Decisons Up Front: The Oilers' 4 Main Problems at Forward

The Oilers have a lot of decision-making to do heading forward regarding the status of their top-9 forwards, as they have both luxuries and glaring holes with certain roles that need to be changed if they're going to have a balanced lineup in a few years.

Jordan Eberle: The X-Factor on RW

Problem 1): The Oilers have three LW's who can only play in a top-6 role
All three of Ales Hemsky, Jordan Eberle, and Linus Omark are primarily offensive players whose creativity and effectiveness would go to waste in a third-line role. All three are also incapable of handling the checking duties required by the third-line assignment on most contending teams. One of them is going to have to be moved if room is going to be made for an ideal 3rd line RW.
Solution: The answer is purely based on how high a potential the Oilers foresee for Jordan Eberle. If they think he is their future #1 RW, then it's time to move Ales Hemsky, an already-established #1RW, to address some other need. Linus Omark should then be given a fair chance at establishing himself as a #2 RW. If Eberle's potential seems limited to that of a #2RW, then it would be wise to keep Hemsky and use Omark as trade bait.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: The Future #1C

Problem 2) An overall lack of depth at center.
Anytime your top-2 centers are Sam Gagner and Shawn Horcoff, you are a team destined for disappointment. Horcoff is at best an effective 3C, while Sam Gagner has struggled to play the center position in the NHL since entering the league four years ago. To make things worse, both are below 50% in the face-off dot. The bottom-6 is even worse. Andrew Cogliano, Gilbert Brule, and Colin Fraser all struggled with consistency and defensive play throughout the season, and other than Brule, were horrendous in the faceoff dot. Perhaps the only real effective showing at center thus far this season came from Chris Vandevelde, who played the 4th line C role quite effectively. He won face-offs, engaged physically, and showed a solid 2-way game.
Solution: A complete revamping of this team's center strategy.
1) Draft Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with the 2011 #1 pick and establish him as the future #1C of this team in the next few years.
2) Hand Shawn Horcoff the reigns to the 3rd line for the forseeable future
3) Deal with Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano (look below)
4) Depending on other moves/transactions, sign a capable bottom-6 center who is dominant on faceoffs (Boyd Gordon, Scott Nichol, Zenon Konopka). They will be charged with a 3rd/4th line role depending on other lineup changes
At the very least, this gives the Oilers a solid base at center for the near future, while centers like Tyler Pitlick and Anton Lander develop in the minors. They will be the future 2nd-4th line C's of this team heading forward.

Time's Up for Gagner

Problem 3)  Sam Gagner and Andrew Cogliano have no role to play in this team's future
Although Gagner's showed progress in how he manages the puck and plays the game, the glaring weaknesses are there: he's too small, too weak, and too slow. Although the great hockey sense and hands are there, it's not simply enough for him to overcome his physical shortcomings and become a true #1 center. He also doesn't possess the strong 2-way game and dependability most would like to see in a #2C. And he's definitely not cut out for a bottom-6 role.
Cogliano is in a different boat. He lacks the hockey sense, faceoff-ability, and hands to be an effective top-6 center, and lacks the size and strength to be an effective top-6 winger. Although his speed is a pure asset, he's not strong enough or defensively strong enough to play a solid bottom-6 checking/agitating role either.
Solution: The Oilers should cut their losses ASAP and deal Gagner and Cogliano before others around the league realize what most Oiler fans have already: they have no role on a contending franchise. The return could be used to address other pressing needs: defensive depth, a true #3 center, or even a package for a true #2 center.

Ville Leino: a veteran answer

Problem 4) The lack of veteran 2-way presences on all 4 lines.
Apart from Shawn Horcoff, and on occasion, Ales Hemsky, the Oilers don't have any veterans that can help mentor and develop their younger players. This was only too obvious this past season, when the "HOPE" rookies all struggled in their own end for most of the year. Having players like Horcoff and Hemsky as linemates helps provide some stability for these players as they learn the tricks and trades of the game.
Solution: The Oilers should have 3 sets of target players that on July 1 they should be gunning for, with the aim at grabbing 1-2 of the following:
1) Reliable ~45 point support players - Ville Leino, Brooks Laich
2) Reliable ~35 point top-9 players - Scottie Upshall, Raffi Torres, Sean Bergenheim, Joel Ward
3) Reliable ~20 point bottom-6 players - Drew Miller, Adam Hall

Assuming they draft RNH and pick up Leino/Upshall and Konopka, I'd like to see this at some point this season (there's no way Sam Gagner gets traded for a while):

Leino/Hall-Gagner-Hemsky
Hall/Upshall-RNH-Eberle
Paajarvi-Horcoff-Omark
Hartikainen-Konopka-Jones
Vandevelde

Rare footage of Linus Omark playing hockey as a child

Looks like the dangles started at a young age. You can tell when he "picked it up" at around 1:13 when he starts to stick-handle around guys.

