ST. PAUL, MINN. - It’s almost a certainty centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will be the first name the Edmonton Oilers call Friday night at the NHL entry draft, but who’ll be their second pick?

If the Oilers can move from the 19th spot into the top 10 or top 12 via a trade, Sherwood Park defenceman Duncan Siemens is their man.

The 17-year-old played a blue-collar, in-your-face style for the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades last season, netting 43 points and 121 penalty minutes in 72 games.

“Think Robyn Regehr, if you’re talking Siemens,” said Tampa Bay Lightning head scout Al Murray, discounting the Dion Phaneuf comparisons. Phaneuf, now a Toronto Maple Leafs blue-liner, had more offensive juice along with his well-recorded penchant for the open-ice hit as a junior with the Red Deer Rebels.

“Players are looking over their shoulder in the corners,” Edmonton Oil Kings assistant coach Steve Hamilton said of how they become wary of Siemens when he’s on the ice.

If the Oilers stay put with the No. 19 pick they received from the Los Angeles Kings in the deal for Dustin Penner, it could easily be six-foot-seven, 244-pound Jamieson Oleksiak. Described as a Zdeno Chara type, the defenceman is the tallest and heaviest player in the pool and has some Tyler Myers (Buffalo Sabres) similarities, too, although he’s not as adept a skater.

Oleksiak isn’t as nasty as Chara or as mobile as Myers, but it’s tough to overlook anybody who’s as big.

“I think Oleksiak’s going to be a hell of a player,” said Hockey Canada chief scout Kevin Prendergast. “He just finished his first year at Northeastern University (Boston) and really came on after Christmas after two years of junior in the USHL (United States Hockey League). He’s still learning the game.

“He’s not that mean, but he uses his reach really well. He’s got a massive reach. His skating is going to get better. And he’s not afraid to jump into the play with a really good shot.”

The Oilers are very impressed with Oleksiak, and figure he’ll be in the second tier of selections, probably somewhere between No. 15 and 22.

During his NHL scouting combine interview, Oleksiak said all the right things about what he had to work on to be an NHLer. Playing at a major U.S. college — he 19 points his freshman season — the Oilers can take their time with him. There’s no rush to get him into the pros.

However, there is a rush to get him into the world junior hockey championship.

“He’s got dual citizenship. He was born in Toronto, but he’s got an American mom. He went to the (Team) USA (junior) camp last summer and they cut him. He’s trying to make up his mind what country he wants to play for,” said Prendergast.

The Oilers could use a nasty defenceman more, but Siemens won’t be available at No. 19, which means they would have to trade well up to get him. They could deal their No. 19 and No. 31 picks, or No. 19 and a player off their roster.

“He’s got some leadership. He gets carried away at times ... he gets a little goofy. He’s got some of Dave Manson in him,” said Prendergast. “But he’s got grit. He’s coming after you. If his team’s losing, he’ll whack you with a two-hander somewhere along the way.”