Several young players have made an impression with the Edmonton Oilers over the last couple weeks, as the two-time defending Western Conference champs prepare for the 2025-26 NHL season.
It started earlier this month during Rookie Camp, with a home-and-home exhibition series between teams of prospects for the Oilers and Calgary Flames, and continued Sunday, when the Oilers and Flames opened their preseason schedules with a pair of split-squad games, one in each team’s city.
Players like Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard, two forwards that are strong contenders to make Edmonton’s season-opening roster, have stood out. So has Connor Clattenburg, who is proving to have the hands of a scorer and fists of a fighter. But the prospect that might be turning the most heads is the one that most fans hadn’t heard of until now: Viljami Marjala.
A 22-year-old forward, Marjala inked a two-year entry-level contract with the Oilers last June. No one really noticed, however, because his signing happened right in the middle of the Stanley Cup Final between Edmonton and the Florida Panthers. So as a service to Oil Country, we present a long-overdue edition of five things to know about this 6-foot-0, 176-pound, left-shot winger from Oulu, Finland.
Marjala Has Been to Alberta Before
Way back in 2019, Marjala represented his country at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, which was held in both Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and Medicine Hat, Alberta. Marjala, who was 16 years old at the time, scored a team-high four goals and picked up a pair of assists in five games for Finland.
Marjala Played Junior in Canada
After being selected with the 14th pick in the 2020 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft by the Quebec Remparts, Marjala spent two seasons, 2020-21 and 2021-22, with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) club.
Over 98 QMJHL regular season games, Marjala totalled 18 goals and 55 assists. He added two goals and 11 assists in 18 playoff contests.
Marjala Was Drafted by Buffalo
At the 2021 NHL Draft, Marjala was selected in the fifth round, 159th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres. That was a bit lower than where most mock drafts slotted Marjala, who THW pegged to be taken in the third round or early in the fourth round.
The Sabres never came to terms on a contract with the Finnish winger, and as a result, their rights to Marjala expired on June 1 of this year. Less than a week later, he agreed to the deal with Edmonton.
Marjala Went Back to Finland
While he wasn’t part of the Sabres organization, Marjala has been back in his native country, playing with TPS of the Finnish Elite League (Liiga).
In 2023-24, Marjala won Liiga’s Rookie of the Year award after leading all rookies with 17 goals and 23 assists. Last season, Marjala led his team with 52 points and finished fifth in the league with 44 assists.
Marjala Scored Oilers Rookies First Goal
Marjala lit the lamp less than five minutes into his first game wearing an Edmonton jersey, scoring the opening goal of the Rookie Camp exhibition matchup at Rogers Place on Sept. 12.
The versatile forward showed both speed and skill, going in on a breakaway before firing the puck through the five-hole of Flames netminder Owen Say.
Related: 4 Oilers Prospects Who Impressed in Split-Squad Games vs. Flames
Marjala was impressive again in his preseason debut Sunday, factoring in on both Oilers’ goals in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Flames at Rogers Place. He provided a screen on the opening goal of the game from Darnell Nurse, then set up Matvey Petrov for a goal late in the second period.
With Edmonton set to play its next contests on back-to-back nights, Tuesday (Sept. 23) at Canada Life Centre against the Winnipeg Jets and Wednesday (Sept. 24) at home against the Seattle Kraken, look for Marjala to play in at least one of the two games. He’s likely headed to the American Hockey League to start the 2025-26 season, but if Marjala keeps up his strong play, he could at least stick around a while longer this preseason.
