The Edmonton Oilers recently recalled their 2024 fifth-round pick, Connor Clattenburg, from the Bakersfield Condors, and he has made an immediate impact.
Through his first five NHL games, he may have just one goal, but could easily have more if not for a great save by Sergei Bobrovsky in his first game against the defending Stanley Cup champions and a missed open net against the Kraken.
Beyond that, he's injected much-needed energy into the line-up. Many fans weren't sure what to expect when he was recalled due to a lack of offense in the WHL and AHL, but it's tough to see how it could be seen as anything other than a success so far.
Though he is currently hurt due to taking a high stick to the eye from Brandon Montour, Clattenburg has made a real case to stay in the Oilers' line-up even once the team is healthy. So today, I thought it would be interesting to go through some other potential call-ups the Oilers could consider throughout the remainder of the season.
As a note, this list is only counting players who have not yet played for the Oilers this season, so though Ike Howard has played quite well for the Condors, he will not be included.
5. Viljami Marjala
The Buffalo Sabres drafted Viljami Marjala in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Despite putting up 52 points in 54 games in the Liiga during the 2024-2025 season, which was tied for the lead on his team, the Sabres opted not to sign Marjala to an entry-level contract, so he was signed by the Edmonton Oilers in what is looking like quite the savvy deal by general manager, Stan Bowman.
After impressing in the pre-season, he's been solid for the Condors, putting up four goals, 15 assists for 19 points in 21 games. The 6'2 177-pound forward has made a name for himself in the American Hockey League.
One thing that makes Marjala a strong candidate is how well-rounded his game was. He is able to play both the wing and centre if needed. He is not just a playmaker who racks up points and adds nothing else of value. He can bring a mature defensive awareness that would make a defense-minded coach like Kris Knoblauch happy. His compete level has stood out at the AHL level and should help him carve out an NHL role.
Marjala might not be ready for a full time NHL role, as it his first season in North America and he is still young. However, it is possible if the Oilers need an offensive boost, they may look to give an opportunity to someone like Marjala. He's done everything and more that Oilers fans could have expected when he was signed this past off-season.
4. Atro Leppanen
Another recent signing out of Europe, and likely the most obvious call-up option if the Oilers need help on the blueline, is Finnish offensive defenseman Atro Leppanen. Leppanen dominated the Liiga last year. He led the league in scoring with an impressive 63 points (21 goals, 42 assists) in 60 games with Sport Vaasa, which also set all-time records for points by a defenseman. Like Marjala, he came to training camp as a bit of an unknown for a lot of people but turned heads with a strong performance.
Some even theorized he may make the team out of camp, but the Oilers believed he needed some time to adjust to North American ice - and also had players like Ty Emberson, Alec Regula and Troy Stecher keeping him down. However, with Jake Walman out at least another week or two and Stecher being claimed on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Oilers are one injury on their blueline away from needing to make a call-up.
After arriving in Bakersfield, he had a bit of a rocky start defensively but over the past few weeks, his game has noticeably settled down. He has improved his play on both sides of the puck in the AHL and now has 15 ipoints (one goal, 14 assists) in 21 games. His -9 rating is a team low, which is mildly concerning on paper, but as mentioned earlier, his recent performances have trended upwards as his game adapts.
Leppanen isn't really a prospect, as he will turn 27 on December 14, but he is someone without NHL experience who came to North America to fight for a chance in the NHL. He left a comfortable situation in Europe to sign with the two-time Western Conference Champions, which shows how badly he wants to prove himself and play in the world's greatest league. His strong pre-season (where he was one of the final defensive cuts) suggests the coaching staff sees his potential and they likely are prepared for the possibility.
The Condors do have several defensemen with NHL games under their belts - Josh Brown, who played 10 games with the Oilers last season and could certainly be recalled if the Oilers want additional physicality, Cam Dineen, who appeared in four and looked quite strong but is currently out with a long-term injury, as well as veteran Riley Stillman, who has played 163 NHL games for five different teams. However, I believe if the Oilers are to make a defensive call-up, Leppanen feels like the most natural option. He is an imperfect player, but his ceiling is high, and he has certainly made a push to be rewarded.
3. Connor Ingram
It is no secret that the Oilers would like to upgrade their goaltending at some point this season. The chatter around this position over the past few weeks has been loud, which isn't entirely surprising given the struggles between the pipes.
Stuart Skinner has shown some signs of improvement recently, allowing just three goals in his past three games, but he still sits at an .889 save percentage on the season, barely higher than Jack Campbell during his only full season as an Oiler. Calvin Pickard's numbers are even more concerning, with only an .851 save percentage.
While these numbers are in part due to the Oilers' abysmal defense the first few months throughout the season, which has improved lately, but their goaltending has been a topic of conversation for several years. With the high expectations set on this team, it seems they may be finally about to make a change, whether it be through an internal call-up or a trade.
On October 1st, Bowman acquired Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth. Ingram had recently cleared waivers, and the Oilers were able to acquire him with salary retention for Future Considerations.
