Edmonton Oilers top 20 prospects ranking, summer 2024

Finally, there is a pulse in the Edmonton Oilers prospect pipeline.

After a decade of trading picks in pursuit of an elusive sixth Stanley Cup, the organization made a trade to get into the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Make no mistake: The days of selecting generational talents like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are a distant bell. Edmonton’s first-round picks are destined to be Nos. 25-32 through the end of the decade.

Still, this summer the prospect list got a badly needed boost via the draft. For a franchise that needs value contracts in the future, it was long overdue.

The list of 20 who appeared on last summer’s ranking has seen some changes. Gone from the organization are No. 7 Vincent Desharnais (graduated and then left via free agency), No. 10 Carter Savoie, No. 12 Markus Niemelainen and No. 19 Ryan Fanti. A total of seven from last summer’s top 20 have fallen off this year’s list.

This ranking includes all eligible prospects who have played in 50 or fewer NHL games (25 games for goalies) and are currently in the Oilers system.

Here are the top 20 for summer 2024, with last summer’s placement in brackets.

No. 1 (4) RD Beau Akey, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Beau Akey has a chance to be a significant player for the Oilers in the next three seasons. That makes him a rare prospect in the system at this time. A sublime puck mover with plus speed, he can pass and transport with equal ability. He is also right-handed, making him a gem in a league that doesn’t have enough right shots on the blue line.

Akey lost most of the 2023-24 season to injury but scored 15-41-56 in 80 OHL games (over two seasons) leading up to the injury. Last season he showed great improvement as an even-strength outscorer (11-6, 65 percent) and scored 4-5-9 in 14 games.

There is chaos to his defensive game, and there is some question about his development due to what amounts to a lost season. He is the top prospect in the system and appears to be on a trajectory for a significant role on the Oilers roster in time.

If Akey develops quickly, Oilers fans could see him on the second pairing, perhaps with a veteran like Darnell Nurse, as early as 2025-26.

No. 2 (NR) RC Sam O’Reilly, London Knights (OHL)

The Oilers surprised everyone by trading a future first-round selection to move up to No. 32 in the 2024 draft to select Sam O’Reilly. He is a justifiable selection considering his skill set, possible trajectory and current resume.

O’Reilly is an emerging two-way centre who was slow-played by the London Knights. The club runs high-skill veterans hard and brings youth along slowly. Even with those limitations, O’Reilly’s even-strength scoring in 2023-24 (14-28-42 in 68 games) isn’t far from the lead group of Knights forwards. It’s fair to suggest he has offensive ability that could project him into a middle-six, two-way role in the NHL if O’Reilly continues to develop.

The idea that his ice time is being curtailed by the Knights’ system isn’t a new one. The organization has been doing this for over a decade. While the prospect in question does tend to deliver more offence than the numbers imply once he reaches pro hockey, it isn’t a universal rule. The offence will be key for O’Reilly’s final landing spot as a pro.

No. 3 (5) W Maxim Berezkin, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)

Russian winger Maxim Berezkin earned the move up this year’s prospect list with a stunning KHL playoff run. After scoring well (8-22-30 in 62 games) during the league’s regular season, Berezkin went off (5-11-16 in 20 games, with a 14-5 even-strength goal share) in the playoffs.

At 22, with size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds), an aggressive approach, passing skills and some scoring ability, it’s possible to project him into a top-six situation should he come to North America and give himself an NHL chance.

Before he was drafted, Berezkin displayed a power forward’s ability to dismantle opponents along the way, and a skill winger’s creativity with the puck. He can score from a distance, but many of his goals come from the slot area.

In this way, he would be somewhat unique to the Oilers and Condors upon arrival. He might be a perfect fit. The club may try to pry Berezkin out of the KHL when his contract is up on May 31, 2025.

No. 4 (6) RD Max Wanner, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

It is a rare thing for a rookie pro to step into the AHL and deliver a strong season in a feature role.

Max Wanner is a shutdown defenceman who plays with an edge, and that skill set allowed him to flourish right from the start with the Bakersfield Condors. Paired with veteran Cam Dineen early, and Philip Broberg later, Wanner delivered quality all year.

His even-strength goal share (55 percent) was among the three best on the team among defenceman. It also towers over previous AHL rookies like Evan Bouchard (45 percent, 2019-20) and Ethan Bear (41 percent in 2017-18), who went on the NHL success. Desharnais’ rookie season (50 percent in 2020-21) might be a better comparable, as both he and Wanner are shutdown-style defenceman.

Direct comparisons across seasons and teams are unwise, but it does reflect how well Wanner adapted at age 20. Desharnais was 24 as an AHL rookie.

Wanner is a nasty bit of business and edging closer to being NHL-ready for a team that needs what he brings. Fans could see him in the NHL this coming season.

