Revisiting the 2018 NHL entry draft - how did the Oilers make out?

Sixth round - Michael Kesselring, 164th overall

I can see why the Oilers waited until the sixth round to pick Michael Kesselring - this was strictly a roll of the dice on this kid. In his draft year, he was playing in the USHL (the equivalent of the CHL in the US, and affiliated with USA Hockey, the US's national program for developing players for their national team).

Kesselring put up a mere two points in 12 games for his USHL team, but then 12 points in 33 games the next season and 22 points in the same 33 games the season after. He then played two years for North Eastern University going the US College route, only putting up five points in 34 games with a -2, then eight points in 20 games with a -4. At this point, a lot of their farm team had been poached by the Oilers, so they were looking to replenish the cupboards and ended up signing Kesselring to an ATO and then an ELC with the Condors. Kesselring showed promise albeit as a late bloomer, putting up point totals of three in 21 games his first season (plus three assists in six playoff games), then 13 points in 55 games the next season (no points in four playoff games), then 22 points in 49 games the season after. At this point, however, Kesselring despite his rising stock was buried behind other defensive prospects such as Bouchard and Vincent Desharnais, with previous pick Phil Kemp also on the up and up.

Due to this, the Oilers included him as the prospect going to other way in the Nick Bjugstad rental deal at the 2023 trade deadline, and Kesselring now had fewer obstacles in his way on his journey to the NHL as Arizona was a vastly inferior team to the Oilers but also a team in which Kesselring himself had a head start of a few years on some of their best prospects, with more roster mobility from the bottom due to the fact Arizona was still rebuilding. It was these circumstances that saw the Coyotes give Kesselring his first call-up after the trade for nine games, a time in which he put up 0-3-3 with a -1. Nothing earth shattering about those numbers, but solid for a guy on his first call-up. This past season, however, would see Kesselring break out as after another short stint on the Coyotes AHL team, he saw himself on an extended 65 game call-up and made the most of it, going 5-16-21 with a +11 and 66 PIMs. Kesselring has thus earned himself a permanent spot with the Utah hockey club for next season, on the right side of their third pairing. His stock is on the rise and if he can outplay John Marino he might even make it into Utah's top four corps.

Hit or miss? Hit, despite the fact he never got a chance to play for the Oilers.

Who did the Oilers miss out on? No one, the Oilers drafted the one impact player in this round.