With the 196th overall pick, the Edmonton Oilers select

#196 – Tom Gilbert to the Edmonton Oilers

Guess who owns a Tom Gilbert jersey?

Took us a while, but now we have our first homer pick. GOILERS!

Cap Hit: $4,000,000

Tom Gilbert has emerged as one of the premier offensive defenseman in the NHL, and as a integral part of the Team USA blue line, with a surprisingly bad rep for defensive ability despite the stats to prove otherwise. He has vision and poise but some would criticize him for not having enough sandpaper in his toolbox, but has shown a competent knack for shaking off forecheckers in his own zone. Has improved every season and even last season on worse team.

Could be in for a big year in 2009-10, depending on whether or not Visnovsky and Souray can stay healthy.

CLS Re-draft

Cycle Like The Sedins is doing a Fantasy Draft of the NHL and all the teams’ GMs are represented by a blogger(s) from each city. Yours truly is representing the Edmonton Oilers and I’m planning on drafting either a shut-down guy or a 1st line RW next.

The winner is determined on a full season and playoffs simulation of the new EA Sports game NHL 10 coming out in September.