The Edmonton Oilers are locking in a key piece of their organizational depth, signing defenseman Atro Leppänen to a one-year contract extension. The deal, which carries an $850,000 cap hit if he cracks the NHL lineup, comes as the Finnish blueliner continues to make his mark with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL.
Leppänen, 27, has been a steady presence on the Bakersfield blue line this season, tallying 20 points in 28 games-three of those goals-despite missing time due to injury. That production stands out, especially considering the Condors have played 43 games so far. When he’s been in the lineup, he’s made his minutes count.
This isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan season for Leppänen, either. He arrived in North America after a monster 2024-25 campaign in Finland’s top league, SM-Liiga, where he led the entire league in scoring with 63 points, including 21 goals.
That offensive leap came on the heels of a 2023-24 season that saw him post 28 points in 55 games-solid numbers, but nowhere near the breakout that followed. And if you go back one more year, he was already turning heads in Finland’s second-tier league with 58 points and 23 goals.
Simply put, this guy has been trending up for a while.
While he’s a bit older than your typical NHL prospect, Leppänen showed well in the preseason and made a strong impression during the Oilers' NextGen games. His calling card is his skating and puck-moving ability, two traits that translate well to today’s NHL. He’s not just surviving the North American game-he’s adapting quickly.
Right now, though, the path to the NHL is a bit crowded. The Oilers have seven defensemen on the active roster, including four left-shot blueliners ahead of him on the depth chart.
When the team has needed a call-up, they’ve leaned on Riley Stillman this season and Cam Dineen last year. That said, Leppänen’s extension signals that the organization sees something here-something worth investing in.
And he’s not the only intriguing name skating in Bakersfield. The Condors have become a breeding ground for young talent this season, helping power the team into playoff contention in the AHL’s Pacific Division.
The Oilers have already gotten glimpses of players like Quinn Hutson, Connor Clattenburg, Ike Howard, and Josh Samanski-who’s still with the big club. Other names worth keeping an eye on include Viljami Marjala, Roby Järventie, Damien Carfagna, Samuel Poulin, Beau Akey, and goaltender Connor Ungar.
For now, Leppänen remains a key piece of the Condors' blue line, but don’t be surprised if he gets a look with the Oilers before the 2026-27 season wraps up. His game is trending in the right direction, and with his combination of experience, offensive upside, and mobility, he’s making a strong case that he’s ready for the next step.