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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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Seventh round - two picks - William Nicholl, 196th overall. Pick acquired from Anaheim in the Adam Henrique/Sam Carrick trade.

A teammate of Sam O'Reilly's on that OHL champion/Memorial Cup finalist London Knights team, left shooting center, Nicholl is only 70 games into his junior career, but is already showing signs of being a solid future NHLer. Like O'Reilly, Nicholl did a year of Junior B in the GOJHL and did quite well for himself, putting up 20-44-64 in 43 games, tacking on another four assists in four playoff games. He then graduated that same season to the Knights, where he put up 1-1-2 in five games with a +2. Last season he put up 6-14-20 with 38 PIMs in 65 games for the Knights, with a further 1-7-8 and 14 PIMs in 18 games in the playoffs.

At 18, Nicholl has two more years of junior left, and if he can build on what he did over those next two seasons, he's a surefire candidate for the Condors the following season. Like most of the players in this draft, the Oilers have until June 1, 2026, to sign him. At this point, the odds are pretty good for that.

Trending up or down? Up, for sure.

Bauer Barry, 218th overall

Barry looks to be another solid pick, a left side defender with a penchant for creating at least some offence as well as effectively taking care of his own end of the ice. He just entered his third season playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL. He started his career there putting up 1-1-2 in six games with four PIMs, then followed that up last season putting up 1-13-14 in 59 games with 83 PIMs with a +12 to boot. Pretty good for a full season in junior. He followed that up with 1-1-2 in eight games with 15 PIMs.

He appears to be a player capable of putting up offence - to what extent is still unknown - and has a mean physical streak to boot. Through my research of this piece, I discovered that the USHL doesn't have a formal agreement with the AHL like the CHL does, however, the 20 year old minimum age limit to play in the AHL comes from the AHL itself, not the USHL or the CHL. I was always under the impression that came at the request of the CHL, but it's actually an AHL rule. At any rate, since Barry is turning 19 in just over a month (Oct. 31), he has this season and next to build on this past season when he broke out slightly. It appears Barry is the one exception to the June 1, 2026 signing deadline as he's listed as on the reserve list with a signing deadline of Aug. 15, 2029. I'm assuming this is due to the fact that he was drafted past a certain point in the last round.

Trending up or down? Up, slightly.

Fun fact - Miroslav Satan's son Miroslav Jr. was drafted by the Washington Capitals six picks before Barry. However, the word Jr. is conveniently left off his name in hockeydb making it look amusingly like his 49 year old father has been re-drafted into the NHL.

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