The Oilers are looking to take another step this season.
Key additions to this seasons Oilers are Tyler Soy, Michael Sgarbossa, Brock Nelson, Will Butcher and Jean-Francois Berube.
Tyler Soy will be taking over the role as the top line center. Soy is the latest of a string of young centers being sent to the Oilers from the Bakersfield Condors. He will be joined by second year starter Dylan Gambrell. Gambrell is coming off his first season with the Oilers where he put up 52 points. And anchoring the top line will be the captain Brandon Saad.
Centering the second line will be another Bakersfield Condors product in Michael Sgarbossa. Sgarbossa is being groomed to be the long term third line center for the Oilers. He will be skating between two veteran wings in Conner Brown and new comer Brock Nelson.
Joining Norris Trophy winner Rasmus Ristolainen on the top line will be Will Butcher. Butcher will be bringing a lot of speed and skill to the Oilers top line (86sk, 91pa 78sc). It will take a little time for him to get up to speed with things in his own end. While team is confident that Ristolainen and Butcher will be terrorizing teams in the West for a long time.
Jean-Francois Berube will be joining Chris Driedger as the backstops for the Oilers this season. The team believes Berube was over looked in free agency. And are expecting him to surprise a lot of teams this season.
The Bakersfield Condors are expected to have another strong season. Leading the Condors will be Andrei Svechnikov. Svechnikov (78pa 78sc) hopes to become the first Condor to reach the elusive point per game level.
Last seasons Baz Bastien award winner Jake Oettinger will be in net one last season for the Condors. With 87 potential the organization hope to see Oettinger find a way to further develop his (90rb, 92sc, 91hs, 92rt) skill set.