As the NHL's western Canadian teams convene at the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, three young Oilers look to make an impact.
Training camps are underway across the NHL, for everyone from 18-year-old rookies to seasoned vets. For the Edmonton Oilers, a key milestone in that process starts tomorrow, at the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC.
From September 13th to 16th, rookies from the Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, and Winnipeg Jets organizations will face off in a weekend showcase, in their fights to earn an opening day roster spot. The best of those performers will earn a longer look at Oilers training camp.
While the Oilers have one of the weakest farm systems in the NHL, ranking 30th by both EliteProspects' and The Athletic's accounting, it still features some future NHLers. Today, we'll take a look at a few players worth keeping an eye on this weekend and throughout the season.
F Matthew Savoie, 20
No surprise here. Acquired from Buffalo in exchange for Ryan McLeod earlier this summer, the 2022 9th overall pick immediately became the Oilers' top prospect. With Evander Kane's injury and Dylan Holloway's departure, Savoie will have a real shot at making the Oilers' roster with a good camp.
If he does, it'll be because he shows that his considerable offensive skills can translate to the NHL. As a 5'10" top-10 draft pick, Savoie's calling cards are his skill, shot, and creativity, though he has been known to show a feisty, competitive side. The fact that he's the only player on the rookie camp roster with a jersey number under #30 (Savoie, who wore #93 in junior, has been issued #22 by the Oilers) is a clue that he's got at least a chance to make the team.
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I've looked at some of Savoie's comparables before, but one other player he reminds me of is new Oiler Viktor Arvidsson. Arvidsson was a pain in the Oilers' sides during his time in Los Angeles, and has a fan in his new linemate Leon Draisaitl. If Arvidsson, who has a lengthy injury history, lands on the IR, Matt Savoie would be a prime candidate to take his place on Draisaitl's right wing.
RD Beau Akey, 19
Drafted in the second round, 56th overall, by the Oilers in 2023, Akey is the team's top defensive prospect. Akey made a good impression on Oilers brass during last year's training camp, and signed his entry-level deal at the beginning of the season before returning to Barrie in the OHL.
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Akey is a midsized puck-moving defender, standing at 6"0 and tipping the scales at 183 pounds. His greatest asset on the ice is his excellent skating, earning rave reviews for his athleticism. As is often the case with skilled, athletic prospects, Akey's challenge is to put it all together on the ice, and put that smooth skating to good use on both sides of the puck.
Unfortunately, Akey struggled with injuries last season, only suiting up for 14 games for the Colts. He won't make the Oilers this year, but an impressive training camp and bounce-back year in Barrie could put him on track to make his debut in 2025-26.
C Sam O'Reilly, 18
All eyes will be on O'Reilly in Penticton as Edmonton's most recent first round draft pick. The Oilers moved up on draft day to pick O'Reilly, sending a conditional 2025 1st to Philadelphia in exchange for the 32nd overall pick.
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His selection was a bit of a surprise, ranked as the 44th-best prospect in the draft by Dobber Prospects. Clearly, if the Oilers traded up to select him ahead of where he was projected, they see something in him that other teams may not.
O'Reilly (who, for the record, bears no relation to Predators centre Ryan O'Reilly) profiles as a shutdown defensive centre. While that's a very valuable type of player in the NHL, it's rare to see a prospect described that way at age 18. When a forward is already described as a defensive specialist at that age, it's often not a great sign for his future.
That's not to say O'Reilly has no offence at all. As a rookie last year in the OHL, he scored 56 points in 68 games, along with 12 in 16 in the playoffs. After spending such a valuable asset on him, the Oilers are surely hoping to see him add some offence to his game during training camp and in the OHL, while still excelling in his own end. If he can reach his ceiling, he profiles as the kind of two-way shutdown 3C that you need in the playoffs. This will be a huge year for him.
Savoie, Akey, and O'Reilly are clearly the big three in the Oilers' farm system, but they are sending a few intriguing older players to Penticton. Russian winger Matvey Petrov had a disappointing first year in Bakersfield, but is armed with a deadly shot. Big centre Jayden Grubbe could add some physicality to the bottom six. Goaltender Connor Ungar, signed as a free agent in March, put up excellent numbers in the WHL two years ago and at Brock University last year, and you never know with goalies.
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