Have you ever wondered what the all-time Bakersfield Condors roster (AHL) would look like? Seth Griffith has 303 points in 308 games, so he’s the No. 1 right wing. Josh Currie has the most goals (103), so he’s the center. Tyler Benson’s 133 assists in 217 games is impressive, so he gets the left wing slot. On defense, Philip Broberg gets the left side and Jordan Oesterle or Ethan Bear could be the top pairing right side. I’lll go Stuart Skinner the No. 1 goalie.
That doesn’t define a minor-league team. It all comes down to graduates. That little area there, the 5 people on an NHL roster each season who could get demoted, and the 5 in the AHL who could get recalled, that’s my area. It’s the top reason I’m a fan. I love the underdog.
The five people projected to make the NHL roster who could land in the AHL during the 2025-26 season are Ike Howard, Mattias Janmark, Kasper Kapanen, David Tomasek and Ty Emberson.
The five men ticketed for the AHL most likely to see NHL action are Alec Regula, Max Jones, Roby Jarventie, Noah Philp and Matt Tomkins. Tomkins? He’s the No. 3 goalie and that means NHL time is a good bet.
I am not including Atro Leppanen because the strength of the LH defense depth chart dictates it. If he establishes himself as a right-side LH blue, maybe he makes it. I’m not sure he does.
Tony Androckitis is a great follow on twitter (@TonyAndrock) and he posted that you could build a pretty strong team from the 30 players who left the AHL for the KHL this season. I agree.
The numbers on the cover photo belong to Jordan Oesterle. He’s a player who didn’t have to play in the KHL because his speed was recognized.
I’ve been focusing on the Condors this week, but will move on to the Oilers again, starting tomorrow. Bakersfield is going to be a fun team this fall and winter. Some fascinating talent on the way to the Condors for 2025-26.
On the Lowdown today, Steve Lansky will join us to talk Jays and Oilers, plus the importance of hockey below the NHL level. Declan Krueger will have his Declanations to five list, and it’s the final Lowdown show for Josh Fenwick as producer. He’s a fine young broadcaster, text in (1.833.401.1440) and wish him luck if you get the time. Sports 1440, noon to 2pm.
A key Edmonton Oilers prospect to watch in 2025-26: Samuel Jonsson
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6552365/2025/08/15/edmonton-oilers-prospect-samuel-jonsson/
Max Jones is still around but he’s 27, turning 28 in-season and showed nothing in 17 of his 19 games. He had a great opportunity, the Oilers had a need for the player type that he could be but he is simply not that guy – he’s proven it.
I admit, he “could” see a call-up, just like Josh Brown could, but there should be other better options unless waivers hurts us.
On Tompkins, Stauffer does think they can upgrade the organizational 3G. Its tough for me to see an upgrade that clears waivers unless the premise is a DiPietro or Daws as Skinner’s back-up and Pickard clearing waivers to become that organizational 3 again? He COULD clear. He COULD get claimed.
Unless there is a surprising claim in Regula by a team that will take a non-established player who missed all of last season and keep him on their NHL roster, I would be shocked if Regula did not play NHL games for the Oilers this season.
I see Regula getting claimed. He has a strong AHL rep and is a rare player type. Boston would likely want him back. If there are injuries, or he takes a job and they don’t send him down
He has a strong AHL rep but he’s still an AHL player with only a handful of games in the NHL and none over his last two seasons – since those last two full seasons in the AHL, he’s missed a full season due to injury – its really tough to imagine any NHL team giving this player an NHL roster spot right off the start without AHL time.
Maybe Boston wants him back but they, like every other team that claims him, need to keep him in the NHL. They exposed him to waiver last year with zero need – they could have just kept him where the Oilers did, on non-roster IR with zero cap hit.
Perhaps they thought no one would claim him? Didn’t happen
but why did they even expose him?
There was no need – he was not on their roster or cap.
The Bruins have 7 NHL d-men on their roster now.
“Have you ever wondered what the all-time Bakersfield Condors roster (AHL) would look like?”
Never, but that’s why I come here.
— my memory fuzzy but during the lock out strike didn’t all the Steve Austin’s and Jultz end up going down there for a decent stretch ?
— They put up a lot of points but I recall thinking they didn’t actually win games at the rate you’d think with basically an all star line
That farm club was based in Oklahoma. I knew he was only talking about Bakersfield the moment he said Skinner. Schultz was the 2nd coming of Brian Leetch with his 48 points in 34 games.
They played in Edmonton the lockout year.
Wait – wrong lockout. Different group. Still fun in a weird way
— looked it up. That was a wild roster. Todd Nelson the coach.
— Hall clearly involved in extra curricular focus. Jultz smashed it. All the Steve austins (nuge only 19 games was he injured?)
— would be a neat interview to get the non NHLers in the roster to spill the beans on the time those guys came down to play…
https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0060562013.html
Nuge had a shoulder issue that happened during his junior career, missed around 20 games in his rookie season because of it. In OKC he played 19 games, but the shoulder was a bother.
