Two Oilers prospects crack Top 100 ranking across NHL teams

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Liam McCormick
August 16, 2024 (4:24 PM)

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Earlier today, the prominent hockey website Elite Prospects published their ranking of the Top 100 prospects affiliated with NHL teams - and the Edmonton Oilers didn't fare too well.

The Oilers top ranked prospect is the newly-acquired Matthew Savoie, the 9th overall pick from 2022 Draft who the Pilers acquired in trade for Ryan McLeod. Some fans may have expected Savoie to be ranked higher, being a recent top ten pick, but he was ranked as the 74th best prospect, a major drop off from being ranked 41st last year. The Oilers second round draft pick from 2023, Beau Akey, was ranked as the 97th best prospect. Last year, Akey was ranked 92nd.

In both cases, it makes sense that the prospects fell in their overall ranking. A new wave of elite younger players has entered the pool, and both players had their years stunted with injuries.

Matthew Savoie was a top ten draft pick after several extremely successful seasons in junior, scoring 90 points when he was just 17 years old. However in the 2023-24 season, Savoie has bounced around and been unable to get extended playing time in one area. He began the year with 11 games with the Wenatchee Wild, was called up to the Buffalo Sabres and sustained injured in his first game. He played a few games in the AHL, then went back to the WHL where he was traded to the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he led his team to a Championship. He still had great success in junior, but playing on four teams in one season must've been difficult.

Beau Akey played just 14 games with the Barrie Colts last season before sustaining a serious shoulder injury that required surgery to rectify. He's a six foot tall right shot defenceman, which has value on its own, but he also is described to be a smooth skater and a reliable two way player. At 56tg overall in his draft year, Akey could be a great value pick and turn into a real NHL player.

Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks was ranked as the top prospect, with Matvei Michkov of the Philadelphia Flyers at number two, and Ivan Demidov of the Montreal Canadiens third. Zayne Parekh of the Calgary Flames was ranked eighth, and Tij Iginla of the Utah Hockey Club was ranked ninth.

These two prospects for the Edmonton Oilers still have real upside and could develop into impact players in the NHL, especially Matthew Savoie, who might see time with the big club as soon as this upcoming season. Hopefully both of them can get back to some consistency in their routine, and start to really launch their careers.

Source: Elite Prospects

The Top 100 Ranking NHL Affiliated Skaters