A look at what the Oilers have in Spencer Stastney: Comparing him to Brett Kulak & his early chemistry with Ty Emberson

Plenty of storylines emerged in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6–4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night. There was a netminder duel between Stuart Skinner and Tristan Jarry, along with Leon Draisaitl recording his 1,000th NHL point. Yet, in the background, there was also a Spencer Stastney and Brett Kulak angle that flew under the radar, with the Oilers having traded Kulak and acquired Stastney in a separate deal with the Nashville Predators to fill the former Oilers’ spot on the left side of the third pairing.

Kulak played 15:22 last night and inadvertently helped out his old pals by shooting the puck over the glass while shorthanded in the first period, giving the Oilers an extended 5-on-3 power play, which they capitalized on. Meanwhile, Stastney, aside from a bad clear late in the third period, was solid overall in his 18:16 of ice time. At 5-on-5, the Oilers held an 11–4 advantage in scoring chances with him on the ice.

While moving on from Kulak was certainly a blow for the Oilers in terms of veteran presence, early signs suggest there’s plenty to like in his replacement, Stastney. With that said, below we’ll take a closer look at how both blueliners measure up and look at Stastney’s developing chemistry with Ty Emberson.

Stastney Pulls Ahead of Kulak in Skating and Analytics

According to NHL Edge data, Kulak’s top skating speed this season was clocked at 21.40 MPH, ranking below the 50th percentile in the NHL, a drop from last season’s 22.72 MPH, which ranked in the top 87th percentile. Additionally, from a zone-time perspective, the 31-year-old spent 42.3% of his shifts in the defensive zone while playing for the Oilers, compared to just 40.1% in the offensive zone, a mark that ranks below the 50th percentile in the NHL.

That said, the numbers show Stastney pulls slightly ahead when it comes to skating. The 25-year-old’s top skating speed this season is 21.94 MPH, ranking in the 70th percentile league-wide. Moreover, where he really stands out is in speed bursts above 20 MPH — his 38 bursts rank in the 93rd percentile in the NHL.

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