Edmonton Oilers: Tracking the 2016 NHL Draft results
By Phil Gretzky
Round 3, 91st overall – Filip Berglund
Right D Berglund is coming into the organization at a good time. Evan Bouchard is higher up the chain and takes most of the pressure to perform for the organization, which means that Berglund can come in as a dark horse and fly under the radar.
This Swedish meatball appears to have discovered a scoring touch this past season in the Swedish pro leagues, having a career year of 5-15-20 in 52 GP with 16 PIMs and a +4. Throughout his career in the SwedishHL, one thing about Berglund that stands out is he’s been a + player his entire career. That bodes well for him as he makes his way to Bakersfield at the end of this calendar year.
His scouting report indicates that Berglund may have a career as a puck mover on the right side. Whether that’s in the top 4 or on the bottom pairing remains to be seen. At 6’3″ and 209 lbs, Berglund has size but the report indicates he is “not a speedster” which is unclear whether that means he’s out and out slow or just at an average speed. Size, puck-moving, and hockey sense are all great abilities to have but if this player truly has a lack of speed then that will hinder his ability to earn an NHL career.
However, like Niemelainen, Berglund has been signed to the exact same 2 year, 2 way ELC that starts next season. Expect him to join Bakersfield sometime around December when the season starts. This means the team is willing to take a flyer on him.
Going forward: Berglund isn’t a can’t-miss prospect but there’s a good toolbox there. With the Oilers’ depth on defence he may be more valuable in the future as a trade chip than anything else, but that remains to be seen. The only way for sure we know if his offence will translate to the North American game is to see him play in Bakersfield next season.
Trending: Up
Round 5, 123rd overall – Dylan Wells
I honestly can’t see this pick as anything more than a flyer, as at the time the cupboards were bare for goalie prospects. Goalie Wells played his junior hockey in the OHL for the Peterborough Petes, and his junior career is nothing to speak of. He only finished with 1 out of 4 seasons with a sv% above .900 – and just shy of elite at that at .916 – and his GAA never dipped below 3.07, and his career-low was an ugly 4.59.
As you would expect with a junior career like this, Wells has been by and large a disappointment in the pro ranks. His pro debut was 1 game in the ECHL for Wichita was one in which he finished with a .571 sv% and a GAA of 16.39. 1 game may be a short sample size – obviously – but….wow. Just wow. Ugly, ugly numbers.
He became a full-time pro in 2018-19 and his career since then has not gone well. He’s bounced around between the AHL and ECHL the entire time, only fitting in 19 AHL games in which his career-high was a .909 sv% and 2.84 GAA in 718 minutes over 12 games. That’s not good.
His scouting report very much flatters him.
Going forward: Wells has 1 more year left on the ELC he signed, and unless he gets it together his pro career is over. Even in the ECHL he’s never even put up elite stats, and right now Wells is the #5 goalie in the organization. Unless he has a strong season and turns it around quick he won’t get anywhere near an NHL roster. Don’t be surprised if with a better prospect in Olivier Rodrigue on the way Wells gets buried in the ECHL next season.
Trending: Way down. Teetering off a cliff down.