With the regular season right around the corner, TSN.ca profiles each NHL team leading up to puck drop. Next up is the Edmonton Oilers - who hope that this is the year when they can finally be a playoff team. Catch up on their off-season moves and the issues they face this season, as well as their analytical breakdown by TSNs Scott Cullen. Division: Pacific GM: Craig MacTavish Head Coach: Dallas Eakins 2013-14: 24-44-9 (7th in Pacific) Playoffs: Did not qualify Goals For: 199 (24th) Goals Against: 267 (30th) PP: 17.0% (21st) PK: 82.1% (15th) That Was Then: Head coach Dallas Eakins brought with him a reputation of being able to get the most out of his young players, but needed NHL experience. Growing pains under his philosophy were prolonged to the point that the team tallied just four wins in its first 21 games. Eakins had high profile incidents with both Taylor Hall and Nail Yakupov over the course of the season, with Yakupov finding himself in the press box less than two weeks into the season. The issues with this team ran a lot deeper than simply a new coach. They were dead last in the West in shots taken, second-to-last in even-strength goal ratio and their team Corsi was -538, third-worst in the league with a 41.6 goals for percentage (178 goals against, last in the league). Not to mention a paltry 11 regulation wins in 50 games against Western Conference opposition. But there were still some positives. Hall finished with a career-high 80 points and was seventh in league scoring. David Perron was a solid addition, setting career highs in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57) in his first year in the Alberta capital. Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth give the Oilers their best tandem at goal in a long time and both showed flashes of brilliance (Scrivens made a record 59-save shutout of the San Jose Sharks in late January). With a strong work ethic and dressing room presence, Andrew Ference demonstrated with ease why he was selected as the teams 14th captain. Scott Cullens Analytics Oilers 2013-14 Stats by Quarter Games GPG GAA SH% SV% SAF% PTS% 1-20 2.35 3.85 8.2 .888 45.3% .250 21-41 2.71 2.86 7.9 .929 46.5% .476 42-62 2.29 3.10 8.6 .915 40.7% .429 63-82 2.35 3.20 7.5 .912 42.1% .475 NHL AVG 2.67 2.67 7.8 .922 50.0% .562 Key: GPG= goals per game, GAA= goals-against per game, SH%= even-strength shooting percentage, SV%= even-strength save percentage, SAF%= score-adjusted Fenwick percentage (differential of shot attempts faced vs. shot attempts, excluding blocked shots, adjusted for game score),PTS%= percentage of available points. Analysis: Games 1-20: Abysmal goaltending from Devan Dubnyk put the Oilers behind right from the start. Games 21-41: Goaltending recovered, but possession remained a problem. Games 42-62: Possession collapsed as Oilers defence, aside from Petry and Marincin, struggled. Games 63-82: Not much improvement late but, for the season, puck possession and goaltending shortcomings far outweighed above-average finishing. Key 2014 Additions: D Keith Aulie, D Mark Fayne, D Nikita Nikitin, LW Benoit Pouliot Key 2014 Subtractions: D Anton Belov, D Mark Fraser, C Sam Gagner, LW Ryan Jones, LW Ryan Smyth This Is Now: Since taking the reins as general manager, Craig MacTavish has worked actively to put his mark on the team and feels that he now has a squad ready to compete in the Western Conference and push for a playoff spot. The team made a big commitment to Benoit Pouliot with a five-year, $20 million deal. Teddy Purcell will get a fresh start in Edmonton after a 42-point season in Tampa Bay. The offence is certainly not without its big questions, though. Yakupov is entering the final year of his rookie deal and you can bet that the first-overall pick in 2012 is well aware of the lengthy extensions already given to Eberle, Hall and Nugent-Hopkins before him. Yakupov regressed badly last season. While his skill level has never been in question, his work ethic is something the young winger must address immediately. His minus-33 rating was fourth worst in the NHL last season. The Oilers blue line had a facelift that MacTavish feels is for the better. Gone are Anton Belov, Mark Fraser and Phillip Larsen. Mark Fayne comes over from the New Jersey Devils and is able to use his size to neutralize a forecheck and is defensively reliable. Nikita Nikitin has