While the Oilers have been able to accumulate a solid group of prospects on defence over the last few years, the same can’t be said for forwards. The forward ranks beyond the big league roster are looking pretty thin these days, which is surely something that Peter Chiarelli will look to address over the summer.
As things stand right now, the Oilers have very few bona-fide forward prospects. Here’s a look at some of the more intriguing names in the system.
Of course, the crown jewel is Jesse Puljujarvi. The big Finn fell into the Oilers laps last summer at fourth overall, and although his first year in North America wasn’t the smoothest, this kid still has a boat-load of potential. The 6’4 right winger is barely 19 years old and already has 28 NHL games under his belt. Although he didn’t set the world on fire in his stint with the big club, his impressive tools were evident. The rangy forward looks like he could end up anywhere between the first and third line, but he seems like a good bet to be a productive NHLer regardless of how high his ceiling is as a scorer.
Tyler Benson is another interesting name in the system. The left winger was scoring well for Vancouver in the WHL this year before being felled by injury, a recurring theme for Benson. He’s a skilled forward with a bit of grit and two-way acumen to his game, the only question left is how much injuries have derailed his development. Next season will be big for 19-year-old Benson, as he’ll have to stay healthy and continue to produce in order to stay on the map as a prospect.
Another 19-year-old Finn that belongs to the Oilers is centre Aapeli Rasanen. Rasanen scored 25 points in 38 games playing in the USHL this year and is slated to head to Boston College for the 2017-18 season. On a brutal Finnish World Junior squad, Rasanen was one of the few bright spots. He tied for the team lead in points with two goals and four assists in six games. Spending a couple years with an excellent program at Boston College will allow Rasanen to fill out a bit and hopefully continue to grow his offensive game.
Next is a tier of older prospects, starting off with Jujhar Khaira. The man with the impressive beard will be 23 by the start of next season, and looks to have a good shot at a fourth line role with the big squad. The question with Khaira is whether he’ll be able to find enough offence to elevate himself above the fourth line. Unfortunately, it looks like there’s a good chance that Vegas will take Jujhar in the expansion draft.
Joseph Gambardella is one of Chiarelli’s college free agent signings, and he’ll likely play in Bakersfield next year. The 23-year-old forward is stout in build at 5’10 and 200lbs and brings some offensive pop to his game. Gambardella posted 52 points in 41 games for UMass-Lowell last year, but it remains to be seen if his offence will transfer to the pro level.
Centre Tyler Vesel had a strong season at the University of Nebraska-Omaha with 35 points in 39 games. He’ll return for his final year of college next season, where his numbers will hopefully continue to progress. Vesel is already 23 and will be 24 by the time he turns pro, so he’ll have to prove himself sooner rather than later.
One of the most interesting stories of the year in Bakersfield was defenceman-turned-winger Joey LaLeggia, a diminutive player that has always been talented offensively. LaLeggia is already almost 25, but he scored 20 goals in 67 games in his first season as a forward in professional hockey.
There’s a good chance that only one or two of the above mentioned players will ever be productive NHLers. How can Chiarelli bolster the forward prospect depth? Well, he’s shown a tendency to pursue college free agents, and the biggest name out there is Spencer Foo.
Foo has been linked with the Oilers over the past several months, and his acquisition would give the Oilers a right wing prospect with a solid chance of playing some NHL games. In his last season at Union College, Foo scored 62 points, including 26 goals, in just 38 games. An Edmonton native, the Oilers are hoping that Foo will be swayed to sign for his hometown team.
The draft later this month is another opportunity for Chiarelli and the Oilers to add some forward prospects. With the 22nd overall pick, there’s a good chance that Chiarelli will be able to select an intriguing player. Beyond that, the Oilers have seven picks in the last five rounds of the draft that they can use to bring in some skill.
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