Every NHL draft pick comes with a development timeline. While teams hope their prospects eventually earn NHL contracts, they only have a limited window to make that decision before their exclusive signing rights expire.
For the Edmonton Oilers, that makes the development of Paul Fischer and David Lewandowski particularly worth following over the coming season. Both remain unsigned, and with 2027 representing an important checkpoint in their rights timelines, the next year could provide valuable insight into whether either prospect is on track for an NHL contract.
While their paths to professional hockey look very different, both players enter the season facing an opportunity to strengthen their standing within the organization.
For Oilers fans, that naturally raises an important question: why does 2027 matter in the first place?
Understanding NHL draft rights
When an NHL team drafts a player, it gains exclusive signing rights to that prospect for a set period of time. How long those rights last depends largely on where the player is developing.
Players in the NCAA, Canadian Hockey League, and European professional leagues all follow different timelines under the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement. As a result, organizations must balance patience with evaluation, deciding whether a prospect has shown enough growth to justify an NHL contract before those rights expire.
An expiring rights deadline does not necessarily mean a prospect has failed to develop. Instead, it creates a decision point for the organization, forcing teams to determine whether a player remains part of their long-term plans.
For the Oilers, Paul Fischer and David Lewandowski represent two examples of how different those development and rights timelines can be.
Paul Fischer’s development as an Oilers prospect
Among Edmonton’s unsigned prospects, Paul Fischer may have one of the more straightforward development timelines.
The right-shot defenceman is entering his senior season at the University of Notre Dame after steadily increasing both his responsibilities and production at the NCAA level. After recording seven points in 35 games as a freshman, Fischer followed that with 12 points in 35 games as a sophomore before posting 15 points in 37 games during the 2025–26 season. While those numbers are not eye-catching, they reflect a player gradually expanding his role rather than relying solely on offensive production.
Paul Fischer at a glance
- Position: Defence
- Shoots: Right
- Drafted: 2023, fifth round ound (138th Overall)
- Current team: University of Notre Dame
- 2025–26 stats: 15 points in 37 games
- Rights status: Under Oilers control through a potential August 2027 deadline
A reliable foundation
Fischer’s game has never been built around highlight-reel offence. Instead, his value comes from the details that organizations often prioritize when projecting players to the professional level.
His skating allows him to defend effectively in transition, while his hockey sense helps him anticipate plays before they develop. Those traits have helped him establish himself as a dependable two-way defenceman capable of handling difficult minutes.
As a right-shot defender, Fischer also fills a position that remains valuable throughout professional hockey. The combination of mobility, defensive awareness, and puck management gives him a foundation that could translate well to the pro game.
There are still areas for growth, however. Continued offensive development and an increased ability to drive play with the puck could strengthen his case as he moves closer to the professional ranks.
Why 2027 matters for Fischer
Unlike prospects developing in the CHL, NCAA players generally remain under team control for a longer period of time.
Assuming Fischer remains on the college path, Edmonton’s exclusive signing rights would likely extend through August 2027. That timeline has allowed the Oilers to be patient with his development, but it also means the organization is gradually approaching a point where a decision will need to be made.
The upcoming season will provide another opportunity for Fischer to demonstrate that his game is trending toward a professional contract.
What the Oilers need to see
The Oilers are unlikely to judge Fischer solely on point totals. Instead, the focus will likely be on whether he continues progressing toward becoming a professional-calibre defenceman.
Areas Edmonton will likely monitor include:
- Continued offensive growth
- Increased responsibility at Notre Dame
- Special teams usage
- Consistency against top competition
- Physical maturity and strength development
- Signs that his game can translate to the professional level
The answers to those questions could go a long way toward determining whether Fischer earns an NHL contract before his rights timeline reaches its conclusion.
David Lewandowski development as an Oilers prospect
Few Oilers prospects took a bigger step forward during the 2025–26 season than David Lewandowski.
The German forward enjoyed a breakout campaign with the Saskatoon Blades, recording 65 points in 57 regular season games before adding nine points in 11 playoff contests. The season also included another opportunity to represent Germany internationally, continuing a trend that has seen Lewandowski become a regular part of his country’s development program.
By the end of the season, Lewandowski had established himself as one of the more intriguing unsigned prospects in Edmonton’s system.