2011 NHL Draft Mock Top-10

1) Edmonton Oilers - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Red Deer (WHL)
There's been a ton of debate about who the Oilers were going to choose with the #1 overall selection in the draft. Heading into the combine, there were 2 main candidates - Adam Larsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Both would address major holes in the team's depth charts (defense and center), and both have the potential to be all-star caliber talents. However, each of them also had their questions marks. Larsson's declining points totals in the SEL this past season has forced many to wonder if he could ever be an offensive difference-maker in the NHL, while Nugent-Hopkins had been facing much scrutiny for a perceived lack of size and strength. His physical appearance and performance at the combine blew many scouts away. He had shot up from 164lb at the beginning of the season to 177lb at the combine, answering many of his critics. It's no doubt this kid has an unreal offensive package - unbelievable hands, ridiculous speed, and unmatched vision - and many scouts have raved about his commitment to developing a defensive game (although trust me, it's currently average at best when compared with other prospects for this draft). Regardless, he's simply too intelligent and too hard-working a player to think any aspect of the NHL game won't be picked up by the kid. And by helping to diffuse any arguments about his lack of size, I think he's cemented himself as the #1 pick - and as the Oilers' future #1 center for years to come.
Comparables: Joe Sakic, Pavel Datsyuk (high-end), Alex Tanguay (low-end)

2) Colorado Avalanche - Gabriel Landeskog, RW, Kitchener (OHL)
Here's why I think the Avs take Landeskog: Every key young defenseman in their system right now plays right-handed, and they already have their future #1 defenseman in the big-bodied Erik Johnson. What does this have to do with Landeskog? Almost nothing - but it makes drafting the right-handed Larsson unecessary for that team. In addition - key into that equation that they'd traded away their best winger in Chris Stewart, and the questionable futures of young wingers Peter Mueller (concussion) and Tomas Fleischmann (heart) - and drafting the NHL-ready Landeskog becomes the best option for this team. He's physical, he's big, and he can score goals - the perfect compliment to a team featuring strong playmaking centers in Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene.
Comparables: Jarome Iginla, Mike Richards (high-end), Brendan Morrow (low-end)

3) Florida Panthers - Jonathon Huberdeau, C/LW, Saint John (QMJHL)
The Panthers' reason for skipping on Larsson is pretty similar to that of Colorado - they're literally stacked at defense heading forward. They stole Dmitri Kulikov at 13th overall in 2009, and grabbed big Erik Gudbranson at 3rd overall last year. New GM Dave Tallon has placed stress on rebuilding the franchise, and I'd bet he's licking his chops at picking up one of the top forwards in this year's draft. Huberdeau is a LW that can play C, and was the QMJHL Playoff MVP as well as the Memorial Cup MVP (honors Taylor Hall received as a 17-year old as well). He's got an offensive game very similar to Nugent-Hopkins' - great vision, hands, and instincts - however at a level not as high as RNH's. He does seem to be advancing very well along his developmental curve - and could surprise many people with his NHL readiness once pre-season rolls around. I doubt Tallon hesitates in taking him and grooming him into his future #1 C. Kind of like what he did 5 years ago with the #3 pick with Jonathon Toews.
Comparable: Vincent Damphousse, Brad Richards (high-end), Tim Connolly (low-end)

4) New Jersey Devils - Adam Larsson, D, Skelleftea (SEL)
The Devils won the lottery and moved into the top-5, and are probably going to be ecstatic if and when Adam Larsson drops to #4. Their #1 organizational need for the past few years has been at defense, where since the departure of Brian Rafalski in 2007 they have lacked a true top-pairing defenseman. Larsson with his big frame, great hockey sense, and professional experience in the SEL, should be ready to step into the NHL right away for a team that may well be in Cup contention next year. He plays big minutes in all situations, and should be the top-pairing defenseman they've been needing for so long within a few years.
Comparable: Nick Lidstrom (high-end), Matthias Ohlund (low-end)

5) New York Islanders - Sean Couturier, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)
The Islanders have a pretty strong stable of young players heading forward. They have depth at nearly every position, which makes taking the best player available their only real decision with the #5 pick. Dougie Hamilton is one name that people have tossed around, but with the recent emergence of Andrew McDonald, Travis Hamonic, and Calvin De Haan as legitimate blueliners heading forwad, Hamilton may not be an option.
Sean Couturier has really fallen in the past year, from being the consensus pre-season #1 pick to not even being mentioned in the top-3 at the moment. He's been criticized for a lack of offensive explosiveness, and being slightly too slow for the NHL game. The Islanders aren't really looking for a #1 center - John Tavares has that position locked up heading forward. But with the seemingly failed experiment with Josh Bailey as the #2, I think they're looking for the big-bodied Couturier as their #2 center of the future. He's got a solid 2-way game (which he showed at the 2011 WJHC as a member of Team Canada), and he could be their answer to Ryan Kesler and Vincent Lecavalier heading forward.
Comparables: Vincent Lecavalier (high-end), Jordan Staal (low-end)

