On Monday (Oct. 21), the Edmonton Oilers announced they had signed their 2024 first-round draft pick, 18-year-old forward Sam O’Reilly, to a three-year, entry-level contract. They had made a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers to acquire the 32nd overall pick in the draft, moving up to select O’Reilly after a strong season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the London Knights.
SAM = SIGNED ✍️
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 21, 2024
The #Oilers have inked 2024 first-round draft pick Sam O'Reilly to a three-year, entry-level contract. https://t.co/xhdN7hyBD8
O’Reilly stands 6-foot-1, 183 pounds, and is a right-shot. In the 2023-24 season, O’Reilly played 68 games with the Knights scoring 20 goals and adding 36 assists for 56 points which comes out to a 0.82 points-per-game average. Despite some fans believing the Oilers reached in selecting O’Reilly, his strong start in the 2024-25 campaign has silenced doubters. Through their first seven games, he has scored two goals and added three assists for five points, giving him 61 points through 80 career OHL games.
Before being returned to the Knights, O’Reilly played in this year’s Young Stars Classic in Penticton, British Columbia, as well as playing four preseason games scoring one goal. His strong two-way game makes him one of the Oilers’ strongest prospects, and he is tracking to try and crack their roster within the next few seasons.
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