Oilers top prospects

WIth the Oilers making an array of changes this year in hopes of a reqarding cup run, a lot of the future has been traded away for veteran, proven players. The Oilers still have a large group os young players that GM Lozinski is hoping can fill some big shoes in the years to come. Here are the top 7 prospects of your Edmonton Oilers.

7.Garrett Mitchell

Mitchell is an energy player with third-line checking potential. The strength of his game is his determination and combativeness which he complements with above average speed and skating ability. The majority of his offense is generated through physical play and a willingness to compete in small areas as well as by driving to the net. Mitchell's offensive ability is limited due to either unwillingness or an inability to stick handle and control the puck - particularly when pressured. Mitchell prefers to angle opponents and use his body while putting the puck into safe areas and avoiding turnovers. He is willing to do the "dirty work" like penalty killing and working along the walls and he is solid as a shot blocker. Mitchell is not afraid to drop the gloves to lift his team's emotional level or to come to the aid of a teammate. He has strong leadership skills.

6.Turner Elson

Elson has good hockey sense and can play well in all three zones of the ice. The physical winger plays a high energy, aggressive game and isn't afraid to drop the gloves with anyone. He can play on both the power play and penalty killing units with solid scoring success on either unit. The 19-year-old forward needs to improve his offensive skills, skating speed while adding muscle mass to his frame in order to play his physical style at the professional level.Elson will spend probably the next two years developing his game at the junior level with the Red Deer Rebels. He has an offensive upside to his game but will need to learn the right time to drop the gloves because the physical winger is so important on the specialty teams.

5.Anti Tyrvanien

Ferocious, relentless, and fearless. Tyrvainen developed a reputation in Finland as a dirty player who played over the edge on a regular basis and hit to hurt. He isn't without a modicum of skill, however bringing energy and an undeniable physical presence to bear is what his game is all about and those are the attributes that will take him as far as he manages to go.In his first season in North America with the AHL's Oklahoma City Barons, Tyrvainen has managed to play to the edge but not cross the line so far. He has impressed with his ability to be physical and agitating without penalizing his team unnecessarily, and despite being sidelined by injury for a stretch of the season has been able to contribute when he's in the line up.

Still young at 22-years-old, he could very well emerge as an NHL player in a fourth line/press box role who plays limited minutes but brings an intensity and physicality to his team

4.David Shields

Shields is your typical stay-at-home defenseman. He is not afraid to get physical, but he knows his job is to play tight defense and he has done a solid job of it for the Otters. The strong defenseman showed flashes of offensive insight with a heavy shot. However, it will be beneficial for Shields to stick with what he's good at.Shields will likely spend more time with Peoria during the 2012-13 season

3.Harrison Ruopp

Ruopp is a physical defenseman who is most noticeable on the ice for his ability to regularly deliver devastating, bone crunching checks. Possessing a defensive-first attitude and a tough-as nails disposition, Ruopp plays a very simply game in his own zone and prides himself on being very difficult to play against. He possesses a good hockey IQ, and is good at reading and quickly reacting to opposing forwards. Though he will never be mistaken for an offensive defenseman, Ruopp is good enough with the puck to send it quickly up ice and out of danger. He will need to continue to refine his game, particularly his zone coverage and gap control, but he has the toolbox to be a shutdown defenseman at the professional level.

2.Tyler Pitlick

Pitlick has pro size, great hands, a plus shot, and sees the ice quite well. He has been described as a pure goal scorer, however his stats in his one WHL season indicate a good not great scorer. He is also noted for his hockey sense and defensive awareness, and he doesn't shy away from the physical element of the game. Pitlick understands the game very well and has the ability to make smart decisions. In his draft year his offensive upside was talked about a great deal, and it may have been somewhat overstated based on the results since. He is talented no doubt, but doesn't have the look of a top line player offensively.Pitlick could wind up anywhere from a complementary top line player to a physical winger with scoring touch in the bottom six. Realistically he's likely to wind up as a 2nd/3rd line winger who brings a physicality and a solid scoring touch to the lineup at the NHL level, though he will need to develop and round out his game in the minors for a season or two first

1.Danil Zharkov

Zharkov possesses a mix of size and offensive ability that is intriguing but not yet well-formed. He skates well for a player of his size, but he doesn't always make use of that size. Zharkov has shown himself to be a streaky offensive player who needs to find more consistency in his effort. His defensive game also needs work.