With the thirty second general decide within the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Edmonton Oilers choose Sam O’Reilly from the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
About Sam O’Reilly
Sam O’Reilly is continually keen to get entangled and does no matter it takes to regain possession along with his energy and physique positioning. He’s continually battling and attending to the powerful areas of the ice. Be it beneath the purpose line, within the corners, or alongside the boards, O’Reilly is in the course of all of it and normally comes out on prime. He tends to do most of his injury in tight areas, driving arduous to the online and creating havoc for a scoring or second-chance alternative. He has an honest shot from exterior and is frequently obtainable within the open ice, placing himself in the correct spots on the proper time to make a play or end them.
Associated: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Reside Tracker
Defensively, O’Reilly’s motor and depth are simply as robust, doing an ideal job to stress puck carriers and take alternatives away. He’s bought nice consciousness to nook gamers, neutralize, and forestall performs from taking place. His lengthy attain and dimension can shortly take away time and house for opposing gamers.
O’Reilly’s work ethic makes him a really precious participant for any NHL group. The truth that he can play the wing or up the center would give them loads of choices to make the most of his strengths to their benefit. Whereas he will not be a constant top-six choice, he may discover himself as a really efficient third-line vitality participant, being an element to set the tone and be robust defensively. His smarts will be an asset on the penalty kill and his net-front presence can undoubtedly assistance on the facility play.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“There are many prospects that proceed to fly underneath the radar heading into the 2024 NHL Draft. One identify that’s getting some recognition heading into the ultimate stretch is London Knights ahead Sam O’Reilly, as he continued to shortly enhance his draft inventory all through the season.
“Whenever you take a look at the manufacturing, you perceive why O’Reilly was profitable in that regard. O’Reilly is a flexible 200-foot participant that may play a accountable sport with out the puck and show a powerful work ethic when he’s within the offensive zone. He doesn’t draw back from any likelihood of their being any kind of physicality.”
Learn the total prospect profile right here
How This Impacts the Oilers’ Plans
The Oilers preferred what they noticed in O’Reilly to surrender picks to maneuver into the final decide of the primary spherical to pick out him. The Oilers are glad so as to add him to their prospect pool as he has good sport habits, is tough to play towards, and performs with some chunk whereas staying inside the guidelines. He has excellent offensive hockey sense and puck expertise and is tough to comprise down low.
The Oilers have added a prospect to their group who drives the online extraordinarily arduous, can tip pucks, and screens goalies. He’s bodily everywhere in the ice and may play a 200-foot sport.
