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Revisiting the 2023 NHL entry draft - how did the Oilers make out?

The second last blog in the series is now here. Just FYI, only six players period from this draft have played NHL games so far. Most of the players have yet to play games in the AHL, never mind the NHL. A few may have played in the European pros but that's not necessarily uncommon for picks from overseas - many of them do their rawest work in the European pro leagues before coming across the ocean to determine how to translate their game to the NHL in the minors. This would also mark Ken Holland's last draft as GM of the Oilers, although it's safe to assume that the 2024 draft would've been heavily influenced by him anyway seeing as how he declined another contract only days before the draft and after the playoff run.

By Phil Gretzky

2024 Stanley Cup Final - Media Day
2024 Stanley Cup Final - Media Day / Bruce Bennett/GettyImages
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First round - no pick, sent to Nashville as part of the Mattias Ekholm trade.

Second round - Beau Akey, 56th overall

Everyone knows that Ken Holland loves his blueliners, and that shows in his drafting records. This righty in Beau Akey is now a part of that tradition. He was drafted after a junior career year in which he put up 47 points in 66 games for the Barrie Colts of the OHL, which includes 36 assists. He followed that up with 2-3-5 in 13 playoff games for the Colts, not too shabby. At the time of this writing, Akey is currently turning some heads in the Young Stars tournament in Penticton. He followed that up with an unfortunate major injury in his next junior season but still managed to put up nine points in 14 games for the Colts (none in the playoffs as it appears the Colts didn't make the OHL playoffs last season). We've already discovered a weakness in Akey - his defensive play. Two out of three seasons in the OHL so far he's finished with a -3 and a -4, although he followed that up last season with a +4 so that may be changing.

While Akey is not a surefire NHLer, at this early juncture it sure looks like he's a solid pick, albeit one that will most definitely be perhaps a little bit of a project as he needs to prove he can 1) Stay healthy this season 2) Dominate the OHL both offensively and defensively and 3) Get bigger. He's shown flashes of being able to play offence or defence in different seasons, but now he has to put both sides of the game together into one complete season.

What I would expect going forward is for Akey to spend one last season in junior, and if the Colts aren't in the playoffs again there might be a blockbuster trade in the works to a playoff OHL team so he can help that team win an OHL championship and maybe even the Memorial Cup. Akey will turn 20 midway through next season so one way or another his time in junior is over as 20 is the age limit for players in junior. Per the terms of the NHL/CHL agreement, Akey has to either play in the NHL this season or go back to junior. Unless you're Connor McDavid or Connor Bedard, it's usually the latter.

Unless Akey completely implodes this upcoming season, I would expect him to join the Condors two seasons from now.

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