As we kick off our top 10 prospects coverage ahead of the 2026-27 Edmonton Oilers season, we must first take a look at our honourable mentions. The players who sit just outside of the Oilers top 10 prospect rankings.
There are plenty of players who could be talked about here and although there may be posts highlighting them at a later point, right now we are restricting our list to these five below. The main criteria that was reviewed to determine the top 10 prospects list was; proximity to an NHL role, likelihood of an NHL role, and potential ceiling.
As a result, some players who may otherwise be deserving of consideration were left outside of the top 10.
Owen Michaels
Like with most NCAA free agent signings, the chances of Owen Michaels being an impact NHL player are slim. The 24 year old former Western Michigan University captain signed as a free agent at the end of his 2025-26 collegiate season, inking a one-year deal to end off the season before signing a two-year extension this summer worth $900,000 annual average value.
He has proven himself at the college level, finishing as a 2025 Hobey Baker award finalist before current Oilers forward Isaac Howard won it. He was also named as the Frozen Four most outstanding player this past season. He fits the bill of a smart, defensively responsible bottom-six centre who reads the game well and can get himself into good scoring areas. If he makes the show someday, it is most likely as a third or fourth line centre.
William Nicholl
The 20 year old William Nicholl was drafted by the Oilers in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He spent the majority of his Junior hockey career with the London Knights, winning two OHL championships and one Memorial Cup.
He signed his entry-level contract this past April and appears set to join the Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors for his rookie professional season. He finished this past season with the Condors, recording one assist in five games to end the regular season before going pointless in three playoff matches.
He will be given time to develop in the AHL but is set to face some tough competition for ice-time, something that could force him to spend some time with their ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets. He is an intriguing prospect who could be a hidden gem with some true breakout potential given his energetic, high motor style of play.
Rudolfs Berkalns
The towering Latvian centre, Rudolfs Berzkalns was the Oilers top selection at the 2026 NHL Draft, being selected 58th overall in the second round. He was drafted out of the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) and is set to return there next season before joining Boston College of the NCAA in 2027-28.
Berzkalns provides a steady defensive presence on the ice and possesses a lot of projectable traits, despite his relatively low production with only 33 points (18 goals, 15 assists) through 91 games over the past two seasons with the Lumberjacks. Although the Oilers received criticism for their 2026 Draft, Berzkalns seems like a good prospect to add to the system.
There is no question that the 18 year old is a project player who will take some time to develop but he seems to be willing to take that time. He is in no rush to join the collegiate ranks and if anything, should be given the time to properly develop and refine his two-way play.
Connor Ungar
Although to some, Connor Ungar is the Oilers top goaltending prospect, his age and lack of high level professional experience makes me weary of ranking him inside the top 10. Although the Oilers do not have a particularly robust pool, Ungar being 24 and turning 25 in January makes him almost ineligible to be considered a prospect by many standards.
There is no denying how well he has played with the opportunities he has been given with a .910 save percentage in 60 ECHL games across the past two seasons while being on loan to multiple different teams. He also sports a .923 save percentage in just 13 AHL games with the Condors, all last season.
We will see where he lands this season with the recent signing of another Oilers goalie prospect, Eemil Vinni and how he performs. This will be a crucial year off Ungar's NHL prospects, which already places him as the club's fourth string goalie at best as of right now.
Beau Akey
Still widely regarded as one of the Oilers top blueline prospects, 21 year old Beau Akey was drafted by the team in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft. After an incredibly promising pre-draft campaign with the Barrie Colts of the OHL, Akey entered his post-draft year on fire scoring nine points in 14 games before suffering a shoulder injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
Since his injury and subsequent shoulder surgeries, he has not exactly lived up to the hype he had before. He made his professional debut campaign last season, playing 42 games with the Condors and four games with the Komets in the ECHL. He played respectably as a prospect but his position in our rankings, dropping from fourth last season is more due to the players moving past him than him falling behind.
The smooth-skating right-handed defenceman has a lot of potential but will have to regain his momentum if he hopes to move back into a top 10 position within our prospect rankings. There is no doubt he has the abilities, but will need to take steps forward.
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