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Oilers One of the Oldest Teams in the League? |
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Someone sent me a Facebook message the other day claiming the Oilers are the fifth oldest team in the league, with average player age somewhere around 29. I don't believe it, and I'm bored, so let's look at the roster (as it sits now) to start the 2013/2014 season. I'll figure this out based on 23 players with the big club.
L1: Hall (21) - Nugent-Hopkins (20) - Eberle (23)
L2: Perron (25) - Gagner (24) - Yakupov (19)
L3: Jones (29) - Gordon (29) - Hemsky (29)
L4: Smyth (37) - Lander (22) - Joensuu (25)
Extras: Brown (28) and Eager (29)
D1: Smid (27) - Petry (25)
D2: Ference (34) - Justin Schultz (23)
D3: Nick Schultz (30) - Belov (27)
Extra: Grebeshkov (29)
G1: Dubnyk (27)
G2: Labarbera (33)
The average age of this roster is (as of now) - 26.7
Nowhere near 29.
Here's a few other things to keep in mind, for those worried that the Oilers are ancient:
- Nick Schultz likely won't be here by the end of the season. It's possible he could get dealt away if Oscar Klefbom is NHL-ready, and because the Oilers have a log-jam of defenseman and someone needs to go because of it. Klefbom is 10 years younger than Schultz.
- I'm not convinced Denis Grebeshkov will be on the team. Yes, I know they signed him and all, but like I said, the team has significant 3/4/5/6/7 defensive depth. If Philip Larsen or Taylor Fedun outplay Grebeshkov, you could see another reduction in average team age. Larsen is 23 and Fedun is 25.
- The Oilers would still like to ship Ales Hemsky out before the beginning of the season. If they get a return for him, it likely would be a younger player. But perhaps all Hemsky could be moved for at this point is a draft pick. Should this happen, perhaps Toni Rajala, who was more than a point-per-game scorer in the AHL last season, is brought up to play. Rajala is only 22.
- And then there is the Ryan Smyth thing. I'm not convinced he'll play this season. Oh, it's likely he'll want to...He's an absolute warrior. But last year he was out of gas before the season even started. Perhaps there's a job with the organization waiting for him whenever he wants it? If so, he could retire before the season starts, making the Oilers oldest player Andrew Ference.
- Also keep in mind the average age of the Oilers Top 6 group is 22. If you consider the Oilers Core 12 players (Top 6 forward, 3rd line center, Top 4 defenseman and starting goalie) the average age would be 24.75. In a few seasons, Ference and Smid will come out of the Top 4 D pairings, and both young Klefbom and Darnell Nurse will come in.
According to a chart posted by writer Jame Mirtle in January 2013, the age of the average NHL team is 28.2. There was only one team on the list that had an average team age lower then 27. Of course, rosters have changed plenty this summer...but if 28 is roughly the average from season-to-season, it's fair to say the Oilers are one of the YOUNGEST, not oldest teams. With a roster change or two before the season begins, the Oilers could be the youngest team in the league this season. They certainly will have the youngest Top 6 group.
That "age 29" thing that was sent to me...complete hogwash. Ignore it.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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