2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Edmonton Oilers

Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports

For as long as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in their primes, you have to go all-in.

And while the Edmonton Oilers haven’t reached the Stanley Cup Final with them just yet, it feels like they’re not far away after a couple of good playoff showings in recent years. But the cost to remain competitive requires moving prospects and picks to do everything possible to contend as soon as possible. That’s why they had just three picks this year and an overall underwhelming draft history over the past three or four years.

With Stuart Skinner, Vincent Desharnais, Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg moving out of prospect status, Xavier Bourgault and Raphael Lavoie are the top two dogs in the system right now. Both should challenge for NHL spots this year, with Lavoie looking a bit closer to NHL-quality. But after that, it starts to fall off. Matvey Petrov is a work in progress, while most others are still a few years away, at best.

If the Oilers are looking for an impact player, they’re not finding it here. But if they need some extra depth, or a trade chip to bring in someone notable, they have that. The rest is up to GM Ken Holland to figure out.

Biggest Strength

It’s hard to pinpoint a strength in a team with such a poor prospect pool. But they do have depth options that can be inexpensive support players down the line. Bourgault and Lavoie have the best odds at becoming NHLers, while players like Petrov, Maxim Berezkin and Max Wanner have all outgrown their draft positions. If they even get three or four of these guys to become everyday NHLers, that’ll be a big bonus.

Biggest Weakness

The Oilers should have drafted goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in 2021; every fan knows that. Skinner has been a solid option, but if he doesn’t become the long-term solution, who will? Olivier Rodrigue had a good bounce-back season after dealing with injuries, but he’s a backup at best. And even that’s a longshot. Ryan Fanti had an eventful year in the ECHL, which included scoring a goal and getting in a fight. He’s also a long shot. Drafting goaltenders can often be a crapshoot, and you can often fix your crease situation in other ways. But having someone you can trust in your back pocket doesn’t hurt.

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Beau Akey (Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports)*

Grade: C-

1. Xavier Bourgault, LW/RW, 20 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 22, first round in 2021

Bourgault made an impression in his first pro season with Bakersfield, scoring 13 goals and 34 points. The strong shooter seemed to add some extra speed in his game this year, too. The goal in 2023-24 will be to take more control of the puck and generate scoring chances more consistently before making a run at full-time duty with the Oilers the following year.

2. Raphaël Lavoie, C/RW, 22 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 38, second round in 2019

Lavoie finished with his best season to date, scoring 25 goals and 45 points in 61 games. Will that be enough for him to get a more extended look at camp? At 6-foot-4, Lavoie has the size needed to be a bottom-six power forward, but his scoring touch from junior is starting to show through finally. As a depth scorer, there’s a future for Lavoie, but it’s up for him to make it happen.

*Matvey Petrov (Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)*

3. Matvey Petrov, RW, 20 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 180, sixth round in 2021

After two 90-point campaigns with North Bay, Petrov is ready to transition to the pro game. The 6-foot-2 forward saw his goal-scoring production dip from 40 to 27, but he had 66 assists as his playmaking tools took off. That was especially true during the postseason when he had 18 helpers in 20 games. Petrov’s skating is his downfall, but we’ll see if the Oilers’ coaching staff can adjust adequately.

4. Beau Akey, D, 18 (Barrie, OHL)

Drafted: No. 56, second round in 2023

The team’s top pick this year, Akey instantly became the team’s top defensive prospect. While most eyes were on Brandt Clarke in Barrie this year, it’s hard to ignore Akey jumping up 30 points. He does an excellent job of rushing the puck down the ice from his zone and panic-passes the puck far less these days. With Clarke set to go full-time pro in 2023-24, Akey has a chance to play a significantly bigger role with the Colts – something he should have no difficulty with.

5. Maxim Berezkin, LW, 21 (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

Drafted: No. 138, fifth round in 2020

Berezkin set a career-high in games played (52), goals (seven), assists (26) and points (26) while playing solid two-way hockey with Lokomotiv. At 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds, he has excellent size for a forward. His confidence and decision-making with the puck have only improved over time. He has a deal until 2025 to remain in the KHL, so he’s still a work in progress, but he’s well on his way to becoming a more valuable KHLer scoring threat.

6. Max Wanner, D, 20 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 212, seventh round in 2021

Many scouts think Wanner will be an NHLer. In what capacity? Who knows. He’s at least competent at most things in the game, but not spectacular in anything. Wanner’s two-way game has improved, and he can get a bit nasty, too. Notably, the Oilers signed the seventh-rounder a year after getting drafted, and now we’ll see how he adjusts to the pro game.

7. Nikita Yevseyev, D, 19 (Ak Bars Kazan, KHL)

Drafted: No. 190, sixth round in 2022

Yevseyev spent most of the season with Kazan’s KHL squad, scoring five goals and seven points in 48 games. He’s not afraid to shoot or rush the puck but plays a shutdown style. He’s a good skater who works as hard as anyone. He’d likely be a third-pairing defender in the NHL and will need some AHL seasoning first. He has a KHL deal until 2025, though, so there is still lots of room to improve.

*Ty Tullio (Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports)*

8. Tyler Tullio, C/RW, 21 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 126, fifth round in 2020

Tullio had his growing pains last year, putting up just 13 goals and 26 points in 63 games with the Condors. He was excellent during the middle but had a soft start and end to the season. Tullio is one of the smartest forwards in the organization, someone who can beat you with his decision-making when all else fails. If he can find that game-to-game consistency, he’ll be an interesting depth addition to the Oilers’ lineup.

9. Carter Savoie, LW, 21 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 100, fourth round in 2020

An early season injury kicked things off on a terrible note for Savoie. He rarely looked fully healthy, helping to contribute to his 11-point campaign in 44 games. Savoie is a good shooter who produced well everywhere he played before the AHL. That’s why it’s still good to stay optimistic, and a fresh start with the start of a new season could go a long way.

10. Jayden Grubbe, C, 20 (Bakersfield, AHL)

Drafted: No. 65, third round in 2021 (by New York Rangers; traded to Edmonton in 2023)

Grubbe made a huge splash with the Red Deer Rebels this year, going from 35 points a year ago to 67. He was robust during the playoffs scoring 14 assists and 16 points in 12 games. While it took a while for him to start showing promise, Grubbe’s mix of size (6-foot-3, 203 pounds), defensive prowess and playmaking skills makes him a nice piece to have in the system. He’ll need some time in the AHL, but the Oilers have something here.

Other notables: Olivier Rodrigue, G (23), Noel Hoefenmayer, D (24), Jake Chiasson, C (20), Ryan Fanti, G (23), Shane Lachance, LW (19), Matt Copponi, C (20), Luca Munzenberger, D (20), Phil Kemp, D (24), Heremias Lindewall, LW (21)

Previous 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool instalments

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