As any hockey aficionado knows, prospects are an integral part of any organization. Although the Edmonton Oilers prospect pool as a whole lacks star power, there are a handful of candidates who are primed to have breakout seasons.
The Bakersfield Condors in particular look to be significantly younger as a handful of touted Oilers prospects look to make their professional debuts this upcoming year.
So here’s a list of where all the Edmonton Oilers prospects will be playing for the 2025–26 season.
| Player | Acquired | Position | Team | League |
| Eemil Vinni (2005) | 2nd Rd, 2024 | Goalie | JoKP | Mestis |
| Daniel Salonen (2005) | 6th Rd, 2025 | Goalie | Lukko | Liiga |
| Nathaniel Day (2005) | 6th Rd, 2023 | Goalie | Condors/Komets | AHL/ECHL |
| Samuel Jonsson (2003) | 5th Rd, 2022 | Goalie | Condors | AHL |
| Connor Ungar (2002) | Signed F/A | Goalie | Condors/Komets | AHL/ECHL |
| Bauer Berry (2005) | 7th Rd, 2024 | Left Defence | University of St. Thomas | NCAA |
| Damien Carfagna (2002) | Signed F/A | Left Defence | Condors | AHL |
| Albin Sundin (2004) | 6th Rd, 2024 | Right Defence | Timra | SHL |
| Beau Akey (2005) | 2nd Rd, 2023 | Right Defence | Condors | AHL |
| Paul Fischer (2005) | Trade with STL | Left Defence | University of Notre Dame | NCAA |
| Nikita Yevseyev (2004) | 6th Rd, 2022 | Left Defence | Amur Khabarovsk | KHL |
| Issac Howard (2004) | Trade with TBL | Left Winger | Edmonton Oilers | NHL |
| Matthew Savoie (2004) | Trade with BUF | Centre/Winger | Edmonton Oilers | NHL |
| Maxim Denezhkin (2000) | 7th Rd, 2019 | Centre | Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg | KHL |
| Petr Hauser (2003) | Trade with NJD | Right Wing | HC Vitkovice | Czechia |
| Aiden Park (2006) | 7th Rd, 2025 | Centre/Winger | Calgary Hitmen | WHL |
| Dalyn Wakely (2004) | 6th Rd, 2024 | Centre | UMass-Lowell | NCAA |
| Maxim Beryozkin (2001) | 5th Rd, 2020 | Winger | Lokomotiv Yarlslavl | KHL |
| Matt Copponi (2003) | 7th Rd, 2023 | Centre | Condors* | AHL |
| Josh Samanski (2002) | Signed F/A | Centre/Left Wing | Condors | AHL |
| Roby Jarventie (2002) | Trade with OTT | Winger | Condors | AHL |
| Matvei Petrov (2003) | 6th Rd, 2021 | Winger | Condors | AHL |
| Jayden Grubbe (2003) | Trade with NYR | Centre | Condors | AHL |
| James Stefan (2003) | Signed F/A | Winger | Condors | AHL |
| Connor Clattenburg (2005) | 5th Rd, 2024 | Left Winger | Condors | AHL |
| Brady Stonehouse (2004) | Signed F/A | Winger | Condors | AHL |
| Quinn Hutson (2002) | Signed F/A | Right Winger | Condors/Oilers | AHL/NHL |
* – Denotes an AHL only contract.
Not Included are players who have their rights set to expire but have not been signed by the Oilers including: Tomas Mazura, Joel Maata, and Luca Muzenberger.
The Bakersfield goalie situation
Well the Oilers have a cramped goalie pipeline, with three rookies, and 31-year-old AHL journeyman Matt Tomkins all competing for two roster spots in Bakersfield. It’s likely that the elder Tomkins will get one of those spots, as NHL teams rarely sign a veteran purely for their ECHL affiliate.
This means that of Jonsson, Day, and Ungar only one will likely get a full-time gig in the AHL. This will likely be Jonsson, as the young Swede looks to make his adjustment to North American professional hockey, and further his development after winning Allsvenskan Goalie of the Year last season.
This leaves Nathaniel Day, and Connor Ungar.
Day made his brief pro-debut last season, posting an .981 in regular season action across three games, and even won the starters role for five games of the playoffs. Day looks primed to be at least a AHL backup next season, if Tomkins doesn’t get it.
Ungar struggled to adjust to the ECHL last season, but saw progressively better performances as the season went on, even winning goaltender of the week at the end of December. Eventually the first year pro posted a .903 in 35 games for the 2024–25 season.
It’s also possible Bakersfield runs a three-man rotation, in that event it wouldn’t be a shock to see Jonsson and Day up with the AHL club. This could complicate goaltender development, but it’s a good problem to have for the Oilers.
New faces in new places
There’s at least 12 players expected to make their debut for new teams in the 2025–26 season. Among them are the two most exciting prospects, Issaac Howard and Matthew Savoie, who are projected to make the full-time roster of the Edmonton Oilers.
On the AHL side, the Condors look to have possibly eight news players make have their first full season in Bakersfield. Oilers second-rounder Beau Akey, and goalie Samuel Jonsson look to be two of the most enticing prospects to make the jump.
Outside of the AHL, other prospects making a jump to a new team include 2024 6th rounder, Dayln Wakely as he jumps from the OHL to NCAA hockey.
2025 sixth rounder Aiden Park who is expected to make the transition to WHL hockey with the Hitmen after playing the previous season in the USHL.
Lots of movement for Oilers prospects, its almost like it’ll be hockey Christmas for fans.
Depth in droves
One of the most promising factors for Oilers management in terms of prospects is the sheer amount of them that might be NHL ready, (or at least NHL prepared), for next season. The likes of Hutson, Samanski, Jarventie, Savoie, and Howard could all feasibly jump into NHL action next season.
Not to mention the older signees of Tomasek, Jones, Stetcher, Philip, Brown, Leppanen, and Stillman could all be NHL servicable too next season.
Never hurts having a lot of backup plans, especially if there is any uncertainty about the Oilers bottom six forwards coming into the season.
What does this mean for the Oilers?
For a lot of these prospects a stellar first season in Bakersfield could really provide them the momentum to see NHL time sooner rather than later. For the non-NHL affiliated prospects there is not much pressure on them to be NHL ready now, so this can be a season of growth.
Howard, Savoie, and possibly even Hutson look to be exciting NHL prospects that could be a boost. For a contending team to get better and younger like the Oilers should that’s a luxury that few teams have.
Guess all that can happen now is waiting and seeing how everything turns out.
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