yet to play a full NHL season, but the 28-year-old has a cannon of a shot and is a solid skater. Hes a low-risk, high-reward proposition for the Oilers, despite his struggles last year with the Columbus Blue Jackets. In goal, Scrivens and Fasth are both eager to prove their credentials as No. 1 goalies in the NHL in their first full seasons with the Oilers. Considering that the team used six different goalies last season, having some consistency with a set tandem will go a long way in settling the players in front of them. TSN Edmonton reporter Ryan Rishaugs Five Key Storylines heading into training camp: 1. Should they keep the kid? First-round pick Leon Draisaitl has a good chance to make this Oilers team thats short on depth at centre, but is it a good idea to keep him even if he is one of their top three centres at camp? 2. Depth at Centre Nugent-Hopkins, Boyd Gordon, Mark Arcobello, Anton Lander and Draisaitl - The Oilers are very soft at centre and that needs to be addressed. 3. Blue Line Battle Darnell Nurse has added some weight and muscle, but will he be ready? Is there room for him after the Oilers added blue line acquisitions Fayne, Aulie and Nikitin? 4. Crowded Crease Its a 1A and 1B scenario to start the season between Scrivens and Fasth. Will either emerge as a much-needed No. 1 guy? 5. Bounce-back for Nail? After a dreadful season, can Nail Yakupov rebound and prove why he was a No. 1 pick? Will he get onside with what coaches want of him? And will he and Eakins stay on same page after a rocky campaign? DEPTH CHART Forwards Left Wing Centre Right Wing Taylor Hall Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Jordan Eberle David Perron Leon Draisaitl Nail Yakupov Benoit Pouliot Boyd Gordon Teddy Purcell Matt Hendricks Mark Arcobello Steve Pinizzotto Jesse Joensuu Anton Lander Tyler Pitlick Luke Gadzic Andrew Miller Iiro Pekarinen Defence Left Right Andrew Ference Mark Fayne Martin Marincin Jeff Petry Nikita Nikitin Justin Schultz Keith Aulie Oscar Klefbom Darnell Nurse Martin Gernat Brandon Davidson David Musil Goaltenders Ben Scrivens Viktor Fasth Laurent Brossoit Craigs List A list of the Oilers top prospects as ranked by TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button. A-Level Prospects No. Name Pos. 2013-14 Club 1 Leon Draisaitl C Prince Albert (WHL) 2 Darnell Nurse D Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) 3 Oscar Klefbom D Edmonton B-Level Prospects No. Name Pos. 2013-14 Club 4 Greg Chase C Calgary (WHL) 5 Mitch Moroz LW Edmonton (WHL) 6 Jujhar Khaira C Everett (WHL) 7 Laurent Brossoit G Bakersfield (ECHL) 8 Martin Gernat D Oklahoma City (AHL) 9 Dillon SImpson D North Dakota (NCHC) 10 David Musil D Oklahoma City (AHL) Fantasy - Cullens Player to Watch - Benoit Pouliot A 27-year-old winger who has played for four different teams in the past four seasons, Pouliot scored a career-high 36 points for the Rangers last season, while playing a modest 13:26 per game. While Pouliot has been a puck possession stalwart in each of his previous stops, Pouliot might be in line for an increase in ice time with the Oilers. That wouldnt be a bad idea, as Pouliots 5-on-5 points per minute over the past four seasons ranks between Joe Thornton and Jarome Iginla, guys that typically play more than 13 minutes a night. Just getting a big contract and having some good stats doesnt assure more ice time, and Pouliot currently falls behind Taylor Hall and David Perron on the left wing depth chart for the Oilers, but the Edmonton lineup does have potential for three scoring lines and the Oilers commitment to Pouliot ought to ensure that he isnt used as a spare part. If Pouliot plays a few more minutes per night, including time on the power play, and catches some breaks around the net, a 20-goal season wouldnt be out of the realm of possibility. Nick Anderson Rays Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Brendan McKay Rays Jersey . The England international raised his middle finger toward Manchester City supporters during Saturdays game at Etihad Stadium, which Arsenal lost 6-3. The incident was not seen by match officials at the time but the FA charged Wilshere retrospectively after a study of video footage. