With training camp and preseason well underway, the Edmonton Oilers have started to narrow down their rosters. There is line juggling going on, figuring out who plays where and when, and twiddling down the training camp roster as the team creeps closer to the 2024-25 regular season. This includes tough decisions on several prospects who made their way into the Oilers training camp.
Unfortunately, not everyone can make the opening night roster and for many, this camp is about getting their first taste of the NHL. There is no expectation of sticking out the entire preseason.
Already, Kris Knoblauch has had to make some roster decisions for the first time in his NHL head coaching career. Who are the four prospects being shipped back to their minor-league teams?
Goaltender Nathanial Day finds himself back playing for the Flint Firebirds in the OHL for his third full season. Throughout his OHL tenure, Day has recorded solid stats. In 94 OHL games, he has logged a 3.78 goals against average and 0.875 save percentage. While not jaw-dropping numbers, Day ranked 9th for most wins and 16th for goals against average last season. He looks to develop even more this season.
The 160th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Connor Clattenburg, has been released from the Oilers training camp. Clattenburg is sent back to the OHL Flint Firebirds with the aforementioned Oilers prospect Nathanial Day. Clattenburg’s allure comes from his physical play. Being a strong battler on the boards and unafraid to stir the pot. He has recorded 39 points in 116 career OHL games.
Strong Offensive Oilers Prospects
18-year-old William Nicholl rejoins the OHL champions, the London Knights, for his second full season. Nicholl showed flashes of high-level offense last season, but his worth comes from his tenacity. Like many current Oilers, Nicoll throws himself into sticky situations like his life depends on it. Nicholl aims to earn a top-six spot with the London Knights this season.
Last but not least, 192nd overall draft pick Dalyn Wakely gets shipped back to the OHL North Bay Battalion. Wakely had a breakout season last year as he recorded some eye-catching stats. In 66 games, he logged 39 goals and 65 assists for a remarkable 104 points, the third-most points of any OHL player last season. He continued this pace into the postseason, where he amassed 23 points in just 16 games. Wakely looks to continue his pace and impress the Oilers with a second consecutive jaw-dropping season.
Despite not making this team, each prospect has what they hope is a bright NHL future, whether that future is with the Oilers or not. With only so many spots in the NHL, some tough decisions are bound to happen. For Kris Knoblauch, this means cutting some talented players. Nevertheless, the Edmonton Oilers are edging closer and closer to having their opening-night roster finalized.
Knoblauch did joke about not having to make one tough call as he feels Connor McDavid is pretty safe and will likely earn a spot on this year’s team. More cuts are coming, and the coach is trying to find the right spots for the players who remain.
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