The Edmonton Oilers’ development camp made an unusual bit of history in late June, and the three women invited into the mix got a firsthand look at how an NHL operation runs.
Caitlin Kraemer, Chloe Primerano and Abbey Murphy were all on the ice with Oilers prospects after receiving a rare invite from general manager Stan Bowman. For Kraemer, the call itself caught her off guard.
“Stan sent a text over, and I was in the car with my dad, and I thought it was spam. But it turned out to be legit… I didn’t ever feel like this was going to happen, so it was surprising but really excited for this opportunity,” said Kraemer.
Bowman said the idea came to him while he was in Milan for the 2026 Olympics, where he watched women’s hockey up close.
“I was over at the Olympics this year watching up close the Olympic performance from the women’s games while I was there with the U.S. men’s team, and I was so impressed with the play of women’s hockey,” said Bowman.
He already had a connection with Murphy, who grew up playing with Bowman’s sons and trains with his youngest daughter, Graycen.
“I couldn’t believe it. We were all super excited about the opportunity,” said Murphy.
Murphy was taken second overall by the Seattle Torrent at this year’s PWHL draft. She and Primerano were teammates at the University of Minnesota, while Kraemer played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Primerano and Kraemer have not entered the PWHL draft yet, but both are viewed as top prospects. Primerano also made history in 2022 when the Vancouver Giants selected her 268th overall in the WHL prospects draft, making her the first female skater ever picked there. Kraemer, meanwhile, was a standout for Canada’s under-18 national team.
For all three players, the camp was a chance to see the machinery behind an NHL team from the inside.
“It’s so professional and top-notch,” said Primerano. “You just see the facilities and everything that’s provided here. It’s something I’ve never seen before, so it’s really special.”
Kraemer said the experience offered a new look at the way pros are handled day to day.
“It’s been super fun to learn what goes on behind the scenes and how these NHL pros get treated and then get to experience that a little,” said Kraemer. She compared skating with Oilers prospects to her first skate with the senior women’s team, only on a much bigger stage.
Murphy said the setup gave her an early sense of what life as a pro can look like.
“Obviously, going out to Seattle, it’s a big organization, too, and I’m super pumped for that, and here they’re also just helping us get settled in with what it’s like to be a professional,” said Murphy.
The camp also featured another familiar face: Montreal Victoire veteran Erin Ambrose, who served as a coach for the second straight year. Ambrose won Olympic gold with Canada in 2022 and helped Montreal win its first Walter Cup this past season.
For Kraemer, that made the experience even better.
“She’s one of the best minds I’ve ever met in hockey. It was such an honour to be her teammate… and it’s even better to pick her brain here,” said Kraemer.
Primerano, who has also skated with Ambrose at Canada’s Olympic orientation camp last year, said the chance to be coached by her was a highlight.
“I’ve only played with her before and never been coached by her, but it’s been so fun to have her here, and she’s a good friend, and it’s awesome,” said Primerano.
Murphy said the invitation itself felt like a sign of where the sport is headed.
“I think this is the first time girls have been invited to a development camp,” said Murphy. “And just to be a part of history like that is pretty fun, and they’ve been nothing but welcoming to us and giving us the best experience they could.”
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