The Edmonton Oil Kings have officially surpassed their win total from last season, which was only 10, having won their 15th game of the season this month. They have had some interesting stories surrounding them as of late after a really interesting trade deadline, and calling up a few players for the remainder of the season who were only affiliated with the team to start the campaign has the team in a positive mindset as they’re close to finishing the season. At the time of this article, the Oil Kings currently sit at 15-26-1-1 and are 12 points behind the Calgary Hitmen in the Central Division. They have been surprisingly competitive this season, and the future is very bright, with high hopes heading towards the 2024-25 season.
Related: Brett Kulak Suggested as Oilers’ Trade Deadline Casualty
On top of the deadline, the several transactions, and the winning streak, they also have a few prospects who are considered top prospects heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, including Adam Jecho, Gavin Hodnett, and Parker Alcos. Jecho even earned the opportunity to play in the CHL Top Prospects game to showcase himself to NHL scouts, and he currently projects to be a potential first-round pick but will likely slip into the second round.
Either way, it’s cool to see that Jecho’s hard work has been paying off in a big way. This monthly recap will briefly examine a few things surrounding the Oil Kings over Late December and into January.
Oil Kings Very Active Leading up to & at Trade Deadline
The Oil Kings made several massive moves leading up to the trade deadline. The first big move they made was trading Vojtech Port, Rilen Kovacevic, and a 2024 sixth-round pick to the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for Andrej Tomasec and three future draft picks, including a first-round pick in the 2025 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. Port, who is owned by the Anaheim Ducks, and Kovacevic were seen as two of the best players on the Oil Kings, so for them to be traded was a bit shocking, but for a rebuilding team, it made sense to make the move.
The Oil Kings then went out and made a massive trade with the Seattle Thunderbirds. They traded Nathan Pilling and seven draft picks in exchange for Gracyn Sawchyn, Lukas Sawchyn, and Tracen Ashley. While the move made no sense at first since trading away that many picks along with a solid offensive player in Pilling isn’t usually something a rebuilding team does, (Gracyn) Sawchyn has been an offensive powerhouse since being acquired and could prove to be a genius addition heading into next season. Since joining the Oil Kings, he has scored five goals and added nine assists for 14 points through 12 games.
Lukas, the younger brother, is currently playing in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Chicago Steel as a 16-year-old. If the Oil Kings play their cards right, he could follow in his brother’s footsteps if he decides against going the NCAA route in the 2025-26 season. Either way, this deal is looking like a massive win for the Oil Kings as we head into the final stretch of the regular season.
The Oil Kings waited a couple more weeks before making any moves and made their next trade on Jan. 9th, with the Tri-City Americans trading away Mason Finley in exchange for an 8th-round pick in 2026. On trade deadline day the following day, the Oil Kings were involved in a three-way trade with the Saskatoon Blades and Kelowna Rockets; below are the details of the trade:
Oil Kings Acquire: Ismail Abougouche and a 2026 second-round pick from Saskatoon
Rockets Acquire: Carter Kowalyk, a 2024 second-round draft pick from the Blades, a 2026 third-round draft pick from the Blades (initially owned by the Thunderbirds), and a 2025 fourth-round draft pick from the Oil Kings
Blades Acquire: John Babcock
That was their final trade of the 2023-24 WHL season, and while fans expected a complete dumpster fire to finish off the season, the team has improved significantly.
Winning Ways/Recalling Perry & Kerner for the Season
After the trade deadline had come and gone, the Oil Kings chose to recall two 2007-born players for the remainder of the season. Goaltender Hudson Perry and forward Presley Kerner have been with the Oil Kings permanently since the deadline and have provided solid depth. Perry was recalled after the Oil Kings decided to assign Logan Cunningham to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). Kerner was recalled to add some extra forward depth and allow him to get a real taste of the WHL. Both guys are expected to be a part of the Oil Kings in the 2024-25 season.
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The final thing I will mention in this recap is the impressive play the Oil Kings had in late December/early January to improve their record. Between Dec. 17th, 2023, and Jan. 3rd, 2024, the Oil Kings played six games, winning five of them and getting a point in their only loss, which came in overtime. A little streak like that was enough to boost their confidence, and while making the playoffs is impossible at this point in the season, it’s nice to see the team hasn’t thrown in the towel yet.
It seems fairly likely that the Oil Kings will have a high draft pick at the 2024 WHL Bantam Draft. There are some solid choices in the first round that the team could look at, but first, they have to focus on having a solid finish. They have already had a better season than the 2022-23 campaign, so hopefully, they can build on this momentum, carry it into the 2024-25 season, and find themselves back in the playoff picture.
