Last season’s rookies should hang around the NHL for a long time. Matt Savoie and Ike Howard might be playing in 2040. Please read this.
I like to check on rookies over the season, and since we have some time to comtemplate life in mid-summer (it’s going to be hot today, again, and I suspect we’ll see rain. Never been happier I built on a hill), let’s have a lash at the 2026-27 Oilers rookies.
Total Rookies Of Interest: I count 12 in the overall pool, haven’t decided the “of interest” portion of the equation. Josh Samanski (24 games last year) just qualifies and would have to be the name we count has having the most possible roster impact. That means last year’s list, with Savoie and Howard, will have more long-term impact.
Who are the others? I am including Viljami Marjala, Connor Clattenburg, Owen Michaels, Quinn Hutson, Eduards Tralmaks, William Nicholl, Damien Carfagna, Tomas Cibulka, Atro Leppanen, Connor Ungar, Samuel Jonsson.
Who is certainly of interest? Samanski, Marjala, Clattenburg, Michaels, Hutson, Tralmaks, Carfagna, Leppanen. That’s 7.
2026 draft notes: After an impressive 2025 list, I thought the Oilers went walkabout this past season. Very little offense, and the top pick (Rudolfs Berzkalns) looks exactly like a guy who does everything but score. You can find those guys in week two of free agency. We’ll see. Rick Pracey has done fine work, so maybe they can unlock the offense.
Best player as a rookie: I will say Samanski, but Owen Michaels is a RH center who could surprise in a big way. Don’t look past Michaels. Damien Carfagna and Quinn Hutson are also in photo. Samanski’s unique qualities (he is a two-way center on a team that needs one) gives him an enormous edge, and Michaels is not really known to us, so it’s Samanski at this time.
Second best player as a rookie? Michaels because of position (center). After that, It’s tough because opportunities will be limited, but I believe in Carfagna and suspect he will have a strong season in Bakersfield. A recall is possible.
Oldest rookie? Tralmaks is 29, and that would be the outer marker. I think he might actually have a chance to play some NHL games. He is unique.
Most unusual story? There isn’t one really, although Tralmaks appearing as if out of nowhere at 29 with a strong resume is worth noting.
On the Lowdown today, Steve Lansky will be our feature guest and we may get a surprise guest as well. We will tee up the Elks-Lions, Jays, and more. Noon to 2pm, Sports 1440 and You Tube.
Who are Edmonton Oilers prospect Ike Howard updated NHL comparables?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7449531/2026/07/17/edmonton-oilers-isaac-howard-comparables-nhl/
I always enjoy articles on comparables like this. There are so many things we don’t know about how a prospect will turn out, I find these help highlight both the best case and, more importantly, realistic or worst case scenarios. Overall, seems like there’s reason for cautious optimism with Ike, given a lot of his performance was also due to the limited opportunities to establish himself.
The Issac Howard coming to camp is not the same Issac Howard from Oct/Nov 2025.
I watched the majority of his games with the Condors and this player worked his ass off developing in the areas the organization ask him to – positioning and being on the right side of the puck in the neutral and defensive zones, picking up pucks of the defensive boards and getting the puck out, commitment to back-track, recognizing risk with the puck at the offensive blue line, etc.
He improved markedly in those areas while being one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league.
Issac Howard as earned the opportunity in the Oilers top 6 – the top prospect, went down to Bako had a great attitude, worked his ass off, developed in all areas and he’s ready, ready for a shot.
The Oilers incumbent top 6 wingers are: Hyman, Podz, Savoie and Kapanen. There is no reason not to start Ike in the top 6 – any one of those 4 could help solidify a 3rd line with Dickinson and Nuge.
This is the way.
If its not working and Howard is not ready, or not good enough, they can always shift but it behooves the org to give this a real shot starting in September.
To behoove or, not to behoove, that is the question?
The other option LT wrote about this week, Stan can seek to bring in a 3rd line center with more offence, and Dickinson can shift down to the 4th line center role.
Routing for Ike.
That’s an option except, with respect to LT, his suggestions were not 3rd line centers in the NHL – they were AHL players that require waivers and I’d prefer to keep Samanski or play Nuge at 3C to knock Dickinson down.
You are again misrepresenting LT’s post.
