Rookie crops don’t have enormous impact in their freshman seasons (most of the time) but can have enormous impact in the ones that follow. For instance, the 2002-03 group above is one of my all-time favourites, bringing Ales Hemsky and Fernando Pisani to the Oilers. Jason Chimera was also a delight, as he fired pills past Edmonton goalies for fun in what always appeared (to me) to be a giant eff U from player to management.
PONDERING
The Hockey News came once a month, so you had to pace yourself. The inside cover offered the table of contents, so I would race to the Boston Bruins (“Orr’s surgery successful, should be ready for the season”) and to the draft portion (“Montreal drafts five in 1974’s first round”) but you couldn’t gobble it all up in one day. The California Golden Seals article was always a catastrophe (“Seals could be spending final summer in Bay area” or “No television or radio games for Seals in 1974”), but the WHL was a highlight (“Tiger Williams sets penalty record”) and I read two articles a day until complete, then read it again cover to cover. And then again.
What I really wanted was an interactive edition of The Hockey News, where I could ask why Bob Hess wasn’t developing and why Bobby Leiter looked 90 and why Oakland’s top rookies always fell flat in year two. And you know what? It finally arrived, with the internet and the various places we interact. Thanks, Al Gore!
THE 2015-16 ROOKIES
- Total Rookies of Interest: 10
- 2015 Draft Notes: Edmonton picked Connor McDavid No. 1 and everything changed. Despite a difficult rookie season (injury), there was absolutely no doubt about McDavid’s stunning talent.
- Best Player as a Rookie: Connor McDavid. Only the one play against Philly’s Manning derailed a dream campaign.
- Second Best Player as a Rookie: Brandon Davidson gets the edge, the young defender had a fantastic rookie season.
- Oldest Rookie: G Anders Nilsson was 25. He was effective for the team in a backup role, actually getting most of the starts at early points in the year. Nilsson would be traded to St. Louis at the deadline.
- Oldest Rookie Who Played a Lot: Nilsson play 26 games, that’s significant. Iiro Pakarinen, 24, also played quite a bit.
- Most Unusual Story: Griffin Reinhart was acquired at great expense and the organization whiffed completely in regard to his being NHL-ready. He still hasn’t established himself as an NHL player three years later.
- Longest NHL careers. Connor McDavid will be fast at 50. His career is going to be a monster.
- Anything Else? The sheer number of defensemen who arrived in a single season (Darnell Nurse, Davidson, Jordan Oesterle, Reinhart, Adam Clendening) was well above average. The quality of this crop remains to be decided.
THE 2025-26 ROOKIES
- Total Rookies of Interest: 6 if you include all freshmen
- 2025 Draft Notes: The Oilers didn’t draft until late, but I do like Tommy Lafreniere and David Lewandowski.
- Best Player as a Rookie: Matt Savoie gets the nod here. I do believe Ike Howard has a chance to eclipse him due to possible role, but Savoie has the odds (about 70 percent) on his side.
- Second Best Player as a Rookie: My projections have Howard and David Tomasek both playing in 50 games. The future belongs to Howard, but this season both men are candidates.
- Oldest Rookie: Tomasek is 29,Noah Philp will be 27 opening night. They won’t qualify for the Calder, but could help in their first full NHL season.
- Oldest Rookie Who Played a Lot: I have Tomasek at 50 games, Philp 32.
- Most Unusual Story: Ike Howard should be in Lightning camp talking about his second NHL season this fall. It’s a strange way for player and team. In these days of beauty and wonder, there is no reason for a team to lose an entry player . Silly. Oilers paid dearly for him, but Howard was a strong get for Tampa Bay. That has to hurt.
- Longest NHL careers. Savoie. Always bet on the boots.
- Anything Else? Savoie and Howard lead the way, I’m also interested in Roby Jarventie, Alec Regula and Quinn Hutson. Like most Oilers rookie clusters this century, it isn’t what these rookies will do as rookies, it is what their peak levels will look like.
On the Lowdown today, we’ll be joined by Bagged Milk from Oilers Nation, and we’ll talk about the rookie crop for these Oilers in the season to come. Elks, Stingers, Jays and NFL too, noon to 2pm on Sports 1440.
Eric Tulsky and Tyler Dellow appear to be playing 3D chess while the rest of the league is still playing checkers.
The Hurricanes are drafting scads of Russians including 3 goalies, 8 defensemen and 12 forwards who are on the Hurricanes non roster reserve list.
The Hurricanes can keep their rights until they turn 27 absent an agreement between the KHL and NHL.
This allows Carolina to keep them developing in Russia and will only be signed if/when they are NHL ready.
The most recent example of how this works is 23 year old left shot defenseman Alexander Nikishin who was just signed to a 2 year entry level deal and projects as a first pairing D despite being drafted in the third round.
https://puckpedia.com/player/alexander-nikishin
Super agent Dan Milstein appears to be assisting in this effort and explains the strategy and how it saves the Hurricanes millions and with the added development time, allows them to make better decisions about the players.
https://x.com/Uggg_uggg/status/1949885945513382328
Matt Savoie – his offensive pedigree is just as high as Howard’s and he’s produced in a tough pro league against men. Also a more advanced 2-way game and likely to help on the PK
Going to go off the board and say Regula
Tomasek is the each choice as its highly likely he plays games. If we want to go with “Calder candidates”, I’ll add Leppanen as they might want to give him a shot on the left side over Dineen or Stilman if his offence is translating to North America and he’s learning structure.
Ya, gotta be Tomasek
Regula and why the Bruins waived him as opposed to just keeping him on non-roster IR with no cap hit like the Oilers did. I have to presume they thought he’d play in the AHL but I don’t think the Oilers would just be able to stash an acquired player like they did if he was cleared to play.
Savoie and Howard.
I love how many “zero risk” “good bets” that Bowman has brought in. Tamasek, Leppanen, Regula, Hutson – all potential options to play this season (although I need to see something from Hutson before I believe it).
The Howard trade was exceptional. He didn’t give up potential (Howard is the higher offensive upside player, he didn’t take more risk (SOR is not any more of a lock to make it notwithstanding good 2-way maturity in the CHL), he sped up the NHL ready timeline and likely gained a year of ELC in the NHL (SOR will likely be in the AHL for the first year of his ELC).
Adding some young potential for the future as well – Samanski and Carfangna.
With every Oilers Now episode, it becomes more and more clear that Janmark will likely not be in the roster.
We know Stauff has been adamant they will move out a contract before the start of the season and with the full trade protection it’s not Henrique.
He has also mentioned Janmark and then said “something has to give cap wise”.
Yesterday he is talking about PK forwards and changing PK style and mentions Janmark in a group with Foegele, Brown and McLeod as far as lost speed and quickness on the PK.
Have you heard any intel on the health of Ekholm?
I have not.
Savoie, Howard locks to play games as true rookies.
Tomasek likely to play as an old rookie. No lock but likely.
Is Philp still a rookie? He should play games. Hopefully to start the season.
Jarventie and Regula likely to play games as call ups if they are healthy.
Leppanen a chance but a wild card.
Hutson and long shot for me.