Edmonton Oilers loan James Hamblin to AHL Condors
By Zach Laing
1 year agoThe Edmonton Oilers have loaned forward James Hamblin to the Bakersfield Condors, the club announced Saturday.
Hamblin, 23, has appeared in 10 games scoring no points for the Oilers this season, but didn’t draw in for any games on his most recent recall. He’s had a strong start to his season with the Condors appearing in 20 games scoring five goals and 11 points.
The third-year pro was one of the Oilers’ last cuts out of training camp this year where he scored one goal in four pre-season games. He’s quick and surprisingly worked his way up the prospect rankings and will likely contend for a roster spot for the big club next season.
Hamblin was never drafted, but the Oilers signed him as a free agent in April 2020. Over his two-and-a-half seasons with the Condors, Hamblin has scored 33 goals and 61 points in 122 games.
Ahead of this season, Hamblin was ranked the Oilers’ 11th-best prospect. Here’s some of what Cam Lewis wrote about him in his rankings:
Flying completely under the radar among this influx of forwards to the system is James Hamblin, a local undrafted free agent who earned an entry-level contract with the Oilers following a strong showing with the Bakersfield Condors on an AHL deal.Hamblin has produced at every level he’s played at but, listed at 5’9″ and 176 pounds, has been overlooked due to his size. Given the NHL is continuing to trend toward speed and skill as opposed to size and strength, the Oilers might have found themselves a diamond in the rough here.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
Recent articles from Zach Laing
