The Edmonton Oilers prospect pool has been seen as weak for some time, although the acquisitions of Matthew Savoie and Ike Howard have helped to improve the perception. Even amongst some of the Oilers draft choices, have been able to bring some prestige and NHL projectability to their pipeline.
There is a healthy mix of prospects who are primed to breakout and show and dominate in their respective league and region. There are also a few prospects who have been able to push their limits and raised their draft stock due to their exceptional performances.
Although, there are some prospects who have unfortunately failed to meet expectations and have seen their draft stock fall due to their play. I will be highlighting three such players below who have taken a hit because of some poor play last season but I will also talk about how they can improve moving forward.
Beau Akey
When the Oilers drafted Akey in the Second Round, 56th overall at the 2023 NHL Draft, he came with some real hype behind him. He had a lot of fans within the scouting community who felt he fell a bit further than expected and really liked his mobility as a compliment to his two-way game. His 47 points in 66 games with the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) was seen as just the start.
Unfortunately, due to a season ending shoulder injury that required surgery, his post-draft season was cut short at 14 games, while showing some of that untapped scoring potential, amassing nine points in that time. He was held out of action for over a calendar year, only returning part way through last season. Akey played in 52 games scoring six goals and 26 assists for 32 points.
Although it is understandable that he would struggle missing that much time, it is still concerning depending on how he has recovered. He still looked just as mobile as before but with a poor showing as well at the World Juniors Championship for Canada, it is fair to be concerned. Though, on a positive note he does seem set on trying to make the NHL lineup out of camp.
Hopefully, Akey -- who is set to play his rookie year with the American Hockey League's Bakersfield Condors this season -- can adapt his game to the professional level. He does not need to produce at a high clip, he just needs to play his game and look like he belongs. As of right now, Akey is still undeniably the Oilers top prospect on the blueline.
James Stefan
When the Edmonton Oilers signed Western Hockey League (WHL) standout, James Stefan to a three-year entry-level contract last spring, many found it funny given his father's connection to the Oilers. His father was former First Overall pick Patrik Stefan whose arguably most memorable moment in the NHL was his empty net gaffe which let the Oilers come back in a game that he should have been sticking the fork in.
Despite this, Stefan joined the Oilers AHL-affiliate the Bakersfield Condors for his first pro season and struggled scoring three goals in 45 games. His play forced the team to demote him to the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) where he scored six goals and three assists for nine points in 12 games with the Fort Wayne Komets.
Stefan should be given a fresh start with the Condors to start the year and if he can adjust his game to the pace of the professional ranks, he could prove to be a legitimate scoring winger. He has good hands and feet, and a nice scoring touch as evidenced by his 50 goal, 101 point campaign in 2023-24 for the Portland Winterhawks. His NHL projection is unclear but his scoring should be able to translate in the right role.
Matvey Petrov
The Russian winger, Matvey Petrov was the Oilers' Sixth Round choice at the 2021 NHL Draft, taken 180th Overall. He came over to the North Bay Battalion through the CHL Import Draft and was a star at the OHL level, hitting the 90 point mark in both seasons (90 and 93 points, respectively) with the Battalion. He showed high end playmaking and offensive vision at the Juniors level and when he graduated to the pro-level ahead of the 2023-24 season, he was one of the most highly ranked prospects in the system.
Since turning pro with the Condors, Petrov has struggled mightily to adapt to the professional level, scoring 14 points in 53 games his rookie year and a slightly improved 16 points in 50 games this past year. Now at 22 years old and entering the final year of his contract, things are not in a good spot for the once highly regarded winger. Even reading the tea leaves, he was one of the early cuts at training camp which is not a great sign for how he is viewed by the Oilers brass.
Petrov has to prove he is worthy of future investment by finding a way to produce this year. He is a high end offensive talent who like a lot of young players, struggles to play a sound two-way game and can at times rely too heavily on his skillset. If he can play a more simple game, relying less on his pure offensive game, he can maybe find a way to move up the depth chart.