5 Edmonton Oilers players making strong preseason impressions
The Edmonton Oilers are in full swing of the preseason, and players are already starting to make an impression.
Only two players have been cut to this point, with a pair of 2025 draft picks, Tommy Lafreniere and David Lewandowski, heading back to junior. That leaves 53 players trying to make an impression and secure a spot on the NHL roster in October.
A lot of those players are shoe-ins to make it, but a select group of newcomers are looking to grab the attention of the coaching staff. A total of four preseason games have been played, which has allowed some players to stand out from the rest.
Here are five early standouts at Oilers training camp:
1. Atro Leppänen (LD)
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Atro Leppänen might be the most surprising training camp standout so far.
The Finnish defenceman is coming off a historic year in the SM-Liiga, setting the single-season record for points by a defender with 63 in 60 games. At 26, Leppänen is entering the prime of his career and has looked great in preseason.
He is smooth and confident with the puck, moves it up the ice effectively, and has looked sharp with his decision-making. There may be a bit to be desired from his defensive game, but otherwise, he looks like an NHL defenceman.
The Oilers’ left side is already pretty full with Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, and Brett Kulak, but you can’t count out Leppänen with how well he’s played so far.
2. David Tomášek (C/RW)
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David Tomášek is likely on the Oilers roster to open the regular season, and early returns are encouraging.
The 29-year-old Czech lit up the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) last season, claiming the scoring title with 57 points in 47 games. Of those points, 24 were goals, and he’s shown a shot-first mentality in Oilers training camp.
Tomášek has a blistering shot and knows when to get it on net. Though he hasn’t scored yet, he has found ways to get chances in every game he’s played so far. The Oilers are trying him out at centre right now, but he also has experience playing on the wing.
A middle-six role to open the season is most likely.
3. Connor Clattenburg (C/LW)
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For the second-straight season, Oilers prospect Connor Clattenburg is finding ways to get noticed.
The 2024 fifth-round pick has proven to be an effective energy player for the Oilers over the past two preseasons. Clattenburg is speedy with the puck, isn’t afraid of laying the body or dropping the gloves, and can find the back of the net on a semi-regular basis.
At just 20 years old, Clattenburg is more than likely bound for the AHL this season, but he’s trending to play NHL games over the next couple of seasons.
4. Quinn Hutson (RW)
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Quinn Hutson may not have the superstar pedigree of his brother Lane in Montreal, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a good hockey player.
Hutson signed with the Oilers last season after an impressive year with Boston University, during which he scored 50 points in 38 games. He appeared in two NHL games with the Oilers at the end of last season, and now he’s impressing at his first training camp.
The 23-year-old is on the smaller side of things at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, but he is incredibly talented with the puck. Hutson has great hands and can find ways to beat defenders despite not being the fastest of forwards.
He’s likely AHL-bound, but he could get another NHL look at some point this season.
5. Isaac Howard (LW)
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The hype around Ike Howard has been real for Oilers fans, and he’s starting to show why.
Despite a bit of a slow start in rookie camp, the reigning Hobey Baker winner has been an impactful player in each of his last two preseason games. Howard had a great assist on a Kasperi Kapanen goal in his preseason debut, and then followed that up with a beautiful one-timer goal in his second.
Apart from the production, the 21-year-old has shown great offensive instincts and has nearly scored or set up multiple other chances. He’ll crack the Oilers’ NHL roster to open the season — the only question is where he’ll slot in.