Lewandowski at a glance
- Position: Forward
- Shoots: Left
- Drafted: 2025 NHL Draft, fourth round (117th overall)
- Current team: Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
- 2025–26 regular season: 65 points in 57 games
- 2025 playoffs: nine points in 11 games
- International experience: Multiple appearances for Germany’s national program, including the 2026 World Junior Championship
- Postseason: Signed an ATO with the Bakersfield Condors
- Rights Status: Potentially approaching a 2027 decision point
A professional opportunity
Following the conclusion of his WHL season, Lewandowski signed an Amateur Tryout agreement (ATO) with the Bakersfield Condors and made his professional debut.
While an ATO is not an NHL contract, it can provide insight into how an organization views a prospect. Bringing Lewandowski into Bakersfield allowed the Oilers to evaluate him more closely while also giving him his first exposure to professional hockey.
The opportunity came after a productive season in Saskatoon, where Lewandowski continued to showcase the offensive skillset that made him an intriguing draft pick. His combination of creativity, vision, and puck skills helped him emerge as one of the Blades’ most productive players while continuing his adaptation to the North American game.
Offensive growth and international experience
Lewandowski’s offensive upside remains the most exciting part of his projection.
His creativity with the puck, vision in the offensive zone, and ability to create scoring opportunities helped drive his production in Saskatoon. Just as importantly, he continued adapting to the North American game after making the move from Germany, becoming more comfortable on smaller ice surfaces and in a more physical style of play.
Beyond his WHL success, Lewandowski has continued to earn opportunities with Germany’s national program. Competing internationally has allowed him to test himself against many of the top players in his age group while gaining experience in high-pressure environments.
For a prospect still early in his development, those opportunities provide valuable experience that can help accelerate growth both on and off the ice.
Why the ATO matters
Following Saskatoon’s playoff run, Lewandowski signed an Amateur Tryout agreement with the Bakersfield Condors and made his professional debut.
While an ATO is not an NHL contract, it can provide insight into how an organization views a prospect. Bringing Lewandowski into Bakersfield allowed the Oilers to evaluate him more closely while giving him an opportunity to experience the pace, structure, and expectations of professional hockey.
One game does not guarantee a future contract, but the opportunity itself is notable. Organizations generally reserve ATO opportunities for players they believe are worth further evaluation, making Lewandowski’s introduction to the professional game another positive step in his development path.
Why Lewandowski’s rights timeline is less straightforward
Unlike Paul Fischer, whose rights timeline is largely tied to his NCAA eligibility, Lewandowski’s situation is more dependent on where he plays and how his development path unfolds.
Under the traditional CHL route, Edmonton’s exclusive rights would be expected to reach an important decision point in 2027. However, certain development paths can alter that timeline, making his eventual rights situation less straightforward than Fischer’s.
For now, the more important story is not the exact date itself but what Lewandowski does between now and then. The Oilers still have time to evaluate his development, but each season becomes increasingly important as the organization determines whether he fits into its long-term plans.
What the Oilers need to see
As Lewandowski continues his development, Edmonton will likely be watching for:
- Continued offensive production
- Greater consistency throughout the season
- Physical development and strength gains
- Improvement away from the puck
- Success against stronger competition
- Signs that his game can translate to professional hockey
The ATO in Bakersfield offered a glimpse of what the next step could look like. The challenge now is building on that momentum and continuing to strengthen his case for an NHL contract.
Final thoughts on these Oilers prospects
Rights deadlines often create a sense of urgency, but ultimately the conversation comes back to development.
For Paul Fischer, the next season represents another opportunity to prove that his steady progression at Notre Dame is translating toward a professional future. With 2027 approaching, each year becomes increasingly important as the Oilers evaluate whether he has earned an NHL contract.
For David Lewandowski, the focus is somewhat different. After a breakout WHL season, continued international experience with Germany, and his first taste of professional hockey through an ATO with Bakersfield, the challenge now is building on that momentum and continuing to round out his game.
Neither player is facing an immediate decision, but both are entering important stages of their development. As the Oilers continue evaluating their prospect pool, the coming season could provide valuable insight into where Fischer and Lewandowski fit within the organization’s long-term plans—and whether either player is on track to earn a contract before their rights timelines become a more pressing conversation.
Follow The Oil Rig on social media!
