Edmonton Oilers: Top 10 Prospects For Next Season
The Edmonton Oilers have built a broader pool of prospects in recent years than the organization has had in decades.
Poor drafting and developing hampered the Edmonton Oilers for years. Between 2008 and 2011, the Oilers selected star forwards Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the first round, but the organization failed to bring along a second wave of young talent to help push the team back into the playoffs.
The Oilers can’t allow this to happen again during the Connor McDavid era. And since GM Peter Chiarelli and Assistant GM Keith Gretzky took control, the Oilers have had significantly better results at the draft.
It’s no secret that many Oilers fans wanted Chiarelli to be fired this off-season for basically every major trade he has made since taking the job, despite having major organizational holes to fill. However, Chiarelli and his staff have pulled multiple good prospects out of four consecutive drafts, which has resulted in a much deeper prospect pool than the one of inherited in April 2015.
With Oilers Development Camp in the books and the 2018 World Junior Showcase starting Saturday, I decided to release my list of the Oilers top 10 prospects. When putting together this list, I made NHL readiness the critical factor in determining the rankings.
1. Evan Bouchard – Defence (10th overall, 2018)
Like most of the Oilers’ previous first-round picks, Evan Bouchard shoots right to the top of the prospect pool. Everyone knew the Oilers were targeting a defenceman with their first pick this year. But to Oilers fans surprise, the team had its choice of highly touted defenders Bouchard and Noah Dobson as well as sniper Oliver Wahlstrom.
All three were projected to be gone by the Oilers stepped to the podium, but Chiarelli and his staff couldn’t have been more pleased to get the potential top pairing, right-shot offensive defenceman they have been trying to acquire for years. Last season, Bouchard was named the Knights’ captain and led all OHL defenceman in assists (62) and points (87) in 67 games, becoming the first defenceman to finish in the top 10 in league scoring since Ryan Ellis in 2010-11.
I believe Bouchard, who has played three full seasons in the OHL and turns 19 in October, will be on the flight to Europe with the Oilers to start the season and get his nine-game audition with the big club. Then, he will likely be sent back to the London Knights, and hopefully, earn a spot on Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship this Christmas.
However, if Head Coach Todd McLellan gives the 18-year-old sheltered third pairing minutes and tons of time on the power-play (where he excels), then there is a chance he sticks around all year. The Edmonton Oilers have a future stud defenceman in Bouchard, and he should be a full-time NHL player no later than 2019-20.
2. Kailer Yamamoto – Right Wing (22nd overall, 2017)
Kailer Yamamoto stole a roster spot with the Edmonton Oilers last fall after a stellar showing in training camp, but he was returned to the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL in November without burning a year off his entry-level deal. Yamamoto had no goals and three assists in nine games with Edmonton in 2017-18 and even spent some time on the top line with McDavid.
While it was encouraging to see Yamamoto had the smarts and quickness to play with a player of McDavid’s ilk at age 19, going up against the opposition’s top defenders each night was not an ideal spot for the raw rookie.
In his first game back with his hometown Chiefs, Yamamoto notched four points, but only had three assists in his next eight contests, and went 11 consecutive games without a goal. After capturing a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship (where he did perform as well as expected), Yamamoto tore up the WHL in the season’s second-half, tallying 19 goals and 52 points in the final 27 games (1.92 points per game) of his major junior career.
The soon-to-be 20-year-old will turn pro this fall and could spend half, or even the entire season in the AHL. But, given his skill set and immense inner drive, as well as Edmonton’s lack of depth at right wing, there’s a real chance Yamamoto could earn a spot in the opening-night lineup.
3. Ethan Bear – Defence (124th overall, 2015)
Ethan Bear has proven to be one of Chiarelli’s best later round picks with the Edmonton Oilers. Following an impressive junior career that he capped off with a WHL championship with the Seattle Thunderbirds and earned the WHL Top Defenceman Award in 2016-17, Bear made his pro debut last season.
Bear had six goals and 18 points in 37 games as a rookie with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in 2017-18, despite missing about a month of action with a concussion that slowed his progression. Bear was recalled to Edmonton in March when the playoffs were out of reach for the Oilers and picked up one goal and four points in 18 games.
He showed some good offensive instincts and an excellent one-timer from the point down the stretch run with the Oilers. His shot and ability to move the puck could make him a weapon on the power-play down the road. Defensively, he struggled mightily. So, he needs to improve significantly in his zone to make it to the highest level.
