OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA

Ellis: Oilers prospect pool ‘one of the worst pipelines in the game today’

Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

By Michael Menzies

Jul 21, 2026, 14:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 21, 2026, 16:25 EDT

Comments

One prospect analyst has looked at the Edmonton Oilers pipeline and sees one of the worst in the league.

Daily Faceoff’s prospect analyst Steven Ellis is evaluating all 32 NHL teams’ prospect pools throughout the offseason. On Tuesday, he focused on the Oilers, giving his top 10 ranking, while highlighting the biggest strengths and weaknesses.

“Honestly, success on draft day has been hard to come by for the Oilers recently,” writes Ellis.

“And that’s not going to change any time soon, with the club boasting one of the worst pipelines in the game today and unlikely to yield high-impact players from their current harvest.”

That shouldn’t come as a surprise: the Oilers have been chasing a championship carrot for years, using draft picks as tradable assets, not players of the future. The last first-round pick they’ve selected who is on the roster is Evan Bouchard. He was drafted in 2018. Insert Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway commentary here.

General manager Stan Bowman has emphasized European and NCAA free agents since getting the job, as the Oilers have had just one first-round pick in the last four seasons.

Understanding the criteria

Now, part of Ellis’ analysis is based on his criteria for a prospect.

For skaters, fewer than 50 NHL games allows you to qualify, or spending more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. But if you’re over the age of 23, you’re not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, Ellis says, but they must be 25 or under and have played fewer than 20 games in the past season or fewer than 30 games over their career.

So many of the players the average Oilers fan would still classify as a prospect, like Devon Levi, Josh Samanski, Quinn Hutson, Owen Michaels, or Maxim Berezkin, wouldn’t qualify.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of Edmonton’s prospect pipeline?

Ellis believes that goaltending and bottom-six centres are the key strengths of the Oilers’ pipeline.

Netminders Samuel Jonsson and Connor Ungar both rank high, while Tommy Lafrenière, Rudolfs Berzkalns, and William Nicholl are each in the top 10. That’s half the list.

“Down in the AHL, both Samuel Jonsson and Connor Ungar are interesting long-term options who should make Bakersfield a must-watch club this year,” said Ellis.
“On the center front, Tommy Lafrenière had a massive campaign in the WHL, while Rūdolfs Bērzkalns made a good impression as one of the toughest players to go up against in the USHL this past year. Add in William Nicholl, and you’ve got a couple of legit bottom-six center options at their disposal. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl occupying the top two spots, this is an area worth keeping an eye on in the long term.”

Meanwhile, a lot hinges on Isaac Howard.

As the Oilers’ most high-end prospect due to his collegiate accolades in the Hobey Baker Award and AHL All-Rookie Team showing in his first year pro in 2025–26, he’s the number one prospect going away.

After him, there is no top-six future potential among the Oilers ranks, according to Ellis.

“If Ike Howard doesn’t pan out, the Oilers don’t have another forward with top-six potential,” said Ellis. “It’s obviously much easier to find depth players, but this group lacks players capable of scoring at a high rate. If Howard can figure it out at the next level, great! If not, it’s going to be difficult finding the offensive weapons the team truly needs beyond the two big superstars.”

Who are the Edmonton Oilers’ top 10 prospects?

Isaac Howard, LW, 22 (Traded from Tampa Bay)
Samuel Jonsson, G, 22 (2022 fifth-round, 158th overall)
Connor Ungar, G, 24 (Undrafted free agent)
Tommy Lafrenière, C, 19 (2025 third-round, 83rd overall)
Rudolfs Berzkalns, C, 18 (2026 second-round, 58th overall)
David Lewandowski, LW, 19 (2025 fourth-round, 117th overall)
Damien Carfagna, LHD, 23 (Undrafted free agent)
Paul Fischer, LHD, 21 (Traded from St. Louis)
Asher Barnett, LHD, 19 (2025 fifth-round, 131st overall)
William Nicholl, C, 19 (2024 seventh-round, 196th overall)

Notable omissions: Connor Clattenburg, Viljami Marjala, Beau Akey, Dalyn Wakely.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.

PRESENTED BY SOUTHVIEW ACURA

At Southview Acura, luxury isn’t just what you drive, it’s how you’re treated. Family owned and operated, we’re proud to offer an exceptional selection of new and certified pre-owned Acuras, backed by a service experience built on trust and precision. Whether it’s your first visit or your next, our team is committed to excellence every step of the way. Visit Southview Acura today or online at www.SouthviewAcura.com, where luxury meets reality.