The Edmonton Oilers took a step back last year after making the Stanley Cup final in back-to-back years.

Ultimately, the Oilers looked out of sync for much of the year. The game's top player, Connor McDavid, criticized the team throughout the year and even went so far as to call the Pacific Division a pillow fight. 

The Oilers need to figure things out so they don't waste the best player of this generation, but they don't have much help in the prospect pipeline to do so. That said, they do have a few pieces who could help around the edges, and even one player who could be the ultimate difference-maker for what this Oilers team needs.

It's the Oilers' turn in our NHL prospect overview series.

In our annual series, Tony Ferrari's digging into each team's top prospects, the strengths and weaknesses of its pipeline, an overview of its latest draft class and positional depth chart, and who could be next in line for an NHL chance.

Aside from some exceptions, a player who no longer holds NHL rookie eligibility is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for the purposes of these exercises.

The Oilers have one of the bleakest prospect pools in the NHL, which isn't surprising because they've been one of the league's most competitive teams lately. With a core built around McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Oilers are an offensive juggernaut.

The biggest problem they've had is keeping the puck out of their net. 

That's why they traded for Devon Levi, a promising goaltender who hasn't broken into the NHL just yet with the Buffalo Sabres.

Levi is expected to start the season in a three-goalie rotation with the newly signed Frederik Andersen and Tristan Jarry. Hopefully for the Oilers, Levi can force their hand, proving the hype he received a few years ago was well worth it.

Now 24, Levi is right at the age where he should be pushing into the NHL as a goalie. His upside is higher than any other goalie the Oilers have had over the last half decade, so if he hits, the team could have a dark horse for the acquisition of the off-season. 

Isaac Howard played extremely well in the AHL as a first-year pro, but when given an extended run in the NHL, he struggled to keep up. He has a lot of speed and skill, but he seemed a bit overwhelmed by the pace of the game.

Howard is a very skilled dual-threat attacker, but beyond the big dogs in Edmonton, they don't have the complementary linemates to help him. Howard will have a chance to earn an NHL role once again, but he must round out his game further. 

It was interesting to see Dalyn Wakely in the NCAA this past year. Wakley had 19 points in 35 games for UMass-Lowell, which is decent. He is a hard-working playmaker who is happy to go into a battle, take some punishment and advance the play. He doesn't have the dynamic skill to make him a top-six option at the next level. Another year or two in the NCAA will do wonders for him after a solid OHL career. 

Quinn Hutson played his first full pro season, earning AHL all-rookie team honors while putting up 63 points in 67 games. He had a taste of NHL action but likely needs another year in the AHL. While younger brothers Lane and Cole are puck-moving defenders for Montreal and Washington, respectively, Quinn is a hard-working winger who could play a complementary role in the bottom six. His scoring isn't likely to pop off in the NHL the way it has in the AHL, but he could be a really solid secondary scorer. 

A third-round pick from last year, Tommy Lafreniere, is quickly climbing the ranks in Edmonton's pipeline. He brings speed, a solid shot and energetic forechecking to the table. His game isn't overly flashy, but he has the kind of tools that make for a solid base to build on. He's heading to Western Michigan in the NCAA this upcoming season, where he will look to get a bit stronger and find success against bigger, faster competition. He's still a long-term project. 

In his freshman season at the University of Michigan, Asher Barnett played a bigger role on the blueline than some probably expected. He was always a solid defensive presence with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, but he seemed to be a much more confident puck-mover in college. He wasn't dynamic or going end-to-end on puck rushes, but he advanced play from the back end. If he continues to add strength, his physicality will shine through, and he could earn an NHL job as a modern-day stopper.

Acquired from the St. Louis Blues two years ago, Paul Fischer continued to take strides last season with Notre Dame. His defensive game will always be the staple that makes him successful, but he continues to grow as a puckhandler, finding ways out of forechecking trouble or just making clean passes out of the zone. He will play his senior season in the fall and likely go pro after that. 

Matthew Savoie (RW), Isaac Howard (LW)

Round 2, 58th overall - Rudolfs Berzkalns, C, Muskegon (USHL)

Round 3, 84th overall - Malcom Gastrin, LW, MoDo Jr. (Swe.)

