Big question marks have been raised over the Oilers defence
As Oilers fans await the debut of the highly anticipated NHL season, big question marks have surfaced in regards to the defence.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch spoke to the media about his thoughts concerning the Oilers blue-line.
«To say we know how it's going to shape up has been difficult because we're missing a really big piece of our defence. Darnell has been practising and feeling good but he still hasn't played games so we don't know exactly.
As per Robert Tychkowski, Knoblauch expects Nurse will be able to ready for game action this week.
«We feel he's going to be ready to play one, if not two, exhibition games so there is going to be some chemistry.»
The only thing for certain is Edmonton's top pairing, which is as solid as just about any team in the NHL. That much is set.
Although Bouchard and Ekholm are an elite duo, the Oilers 2nd and 3rd pairing are looking a little shaky. There is a silver lining when analyzing the Oilers depth, and Troy Stecher has emerged as a shining star.
According to the Edmonton Journal, Against Seattle in Saturday night's 5-4 exhibition win, Stecher looked like a decent NHL d-man, even a solid one. He was fast to pucks. He won a good share of his puck battles. He moved the puck well. He defended smartly and effectively. He even threw a few decent hits, even as he's not a big player, just 5-feet, 10-inches, 184 pounds.
Although the 2nd and 3rd pairings arent clear, its nice to know that the Oilers have solid options moving forward.
source: Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Oilers defence still a mystery with season fast approaching
