BT's NHL Season Preview: Edmonton Oilers

Preface: So, to go along with the theme of September and the opening of training camp, I've decided to do my own, 30-part, team-by-team preview of the NHL.

There's just one catch.

I figured, that as NHL Community Leader, I should be doing my best to integrate the community. Therefor, at the end of each preview, you'll have the Community Leaders' opinions of my season previews. They'll tell you whether they agree, disagree, think I'm a lunatic, or anything else they'd like to say.

With that, this week is the Northwest Division—meaning Minnesota, Colorado, Calgary, Vancouver, and Edmonton, and we're starting with the Oilers.

The Oilers are long removed from the days of Kurri, Messier, Gretzky, and Anderson, and they're just a few years removed from the Ryan Smyth era.

With that said, the Oilers are looking to integrate youth into, what has been, a fairly average roster over the past few seasons, relying mostly on grit and effort to get them through games.

Although the lockout has introduced a new weapon to the Oilers' arsenal—the shootout—the Oil are determined to move forward in the right direction under new owner Daryl Katz, and build a contender through cost certainty, exciting young players, and their old-school brand of hockey.

Roster Additions: Gilbert Brule-F (Trade), Lubomir Visnovsky-D (Trade), Erik Cole-F (Trade), Ryan Polutny-F (Trade), Jason Strudwick-D (F.A.)

Roster Subtractions: Joni Pitkanen-D (Trade), Geoff Sanderson-F (F.A.), Marty Reasoner-F (F.A.), Dany Syvret-D (Trade), Matt Greene-D (Trade), Jarrett Stoll-F (Trade), Raffi Torres-F (Trade)

How did 2007/08 Go? 41-35-6, 88 points, ninth in conference, fourth in Northwest.

2008/09 Goal: Third (or higher) in division, seventh or eighth in conference.

Let's Break'er Down!

Last year was a rough year for Kevin Lowe.

Following an outstanding playoff run in 2005-06, the team tailed off and posted a disappointing 2006-07, while they watched as the disgruntled Chris Pronger raised his first Stanley Cup—as an Anaheim Duck.

Following their lowest point total since the mid-90s, Kevin Lowe was determined to shake things up. At the draft he was able to land Joni Pitkanen and Geoff Sanderson for Joffery Lupul and Jason Smith, and within the opening weeks of free agency, Lowe had already signed Mathiew Garon, and attempted to acquire Michael Nylander.

If not for some second thoughts (or whatever happened) from the Nylander camp, then the Swedish centre could have been an Oiler.

Disgruntled at how players were wanting out of Edmonton, Lowe began making big-money pitches for restricted free agents—namely Tomas Vanek and Dustin Penner—and we all know how that ended up.

But with all of the fireworks that emanated from last season, Lowe again sought out a different way to shake up his team. This year that route was through the trade market.

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