NHL Prospect Watch: Edmonton Oilers

Ahead of the 2025-26 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. This series will highlight current and former WHLers who are signed to an NHL contract, have recently been drafted by an NHL team, or meet the NHL’s definition of a rookie.

The Edmonton Oilers have been drilling for talent in the Western League- look no further than today’s talented group.

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Jayden Grubbe 

The former Red Deer Rebels Captain posted a 14-point (2G-12A) season for the second consecutive year with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in his sophomore pro turn. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound centreman made some early noise after putting up his first pro three-point game, a three-assist effort in a 4-1 over the Ontario Reign, in the second game of the regular season, but will look for sustained offensive firepower in 2025-26. Grubbe, 22, was drafted by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft before the Oilers acquired his rights and signed him to an entry-level contract in May of 2023. The Calgarian played all four seasons of his WHL career with the Rebels, bagging 39 goals and 95 assists for 134 points in 194 regular-season games. He made the 2023 WHL Central Division Second All-Star Team after a standout 67-point run (18G-49A) in his final junior season.

Jayden Grubbe with an absolute laser🚀@Condors | #BAKvsTOR pic.twitter.com/ISHveZ9xEM

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) December 14, 2024

Tommy Lafrenière

The Hornby Island, B.C. product became the first of three WHL skaters selected by the Oilers in the 2025 NHL Draft when Edmonton called his name at 83rd overall in the third round. Lafreniere made a big splash in his first WHL season, burying 24 goals (including nine powerplay strikes) and 32 assists for 56 points in 68 games with the Kamloops Blazers. The 5-foot-11, 171-pound winger finished second in goals among all Western League rookies and third in overall points. Lafreniere has seen his stock rise sharply since the Blazers drafted him in the eighth round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft. He grabbed four points (2G-2A) in nine call-up appearances in 2023-24 and was named the CSSHL’s U18 co-MVP later that spring. The 18-year-old hopes to assume a leadership role this year and help guide the Blazers back to the WHL postseason.

With 56 points in 68 games, @blazerhockey forward Tommy Lafreniere finished third in points amongst all WHL rookies this season – and he's headed to the 2025 #NHLDraft! pic.twitter.com/WlzVtCDiU2

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 10, 2025

David Lewandowski

I mean, the last time the Oilers chose a German-born forward from the Western Hockey League, he turned out alright! David Lewandowski’s first season in North America proved to be a memorable one, helping the underdog Saskatoon Blades make a splash in the East Division with a 39-point (15G-24A) run in 52 matches. The 6-foot-2, 176-pound centreman ended the regular season on a seven-game point streak (5G-4A) and picked up another goal in the postseason. Lewandowski also earned the chance to represent his home country twice, bagging a goal and an assist at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and two tallies at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship. Edmonton snagged Lewandowski with the 117th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. He hopes to add more explosiveness to his game as he prepares to return to Toon Town for 2025-26.

🎥HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT🎥

We've got a strong candidate for Assist of the Year, and it's coming off the stick of David Lewandowski!@BladesHockey | #NHLDraft | #WHLHoN pic.twitter.com/JvNCDgp1ND

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) November 4, 2024

Aidan Park

The last five months have been a wild ride for Playa Vista, Calif.’s Aidan Park. The 6-foot, 185-pound winger joined the Calgary Hitmen midway through the 2025 WHL Playoffs, suiting up for three tilts in the second round, and will have to wait for 2025-26 to record his first Western League point. Afterwards, he attended the 2025 NHL Draft in hopes of supporting some of his friends, and got the shock of a lifetime when Edmonton called him up with the 223rd pick in the seventh round- in shorts and flip-flops!

"Super special moment."@WHLHitmen forward Aidan Park came to the 2025 #NHLDraft to support his buddies and got the surprise of a lifetime when the @EdmontonOilers called his name with the 223rd overall pick!#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/G88PtzdYNP

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 28, 2025

Matthew Savoie

An Oilers roster spot is available for a strong two-way forward with penalty killing ability- it’s up to Matthew Savoie to seize it. In his first season in the Oilers organization, Savoie picked up one assist in four games with the NHL club and seriously impressed at the AHL level with Bakersfield. The 21-year-old picked netted 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points in 66 games as a rookie, finishing second on the Condors in points and tying for third in goals. Savoie cracked the Pacific roster for the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic, where he lit the lamp once and added a pair of assists, and won the fastest skater event with a rip-roaring 13.654-second-long lap. Originally selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the ninth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Edmonton acquired Savoie’s rights in July of 2024. The St. Albert, Alta. product’s illustrious WHL career saw him rack up 103 goals and 160 assists for 263 points in 183 games with the Winnipeg ICE/Wenatchee Wild and the Moose Jaw Warriors. After joining Moose Jaw in a blockbuster trade, Savoie erupted for 24 points (10G-14A) in 19 games to help the Warriors lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in franchise history.

Matthew Savoie gets it done on his own. @Condors | #TUCvsBAK pic.twitter.com/D2NOaXaqYs

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) March 8, 2025

James Stefan

The superstar WHL scorer got his first taste of professional hockey in 2024-25, splitting his time between the Condors and the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets. Stefan buried his first pro goal in his second game with the Condors and totalled three lamp-lighters in 45 games, in addition to six goals and three apples in 12 turns with the Komets. The 22-year-old found more of a rhythm in the ECHL postseason with six points (4G-2A) in 13 games. Stefan earned his Oilers contract as an undrafted free agent after a breakout 50-goal, 101-point season with the Portland Winterhawks in 2023-24. The 6-foot, 185-pound winger amassed 111 goals and 145 assists for 256 points in 254 games over parts of five seasons with the Winterhawks- plus another 33 playoff points (17G-16A). Stefan was named to the WHL U.S. Division Second All-Star team in 2024 and played a key role in reaching the 2024 WHL Championship Series, where Portland fell to Savoie’s Warriors.

The first of many for James Stefan. #Condorstown | #TimetoFeast pic.twitter.com/vmQK1hPnLg

— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) October 19, 2024

Connor Ungar

After a shaky start to his pro career, Ungar took off in the second half of the regular season with the Komets. The 6-foot, 190-pound netminder went 19-12-4 with a 2.74 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and three shutouts (all of which came in the new year) in his rookie run. Even more impressive than the shutouts, Ungar won three games in three nights in late December, allowing a paltry five goals on 94 shots for a 1.60 GAA and .947 save percentage across the trio of tilts. The undrafted Calgarian earned a contract with the Oilers after a monster season with Brock University that saw him win U SPORTS Rookie of the Year and crack the All-Rookie team, in addition to a pile of conference honours. Ungar suited up for five seasons in the WHL with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Red Deer Rebels and Moose Jaw Warriors for a 53-20-2-3 record, a 2.57 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and three clean sheets.

CONNOR UNGAR#LetsGoKomets | @Connor_Ungar pic.twitter.com/IyJSawIbhK

— Fort Wayne Komets (@FWKomets) April 6, 2025