Fresh off the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere in Las Vegas, where they selected London Knights forward Sam O’Reilly with the 32nd overall pick, the Edmonton Oilers held their annual Development Camp last week, bringing 17 prospects together for three days in the Alberta capital.
Based out of Rogers Place, the camp was conducted entirely off-ice and included medicals, fitness testing, training sessions and team-building activities.
Wide Range of Prospects
The 17 prospects included 10 forwards, four defencemen and three goaltenders. The youngest, William Nicholl, just turned 18 at the end of May, while the oldest, Tomas Mazura, turns 24 in September.
| Player | Position | Acquired | 2023-24 Team |
| Beau Akey | D | Drafted 56th overall in 2023 | Barrie Colts (OHL) |
| Bauer Berry | D | Drafted 218th overall in 2024 | Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) |
| Connor Clattenburg | F | Drafted 160th overall in 2024 | Flint Firebirds (OHL) |
| Matt Copponi | F | Drafted 216th overall in 2023 | Merrimack College (NCAA) |
| Nathaniel Day | G | Drafted 184th overall in 2023 | Flint Firebirds (OHL) |
| Samuel Jonsson | G | Drafted 158th overall in 2022 | Bofors IK (Sweden) |
| Shane Lachance | F | Drafted 186th overall in 2021 | Boston University (NCAA) |
| Tomas Mazura | F | Drafted 162nd overall in 2019 | St. Lawrence University (NCAA) |
| Luca Munzenberger | D | Drafted 90th overall in 2021 | University of Vermont (NCAA) |
| William Nicholl | F | Drafted 196th overall in 2024 | London Knights (OHL) |
| Joel Maatta | F | Drafted 222nd overall in 2022 | University of Vermont (NCAA) |
| Sam O’Reilly | F | Drafted 32nd overall in 2024 | London Knights (OHL) |
| James Stefan | F | Signed as free agent in 2024 | Portland Winterhawks (WHL) |
| Brady Stonehouse | F | Signed as free agent in 2023 | Ottawa 67’s (OHL) |
| Albin Sundin | D | Drafted 183rd overall in 2024 | Vastra Frolunda (Sweden) |
| Connor Ungar | G | Signed as free agent in 2024 | Brock University (U Sports) |
| Dalyn Wakely | F | Drafted 192nd overall in 2024 | North Bay Battalion (OHL) |
Nearly half of the prospects spent last season in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), with seven playing in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and one in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Bauer Berry, who was in the United States Hockey League (USHL) last season, was also in attendance. Another five of the prospects played in the NCAA and one played U Sports hockey in 2023-24, while two spent last season in Sweden.
Six of the seven players selected by Edmonton in the 2024 NHL Draft last month were at the camp; only Finnish netminder Eemil Vinni, the 64th overall pick, was absent. All three members of Edmonton’s 2023 Draft class were in attendance. The prospect list further included two players each from the 2021 and 2022 Draft classes, as well as 2019 draft pick Mazura. Three of the camp attendees were not drafted, but signed by Edmonton as professional free agents within the last year.
Oilers Keep Off the Ice
Breaking from both their own tradition and the norm for most NHL teams, the Oilers decided to not have any on-ice activities during their 2024 Development Camp. Instead, there was an emphasis on the prospects bonding together away from the rink, playing pickleball one day and golfing the next.
“I love pickleball and I love golf, I play a lot of both in the summer, so it’s a lot of fun,” said California native James Stefan, a forward from the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks who signed a three-year entry-level contract (ELC) with the Oilers in March. “(You get to) have fun with the other guys, take a break from everything, all the hockey side of everything, and just have some fun.”
The prospects also had a session with George Mumford, a renowned sports psychologist and mental skills coach. Mumford worked with the Oilers throughout the 2023-24 NHL season and 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and has been credited with helping Connor McDavid, Stuart Skinner and their teammates overcome many challenges to get all the way to Game 7 of the championship series.
Oilers Downsize Camp From Previous Years
Edmonton’s 2024 Development Camp was significantly smaller than last year, when camp spanned four days and comprised 29 players (17 forwards, eight blueliners, and four goalies).
“I like how we’re doing it this year,” said forward Shane Lachance, who was attending his third Development Camp since being drafted by the Oilers in 2021. “It’s nice that it’s a little bit of a smaller group. You’re able to talk to more people, get to know more people, and it’s just, you feel more comfortable.”
First Round Pick Gets First Look at Rogers Place
Less than a week after hearing the Oilers call his name with the final pick of the first round, O’Reilly visited Rogers Place for the first time.
Related: 5 Things to Know About Oilers’ First-Round Draft Pick Sam O’Reilly
“People tell you how amazing it is, but I can tell you seeing it in person, it’s a different level,” said O’Reilly, who helped the Knights win the OHL championship this spring. “It’s hard to describe how it is because you have to see it first person, but its pretty unreal how it’s built here, the room and the facility and all that. So it’s just unreal, that’s how I like to put it.”
O’Reilly and others will return to Edmonton in September for the team’s 2024 Rookie Camp, which takes place ahead of Oilers’ main camp.
