The Oilers have kept their first-round picks while being in a competitive stage for the big club. I wouldn’t call their system that deep but the top is very good, led by top-10 pick Evan Bouchard, who is playing a large role in the NHL.
Key graduates: Kailer Yamamoto
Key additions: Reid Schaefer
2021 ranking: No. 25
2022 NHL Draft grade: C+
Full 2022-23 NHL Pipeline Rankings
Player Ranking
1. Evan Bouchard, D
22 years old | 6-foot-3 | 194 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 10 in 2018
Tier: Bubble NHL All-Star and top of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Bouchard emerged this season as an important part of the Oilers lineup, scoring over 40 points in the NHL. He’s a super smart puck-mover who hits a lot of seams in the offensive zone. He has great poise at both ends to hold pucks to wait out lanes and make the right plays. Bouchard also has a hard point shot that lets him be a versatile player on the power play. Bouchard is more offense-tilted due to his so-so mobility. He had some stretches of iffy defensive play this season, but he also had regular PK duty and with his size and brain I don’t think it’ll be as big of an issue. He projects as a top pair defenseman who helps a power play in a major way and has a chance to be a star.
2. Philip Broberg, D
21 years old | 6-foot-3 | 200 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 8 in 2019
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Analysis: Broberg had a good first season in North America. He played a big role on Bakersfield and got a lot of time with the Oilers. He’s a tremendous athlete. Broberg has a large frame and is exceptionally mobile for his size. He’s able to explode up ice with his speed. He’s not that physical but projects to make a lot of stops just due to how quick and how long his reach is. The offense is a minor debate in his game. I think he has skill, and he made things happen offensively in the AHL. I think he’s for sure a second pair defenseman and if the puck-moving is more consistent he could be a top pair defender.
Dylan Holloway was hurt to start the first half of last season in Bakersfield but looked like a pro upon his return. (Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
3. Dylan Holloway, C
20 years old | 6-foot-1 | 203 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 14 in 2020
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Holloway was hurt to start the first half of the season but when he came back he looked like a solid pro in Bakersfield. There’s nothing about his game that is truly elite, but he does a lot well. He plays at a pro pace and can make skilled plays at speed. He can score but works hard off the puck too. I don’t think he’s the most cerebral player you’ll ever see, but he can see the ice well enough. I think Holloway can be a top-six forward; whether it’s on the wing or center is to be determined though.
4. Ryan McLeod, C
22 years old | 6-foot-3 | 201 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 40 in 2018
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average
Analysis: McLeod had a good season, becoming an everyday piece of a good Oilers team. He’s a high-end athlete, showing tremendous speed for such a large center. He can blow by NHL defensemen at a high rate. His feet also allow him to be an effective penalty killer. His offense isn’t amazing, but he has good hands and can make some plays. He spotted on the second power play unit and I can see middle-of-the-lineup production from him. He’s a third-line center for sure and I can buy upside for more in his game.
5. Reid Schaefer, LW
18 years old | 6-foot-3 | 213 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 32 in 2022
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Schaefer’s NHL appeal is due to being a 6-foot-3 winger with legit skill, scoring touch and tenacity. He’s able to use his size and hands to create offense around the net, while also having an excellent wrist shot to score from range. He has value away from the puck, with a strong work rate and good physicality, and he can PK. He’s never historically been a big scorer, but his puck game and playmaking kept impressing me as the season went along and his role elevated. He looks like a future middle-six power winger with the potential to play high in a lineup if he really hits.
6. Xavier Bourgault, RW
19 years old | 6 feet | 172 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 22 in 2021
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Bourgault missed time this season due to injury, but when healthy he was a dominant player in the QMJHL helping lead Shawinigan to a championship. He has exceptional puck skills, being able to routinely put pucks through checkers and do so at an NHL pace. He’s a creative passer who can run a power play. Bourgault is also a strong skater and puts pressure on defenses due to his speed and skill. He’s not the biggest or most physical, but I liked his effort this season. I saw more commitment to attacking the middle and playing away from the puck even if that’s not his calling card. Bougault projects as a top-six forward in the NHL, likely on the wing.
7. Raphael Lavoie, RW
21 years old | 6-foot-4 | 196 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 38 in 2019
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Poor
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Lavoie is a player I’ve struggled with for years. On one hand you love the skill and scoring ability he has, especially with his large frame. He can rip the puck and beat pro defensemen with his stick handling. His game lacks the speed and consistent effort you want for him to excel at the highest levels though. I think he’s a nice depth piece for a team, but after a so-so second pro season I’m not sold he’s a full-time NHLer.
Has a chance to play (listed alphabetically)
Ryan Fanti, G
22 years old | 6-foot-3 | 195 pounds | Catches left
Signed to ELC
Analysis: Fanti was a top goaltender in college hockey this season. He’s a highly intelligent and poised goalie with good technical skills. He’s not that big or quick laterally though so we’ll see how he fares in pro hockey.
Joel Maatta, C
20 years old | 6-foot-1 | 200 pounds | Shoots left
Analysis: Maatta is a competitive center with strong hockey sense who can play in the tough areas of the ice. I don’t love his skating or pure skill level though.
Luca Münzenberger, D
19 years old | 6-foot-2 | 194 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 90 in 2021
Analysis: Münzeberger is a strong skating defenseman who can make a lot of stops and is able to skate pucks out of pressure. The question is whether his game has enough offense. If he can show even a little puck-moving ability I can see him in the NHL.
Matvei Petrov, RW
19 years old | 6-foot-2 | 178 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 180 in 2021
Analysis: Petrov had a lot of offensive talents. He is a highly skilled winger with a high-end shot and can create a lot from the perimeter. His skating isn’t the best though and he doesn’t get inside the net.
Carter Savoie, LW
20 years old | 5-foot-9 | 192 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 100 in 2020
Analysis: Savoie is great with the puck on his stick, possessing very good hands, vision and a shot that’s a threat from range. He’s not that big, and more quick than fast with an average game away from the puck so it’s unclear what his NHL role would be.
Tyler Tullio, RW
20 years old | 5-foot-10 | 165 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 126 in 2020
Analysis: Tullio is a highly skilled and intelligent forward who can shoot the puck, but lacks the ideal size and speed you want in an NHL forward.
Player Eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2022, regardless of how many NHL games they’ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Tool grades: Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier Definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.
(Illustration: Wes McCabe / The Athletic; photo of Evan Bouchard: Andy Devlin / NHLI via Getty Images)
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