The 2024 edition of the Young Stars Tournament is officially in the books, and while the Oilers’ rookies didn’t come away with a single win, it’s not all doom and gloom even though it may feel that way to some. Sure, a 2-0 loss to the Canucks, a 3-1 defeat to the Flames, and another 2-0 shutout at the hands of the Jets earlier this afternoon wasn’t what anyone hoped to see, but these tournaments are about development, not stacking wins.
On the bright side, we did get a good look at some of the team’s promising prospects. Matthew Savoie showed flashes of the skill that made him a top draft pick for the Sabres before landing here with us, and Max Wanner turned some heads on the blue line, looking like a guy who’s ready to take the next step in his development. If nothing else, knowing that those two prospects were able to separate themselves when no one else could was the exact result we needed from them.
Unfortunately, Beau Akey, the team’s first selection at the 2023 NHL Draft, couldn’t play because of some nagging injuries, which left the defensive depth even thinner than it already is. Obviously, it would’ve been great to see what the second-rounder from 2023 could bring to the table, but there’s no need to rush him at this stage. Getting him back to being healthy ahead of the Barrie Colts’ 2024-25 season is much more important than a few twirls in Penticton, but I digress.
Going 0-3-0 isn’t exactly what you’d call inspiring, but let’s be honest—it’s not like these losses mean much of anything outside of maybe a bruised ego or two. In my opinion, dropping three games at a rookie tournament certainly isn’t enough to raise alarm bells, but instead offers a very real look at how the organizational depth chart matches up to the competition. And seeing as they only scored a single goal in 180 minutes of hockey, the Oilers’ prospect pool is still in dire need of some additional skill, particularly at forward.
If anything, this year’s tournament highlighted how light the prospect pool is with blue chippers, and how bringing in skilled prospects needs to be an organizational focus going forward. If the Oilers are going to be good for a long time then they’ll need to improve what’s happening lower on the depth chart. From my side of the computer screen, results like the ones we just got showcase the need for additional resources in the scouting and development departments, and I hope the next course of action is taking steps to improve that area of the business.
As for what’s next, the real test for some of these young guys begins this week. After returning to Edmonton at some point Monday night, a select group will head to Oilers main camp, kicking off Tuesday morning with fitness testing and medicals at Rogers Place. For these prospects, being invited to camp with the big dogs is the next step in trying to crack the NHL roster or finding out how far away they are from getting there. It’s one thing to look good against your peers, but another to battle for a spot against veteran NHLers.
So, even though it’s disappointing to see the squad lose all three games from this past weekend, it’s not about the losses in Penticton. While it would be nice to lock in some dubs, that tourney is about finding out which of these players can step up when the lights get brighter and the competition gets tougher, and what we saw is that there aren’t many guys who are ready for that journey yet.
Only time will tell how many — if any — of the kids we watched this past weekend will keep climbing the ladder, but if the results we saw are any indication, it certainly seems like the organization has more than its share of work to do. As much as the results from the Young Stars Tournament don’t really matter, one would imagine that it can’t feel good from an Oilers perspective to see their rookies get totally outclassed by their piers. Then again, maybe I’m just thinking about it too much again.
THE #NATIONVACATION TO DENVER
Oilersnation is rollin’ out the next Oilersnation Vacation to Denver, Colorado, from November 29th to December 3rd, 2024. Flights, hotels, Edmonton vs. Colorado hockey tickets, and, oh yeah, we’re tossin’ in Broncos vs. Browns football tickets too. But that’s not all—exclusive tailgates, parties, and pretty much the whole nine yards are all included. And the best part? You get to hang with the Oilersnation crew and a bunch of beauties who know how to have a good time. So lock in your spot, pack your bags, and get ready for a trip you’ll be talking about all season long. Head over to nationgear.ca for more details and to check out our available flight and non-flight booking options.