The Edmonton Oilers are about to hand Mike Babcock a roster that leans hard on veteran experience, which is exactly why the fall could matter so much for the younger names in the organization.
Last season’s team had just two NHL contributors age 25 or under, Vasily Podkolzin and Matt Savoie, while seven players were 32 or older. That’s a thin runway for youth, but it also creates a real opening for prospects who can earn trust quickly. Babcock’s history suggests he’s willing to use them if they can help.
Back in Toronto in 2015, Babcock made it clear he wasn’t married to his first read on a roster. Speaking with TSN’s Darren Dreger, he said: “I’ve come to lots of conclusions, but what we’re going to do is we’re going to find out if my conclusions are right.
In other words, in the short term, right now, they can trick you a little bit, but not over the long term. The NHL is too hard.
It’s just too hard. It exposes you every night.”
That Leafs team didn’t open the season with a flood of rookies, but Babcock’s eventual willingness to lean on young players became a defining part of the year. Scott Harrington dressed on opening night and played 15 games, while William Nylander, Kasperi Kapanen, Zach Hyman, Connor Brown and others were waiting for their chance. Babcock later pointed to that group’s talent, saying three games before the end of the 2015-16 season: “I was very impressed with Carrick, I was impressed with Valiev, I was impressed with Hyman, I was impressed Brown, I was impressed with Soshnikov.”
That’s the template Edmonton is hoping to tap into now.
The clearest place to start is Bakersfield, where the Condors posted a 51 percent even-strength goal share in 2025-26, scoring 167 and allowing 161. Within that group, the names that stand out most are the ones who could actually move the needle in Edmonton if they get the chance.
Damien Carfagna sits at the top of that list. The No. 3 prospect in the system, the left-shot defenceman signed out of Ohio State 16 months ago and looked pro-ready in 2025-26.
Edmonton is deep on the left side, but Carfagna’s speed and puck-moving fit the kind of possession game Babcock has long favored. Beau Akey, a right-handed defenceman, brings a similar profile and sits second among the Condors players who beat the team’s average.
Up front, Ike Howard is the headliner. He’s the top prospect in the system and should get a real shot in Edmonton this season.
If the roster gets tight because of waiver concerns or if he hits a rough patch, he still figures to see plenty of action under Babcock. Howard is a natural scorer, and the Oilers may have a more productive goal scorer here than Savoie, who scored 18 as a rookie last season.
Josh Samanski is another name worth watching closely. His two-way game is strong enough that he went from the German league to the NHL in one season.
Babcock could lean toward a more experienced centre, but if Samanski carries over the form he showed during last year’s recalls, he’ll force the issue. Max Jones, an older player, also made a strong impression after being recalled in 2025-26.
Two players from the original list are already elsewhere. Roby Jarventie signed with HC Ambrì-Piotta of Switzerland’s NL, and James Hamblin signed a two-way deal with the Anaheim Ducks over the summer.
The names to circle most closely are Howard, Samanski and Carfagna. All three have a path to making an impact in Edmonton during the 2026-27 season.
Babcock has always valued players who can tilt the ice the right way, and that matters here because the Oilers don’t have a deep stash of first-round talent waiting in the wings. What they do have are some late picks and undrafted players with real two-way ability.
Owen Michaels, a right-handed centre from college, fits a position of need. Eduards Tralmaks is the wild card.
That’s where Babcock’s influence could show up fast. If he can widen the talent pool the way he did in Toronto, Edmonton may find useful pieces in places that don’t usually draw much attention. And for a team with stars already in place, that kind of support can change the shape of a season.
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