The player most likely to be the fan favourite of this prospect group, Tyler Tullio, is #7 in the Edmonton Oilers Prospect Countdown.

Why a fan favourite? Exhibit A.

Exhibit B

If Tyler Tullio can stay healthy while playing this type of game at his size, the Oilers will have a hard time keeping him off the roster in the near future. Perhaps it sounds surprising given Tullio is an undersized 5th-round pick, but I’ve stated a few times that Tullio has multiple facets to his game that are NHL translatable. I’ve even gone further and suggested that, of Bourgault, Savoie and Tullio, I could see Tullio having a longer NHL career because of the tools he brings to the rink.

My favourite part of Tullio’s game is his hockey sense. It’s a hard skill to measure, but with Tullio, it stands out in every game.

Tullio has a great knack for being in the right place at the right time in all three zones. He consistently plays above the puck providing great support to his teammates. This is the part of the game that gives him a leg up on most young players in the AHL. He really understands how to play when his team does not have the puck.

That does not mean Tullio cannot score. Take a look at his career stats below.

Tyler Tullio knows how to score and has a list of career stats to support the notion. In his first year in Bakersfield, he ended up third in rookie scoring behind Noah Philp who was four years his senior and Xavier Bourgault, the 2021 first-round pick. While his numbers were not overwhelming, it needs to be pointed out that Tullio started the year on the fourth line playing with borderline ECHL talent. He also didn’t see any powerplay time until much later in the season. He also played on a team that struggled to score goals finishing 24th out of 32 AHL teams. So the cast surrounding the rookie was not exemplary.

When Tullio started to get his opportunities in the second half of the season, his offensive abilities started to surface.

A lot of it comes from his hustle on and off the puck as well as his hockey sense as you can see above. However, Tullio has physical gifts as well. He has a very heavy shot for smaller players and the release is quite deceptive.

His puck skills are also really very good. He works his body into good position to both send and receive passes. He scans the ice well so he is able to make quick puck decisions and is quite creative when making plays.

When handling the puck, he has great patience and a real understanding of what to do to gain more space and time for himself and his teammates.

Tullio has a full set of tools to play the professional game. The next step for Tullio is to be able to control shifts when on the ice. If he can do that, the puck is going to be in Bakersfield’s possession more often and that will allow Tullio to build his point totals. Make no mistake, Tullio will need to score to get the Oilers attention. This is a team that has consistently struggled over the past decade to get contributions from the bottom six parts of the forward group. If Tyler Tullio can score in Bakersfield, he will have a chance to help the Oilers break that legacy of failed performances from bottom six forwards and may do so sooner than many think.