Edmonton Oilers: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about
The Edmonton Oilers have an interesting prospect pool. Let’s look at their top prospects.
Today, I am back again with another top eight prospects review, this time on the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers were a team for nearly a decade that everyone always said had tons of great young and upcoming prospects but never seemed to turn out. Thankfully for the organization and its fans, it appears they are finally turning things around.
This season, the Oilers easily made the playoffs, as they finished second in the Pacific Division with 83 points in 71 games. Considering they have two of the game’s top players in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, it seems likely they will continue to be a solid NHL team for years to come. On top of that, they also still have a very solid prospect pool. Here are their top 8 prospects.
Players who appeared in more NHL games than any other league during a season, regardless of which season, are not included on this list. Because of this, players such as Kailer Yamamoto, Caleb Jones, and Jesse Puljujarvi are not included.
8. Ilya Konovalov
The Oilers had a bit of a surprise pick at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft when they selected goaltender Ilya Konovalov 85th overall. The pick wasn’t a surprise in terms of play, as Konovalov had just finished up a spectacular season in the KHL which saw him post a 1.89 goals against average (GAA) along with a .930% save percentage (SV%) and a 25-15-1 record. The reason the pick was somewhat of a surprise was that he was already 20-years-old at the time.
Regardless, Oilers fans certainly haven’t complained about the pick, as Konovalov is the top goaltending prospect in the team’s system. The 2019-20 season saw his numbers decrease to a 2.45 GAA and a .912 SV%, but the entire Yaroslavl Lokomotiv team struggled as a whole, so it isn’t fair to blame it all on the now 22-year-old.
He will remain in Russia for the 2020-21 season but is eligible to come to North America after that. If he decides to, he will have a shot to earn a spot out of camp with the Oilers.
7. Cooper Marody
After a fantastic rookie season as a professional in the 2018-19 season where he put up 64 points in just 58 games, many thought Cooper Marody had a chance to make the Oilers this past season as their third-line center. That never ended up happening, as he failed to make the team out of training camp, and was expected to build off of his fantastic rookie season in the AHL.
Unfortunately, he took a major step backward instead. The 23-year-old struggled to stay healthy throughout the season, and when he was in the lineup he struggled to produce. In 30 games, he had just 17 points.
While many may disagree with him being on this list at all anymore after his poor season, I believe he has a chance to bounce back and still become an everyday NHLer, but the clock is ticking.
6. Dmitri Samorukov
For a team that lacked a solid blueline for the majority of the 2010s, the Oilers fans have to be very happy with where the team is now in that regard. Not only do they have a solid blueline at the NHL level, but they also have tons of great prospects on the back end, including Dmitri Samorukov. The 21-year-old was selected in the third round (84 overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Oilers while playing for the Guelph Storm of the OHL.
Samorukov went on to play two more seasons for Guelph before becoming a pro at the start of the 2019-20 season. His 10 points in 47 games certainly weren’t what he or the organization had hoped, but it was hard to blame him.
The Bakersfield Condors had a logjam of defensemen this season, which resulted in lower minutes than a player of Samorukov’s caliber deserved. As a result, he will play the 2020-21 season in the KHL, in hopes of being ready to play for the Oilers in the 2021-22 season.
5. Ryan McLeod
The 2019-20 season was one that had ups and downs for Ryan McLeod. The 40th pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft played in his first season as a pro, appearing in 56 games with the Condors. In those 56 games, he put up a very modest total of 23 points. While it was certainly not the offensive output many expected, he is still just 20 years old.
It isn’t likely McLeod will become a regular in the Oilers lineup for some time yet, as he still has work to do. However, thanks to his very exceptional skating ability, there is plenty of reason to be excited about this young player. The 2020-21 season will be a big one for him as he looks to try and further develop his offensive abilities.
4. Tyler Benson
Much like Cooper Marody, Tyler Benson had an excellent rookie AHL season and was expected to compete for a spot in the NHL this season. He too, failed to make the team out of camp, and also fell short of his first season’s totals, although not as drastically. After 66 points in 68 games in 2018-19, he had just 36 points in 47 games this season.
One positive about this season was that Benson made his NHL debut in February. He played in a total seven games with the Oilers, posting one assist. The 32nd overall pick will have another good opportunity to make the team out of camp for the 2020-21 season, but it remains to be seen whether or not the 22-year-old will be able to translate his skill to the NHL level on a full-time basis.
3. Raphael Lavoie
Though it remains very early, it looks like the Oilers have a potential big-time draft steal in center Raphael Lavoie. The Chambly, Quebec native was taken in the second round (38 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. At the time he was drafted, he had just finished his third season in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads, where he put up an extremely impressive 32 goals and 73 points in 62 games.
The 2019-20 season saw even better totals for McLeod. He played in 30 games for the Mooseheads before being traded to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, where he played an additional 25 games. Combined, he managed to put up 38 goals and 82 points. He also appeared in the World Juniors for Team Canada, posting two assists in seven games. He will be an exciting player to keep an eye on next season as he gets set to begin his professional career.
2. Philip Broberg
With the eighth overall pick at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Oilers selected Swedish defenseman Philip Broberg. Though his eight points in 45 games this season certainly don’t look impressive, it is important to remember that he was playing in the SHL as an 18-year-old. Now that he is accustomed to the league, he should be able to build off those totals in a big way heading into next season.
Like McLeod, Broberg also played in the 2020 World Juniors, representing Team Sweden. It was his second time in the tournament having also played the year prior. In seven games this year he chipped in with one goal. His biggest asset to this point is his skating, but it remains to be seen just how high his ceiling is. If he is able to develop the rest of his game, he has a chance to be a high impact player for the Oilers a few seasons down the road.
1. Evan Bouchard
After being selected with the 10th overall pick at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Evan Bouchard nearly made the Oilers that next fall, sticking with the team through seven regular-season games before being sent back down to the London Knights of the OHL.
His offensive ability was on display in his return, putting up 16 goals and 53 points in 45 regular-season games, and an even more impressive 21 points in just 11 playoff games.
The 2019-20 season was his first as a professional, although it came at the AHL level with the Condors. His season started out relatively slow, but he picked up his play as the year went on and finished with 36 points in 54 games.
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As a result of his big numbers, he was selected to attend the AHL All-Star Game. He has the potential to be a game-breaking player for the Oilers down the road, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see him stick around in the NHL for the entirety of the 2020-21 season.