Round 5, 133rd overall - Andrew Robinson, D, Windsor (OHL)

Round 6, 180th overall - Caden Harvey, C/W, Windsor (OHL)

Round 7, 212th overall - Ryan Cameron, G, Cedar Rapids (USHL)

Edmonton hasn't found much success in the draft in recent years, but they added some really intriguing talent this year.

Rudolfs Berkalns is a lanky center who plays a smart game at both ends of the ice and excels along the boards. He is an excellent cycle player and a nuisance in the neutral zone. Berzkalns must get a bit stronger, but the way he plays the game is perfectly suited for a bottom-six role with some penalty-kill utility. He flashes some high-end passing at times. 

Malcom Gastrin is a center-focused player who will either get to the slot himself or funnel pucks there as a passer. He swings by the net to try to deflect pucks or retrieve rebounds. Defensively, Gastrin makes excellent reads and disrupts play with a good stick. 

The Oilers need more players who simply know how to play boring, simple hockey, and  Andrew Robinson checks that box in a good way. His game is built on not doing too much and just finding ways to be effective defensively. He won't try to be a hero with the puck, opting to defer to teammates when he gets it. 

Going to the Windsor Spitfires for back-to-back picks, the Oilers nabbed Caden Harvey in the sixth round. He plays a very simple, steady game. Harvey is a smart cycle player who works hard and makes the simple play. He can get in on the forecheck and recover pucks down low. Harvey doesn't have a true standout trait, but he is a very solid junior player Edmonton hopes to turn into a solid pro. 

Ryan Cameron is a mobile netminder who reads the play well. He's not the most purely athletic goalie, but he has decent mechanics. At the end of the day, this is a swing on a long-term development project, even for a goaltender. He is committed to Boston College for the 2027-28 season, and he'll play for Sioux Falls in the United States League next season as he preps for college. 

It's tough to call any area of the Oilers' pipeline a strength.

If we group all of their forwards together, they have a few players across the three positions who could make it to the NHL if things go well for them.

Howard, Berzkalns, Park and Hutson are all decent prospects. If things go really well for Wakley, Brady Stonehouse or Lafreniere, there could be a solid depth piece among them.

The reality is the Oilers' prospect pool overall is a weakness.

The blueline is a particularly weak point, though. They have a couple of interesting defensive specialists, but overall, they have a number of long shots.

Beau Akey has some intrigue to his game, but injuries have derailed his development over the last couple of years. Nikita Yevseyev is a Russian defender who has looked OK in the KHL, but he may not even come over to North America.

Park played a very limited role at the University of Michigan, rarely eclipsing 12 minutes in a game. That said, he looked solid as a freshman.

The 20-year-old is a quick thinker who plays a crafty game. Primarily playing on the right wing at Michigan, he could find comfort at his natural position down the middle this upcoming season.

Park has some really intriguing passing habits and could be a really solid playmaker at the college level. This could be a big year for the California native.

Could Levi finally be the answer in net?

In all honesty, goaltending will only matter so much when the defensive environment is as bad as it's been in Edmonton. The proof is in the Stuart Skinner and Tristan Jarry trade from last year. Skinner struggled in Edmonton and then bounced back a bit in Pittsburgh. Jarry was solid in Pittsburgh but tanked once he got to Edmonton.

The Oilers are still working on altering the blueline composition, but if they can be at least average defensively, Levi has a chance to be the answer. 

Levi was a highly regarded netminder coming out of college and even looked great in his initial NHL stint. A wonky situation in Buffalo prevented him from ever truly figuring it out, but after a few successful years in the AHL and a change of scenery, the young Canadian netminder might have found his groove once again. 

LW: Isaac Howard, Malcom Gastrin, William Nicholl, David Lewandowski

C: Rudolfs Berzkalns, Dalyn Wakely, Aidan Park

RW: Quinn Hutson, Brady Stonehouse, Tommy Lafreniere, Caden Harvey, Petr Hauser

LD: Asher Barnett, Paul Fischer, Nikita Yevseyev, Andrew Robinson

RD: Beau Akey

G: Devon Levi, Eemil Vinni, Daniel Salonen, Samuel Jonsson, Nathaniel Day, Connor Ungar

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

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