The Edmonton Oilers have added another prospect to the pipeline, signing forward Owen Michaels to a one-year, entry-level contract, the club announced Thursday.

The team says that the contract begins this season in 2025-26.

Michaels, 23, just wrapped up his third season at the NCAA’s Western Michigan University, captaining the Broncos to the school’s first-ever NCAA Frozen Four championship in 2024-25.

He was a major offensive threat during the title run, scoring twice in the semifinal against Denver, including the double overtime game-winner to advance to the final. Michaels scored twice more in the final against Boston University (BU) in a 6-2 rout. His performance in that tournament made him the Most Outstanding Player.

That BU team featured current Oilers prospect Quinn Hutson, along with rookie NHLers Ryan Greene and Tom Willander.

Denver got revenge on Michaels’ Western Michigan group this year in the tournament. Last Sunday, Denver defeated Western Michigan in the final eight to advance to the Frozen Four.

Michaels scored 13 goals and 26 points this season and finished as a Hobey Baker nominee, the award given to the NCAA men’s hockey’s best player.

The right-shot forward from Northville, Michigan, will turn 24 on May 1.

Michaels played four years of junior hockey, starting with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. He jumped to the NAHL for two seasons with the Bismarck Bobcats from 2020-22. In 2022-23, he went back to the USHL and joined the Dubuque Fighting Saints, scoring 15 goals and 26 points in 46 games.

The Oilers have been busy in the spring signing window. Edmonton put pen to paper with Czech blueliner Tomáš Cibulka last week. On Tuesday, former seventh-round draft choice out of the London Knights, William Nicholl, signed his entry-level contract.

How Michaels will be deployed is unclear. His contract only extends until the end of this season, being a one-year contract that begins now.

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