Edmonton Oilers late round draft pick being labelled a "slam-dunk"
The Edmonton Oilers have a surprising prospect that has emerged as potentially the biggest steal in the 2024 NHL entry draft.
When the Edmonton Oilers traded their way into the first round of the 2024 NHL entry draft in Las Vegas, all the hype was directed towards Sam O'Reilly, who was selected by the team 32nd overall.
The team also picked his London Knights teammate, William Nicholl, in the 7th round -- a selection that initially flew under the radar for Oilers fans.
Now, in a sudden twist of events, William Nicholl has potentially emerged as the #1 prospect in the organization, surpassing teammate Sam O'Reilly in offensive production.
According to Liam McCormick of Oilers Daily, The 18 year old Nicholl was buried in the bottom six on London last season, but with older players moving on, he's getting more opportunities this season and running with it.
In 17 just regular season games this season, Nicholl has scored 19 points - only one less than all of last season. He's taking an explosive step this year, which is obviously great for the Oilers.
Sam O'Reilly on the other hand is still having a respectable season, notching 12 points in 15 games, but William Nicholl is outperforming the Oilers first round pick by a clear mile.
Nicholl has also recently been promoted to the London Knights first line alongside O'Reilly - a positive sign regarding two explosive talents in the Oilers prospect pool.
Perhaps Oilers fans are getting a glimpse of what's to come in the near future. Regardless, having a 7th round draft pick making headlines is extremely encouraging for the Edmonton Oilers organization.
| POLL | ||
Do you think William Nicholl has a shot to crack the team in the next 3 years? | ||
| Yes | 80 | 81.6 % |
| No | 18 | 18.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
