(Source of Images in picture: TheAHL.com) (Picture made by me and not A.I.)Continuing our "Fresh Faces" series, we have the Bakersfield Condors.
In this series, we'll be looking at the new prospects coming in on each team and even possibly vie for AHL Rookie of the Year or All-Rookie Team honours.
You can check out our last one of the Abbotsford Canucks from Sunday here.
F David Lewandowski (19)
2025-26 season: Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
Draft Status: EDM 2025 RD 4, PK 117
Contract: TBD
Despite playing in only 57 games in the 2025-26 WHL season, the German born Lewandowski scored 65 points (17G, 48A) at a points-per-game rate of 1.14. Despite his missed games, his 26 power play points were still tied for a relatively decent 23rd in the WHL. Considering he is a fourth-rounder, that is not a bad performance at all. Lewandowski is currently attending an Oilers Development Camp which will determine whether he will go back to the WHL Saskatoon Blades, or if he signs an entry-level contract and takes his talents to Bakersfield. If he does go to the AHL, the Condors will have a very valuable offensive weapon at hand.
F Simon Tassy (25) •
2025-26 season: Wisconsin (Big Ten)
Draft Status: Undrafted
Contract: Two-Year Two-Way AHL Contract (April 17, 2026)
Tassy competed for the Badgers in a very competitive Big Ten conference. Unfortunately, his Wisconsin could not get past Ohio State in the first round of the Big Ten Hockey Tournament. But they did play till the National Championship game in the 2026 Frozen Four tournament where Tassy scored three goals in four games. In all, the Montreal native scored 23 points that included a career-high 14 goals in 39 games. None of those numbers truly stand out which is why he is on a two-way contract. But then again, his shooting percentage of 15.1 was the eighth-highest for players that had taken at least 93 shots in the Big Ten conference and scoring three goals in the Frozen Four will help secure a contract. Now the onus is on Tassy to make an impact this coming American league season.
F William Nicholl (20)
2025-26 season: London Knights (OHL)
Draft Status: EDM 2024 RD 7, PK 196
Contract: Three-Year Entry-Level Contract (April 1, 2026)
With 26 points (15G, 11A) in 32 games for the Knights in 2025-26, Nicholl won't be scoring every night for the Condors. He is going to be an energy forward who will play very physically from the bottom-six.
D Tomas Cibulka (22) •
2025-26 season: HC Motor České Budějovice (Czech Extraliga)
Draft Status: Undrafted
Contract: Two-Year Entry-Level Contract (March 27, 2026
Playing in one of the most competitive leagues in the world and then being the third-highest U25 defenceman in said league will very often land you a contract. Such is the case with 22-year-old Tomas Cibulka who produced 22 points (7G, 15A) in 47 games in the Czech Extraliga in the 2025-26 season. The Oilers rewarded him with a two-year entry-level contract on March 27 and now Cibulka will look to make waves in the AHL his upcoming debut season.
Rookie Prospects from the ECHL:
G Samuel Jonsson (22)
2024-25 season: BIK Karlskoga (HockeyAllsvenskan)
2025-26 season: Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL)
Draft Status: EDM 2022 RD 5, PK 158
Contract: Three-Year Entry-Level Contract (April 12, 2025)
Jonsson played in the second tier of professional hockey in Sweden in the 2024-25 season and produced a league-best GAA of 1.88 and a save percentage of .910 while posting a record of 17-6-0. Along with a league-high six shutouts, he was awarded the HockeyAllsvenskan Goaltender of the Year Award. Obviously, that warranted Edmonton signing him to a three-year entry level contract the following spring. Due to the goalie depth the Condors had with Connor Ingram and Matt Tomkins with Connor Ungar as the primary backup call-up, the 22-year-old would start his North American professional hockey career with the Fort Wayne Komets in 2025-26. He flourished producing a GAA of 2.38 and a save percentage of .910 with a record of 21-8-2. His five shutouts were the most in the league. Now the young Swede will have his eyes set towards Bakersfield this upcoming season.
G Nathaniel Day (21)
2024-25 season: Flint Firebirds (OHL)
2025-26 season: Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL)
Draft Status: EDM 2023 RD 6, PK 184
Contract: Three-Year Entry-Level Contract (April 5 2025)
Day was deservedly a 2023 sixth-round pick from Flint after posting a GAA of over 3.06 and save percentage of below .900 during his three seasons (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25) with the Firebirds. However, the Oilers had faith in their scouting department and signed him with an entry-level contract the day after his final OHL game. The following day on April 6, 2025, he validated his signature by opening his professional career with Fort Wayne with a 24-save shutout and producing a save percentage of over .900 in three Komets regular season games and five playoff games. Just like Jonsson, Edmonton sent Day back to Fort Wayne in 2025-26 so that both top prospects can get quality minutes rather than sit idly as a third-stringer in Bakersfield. In that season, Day did not produce jaw-dropping numbers by registering a GAA and a save percentage of 2.76 and .893 respectively in 39 games. The Burlington, ON native will have the opportunity to start for the Condors this upcoming year and can make a fresh new beginning with a great showing.
G Connor Ungar (24)
2024-25 season: Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL)
2025-26 season: Three different teams (ECHL)
Draft Status: Undrafted
Contract: One-Year Two-Way Contract (June 18, 2026)
Now this is a goaltender with roots in USports. The Calgary native spent the 2023-24 season with Brock University in St. Catherines, ON where he produced a GAA and save percentage of 2.15 and .932 respectively with a record of 20-6-0 en route to winning multiple awards including OUA West First All-Star Team, OUA West Goaltender of the Year as well as a spot on the USports All-Canadian Second Team. Naturally, the Oilers took notice and signed him to a two-year entry-level contract on March 18, 2024. To adjust for the massive jump from USports to the professional level, he started with the Fort Wayne Komets in the 2025-26 season and held his own, producing a GAA of 2.74 and save percentage of 9.03 with a record of 19-12-4. Ungar was hoping to start in the AHL with Bakersfield in 2025-26 but a preseason training camp injury and a crowded goalie depth chart forced him to begin the season as the third goalie in the ECHL. The Oilers organization had to loan him out on a team because they didn’t want to carry three goalies in Fort Wayne. He found himself playing on three different ECHL teams in his first 11 games of the season. In those three teams combined: Greensboro Gargoyles, Orlando Solar Bears and the Komets, Ungar produced a GAA of 2.33 and a save percentage of .920 while registering a record of 11-9-4. . His save percentage of .920 was tied for the fifth-highest amongst goalies in the league that had played at least 25 games. His four shutouts were tied for second just behind Oilers teammate Jonsson (mentioned earlier). He did get a bit of AHL action, posting a GAA and save percentage of 2.51 and .923 respectfully in 13 games with a record of 9-2-2. He will be looking to work with a bigger sample sized season this upcoming year.
The Belleville Senators' Fresh Faces article will be posted next on Thursday, 12 pm EDT/ 9 am PDT
