Before the trade deadline, the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool suffers a significant setback.
The Edmonton Oilers are a team with high expectations in the NHL. With a roster featuring some of the league’s most dynamic players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they have built an identity around offensive firepower and an exciting brand of hockey. However, as with any team hoping to contend for a Stanley Cup, the Oilers’ success is not only dependent on the talent already present on the roster, but also on the development of their prospect pool — the pipeline of young players who could one day become integral pieces of the team.
The 2025 trade deadline loomed large for Edmonton. As the team prepared to make moves that could solidify their playoff position, there was an unexpected setback: the Oilers’ once-promising prospect pool suffered a significant blow. This development raised questions about the long-term future of the team and how the management team would respond in light of their immediate and future needs.
In this article, we’ll examine the causes of this setback, the potential ramifications for the Oilers’ future, and what steps the organization may take to manage this situation moving forward. Through exploring both internal and external factors, we’ll paint a picture of how this setback may shape the team’s strategy at the trade deadline and beyond.
The State of the Oilers’ Prospect Pool
Before delving into the specifics of the setback, it’s important to understand the context of the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool as it stood heading into the 2025 season. The Oilers have been steadily building a promising pipeline over the past few seasons, adding young talent through both the draft and development programs. However, much of their early focus was on bolstering the roster around McDavid and Draisaitl, which left fewer resources available to properly develop prospects.
By 2025, the Oilers’ prospect pool had shown signs of life. Key players like Xavier Bourgault and Dylan Holloway were viewed as essential future contributors to the team, while others like Philip Broberg and Carter Savoie represented the team’s commitment to developing strong, two-way players that could complement their elite talent. As a result, the Oilers were seen as a team with a solid mix of veteran star power and emerging young talent—something every contending team needs to maintain sustainability.
Despite this positive outlook, the Oilers have always faced challenges in terms of balancing the development of their young talent and remaining competitive. Over the years, they’ve traded away some of their top prospects in deals designed to bolster their current roster in pursuit of a Stanley Cup. The dilemma is one that many teams in a win-now mode face: how to balance short-term success and long-term development.
In the lead-up to the 2025 trade deadline, the Oilers’ prospect pool was shaping up to be a potential cornerstone of their future. However, that future came into question as a series of unexpected developments altered the trajectory of several of their key prospects.
The Setback: Injuries, Underperformance, and Roster Shakeups
The setback that the Oilers experienced with their prospect pool was multi-faceted, stemming from a combination of injuries, underperformance, and roster shakeups that left many wondering about the future viability of the team’s developmental strategy.
1. Injuries to Key Prospects
One of the primary causes of the setback was a series of injuries to some of the Oilers’ most promising young players. Xavier Bourgault, who was expected to make a significant impact at the NHL level in 2025, suffered a lower-body injury that sidelined him for an extended period of time. His absence not only stalled his development but also created a gap in the Oilers’ depth chart. Bourgault had been seen as a potential top-six forward for Edmonton, a player who could provide both offense and two-way play to complement the stars. However, with his injury, the Oilers were forced to rely on other prospects who were not yet ready for full-time NHL roles.
Similarly, Dylan Holloway, another promising forward, suffered a setback with a concussion that slowed his momentum. Holloway had been showing flashes of his potential in his first few seasons, but injuries prevented him from fully establishing himself as a reliable contributor. His inability to stay healthy has raised questions about his long-term viability as part of the Oilers’ plans, with some speculating whether his future in Edmonton might be in jeopardy.
Perhaps most concerning of all was the injury to Philip Broberg, the highly touted defenseman who was viewed as the Oilers’ future on the blue line. Broberg’s development had been going well, but a shoulder injury required surgery and left him off the ice for a significant amount of time. While the Oilers are confident in his recovery, the setback has delayed his potential arrival as an NHL regular, and it also left the team scrambling for defensive depth during a crucial stretch of the season.
These injuries were a heavy blow to the Oilers’ depth, as each of these players was considered a key piece in their future plans. The team had placed a lot of stock in these young players making an impact sooner rather than later, and their injuries left the team in a position where they had to rely more heavily on their veteran roster.
2. Underperformance and Developmental Roadblocks
While injuries certainly played a role, another issue was the underperformance of some of the Oilers’ prospects in their respective leagues. Carter Savoie, a highly skilled forward who was drafted with high expectations, had struggled with consistency in the AHL. His inability to dominate at that level and translate his skills into regular, high-level performances raised doubts about his readiness for an NHL role.
Another prospect that underperformed was Raphael Lavoie, who had previously shown flashes of brilliance but was unable to find consistency in the ECHL and AHL. While he had shown glimpses of top-six forward potential, Lavoie’s inability to establish himself as a dominant player at the lower levels raised questions about his ability to make the leap to the NHL in the near future.
The developmental roadblocks were not just a product of these players’ underachievement; the Oilers also faced challenges in their development systems. Their lack of a consistent developmental strategy for younger players, and the pressure of having to win now, resulted in these prospects either stagnating or struggling to find their place. The lack of immediate success was particularly frustrating for a team that had invested so heavily in drafting and developing talent over the past few seasons.
3. Roster Shakeups and Trade Deadline Decisions
Compounding the issues was the timing of the trade deadline. The Oilers entered the 2025 trade deadline in a strong position, hoping to make moves to solidify their roster for a playoff run. However, given the struggles of their prospect pool, management was left with a dilemma: should they continue to rely on the development of their young players or make moves to strengthen their roster for immediate contention?
As a result of the setbacks in their prospect pool, the Oilers were forced to make some difficult decisions, including the trade of a few younger assets. Xavier Bourgault and Carter Savoie were rumored to be involved in potential trades to acquire players that could help the Oilers make a deeper playoff push. While the Oilers did manage to bring in some veteran players to fill gaps on their roster, this strategy raised long-term concerns about the sustainability of the team’s depth, particularly in terms of their future pipeline.
The decision to trade away some of their top prospects was met with mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike. Some believed that the move was necessary to solidify the team’s chances at a championship, but others feared that the Oilers might be mortgaging their future to win now. The trade deadline decision had long-term implications for the team’s ability to build sustained success, especially with the setbacks their prospects were facing.
Long-Term Implications: What This Means for the Oilers’ Future
The setbacks to the Oilers’ prospect pool create significant challenges for the team moving forward. While Edmonton is in a win-now mode with McDavid and Draisaitl at the height of their powers, the lack of a robust prospect pool could hinder the team’s ability to maintain long-term competitiveness.
1. Cap Space and Financial Flexibility
As the Oilers face increasing pressure to manage their cap space and create a sustainable roster, they may have to rely more heavily on the trade market for veteran players and less on the influx of homegrown talent from their prospect pool. This could limit their financial flexibility in the future and force them to make difficult decisions when it comes to retaining key players.
2. Short-Term Success vs. Long-Term Viability
In the short term, the Oilers’ moves at the trade deadline could bolster their chances for a deep playoff run in 2025. However, in the long run, trading away key prospects like Bourgault or Savoie may come back to haunt them if their current roster starts to age or their star players face injury setbacks. The balance between short-term success and long-term viability will be crucial to the Oilers’ ability to build sustained success.
Moving Forward: What’s Next for the Oilers?
As the Oilers enter the second half of the 2025 season, they will need to adapt to the challenges presented by their setback. To overcome this, they may need to:
- Refocus on Development: The Oilers may need to rethink their developmental approach, providing more consistent opportunities for their prospects to develop in the AHL and integrating them into the NHL when they are truly ready.
- Explore Free Agency: While prospects continue to develop, the team may need to invest in free-agent talent, especially in areas where they lack depth, such as defense or goalt
