AHL team: Oklahoma City Barons
NHL affiliate: Edmonton Oilers
Home rink: Cox Convention Center
NHLers on 2012-13 roster: Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Justin Schultz, Magnus Paajarvi
2011-12 record: 45-22-4-5 (1st in Western Conference; lost in third round of playoffs to Toronto Marlies)
2011-12 leading scorer: Ryan Keller, 49 points
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What you need to know: One of the AHL’s best teams a season ago, the Barons will get an infusion of star power with Oilers stars Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and highly sought-after free agent defenceman Justin Schultz on the roster to start the season.
The added help pushes the Barons over the top as early favourites to win the Calder Cup, but that will all change if the NHL season is salvaged, which appears to be closer to reality after the league’s proposed offer on Tuesday.
Without the services of Edmonton’s tantalizing trio and Ryan Keller, the team’s leading scorer last season who signed in Switzerland in the summer, the Barons will have to lean heavily on goaltender Yann Danis to help insulate a young crop of forwards and defenceman. Danis was named team MVP last season after going 26-14-2 with a 2.07 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and five shutouts.
Up front, the Barons will hope to see Edmonton’s secondary prospects such as Ryan Martindale, Tyler Pitlick, Curtis Hamilton and Anton Lander play a bigger role offensively. Magnus Paajarvi, the Oilers’ first-round pick in 2009, will also be a leader offensively, but he should be knocking on the door for a job in the NHL this season.
Defensively, the Barons will hope the arrival of prospect Martin Marincin and the return of Taylor Fedun, who suffered a gruesome femur fracture in pre-season last year, can help make up for the losses up front.
If — when? — the NHL returns this season, the Barons should still have enough talent and structure under coach Todd Nelson to weather the dip in offensive production, although a repeat of last season’s success seems unlikely.
Fun fact: Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant is a noted Barons fan.
Cheapest ticket: $16