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/716i-tra...rays.html."; Also, defencemen "were found to be at a higher risk of suffering a concussion than other players, perhaps due to turning their back to retrieve pucks along the boards, which leaves them vulnerable. Tampa Bay Rays Gear . -- Conner Bleackley got it done in regulation time and in the shootout. Yandy Diaz Rays Jersey . -- Derek Jeter spoke for 25 minutes, 44 seconds and answered 26 questions about his decision to retire at the end of this season.TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays have put up some impressive numbers of late and the long ball is helping them get it done. Edwin Encarnacion hit two of Torontos season-high five home runs as the Blue Jays capped a two-game mini-sweep of Philadelphia by outscoring the Phillies 12-6 on Thursday at Rogers Centre. It was the second straight night that the Blue Jays had a double-digit run total as they extended their winning streak to five games. "Were some kinda hot right now," said Jays manager John Gibbons. Toronto (18-17) has hit at least one homer in eight straight games, a big reason why they have moved back over the .500 mark. Colby Rasmus, Juan Francisco and Adam Lind also went deep to help make a winner of R.A. Dickey (3-3). "Were swinging it good right now and everybody is feeding off each other," Gibbons said. "I would say right now its probably a good club to pitch for." Dickey had a few rough moments but his knuckleball was moving nicely and it regularly handcuffed the Phillies. He worked into the seventh inning and struck out a season-high eight batters. "Im making strides," he said. "I had a good (knuckler). I had one that was a swing-and-miss one tonight. It was comfortable out of my hand all night long." Former Blue Jay starter A.J. Burnett (2-2) was roughed up for six earned runs over six innings. He allowed nine hits and two walks while striking out four. "Balls ran over the plate tonight," Burnett said. "I wasnt on the corners at all. The hook was inconsistent. I had it at times. The bottom line is the balls werent on the corners, the ball was in the middle of the plate." Encarnacion set the tone early by blasting his 200th career homer in the second inning. "(Im) swinging at better pitches, (Im) more confident and (Im) feeling great at the plate," Encarnacion said through translator Luis Rivera. Rasmus hit a rainbow shot that barely cleared the wall by the right-field pole later in the frame. Lind added a two-run shoot in the sixth inning as the Blue Jays pulled away.dddddddddddd "You want to come in and stop the bleeding and set the tone and that wasnt there," Burnett said. Encarnacion added a two-run shot in the seventh and Francisco tagged a solo shot on the next pitch. Jose Reyes broke out of a slump as his ground-rule double in the third inning ended an 0-for-10 skid. He stole third and came home on a Jose Bautista sacrifice fly. Reyes was at it again in the fifth inning after he was hit by a pitch. The speedy shortstop -- who battled a hamstring problem last month -- stole second, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a Bautista groundout. "You can tell hes feeling a lot more comfortable and he was able to turn it loose," Gibbons said. The Blue Jays have won their last eight meetings against Philadelphia (15-18). They will continue their nine-game homestand Friday with the opener of a four-game set against the Los Angeles Angels. Toronto, which clobbered the Phillies 10-0 a night earlier, outhit Philadelphia 13-10 in front of an announced crowd of 18,158. The Phillies opened the scoring in the second inning and scratched out singles runs in the fifth and the seventh. Ryan Howard hit a two-run shot off reliever Esmil Rogers in Philadelphias three-run ninth inning. Dickey allowed seven hits, three earned runs and walked three batters over 6 1-3 innings pitched. Notes: The game took three hours to play. ... Olympic curling champion Brad Jacobs was in attendance. ... Toronto optioned right-hander Chad Jenkins to triple-A Buffalo before the game. ... Bautista has reached base in all 35 games this season. ... It was Encarnacions 12th career multi-homer game. ... Howard has seven homers this season. ... Dustin McGowan (2-1) is scheduled to start for Toronto on Friday against Garrett Richards (3-0). ... It was the 20,000th game in franchise history for the Phillies. The team played its first game on May 1, 1883, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Providence Grays at Recreation Park. ' ' '