It looks like the Edmonton Oilers are using the same template that won the Justin Schultz sweepstakes to win the day in the Dan DeKeyser lottery. According to various reports this afternoon, the club is one of five NHL teams in the final running for the highly touted college free agent.
Interesting either way, and having Ralph Krueger as coach can only help. The Oilers can offer the max salary, an instant roster spot and an opportunity to move up the LH depth chart by midnight the day of his signing.
WHAT KIND OF PLAYER IS HE?
Corey Pronman is always helpful at these moments, his college profiles here include an item on this fellow.
- Pronman: Some may wonder when you look at his numbers — 49 points in 118 NCAA games, 15 points in 35 games this season — and ask what all the hype is about; and it is because he has such great defensive value. DeKeyser has high-end hockey sense, good if not great mobility and a big frame that he’s not afraid to use. Given how well he processes the game, how many defensive stops he makes, the low amount of errors he commits, and where he is in his physical development, it is conceivable the 23 year old DeKeyser could step into the NHL right away upon being signed.
I don’t think we should go crazy lighting candles or anything, and it’s a ridiculous reflection of the team that a roster spot doesn’t need to be guaranteed, but adding DeKeyser can only be a positive considering there are no assets heading out of town.
Two final things:
- This may help explain the Smid turtle-speed negotiations.
- This would certainly explain the open spot on the 50-man roster list.
At the very least, it gives us something to talk about on a day when things were very low. Getting this guy AND signing Smid gives the club some very interesting options in 2013-14.