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The last cut was the deepest for Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl — mainly because it was him.
The Oilers trimmed down to 23 players Monday morning at the expense of the 19-year-old former third overall draft pick.
After making the team straight out of training camp a year ago, largely because previous management was caught flat-footed at centre and had to rush him into the job, Draisaitl is now on a more realistic path to the NHL.
“I thought he was really close,” said general manager Peter Chiarelli. “He did everything we asked him to do. His skating has improved. I was quite happy with him.
“What we told him was we have to look at the big picture. You had a good camp, you outplayed some people, but play ramps up, things change, the dynamics of the game change as the games progress in the regular season.”
And they want him to ramp his own game up accordingly so he doesn’t get left behind, like he did last season, prompting his return to Junior after 37 games.
“We told him we want you, when we call you up, to stay here for good,” said Chiarelli. “So you have to work on the 200-foot game. Offensively you can play in the NHL right now, you have to work on the 200-foot game and the little stuff on the defensive side of the puck.
“We tried to send him with a good message. He was upset. but I think at the end of the day he will realize it was the right move. when that day will be I’m not sure.”
Draisaitl improved his game since last fall and had a very strong camp, but with the Oilers a lot deeper up the middle this season the organization can afford to be patient. They are hoping the AHL will do for Draisaitl what it did for Anton Lander and Oscar Klefbom.
“For him it’s a tough thing, when he goes down the checklist and looks at some of the things he’s accomplished,” said head coach Todd McLellan. “We want to build a long career for him and we want longterm success for our team and right now we feel it’s best for both if Leon spends some time in the American League.”
CAPTAIN’S LOG
There has been much speculation about the Oilers removing the captaincy from Andrew Ference this season, and nobody at Oilers practice Monday categorically denied it’s going to happen.
They didn’t say it will, either, just to stay tuned.
“You’ll probably hear something from Todd and myself tomorrow or the next day,” said Chiarelli.
It’s no secret the 36-year-old defenceman will play a significantly reduced role this season. The question remains whether his new capacity allows him the same voice in the dressing room.
“There will be nights when he’s in and out of the lineup,” said McLellan, adding the captaincy is something they’ll all talk about. “We’ve had great conversations with Andrew about that situation.”
Ference says he has always been a team player and a good solider and has never had a problem putting the organization ahead of himself. So if they need him to sit out or to play fewer minutes, then that’s the way it has to be.
“You accept any role,” he said. “That’s the way I was brought up … you’re told to play a certain way, you play it. When you’re tapped to go, you go.
“It changes game to game if you’re a player like me. I’ve never been that upper echelon, 1-2 guy. You get bounced around. When there’s injuries you play a little bit more, when there aren’t, you play less.
“When I started my career I was in and out of the lineup and at the end of my career I’ll be in and out. That’s just the way it is. It’s a player’s job to be ready for whatever the coach wants.”
BEN AND GONE
Ben Scrivens cleared waivers Monday and will report to AHL Bakersfield, where he will share the netminding duties with Laurent Brossoit.
McLellan and Chiarelli liked what they saw from him, they just liked what the saw from Anders Nilsson, who didn’t allow a single goal in training camp, better.
“It wasn’t easy,” said Chiarelli said of sending him down. “I had a meeting with him this summer and asked him to focus on a few things and he did.
“He did everything that we asked him to do. I also told him that we’re going to have a competition for two spots.”
Chiarelli, who described Scrivens as a “legitimate NHL backup,” will likely find an NHL home again before long.
“I think Ben, at the very least, will be depth for us,” he said. “But I think he will be somewhere else at some point.”
Forwards

14	Jordan Eberle	5' 11"	183
20	Luke Gazdic	6' 4"	233
4	Taylor Hall	6' 1"	198
23	Matt Hendricks	6' 0"	211
12	Rob Klinkhammer	6' 3"	214
28	Lauri Korpikoski	6' 1"	205
51	Anton Lander	6' 0"	186
55	Mark Letestu	5' 10"	199
97	Connor McDavid	6' 1"	195
93	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins	6' 0"	190
67	Benoit Pouliot	6' 3"	193
16	Teddy Purcell	6' 2"	198
42	Anton Slepyshev	6' 2"	194
10	Nail Yakupov	5' 11"	197

Defence

88	Brandon Davidson	6' 2"	214
5	Mark Fayne	6' 3"	215
21	Andrew Ference	5' 11"	184
62	Eric Gryba	6' 4"	225
77	Oscar Klefbom	6' 3"	210
8	Griffin Reinhart	6' 4"	217
19	Justin Schultz	6' 2"	196
2	Andrej Sekera	6' 0"	201
79	Dillon Simpson	6' 1"	194

Goal

39	Anders Nilsson	6' 5"	227
33	Cam Talbot	6' 3"	195

Oilers prospect Anton Slepyshev has performed well in training camp and the pre-season, opening some eyes in the organization.

Anton Slepyshev

Ice hockey player

Anton Vladimirovich Slepyshev is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing with the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. Wikipedia

Born: May 13, 1994 (age 21), Penza, Russia

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 181 lbs

Current team: Edmonton Oilers (Winger)

Slepyshev Anton images

Slepyshev Anton videos

Entering Oilers Rookie Camp, almost all eyes were on 2015 first-overall pick Connor McDavid, as well as fellow recent high picks Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl. However, there was another name on the roster that stuck out. A relatively unknown, but promising prospect in the Oilers system making his camp debut was Anton Slepyshev.

