Continuing on with our prospects theme week here at Oil On Whyte, we are identifying three prospects within the system who have a good opportunity to breakout this upcoming season. Previously, we did posts on three Oilers prospects that struggled last season.
The Edmonton Oilers have done work over the last two seasons to try and supplement their weakening prospect pool and to add talent via free agency and the trade market. This offseason general manager Stan Bowman, worked extra hard by bringing in multiple top free agents from Europe and the NCAA.
This is a tactic that NHL clubs who are competitive and lacking draft capital tend to use to try and aid their prospect pool. If used properly, teams can add players directly to their NHL team or to their farm system and let them develop in the American Hockey League (AHL) before graduating.
As I mentioned, this has been something that the Oilers have tried to accomplish the last two years. Some of the top names that the club has added to the pool outside of the NHL Entry Draft are: Matthew Savoie, Ike Howard, Josh Samanski, Quinn Hutson, and Roby Jarventie. The last player mentioned is one that I feel has a good chance at taking a step forward this year.
Roby Jarventie
Jarventie was a high draft pick, selected 33rd Overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2020. After an intriguing rookie season in the AHL in 2021-22 that saw him score 33 points in 70 games with the Belleville Senators, he has unfortunately met a series of setbacks the last few seasons since with injuries. He was dealt to the Oilers last summer in a prospect swap that saw former First Round pick Xavier Bourgault go the other way.
Condors coach Chaulk on AHL injuries pic.twitter.com/ToS4UABLBV
— OilersDaily (@alloilersdaily) January 29, 2025
The Finnish forward was held to only two games, recording two assists in that time due to a knee injury that required surgery. After his struggles this year, it was reported that he may head back to his home country to play with Tappara in Liiga, signing a contract that runs until 2028. However, he did sign a contract extension with the Oilers in June so we will see how things progress in the next few weeks.
If Jarventie is healthy and if his injury struggles are put behind him, I think he can really break out and maybe even work his way into a call-up position, challenging for a spot next year. He boasts a good frame at 6'3 209lbs and can use his size well with a proven scoring prowess.
He just turned 23 years old and has proven himself well at the AHL level, notching 25 goals and 27 assists for 52 points in 64 games. His play already earned him a seven game cup of coffee with the NHL Senators in 2023-24. It would not be crazy for him to work up the depth chart in the Oilers system that can use some depth scorers.
Maxim Denezhkin
The Russian forward, Denezhkin was drafted in the Seventh Round 193rd overall in 2019 by the Oilers. He has taken a while to mature, moving up the ranks from the second tier junior league, NMHL in Russia in 2018-19 to now playing his first full season in the top league, the KHL with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
He is a skilled and diminutive winger, listed at 5'10 and 165lbs and has shown tremendous work ethic and fight, battling up the ranks through the juniors to the second tier VHL and now the KHL. In his first full season, he scored nine goals and seven assists for 16 points in 57 games. These numbers are not eye catching but given his bottom-six deployment, they are not bad.
He plays with good energy, providing value as a forechecker on top of his skill with the puck on his stick. Given he has clawed and climbed his way up every rank and became a productive scorer, I think Denezhkin is due to take a big step forward with Yekaterinburg this season and at only 24 years old, that could help his positioning as a prospect within the organization.
If can score at a high level, he may be able to work his way into an NHL contract from the Oilers next spring. The team will need cheap depth, especially with star Connor McDavid due a big extension and if Denezhkin can prove himself, he could be just that.
Eemil Vinni
Eemil Vinni is arguably the Oilers top goaltending prospect, being taken in the Second Round, 64th Overall in 2024. He checks a lot of boxes for a modern goalie, possessing good size at 6'3 and 187lbs. He has been a highly touted prospect for a few seasons now with some stints in the top mens league, Liiga as well as a starters role with Finland's Hlinka Gretzky Cup team in 2023, leading them to a Bronze Medal win.
Vinni has unfortunately suffered from back issues, forcing him to undergo surgery ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft. Injury issues were a big reason for a slow season this year that saw him play only nine total games across the U20, Liiga, and second tier Mestis levels. He is projected to return to the Mestis level this season with JoKP, the affiliate for the top tier Helsinki based Liiga club, HIFK.
He already has extensive experience at this level, taking the starting role for them in his draft year, playing 37 regular season games with a .892 save percentage and another seven in the postseason with an .867. I think now with a full year under his belt and his back hopefully healed fully, he should be able to dominate with JoKP and maybe receive a chance with HIFK.