One of the Oilers’ promising defensive prospects has gotten a clean bill of health as Beau Akey’s shoulder has recovered, allowing him to get back on the ice for game action.
This comes after an injury he suffered 14 games into the campaign that prematurely ended his 2023-24 season, which came on the heels of an impressive training camp weeks prior that secured him an ELC. Considering he had that solid preseason mere months after being taken 56th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, it made his shoulder injury all the more devastating.
That setback is now in the past and he is focused on getting his development back on track in 2024-25. He spoke with NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest about his recovery and admitted that while the ailment was unfortunate to endure, Akey viewed it as a blessing in disguise.
“I had been battling injuries with that same shoulder for a while, and it was actually kind of nice to have the surgery and be able to recover fully from that injury,” he said. “Seeing the game from up in the stands, it’s a lot different than being on the ice. It allows you to get that coach’s perspective, like getting your head up a lot more, and you can visualize those plays coaches are talking about when you’re sitting up there in the stands.”
Akey had amassed nine points (four goals and five assists) in those 14 games before his shoulder injury, which equates to a roughly 44-point pace had he stayed healthy. That would have had him leading the Colts’ defencemen in scoring and fifth on the team overall, which certainly could have helped Barrie have a better fate in the playoffs that spring as they were ousted in six games by the Generals in round one.
This setback certainly hurt his development, especially after showing some promise during the 2023 preseason, but the Oilers are willing to stay patient with the RHD prospect. Rick Pracey, Edmonton’s director of amateur scouting, said that they are confident Akey can develop into a top-four defenceman because he combines strong skating with an elite offensive game and two-way play that could translate well in the NHL.
“Beau missed a significant amount of time with his shoulder, so the big thing with him is getting him playing,” he said. “He’s an excellent skater, so we think it’s just going to be a matter of time before he gets back up to speed within his environment and pushing along.”
Akey is expected to slot into the Colts’ top pairing for this coming season and you can count on him being extra motivated to make an impact given how much time he missed. This will only bode well for the Oilers faithful as he has the potential to be a difference-maker on defence in the years to come if all goes well with his development moving forward.
He hopes that the time spent away from the ice will help provide him with some invaluable insight going into his fourth OHL season and ensure he can pick up where he left off before the devastating blow.
“I’m just looking at getting back to being myself,” he said. “Last season was a rough season, but my head [mentally] is good and I’m really looking forward to getting back to hockey.”
