Fierce competition heating up for one coveted Oilers' roster spot

With the many moves Oilers' GM Stan Bowman has made this summer, competition for coveted-roles in the lineup has heated up, in particular with all the new forwards in the bottom-4.

Twenty-six year-old and right-shot center Noah Philp is highly regarded within the Oilers organization. He missed the entire 2023-2024 season, but has shown a strong two-way game and offensive upside during previous seasons with the Bakersfield Condors.

According to Oilers Nation, Philp's "size, skating and checking combination is the best fit for the fourth line centre position." He is also waiver-exempt, which could factor into the decision out of training camp.

Curtis Lazar was signed in free agency this July as a potential veteran option for the 4th-line center spot. He brings experience and familiarity to the Oilers, having played junior hockey in Edmonton, where he scored 41G in 58 games the year he won the Memorial Cup.

James Hamblin played 31 NHL games last season and demonstrated a consistent, dependable game. He is a fast skater, a definite asset on this Oilers' team that utilizes speed as a weapon, and like Philp, he doesn't need to clear waivers.

Josh Samanski was an overseas signing from Germany and is considered a wildcard to make the Oilers roster. He was undrafted and signed with Edmonton as a free agent this past April, a 2-year deal with a $975K cap hit. The team clearly sees something in him, and can't be ruled-out.

With salary cap being such an important factor when making roster decisions, waiver eligibility plays a huge role in the final decision, particularly for prospects like Philp and Hamblin, who do not require waivers to be sent to the AHL.

In terms of preference, being a right-shot center gives Noah Philp yet another advantage over all the other players competing for the 4th-line center job.