Oilers development camp spotlights fresh prospects and invitees for Bakersfield pipeline

Edmonton brought 27 players to Rogers Place for development camp, and the roster read like a status report on the organization’s Bakersfield pipeline. The group included 14 forwards, eight defencemen and five goaltenders, with fitness testing and medicals followed by information sessions, on-ice practices, off-ice team-building and a three-on-three tournament to close the week.

The clearest AHL-ready name in the room was Connor Ungar. Edmonton signed the goaltender to a one-year, two-way contract on June 18, 2026, and he arrives after posting a 9-2-2 record, a 2.51 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage in 13 AHL games for Bakersfield last season. Owen Michaels also stood out as a player already moving toward the pro end of the pipeline after signing a one-year entry-level contract on April 2, 2026, following a three-year college career at Western Michigan, where he was named Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player.

Tomas Cibulka is another sign that Edmonton is trying to stock the system with players who can reach Bakersfield on a quicker track. He signed a two-year entry-level contract on March 27, 2026, and joined a camp group that also featured returnees Beau Akey, Connor Clattenburg, Tommy Lafreniere and David Lewandowski. That mix of returning prospects and newly signed players gives Edmonton a better read on who can push into the AHL picture soon and who still needs another season of development.

The most notable names beyond the usual draft class were Abbey Murphy, Chloe Primerano and Caitlin Kraemer. Edmonton identified Murphy as the PWHL Seattle Torrent’s second-overall pick and a USA gold medalist, while Primerano and Kraemer brought University of Minnesota and University of Minnesota-Duluth ties, along with NCAA and Canada U18 pedigree. Edmonton also said all five of its 2026 draft picks were on the roster: Rudolfs Berzkalns, Malcom Gästrin, Andrew Robinson, Caden Harvey and Ryan Cameron.

That matters for Bakersfield because the Condors remain the organization’s proving ground for the next wave. Bakersfield clinched a berth in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs on April 9, 2026, after missing out in 2025, which snapped a run of four consecutive playoff appearances. With that backdrop, the camp gave Edmonton a useful first look at which prospects are nearest to the AHL, which signings can help sooner, and where the pipeline still needs more depth before it reaches the NHL roster.