The move clearly showed that the Oilers were aware of the potential issue in net, and management hoped that acquiring Ingram would not only add to the Oilers' goaltending depth but would also add some pressure on Skinner and Pickard. Though his save percentage looks poor on the surface, posting an .872 save percentage in 9 games but the context matters.
Ingram missed all of training camp and hasn't played NHL-level hockey since entering the NHL's Player Assistance Program in February of last season. Many expected rust, and the team has shown patience with Ingram to allow his game to come back into form.
The team has been linked to several goaltenders in recent days, including Tristan Jarry and Jordan Binnington. There remains a distinct possibility that Edmonton may follow Colorado's example from last year, where struggling goaltenders Alexander Georgiev and Justus Annunen were both swapped mid-season for Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood, which proved to be the right move for Colorado's long-term future.
Maybe the Oilers overhaul their goaltending mid-season. Could we see a Jarry-Ingram tandem at some point? Elliotte Friedman implied that the Pittsburgh Penguins aren't crazy about retaining salary on Jarry, but the Oilers might be able to find a way. No matter what happens, Ingram remains one of the most intriguing internal options the Oilers have.
2. Roby Jarventie
Roby Jarventie was acquired from Ottawa in a prospect swap in the 2024 off-season, with Xavier Bourgault and Jake Chiasson being sent to the Senators for Jarventie and a 2025 fourth-round pick. He previously played in 7 games for Ottawa, where he recorded an assist. Last year, he joined the Condors, but due to an injury-plagued season, which has become an unfortunate trend in his career, he made it into just two games, but he recorded two points in these games.
This season, head coach Colin Chaulk has been careful to manage his ice-time to avoid further re-aggravation of his recurring knee injury that has slowed his progress in the past. Despite the load management, in the 17 games he has played, he has 9-5-14 for second on the Condors in goals. Beyond the offensive production, his speed has impressed, and he is known for his ability to generate offense off the rush.
Jarventie's injury issues may effect his NHL potential as he looks to have a bounce back season. Since the start of the 2022-2023 season, he has only played in 88 total professional games. However, if he can maintain some level of consistency with his health, there is little doubt that he could be a solid third-line option for a team that could use a bit of secondary scoring.
Honoureable Mention: Joshua Samanski
Josh Samanski is a 23-year old German forward signed from the Straubing Tigers of the DEL this off-season. His 14 goals, 26 assists (40 points) stat line has translated well to the AHL where he currently has 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 21 games. He has a huge personality which shows he can be a great locker room glue guy and he is huge, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 201 pounds. He may not be the most obvious name, but the Oilers could certainly look to call him up if they want some centre depth.
1. Quinn Hutson
Quinn Hutson is an easy choice if the Oilers want to make a call-up. After a slow start to his first AHL season, with just three points in his first 10 games. Since then, Hutson has erupted offensively and has absolutely torched the American Hockey League. Over his last 11 games, he has recorded 11 goals, 10 assists for 21 points.
A clip of almost two full points per game recently, establishing himself as one of the hottest players in the league, tied for the rookie scoring lead. He also sits third on the Condors in plus/minus with a plus-7 (trailing him are just Howard with a plus-8 and surprisingly, Josh Brown with a plus-9).
Upon signing with the Oilers as one of the top college free agents this past offseason, he was given 2 NHL games where he didn't look totally out of place. He even came close to scoring his first career goal, but Max Jones got his stick on the puck first. He was ranked as the Oilers No. 10 prospect heading into the season.
This little bit of familiarity, combined with the added maturity of having a full NHL training camp and several months in the AHL has added confidence to his game, and his development has clearly taken a major step forward. He also turns 24 on January 1st so he has a level of maturity that not all prospects have. He is also highly regarded and was the player chosen to represent the Oilers for the NHLPA Rookie Showcase.
Hutson is a very strong skater with great hands and is great on both sides of the puck. Colin Chaulk recently compared him to Matthew Savoie, and while that might be a bit of a reach considering Savoie's upside, it is not hard to see why he said this. He was second in the NCAA in points-per-game last season (only behind fellow Oilers prospect Ike Howard). Hutson has been fun to watch lately and he could provide some versatility and creativity to the Oilers' bottom six and it would be shocking if he doesn't earn a call-up at some point.
Oilers have plenty of options available
Like most teams in the league this season, the Oilers have had their fair share of injuries, so they may need to rely on their minor league affiliate. Their prospect pool has been understandably criticized in the past, but Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman have clearly been making an effort to improve this area, as every single player mentioned in this article, as well as Matt Savoie and Ike Howard, were acquired after Ken Holland left the organization.
In fact, the Oilers have seen five players score their first career NHL goals this season (Noah Philp, Ike Howard, David Tomasek, Matt Savoie, and Connor Clattenburg), which seems insane because from 2022-23 to 2024-25, the Oilers saw just three players achieve the feat (Dylan Holloway, Vincent Desharnais, and James Hamblin). It remains to be seen exactly how much of an impact these attempts will make, but the Condors' play in recent weeks suggests the Oilers may have found some potential gems.