ROOKIE CAMP: Oilers prospects primed and ready to impress in Penticton

EDMONTON, AB – The road to the National Hockey League and the Edmonton Oilers runs through the Okanagan.

For the 25 Oilers prospects and camp invites who’ll be heading to Penticton, B.C. for this weekend’s Young Stars Classic as part of 2023 Rookie Camp, they’ll be hoping to start a brand-new season on the right foot by leaving a lasting impression at the tournament on their organization’s respective coaching and management staffs.

After some quick introductions before completing medical and fitness testing down at Rogers Place on Wednesday, the team travels to Penticton to begin four solid days of team-building, practicing, and game action – including three games against the Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.

There’s an inevitable unfamiliarity that comes with a prospect group being assembled for the first time this week to compete as teammates against other teams’ top prospects in Penticton, but on an individual level, the skills and specialties that each player brings to the table can go a long way in building that early chemistry.

“Tryouts can always be tough for getting into a rhythm with the guys you're playing with because you've never really had experience with them,” said Carter Savoie, who’s participating in his second Oilers Rookie Camp this year.

“But I think just kind of sticking to the strengths that I'm good at, focusing on those areas, having good skating and getting up and down the ice well – all that kind of stuff [helps]. Get familiar with everyone and get a good start going there.”

Edmonton’s Rookie Camp roster boasts an intriguing blend of established prospects and fresh camp invites, with some notable returnees in Xavier Bourgault, Max Wanner, Carter Savoie, Matvey Petrov and Tyler Tullio looking to showcase their growth as players year-over-year since making their Young Stars Classic debuts in 2022 following the tournament’s return from a three-year hiatus.

Bourgault, Savoie and Tullio all have professional experience after suiting up for the Bakersfield Condors during the 2022-23 AHL season and represent three of the 10 prospects that the Oilers have competing at the Young Stars Classic this weekend who are under contract for the coming campaign.

“It was the first time and it was really exciting for me,” Wanner said when discussing his first Rookie Camp in 2022. “I'd never done it before, and I thought I made a good impression. This year, I'm looking to build off that and make an even stronger impression.”

For the attending players, the Young Stars Classic will be their first taste of competitive action since the conclusion of their respective ’22-23 junior hockey, collegiate or professional seasons.

“I think it's about getting into game shape because you get to play some games,” Wanner added. “I haven't played since the playoffs in the WHL and I'm looking to take some experience out of the games heading into camp.”

While the tournament represents a good first opportunity for prospects to switch gears back to game action, it also marks the opportunity for them to showcase their growth over the previous year and earn early reps that can serve as the building blocks for a strong start to the coming campaign.

“For sure, my goal is to start with a big rookie tournament in Penticton,” said Bourgault, who recorded 13 goals and 34 points over 62 games during his professional debut with the Condors last season. “I think I did it last year and it went pretty well, but I want to take another step this year with a pro season behind my back from last year.”

The 2021 first-round pick (22nd overall) by the Oilers is one of the more veteran prospects for Edmonton, with this year marking the L’Islet, QC product’s third Oilers rookie camp. With more than half the club’s roster being filled by camp invites who’ll be keen to impress, Bourgault understands he’ll be relied upon as one of the leaders this weekend in Penticton.

“I like to help the younger players,” he said. “I think for me, the last couple of years, I was one of the younger players and I remember the older players helping me and talking to me, so just be more comfortable in the team, on the ice and [answering] questions. I'm there for the younger players if they have questions for me.”