Two standouts and two disappointments from Oilers Young Stars Classic

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Ryan Hall
September 17, 2024 (11:38)

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The Edmonton Oilers Young Stars Classic tournament has wrapped up, and three of the most interesting prospects to watch didn't make much of an impression.

Matthew Savoie and Sam O'Reilly were the big-name prospects who delivered, but Matvey Petrov and James Stefan were also being watched for positive signs. There were good signs, but it was tough to take positives from an 0-3 tournament.

In three games, the Oilers scored just one goal. In fairness, the Oilers roster was the least experienced group at the Young Stars Classic by far. The Oilers had eight players that were only 18 years old, many of them only camp invitees.

Savoie earned an assist on the lone Oilers goal with a nice pass, and was clearly the most talented player for Edmonton in the tournament. However, fans may have been expecting more from him against rookie competition, but Savoie wasn't really able to produce. Hopefully he can take another step and improve in Oilers training camp beginning tomorrow.

Sam O'Reilly, the Oilers first round draft pick from 2024, made a few noticeably good plays throughout the tournament. The Oilers went off the board to draft him after a season where he played bottom six minutes on a stacked London Knights team. The scouting department clearly sees promise in O'Reilly as a two-way player that could thrive with more opportunity. It showed in the tournament, as O'Reilly played a mature 200 foot game.

Petrov is a sixth round draft pick by the Oilers back in 2023, and with one year of AHL experience under his belt, many felt like he could take a step in training camp this year. Unfortunately, Petrov was rarely making an impact. He's had some incredible offensive seasons in Russia and the OHL, but hasn't been able to translate that success to the pro level yet.

James Stefan, the son of former first overall pick Patrik Stefan, signed with the Oilers late last season and this was his first big opportunity to make an impression on Edmonton. Scouts at the Edmonton Journal noted that he showed good offensive IQ, but fans were let down by his lack of impact on the game.

He is the son of former NHL are Patrik Stefan who was drafted in 1999 by the Atlanta Thrashers 1st overall. Oilers fans will remember his father as a player who did the biggest gaffe in NHL history by missing an empty net within a few feet during a game between the Dallas Stars on January 4th 2007. The junior Stefan hopes to remove any impressions that could link him to his father's performance during that game, and his disappointing career overall.

The main training camp is set to begin tomorrow, and many of the rookies will be invited to participate in the first few days of camp - and try to earn staying around for longer. Hopefully some rookies can build off their positive training camps, and others and bounce back from a slight disappointment.