Ranking the Oilers' Last 10 First-Round Picks - The Hockey Writers - Oilers History

*This archive was originally written by Rob Couch

Over the past decade, it’s been feast or famine for the Edmonton Oilers when it comes to drafting in the first round. Some of that can be attributed to their performance on the ice as they’ve been a contending team for the past three seasons and have had later picks in the first round. A good percentage of their core is still made up of players they drafted high in the first round of the NHL Draft, however how they’ve handled some of their picks hasn’t exactly been a blueprint for success. Championship teams are built through the draft and the Oilers still have a strong nucleus of top first-round picks that could still carry the team to a Stanley Cup but only time will tell. Let’s examine how the Oilers have fared in the past ten NHL drafts:

10. Xavier Bourgault

Xavier Bourgault was the Oilers’ 2021 draft pick and signed his entry-level contract with the Oilers on March 31, 2022. He had a strong playoff year in 2021-22 CHL season with 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 22 playoff games helping Shawinigan win the President’s Cup as QMJHL champions. He played for the Oilers’s main farm team, the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 AHL seasons and was traded to the Ottawa Senators with Jake Chiasson on July 15, 2024, for Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. In all, Bourgault had 54 points (21 goals, 33 assists) in 117 games for the Condors.

Considering he had shown a great level of skill in junior, his game hasn’t translated to the NHL. So far with his new team, Ottawa’s AHL Affiliate, Belleville Senators, Bourgault has 13 points in 41 games (5 goals, 8 assists). It may be another season before Bourgaoult has a legitimate chance of becoming a full time NHLer with the Senators.

9. Reid Schaefer

The Oilers drafted Reid Schaefer with the last pick of the 2022 Draft, so even though he’s a first-round pick, he doesn’t have as much pressure to turn into a top-six player as most of the other players chosen by this team over the past decade. He wasn’t an offensive force in junior like many, scoring 60 goals and 119 points in 121 the past two seasons but should still be able to get some good years of development in the American Hockey League (AHL) before being NHL-ready.

The Oilers used him in a trade with the Nashville Predators in order to get Mattias Ekholm and we still might not see what he can do in the NHL for a few years yet. As of right now, he’s playing for Nashville’s AHL Affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, where he currently has 35 career points (15 goals 20 assists) in 82 games in close to two 2023-24 and 2024-25 AHL seasons.

8. Jesse Puljujarvi

What could’ve been. The Oilers and Jesse Puljujarvi is a cautionary tale of a former fourth-overall pick in 2016 who just never really panned out in the NHL. When the early start of his NHL career didn’t work out, he went overseas for a year before returning under new management. It appeared to have worked, as he didn’t have a sense of entitlement as a young and inexperienced player and worked his way up the depth chart.

Edmonton Oilers Celebrate — Jesse Puljujarvi #13 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates a goal against the Vancouver Canucks with teammates Darnell Nurse #25, Connor McDavid #97, Leon Draisaitl #29 and Tyson Barrie #22 (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

Puljujarvi scored 15 goals and 25 points in 55 games in 2020-21 in what looked like a big step forward from the last time the Oilers had seen him play in the NHL. That continued into the first half of the 2021-22 season where he started hot and solidified his spot on the top line. That all came crumbling down after his mid-season injury where he was unable to generate any offence and got bumped down the lineup. 2022-23 went even worse for him and it forced the Oilers to trade him to the Carolina Hurricanes. He signed a two-year, $1.6 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 4, 2024, after signing a professional tryout on Dec. 10, 2023.

Things didn’t work out in Pittsburgh and Puljujarvi was put on waivers in early February of 2025. He eventually signed a PTO (professional tryout) with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, the Florida Panthers’ AHL affiliate where he may become teammates with the sixth-overall pick in his draft year, Matthew Tkachuk.

7. Kailer Yamamoto

Kailer Yamamoto, drafted at 22nd overall in 2017 turned into a solid winger for the Oilers for three seasons. After being drafted, Yamamoto had a couple of short trial runs in Edmonton, and he spent about a season and a half in the AHL playing great hockey on the Bakersfield Condors’ top line before getting the call and finishing the 2019-20 season off strong.

Twenty-six points in 27 games was unrealistic to think he could replicate the following season and understandably took a bit of a step back before heading back in the right direction in 2021-22. That was his best season where he posted 41 points in 81 games (20 goals 21 assists).

Yamamoto made the most of his size but injuries slowed his progress and he and Klim Kostin were traded by Edmonton to the Detroit Red Wings on June 29, 2023, for future considerations. On July 2, Yamamoto signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Seattle Kraken.

Yamamoto signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Utah Hockey Club on Oct. 6, 2024, after taking part in training camp on a professional tryout contract. He currently plays for the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL and leads the team in scoring as of early March 2025 with 44 points in 43 games (15 goals 29 assists).

6. Sam O’Reilly

The Edmonton Oilers acquired the 32nd-overall pick from the Philadelphia Flyers on June 28, 2024 and selected forward Sam O’Reilly from the OHL’s London Knights with the final pick of the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft .

