PHILADELPHIA -- Its far from a coincidence that the Edmonton Oilers went big with the third pick in the NHL draft. In taking German centre Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers added some much-needed size and depth at a position of great importance. "Its not a stretch to say were really happy and think that we filled a tremendous need for our hockey club and I think is going to have a real significant impact over time with our team," general manager Craig MacTavish said Friday night. "You combine him with our No. 1 pick last year (Darnell Nurse), and we start to see some size and quite a bit of character continue to come into our dressing room." Beyond 2011 No. 1 pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers are thin at centre. And in Draisaitl, the highest-drafted German in NHL history, they get a six-foot-one, 208-pound player who has drawn comparisons to Anze Kopitar and Jaromir Jagr. Playing for the WHLs Prince Albert Raiders, Draisaitl had 38 goals and 67 assists in 64 games this past season as he developed his defensive game and faceoff prowess. Hes from Cologne but came to develop in the Canadian junior system and will remain in North America this summer to train. There are still things Draisaitl believes he needs to improve this off-season but the physically mature 18-year-old also thinks hell be ready to play in the NHL in 2014-15. MacTavish cant make such a guarantee. "Obviously we project the team to be much more productive and much deeper than we were this year, and thatll be a significant factor," he said. "We want to make sure that if we do put young kids into our lineup that they have a chance to have success, and thatll be a big factor along with how well he adapts to the NHL game at training camp." Just having a chance to earn a spot at training camp is a nice opportunity for Draisaitl, who understands he wont just be handed a job playing alongside Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle. "Im going to have to do my job and earn my spot if I want to play in that league and on that team," Draisaitl said. "I think theyre moving forward for sure and they made some good trades, (David) Perron, and the guys are getting older and more mature. This is just awesome right now." Draisaitl was thrilled to put on the same orange and blue of Edmonton stars of the past, most of whom had their primes before he was born. "Theyve had so many great players on their team: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, MacTavish -- all those guys are stars in the league, and wearing the same jersey as they do is unbelievable," he said. MacTavish joked that he owed Draisaitl $100 for dropping his name in that group. More importantly for the GMs current job, he hopes Draisaitl can develop into an important piece of this already young core. Draisaitl fills a specific role, too, as the Oilers seek a variety of talent at forward. "(He) protects the puck and is a real offensive-zone player," MacTavish said. "Weve got a lot of skill, but were in need of somebody down low thats capable of sustaining the play. We have David Perron that fits that bill and now Leon will be a guy that can really protect the puck." If Draisaitl develops as scouts expect, he would slot in as the Oilers No. 2 centre of the future. His size mixed with Halls speed could be a tantalizing combination. "Hes probably the fastest skater in the league and hes an exciting player to watch," Draisaitl said. "It might be a good fit, but you never know." MacTavish would love to spend Saturday adding more depth to the organization, but the Oilers dont have a second- or a third-round pick after trades for Perron and goaltender Ben Scrivens. And he doesnt expect to be able to get into the second. "Well be sitting on our hands, it looks like, through the second or third round," MacTavish said. "Hopefully the scouts can pull a few of those impact players out of the later picks." Charlie Brown Hawks Jersey .Y. -- Mike Zigomaniss goal at 5:53 of the third period stood up as the winner as the Rochester Americans hung on to defeat the visiting Hamilton Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday in American Hockey League action. Pete Maravich Jersey . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. https://www.thehawkslockerroom.com/Evan-Turner-City-Edition-Jersey/ . After Mariota was pushed around by Stanford on Thursday, finishing 20/34 with 250 yards and two touchdowns in Oregons Title hope-crushing defeat, hes going to need a poor performance or two from the remaining frontrunners to have a shot at the most coveted individual trophy in college sports. Mike Bibby Hawks Jersey . - The Seattle Seahawks have signed nine players to 2014 future contracts, including quarterback B. Tracy Mcgrady Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference.TORONTO -- The Toronto Marlies leaders did everything they could except win the game. Spencer Abbott and Trevor Smith scored third-period goals erasing a 2-1 deficit giving Toronto a late 3-2 lead. However, Nick Drazneovic scored with 12.9 seconds remaining to force overtime and Andrew Ebbett scored the shootout winner as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins edged the Marlies 4-3 on Sunday afternoon. "A lot of credit goes to our leadership group, the right things were being said in the dressing room and they emptied their tanks to get us that point," said Marlies coach Steve Spott. "Selfishly, youve got a five on six youd like to see us close out the game, but give Wilkes-Barre some credit, theyre a veteran hockey club and they found a way to get the extra point." Anton Zlobin and Scott Harrington had the other goals for the Penguins (32-20-5), who won for the fourth time in 12 games. With the win, the Penguins improved to 4-3-0 in their last seven against Toronto. Kenny Ryan had the other goal for the Marlies (34-19-5), who picked up three of a possible six points in a three-game, three day stretch over the weekend. "Three out of six points is OK, but were coming down the stretch here, every point is pretty important, we dont want a shootout loss to dictate our playoff standing," said Smith, who is battling a lower-back injury after being slew footed Friday in Lake Erie. "Were going to take it in stride here tonight, but letting goals in the last minute of play is unacceptable." Jeff Deslauriers made 31 saves in the win while Torontos Drew MacIntyre stopped 32 shots. With their goaltender pulled for an extra attacker, Drazenovic forced overtime by one timing an Ebbett feed past MacIntyre. Smith gave Toronto its first lead of the game going backhand, top corner on Deslauriers at 15:59 of the third. "I was looking to pass to Leivo actually, he was there, he opened up for a one-timer," Smith said. "Their d-man took it away and I was kind of all alone, was on the backhand so I just tried to take it a little bitt wider and go upstairs.dddddddddddd" Added Spott: "Goes to show you why hes a special player, but that was an NHL goal." Abbott evened it at 2-2 on a power play, beating a screened Deslauriers for his 14th of the season at 10:56 of the third. The goal stretches Abbotts point streak to three games. Zlobin gave the Penguins their second lead of the game at 18:24 of the second poking home a loose puck for his sixth of the season. Ryan tied it 1-1 at 3:16 shorthanded on a partial break, beating Deslauriers blocker-side from the top of the faceoff circle. The goal broke a five-game drought for Ryan. Jerry DAmigo extended his point streak to six games with his assist on the goal. Moments later, Ebbett nearly gave the Penguins their second lead of the game. But with MacIntyre down and out Ebbetts shot hit the post. The Marlies outshot the Penguins 12-4 at one point of the first period, but had nothing to show for it. Harrington opened the scoring at 17:59 of the first, beating MacIntyre from the faceoff dot. Smith, who spent 75 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season, admitted to sharing tactical information with his Marlies teammates prior to puck drop. "There were a couple systems-wise things that I let the guys know," he said. "A little bit of special teams that they have the tendency to do all the time. A couple little things here and there that I tried to help us out." The two teams play for a second and final time April 13 at Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Torontos next game is Friday when the team visits Rochester. Notes: Marlies LW Jamie Devane missed the game serving a one-game suspension as a result of receiving an instigator penalty during the final five minutes of Saturdays 4-1 win over Lake Erie. Under rule 46.22 both the Marlies and coach Steve Spott were also fined US$500 each. Devane picked up four minor penalties, a major, a misconduct and a game misconduct for 33 minutes in penalties in the win. The suspension is Devanes second this season. He missed one game in November stemming from a boarding incident. ' ' '