The Edmonton Oil Kings are heading into the 2024-25 Western Hockey League (WHL) season expecting to push for a playoff spot. They improved last season and were on the right track as the season came to a close, but weren’t able to fight their way out from the bottom of the standings. They came into training camp ready to make a postseason push and some new players could be X-factors when it comes to their success this season.
While players like Adam Jecho, Gavin Hodnett, and Parker Alcos are expected to help lead the Oil Kings to the promised land this season, a few players deserve more recognition heading into the new campaign.
Miroslav Holinka
Forward Miroslav Holinka was drafted by the Oil Kings in this season’s import draft and signed a scholarship and development agreement. He is also a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect (selected 151st in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft). He has been praised as a strong two-way forward who has offensive upside and could be a massive addition to the Oil Kings’ top six this season.
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Last season, Holinka played in his home country of Czechia in the U20 league with HC Ocelári Trinec where he scored 20 goals and 41 points through 29 games, which comes out to a 1.41 points-per-game average. The Oil Kings will look to utilize his strong offensive presence when he returns from Maple Leafs’ rookie camp as he looks to continue developing into a potential future NHL star.
Czechia’s U20 team wrapped up a tournament in Finland in July, where Holinka finished second on the club in scoring with three goals and four points through three games. He was tied for the team lead in goals with fellow Oil King Jecho, but Jecho led the team with six points in four games.
Owen Mastroianni
Another player to watch is forward Owen Mastroianni, who has already spent some time with the Oil Kings. Mastroianni played two games last season, notching one assist, and looked solid defensively. He spent most of the campaign playing in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) with Edge School U18 Prep, where he scored eight goals and 19 points through 22 games, which comes out to a 0.86 points-per-game average.
[Mastroianni] forechecked well and was able to disrupt the breakout. Owen also fell back for pinching defensemen and was responsible defensively overall. Given his size and that he played primarily at the U18 level this season, it is unlikely that Owen will be drafted next season. That being said, he should have a serviceable WHL career that could propel him to a minor pro deal in the future.
– Nick Earle, WHL: Edmonton vs Calgary Review, March 14, 2024
While Mastroianni isn’t going to be a superstar goal scorer who will walk his way to an NHL contract, he should be able to produce at a solid rate for a middle-six forward with the Oil Kings. He has had a solid training camp and should crack the opening-night roster. Overall, he will stand out more for his intangibles than his natural offensive ability.
Jack Toogood
Finally, forward Jack Toogood grew up in Devon, Alberta, just a half-hour outside of Edmonton. Last season, Toogood played four games with the Oil Kings and didn’t register a point, but he spent most of the season with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep in the CSSHL, where he scored seven goals and 22 points through 25 games, which comes out to a 0.88 points-per-game average.
While there are more players who could be X-factors, like Jager Gugyelka, Presley Kerner, and Alex Worthington, the three aforementioned players have stood out during training camp the most. With an overabundance of forwards, the Oil Kings have some tough decisions to make, but these three should be in the lineup when their WHL season gets going on Friday, Sept. 20 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
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