3 Oilers Prospects Who Stood Out in Rookie Game Against Flames

This was Akey’s first time appearing in a game for the Oilers’ rookies since his strong performance at the 2023 Young Stars Classic tournament nearly two years ago.  Early in the 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season with the Barrie Colts, Akey was seriously injured in a collision and required surgery on both of his shoulders.

Akey was unable to play for around 10 months, a massive setback to his development. But after suiting up for a combined 68 games in the regular season and playoffs with the Colts in 2024-25, Akey returned to the form that made him a 56^th overall draft pick in 2023. Friday’s performance validated that Akey is back on track as a future NHLer.

Connor Clattenburg

Who in hockey in 2025 drops the gloves not once, but twice, in a rookie exhibition game? Connor Clattenburg, that’s who.

If the objective of the 6-foot-4 forward was to turn heads, consider his mission accomplished. Clattenburg was the player everyone was talking about as they left Rogers Place on Friday, after the 160^th overall pick in the 2024 Draft got into a pair of fights, doled out three hits, and notched Edmonton’s third goal of the night when he was fed by Matt Copponi and put the puck past Flames goalie Owen Say.

Clattenburg impacted the game through both physicality and offensive ability, and each of his scraps came at times when the Oilers needed a boost. If there were judges for such a thing, he probably would have been awarded the victory in both fights.

Clattenburg wrapped up his junior career with the Flint Firebirds of the OHL last season and made his pro debut, playing a single game with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League (AHL). He’ll be starting 2025-26 in the AHL, but if Clattenburg ever gets called up to Edmonton, Oilers fans are going to fall in love immediately.

Matthew Savoie

Many expect Savoie to be in Edmonton’s opening night lineup when the Oilers begin their 2025-26 schedule next month, and his two-goal performance against the Calgary rookies should only strengthen that belief.

With just over 13 minutes remaining in the third period, the 21-year-old centre was awarded a penalty shot after he stole a pass to spring himself on a breakaway and got hooked by Flames forward Andrew Basha. Savoie then flashed quick hands, going backhand-to-forehand before sliding the puck around the pad of Say for his first goal.

Almost exactly 10 minutes of game time later, Savoie lit the lamp again. This time, he took a pass from Marjala in the neutral zone, broke in on Say, avoided a poke check from the Flames goalie, then beat Say five-hole to pull Edmonton within two, at 6-4.

Savoie has already played a handful of games in the NHL over the last two seasons. The ninth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft belongs at the highest level, and that was quite apparent on Friday, with Savoie looking like a man among boys in a game full of prospects.

It would be remiss not to give an hounorable mention to Marjala, who scored the game’s first goal, early in the first period, and showed nice touch assisting on Savoie’s aforementioned second tally. The 22-year-old Finnish forward, whom the Oilers signed out of Finland’s Liiga as a free agent in June, is a largely unknown commodity thus far in Edmonton, but on Friday, he introduced himself to fans as a player who’s not lacking for skill.

Akey, Clattenburg, Savoie, Marjala, and the rest of the Oilers rookies will have another opportunity to show their stuff when these two squads square off for a rookie rematch on Sunday (Sept. 14) at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary.