Edmonton Oilers Top 20 Prospects: #20 - #16
A note about this countdown. To qualify, the player must be 25 or younger as of July 1 and cannot have played more than 50 NHL games. Players like Noah Philp and David Tomasek do not make it due to age. A player like Vasily Podkolzin does not make it due to number of NHL games played.
The Edmonton Oilers have suffered with a notoriously weak prospect pool for the last several years. Part of this relates to the trading of draft picks and prospects due to the team’s commitment to winning the Stanley Cup the last few years. However, some of it has also been related to the drafting and development efforts of the team under prior management groups. That changed with the appointment of Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman. The team has invested considerable time, effort and money into these processes. The result has been incremental improvement in the prospect pool over the last year. While this may seem trivial to a team with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard. It is not. The team will need value contracts to offset the large contracts of these star players. In addition, a deep prospect pool provides capital for trades to enhance the Oilers in their quest for the Stanley Cup.
This is all a precursor to me subtly saying please read my prospect articles! So without further delay, we start the 2025 prospect reviews with players 20 through 16.
#20: Dalyn Wakely
D.O.B. - May 5, 2004
Draft: 6th Round 2024 (EDM)
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
Vitals: 6’1” 198 pounds
2024 Regular Season Statistics - Barrie Colts (OHL)
23-35-58 in 55 games or 1.05 points per game
Wakely was one of the breakout players in the OHL the season he was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2023/24. Wakely, playing his draft plus one season, exploded from .74 points per game in his prior year to 1.57 points per game in 2023/24. This improvement got noticed by many NHL teams including the Oilers who took him in the 6th round in 2024. The obvious question for Wakely was whether he could repeat the performance in his draft plus two season. There was additional complexity to this question with Wakely being traded to a much deeper team in Barrie prior to to the season. So the question became could he repeat his success on a much deeper team?
From the numbers above, it is clear Wakely took a step back in his offence during the regular season. Wakely was given a lot of opportunity. He played down the line-up just slightly usually in the 2C role. However, he spent a lot of time on the first powerplay and was heavily relied upon in the penalty kill. As such, the step back in production was disappointing. Fortunately, Wakely did bounce back in the playoffs registering 24 points in 16 games (1.50 points per game). That was good for a tie for first on his Colts team and 10th overall in the OHL in the playoffs. His game looked much more like it did in North Bay the prior season.
The best summation of Wakely’s game can be seen in this clip from the Oilers pre-season last Fall. The first part displays the area where Wakely needs to put in work: skating. Notice the stride’s length. It is very short and a little choppy. As such, his transition bursts are slower and his top end speed is below average. Now once he gets going, his pucks skills are very noticeable as is his willingness to play on the inside of the ice.
This is the crux of Wakely’s game. Will his skating allow him to have success as a professional? If so, Wakely has the other tools to be successful.
Wakely is headed to the NCAA next season with UMass-Lowell. This was a modestly surprising move given Wakely could have turned professional. Nevertheless, the NCAA game will challenge Wakely’s skating, so it will give him an opportunity to improve this area of his game.
#19: Matt Copponi
D.O.B. - June 4, 2003
Draft: 7th Round 2023 (EDM)
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
Vitals: 5’11” 174 pounds
2024 Regular Season Statistics - Boston University (OHL)
6-18-24 in 40 games or 0.60 points per game
Prior to last season, Copponi took a step that is becoming more common in collegiate hockey. He entered the transfer portal and switched teams. Copponi moved from a good program at Merrimack to one of the perennial powerhouses, Boston University. It was an interesting choice given that he was one of the top players at Merrimack. Boston University is always a very deep team so there was some risk Copponi could get lost in the shuffle. While his point totals were weaker than prior years in Merrimack, Copponi finished with a very good season. He bounced around the line-up from center to wing and played mostly third line early on. As the season progressed, the coaching staff clearly got comfortable with Copponi as a center. He ended the season playing a fair amount of 2C for the Terriers and had success.
In terms of his game, the easy part to like is Copponi’s off-puck skills. He plays at an incredibly high tempo and is a very smart player. He is constantly above the puck to ensure his cannot be exposed defensively. He also is hard on the forecheck. He’s a natural for the penalty kill with these traits. These skills alone will ensure he plays as a professional for some time.
What is less easy is his offence. There is skill there, but it has not blossomed yet. Still there are flashes. Have a look at this play through the middle of the ice where Copponi drives off a defender at an angle to bring him over towards him opening up a passing lane on his backhand. He makes a splendid pass to create the goal.
While his attacking can be a little straight line, he clearly has some creativity in his game. Again, here is another example of what is in Copponi’s game.
The other uneasy part of Copponi is his size. He definitely is more comfortable at center, but in the pros, I am uncertain if it will translate. In many ways, he is a right shot James Hamblin in this regard. Does he have enough size to play in the middle and stand up to the rigors of the professional game.
In his only three professional games, he played the wing and did show well registering two assists. Here is a clip of what Copponi will bring each night. A very smart defensive player who can transition to the attack well. His puck protection on this play makes me think he may be able to makes some plays as a pro.
Copponi is signed to an AHL contract for this year with Bakersfield. The next step for him is to establish himself as a professional at center, if he can. If not, what will be critical is for him to create offence in the second best league in the world. Creating offence whether at wing or center will get him a NHL contract.
#18: Matvey Petrov
D.O.B. - March 12, 2003
Draft: 6th Round 2021 (EDM)
Shoots: Right
Position: LW/RW
Vitals: 6’2” 201 pounds
2024 Regular Season Statistics - Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
9-7-16 in 50 games or 0.32 points per game
For those who have followed my Oilers prospect work, one element I have been critical of has been the Oilers’ commitment to player development. This has been really noticeable in Bakersfield since Jay Woodcroft and Dave Manson left. Young players being healthy scratched or having their minutes limited was routine. While that should be a tool for discipline situations, it was clear this was being done for reasons unrelated to discipline. In addition, young players were not given opportunities in high leverage spots of the game to develop. Instead, veterans took the critical minutes of games with prospects spending their time watching.
