With any luck, the Edmonton Oilers will begin the 2024–25 season as the oldest franchise in the National Hockey League.
The Oilers used to frequently ice the league’s youngest teams. They are recognized more for their age and experience than for the abundance of talented prospects in their organization, despite being a consistent Stanley Cup challenger. Although their team’s performance on the ice frequently overshadows them, Edmonton’s current crop of prospects isn’t particularly strong, they also aren’t as bad as many people think. The Oilers actually have young players at every position on the ice, and several of them, like Matthew Savoie, have the ability to cause serious harm this season as they work toward their NHL aspirations.
Up front, the additions of Savoie and Sam O’Reilly have dramatically bolstered Edmonton’s offensive potential and their prospect pool as a whole. On the blue line, a bounce-back campaign from Beau Akey could position him as one of the Oilers’ most intriguing prospects ahead of the 2025-26 season. And lastly, in the crease, Connor Ungar’s first professional season following a stellar campaign with Brock University could very well afford Oilers fans their first glimpse of the organization’s latest goaltending hopeful.
With concerns about the strength of Edmonton’s prospect pool starting to swirl and the 2024-25 campaign on the horizon, let’s take a glance at the Oilers’ current top-five prospects and a few honourable mentions.
Oilers’ Top 5 Prospects
#5: Beau Akey (Defense)
Selected by the Oilers in the second-round of the 2023 NHL Draft, Beau Akey is a smooth-skating defenseman who successfully blends both offence and defense into his game. He recorded 47 points in 66 regular season games with the Barrie Colts during the 2022-23 season ahead of his selection, but only suited up for 14 contests because of a shoulder injury. With a nagging injury in his other shoulder as well, the decision was made for Akey to have double shoulder surgery. With the Colts arming themselves to become a legitimate contender this coming season, a breakout season from Akey could prove to be exactly what Barrie needs to push themselves to the next level.
A strong comeback this upcoming season would be perfect for Akey and the Oilers as he builds momentum towards the beginning of his professional hockey career, as he isn’t eligible to play in the AHL until the 2025–2026 campaign. In the NHL nowadays, elusive and offensive-minded two-way defenders are in high demand; if Akey can overcome an injury and find his game, he has a good chance of emerging as one of Edmonton’s top-four defensemen in the coming years.
#4: Shane Lachance (Left Wing)
If you’re unfamiliar with Shane Lachance, his is a name you’d do well to follow over the coming years. At 6-foot-5 and 220-pounds, it’s hard to miss him on the ice with Boston University of the NCAA. In his freshman campaign this past season, he netted 13 goals and 27 points and quickly became a fixture within BU’s lineup. Known for his heavy shot and ability to protect the puck, he is also a natural leader and was recently named as his team’s captain ahead of the 2024-25 season.
If Lachance continues to improve this season and leads his team on a deep playoff run, he could be a candidate to sign his entry-level contract with the Oilers next offseason and jump into the AHL to begin the 2025-26 campaign. However, because signing a professional contract would immediately end his career at BU, it’s more likely that he becomes an option to Edmonton in a few years’ time. A towering, two-way forward is an asset that NHL teams search long and wide for, so if the Oilers need to wait a couple more seasons for Lachance’s arrival, it will have been time well spent.
#3: Sam O’Reilly (Centre)
In 2023–24, Sam O’Reilly had a breakout season with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)’s London Knights, tallying 20 goals and 56 points in his debut season. O’Reilly is a fantastic defensive center who plays the game aggressively but responsibly. Edmonton clearly saw him as a first-round pick because of his detail-oriented play and hardworking attitude. O’Reilly, who is frequently called an agitator, plays a strong game and enjoys using strong body checks and efficient stick work to shut down the best players on the other team. His propensity to play up to the line but not beyond it is demonstrated by the 34 penalty minutes he took in 68 regular season games the previous season.
As an 18-year-old, O’Reilly will return to the high-flying Knights of the OHL for the duration of the 2024-25 campaign. Since London is a perennial powerhouse, it’s difficult to effectively assess O’Reilly’s offensive game. With 13 drafted players on their roster, the Knights can score goals at will and offense is spread widely throughout their lineup. If O’Reilly can produce at a point-per-game rate this coming season or better, it will be a true indication that his offensive prowess is improving alongside his quality defensive play.