Within the context of building a winner means acquiring more good players, LT commented Stan could seek to bring another center with potential to outperform the current options for that position on the roster.
It doesn’t make sense why does management want to take a former Hobey Baker winner and turn him into a mucker he’s not a 4th line grinder he needs PP2 time to flourish Bowman has either lost the plot are they need to trade him to an American team while he still has value instead of toiling away amongst the tumbleweeds on the dusty streets of Bakersfield.
Very nice – well done!
LT has Ike as 2RW on the roster.
I agree, I generally get a game in the fall and another after Christmas. Howard was greatly improved second half, similar to Savoie. I fondly remember seeing him backcheck like crazy. I have high hopes for Ike.
He’s a hard working and coachable kid. If he brings the same work ethic to the NHL and learn from (i.e. not repeat) mistakes, Babcock will play him!
Exactly how do you know he is “coachable”?
Trading our best prospect the Memorial Cup MVP was not for a hard working checker that you can purchase at the five and dime store. We traded O’ Reilly for a goal scorer if the Iceman can’t score in the NHL then Houston we have a problem.
When they made the trade, SOR had won nothing and Howard was the Hobey Baker winner – what a wild description of the trade.
Why can’t you understand that asking Howard to develop certain in-game attributes that are not directly related to goal scoring is called development and making the player better and giving him a better chance of him reaching his ceiling. Howard can almost assuredly score in the NHL and he’ll have a better chance of his NHL coach playing him due to the development in the AHL lats year.
He played mostly with Matt Savoie and Jack Roslovic in the NHL last year – Roslovic who you thought should be on the US Olympic team. Was THE top forward in Bako last year for offensive usage.
This narrative you have re: 4th line grinder is made up, in factual an dishonest.
because I’ve watched him be coached, listen to his coaches, develop from coaching.
I’ve heard his coaches talk about the expressly.
Good Grief.
2RD Jamie Drysdale signned to a 4 year $6:5 million AAV by the Flyers.
By TOI per game, he was 1RHD and second in toi/game of all D regulars.
Not that you care about facts.
5v5 toi I should say.
By deployment (PuckIQ) he was 4th in usage against elite comp of regulars
The Philadelphia Flyers’ primary defensive pairings are Travis Sanheim with Rasmus Ristolainen, and Cam York paired with Jamie Drysdale, with Nick Seeler and Oliver Bonk rounding out the defensive core.
https://puckpedia.com/lineups/philadelphia-flyers
“Hi Frank,” announced Larry. “It’s a while since I’ve seen you.”
“Hi Larry,” exclaimed Frank. “You’re right. I haven’t seen you in some time. How are you?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” smiled Larry. “How about you?”
“I’m great, thanks,” Frank laughed.
Is Frank or Larry a right shot with speed and size? And can they play center?
Elton John bought his pet rabbit a treadmill.
It’s a little fit bunny…
I look forward to seeing the rookies play.
However, I would prefer Oilers focus on vets during 3 pre-season games and explode out of the gate to secure 16 points in the first 10 games. Very strong start, put some points on the board.
Then lets have a look at the rookies and keep developing thorough the year as a form of energy added and perhaps load management.
With only four pre season games to tune up it doesn’t give the rookies much time to showcase themselves. Plus the vets will want to work off some rust before the regular season begins. You might need to start watching Condor games to watch the rookies play.
No worries though, injuries create solid opportunities for young players to capitalize on.
I’ve been on the record for years that rookie/propsect performance in NHL exhibition games means all but nothing as far as NHL readiness. I put more stock in to prior performance in the AHL than anything someone like Howard or Marjala or Carfagna does in exhibition.
With only 4 total game (2 for vets with 100+ games) there is no time for competition in any event, its time to set the lineup and get building.
Subject to injury, they know which 3 goalies and which 7 d-men are on the team. Yes, get 2-3 looks at Regula and Carfagan but it is not for a break camps roster spot.
They need to figure out forwards 12/13 out of the five: Jones, Janmark, Joseph, Howard, Samanski but, if they know Howard is on the team, get him in that top 6 and lets roll.
95% of team roster spots are filled before training camp starts. Very few jobs are up for grabs as most players are under contract. Pedigree, waiver eligibility, cap implications and injuries etc have a play into who makes the club. We do see the odd vet make the team in a tryout spot. Making a team as an everyday NHL is a hard thing to do it takes more than a couple of really good nothing burger games.
