The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have trimmed their roster on Wednesday, sending nin players to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors. Players that were released from professional tryouts with the Oilers were:
- Jasper Weatherby (F)
- Cameron Wright (F)
- Connor Corcoran (D)
- Alex Kannok-Leipert (D)
- Brett Brochu (G)
Players with NHL contracts that were loaned to the Condors are:
- Matvey Petrov (F)
- Jayden Grubbe (F)
- James Stefan (F)
- Connor Ungar (G)
The Oilers’ training camp roster now sits at 40 heading into Wednesday’s preseason tilt in Winnipeg, including 22 forwards, 14 defencemen, and four goalies.
Jasper Weatherby’s assignment may be the most newsworthy, as previously he had only been on a PTO with the Oilers without a contract with AHL Bakersfield unlike the rest of the cohort sent to California today. An AHL contract or tryout seems imminent for the 2018 4th round pick who played last season with the Milwaukee Admirals. Weatherby was held pointless with 1 shot in 11:22 this preseason.
Cameron Wright spent most of last season with the Condors, putting up 12 goals and 9 assists in 48 regular season games, before going pointless in the team’s two playoff games. He also had 4 goals and an assist in 4 games with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets. Wright was held pointless with 1 shot in 12:22 this preseason.
Corcoran spent most of last season with Fort Wayne, putting up 8 goals and 15 assists in 45 games along with a -5 rating. He also played 5 games with the Condors where he was held pointless and went -6. He was held pointless in the 12:42 he played in Edmonton against the Flames on Monday.
Kannok-Leipert spent the 2023-24 season with the Abbotsford Canucks, posting 3 assists, 40 penalty minutes and a -9 rating over 38 games. He had 1 assist in the 11:51 of ice time he played in Edmonton against Calgary on Monday.
Brochu spent his rookie pro season with the Komets, putting up a .920 save percentage, 2.66 goals against average and 7-11-1 record over 20 games after a successful junior career with the London Knights. Brochu was also perfect in a relief appearance with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Brochu played half the game in Edmonton against the Flames on Monday, giving up 2 goals on 11 shots.
Matvey Petrov perhaps has the most NHL upside among the group, having put up 40 and 27 goals in his two OHL seasons. He was held to 9 goals and 5 assists over 53 games in his rookie pro season with the Condors, and will look to make a greater impact during his sophomore campaign. Petrov was held pointless with 3 shots in 9:55 this preseason.
Jayden Grubbe was acquired from the New York Rangers via trade prior to last season, and put up 8 goals and 6 assitss in 67 games with the Condors before being held pointless in the post season. Grubbe’s ability to make the NHL will be based on his 6’3″, 203 lbs frame as a right shot centre that would project as a bottom 6 defensive specialist if he pans out. Grubbe was held pointless with no shots in 25:52 over 2 games this preseason.
James Stefan was signed to an NHL entry level contract out of Portland of the WHL last season, where he put up 50 goals and 51 assists over 67 games as a 20 year old in junior. The son of infamous Dallas Star Patrik Stefan will look to carry that offensive prowess to the pro game as he debuts with the Condors this fall. Stefan was held pointless with 3 shots in 23:00 over 2 games this preseason.
Connor Ungar was signed to an ELC after one year at Brock University of USports and a successful junior career in the WHL. Ungar did not see the ice during the preseason, and seems likely to form half of the tandem in Fort Wayne with Brochu for this coming season.
