The Edmonton Oilers have produced outstanding young talent in the first half of this decade, but very few strong rookie seasons by those freshmen. Evan Bouchard, Philip Broberg, Dylan Holloway and Ike Howard were slow-played as first-year NHL players. Only Ryan McLeod (2021-22, 9-12-21 in 71 games) and Matt Savoie (2025-26, 18-19-37 in 82 games) delivered the kind of season that gets fans excited.
Savoie’s 37 points were the highest total by an Oilers rookie winger since Jordan Eberle (18-25-43 in 69 games) and Taylor Hall (22-20-42 in 65 games) in 2010-11.
For the coming season, there are over a dozen players who could see action as rookies, but almost all opportunities will come due to injury or veterans hitting a wall. There are times when both become a factor, as in the case of Mattias Janmark last season.
Howard played 29 games in Edmonton last season, so he no longer qualifies as a rookie. Josh Samanski played 24 games and remains eligible for the Calder Trophy. Samanski’s impressive two-way ability and usefulness as a centre or winger make him an attractive option. For our purposes, we’ll treat Samanski as a known commodity and focus on less well-known prospects.
There are three players who have both the resume to ascend to the NHL and are looking at a welcoming depth chart in Edmonton as fall approaches.
Beau Akey
Akey had an injury-plagued pro debut with the AHL Bakersfield Condors last season, and didn’t spend much time in a feature role when healthy. He should be considered a possible recall this winter because of the position he plays: right defence.
Atop the Oilers’ right side depth chart is puck mover Evan Bouchard. According to Puck IQ, his 489 minutes versus elite competition one year ago represented 52 percent of all five-on-five minutes played by right-handed Oilers defenders. Connor Murphy played 40 percent against elites after coming over from the Chicago Blackhawks in a March deal, and Ty Emberson will play third pair. After that, the Oilers will be looking to left-handed defencemen like newcomer Shakir Mukhamadullin to play on his off-side. That’s less than ideal.
Akey is undersized, and new coach Mike Babcock may fade him because of it. However, Akey is an exceptional skater, reads plays well and can pass the puck with aplomb. He was easily the top right-handed option among Condors blueliners one year ago in on-ice goal share:
33-25
57
37-42
47
15-18
45
32-39
45
All numbers via theAHL.com
Akey shines in this comparison, and it’s reasonable to suggest he has the most potential as an option. Akey was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft and has been slowed only by injury. While it’s true Condors coach Colin Chaulk didn’t play Akey in a substantial role, those injuries may have had an impact on deployment.
The AHL doesn’t have a large group of top talents to focus on, so Akey’s goal share gap appears to be the real thing. He doesn’t get mentioned much as a recall possibility because he has just 42 games of AHL experience and is just 21. Based on position (right-handed defenceman) and last year’s outscoring, Akey could see NHL time if he can stay healthy.
Owen Michaels
Michaels has yet to play a game for the Oilers or Condors, but he’s a player to watch this fall and winter. Like Akey, positional rarity is the key reason for interest in Michaels. He’s a right-handed, two-way centre with good speed and a range of skills. I ranked him No. 16 on the summer top 20 based on where he might land on an NHL roster, as No. 3 centre would seem to be the outer marker. That is a foundation position on an NHL team, so the opportunity to play an important role is there for Michaels.
The question marks surround ability (can he play at the highest level?) and readiness (Edmonton is auditioning others for the third- and fourth-line centre roles). Michaels, 24, has good size (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) and posted 13-13-26 in 39 games for Western Michigan (NCHC) in 2025-26. The range of possibilities for his rookie pro season ranges from depth minutes in the AHL to a long look in the NHL with the Oilers if he can succeed with the Condors.
Viljami Marjala
Some players have a sixth sense for the moment offensively, and those players often outperform the eye test. Marjala doesn’t have Howard’s pure skills, but does possess a touch around the net and recognizes a passing seam quickly. Marjala is a centre/winger on the Condors, and his 2025-26 season with the team made an impression.
Marjala’s playmaking abilities showed up in his assist total (49 in 75 games, including a frantic playoff run), but he also showed some scoring ability. His 17 goals on 130 shots (13.1 percent) gave Marjala a little more torque in this area than his Liiga numbers (Finland) implied entering the season. In terms of team success, he started the year getting outscored heavily at even strength (41 percent in the first half) but improved to 50 percent after the midway point of the season.
Marjala qualifies as a possible recall over names like Quinn Hutson because he can play centre or wing. Also, his creativity in passing may be more useful in Edmonton. Marjala is a playmaker on a club that may be shy offensively on the depth lines. Veteran centre Jason Dickinson isn’t an offensive difference-maker, and he’s ticketed for the third line. Samanski, who at this point checks in as the No. 4 centre, is also offensively challenged.
Marjala is a long shot, but can play the middle and does create offence. Among his 43 regular-season helpers, 33 were first assists. That’s an indication Marjala’s work leads directly to goals. There are no guarantees he can convert at a high level in the NHL, but the Oilers have needs at centre, and Marjala is a solid available (if unproven) option.
Bottom line
When training camp begins, most of the talk around rookies will involve Samanski, Hutson and perhaps left defenceman Damien Carfagna. Akey, Michaels and Marjala are a little under the radar based on various factors, including injury history (Akey) and lack of pro experience (Michaels).
The opportunity for these three players comes via the Oilers depth chart. A righty defenceman, a righty centre and a centre who could help increase offence on a depth line could parlay into a recall.
