There’s some not-so-good news from the Edmonton Oilers’ rookie camp in Penticton, British Columbia.
It was reported by Oilers TV host Tony Brar that defensive prospect Beau Akey won’t play this weekend, according to head coach Colin Chualk. It’s unclear if the weekend also extends to Monday’s game.
The right-shot defenceman was born in Waterloo, Ontario, and made his Ontario Hockey League debut with the Barrie Colts in 2021-22, scoring five goals and 16 points in 61 games, pretty solid totals for a player who spent a chunk of the season as a 16-year-old.
In 2022-23, Akey scored a career-high 11 goals and 47 points in 66 games, along with two goals and five points in 13 postseason games. This prompted the Oilers to draft him in the second round with the 56th overall pick in 2023.
After a great rookie camp, Akey returned to Barrie to start 2023-24, scoring four goals and nine points in 14 games, before shoulder surgery derailed his season. It’s unclear at the moment why Akey won’t play this weekend.
The tournament is an annual event and this season, it’ll be played from Sep. 13 until Sep. 16. The Oilers play their first game at 8:30 PM MT on Friday against the Vancouver Canucks. Their second game comes on Saturday at the same time against the Calgary Flames, while their third and final game comes on Monday against the Winnipeg Jets, this time at 12:00 PM MT.
There are some intriguing prospects playing at the camp for the Oilers. Their first-round pick in 2024, Sam O’Reilly, will make his first appearance as an Oiler. On top of that, there are some other 2024 draftees attending camp, such as Connor Clattenberg, William Nicholl, and Dalyn Wakely.
Without question, their best prospect is Matthew Savoie, whom the Oilers traded for in an early July trade. The 20-year-old is expected to start in the American Hockey League this season, but could be a useful skilled player in case injuries arise in 2024-25.
Moreover, there are some returning players to camp. These players are forwards Carl Berglund, Ethan De Jong, Jayden Grubbe, Brady Stonehouse, and Matvey Petrov. Two defencemen return from last season’s camp, Akey and Maximus Wanner, while Nathaniel Day is the only returning netminder.

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