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Revisiting the 2024 NHL entry draft - how did the Oilers make out?

Let's finish up this beotch, everyone - last blog in the series. :) Anyway, this is literally the last draft that had Ken Holland's fingerprints over it. Jeff Jackson was interim GM by this time, but let's face it, what possible incentive did he have to radically change things up from when Ken Holland was GM? None. He had literally come in to the job just days before the draft, and was just going to mind the store until we later found out he had chosen Stan Bowman as his permanent replacement. Unlike 2023 when we only had three picks, this draft would feature seven picks, including two in both the sixth and seventh rounds. Also, since the draft was only held only a few months ago, obviously no one has played NHL games just yet.

By Phil Gretzky

Sam O'Reilly is selected by the Edmonton Oilers with the 32nd overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere.
Sam O'Reilly is selected by the Edmonton Oilers with the 32nd overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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First round - the Oilers were initially slated to pick 31st overall in this draft but traded away that pick at the trade deadline to Anaheim in exchange for Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick, Anaheim's seventh rounder in 2024, and the rights to Ty Taylor, a goalie currently on the Oilers reserve list who we have no deadline to sign. His stats are less than encouraging, although it's worth noting he played his last year of college hockey at what at the time was Grant MacEwan College here in Edmonton. Anaheim took this pick and flipped it to the Leafs, who for some bizarre reason chose to move down in the draft and send Anaheim a second round pick besides (who knows why the Maple Laffs do anything these days? What a bizarre trade).

Anyway, the Oilers then did a separate deal with Philadelphia to acquire the 32nd pick in exchange for the Oilers first round pick in 2025. This pick was originally Florida's, who had sent it to Philadelphia in a convoluted trade that involved Claude Giroux going to Florida and Owen Tippett going to Philly in exchange for this pick, a fifth round pick in 2024, and two prospects. It was here at 32nd overall that the Oilers drafted.....

Sam O'Reilly

Don't you hate those convoluted trades? I sure do. :) Anyway, RWer O'Reilly set his junior B team on fire by putting up 26 goals and 63 points, along with 63 PIMs, in a mere 35 games, then followed that up with six more goals and 11 more points in eight playoff games. He then jumped straight up to major juniors for the London Knights of the OHL, putting up no offense in five regular season games along with a -5 and also no offence in three more playoff games.

However, in a lesson that shows that we shouldn't judge a player based on one season of hockey, O'Reilly broke out in a big way, scoring 20-36-56 in 68 games for the Knights, along with 34 PIMs and an eye-popping +32. That's a crazy awesome improvement from one season to another. Oh, and did I mention that he followed that up with 5-7-12 in 16 playoff games? Between O'Reilly and Matt Capponi, the 2023 seventh round pick, the Oilers should be well stocked for the future in terms of power forwards with a physical side. O'Reilly was a key contributor on a London Knights team that won the OHL championship and lost in the Memorial Cup to their OHL opposition the Saginaw Spirit (Saginaw was hosting the Memorial Cup so they got an automatic berth in it). Ironically, London beat Saginaw in the third round of the OHL championships, only to lose to them in the Memorial Cup finals. Crazy.

Fun facts - Jarome Iginla's son Tij was drafted by the Utah hockey club sixth overall. He looks well on his way to following in his sniper father's footsteps. Also, the first overall pick was Macklin Celebrini by the Sharks, who is likely jumping straightaway from Boston University to the San Jose Sharks - Celebrini is billed as the next generational talent so Sharks fans can now enjoy the hype that comes from drafting a generational player just like Oilers fans did in 2015 after Connor Mcdavid was drafted.

Trending up or down? Up, definitely up. Good pick.

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