Nonetheless, I’m a big fan of this player, and I believe he has the tools to be successful with the Oilers. He might only ever be a third pairing defender with Adam Larsson and Bouchard playing ahead of him on the right side, and that’s alright. Contending teams have good players throughout the lineup. I predict Bear will arrive in the NHL in 2020-21.
4. Cooper Marody – Centre (158th overall, 2015) by Philadelphia Flyers
Although not directly connected, Cooper Marody is the best player the Oilers received in return for former fan favorite Patrick Maroon. After trading Maroon to the New Jersey Devils for prospect JD Dudek and a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft this past February, the Oilers then sent that pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Marody.
The 21-year-old led the University of Michigan Wolverines in assists (35) and points (51) in 40 games in 2016-17 and helped them reach the 2018 Frozen Four.
Marody made his pro debut with the Condors this spring, where he tallied three points in three games and impressed Oilers fans with his slick moves and excellent acceleration. While his upside is arguably lower than all of the forward prospects listed around him, Marody is the oldest player in the top 10 (he turns 22 in December) and one of the closest to being NHL ready.
I fully expect Marody will play in the top six in Bakersfield this fall, and he could be recalled as an injury replacement if he flourishes on the farm.
5. Caleb Jones – Defence (117th overall, 2015)
Caleb Jones is a name Oilers fans have followed closely since the day he was drafted three summers ago. As the younger brother of an NHL star like Seth Jones, there were bound to be higher expectations for him than there typically would be for a fourth-round pick. While Caleb has a sturdy frame at 6-foot-1 and 205-pounds, he isn’t the physical specimen his older brother is.
Still, the younger Jones is a good prospect in his own right. He progressed nicely during his two seasons in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks but didn’t make as smooth of a transition to the pro game. In junior, Jones could take the puck coast-to-coast at will and outmuscle many opponents in puck battles. But, he quickly learned that there was a real difference between playing against teenagers and men.
Jones had two goals, 17 points and a team-worst minus-25 rating in 58 games as an AHL rookie in 2017-18, so there is room for him to improve at both ends of the rink. Despite a tough first season in the minors, Jones might be closer to NHL employment than it appears. In today’s game, skating is as vital as it’s ever been, and Jones is a fanatic skater.
Even if he doesn’t rack up points at the NHL level, he can still contribute by leading a rush up the ice and being a physical presence in the defensive zone. Additionally, the two defensive prospects currently ranked ahead of his both shoot right. With the Oilers expected to try and get out from under the Andrej Sekera and Kris Russell contracts within the next couple of years, there could be an opportunity for Jones play his natural left side in Edmonton.
6. Tyler Benson – Left Wing (32nd overall, 2016)
After consecutive injury-plagued seasons that slowed his development, Tyler Benson finally made some progress in 2017-18. When healthy, Benson has shown glimpses of why he was selected first overall by the Vancouver Giants in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t healthy nearly enough during his junior career, which is probably why teams stayed away from him in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft. Last season, Benson led his Giants in assists (42) and finished second on the team in goals (27) and second in points (69) in 58 games. These are solid, though not sparkling numbers for a 19-year-old in the WHL.
Benson got his first taste of pro hockey in Bakersfield late last season, tallying three assists in five games. The 20-year-old Edmonton native will transition over to the AHL full-time this fall on a new-look Condors squad. Benson-Marody-Yamamoto has the potential to form a potent trio on the farm and should be one of new head coach Jay Woodcroft‘s the top two lines.
I think Benson has the offensive tools, hockey sense, and competitiveness to be a top-six forward in the NHL, but he’s still probably two years away from earning a roster spot on his childhood team.
7. Kirill Maksimov – Right Wing (146th overall, 2017)
Kirill Maksimov is undoubtedly the most dangerous goal scorer in the Oilers’ system. Since he was dealt from the Saginaw Spirit to the Niagara IceDogs on Jan. 10, 2017, Maksimov has scored 49 goals in 91 OHL games (0.53 goals per game). Maksimov ranked 20th in the league in goals (34) and 15th points (80) in 62 games in 2017-18 as an 18-year-old.
Maksimov has a deadly slap shot from the top of the circle and a sharp, accurate wrist shot from the slot area. He could be the perfect player (volume shooter on a value contract) to play alongside either McDavid or Leon Draisaitl within the next few years.
