The Edmonton Oilers kicked off their 2025 NHL preseason schedule with a pair of split-squad games against the Calgary Flames on Sunday night.
At Rogers Place in Edmonton, the Flames defeated the Oilers in overtime by a score of 3-2, while the Oilers shut out the Flames 3-0 at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome.
A total of 43 players saw action for the Oilers between the two games, ranging from blueliners Brett Kulak and Darnell Nurse, veterans of 10 and 11 NHL seasons, respectively, to forwards Tomas Lafreniere and David Lewandowski, who were selected in the third and fourth rounds, respectively, of June’s NHL Draft.
For players competing to make the Oilers roster and Edmonton’s young prospects, Sunday was their chance to make an impression. Here are four such individuals who took advantage of that opportunity:
Matvey Petrov
After a fantastic junior career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the North Bay Battalion, forward Matvey Petrov has disappointed since turning pro, totalling just 18 goals and 30 points in 103 games over the last two seasons for the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Going into the final season of his three-year entry-level contract, the 22-year-old Russian is facing a make-it-or-break-it campaign. Petrov’s future with the organization hinges on how he performs over the next several months, and he’s got a lot to prove. But he couldn’t have started off any better than he did on Sunday.
In Edmonton’s 3-2 loss at Rogers Place, Petrov scored one of his team’s goals and assisted on the other, finishing the night with two points to go along with three shots on goal in 10:51 of ice time. He was named the game’s third star.
Playing on Edmonton’s fourth line, the 6-foot-2 winger created offensive opportunities, looking a lot like the player the Oilers might have envisioned when drafting him in 2021. They’ll want to see him keep this up as the competition gets stiffer further into the preseason.
Connor Clattenburg
There seems to be a trend developing with Connor Clattenburg, a 20-year-old centre who Edmonton selected with the 160th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
In a Rookie Camp exhibition game between Edmonton and Calgary at Rogers Place on Sept. 12, Clattenburg absolutely ran amok, scoring a goal and fighting twice.
Nine days later, this time at Scotiabank Saddledome, the 6-foot-2 shift disturber was at it again, lighting lamps and dropping gloves.
Clatty adds to the #Oilers lead in YYC 👊 pic.twitter.com/1Io7IyuTd8
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 22, 2025
Clattenburg scored Edmonton’s second goal, unassisted at 8:18 of the third period, then on his next shift fought Calgary defenceman Nick Cicek. He finished the game with two shots on goal, two blocked shots and two hits in just under 10 minutes of ice time.
Expectations are that Clattenburg will begin the season in the AHL with Bakersfield, but it would be an irresistible storyline if he actually made Edmonton’s opening night roster on Oct. 8, given who the Oilers are playing: Calgary, of course.
Nathaniel Day and Samuel Jonsson
Goaltenders Nathaniel Day and Samuel Jonsson combined to blank the Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Day started the game and made eight saves in 29:31, before Jonsson took over midway through the second period and stopped all 12 shots he faced.
While neither Oilers netminder faced a ton of rubber, such lack of activity can sometimes be to a goalie’s detriment, and that wasn’t an issue for Day or Jonsson, as both showed veteran focus.
Between the two, it was Jonsson who had the most challenging saves. The 21-year-old’s performance was particularly encouraging, given his struggles in his Rookie Camp exhibition appearance. Day, meanwhile, continues to impress, following another solid showing from the 20-year-old in Rookie Camp.
Related: 6 Things to Know About Oilers’ Goalie Prospect Nathaniel Day
Neither Day (drafted 184th overall in 2023) nor Jonsson (selected with the 158th pick in 2022) are expected to play for the Oilers in 2025-26, but they are battling for spots on the organizational depth chart. One may end up in the AHL with Bakersfield, while the other lands down in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets.
Despite being a year younger, Day likely has the leg up: The former OHL goaltender is much more experienced in North American hockey than Jonsson, who is playing outside his native Sweden for the first time, and already has a cup of coffee in the pros: Day suited up for a handful of games last spring with the Komets, and played very well.
Edmonton’s next preseason game is Tuesday (Sept. 23) when the Oilers visit the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre.