No. 5 (1) RW Xavier Bourgault, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Xavier Bourgault is a cerebral forward whose strongest asset is the ability to make adept short passes that spring linemates loose for scoring chances. He also anticipates passes and intercepts outlets, making him a solid two-way player.

Bourgault was a first-round draft pick and has most of an NHL skill set. His problem, and the one that will keep him out of the NHL if he can’t overcome it, is a lack of scoring ability at even strength.

Through two AHL seasons, Bourgault has scored 10-21-31 in 117 games at even strength. His 0.26 points per game in the metric trails the group of successful AHL-to-NHL forwards among recent Condors graduates. Dylan Holloway scored 16-13-29 (0.46 points per game) in 63 games, while also handling the puck and transporting with authority through the neutral zone. Holloway was an impact player in the AHL, with plus speed and a physical edge.

Bourgault doesn’t bring those things, and his plus passing and turnover ability haven’t translated to enough offence at even strength. He remains a smart and creative player.

The numbers suggest he may not impact the offensive game enough to be a long-term NHL solution, despite the draft pedigree.

No. 6 (3) RW Matvey Petrov, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Matvey Petrov scored nine goals as an AHL rookie at 20. He scored seven of those nine goals at even strength, without playing a feature role. That total (seven even-strength goals) is just shy of the team’s top right winger (Seth Griffith, eight goals) despite playing far fewer minutes in the game state.

When Petrov gets more minutes, and that should happen this year, the goal totals should increase. He is the best candidate for a breakout season among the young wingers who have been in the minors over the last couple of seasons.

After starting the year with just one goal in 16 games (with very little playing time), Petrov scored seven in the final 37 contests. If he sees a feature role, and gets power-play time, the young winger could score 20-plus goals in his second AHL season.

Petrov has size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and a quick release. He is a volume shooter, who can also pass well and has a creative side with the puck. He went 20-18 at even strength in on-ice goals.

Despite the meagre scoring totals, Petrov delivered solid offence with little playing time (estimated at less than nine minutes per game including all game states).

All arrows point to a spike for Petrov in 2024-25.

No. 7 (2) W Raphael Lavoie, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Raphael Lavoie has delivered seasons of 25 and 28 goals in the last two AHL campaigns. He also got NHL playing time during the 2023-24 season. Perhaps most importantly, the Oilers qualified him this summer, confirming there is interest in what he brings.

He led Bakersfield scorers in goals, even-strength and power-play goals (14 each) and shots-on-goal (202) while owning a respectable 13.9 shooting percentage.

Previous issues (consistency, moving his feet, awareness of defensive danger) have improved over his minor-league career, and the numbers suggest Lavoie has been NHL-ready for two seasons.

One area Lavoie is unlikely to spike is using his body effectively to win battles and clear out opponents net-front in the offensive end. He has shown glimpses of that skill during his time with the Condors but has a tendency to check down and become a perimeter player.

In one way, it’s understandable. He has a howitzer shot, a great release and changes angles late to deliver the best possible chance for success on each shot. Finding quiet ice for that release is good business.

However, that big body could do a lot of things on the cycle, and consistency there would get him an immediate ticket to the NHL.

Lavoie will have a great chance this fall to impress Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch, who won’t know him well.

No. 8 (13) G Olivier Rodrigue, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

The Oilers are notorious for slow-playing goaltenders this century, dating back to Devan Dubnyk and including current No. 1 stopper Stuart Skinner.

Olivier Rodrigue’s AHL career has an obvious split that shows he’s ready for the show and waiting in line. Over the last two seasons, his performance spike (as represented by save percentage) has him inside the top-10 goaltenders each year.

In a fashion similar to Skinner’s progression, Rodrigue’s save percentages by year have shown improvement each campaign. His last two seasons (.912 and .916) set the stage for the next step.

It has been decades since the Oilers produced two bona fide NHL goalies, with only the Grant Fuhr-Andy Moog combination 45 years ago a clear example. No one should expect Skinner-Rodrigue to emerge as Hockey Hall of Fame talents, but Rodrigue should push for NHL time this season and earn it on merit.

Having two homegrown goalies who can help is a nice problem to have.

No. 9 (NR) RC Noah Philp, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Noah Philp did not play pro hockey in 2023-24, but his 2022-23 season in Bakersfield is a good reason for Oilers fans to be excited about his future. Philp delivered quality across the board a year ago, scoring big goals, playing in all situations and improving as a scoring option.

Philp is a right-handed centre, making him something close to a unicorn as a prospect. During the 2022-23 season, his even-strength percentage as an outscorer (55 percent) was No. 3 among the team’s forwards.

