The Edmonton Oilers have made a splash on day one of the 2024 NHL Draft by making a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers for the 32nd overall pick. In return, the Oilers have given up a first-round pick in either 2025 or 2026.
With the 32nd overall pick, the Oilers have selected centre Sam O’Reilly. The London Knights forward had a fantastic rookie season in the OHL and skyrocketed up the draft rankings. Apparently enough that the Oilers felt the need to trade into this round for him.
Sam O’Reilly player profile
O’Reilly has made quick progress through the ranks over the past couple of seasons. He has worked his way up through the leagues of junior hockey in Ontario where he finally had his rookie season with the London Knights in 2023–24.
A standout performance in said rookie season had him finish third in rookie scoring in the OHL.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021–22 | Vaughan Kings U16 AAA | GTHL U16 | 32 | 17 | 17 | 34 |
| 2022–23 | London Nationals | GOJHL | 35 | 26 | 27 | 63 |
| 2023–24 | London Knights | OHL | 68 | 20 | 36 | 56 |
Analyzing the pick
The Oilers are an all-out offensive team, with a sneaky solid ability to shut down defensively when needed. A player like O’Reilly does nothing but complement this system. He has offensive talents, but he is best known for his two-way play. Someone with this skillset can easily project to be a mid-line centre and penalty kill specialist.
That’s not to diminish his offensive game as O’Reilly has smarts and skills with the puck. He thinks the game quickly and can make quick passes. This helps him defensively as he knows what to do with the puck before he gains possession, but also offensively as he can read plays and see passing lanes very quickly.
A relentless forechecker like O’Reilly should develop well with the way Edmonton plays the game in their system. Someone who keeps pressure on the opposition will find success at all levels which bodes well for his development moving forward.
What’s next for O’Reilly
Being a rookie in the OHL this past season, O’Reilly is likely to need much more development time. But for a team like the Oilers that is in their Cup contention window right now, they have time to let him develop. By the time he is ready to turn pro in two to three years and make the Oilers hopefully in about four or five, there will be room in the middle-six somewhere for a player of his style.
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