Analyzing Edmonton's AHL Prospects Xavier Bourgault [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk5NjU4NjAwMTEyMDA2Nzg0/usatsi_16837380.jpg] Xavier Bourgault The Edmonton Oilers are the next team up in the 2023-24 NHL Prospect Overview series. In this series, Tony Ferrari digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises unless mentioned otherwise. INTRODUCTION When you have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their primes, producing historic point totals and running away with the scoring lead every year, you trade your picks and prospects to get them help in hopes of capturing the Stanley Cup. That has left the Oilers' prospect pool barren regarding depth and high-end talent. With just three picks this year – and one before pick 184 – the Oilers made little impact overall. Xavier Bourgault is their top prospect. The highly skilled dual-threat winger had a solid rookie year in the AHL. He is a high-end complementary player, which may be why the Oilers have seemed hesitant to send him packing like so many of their other prospects. He could fit on a line with one of their superstars and make an immediate impact at the NHL level next year or soon afterward. The Oilers need someone from their prospect pool to stand up and take a spot next to McDavid or Draisaitl, and Bourgault’s combination of shooting talent and tactical playmaking could be a great fit. Another player who just completed their rookie AHL season is the competitive Tyler Tullio. He may not be the biggest player, but he goes into every battle with vigor. Tullio is cerebral with the puck, looking to find open teammates up ice or in high-danger areas in the offensive zone. He plays with a high motor and "never say die" attitude that could make him an integral piece to this Oilers team over the next few years. It also seems time for Raphael Lavoie to make his push to the NHL roster. He had 45 points in the AHL last year in 61 games, and the Oilers could use some cheap depth scoring. He’s big, can move, and has a heavy release. He will be 23 years old when the season starts, and he’s getting to "put up or shut up" time as a former first-round pick. Matvey Petrov is graduating to pro hockey this upcoming season after some good years in the OHL. He recorded two 90-point seasons there, putting his slick wrist shot on display while developing an ability to spot his teammates in high-danger areas. The AHL will be an excellent step up for him. The back end is quite thin, but adding Beau Akey goes a long way. Luca Munzenberger is a German defender playing at the University of Vermont. His game leans defensively, and he doesn’t have the puck skill to be a big point producer. Nikita Yevseyev is another defensive blueliner. He primarily played in the KHL last season and will do so again this year. Yevseyev isn’t much of an offensive blueliner, but his defensive game is worth watching. 2023 NHL DRAFT CLASS Round 2, 56th overall - Beau Akey, RD, Barrie (OHL) Round 6, 184th overall - Nathaniel Day, G, Flint (OHL) Round 7, 216th overall - Matt Copponi, C, Merrimack College (NCAA) The reality of having only three draft picks is that the injection of talent into the prospect pipeline is limited at best. When only one of the picks is before the sixth round, it’s a drop in a bucket. The Oilers used the 56th overall pick on Barrie Colts defenseman Beau Akey. The right-shot blueliner is a strong two-way presence, using his smooth skating to defend the rush with proficiency and then move the puck up ice with ease. The Oilers will want to see Akey take another step offensively, as he was relegated to a secondary role with Brandt Clarke returning to the Colts mid-season. Akey showed flashes of offensive potential and managed to put up 47 points despite playing second fiddle after Clarke’s return. The Oilers have quite a few holes in their pipeline, and Akey instantly becomes their best blueline prospect. Nathaniel Day took hold of the Flint Firebirds' crease in the second half of the year and was the starter for their playoff series. He seems to hold his crease and take the correct angles on simple straight-ahead plays but can lose his frame when moving laterally. At the end of the day, It’s a late-round swing on a goalie at 184th overall. Matt Copponi, 20, had a good season at Merrimack College, putting up 29 points in 37 games. His strengths are as a defensive outlet and moving the puck up ice. His offensive game popped more this year, but he is still a bit of a long shot to get to the pro level. STRENGTHS The Oilers really don’t have a strength, as they have one of the most barren pipelines in hockey at the moment. That said, they do have a couple of quality players on the right wing. Bourgault and Lavoie should factor into the NHL lineup this season or the year after, possibly playing complementary roles with McDavid or Draisaitl. If either of them can jump into the lineup this season and play a sidekick role for either of the Oilers' superstars, the team will be ecstatic. WEAKNESSES Where do we start? Their center depth is underwhelming as Tullio and Jayden Grubbe likely profile to the wing, essentially leaving them with no centers in the system. The wings aren’t strong, but they may have a few contributors. The blueline is a mess. Akey helps, but the Oilers have no one of prominence behind him. Philip Broberg and Evan Bouchard are still young, which helps, but they need an infusion of defensive talent as soon as possible. NEXT MAN UP: RAPHAEL LAVOIE, RW Lavoie is ready to step into the NHL lineup and play a depth role where he can add some scoring. He probably finds some playing time in the bottom six and fills a role with more upside than a replacement-level veteran. If everything works out, maybe he finds his way into the top six to ride shotgun with one of the superstar centers. PROSPECT DEPTH CHART NOTABLES LW: Carter Savoie, Matvey Petrov C: Tyler Tullio, Jayden Grubbe RW: Xavier Bourgault, Raphael Lavoie LD: Luca Munzenberger, Nikita Yevseyev RD: Beau Akey, Philip Kemp, Maximus Wanner G: Samuel Jonsson, Nathaniel Day, Ryan Fanti For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited and Future Watch print editions of The Hockey News [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription].