Well none of these critiques apply to Matvey Petrov. This player has been given every opportunity to succeed. Petrov has been given minutes higher in the line-up and he’s played powerplay consistently. Yet, Petrov has shown little of what made him a two-time 90 point producer in the OHL. This year he had a modest increase of two points over his rookie season in the AHL. This despite getting massive opportunities most of the year.
The skill is undeniable. Look at these series of clips. In this first one, Petrov shows his puck skills and vision. This is NHL level skill.
He combines this with an absolute wicked release on his shot. He has the ability to beat professional goalies from distance. The shot is heavy and accurate.
Then sometimes he combines his incredible offensive skills with his size and it looks like there is a NHL player.
Finally, Petrov, who is known as an offence first player, even shows a defensive commitment from time to time. A commitment that leads to more offence.
The problem. There is too much space in the “time to time”. Matvey Petrov can go games without making an impact. Not shifts, not periods, but games. Let’s be clear. That’s not on Keith Gretzky. Nor, Colin Chaulk. It is on Matvey Petrov. Period. Full stop.
To be clear, Matvey Petrov has legitimate NHL skills. He’s not going to play in the top six, but there is bottom six NHL skill. Unfortunately, the work ethic and consistency make it questionable whether Petrov is even in the organization by year’s end. Petrov is in the last year of his ELC. To get another deal, he needs to show consistency and determination shift to shift in the coming season. That should be his only goal in his third season with the Condors. If he does that, there is more than enough talent to make a run at a NHL bottom six spot.
#17: Alec Regula
D.O.B. - August 6, 2000
Draft: 3rd Round 2018 (DET)
Shoots: Right
Position: Defence
Vitals: 6’4” 212 pounds
2024 Regular Season Statistics - N/A
Alec Regula came to the Oilers via the waiver wire in December of 2024. Regula had suffered a knee injury while with the Bruins organization and the team tried to sneak him through waivers. The Oilers made a claim on him and then kept him on injured reserve the entire year.
Regula is certainly an interesting prospect. He comes from the London Knights which is a NHL factory. He even played a year with Evan Bouchard after being drafted. He’s also a 6’4” 212 pound right shot defenceman. Those do not grow on trees. In addition, there is some offensive instinct in his game. Look at these two clips from his AHL time.
This second play shows some really unique skill for a big man.
The trouble with Regula is the feet. His skating is going to be the element to his game that makes or breaks him. To date, it has not been good enough. The ability to defend the rush is a challenge for him because his lateral mobility isn’t strong. In addition, his transition skating isn’t strong and it leads to him getting pressured on retrievals and exits in his zone.
For 2025-26, Regula needs to show an improved skating capability. His mobility will determine his NHL path. He has played NHL games, but these were with a very weak Chicago Blackhawks team. To play a 6/7 role on a Stanley Cup contender requires a different level of performance. Regula has a chance to show he can do that this season with Bakersfield.
#16: Aidan Park
D.O.B. - January 6, 2006
Draft: 7th Round 2025 (EDM)
Shoots: Right
Position: Center
Vitals: 6’1” 186 pounds
2024 Regular Season Statistics - Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
33-33-66 in 55 games or 1.20 points per game
Aidan Park is a very confusing prospect to me. In his draft year in 2023/24, he played U.S. prep school hockey. He dominated, but it is a quality of competition that scares off scouts. It’s high school hockey. He went undrafted. In his draft plus one year, Park played in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. A much better league. Again, he dominated. However, he was now in his draft plus one. To some scouts that is a strike against because he is more mature than the competition he is playing against.
For me, I had Park ranked in both years. This year, I really didn’t understand how he escaped the 5th round. Yet he did. He fell right to the Oilers in the 7th round of the 2025 draft.
Park’s most notable opportunity for improvement is his skating. It is not poor at all. He can get off balance because his upper body can get upright. In addition, he lacks a change of pace to threaten defenders. Watch this clip as an example. You can see the balance issues and the single gear he uses.
Now it is important to note he was successful on this play. It was his high end puck skills that got him through gauntlet and to the net.
That is the enticing part of his game. His puck skills. His ability to win pucks with his stick and make creative plays is very interesting.
The other element of Park’s game is his 200 foot ability. Park has the same commitment to defence as he does to offence. He plays in all three zones with the same level of determination. Take a look at this shift that ends up with a tremendous offensive play.
Park takes another step in his journey moving to the University of Michigan. It is a little tough for freshman to make an impact in NCAA hockey, However, Park is a year older than most freshman and his 200 foot game may allow for him to see more ice than otherwise. This season is all about learning to make an impact in a very challenging league. NCAA hockey is man’s hockey and it will challenge Park in ways that he has not seen yet. If he can improve his skating and do so while displaying his offensive skill against bigger and faster players, the Oilers will have a very good prospect.
That is all for the Oiler prospects #20 through #16. Please do not hesitate to leave your comments here and share them with others who might find this article of interest. See you back here next with prospects #15 to #11.
Very interesting analysis Bruce. You obviously put in a lot time and the observation of little details and video clips makes it easier for fans like me who don’t follow the prospects too closely to get a deeper understanding . Thanks a lot. I will keep reading. I enjoyed your segment on Oilers Now. Cheers
Hey Bruce, I’m a fan since I heard you on the GYB pod a couple months back and found your “tactics” postgame pieces at ON. Heard you on the Oilers Now show and happy to find you here. I’m looking forward to reading/hearing more. Thanks for what you do, and how you do it.