He also spiked as an offensive player, most of the production coming at even strength. He scored 15-16-31 at even strength in 70 games (0.44 points per game), towering over the rest of the prospect group.

It will take time for Philp to get back to what he was delivering during the 2022-23 season, but at his age (turns 26 in August) it’s reasonable to assume he should be playing at previous levels by January.

Considering his range of skills, and the Oilers’ needs at the NHL level, Philp could make his debut with the big team in the next eight months.

No. 10 (8) RW Tyler Tullio, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Tyler Tullio is part of a fairly long list of wingers who brought skill to Bakersfield over the last two seasons. All of them have struggled to build on early results, and all of them are in some form of peril as prospects because of it.

In the case of Tullio, he didn’t lose offence year over year, so there is some hope he’ll spike in this area next season.

As a rookie in 2022-23, he scored 10-11-21 at even strength in 63 games (0.33 points per game). In his second season, Tullio scored 9-10-19 in 54 games (0.35 points per game).

A small increase, but miles better than Bourgault.

He is also an effective two-way winger, giving some hope he can build on his first two seasons and find his way up the depth chart.

Tullio has less pure skill than Bourgault and Petrov but is a more complete player in terms of checking and grit. That may bode well for him in the season to come.

No. 11 (NR) G Eemil Vinni, Jokipojat Joensuu (Mestis)

Eemil Vinni is an aggressive goaltender with size (6-foot-3, 187 pounds) and good positioning.

Playing in Finland’s Mestis (Finland’s second-best league) he posted a save percentage of .892, a total that was well clear of the two other goaltenders who played for Jokipojat Joensuu in 2023-24.

His .892 save percentage ranked No. 13 among qualifying goaltenders in the league, and he was the second-best teenager in the league in the save percentage metric.

Scouting reports suggest he is an intelligent goaltender who has adjusted and made progress in his short career.

Goaltenders are difficult to project, but based on scouting reports and the math available, he’s easily one of the best prospects in the Oilers system.

No. 12 (14) LW Shane Lachance, Boston University (Hockey-East)

Shane Lachance scored 33 goals in his final USHL season, proving the big man (6-foot-4, 218 pounds) could score goals in bunches given the opportunity.

The issue for the 2023-24 season came in Lachance moving to college hockey, where freshmen usually see ice time fade and play support roles.

In the case of Lachance, he caught on early with the college team, scoring 5-4-9 in the first 15 games (0.60 points per game). Over the rest of the campaign, Lachance scored 8-10-18 in 25 games (0.72 points per game).

He is an older prospect (turns 21 at the end of August) but his skill set (big power winger with great hands) will land him an NHL contract if it continues.

Speed remains a worry, but his 2023-24 season proved he could score goals at a prolific rate at a higher level. His ability to earn playing time in a difficult situation is also a plus. It’s too soon to say how far he’ll go in pro hockey but Lachance has been productive at all levels.

No. 13 (17) RC Matt Copponi, Merrimack College (Hockey-East)

Fans are excited about the offence college centre Matt Copponi brings, but it’s important not to overreact and to allow the player to find his outer marker.

Copponi has no draft pedigree (No. 216 in 2023) but has impressive point totals in the two seasons since he was drafted.

Words like opportunistic and sneaky are often used to describe him, partly because his performance was unexpected and there’s some disbelief that the Oilers could steal this kind of natural talent so late in the draft.

No player can score 7-25-32 in a great college division without talent, and Copponi has been increasing his offence for the last three seasons.

He is a smart right-handed centre who has great anticipation and passing skills. It would be easy to project him into the pro level and assume he’ll keep scoring, but that test is at least one year away.

Copponi is 21 and will play for Boston University in the fall. After that, a pro contract should be on the horizon. The resume is top drawer but the questions remain.

No. 14 (NR) RW James Stefan, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

James Stefan is a pure goal scorer and a volume shooter. His WHL season (50-51-101 in 67 games) can be framed as “expected” since he delivered those totals at 20. However, Stefan scored 34 goals in the league at 18 and should be considered a legit scoring prospect as he enters pro hockey.

Stefan posts an enormous volume of shots. His 354 shots on goal in 2023-24 led the WHL, and his 14 percent shooting percentage suggests he’ll graduate to the AHL as a plug-and-play offensive option.

One area of worry about Stefan: The organization has been unable to optimize potential on several graduating skill wingers over recent seasons. Fans should watch for Stefan to get plenty of work in the AHL during the 2024-25 regular season. If he doesn’t get those minutes, the organization will run the risk of repeating recent history in not using young talent liberally.

The recent decision to walk young winger Carter Savoie helps a player like Stefan.

No. 15 (11) RC Jayden Grubbe, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Jayden Grubbe impressed from the opening game through the final whistle as an AHL rookie in 2023-24.