He was selected for the WJC team and to prepare, he left the AHL to get treatment & strengthen his shoulder.
He then only played 40 of the 48 scheduled Oiler games because he was shut down early to get the operation.
The coaches screwed up Schultz so bad. Watching a talented player have his confidence evaporate from being put in a position to fail to the point where he could barely control a puck was just sad. Glad he found his way back.
Tough times in those days for a lot of players. For me it was that I thought the BoB expected every forward to turn into one of them and pop 40-50 no problem, or be as tough as Laraque, or both
For D they draft a tall skinny offensively oriented D, or a good mild mannered two way in Petry, and when they didn’t soon turn into Paul Coffey or Gator or Pronger, and weren’t as aggressive as the good old days, they turned on them. Never mind Pronger was a goof until 26-27 YO
Schultz never did round his game out, I don’t think the Oilers did that to him
Shultz won the AHL d-man of the year, despite only playing 34 games (the AHL did play a full season of 70 plus games).
He got two Cups, I think he’s a lucky dude. I remember him talking about video games all summer in K Town, as it’s called for those that live there ( I did )
Wasn’t a fan of his style. Having prime Sid had far more to do with Cups than him, but they kept him around for while. So much talent
He fully earned the second cup as a major contributor to the team’s success. Letang was injured half the season and all of the playoffs with Schultz taking on his offensive duties.
Schultz was 7th in the regular season for points by a defenseman (with him manning the first pp unit only after Letang went down). For his efforts, he placed 10th in Norris voting (6 voted for him so not just Pens supporters). In the playoffs, he led the Pens defense in scoring again and only trailed Karlsson and Josi for the league.
Yup getting to pass to Crosby and Malkin helps but they chose him to do it.
Unfortunately, Schultz didn’t play another fully healthy season for the rest of his career.
Before winning the last two meaningless games we lose 9 out of 10 and no playoffs. That team was going to turn the corner MacTavish for reasons unknown tried to force the issue by bringing in Eakins who made George Burnett look like a genius.
Pronger was absolutely not a goof till he was 26-27. He got his first Norris votes at 22, then finished 3rd and 4th for the Norris at 23 and 24 and won it at 25.
Stauff again talking about opening up cap space and working towards $1.1MM to $1.8MM.
Of note, Janmark in the AHL opens up apx $1.1MM.
Does Janmark have a clause that might prevent them from sending him to the farm?
No – he does not have a no movement clause.
Not defending the Janmark contract because it was too much $, but I can see the appeal for a team to have some of their “replacement level” players on 2 or 3 year deals for continuity and chemistry sake.
Sure, at league min not close to doubt that though, right?
Making room for a Goalie.
Today is the deadline for NHL clubs to sign their graduated NCAA picks or else lose their rights. There are 27 altogether.
Oilers have Copponi, Mazura, Määttä and Münzenberger to either sign or let walk as UFA’s.
IMO the most interesting name IMO is Jack Hughes, who the Kings chose in the 2nd round in ’22.
In other news, prospecting begins anew in exactly five weeks hence.
I remain baffled on Munzenburger – apparently people much more in the know on him than me don’t think he’s worth an ELC.
Of note, Curlock is on my side in this one too and I trust him as much as anyone on the prospects.
He probably doesn’t move the puck effectively enough for Bowman’s liking. Wright drafted him I could see him ending up in the Kings organization shortly.
Can’t slip anything past Ken Holland.
After 10 years of marinating he should be good to go for his rookie debut.
Regarding Munzenburger…..so much for the sweetener we got for selecting Bourgault at 22 instead of Wallstedt at 20.
Wallstedt may have just had a brutal year, but he had three good seasons of progress before that. Goalies and up and down, and I still think there’s a player there.
Bourgault, on the other hand? Three consecutive bad years for a scoring forward doesn’t bode well for an NHL career.
I think we can pretty definitively say it was a bad trade.
It was – even if Wallstedt does bust, his value hold longer than Bourgault. Accounts were the Oilers wanted Cossa but didn’t like Wallstedt but, of course, a famous pick went right after.
In any event, Jarventie has the potential to salvage value there.
I believe Paul Fischer is another. Out of the whole lot IMO they should at least sign Copponi & Fischer.
Fischer has not graduated yet. He is entering his junior season, so the Oilers have until Aug. 15, 2027 to sign him.
Good heavens, I just saw Aug.15 and didn’t look at the year. OOPS!!
I thought Munzenberger signed in Germany and Copponi already signed an AHL deal with Bakersfield. Or is my memory going? That would leave only Mazura and Maata to account for…
All four have signed pro deals, but it doesn’t preclude the Oilers from signing them.
Look no further than Järventie for proof.
After the deadline, they become NHL UFAs and can sign with any NHL team – even Copponi, who has a contract with Bakersfield, can sign an NHL deal.
Munzenburger does have a contract in Germany but he could still sign an NHL deal.