It is a North American prospect update, and there were a few players in the Edmonton pipeline who have had strong outings recently. Paul Fischer has continued his point streak that has now reached five games, and his NCAA counterpart, Dalyn Wakely, netted his first career hat trick and continues to lead UMass Lowell in scoring. On the WHL side of things, Tommy Lafreniere has really upped the ante and is on a current 12-game point streak. Just a little bit out east is David Lewandowski in Saskatoon, who is leading the Blades in scoring through 26 games. Overall, it has been a great recent week of play for Edmonton prospects.

As I stated in the opening, Tommy Lafrenière is currently riding a 12-game point streak in which the Blazers forward has put up 10-11-21. Currently, Lafrenière is playing centre again and will probably be moved to the wing at some point. In the Blazers’ most recent game, they had a loaded top line of J.P. Hurlbert (a potential first-rounder in the 2026 NHL draft) and Nathan Behm (2025 third-rounder to Chicago) on the flanks of Tommy Lafrenière. On this line that carries a ton of offensive potential, the Oilers’ 2025 third-rounder is relied on to be the defensive conscience, and Lafrenière has shown a lot of growth in the defensive side of his game.

Against the Penticton Vees, Lafrenière added two goals and an assist but could have had even more. In the first clip below, the Blazers get the puck off the boards to the middle of the ice, where Lafrenière is sitting as a breakout option. As soon as he gets the puck, he takes a quick touch and slings a perfectly threaded pass to Nathan Behm for a breakaway chance.

Unfortunately, it does not result in a point, but being in the right spot to support your team on a zone exit and then creating an excellent chance for your teammate within a second of touching the puck is a checkmark in my books. Tommy Lafrenière rarely cheats the game. If he has to be a forechecking winger, he will do it. If the Blazers need him to play a true centre role, he has shown he is capable of doing that as well. I do not see him as a centre at any pro level, but to develop the defensive side of the game that a centre needs every night is a positive for Lafrenière’s future.

Enough of the boring defensive stuff, we want goals and chances. The Blazers’ top-line centre provides that, too. Against the newest WHL team, Lafrenière showed off his growing finishing ability. After receiving a tough pass, Lafrenière is able to get a quick release off and beat the goalie on a tough angle for the power play goal.

Earlier in the game, the 2025 draft selection also had a great chance coming down the right wing. Lafrenière leaned into a glove-side shot, but the goalie was out at the top of his crease to cut down the angle.

Shooters shoot, and that is what was done above by Lafrenière. However, I would have liked it if he had put the puck a bit lower and toward the left side. It would not guarantee a goal, but you have higher odds of creating a secondary scoring chance for yourself or your teammate who has a step on the defender chasing him. Lafrenière finished the game with an empty net goal for his second of the game, capping off a three-point evening. Arrows pointing up for Lafrenière.

Paul Fischer and Notre Dame went up against number fifteen Boston College recently. Notre Dame ended up losing the game 5-3, but I found Paul Fischer to be Notre Dame’s best defenceman and a top-three performer overall for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame is struggling and has an overall record of 4-9-1 with a 0-6 conference record. Fischer on the top pair has been a bright spot this year for them. The American defender has 4-9-13 in 14 games played and is tied for the team lead in points. Notre Dame has scored 39 total goals, and the Edmonton prospect has a point on 36 percent of those goals. That is an outstanding number to have for a defenceman.

One of my favourite aspects of Fischer’s game is his passing ability and the fact that he refuses to dump the puck out until he absolutely has no choice. Below are two clips illustrating my point. In the first clip, you will see Fischer open up as an option and take his time to thread a beautiful pass to the Boston College blue line, where his teammates go on a two-on-one.

Of course, with how Notre Dame’s season is going, they somehow find a way not to generate a shot. In the next clip, Fischer shows off some of his personal development by executing this retrieval perfectly until the pass. He gains body position on the forechecker first before touching the puck and uses his net as protection, but he just messes up the reversal pass. Nothing came out of it, thankfully, but I liked everything he did until he screwed up the pass.

My main development piece for Fischer is refining his retrievals and dealing with pressure. This is a great step in the right direction. In the next clip, the Fighting Irish’s leading scorer shows the confidence to bring the puck off the wall and create something out of it. Just watch this controlled exit.

You can see his tendencies shining through, and if Fischer can keep refining this area of his game, I think you will see an even bigger step than he has taken. Of course, it is not a Paul Fischer game without offensive chances. This whole season, the two-way defenceman has been able to drive offence from anywhere on the ice. In the next clip, Fischer has a great drive down the boards and lays it in front for his teammate, who was tied up.

In our final clip of Paul Fischer’s journey, he scored a goal from the point that somehow finds a lane to the back of the net. That is yet another strength of Fischer’s game. He is excellent at finding the right lane past shot blockers.

Paul Fischer has been continuing to shoot up my pipeline rankings. I would love to see how he translates to the AHL, which will not be for a bit, but I am excited for this prospect, and I think Oilers fans should be too.

Dalyn Wakely was recently named Hockey East Rookie of the Week for his first career NCAA hat trick performance against St. Lawrence University. Like Paul Fischer, the UMass Lowell centre leads his team in points with 5-7-12 in 14 games to start the year. Wakely is the only player on his team with double-digit points through the 14 games played.

The River Hawks won 7-3 against St. Lawrence this weekend, and Wakely had an alright showing. For a hat-trick performance, I was hoping for a bit more pop in his game this time around, but he excels at slowing play down and taking advantage of the soft ice when it becomes available. In the clip below, it illustrates the point perfectly as Wakely waits behind the backs of all the defenders and is wide open in the slot to score his first goal of the game.

The Canadian centre’s second goal of the game was not as pretty, but he was in the right spot at the right time. Some players have a knack for that, and this season, Wakely has been all around the net.

Wakely’s third and final goal of the game came on an empty-netter to complete the hat trick. The final clip is a beautiful pass by the playmaking centre. Wakely starts on the left wall, makes his way up to the blue line, works his way to the right wall, and fires a great cross-ice pass for a one-timer chance.

I still have worries about Wakely’s pace of play and skating as a centre, but he can make great heads-up plays due to his hockey sense. There is a foundation to work with when it comes to UMass Lowell’s leading scorer.

David Lewandowski still holds the reins as the Saskatoon Blades’ leading scorer. The German power forward is the only Blade currently above a point per game. Lewandowski’s game is always intriguing because of the chances he can create when he has the puck or even without it. The first clip below is from the Blades’ 6-5 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings this weekend. Lewandowski shows his ability to create offence with his relentless forecheck. He creates the turnover and then scores off it on the wraparound.

Excellent job by Lewandowski on the finish as well. After an excellent save by the Oil Kings’ goaltender, Lewandowski sticks with it and wraps it around on the other side. Great show of his processing speed under pressure. In the next clip, the import winger shows his great defensive stick and steals the puck from the Oil Kings player with ease. Not only does he steal it, but he generates another two chances within twenty seconds.

The goal and chances created above are what I have enjoyed most about Lewandowski’s game this year. The relentless forecheck and will to create turnovers will translate a long way in his professional career. Like Wakely, I have worries about the fourth-rounder’s ability to play at a higher pace. However, I have liked Lewandowski’s processing speed under pressure, and I believe it could translate when the pace picks up. Overall, the big German is another player who is trending upwards.

Another good week for Oilers prospects concludes, and more positives continue to flow in through the pipeline. From Tommy Lafreniere and David Lewandowski in the WHL to Paul Fischer and Dalyn Wakely in the NCAA, they continue to be at or near the top of their respective teams in scoring.

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