The Edmonton Oilers made their first cuts of the 2024 NHL preseason on Tuesday (Sept. 24). Goalie Nathaniel Day, together with forwards Connor Clattenburg, William Nicholl and Dalyn Wakely, have been returned to their respective golf equipment, all within the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Then, on Wednesday (Sept. 25), the Oilers lowered their coaching camp by one other 9 gamers, who have been despatched to Edmonton’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
The #Oilers lowered their coaching camp roster at present, sending 9 gamers to the @Condors. https://t.co/00yFHDaIMF
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 25, 2024
5 gamers on AHL contracts — goaltender Brett Brochu, defencemen Connor Corcoran and Alex Kannok-Leipert, and forwards Jasper Weatherby and Cameron Wright — have been launched from their skilled tryouts (PTO) and can report back to Bakersfield. 4 gamers on entry-level contracts (ELC) — netminder Connor Ungar together with forwards Jayden Grubbe, Matvey Petrov and James Stefan — have been loaned to the Condors.
Edmonton began coaching camp final week with round 60 gamers, so a number of cuts have been anticipated by this level. The Oilers hit the midpoint of their preseason schedule, taking part in their fourth of eight exhibition video games, after they visited the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday.
For probably the most half, not one of the gamers despatched all the way down to the AHL got here as any nice shock. They’d no likelihood of pushing for a roster spot on the Oilers and weren’t anticipated to final past the preliminary rounds of cuts. However there was one identify that stood out from the remainder. A participant who was anticipated to carry out lots higher than he did this preseason – 6-foot-2 winger Petrov.
Petrov Performed Simply 1 Preseason Sport
Wednesday’s information that Petrov was being loaned to Bakersfield caps off a horrible couple of weeks for the 21-year-old Russian, whose disappointing exhibiting at rookie camp carried into coaching camp. After going pointless in three video games on the Younger Stars Basic, which befell Sept. 13-16 in Penticton, B.C., Petrov suited up for only one preseason recreation earlier than the Oilers determined that they had seen sufficient of the 2021 sixth-round draft decide.
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The suitable-shot ahead logged 9:55, the least of any participant, throughout Edmonton’s 6-3 loss to the Flames in a split-squad recreation at Rogers Place on Monday (Sept. 23). He did not report a degree and registered a score of minus-1.
Petrov performed two video games in his first preseason in 2022 and suited up for one exhibition contest final 12 months. Coming off his first professional marketing campaign final season with the Condors, Petrov ought to have struck round longer in camp. As an alternative, he’s spinning his wheels in reverse.
Excessive Expectations for Petrov
Expectations have been excessive for Petrov after he had a few terrific seasons with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion. In his first season in North America in 2021-22, he racked up 40 targets and 50 assists. The next season, 2022-23, Petrov scored 27 targets for the Battalion and completed third within the OHL with 66 assists. However he had difficulties making the soar to the professionals final season. The Moscow native didn’t notch his first aim till after American Thanksgiving and didn’t rating once more till after New 12 months’s. He completed 2023-24 with simply 9 targets and 5 assists in 53 video games.
In rookie camp earlier this month, the Oilers gave Petrov a chance to exhibit progress by naming him one among their three alternate captains for the Younger Stars Basic, an annual exhibition match that includes prospects from the Oilers, Jets, Flames and Vancouver Canucks. However as a substitute of exhibiting management, he was visibly pissed off together with his particular person struggles in what was an total poor match for the Oilers, who went 0-3-0 and have been shut out twice.
Contemplating Petrov already had two Younger Stars Classics beneath his belt and was going in opposition to a whole lot of unsigned gamers taking part of their first, it ought to have been his greatest efficiency on the exhibition match for prospects. It was his worst.
Petrov Has Probability to Hit Reset Button
Any likelihood Petrov had at redemption in coaching camp ended on Wednesday. Ought to the Oilers have stored him round longer? Based mostly on components corresponding to age and expertise, potential and expectations, one might definitely make that argument. That Petrov was jettisoned after taking part in simply 15 shifts this preseason tells how totally unimpressed the Oilers will need to have been by his efforts this month.
Petrov turns 22 subsequent March, so he’s nonetheless very younger. Perhaps he simply wants extra time earlier than he can excel at this degree, or possibly he doesn’t have what it takes to make it within the NHL. After going by a extremely troublesome stretch, Petrov now has the possibility to hit the reset button in Bakersfield. As he’s beneath no stress to push for a promotion to the Oilers this season, he can concern himself with doing all that’s essential to grow to be a greater participant. The place he goes from right here will probably be as much as him, however it may well’t go a lot worse than the final 12 months.