Every team, everywhere Babcock has gone, he has destroyed a career.
My guess is he goes after RNH or a rookie.
And no, despite whatever the organization has said, I don’t believe Babcock will completely change.
Always with the optimism.
And the likelihood of him going after RNH is pretty slim… considering Nuge has been the apple of the eye of every coach he’s had it’s tough to imagine that changing any time soon.
🙄
Coaches don’t have the pull over players like they did in the old days. Even most rookies are either millionaires or millionaires in the making and most have the egos to go with it. If Babcock gets out of line, I’d expect the players to tell him to go f himself. Especially with his previous record working against him. It will be a short leash for Babcock. That being said, I don’t anticipate any problems from him. Would be seriously stupid for him to pull any shady shit with this obviously his last chance.
The NHL will be watching the Babcock situation closely since even his hiring makes them look bad & they won’t tolerate more issues. I’d guess he is a “one strike and you’re out” this season.
No, the NHL is hoping Babcock will be Babcock so McDavid and then Draisaitl end up in US markets. Bettman is still p$ssed about the 2015 lottery.
Oilers started building a new rink after Bettman paid a visit to the capitol and sold the winning idea if you build it they will come. How convenient with a new rink in place the Oilers fluked off winning the lottery and a generational player.
Ok, whatever you say
This would make sense of the moves made in Oiler management for the last decade…
KK destroyed Jeff Skinner and tried to destroy Arvidsson
Tippett, TMac, Eakins.. every single coach has a trial of destroyed careers under their watch if we’re playing these games.
The coach has the power of icetime. Every coach has his favourites and his whipping boys. If you don’t think K.K had veterans Skinner-Arvidsson mumbling under their breath and putting up with it because of the paycheques is naive.
Arvidsson was injured at the start of the season, so it took him longer to get his feet under himself coming to a new team but he did eventually get it together. Skinner got his chance early and scuttled things early fell out of favor, then battled back to redeem himself somewhat. I don’t know if it’s on the coach as much as it’s up to the players to gain the coaches trust.
Every coach views the game differently just like fans do and that includes AHL all the way down to Pee-Wee hockey. A head coach can really zoom middle of the road players like Arvidsson or fade them. Your assessment is excellent maybe we should “go fund you” so you can stay up late and watch the Bakersfield games. It would be nice to get more than one viewers take on the players on the farm team.
Thanks but no thanks. I need my sleep, there are some bearded guys that are like rust, and never sleep.
I can only watch one game at a time.
Yes you get your beauty sleep you deserve it. I remember going months at a time with 3-4 hours sleep. As the saying goes no money no funny. I remember 20% mortgage rates and so do you, Lowtide and the rest of us fossils.
LT watches the Condors games as well. I would also I’ve Bruce Curlock a follow and read his stuff.
Babs won’t completely change.
I do believe he will make some adjustments/ improvements to his player/ coach relations.
I also expect him to make substantial tactical adjustments from his previous nhl experience. He has talked about taking time to examine the recent nhl and what has been working.
I hope that we see the good side of Babcock and that his hockey strategies still work today. I’m predicting a divisional crown where winning conquers all the negativity. We have the most Cups along with Cup finals in the last 45 years yet no Jack Adam award.
We got him now so I also hope we see him bring what the team needs, and it makes up for his lesser moments, and i believe there will be some lesser moments.
Most likely a marginal player feels slighted, which is common, nobody likes getting cut and everyone thinks they are better than the guy just in front of them.
I do agree with the strategy here with this coaching style, I can understand it.
and this statement that a rookie or a nuge will be destroyed is based on what exactly?
You dont have to like babs. But just manufacturing a crisis out of absolutely nothing with zero evidence demonstrates a terrible lack of judgement.
Other than the Marner ‘rating’ and the ‘pics’, the rest happened in Detroit, 11 years ago at the most recent. I’m not defending MB, but agree there is a lot of hyperbole around the guys some get a hate on for
Also hasn’t had much success since those days in Detroit either. Seems to be a prerequisite in Oiler hiring practises. What have you done lately? Nothing? You’re hired!
