Edmonton Oilers have a problem on fourth line that needs fixing
The NHL trade deadline has passed, but the Edmonton Oilers still have a few question marks in their forward group, particularly on the fourth line.
Usually, the Oilers are a lock every season to acquire a fourth-line centre. They did it last year with Sam Carrick, and the season before with Nick Bjugstad, but that wasn’t the case this time.
Oilers GM Stan Bowman instead focused on improving his blueline with Jake Walman and bringing in a pair of tough wingers in Trent Frederic and Max Jones. That has left some confusion about who will fill the role of the Oilers’ fourth-line centreman heading into the playoffs.
Kasperi Kapanen has been handed the duties of late, but considering his skillset and that he is usually a winger, he doesn’t seem like the ideal player to be playing this kind of role. Head coach Kris Knoblauch will have to figure it out before the season ends, and he certainly has a few options at his disposal.
Derek Ryan
The obvious, and perhaps easiest, solution to this problem would be to call Derek Ryan back from the AHL.
Ryan was Edmonton’s fourth-line centre to start the season and, more or less, held the position down until the Oilers decided to place him on waivers in mid-January. Since then, the 38-year-old has scored three goals and eight points in 10 games with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
There is a concern, however, that adding Ryan back to the NHL lineup would make the team that much slower and older, which is already an issue with this Oilers team. Add that into Ryan’s play dropping off this season, and it makes this outcome a bit less desirable.
Mattias Janmark
If the Oilers want to avoid an AHL call-up, Mattias Janmark is probably the way to go.
There is no doubt that Janmark has struggled this season with just two goals in 63 games, but he has managed to find a way into Knoblauch’s good books. The veteran Swede has played just about every forward position on this team during his tenure, including the fourth-line centre role at times this season.
He is a faster skater than you’d think, and despite his offensive struggles, he is a decent forechecker. Add that to the fact that he is a staple on the penalty-kill, and he looks like a match for the position.
It isn’t the sexiest of moves, but Janmark would probably do just fine there.
Noah Philp
The youthful option for this Oilers club lies with undrafted forward Noah Philp.
After a strong training camp, many believed that Philp was close to securing the fourth-line job by at least the end of the season. Edmonton opted to start the 26-year-old in the AHL but have since given him 12 games of NHL action to see what he’s got.
Philp didn’t blow the doors off during those games, but he looked comfortable in the role, grabbing two assists in that time. He also showed great vision for a player with limited NHL experience.
For a team looking to inject some youthful energy, giving Philp a chance to prove his worth down the stretch may be more than worthwhile.
Adam Henrique
If none of the above options fit the bill, the Oilers do have a chance to move their current third-line centre down a line.
Adam Henrique has not had a great year in his first full season in Edmonton. Despite scoring over 20 goals and 50 points last season, he has just eight goals and 17 points this time around. Still, he remains the team’s third-line centre without much competition.
However, that could change with the arrival of Trent Frederic. Bowman has already said that the organization views Frederic as either a top-six winger or a third-line centre. If Knoblauch opts to use him as a centre, that could knock Henrique down to the fourth line.
It’s unclear just how good of a fit the 35-year-old would be in that position.