There’s no question the Edmonton Oilers have had some trouble keeping all the same players on the ice this season. Injuries, struggling veterans, and trades are all contributors to something like that. However it presents the opportunity for the Oilers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, to send up some fresh talent to get their chance in the big leagues. There are more players we should see yet this season who could have something to offer.
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The Oilers do have an overload of talent when fully healthy and already have enough decisions to make, but there are always options to call up should they need them to the second half of the season. Here are my three favourite Condors that Edmonton should give a chance to sometime soon.
Josh Samanski
Someone who I have advocated for already this season has started off his stint with the Condors hot. Josh Samanski has 22 points so far this season, building off a very strong preseason showing. He is a big guy who has been able to produce at a consistent pace for the team. He plays on the top line for Bakersfield and only seems to get better as the season progresses.
Samanski brings a combination of size and skill that is rare and Edmonton doesn’t really have. He doesn’t necessarily have to be called up and become an immediate and permanent part of the roster this season, but a trial run at some point before 2025-26 is over certainly can’t hurt. The promise he has shown this early should be tested.
Samuel Poulin
The newest addition to the Oilers’ organization might have went by the way side given how he got here, but Samuel Poulin could be a very underrated add. He arrived on Dec. 13 from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stuart Skinner/Tristan Jarry swap. Though Poulin only has two points in 15 NHL games, he has lots of conditioning in the minors and has been killing it any time and anywhere he plays.
He is still young at 24 years old, so the pressure isn’t fully on him to perform at the professional level just yet. It’s clear he can be successful in all aspects at an AHL-level of play, but it may be time to test him again. Things clearly didn’t work great for him in Pittsburgh, but a new environment in Edmonton with new players could spark something for Poulin and create a new home for him. Why not give him a chance?
Quinn Hutson
Yes, he already got a shot. Why not give him another one? Quinn Hutson appeared in a couple games last season and few games recently for the Oilers and I think he looked extremely good. He is not the biggest guy on the ice, but he certainly plays like it. He is fast, smart with the puck, and can lay the body if need be.
There is an argument to be made that Hutson should spend some more time in the AHL and continue to get prime minutes and keep producing there. However, I think he is more ready than some other Condors players. He seemed to fit in very well with the big club and at the very least he should get a few more games with a modest amount of ice time. His 16 goals and 28 points has him tied for sixth in the AHL in points this season. He can score, and what NHL team doesn’t need that?
There are cases to be made for the other up and comers like Isaac Howard or Viljami Marjala, but they are still very young. It’s never a bad thing to let young players develop and get more ice time so they are even more ready when their time comes in the NHL. That may sound contradictory to my point on Hutson, but I believe he’s a different player than some of the others.
Hopefully the Oilers don’t need to make many calls down to Bakersfield later on in the season and the team can stay healthy. Then again, it’s always a treat to see what’s on the horizon for Edmonton.
