Oilers Notes: Travis Dermott still looking to crack Oilers D corps

Article content

Being on a training camp invite is no place for a nervous person, to borrow one of Hall of Fame play-by-play man Rod Phillips’ favourite radio lines, but, so far, Travis Dermott’s butterfly net is pretty small.

With his wife Katerina and his two little kids — son James and daughter Rosa — back at the in-laws house outside of Toronto, Dermott, who has battled concussion issues the last few years, is still here as one of the eight Edmonton Oilers defencemen.

Article content

With Ben Gleason and Phil Kemp put on waivers Tuesday, Dermott was at practice alongside his former Arizona teammate Troy Stecher.

Dermott, who played junior for Kris Knoblauch in Erie, is still in tough for an NHL roster spot because the other seven all have one-way contracts, but he could get a two-way offer to start the season in Bakersfield or maybe the Oilers could loan him to the AHL Marlies to be closer to his family.

“I haven’t been in this situation before, so the summer was definitely more stressful, maybe a different mindset, but that goes away. We’ve been playing hockey since we were two years old,” said Dermott, 27, who has played 329 NHL games.

His kids are two and younger. “Definitely stressful being away from them. I’m getting the face-time and the pictures from the kids, my daughter, who’s turning two, and my boy, who’s one in December. My boy is blowing up like a bowling ball right now, with all the food his mum’s feeding him,” he said.

He’d like a seat at the Oilers table but professional tryouts are no fun.

“You hope you’re not in this situation but I’ve had injuries that have pushed me back and it’s taken me off my path,” said Dermott, who did play 50 games last season in Arizona.

Article content

Article content

Knoblauch is in his corner but it’s been almost 10 years since they were together in junior, when Connor McDavid was Dermott’s teammate in Erie. There’s still matrix to a team and the Oilers are a veteran club with precious few openings.

“I’m going against two guys (Stecher and Josh Brown) whom I played with last year but that’s the business of things. We’ll be buddies, no matter what happens. We’ll leave the decisions up to other guys,” said Dermott, all about being a good team guy, no griping, no pulling against people.

“You do that, you’re building a bad brand around your character.”

As for Knoblauch, it’s a plus having him in his corner.

“Nice to catch up with Kris … his calming presence is unlike any coach I’ve had. Loved my time in junior with Knobber behind me,” said Dermott.

“Been a while, but I don’t know if I’ve seen any change in Kris, he’s so even-keel. I had him in my draft year and the year after, when I was making a push to keep the Maple Leafs happy with my game. He calms you down over your emotional state, instead of a coach freaking out. If a coach is losing his mind it’s pretty easy to follow suit.”

Article content

Numbers game

While the Oilers might want to carry just 13 forwards, with the rehabbing Evander Kane on the roster after his abdominal surgery to accrue cap space, it’s pretty clear centre Noah Philp has done more than enough to make the opening roster.

He beat out two other centres, James Hamblin and Lane Pederson, with Hamblin loaned to Bakersfield and Pederson on waivers to go down. Now whether Philp, who doesn’t require waivers, sticks here is a chess/fiscal board game with GM Stan Bowman. Off Tuesday’s high-speed practice, he has the feet to keep up, also the size, and apart from a tough night against Adam Lowry and Mark Scheifele in Winnipeg a week ago, he’s won considerably more draws than he’s lost. And he might be able to kill penalties.

“We’ve seen how good he is on the faceoffs and we’re missing right-shot depth there other than Derek Ryan. Shouldn’t all be on D.R.’s shoulders for defensive zone draws. Our top three centremen are all left-shots,” said Knoblauch, referring to Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Adam Henrique.

Hamblin just wasn’t good enough in camp.

Article content

“Last year I really liked Hamblin’s game and he was a big part of our 16-game winning streak, being tenacious, fast, making some plays, good defensively,” said Knoblauch. “But he got off to a slow start and his last game wasn’t his best. I don’t think it’s the last time we see of James.”

On the mend

Calvin Pickard worked out with goalie coach Dustin Schwartz before practice Tuesday at the Downtown Community Arena with the Oilers pushed out of Rogers Place as they put in 32 truckloads of dirt to prepare for the rodeo later this week.

Pickard, who banged his neck against the post Saturday when Seattle’s Yanni Gourde bumped Philp into the Oilers backup goalie, passed the Schwartz test and will be going on the two-game road trip when the Oilers play the Kraken Wednesday and Canucks Friday, with Olivier Rodrigue as third goalie.

“Calvin should be taking shots from the players Wednesday morning here and there’s a possibility he can play or backup Friday in Vancouver,” said Knoblauch

The fourth Oilers goalie, Collin Delia, is on waivers to be sent to Bakersfield.

Life isn’t fair

Gleason had a power-play goal in the win over Vancouver Monday and was clearly noticeable, in a good way, but he’s still on waivers today which must have left a bitter taste in his mouth. He was beaten out on the depth chart by Dermott. He has NHL ability, for sure, after his last two strong Oilers camps, but needs a weaker team to pick him up after not playing an NHL game for six years.

Article content

“He’s an exceptional puck mover, his strength is on the breakout, finding the wingers, but he also gets his shot on net. He’s not the biggest player or as quick as other guys but he can read the play,” said Knoblauch after the Canucks’ game.

This ‘n that: Winger Raphael Lavoie, still with the group after his game-winner against Seattle Sunday, didn’t skate Monday or Tuesday and once again is nursing a minor lower-body injury. He could play either in Seattle or Vancouver, and actually could be on the roster to start the season as an ailing forward rather than be a waiver risk … Winger Drake Caggiula, who has played 282 NHL games, starting here in 2016 after his college career at North Dakota, has survived the latest round of cuts. He might play against the Kraken. “Drake’s been so close to having a fantastic training camp. He’s had so many scoring chances but they haven’t gone in. We’re looking for speed and he adds that. Good all-around player,” said Knoblauch. … Kemp, in the running to be captain in Bakersfield, is also on waivers. Too many righties here, so Kemp, who practised with the Oilers group in the finals against Florida, got squeezed out … Defencemen Connor Carrick and Gleason cleared waivers and will be joining the AHL Condors.

Article content