The Edmonton Oilers select Matt Copponi in the seventh-round

With their seventh-round pick, 216th overall, in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft the Edmonton Oilers selected forward Matt Copponi.

Player profile

Copponi is a right shot centre playing with Merrimack College in the NCAA. A double overager, Copponi is 20 years old and produced well at the NCAA level with 29 points across 37 games, good for second on his team in scoring.

Despite his relatively advanced age, Copponi was ranked as the 98th North American skater available in this year’s draft by NHL Central Scouting. Some scouts have praised Copponi for his overall competitiveness and his big steps forward over this past season, as evidenced by a large increase in points in his sophomore season. 

As an older prospect it might not be long until we see Copponi join the Oilers, potentially getting some AHL games at the end of his 2023–24 NCAA season.