Oilers Veteran Center Out of Commission with Injury
Photo credit: USA Today
The Edmonton Oilers will not have centreman Derek Ryan available for the next few days due to an injury.
Edmonton will play their final preseason game tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, and the lineup for tonight looks much like the expected opening night lineup. At practice today, Knoblauch confirmed that Ryan is considered day-to-day.
Ryan potentially got injured in an awkward collision with Brandon Montour and Drake Caggiula in the last preseason game, that sent Caggiula skating off awkwardly.
Skating as the fourth line center in his place is 26 year old Noah Philp, who's been the story of the preseason for the Oilers. Philp is returning to hockey after taking a year away from the game, and has clearly come back with a vengeance. Philp has played a responsible two-way game, been effective on faceoffs, and can be a good checker in the corners. He's also 11 years younger than Derek Ryan, and can perhaps bring more speed and energy to the fourth line.
Previous to this injury, it looked like Noah Philp had earned the fourth line centreman job on opening night over Derek Ryan. This injury will only solidify that choice for Knoblauch, and Philp can make his NHL debut on October 9th against the Jets.
Ryan has played the last three seasons with the Oilers as a responsible depth centreman, and even though he may not be in the opening night lineup, he will still play that role for the Oilers this year. The regular season is a long 82 game grind, and it takes more than 12 forwards to get through it. Just like Sam Gagner did last year, Ryan may take on the role of a locker room leader and the 13th forward.
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