The 2012 NHL Entry Draft starts on Friday night in Pittsburgh, and for the first time in recent memory, the identity of the first overall pick is still up in the air as the hours tick away before the draft officially begins at 7 p.m. ET.
For the third consecutive year, the Edmonton Oilers have the first pick in the draft, and the general consensus is that the best player available is Sarnia Sting winger Nail Yakupov, who scored 31 goals and dished out 38 assists in 42 games for the Sting this past season after putting up 101 points in 65 games last season.
However, after using recent drafts to load up on forward talent like 2010 and 2011 top picks Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 2008 first-rounder Jordan Eberle, and 2007 first-rounder Sam Gagner, the Oilers' greater need is on defense, which might lead to Edmonton drafting Everett Silvertips blueliner Ryan Murray, either with the top pick or through a trade.
That would leave Yakupov available to the Columbus Blue Jackets at No. 2, but given the struggles Columbus has had with other Russian forwars - namely, Nikita Filatov and Nikolai Zherdev - they could be gunshy on Yakupov as well, although the fact that Yakupov came to North America to play his junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League rather than remain in Russia is a decision that speaks well of him and separates him from the likes of Filatov and Zherdev.
In theory, Yakupov could still be available when the Montreal Canadiens draft at No. 3. In practice, he won't be.
The Oilers' need of defense isn't as dire as some have made it out to be. Martin Marincin, a second-round pick from the 2010 draft, had a six-game tryout with Edmonton's AHL team in Oklahoma City after his WHL season with the Prince George Cougars and Regina Pats, and was solid with a plus-4 rating and an assist. Meanwhile, the Oilers used their other first-round pick from 2011 on Oscar Klefbom, a 6'3" defenseman from Sweden whose blend of size, speed and offensive instincts makes him a tantalizing prospect. The reality is that as good as Murray is - he had nine goals and 22 assists in 46 games for the Silvertips - adding him to the blueline corps is not a make-or-break move for Edmonton.
Look for the Oilers to take Yakupov first overall and try to develop their blueline corps elsewhere, including in the second round and beyond.
