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Matt Benning, Edmonton Oilers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Every Father-Son Duo in Edmonton Oilers History

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Brian Swane | Last updated Mar 14, 2026 10:25 AM ET

From Brady and Matthew Tkachuk to Sam Reinhart, there seem to be more sons of former NHLers in the league than ever before. Some, such as Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi, are even playing for the same teams as their fathers did a generation ago.

While it’s not particularly well known, the Edmonton Oilers actually have quite a history of second-generation skaters. Though Edmonton hasn’t been in the NHL for even half a century yet, there have already been half a dozen sons of former Oilers who have played for the same team as their father. Here’s a look at Edmonton’s father-son duos:

Keith and Will Acton

Forward Keith Acton was acquired by Edmonton in a trade with the Minnesota North Stars on Jan. 22, 1988. He was part of Edmonton’s Stanley Cup championship victory in 1988, appearing in seven games and scoring twice that postseason. On Feb. 7, 1989, Keith was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers, ending his Oilers tenure with 14 goals and 21 assists in 72 regular-season games.

Will Acton was born in Minnesota on July 16, 1987, while his father was playing for the North Stars. After going unselected in the NHL Draft, Will spent four years playing NCAA hockey and another two in the American Hockey League (AHL) before finally getting his break when he signed with the Oilers on July 5, 2013, just days before his 26^th birthday. The forward wound up playing 30 contests for the Oilers in 2013-14 and appeared in three more games with the club in 2014-15.

Brian and Matt Benning

Edmonton native Brian Benning had a cup of coffee with the Oilers in 1992-93. The blueliner was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 16, 1993, and wound up playing 18 games that season, scoring a goal and registering seven assists. He departed Edmonton in the 1993 offseason, signing as a free agent with the expansion Florida Panthers.

About a year later, on May 25, 1994, Matt Benning was born in Edmonton. He was a sixth-round selection of the Boston Bruins in the 2012 NHL Draft, but never cracked Boston’s lineup. As a free agent, Matt signed with his hometown team in 2016, and that’s when his career took off. He was a fixture on the blue line in Edmonton from 2016-17 to 2019-20, appearing in 248 games, the most by a second-generation Oiler.

He also made two trips to the postseason with the Oilers, in 2017 and 2020, suiting up for a total of 16 postseason games. He left the Oilers to sign with the Nashville Predators in the 2020 offseason.

Kevin and Keegan Lowe

Defenceman Kevin Lowe is one of the most legendary figures in franchise history. He was Edmonton’s first ever NHL draft pick (21st overall in 1979), scored the Oilers’ first ever NHL regular-season goal (at Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 10, 1979), played for all five Stanley Cup-winning Oilers teams (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1990), served as the team’s seventh NHL captain (in 1991-92), and is Edmonton’s all-time leader in games played for both the regular season (1,037) and the playoffs (172).

Lowe’s number was retired by the Oilers in 2021, the same year he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In contrast to his father, Keegan Lowe had a very brief stint with the team. After signing with Edmonton on July 1, 2017, the defenceman played only two games with the Oilers, both in 2017-18, although he did spend three years in the organization, suiting up for 175 AHL regular-season games with the Bakersfield Condors before departing as a free agent.

Frank and David Musil

Czech defenceman Frank Musil spent the final four years of his NHL career in Edmonton. Largely due to injury issues, he appeared in just 69 regular-season games and seven postseason contests with the Oilers between 1997-98 and 2000-01.

Only 10 years after his father retired as a member of the Oilers, David Musil was drafted 31^st overall by Edmonton in the 2011 NHL Draft. While David was part of the Oilers organization for several years, nearly all that time came in the minor leagues. His lone NHL stint came in 2014-15, when he appeared in four games for the Oilers, recording a pair of assists. After his final contract with the Oilers expired in 2017, David headed overseas to Czechia, where he still plays today.

Kent and Robert Nilsson

Kent Nilsson had a tremendous three-month run with Edmonton in the spring of 1987. After being acquired in a trade with Minnesota on March 3, 1987, the Swedish forward suited up for Edmonton’s final 17 games of the regular season, notching five goals and 12 assists. He then helped Edmonton capture the Stanley Cup, recording 19 points in 21 playoff games. After being out of the NHL for several years, Kent returned to the Oilers for a brief six-game stint in 1995.

Robert Nilsson was acquired from the New York Islanders in a deadline-day trade on Feb. 27, 2007. Just a couple of weeks later, he became the first son of a former Oiler to play for the team, scoring a goal against the Minnesota Wild in his Oilers debut on March 15, 2007. Robert was a part of the Oilers through the end of the 2009-10 season, totalling 98 points in 199 regular-season games. He led Edmonton with a plus/minus rating of plus-8 in 2007-08.

Craig and Dillon Simpson

On Nov. 24, 1987, Craig Simpson was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of a blockbuster trade headlined by Paul Coffey. In only 59 games with the Oilers in 1987-88, he scored 43 goals, tying for the team lead. That was the first of six consecutive seasons in Edmonton with at least 24 goals.

He won two Stanley Cups (1988 and 1990) as a member of the Oilers and led all NHL players with 16 goals in the 1990 postseason. When he departed the Oilers via trade to the Buffalo Sabres on Sept. 1, 1993, Craig ranked sixth in franchise history with 185 goals.

Craig Simpson, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images)

Dillon Simpson was born in Edmonton on Feb. 10, 1993, during his father’s final season with the Oilers. Eighteen years later, Edmonton selected him with the 92^nd-overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. Dillon appeared in three games with the Oilers in 2016-17 but otherwise spent the entirety of his pro career in the AHL.

With several sons of former Oilers currently playing in the NHL and many others rising through the ranks of hockey, it may not be long before another second-generation Oiler can be added to this list.