The Marner hardship is blown out of proportion in my opinion and I don’t like Babcock to begin with. You remember sports or being low man on the totem pole at work. They always played tricks on the new guy some harmless all the way to nasty. When this happened you got the pricks number sometimes it would take years for a little hillbilly retribution.
This is classic 2026 rhetoric.
Babcock is no saint but I don’t think he has “destroyed” a single career.
-Commodore’s career was toast when he joined Babcock and he was always a marginal player.
-Marner—Babcock destroyed his career so bad he played in the SC Finals this year.
-Babcock destroyed Modano’s so bad he only made the hockey hall of fame once.
So which is it? First you say you don’t think Babcock destroyed a single career. Then you say he destroyed both of Marner’s & Modano’s career. Two players, one who had a brilliant career and the other who is in the midst of a briliant career, then there’s Commodore who wants to use Babcock to make himself relevant again which he never was, or will ever be.
I suggest you read my post again. My comments about Modano and Marner were sarcastic.
OK my appologies. I missed the gist.
I don’t think the organization said that Babcock is changing and Babcock himself never said nor implied he was changing.
I think its impossible to ruin Nuge’s career at this point.
Is it because RNH-Marner have a similar youthful appearance.
Man the Oilers sure get a favourable start to the season.
B2B against Vancouver, then Seattle, Anaheim, San Jose, and LA, before another B2B set against Utah.
They should win 5 of their first 6 and turn the tide on their usual early-season malaise.
All six vs divisional rivals with a new coach and a team coming off a disappointing season. Should be no excuse but to come out guns a blazin’ and grab 4 or 5 wins
If Samanski is a rookie, how do you not consider Howard to be a rookie ??
I believe LT has mentioned often that he goes by Calder eligibility.
Samanski: 24 GP
Howard: 29 GP
Via Wikipedia:
I guess playoff games aren’t included, because Samanski played 5 playoff games also.
Playoff games don’t count. This is how Ken Dryden won the 1971 Stanley Cup & was the Conn Smythe winner and then won the 1972 Calder Trophy.
Yes I see that Via Wikipedia.
Apropos of nothing, Tralmaks is David Tomasek to me until proven otherwise.
To be fair, if European Penner had some hands to go with his plethora of HD chances we might be talking about him as a spark plug in the bottom six. So given Tralmaks’ reported boots and nose for the net there’s a chance this goes well. Or we have another Gaetan Haas. It’s a lotto ticket, and not a bad itch to scratch.
For sure – he’s getting quite over-rated here.
Trademarks is 29 and not even close to being a PPG forward in the AHL … he may be big, but I doubt he plays with the pace required to keep up in the NHL.
Contrast that with someone like Luca Del Bel Belluz, who may not even make Columbus’s roster next fall and is waiver eligible. 2nd round pick, 22 years old, 111 points in 117 AHL games.
Tralmarks was brought in to help in the Bake.
He will be fun to follow. He scored 21 even strength goals in the AHL and was playing on the third line apparently. I also noticed he has a 20% shooting % in 151 AHL games. Pretty impressive to maintain that over thar many games. Not the same as scoring on NHL goalies obviously but he does seem unique
https://thehockeywriters.com/get-to-know-new-oilers-forward-eduards-tralmaks/
a nice write up here.
Tralmark is a uncut gem underappreciated resource until I see different 🙂
Stan has a sneaky side to him. Just because Tomasek didn’t pan out doesn’t mean a long shot can’t sneak into the lineup and produce.
Drafting players that project to be bottom 6 forwards or bottom pairing defenders while leaving players on the board that have a top 6 or top 4 possibility is absolutely maddening.
This. Especially because you can sign those players at any time and for cheap.
There are still GMs who think you want the same guy in those spots for his whole career or a long stretch, unfortunately.
Even then, I’d much rather have the player who fell short of his 1C potential and happened to become a 3C who won’t miss the net when the team needs him.
We didn’t draft said player because we already have a 1C, so we took Bing Bong Brockheller as he projects to be a 3C if all goes according to plan in 5 years.
Bilecki and Vanecek were right there with top 4 potential it seems. But I also trust Pracey, though even he seemingly doesnt see top 6 potential. A flaw in strategy more so than scouting perhaps. Either D would have instantly been our most promising D prospect Im pretty sure
Yep.
Of the 16 teams in the WC, only 6 currently have a 3C drafted by them.
