The Oilers have announced their Young Stars/Rookie camp roster. At the same time, the main squad held an informal skate this morning as well. Below is the Young Stars Roster:
Forwards Grayson Pawlenchuk (invite) Davis Koch (invite) Evan Polei (AHL Contract) Lane Bauer (invite) Joseph Gambardella (College Free Agent) Brandon Saigeon (invite) Tyler Benson (32nd overall 2016) Kailer Yamamoto (22nd overall 2017) Kiril Maksimov (146th overall 2017) Ostap Safin (115th overall 2017) Steven Owre (invite) Chad Butcher (AHL contract) Trey Fix-Wolanski (invite) Austin Glover (invite) Ethan Szypula (invite) Luke Coleman (invite)
Defense Ethan Bear (123rd overall 2015) Dmitri Samonukov (84th overall 2017) Austin Strand (invite) Caleb Jones (117th overall 2015) Liam Schingler (invite) Sahvan Khaira (invite) William Lagesson (91st overall 2014) Ryan Mantha (Free Agent) Ziyat Paigin (209th overall 2015)
Goaltenders Dylan Wells (123rd overall 2016) Shane Starrett (College Free Agent) Stuart Skinner (78th overall 2017)
We should see Kailer Yamamoto and Tyler Benson perform well at this tournament. Benson has been limited by injuries since before he was an Oiler draft pick. We start to worry about all that missed developmental time soon if things don’t turn around for him. Yamamoto has electric speed and hands to match, but his body is teeny tiny. How that impacts him at this level of play is yet to be seen, but I doubt it will be an issue until main camp opens.
Defenders Bear and Jones are the ones we watch the closest in this tournament. Bear was a WHL star but skating is stronger with Jones. I’m also interested in Lagesson and Mantha but the towering Paigin has a chance to turn heads.
As for the goaltenders, I just want one of them to turn into a decent pro in their careers. Voodoo, man.
UPDATE:
Per Bob Green via OilersNow with Bob Stauffer, Tyler Benson is still injured and they are trying to prepare him for the beginning of the Vancouver Giants season. It appears that he will yet again miss out on main camp with Edmonton.
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