The 21-year-old Russian winger had yet to play in North America and the Oilers were eager to get an up-close look at the young man they chose 88th overall back in 2013.
“This is the first time I’ve seen him,” Oilers Director of Player Personnel Bob Green said at the Young Stars Tournament in Penticton, B.C. “He’s pretty exciting. He’s got all the skills that you would expect a Russian to have. He can really skate, handle the puck and shoot so it’s going to be really fun watching him play.”
Fast forward a couple of weeks to the NHL pre-season and Slepyshev has moved from unknown to the spotlight.
Slepyshev was given a chance to play with a pair of highly talented forwards on Saturday night in Saskatoon, skating on the wing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, arguably the Oilers most effective trio in the team’s 3-0 win over Minnesota.
“I liked what I saw from that group,” Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan said after the game. “I think Slepyshev is getting better night after night. He’s really starting to open our eyes up to what he’s capable of doing. Leon, on his backhand on the right side, I think if he’s going to play wing that may be the best place for him. As we move forward, we’ll continue to experiment a little bit but they were our most dangerous line tonight.”
Slepyshev’s one-timer at 18:10 of the first period opened the scoring. It was the finish to a beautiful play that included nice passes from both Draisaitl and McDavid. It was also the second time in as many nights that Slepyshev put the biscuit in the basket.
On Friday night, the winger potted the game-winning goal in overtime to cap off a come-from-behind victory over the Winnipeg Jets. That will get you noticed. Follow it up with another strong night, and there’s no hiding.
“He’s an elite scorer,” said McDavid. “He’s used to finding those soft spots and getting open and getting away quick. He’s pretty good with that.”
Hearing McDavid, an impressive talent of his own, calling another player an "elite" anything makes your ears perk up. The rookie centre likes what he sees in Slepyshev.
“He’s a big body, obviously,” said McDavid. “He’s got a great shot and he can skate. That combination of size and skill is pretty dangerous. Obviously, he’s a pretty elite player.”
Heading into this off-season, Slepyshev was coming off a nice year in the KHL, where he recorded a career-high 15 goals and 25 points for Ufa Salavat Yulayev. He reached the point in his development where he was ready for the next step, so the Oilers signed him to his three-year entry level contract on May 27. That signaled his impending arrival to North America.
The scouting report on Slepyshev heading into this off-season was that he is a very skilled and very talented winger who is adept at beating the goalie. The hope was he’d come in and flash those abilities, then mature in the American Hockey League this season. Part of that stay in the minors would be to grow his game, but also to get acclimated to the language and the culture here in North America.
Bakersfield Condors Head Coach Gerry Fleming had his first encounter with the winger in Penticton and, although there is a language barrier with Slepyshev knowing little English, he was impressed with the young prospect’s character and willingness to absorb information.
“Really good hands, really quick, really a nice, personable guy,” said Fleming. “A little bit of language barrier there obviously. He’s asked good questions on the ice, he seems engaging and he put in a lot of energy out there... We’ll see how it goes as camp goes on here.”
As camp and pre-season has gone on, Slepyshev continues to make a good impression.
“I worked really hard in training camp and games. I’m trying to improve game by game,” Slepyshev said, as translated by Nail Yakupov. “I’m trying to listen and (learn more English). I try to be focused every game and get ready for the next game.”
Playing with McDavid was a treat for Slepyshev, but also a challenge.
“You have to always be focused with Connor because he can always give you the puck,” said Slepyshev. “You have to be 100% ready all the time because you never know what he’s going to do. He’s trying to find everyone so you just have to be (ready).”
Slepyshev was ready in the first period against the Wild.
McLellan likes the winger’s ability to play up and down the lineup. That’s the kind of trait that can earn a player a roster spot sooner than later. It’s an additional positive aspect of Slepyshev’s game.
“He has the ability to play a hard, heavy game and use his frame. He has a good shot. He’s been able to play with speed and grinders," the head coach said. "I think he’s getting better day after day and we’re excited about having him in the organization.”
His performance so far in the pre-season is no doubt an intriguing storyline, but is Slepyshev NHL-ready today?
“Right now, I think he’s pushing people and that’s all we can ask for,” said McLellan.

Shauna McNalley

Seems pretty solid to me, I like the kid. Keep up the good work, Anton!

Les McNalley

Gerry Farang

A great move by the Mac T and the scouts to move down, moving down in the draft and getting extra pics. They snagged both Yakimov and Slepyshev. Think Kyle Platzer was part of that move down for more draft picks also. MacT made some good moves as GM, this one could turn into multiple home runs.

Jarett Damien John Hill ·

Defensive Back at Edmonton Stallions

in 2013

Peter Brunsdale ·

University of Alberta

The Oiler need to make a few trades this year in order to make room for the young talent.

Bill Wiebe ·

Steinbach, Manitoba

Connor McDavid, is going to do good with the oilers

Mason King ·

Works at Student

I don't see him making the team out of camp, but if he puts up points in Bakersfield he'll definitely be called up when injuries arise.