The Edmonton Oilers traded back in the second round of the 2026 NHL draft, moving from pick No. 52 to pick No. 58, using it to select Latvian centre Rudolfs Berzkalns.

Berzkalns, who stands at a towering 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, spent last season with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, scoring 13 goals and 25 points. The 18-year-old is set to join the NCAA’s Boston College ahead of the 2026-27 season.

A native of Cesis, Latvia, he’s represented his country at the World Junior Championships in each of the last two years, scoring one goal in 10 games.

Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis posted on X that Berzkalns is considered tough to play against.

“Multiple players called him extremely difficult to play against,” wrote Ellis. “The Boston College commit is a big, 6-foot-4 center (sic) who played some good two-way hockey at the World Juniors.

“He isn’t flashy and likely won’t be a big-time producer in the NHL, but he plays with a ton of muscle and took over shifts in ways very few bigger forwards were capable of this year in the USHL. I like him as a bottom-six forward – I think he understands the defensive game well enough to be a solid player. He just… scares opponents in a way very few guys can at this age. I love him.”

Berzkalns was ranked 48th overall in Daily Faceoff’s top 120 prospects ranking. Ellis’ final mock draft had Berzkalns getting selected 44th overall.

Berzkalns is the third Latvian player drafted in Oilers history, following Aleksandrs Kerčs, who was selected in the third round of the 1993 draft, and the late Kristiāns Pelšs, who was selected in the seventh round of the 2010 draft.

Trading down from No. 52 to No. 58 in the draft returned the Oilers a fifth-round pick, 133rd overall.

The Oilers entered the draft with little draft capital, holding second-, third-, sixth-, and seventh-round picks, so it’s no surprise that the team moved back in the draft.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.