attribute is his grit and toughness in the dirty areas of the ice along the boards and in front of the net, and that he has the hands to make plays in tight spaces. He’s also a very high energy player and a tireless worker. – NHL Central Scouting

20 year old Canadian LW – 6’1 174lbs

Evan Campbell GP 51 G 20 A 46 P 66rnSince coming to Langley last November, Campbell has received a lot of attention from NCAA scouts to the pro ranks with his size, speed, skill and work ethic. – BCHLrnrn18 year old Canadian D – 6’4 201lbsrnBen Betker GP 68 G 1 A 5 P 6 -21rnAccording to Betker, he needs to work on his skating – he described it as “a glaring” problem – and his shot. For strengths, he listed his work in the defensive zone and ability to make an outlet pass. Some might wonder about his defensive game given his minus-21 rating, but the Silvertips were minus-96 on the season so it really wasn’t that bad; the team’s six most-used defencemen were all in the red by double-digit numbers.

18 Year old Canadian C/RW – 6’0 194 lbs

Gregory Chase GP 69 G 17 A 32 P 49 +11 PO GP 17 G 3 A 7 P 10 +1

Chase entered the season with a decent amount of hype and he figured to make a push to be drafted in the top two rounds. While he was somewhat underwhelming, his skills make him worth knowing, the best of which is his hockey sense. Scouts praise his offensive mind and vision. He can slow the game down when he has the puck, hit targets through small lanes, and move the puck quickly when need be. He also has good hands, and when he is on, his offensive upside is apparent. His skating earns divided opinions, with one scout calling it a positive, and another saying his first steps can be a tad sluggish. His physical game and consistency are areas of concern as well. He has average size, but he does not tend to be imposing with his board work. Finally, his game-to-game on-ice work ethic could use improvement, especially in the defensive end. – Hockey Prospectusrnrn

I think trading down was not a great idea. Trading up would have been better as only half of these prospects look good. Marc Oliver- Roy is a good second pick. He is a great two way center that could easily be our third line guy in a couple years. He is a playmaker that can charge the net. I think he would have went higher if it weren't for the bias on large players this year.

We then picked two large Russian forwards. Yakimov at 6'4 also has a chance at becoming an elite center. This was a great pick for the Oilers. LW Slepyshev at 6'2 is a big with some speed but personally I don't think he will make the AHL. The rest of the draft continues this way.

Good pick with average size Canadian, Jackson houck and then a terrible pick with Kyle Platzer who was good 2 years ago but had terrible stats this year. Then a good pick with 17 year old Canadian Aiden Muir. At 6'3 this LW/C has a huge upside in his offensive game and the toughness he brings with his game. Then two gambles going with a 20 year old with good points in the ECHL. Then a large dman with no offensive game and a -21.

However they ended strong. Selecting 6'0 almost 200lb C/RW Gregory Chase. 49 pts in 69 games and then 10 pts in 17 playoff games. He is a playmaker with a great hockey sense. average size but I expect this to be one of the best picks made by the Oilers.