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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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Sixth round - two picks - Albin Sundin, 183rd overall. Pick acquired from Nashville as part of the Mattias Ekholm trade.

For the record, no relation to Mats Sundin. The right side defender's calling card at this point appears to be as a stay at home blueliner. Able to produce a modest amount of offence at the Swedish junior level, he has yet to translate that to the Swedish minor leagues. He's produced only a single assist of offence in 29 games played over three seasons in the Swedish minors, and in 2023-24 he produced a modest 1-1-2 in 14 playoff games for the same club.

29 games is hardly a condemnation of the player, as we have to take sample size into consideration. Defense is part of his toolbox, though, as he has produced +3, +4, and 0 in those 29 games so far. Of course, the Swedish minors are a long way from either the AHL or the NHL, but it's definitely a tool in the toolbox. At 20 years old Sundin is an older prospect, and it's hard to say exactly what kind of future he has. Smart money says he stays in Europe for at least two more seasons - he's currently on the Oilers reserve list and they have until June 1, 2026, to offer Sundin a contract. It may be an AHL-only contract if he's still the same player he is today.

Trending up or down? Treading water.

Dalyn Wakely, 192nd overall

So far, so good for this right shooting prospect center. After a single game in the OJHL, he graduated to the North Bay Battalion of the OHL where he's spent the past three seasons and has been improving ever since. If Wakely can translate his stats to the pro leagues, then we've got a real player here.

Wakely has gone from 20-14-34 with 21 PIMs and a +6 in his rookie season (1-3-4 and 8 PIMs in 13 playoff games) to 30-19-49 with 34 PIMs and a +24 (and a further 5-4-9 and 12 PIMs in 20 playoff games) to 39-65-104 with 71 PIMs and a whopping +54 (13-10-23 in 16 playoff games with 18 PIMs).

Those are amazing stats - how this guy wasn't snapped up in the first or second round of this draft is beyond me. Unless Wakely completely implodes next season - his last and overage season in junior as he's turning 21 in March next year - then he's going to be Bakersfield bound after this season. Whichever scout unearthed this guy should be given a cash bonus or promotion. It's rare for a player to score 20 goals at any level of hockey in his rookie season, and Wakely did that.

There isn't a tool this guy doesn't seem to have in his toolbox. Want him to score? He can do that. Want him to be a playmaker? Check, he up 65 assists last season. Play physical? Hard to top the 71 PIMs he had last season. Responsible defensively? Hard to get better than +54 in a season.

At this point, there doesn't appear to be anything Wakely can't do. Does he even have weaknesses? His scouting report doesn't seem to think so. Could he literally be the second coming of Mark Messier or Leon Draisaitl? Maybe.

Trending up or down? Up, way up.

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