The Edmonton Oilers rounded out their 2022 draft class with three selections at the NHL Entry Draft in Montreal on Friday.
After not having a pick in rounds two through four, the Oilers took goaltender Samuel Jonsson in the fifth round, 158th overall. Jonsson tips the scales at six-foot-five and 201 pounds. He had an .883 save percentage playing in the Swedish junior league last season.
“He was obviously one of our targets. We think we lucked out with him getting him where we did,” said Tyler Wright, the Oilers’ director of amateur scouting.
“Another goaltender we get in the system and try to develop.”
In Round 6, the OIlers drafted Nikita Yevseyev 190th overall. He played junior and minor pro in Russia last season. The left shot defenceman is listed as six-foot-one and 187 pounds.
“He’s another big, competitive guy on the back end,” Wright said.
With their final pick (seventh round, 222nd overall), the Oilers grabbed left-shot centre Joel Maatta (six-foot-one and 200 pounds). Maatta had six points in 32 games for the University of Vermont in 2021-22.
Prior to the that, the Helsinki native played two season in the USHL with Sioux City. Maatta had three points in two games for Finland at the COVID-shortened 2022 World Juniors in Edmonton.
“Another guy that’s good on faceoffs, penalty kill, goes to the net,” Wright said.
There were reports on Friday that defenceman Duncan Keith will soon announce his retirement, freeing up $5.5 million in cap space for the Oilers. The team declined to comment.
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