The Edmonton Oilers are in their Stanley Cup window, which can pose a challenge. There’s a delicate balance between remaining competitive and getting younger at the same time. It wasn’t that long ago that Edmonton was the oldest team in the league, so injecting more youth into the organization was a top priority.
The Oilers have sacrificed draft capital and future assets in their pursuit of Lord Stanley. As a result, they haven’t had high draft picks to replenish their prospect pool. They didn’t pick until the third round in the 2025 Draft, selecting Tommy Lafreniere 80th overall. They are also without their first-round pick in 2026, as they traded it to the San Jose Sharks in the Jake Walman deal.
Related: Oilers GM Stan Bowman Has His Work Cut Out for Him
Therefore, general manager Stan Bowman had to get creative. He added youth with limited draft capital. He found players to bolster the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL), who also have the potential to crack the NHL roster.
The Oilers’ general manager targeted older prospects who are closer to NHL-ready than some drafted teenagers would be, keeping them competitive for a longer window. For example, he acquired 24-year-old Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Tristan Jarry deal. Poulin has played 15 career NHL games, including two this season, so he can step in if necessary and adds organizational depth.
While the players Bowman brought in aren’t all guarantees to play with the big club, they can be used as trade chips for potential deadline acquisitions. It was thought that Edmonton didn’t have assets, but thanks to Bowman, that’s not the case.
Bowman Signed European Talent
Bowman signed some European players who are finding success in the AHL, most notably Viljami Marjala and Josh Samanski. Marjala was signed out of Finland in June, but played his junior hockey in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the Quebec Remparts. The 22-year-old is currently third on the Condors in points with seven goals and 24 points in 27 games.
Samanski has also impressed. Like Marjala, he played junior hockey in North America. He played one season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) with King Rebellion. Then, he played one season with the Owen Sound Attack in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a 17-year-old.
He was signed out of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the highest division in Germany. The 23-year-old German is fifth on the Condors in points with five goals and 22 points in 27 games. These European prospects have transitioned seamlessly to the professional North American style.
Bowman Took the NCAA Route
Bowman also dipped into the college market, signing Quinn Hutson and Damien Carfagna from the NCAA, while also acquiring Isaac Howard via trade. Hutson has been the biggest surprise. He has been dominant in the AHL, leading all rookies in points with 28 points in 24 games, including 16 goals.
His stellar play earned a call-up to the big club, where he scored his first NHL goal in three games this season. The 23-year-old was signed in April, following his appearance in the NCAA Final, and played two games with Edmonton at the end of last season.
Carfagna was signed out of Ohio State University, and played two seasons with them, recording nine goals and 34 points in 72 games as a defenceman. The 23-year-old has two goals and seven points in 21 games with the Condors. He adds organizational depth and youth on the back end. He’s not NHL-ready, but could be used as a trade piece down the line.
Howard is the most exciting NCAA prospect and the one with the most potential. The Oilers acquired him from the Tampa Bay Lightning for prospect Sam O’Reilly. Bowman made this deal because Howard is closer to contributing at the NHL level. The Wisconsin native won the 2025 Hobey Baker Award for the NCAA’s top player.
The 21-year-old cracked the Oilers’ opening night roster and played 17 games, recording two goals and three points. However, he wasn’t getting enough ice time, so he was sent down to the AHL, which was the right move. He has excelled since joining the Condors, recording nine goals and 19 points in 14 games and logging big minutes.
Bowman should be applauded for his ability to creatively replenish Edmonton’s prospect pool without draft capital within the first year on the job. He’s trying to keep the Stanley Cup window open for as long as possible, and is doing an admirable job.
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