Heading into the 2015-16 NHL season, Leon Draisaitl made it known to those inside the Edmonton Oilers organization that he was not pleased with starting the year in the AHL. While one could certainly understand his disappointment with the decision, it was a move that made sense from a developmental standpoint.
It is no secret the Edmonton Oilers have been in need of an upgrade to their backend for some time and not surprisingly many targeted the Nashville Predators as a potential trade partner. However, following yesterday’s blockbuster deal between the Preds and Columbus Blue Jackets, which saw Seth Jones and Ryan Johansen switch uniforms, those rumblings can now be put to rest.
Considering the Edmonton Oilers closed out 2015 with just one victory in their last eight games and are currently riding a four-game losing skid, one would think this group was due for some good fortune to kick off 2016. Something tells me having Connor McDavid return to practice for the first time since breaking his collarbone in early November against the Philadelphia Flyers would certainly qualify.
While there will always be a debate surrounding when the Edmonton Oilers officially started their rebuild, using the 2010 NHL Entry Draft as the launching point has always seemed to make the most sense. After all, this whole thing was essentially kicked into gear during the 2009-10 campaign. It was during that season when the mindset shifted from trying to make the playoffs, to going out of their way to ensure the organization would land one of Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin.
