Wakely added a second shorthanded goal and displayed some offensive skills that have flourished in the last year.

Wakely added a ho-hum third goal of the weekend to help the Colts beat the Brampton Steelheads.

Wakely is playing in all high-leverage situations, including PP1 and a big role in the penalty kill. I would expect Wakely to have success this season, given his age in the OHL. However, if he has as much or more success as last season, Wakely will enter pro hockey as a very good prospect for the Oilers.

Noah Philp

To say the Oilers fan base loves underdogs would be a massive understatement. So when Noah Philp was sent to Bakersfield after playing well in the pre-season, it was a letdown for many, me included. In my eyes, Philp had won a job in the top 12 of the Oilers, but the team has a lot of vets on one-way contracts and Philp was only returning to the game after a year away. So down Philp went to Bakersfield.

The AHL is a slow-starting league, and as such, Oilers fans have only had one game to see Philp in a Condors jersey. That game was against the league’s best team from last year, the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Palm Springs. It was a very tough start to the season. When Philp hit the ice, he was put on the first line with Drake Cagguila on one wing and Matthew Savoie on the other.

Philp displayed his well-earned reputation as a strong defensive centre in this game. Here is an example of how hard he is to play against in his own zone. Even when someone takes a run at him, his size and stature make it hard to move him off the puck.

However, what I was most interested in was how he would play offensively. He had some very good moments all night, but none more than his secondary assist on the game-winning goal for the Condors.

I want to break down this clip because it highlights the changes in Philp’s skating that has led to a vast improvement in his overall play. The clip starts with Philp resetting the play by sending it back to his defenceman. Now, watch him circle back up into space and take the pass. Almost immediately, he is pressed by a defender. He uses a great little shift to get to the outside and then uses his size and reach to beat him wide. Philp is then attacked by a second layer of defenders.

Watch this little twitch to the inside by Philp to create a passing lane to the oncoming Matthew Savoie. Goal.

I don’t have any video to show you of Philp not being able to do this, but trust me, this little twitch is new for Philp. His skating, both tempo and his lateral mobility, have improved dramatically. How long he remains in the AHL, I am unsure. However, if he can get on a strong run of games, he will make it very hard for the Oilers not to recall him soon.

Sam O’Reilly

O’Reilly returned to London after the Oilers training camp to a depleted Knights roster. However, that changed pretty quickly when Denver Barkey and Easton Cowan were returned to the team by the NHL clubs. With both back, there was a question of what would happen to O’Reilly. Well, the London Knights made Oiler management very happy by playing O’Reilly between Cowan and Barkey (Barkey was moved to the second line in the Knights game on Saturday).

This week, in three games, O’Reilly went 1-2—3 and added eight shots on net. He is a little on the passive side offensively with these two offensive dynamos. This week, his point totals were generated from being a strong defensive centre. This clip as one example where all O’Reilly does is win the faceoff.

It’s important to win the faceoff, no question. However, O’Reilly needs to take a more active role in the offence.

To emphasize O’Reilly’s defensive play, here is a clip to show how hard O’Reilly works to make life uncomfortable for the opposition.

It might take O’Reilly a few games to find his role with more offensively gifted players on his wings. It will be important for this part of his game to develop.

Shane Lachance

Those who read my prospect reviews know that I think Lachance can play a Pat Maroon-type role in the NHL. However, there is one thing that Maroon did not possess even in his best years: a shot that can beat goalies from a distance. Lachance has that skill, and he showed it a lot last year, picking it up this year the same way.

Lachance has 2-2—4 in his first two games and has tallied nine shots. Him shooting more this year will be a good thing because he can do it well. Watch this clip of his ability to gather in a puck and release it with pace and accuracy without hesitation.

Again, the focus this year for Lachance will be skating. That needs to continue to improve. If it does, his scoring skills will make him very compelling down the road.

Beau Akey

Beau Akey has had a very long journey back. After undergoing season-ending should surgery almost a year ago, Akey only returned to OHL games late last week. He looked tentative and like a player just trying to find his way, but in a game on Saturday, Akey started to look more like himself.

He’s a very active player whose four-way skating ability makes him a very intriguing prospect. In what will surely boost his confidence, he scored a goal, too. It’s not a pretty one, but look at his emotion after he scores.

I cannot imagine what the last year has been like for Akey. No question, it was likely borne of frustration and uncertainty about the future. This week was a good step in the right direction. Akey will be one to follow all year. He has skillsets the Oilers could really benefit from in the years to come.

News and Notes

William Nicholl was the other London Knight impacted by the return of Easton Cowan and Denver Barkey. Nicholl was playing up the linemate and on the first powerplay. After Cowan and Barkey returned, Nicholl returned to the third line as the centre. In his first week in this role, he has continued his fine play. Nicholl went 2-2—4 in three games and added eight shots. Six of those eight came in one game in a very strong performance to help London win 5-1.

Maxim Beryozkin continues his strong play. He has now taken the team lead in scoring with 4-8-12 in 15 games. This week, he had a goal and three assists. He also had 11 shots on net, which is a key for me. Beryozkin is far more dangerous when he generates shots off his stick. He can score from a distance with his release but also creates shot-assist chances for his teammates.

Albin Sundin has moved from the seventh defenceman in Frolunda to the second pairing. He is averaging about 15 minutes a night and is playing well. This is an encouraging development for the twenty-year-old who is the youngest defender on the team by four years.

In less encouraging news, Nikita Yevseyev continues to get the middle finger from his KHL team, AK Bars. This week, Yevseyev played three seconds in a game. That’s right, three seconds. It cannot be very fun for the young man.

That’s it for this week’s Oiler Prospect Report. Please leave your feedback here or to @bcurlock on the X. Have a great week and see you at the rink.