Edmonton Oilers: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about

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.