Maksimov was left off of Team Russia at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship despite putting up excellent numbers in the OHL. The Russian sniper should be a lock to make the squad this Christmas and play a top-six role.
The former fifth-round pick already looks like a steal for the Oilers, and he has a real shot at putting up 50 goals and 100 points in the OHL this season. If Bouchard and Yamamoto each find full-time work in the NHL in 2018-19, Maksimov could quickly become the top prospect in the organization.
8. Ryan McLeod – Centre (40th overall, 2018)
Ryan McLeod realized a childhood dream last month in Dallas when he officially donned the oil drop for the first time at the 2018 NHL Draft. Despite growing up in Southern Ontario, McLeod has been a big Oilers fan since he was six-year-old when his favorite player and Oilers legend Ryan Smyth helped lead Edmonton to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final.
Oilers fans are going to love this kid. Like Benson, McLeod was a projected first-round pick, who surprisingly fell to the Oilers in the second-round. The 18-year-old led his hometown Mississauga Steelheads in assists (44) and finished third on the team in goals (26) and third in points (70) in 68 games in 2017-18.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound centre has excellent hockey IQ and passing ability, a large frame and impressive speed. Some question marks are surrounding his willingness to engage physically and go hard to the net to score the odd greasy goal like his hero Smyth did throughout his NHL career. But, more importantly, he has the natural ability to make it to the next level.
McLeod has an excellent shot to make Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he could be reunited with fellow Oilers draft pick Bouchard for the first time since the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. McLeod will surely need another year in the OHL before turning pro in the AHL in 2019-20.
9. Ostap Safin – Right Wing (115th overall, 2017)
Ostap Safin‘s first season in North America has to be considered a success. After Detroit Red Wings‘ 2018 first-round pick Joe Veleno was traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs in December for six draft picks, Safin carried the offensive load for the rebuilding St. John Sea Dogs. Safin paced the team in goals (26), assists (32) and points (58) in 61 games as an QMJHL rookie in 2017-18.
On the international stage, Safin represented Team Czech Republic at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, losing in the Bronze Medal Game to Yamamoto and Team USA. Safin, who played pro hockey in the Czech Extraliga as a 17-year-old in 2016-17, joined the Condors in March at the conclusion of the Sea Dogs’ campaign and scored one goal in nine AHL games.
The 19-year-old is still very raw, but there’s a lot to like about the player. At 6-foot-5 and 192-pounds, he’s enormous, but still possess good straight-line speed and shields the puck well. Because he was playing in Europe when he was drafted, the Edmonton Oilers have the option to play him in the AHL as a teenager in 2018-19 or send him back to junior for another year.
I think he’s probably going back to play another year in the QMJHL, and hopefully play a more significant role for the Czechs at the World Juniors, but the Oilers might want to take advantage of this chance to get him to the AHL a year early.
10. Stuart Skinner – Goalie (78th overall, 2017)
Stuart Skinner is one of the Oilers most promising prospects. Despite drafting Dylan Wells in 2016, the Edmonton Oilers traded up to take Skinner in the third-round last summer, and he spent this past season proving Chiarelli and Gretzky made a good choice. If this list were based solely on career potential, Skinner would easily be in the top five.
However, goaltenders take longer to develop than forwards or defencemen, which is why I ranked him 10th. After three and a half years with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the 19-year-old Edmonton product was dealt with them to the Swift Current Broncos on Jan. 9 in a blockbuster trade.
With the Broncos, Skinner posted a robust 16-6-1 record with 2.68 goals against average; a .914 save percentage and two shutouts in 25 games. Then, in the post-season, he took his game to a higher level. Skinner had an incredible six shutouts, and a .932 save percentage in the WHL playoffs en route to capturing the 2018 Ed Chynoweth Cup.
He will turn pro this fall and is expected to challenge Al Montoya for starter’s job in Bakersfield. Ideally, the two would split starts in 2018-19, which would allow Skinner to make a smoother transition to the pro game, and have a veteran goalie partner to lean on for guidance.
Honorable mentions: Dmitri Samorukov (84th overall, 2017), Filip Berglund (91st overall, 2016), Aapeli Rasanen (153rd overall, 2016), and Olivier Rodrigue (62nd overall, 2018).