Seattle – Shane Wright – was expected to be a !C
Chicago – Oliver Moore – only 21 might soon move up to the top 6
Minnesota – Daniil Yurov – on[y 22 also with top 6 upside
St. Louis – Dalibor Dvorsky – only 22 and only 1 NHL season played
Barrett Hayton – high 1st round pick who fell short
Winnipeg – Adam Lowry – as expected
Of the group, only Lowry has become what he appeared to be on draft day.
You’re missing RNH. 🙂
Are you suggesting he fell short of expectations?
Brace yourself Laddie.
I didn’t expect Nuge to be a 100 point first line winger. He was.
Kelly hrudey expected him to be a third line center.
He’s either met or exceeded expectations depending on one’s view.
Exactly.
Hrudy called RNH a third line centre when he was centering the Oilers’ first line.
Every player drafted in 2025 by Pracey and his team is trending well above reasonable expectations one-year out and above their draft slot projection. Miles to go with most but with all the up arrows, I give Pracey the benefit of the doubt on his pick.
No-one, including no-one commenting online, has any idea how any of these drafted player will turn out including in relation to how any other potential substitute pick will turn out.
Is Levi still a rookie. For me, he might be the most intriguing player to observe this year.
Hockeydb.com shows 39 games played to date.
Carfagna is another they LT and I, among others, have been talking about. If he has two more inches or 15 more pounds, he’d be a lock for an NHL player.
He’s got many to jump but if one of Stastney or Regula are moved out or claimed, he gets closer.
He should be ahead of Stilman and Brown on any call up list quickly if he picks up where he left off.
Regula can play in this league. He’ll need injury to get the opportunity in the Oilers org.
Meanwhile if I’m that D who got thrown into that transaction w the Blues (name escapes me this second), I’m heading to post college free agency after looking at opportunities for me with the Oil.
Paul Fischer – you could be right but I hope not, he’s a real prospect and I have him top 5 in the Oilers’ org.
The one carrot the Oilers have is he could sign in March when he’s done and automatically burn the first year of this ELC. It would be a 2-year ELC and he’d already be an RFA after the end of 2027/28.
I want to mention William Nicholl who has a great motor and will likely become a fan fav in Bako this year. I’ll be very curious to see how his rookie pro season goes – he has all the makings of an impact bottom six guy with PK.
I agree. Even though I see his outer marker as an NHLer to not reach that of Ryan McLeod based on draft pedigree, I have long viewed Nicholl as similar in style, albeit shorter but seemingly more willing to play in the middle of the ice with some agitation. I am very excited to see how he settles in with Bako.
Good call – I also agree that Nicholl seems to have a bit more desire to engage physically and play in the guts of the game.
On Berzkalns, Pracey acknowledged he hasn’t scored much but he thinks there is untapped potential there and they can develop that part of his game. Over to Pracey and his team.
I hope this is a matter of seeing someone who was buried on their team due to depth/age, similar to how they identified SOR despite boxcars.
Pracey’s thing with the Oilers, given where they have been drafting, is to try identify players that are under-valued due to specific reasons/circumstances (such as buried on the depth chart of deep teams with older prospects). I can’t remember exactly what it was with Berzkalns that they identified but I believe he spoke to it in his draft day wrap up media.
I see Quinn Hutson as an NHL tweener. He could possibly have a “James Hamblin type career” where he can come up and provide 7-8 safe minutes on a fourth line and maybe create some energy but it’s tough for me to see him as an every day NHL player. Both Howard and Samanski were more impactful at 5 on 5.
I see Michaels as a tier below Hutson (although I guess position and handiness could factor in to opportunity). Until I see him play in the AHLl, I have him as a distant bell. As far as an NHl call-up, well two NHL players need to be cut and he is behind them plus Marjala and Hutson being ahead and then there is Tralmaks and Clattenburg if he commits to playing hockey.
With that said, I had Hutson as a distant bell last year and he is very much better than I thought he would be – here is hoping I’m equally wrong on Michael’s.
Just wanna say how much more enjoyable reading the blog and comments section is now since the trollhunter button was added. Thank you.
I want to say that its much more enjoyable reading the comments since Bowman did a very solid – very good – great job the first week of July (and the prices in July make the Murphy and Dickinson signings look even better than they did on sign day) and the vibes around this team flipped!