Edmonton Oilers who are going to be in the hotseat this season

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Joshua Deeds
September 1, 2023 (10:33)

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The Edmonton Oilers have added a bunch of depth to their bottom six, bringing in Lane Pederson, Drake Caggiula and Noel Hoefenmayer. The 4th line center position will also be contested by Sam Gagner.

Depending on how they perform, there are arguably three players who could be on the Oilers hot seat as the season begins.

The Oilers' Evander Kane has been a terrific addition to their top-six, and he is known for his gritty attitude and willingness to drop the gloves when necessary. Despite signing a new contract with the team for 2022-2023, Kane missed time due to injury and didn't return until the playoffs, but prior to the playoffs, Kane added 12 goals and 28 points in 41 games, which was a 56-point pace. As a playoff player, he was expected to produce more in the playoffs, with 2 goals and 5 points in 12 games.

Fans and management alike will have high expectations for Kane as the new contract begins and he will once again be a mainstay in the top-six with Connor McDavid. There may be a fresh start elsewhere for him if he doesn't live up to expectations.

The Edmonton Oilers were home to Vincent Desharnais during his first NHL season. This season, he was given an opportunity after spending many years in the AHL. Jay Woodcroft ran 11F-7D during the season, while Desharnais was on the bottom-pairing and 7th defenseman.

As a regular season player, Desharnais had five assists in 36 games. Despite being new to the NHL, he may get assigned to Bakersfield if he starts the season the same way he ended last year because he had a major regression in the post-season defensively.

After finding a spot on the opening night roster, Dylan Holloway spent his last season in the NHL. Due to injury, his production slowed in his second NHL season, posting 3 goals and 9 points in 51 games.

As Holloway may have more responsibilities and opportunities this season than he did last year, he'll have to prove himself on both ends of the ice. He has the potential to be one of the Oilers' top six forwards. He may find himself in the hot seat if he is unable to break out and find what made him a powerhouse in the NCAA.

All three players are capable of becoming impact players in the NHL, but it's up to them to prove themselves. Nevertheless, there is no guarantee. Let's hope they can fulfill their own expectations, which are probably higher than the teams'.

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