The Edmonton Oilers closed rookie camp with a 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames, and the game did more than finish the week on a high note. It gave the organization one last look at a few prospects who could be part of the answer when the NHL roster needs help during the season.
That’s the whole point of camps like this: figuring out who can be trusted when injuries hit and the phone rings. Connor Clattenburg put it plainly.
“They're in one mode now, and they're just looking for the next guy up,” Connor Clattenburg said. “You never know what that injury could be, and it's a very high energetic team right now, so it's just keeping the energy around and just play hard.”
Clattenburg already has a feel for that role. He appeared in five games for Edmonton last season, scored his first NHL goal, and finished with 17 hits in a little over 36 minutes of ice time.
His game is built on physical play, forechecking and bringing energy to the bottom of the lineup, which gives him a clear lane when the Oilers need another forward. Mike Babcock wants accountability and energy from his group, and Clattenburg has shown he can provide both.
He missed Monday’s rookie game because of an injury and wore a non-contact jersey throughout camp while continuing his recovery. If he gets healthy, he could remain in the mix for main camp. Right now, he looks like one of the first names Edmonton would consider if it needs a call-up from Bakersfield.
Viljami Marjala belongs in that conversation too.
The 23-year-old put up 17 goals and 60 points in 72 games with Bakersfield last season, then centered Edmonton’s second line Monday and set up Isaac Howard’s power-play goal in the third period. Marjala stood out during rookie camp, and his production in Bakersfield has moved him higher on the Oilers’ list of options.
With injuries already creating openings, players like Marjala and Clattenburg suddenly matter even more. Marjala may not get his shot right away, but his name should stay in the mix all season.
Quinn Hutson is another one to watch. He scored 30 goals and totaled 63 points in 67 games with Bakersfield last season, then played in six games for the Oilers. On Monday, he opened the scoring on the power play and spent the night skating with Howard and Josh Samanski.
That Bakersfield production matters because Edmonton is not just searching for talent. It is looking for players who can step into a role when the team needs somebody in November, January or March.
The Oilers do not need every call-up to be a scorer. Sometimes they just need someone who can come in, play hard and do the job asked of him, which is what Clattenburg already did in his five games.
Marjala and Hutson have earned more attention through their numbers, and both will head into camp with extra eyes on them.
Those are three names the Oilers will remember when they start looking for the next guy up.
In Other News...
Oilers Camp Cuts Offer An Early Clue About This Prospect Race
The first round of Oilers camp trimming came quickly after the NextGen game against Calgary, offering an early look at how crowded the prospect picture already is. Edmonton moved four players out of camp, a routine but telling step this time of year as the organization starts narrowing its focus and sorting out who needs more runway before the season gets underway.
Ryan Cameron, a goaltender drafted by the Oilers in 2026, was among the cuts, while Weston Cameron, Olli Wahlroos and Kyle Heger were also released from their amateur tryouts. For a camp full of young players trying to turn a strong impression into a longer stay, those moves were the first reminder that every rep matters, and that the battle for attention in Edmonton is only going to get tighter from here. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Just Made Their First Telling Prospect Cuts Before Camp
The preseason roster churn has already started around the league, and the Oilers have begun trimming their own list before camp opens. Edmonton has already released some players from rookie camp and sent a goaltender back to his junior team, a familiar early step as organizations sort through tryouts, development looks and the first wave of prospect evaluations heading into the 2026-27 season.
There is still more sorting to come in Edmonton, and the first cuts are often the easiest ones to explain while the tougher decisions linger. The Sabres, meanwhile, have already made their own early prospect moves, and around the league the picture is getting clearer as teams pare down camp bodies and start lining up the next stage of evaluation before main training camp really begins. [Read more 🡒]
Why Oilers Made Their Most Controversial Bet Of The Offseason
The Oilers decision to bring in Alex Formenton on a one-year deal immediately became one of the most scrutinized moves of their offseason, and not just because of hockey reasons. Formenton, who previously played for the Ottawa Senators and spent time in the Swiss league, arrives with a resume that has flashed enough to keep him on NHL radars, even if his recent production has been uneven.
Edmontons bet seems to be rooted in what he can still offer on the ice, with speed and a role on the penalty kill giving him a path to meaningful minutes if he earns them. But any upside he brings will be weighed against the controversy surrounding his past involvement in the 2018 Hockey Canada sexual assault case, and the reaction to the signing shows the Oilers are taking on far more than a simple depth move. [Read more 🡒]