Oilers prospect William Nicholl out four-to-six months following surgery

An Edmonton Oilers prospect is going to miss some significant time.

On Friday, Ryan Pyette of The London Free Press reported that William Nicholl will miss four-to-six months due to what has been referred to as upper-body surgery. Additionally, former Oiler prospect Sam O’Reilly will miss the start of training camp.

The Ottawa, Ontario native was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 draft by the Oilers. In his draft year, he only scored six goals and 20 points in 65 games, but his production exploded in 2024-25, as the left-handed forward scored 21 goals and 57 points in 66 games.

Playing with the powerhouse London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, the team has won back-to-back J. Ross Robertson Cups, awarded to the team that wins the Ontario Hockey League. In 18 games in 2023-24, Nicholl scored a goal and eight points in 18 games, followed by the same stat line in 17 games this past season. Yes, the Knights have lost just three postseason games in the last two seasons.

In both Memorial Cups, Nicholl was held pointless, playing four games in 2024 and five games in 2025, with the Knights winning the most recent tournament, their third victory in franchise history.

Nicholl has blossomed into a solid prospect for the Oilers, which is a bit surprising given the fact that he was selected in the seventh round. In our summer prospect countdown, Nicholl ranked as the seventh-best prospect thanks to his strong skating, two-way game, and play away from the puck. 

Assuming there are no setbacks and Nicholl returns to health in the time frame that’s given, the young pivot should return to the Knights during the second half of the regular season. The team won’t be as strong as the past two seasons, as star player Easton Cowan has graduated to the professional level. But with O’Reilly, Herny Brzustewicz, Sam Dickinson, and other quality NHL prospects in the fold, London will again be a contender in the OHL. 

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.