#2: Roby Jarventie (Left Wing)
When the Oilers traded former first-round draft choice Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson to the Ottawa Senators this offseason in exchange for Roby Jarventie, it was a move that left many Edmonton fans scratching their heads. However, the reality of the situation is that the Oilers may have stolen a quality winger from the Senators in what could amount to an underwhelming return. At 22 years old, Jarventie was a point-per-game player in the AHL last season and skated in seven games with Ottawa, registering one point in limited ice time.
Jarventie will have a chance to take advantage of a position in the Oilers’ bottom six as the 2024–25 season approaches. Although it’s more likely that Jarventie will start the season in the AHL with Bakersfield, his quickness of movement and ability to create offense off the rush make him a strong contender to compete for ice time as the season progresses and injuries happen. In addition, the Tampere, Finland native’s physical and tough game style will come in handy if he can make the Oilers squad out of training camp. He is 6 feet 2 inches and weighs 215 pounds.
#1: Matthew Savoie (Centre)
Originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Savoie is an electrifying offensive talent who has consistently produced staggering totals throughout his Western Hockey League (WHL) career. Acquired in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Ty Tullio, Savoie collected a whopping 71 points in a mere 34 regular season contests in 2023-24, and added another 24 points in the postseason en route to a WHL championship with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Not only is Savoie an elite-level playmaker, but he has the innate ability to make his teammates better players on a nightly basis.
Slated to begin the coming campaign with the Bakersfield Condors, Savoie will be afforded every opportunity to prove himself as not only the Oilers’ top prospect but as a youngster capable of thriving in professional hockey at a young age. If Savoie’s previous experience in the AHL is any indication of his potential – he recorded five points in six games with Rochester last season – the Oilers and their fanbase should expect a strong season from Savoie, and one which will likely see him rewarded with sporadic playing time in Edmonton throughout the campaign as their search for depth-scoring continues.
Honourable Mentions
While these prospects aren’t necessarily household names, don’t doubt their potential or likelihood of skating in NHL games. Each of these three youngsters are incredible players, and could very well enjoy breakout seasons with their respective teams during the 2024-25 campaign.
Matvei Petrov (Winger)
Matvei Petrov exploded onto the OHL scene in 2021-22, scoring 40 goals and 90 points with the North Bay Battalion as a rookie before adding another 27 goals and 93 points in his second campaign with the team. Standing 6-foot-2 and tipping the scale at 195 pounds, Petrov is a highly skilled winger who plays with an edge alongside an electrifying skill set. He totaled just 14 points in 53 games in the AHL last season, but could develop into a consistent contributor at the professional level if afforded more playing time this season.
Connor Ungar (Goalie)
Although his path to professional hockey has been long and winding, netminder Connor Ungar’s play has been nothing other than consistent. After three terrific seasons in the WHL, Ungar tended the twine for Brock University this past season where he was named the USports Rookie of the Year and Goaltender of the Year (OUA West). Inked to a two-year deal by the Oilers, he will likely split time between the ECHL and AHL during the 2024-25 campaign, where he’ll look to establish himself as a legitimate netminder at the professional level capable of competing for NHL ice time.
Dalyn Wakely (Centre)
After going undrafted in his first year of eligibility, Dalyn Wakely exploded in 2023-24 and was nabbed by the Oilers with the 192nd selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. A centre for the North Bay Battalion of the OHL, he notched a whopping 39 goals and 104 points in 66 regular season games and added another 23 points in 16 playoff contests. At 6-feet and 200 pounds, he is a lethal scorer who also plays a physical and competitive two-way game. While he’s eligible to play at the AHL level, a return to North Bay and another terrific OHL season to earn himself a contract with the Oilers is more likely.
Oilers’ Prospect Pool Outlook
As we’ve seen, the Oilers hold a number of intriguing prospects who have proven that they can thrive and overcome the stiff competition they face on a nightly basis. Although not all will skate in NHL games and even fewer will become impact players at hockey’s highest level, it’s clear that Edmonton’s top-five prospects hold the potential necessary to become game-breaking players at the professional level if they continue their current courses of development.
While Savoie will surely see time with the Oilers this season, the path to the NHL for his fellow top prospects will likely be a long and winding one. With a forward-heavy pool of prospects and one of the most formidable offensive lineups in the NHL, opportunities to crack and secure a place within the Oilers’ lineup will surely prove extremely difficult to come by for years to come. So, while Edmonton’s pool of prospects could certainly be stronger, it would be unwise to overlook their current crop of young players – many stand poised to enjoy terrific seasons in 2024-25 and beyond.
