The Oilers traded Bourgault and Jake Chiasson to the Ottawa Senators for Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 draft.
The Edmonton Oilers have done what amounts to some significant organizational spring cleaning in July.
Bourgault was selected 22nd over-all in 2021. But he has struggled to live up to the billing attached to that lofty of a selection. After very strong numbers in his final year of junior in Shawinigan (36-39-75 in 43GP), Bourgault found the jump to pro hockey challenging. In 2022-23, he went 13-21-34 in 62 GP for Bakersfield of the AHL. But then he regressed to just 8-12-20 in 55 games last season. He now enters the final year of his ELC, and a critical one it is. Bourgault’s AHL performance last season was a worrisome drop-off: Weaker boxcars. Less going on in the attacking zone. Fewer shots on net. Less time on both special teams as well, as one presumes the coaching staff saw less and less of what they needed out of him. To be entirely fair, Bourgault also had to battle through a shoulder injury.
Chiasson’s struggles have been even more acute. The 2021 4th Round selection split his final junior year between Saskatoon and Brandon, going 20-38-68 in 70 GP. Then, he spent the majority of his first pro season in the ECHL, putting up 9-11-20 in 68 GP for the Ft. Wayne Comets. Chiasson played a single game for the Condors.
In Roby Jarventie, the Oilers get a strapping 6-3, 205+ LB 21-year old Finnish prospect. He was taken in the second round of the 2020 draft by Ottawa, 33rd over-all. After two full seasons in Belleville of the AHL, Jarventie cracked the Senators lineup for 7 games last season. In those opportunities he earned one assist but was -5. In the AHL last season, Jarventie was 9-11-20 in 22 games. He ended the year in the disabled list after knee surgery. He has one year left on his ELC. He is waiver exempt for one more season.
The “book” on Jarventie as a player? Very good anticipatory skills in the attacking zone. Describes by some as a “modern power forward”, Jarventie possesses excellent speed and uses his size effectively when it comes to protecting the puck. He arrives as a prospect with Top-6 offensive skills and a dangerous shot but also with some work to do on his 200-foot game.
–already has an established track record across multiple pro levels and a taste of the NHL. The strength of Järventie’s game has typically been his ability to leverage his 6-foot-3 length in puck protection to get to his spots offensively, and then weaponize himself off the puck by getting open for his multi-faceted shot (which includes a good one-timer). But improvements to his acceleration and a more refined game on the perimeter have helped fuel his progression into call-up territory. He’s got a nifty release for a bigger player and some power to his shot as well. He handles the puck with comfort and confidence and can occasionally flash in one-on-one situations pulling and dragging pucks through defenders or his own feet. I like him on his off-wing on the power play, not just because of that aforementioned one-timer but also because of the way he hits seams as a passer. He has added a bit of a gear to his stride and doesn’t look quite as stilted as he used to. He has developed some finesse since the draft as well. If he can continue to improve in those areas, he’ll be a complementary contributor at the NHL level.
