by Salim Valji

Created on: June 20, 2008   Last Updated: June 21, 2008

Already with a plethora of solid NHL prospects currently in the system, the Oilers have no glaring needs coming into the NHL draft. However with all the slam dunk picks the scouting staff and Kevin Lowe have made over the past four drafts, the one thing the Oilers lack in the farm system is a dynamic right winger. And by dynamic, I mean, well, dynamic. Game-changing speed, end-to-end threat, great puck handling ability, and the talent of creating scoring chances not only for themselves, but for their teammates as well. Think Ales Hemsky meets Pavel Bure meets North American hockey. And than think Nikita Filatov.

Filatov has all the right tools to become a high-impact player, if not a superstar, at the NHL level: great skating, blazing speed, great hockey sense, drive and commitment to play in North America, something not always found with Russian prospects. He has shone with Russia on the international stage this year; competing in a total of 5 tournaments and recording 35 points in 25 games, including 16 goals. But what's most impressive is the way he played at the World Juniors, averaging more than a point per game at a tournament dominated by 19-year olds. Adding to his luster as an NHL prospect is that he has stated his intentions to play in North America multiple times and speaks English fluently.

But then there comes the daunting task of trading up to get this phenom. But good drafting over the past couple of seasons and the surprising success of Cogliano, Gagner and Nilsson has given Kevin Lowe a bit of flexibility in terms of the future of this club, something he didn't necessarily have in the past. There are a couple of different ways he could go about doing this.

One thing is for certain; either Dwayne Roloson or Matthieu Garon will be gone by the time next season rolls around. Jeff-Drouin Deslauriers will have to clear waivers next season if he is sent down to Springfield; and Bryan Pitton has already been signed to an entry level contract to be Devan Dubnyk's backup next year. Odds are it will be Roloson who will be moved; but something else has to be added to make this an attractive offer. Combined with the 22nd overall pick (from Anaheim) and a good prospect, it would be an offer most teams would give serious thought to; depending on who that good prospect was. If a deal similar to this gets done, that good prospect has to be Rob Schremp. Fact of the matter is that he has been unable to crack the Oilers roster two years in a row; and the emergence

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