Oilers reveal 25 prospects that will compete at Young Stars in Penticton

Edmonton Oilers hockey will be back underway beginning this Friday.

While the actual Oilers roster won’t be in action, fans will have an opportunity to watch some of the organization’s top prospects take on the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and the Winnipeg Jets at the Young Stars Classic. The four-day event is taking place at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.

Some of the Oilers’ most intriguing prospects will be playing in the tournament, including forwards Xavier Bourgault, Matvei Petrov, Carter Savoie, and Tyler Tullio. The back end will feature some of their better prospects as well, such as Beau Akey and Maximus Wanner.

Though none of these players are expected to crack the Oilers roster out of training camp this fall, there are a few who could see games throughout the season. The leading candidate to do so is Bourgault, who was selected 22nd overall in the 2021 draft. The 20-year-old didn’t blow up the scoresheet in his first season as a pro with the Bakersfield Condors, but had a respectable 13 goals and 34 points in 62 outings.

Two others who could see some time with the big club this season are Savoie and Tullio. Savoie’s 11 points in 44 AHL games last season were a disappointment, but the 21-year-old still has plenty of offensive potential. Tullio had slightly better totals of 13 goals and 26 points in 63 games, and is expected to build off of those in 2023-24.

The main defenceman to keep an eye on is Akey, who the Oilers took with their first pick (56th overall) in this year’s draft. The 18-year-old is a smooth-skating defenceman who registered 11 goals and 47 points in 66 games this past season with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. He still has plenty of room to grow before being NHL-ready, but is already considered one of the organization’s top prospects on the back end.

These games won’t be televised, but the Oilers have announced that they will be streamed on Oilers Plus. Fans who want to tune in are able to get a free three-day trial and can purchase a year-long subscription at a discounted rate. The Oilers will play three games at the tournament:

• Friday, September 15 vs Winnipeg Jets (5 pm)
• Saturday, September 15 vs Calgary Flames (8:30 pm)
• Sunday, September 16 vs Vancouver Canucks (3:30 pm)

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