Entering the 2025 NHL Entry Draft in Los Angeles, California the Edmonton Oilers held five selections. This was general manager Stan Bowman’s first draft at the helm of the Oilers, taking over in July of 2024, a month after that draft took place.
The team did not have a selection in the first two rounds of the draft, trading their First Round pick last year to trade into the 2024 First Round and select London Knights center Sam O’Reilly. They then traded O’Reilly this summer for NCAA standout Ike Howard.
Their 2025 Second Round pick — that they received from the St. Louis Blues as compensation for their two offersheets last summer — was traded for Trent Frederic at this past NHL Trade Deadline and was used by the Boston Bruins to select US National Team Development Program forward, William Moore. These were the only two picks that the Oilers were missing, hold picks in Rounds Three through Seven.
The Oilers 2025 Draft Class
Since Director of Amateur Scouting Rick Pracey took over in his role with the club, the Oilers seem to have a clear archetype they are going after. The team seems to target players with projectable traits who can fill complimentary roles in the future.
This is a common strategy employed by teams in the Oilers position that are attempting to remain competitive year over year and has paid off for many teams, allowing them to replenish their roster with capable young players. To recap, this is the Oilers class:
Tommy Lafreniere, F
The Oilers chose Tommy Lafreniere the forward from the Kamloops Blazers (WHL) in the Third Round, 83rd Overall. He is a smart center who boasts a solid dual-threat game and plays with a high motor. He may not be the largest player in the class at 5'11 and 175lbs but his ability to play in the slot and get pucks to dangerous areas signals a level of translatability to his game that you cannot pass up at this position.
If Lafreniere can add some bulk to his frame, he could blossom into a strong third line/bottom-six piece for the Oilers, which again, is very good returns at this stage of the draft. He scored 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points in 68 games, as a WHL rookie. His game screams breakout potential and with already a strong platform to grow from, he could pay off well for the club.
David Lewandowski, F
David Lewandowski is a forward who played his first year in North America this past season, for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL. The 6'1 176lbs winger was drafted in the Fourth Round, 117th Overall by the Oilers after scoring 15 goals and 39 points in 52 games after joining the team mid-way through the season.
The German born winger plays a power forward game, throwing hits and using his physicality to his advantage, without going over the top. He has shown strong production at various levels in his home country and on the international stage, which seems to have translated well to North America.
His frame should allow him to add some more strength, if he can do that and continue to develop his game, he will give himself a good opportunity to play up and down an NHL lineup, which could prove to be a valuable piece to the a team like the Oilers.
Asher Barnett, D
Using their Fifth Round selection, at 131st Overall, the Oilers chose U.S. National Team Development Program blueliner, Asher Barnett. He is a left-handed sturdy defenseman who may not dazzle with his puck skills and high end offensive abilities but he makes a good first-pass and can be a reliable minute munching defenseman.
Barnett projects as more of a stay-at-home defender at the next level and his good size at 6'0 201lbs and style of play makes him a safe option at this range. His abilities with the puck though, make him a perfect player to have some staying power as a modern defenseman. All-in-all he shows some solid upside, for a player taken in the later rounds.
Daniel Salonen, G
The lone netminder taken by Edmonton this draft, Daniel Salonen was drafted in the Sixth Round, 191st Overall. He is an overager boasting good size for a modern NHL goalie at 6'3,185lbs and a successful track record at every level throughout his career.
Salonen posted a 23-1-0 record and a .933 save percentage in 25 games for Lukko U20 in the SM-Sarja U20 league during the regular season and a 9-2-0 record with a .911 save percentage in the postseason en route to a league title. He also played eight games with Hokki in the second-tier Mestis, holding a respectable 4-3-1 record and a .909 save percentage.
At 19 years old and a December 2005 birthday, Salonen will have to make the jump to the professional ranks on a more permanent basis next year. It remains to be seen exactly where he will end up next season but as of right now, he is in the Liiga club Lukko's system and could find himself between the pipes for a few games in the top league.
Aidan Park, F
Using their final selection at the 2025 NHL Draft, the Oilers grabbed Aidan Park, an overage standout from the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). Park, follows the same trend of being a projectable pick possessing good size (6'1, 187lbs) and a strong two-way game giving him a good foundation to build from as a prospect.
The Oilers will have the ability to keep a good eye on him next year as he will join the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, just three hours south of the club. He scored 33 goals and 33 assists for 66 points in 55 USHL games last year, hinting at some positive scoring prowess but that is not his calling card, yet. He is committed to the University of Michigan of the NCAA for the 2026-27 season so the team will have a few years to let him develop.
Overall, these five picks show some real promise with a good blend of upside and projectable traits that make them very valuable prospects to have in the system. This is how competitive teams stay competitive, go after players who can play complimentary roles to your stars and constantly promote from within.
However as everyone knows, it is hard to assess a draft class so quickly. Some think this was a poor class by the Oilers and others disagree. So, we will have to wait and see how this turns out but the early outlook seems optimistic.