The Bakersfield Condors, the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, ended their season with a 3-1 loss to the Ontario Reign on Saturday night. In a best-of-three series, the Condors lost both games to the Ontario Reign, resulting in a series sweep. The Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the LA Kings, will now compete against either the Colorado Eagles or Abbotsford Canucks in the Pacific Division Semifinal Round, which will take place later this week. The Condors had an excellent season with significant development throughout the system, and they plan to come back stronger next year. It’s worth mentioning that the Edmonton Oilers, who hold a 2-1 series lead over the LA Kings in the first round of the NHL playoffs, could be affected by the outcome of the Condors first round loss.
It is highly probable that the Oilers will summon several players from the Condors team for their potential use in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as there are no salary cap restrictions. We may expect at least six players to be called up, and possibly more. The list of these Condors players is provided below.
- Adam Erne (Forward)- Probable
- Raphael Lavoie (Forward)- Probable
- James Hamblin (Forward)- Probable
- Phillip Broberg (Defense)- Probable
- Phillip Kemp (Defense)- Probable
- Markus Niemelainen (Defense)- Probable
- Jack Campbell (Goalie)- Probable
- Drake Caggiula (Forward)- Possible
- Ben Gleason (Defense)- Possible
Goaltending: It’s likely that Jack Campbell will be called up as the third goaltender, behind Calvin Pickard (#2) and Stuart Skinner (#1). Although he started the year playing games with the Oilers, he struggled immensely, but he did decently with the Condors for the rest of the season. Pickard and Skinner are better options for the playoffs, and Olivier Rodrigue, the other Bakersfield goalie, can be used for practice with the Oilers.
Sam Gagner is the most likely player to remain on the team to see playing time, as he is already with the team. He and the other players provide reliable backup in case of an unexpected injury or illness during the remaining playoffs, especially if Edmonton advances to the later rounds. Raphael Lovie and Adam Erne are next in line behind Gagner if the Oilers face any unfortunate scenarios. However, it is hoped that none of these players will have to get playing time.