6) Ottawa Senators - Mike Zibanejad, C, Djurgardens (SEL)
There's no doubt in my mind the Senators are going to take a forward. With Erik Karlsson, David Rundblad, and Jared Cowen as their blueliners of the future - there's no need for them to add a player like Hamilton into the fold - as good as defenseman as he is. Mike Zibanejad is a relative newcomer to the discussion of first-round talents - but oh how he has soared. He plays a gritty North American-style game - and works his tail off at both ends of the ice. I like to call him the "Swedish Ryan Kesler" - because that's the type of game he plays. Speed, hitting, relentless puck-hounding, and always attacking the net. Not enough has been made about his point production in the SEL as a rookie, as Zibanejad scored at a Magnus Paajarvi-like clip as a 17-year old. He could be the Sens' future #2 center behind Jason Spezza, a solid replacement for Mike Fisher.
Comparables: Ryan Kesler (high-end), Samuel Pahlsson (low-end)

7) Winnipeg (Insert Name) - Ryan Strome, C, Niagara (OHL)
The Thrashers/Jets have drafted fairly well in recent years, and look set at forward with Evander Kane and Bryan Little leading the charge. In picking Ryan Strome, they're getting a center who plays a speedy skill game and loves to create plays. He led a veteran-laden Niagara team in scoring this past season, and has a skill set similar to RNH/Huberdeau, except he's perhaps a better goalscorer than those two. The reason he's not ranked as high as them is he lacks the high-level vision, and some question his hockey sense. But if he can put those things together, he could be a future #1C for the franchise.
Comparables: Matt Duchene (high-end), Alex Tanguay (low-end)

8) Columbus Blue Jackets - Dougie Hamilton, D, Niagara (OHL)
Think about this: in the history of the Columbus Blue Jackets the team has only ever ONCE had a defenseman score more than 40 points (Jaroslav Spacek, 45p in 2002-2003). For eleven years the franchise has lacked a true offensive defenseman - or even a true #1. Dougie Hamilton, a player who is probably the 4th or 5th best in the draft, would be the perfect addition to their blue line. At 6'4, 190lb, the kid has a bunch of growing to do before being a legitimate NHL player - but the potential to be a top-pairing defenseman is there. He plays the game almost identical to Alex Pietrangelo, another former OHLer who is currently the #1 defenseman for the St. Louis Blues. Although he's a bit rough around the edges, I could see him making the big club in a couple years, and quickly moving up the depth chart.
Comparables: Brent Seabrook, Alex Pietrangelo (high-end), Ladislav Smid (low-end)

9) Boston Bruins - Ryan Murphy, D, Kitchener (OHL)
The Bruins are lucky to have such a high pick in the draft right after a Stanley Cup Final appearance, but such is the brilliance of the Leafs organization (who originally held the pick). The Bruins are stacked at center, leaving them with deciding between a winger or defenseman with the #9. With no real NHL-ready wingers left on the board to help them, they may take a flyer on Ryan Murphy, one of the most offensively dynamic blue liners to come up in recent years. He's an explosive skater with a great break-out pass and incredible offensive instincts, and could be the perfect addition to a team about to lose Tomas Kaberle to UFA. He could be the offensive defenseman of the future for the Bruins. It's a high-risk, high-reward pick because he's only 5'11 - but I think the Bruins are willing to take the risk to put them over the top in contending for the cup in the near future.
Comparables: Scott Niedermayer, Brian Rafalski (high-end), Ian White (low-end)

10) Minnesota Wild - Nathan Beaulieu, D, Saint John (QMJHL)
A team that's losing faith in young Cam Barker and on the verge of moving Brent Burns, the Wild are suddenly looking pretty dry when it comes to defensive depth. The best players after the top-9 are mostly defensemen, and they get to pick between Nathan Beaulieu of the Memorial Cup champion Saint John SeaDogs and Duncan Siemens of the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. My bet's on them taking the more versatile Beaulieu, who plays a solid 2-way game that can hopefully replace the anticipated output from Cam Barker. He looked brilliant down the stretch, and should be favored over the more physical, defense-first Siemens.
Comparables: Christian Ehrhoff, Ryan Whitney (high-end), Tom Gilbert (low-end)