The NHL Draft is an inexact science. As the Edmonton Oilers know, you get some right, you get a lot wrong. That’s the nature of the beast when selecting 18-year-olds.

The draft lottery luck was kind to the Oilers last decade, selecting first overall four times in six years from 2010 to 2015, from the highs of Connor McDavid to the lows of Nail Yakupov.

Edmonton enters this weekend’s draft with a second, third, sixth, and seventh round pick, drafting at 52nd overall. That could be a quality NHL player. That could be a guy who never cracks into the league.

In their history, Edmonton has nailed a lot of first-round picks, and due to head scout Barry Fraser, authored some of the greatest drafts of all-time. That was especially true in the transition into the NHL at the 1979 draft, which saw them select Kevin Lowe in the first round, Mark Messier in the third round, and Glenn Anderson in the fourth.

Few drafts by any NHL franchise compare in out-and-out statistics and success.

But the Oilers have struggled in the second round throughout their history. Considering the perceived value, either by Wins Above Replacement or as a trade asset, it is historically the worst round for the Oilers.

For example, Edmonton’s best of the third........

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