Unique among the team’s rookie forwards in recent seasons, Grubbe adjusted quickly to the physical style of the AHL, and turned it to his advantage. Grubbe won more puck battles and pushed more league veterans out of the way than any Oilers AHL prospect since Jujhar Khaira.

Proof of his effectiveness as a rookie in 2023-24 was his 51 percent goal share at even strength with the Condors.

Grubbe’s offensive game (8-6-14 in 67 contests) will limit his upside as a pro, but making the NHL is a strong possibility. He projects as a fourth-line centre, a tough two-way checker and a strong penalty killer.

Unlike some of the names above him, Grubbe’s skills and current level of ability have him far closer to NHL recall than many in the prospect pool.

No. 16 (NR) LD Ben Gleason, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

Ben Gleason is one of several defencemen in the minor leagues who is playing NHL-level hockey for the Condors.

During the 2023-24 season, he scored 10-22-32 in 62 games, skated the puck from danger dozens of times, passed well and reduced the chaos in his coverage over the long season. His even-strength goal share (54 percent) was impressive considering he takes more chances than some of the other defenders.

Gleason is qualified for NHL work, but the Edmonton depth chart at left defence works against him.

All of Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, Brett Kulak and Philip Broberg will line up ahead of him. Gleason is the top left-handed defenceman in the minors, and his AHL salary reflects it.

He has earned, but may not receive, a call to the NHL in the coming season.

No. 17 (NR) RC Dalyn Wakely, North Bay Battalion (OHL)

Dalyn Wakely is the third name from the recent draft to find his way to the summer list.

Edmonton’s choosing Wakely was a wise decision. He is 20, can turn pro this fall (or go back to junior) and is the ideal combination of skill and determination.

Wakely scored 104 points during the 2023-24 regular season with North Bay, and then unloaded in the postseason (13-10-23 in 16 games).

He is a right-shot centre, an aggressive forechecker who can win battles, and a fine scorer at the junior level.

He might get a shot in pro hockey this fall, or the next one. Edmonton’s choice of an offensive overage junior from the world’s best league with a late pick is Money Puck brought to life, and he has a real chance.

No. 18 (15) RD Phil Kemp, Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

One of the truly ironic moments in the Oilers season came when defenceman Phil Kemp made his NHL debut — as a forward.

Kemp’s calling card is as a defence-first player, so playing the wing must have been a strange feeling for the veteran AHL defenceman. Kemp’s ceiling as a player appears to be shy of the NHL, although teams deploy players with his talent level every season.

Proof of his quality comes in the outscoring numbers at even strength. Among all Condors blueliners in 2023-24, Kemp’s goal share in the discipline (58 percent) was the top total.

He isn’t a fancy player, but has size (6-foot-3, 202 pounds) and is the owner of a plus shot from the point. He has also worked to improve his speed and coverage and could serve as an adequate third-pairing defender if called upon. He can even play the wing in a pinch.

No. 19 (9) LD Nikita Yevseyev, Kazan Ak Bars (KHL)

The Oilers have drafted often from Russia over the past dozen years (most famously Nail Yakupov at No. 1 in 2012) but have little to show for the efforts of the team’s scouts. The issue isn’t the player quality, but rather the willingness to sign, and then stay in North America after signing.

Nikita Yevseyev is an effective shutdown defender who has sparkled in the KHL for much of the past two seasons. In 57 regular season games over those two years, his even-strength on-ice goal share is 29-20 (59 percent).

He is solid in coverage and has defensive awareness. Offensively, he is not a skilled passer or puck mover, but does possess an impressive shot.

Yevseyev is not developing at the same clip as Berezkin, but is most certainly worth a contract. It isn’t known if he’ll come to North America, but the talent to eventually compete for an NHL job is evident.

No. 20 (NR) LC James Hamblin, Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and Bakersfield Condors (AHL)

James Hamblin is an NHL player in every area but goal scoring, and that’s the most difficult thing to do in the game.

He is a utility player in the NHL and a centre who can drive results in the AHL. Hamblin has a motor that won’t quit, and has played 41 games for the Oilers so is unlikely to be eligible for this list one year from now.

He can find an NHL career, but he’ll need some luck. Hamblin can help at even strength and on the penalty kill and can play centre or wing. His contract is minimal ($775,000 AAV next season) and could come in handy if the franchise needs to shave $250,000 off the cap by sending down a $1 million AAV veteran.

If he never sticks in the NHL, Hamblin’s contributions in mentoring young wingers and helping them find the offensive range in the AHL make him a worthy player in the organization.

Top 20 Oilers prospects, summer 2024

(Photo of Sam O’Reilly: Candice Ward / Getty Images)