Last night the Edmonton Oilers rookie squad put the screws to the Calgary Flames youngsters last night, showing that collective prospect rankings don't always tell the whole story. Calgary's third ranked prospect pool only managed a single goal in three periods, whereas the Oilers, ranked 28th, put six pucks in the opposing net.
The Oilers started early in the first period, with Quinn Hutson posting the night's first goal at 8:49 on the powerplay. Ten minutes later, Zach Bookman put the Oilers rookies up two goals. The Flames had their biggest highlight of the night when Weston Cameron fought Oilers defenseman Mace'o Phillips and handled him pretty easily, but it didn't give the team the offensive spark thei might have hoped for.
The second period was scoreless, but the Oilers turned on the jets once more with the third period short change available. Isaac Howard and Caden Harvey put the game all but out of reach with goals at 17:10 and 12:17, with Howard getting the Oilers' second powerplay marker of the game. The Flames did find their way to a single goal, making it 4-1 with nine minutes to go in the game. But an early goalie pull did not work out for the Flames youngsters, as the Oilers scored not one, but two empty net goals, to finish the game comfortably ahead.
Takeaways
The Oilers may not have the prospect depth that other franchises can boast, but that's common for a contender in the back half of its championship window. The other teams at the bottom of those prospect rankings are recent Stanley Cup winners or perrenial favorites. But with Hutson and Howard it seems clear that there is a tier of NHL-ready or nearly NHL-ready players available if injuries or sickness take down any of the pro club roster for a short period or an extended one.
The single goal against is also a positive sign. Early in the pre-season, systems aren't always firmly in place, and it's team defense that often suffers as a result. Multiple Oiler goaltenders saw the team in front of them keep the total shots against below 30, and only when the result was all but guaranteed did the one goal make its way past the Oilers' netminder.
Hutson in particular is someone I believe is ready to jump to the NHL this season. If he can stick around for a bit and succeed in a middle six role, then other opportunities may open up. Even if he isn't destined to be an immediate star like his brother Lane Hutson, we know he has hockey ability in his genes. An explosive "kids" line made up of Hutson, Howard, and someone like Colton Dach could become part of a successful season down the road.
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