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound two-way centreman from Toronto finished third amongst OHL rookies in scoring with 20 goals and 36 assists in 68 games and was named to the OHL’s Second All-Rookie Team.

O’Reilly had an impressive training camp with the Oilers and turned a lot of heads with his two way play. There was talk about O’Reilly possibly making the opening night roster for the Oilers on Oct. 9 2024 but he was eventually sent back to the Knights for the 2024-25 OHL Season.

O’Reilly made news on Feb. 28 delivering a career night, netting his first OHL hat trick as the London Knights dominated the Owen Sound Attack 9-1 on home ice. O’Reilly’s offensive explosion fueled a commanding victory, showcasing his scoring prowess and playmaking ability as London continued their push for playoff dominance.

5. Philip Broberg

Philip Broberg had a tremendous post-season with the Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs and was handsomely rewarded with an offer sheet by the St. Louis Blues on Aug. 13 2024 which the Oilers didn’t match. Drafted eighth overall in 2019, Broberg spent

4. Dylan Holloway

Dylan Holloway was the Oilers’ 2020 first-round pick who went in the middle of the first round. He had taken a different route than most of the players they have drafted, as he spent two seasons at the University of Wisconsin and appeared to be primed to play in the NHL all of 2022-23 before an injury. Upon returning, he played 33 games for the Condors tallying 22 points after a bit of a slow start. Holloway become an NHL regular and spent the majority of the 2023-24 season with the Oilers, totaling nine points in 38 games. But it was in the playoffs in 23-24 that Holloway shone where he tallied 7 points in 26 playoff games (5 goals 2 assists).

The Oilers chose not to re-sign him at the end of the 23-24 NHL season and Holloway was given an offer sheet by the St. Louis Blues on Aug. 13 2024. Since joining the Blues Holloway has blossomed into a solid NHLer and as of Feb. 2025 notched his 20th goal of the season, accumulating 46 points in 62 games with the Blues. Holloway’s speed is definitely missed on the Oilers, and with his youth, speed and potential, he could become a top 50 scorer in the NHL. Oilers management probably regrets letting the young forward get away, and Holloway remains a case study on how not to handle one of your top prospects.

3. Evan Bouchard

Evan Bouchard’s ceiling is still very high after close to six full seasons in the NHL. Drafted 10th overall in the first round by the Oilers in 2018, Bouchard has become a point-per-game player and anchors the Oilers power-play, which despite a dip in the 2024-25 NHL season, remains one of the best power-play units in the league.

Bouchard has a very good shot and a knack for walking the line and getting shots through and on net. He has tremendous offensive IQ and developed on the defensive side of the puck thanks to Duncan Keith’s mentorship. Bouchard’s 2024-25 NHL season hasn’t been as strong as the 2023-24 season where he notched a career highs in goals with 18 and assists with 64. His defensive play has had a few ups and downs in the 24-25 NHL season, leaving the Oilers in a tough position as Bouchard, an RFA, needs to be re-signed and will be seeking a significant raise from his current $3.9 Million contract which expires at the end of the season.

2. Leon Draisaitl

Leon Draisaitl is having another MVP calibre season in 2024-25 and would be number one on many other teams’ lists if it weren’t for the Oilers’ captain, but he is still one of the best players in the league year after year. Taken third overall at the 2014 NHL entry draft, it took Draisaitl over half a season of development in the AHL before he stepped in and was impactful for the Oilers. He has an underrated defensive game and is very good at killing penalties when called upon. He also has a sneaky shot, is one of the best at protecting the puck in the league when it’s on his stick, and is great in the faceoff circle.

Leon Draisaitl Edmonton Oilers — Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)

Draisaitl gives the Oilers options as he can easily run his own line but is also dynamic when put with Connor McDavid on the top line to produce offence every time they’re together. Draisaitl has won the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and a Ted Lindsay Award while recording over 100 points in six of the past seven seasons, and is currently on pace for another 100 point season in 2024-25.

He is also a three-time 50-goal scorer and has scored more than 15 power-play goals in six consecutive seasons, almost setting the NHL record for the most in one season in 2022-23. When you look at playoffs, he might be a top-five player all-time.

1. Connor McDavid

The best player in the world, Connor McDavid, is of course number one on this list, as he is the definition of a generational talent. He has won five Art Ross Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, and three Hart Trophies, and has scored 100 points in seven of his ten seasons in the NHL. In the two in which he didn’t reach the century mark, he missed a bunch of games.

Connor McDavid Edmonton Oilers — Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

McDavid also had one of the most impressive playoffs you will witness in your life as he put the Oilers on his back and took them to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 when he was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He is constantly talked about alongside the best players to play the game and for good reason considering he was one of very few players to reach the 150-point mark in a season. McDavid recently scored the biggest goal of his career as Team Canada beat the United States to win the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025. He has now just entered his prime and recently notched his 1,000 career point in 659 games, becoming the fourth fastest in NHL history to reach that milestone.

Do you agree with the order? If not, which players would you change around? Let me know in the comments below.

Ranking the Oilers’ Last 10 First-Round Picks