Oilers make first four cuts of training camp
The Edmonton Oilers have made their first round of cuts at training camp.
After a pair of disappointing preseason losses at the hands of the Calgary Flames last night, the Oilers have sent four players back to their respective junior clubs. None of the players let loose were any surprise as the cuts consisted of young players who were not expected to stick around for very long.
These players cut included:
- Nathaniel Day (G)
- Connor Clattenburg (LW)
- William Nicholl (C)
- Dalyn Wakely (C)
Each player is set to compete in the OHL this upcoming season.
The #Oilers have returned goaltender Nathaniel Day & forward Connor Clattenburg to the @FlintFirebirds, forward William Nicholl to the @LondonKnights & forward Dalyn Wakely to the @OHLBattalion.
Best of luck this season, fellas! š
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 24, 2024
Out of these four, Clattenburg was perhaps the most impressive throughout training camp. He brought a tenacious style of play throughout the two preseason contests he appeared in and managed to almost get into a fight and hit the post on a partial break against the Flames last night. It was as good a camp as you can ask from a fifth-round pick in the most recent NHL draft.
Day made a brief appearance between the pipes for the Oilers’ 6-1 loss in Calgary last night, stopping four of the five shots he faced. The 19-year-old goaltender was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL draft by the Oilers and was going to be hard-pressed to turn pro due to the number of goaltenders already in the organization.
Nicholl and Wakely did not have bad camps per se, but they weren’t expected to stick around all that long. Both are Oilers’ 2024 draft picks and were always going to play the entirety of the 2024-25 season down in the OHL ranks.
With this first round of cuts over, the Oilers will run with a slimmer roster of players ahead of their next preseason matchup against the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow at 6 pm MT.