2025-26 CHL Season: Performance Review of Edmonton Oilers Prospects

As the major junior hockey regular season concludes and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) playoffs begin, we examine the performance of three Edmonton Oilers prospects who competed in the CHL during the 2025-26 season. These players include Tommy Lafreniere of the WHL's Kamloops Blazers, David Lewandowski from the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, and William Nicholl with the OHL's London Knights. This report details their 2025-26 progress and offers insights into their potential future with the Oilers.

Tommy Lafreniere

Tommy Lafreniere, the Edmonton Oilers' initial pick in the 2025 NHL Draft (83rd overall, third round), emerged as a leading scorer in the 2025-26 WHL season. He netted 41 goals, tying for sixth in the league, with notable contributions including 13 power-play goals (tied for eighth), four shorthanded goals (tied for first), seven game-winning goals (tied for 11th), two overtime goals (tied for third), and seven first goals (tied for second). Lafreniere also contributed 36 assists, bringing his season total to 77 points in 67 games – a significant improvement over his 56 points in 68 games during the 2024-25 season.

His stellar performance mirrored his team's success; the Kamloops Blazers dramatically improved from 10th place in the Western Conference with 53 points last season to 5th place with 75 points in 2025-26, securing their first playoff spot since 2023. This trajectory aligns perfectly with the Oilers' expectations when drafting him. As Oilers director of amateur scouting Rick Pracey noted last June, they anticipated his offensive surge and his crucial role in the team's anticipated improvement. The 19-year-old Lafreniere is set to make his WHL playoff debut on Friday, March 27, when Kamloops begins a best-of-seven first-round series against the Kelowna Rockets.

David Lewandowski

David Lewandowski, drafted by Edmonton 117th overall in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft, also demonstrated significant improvement. The German forward's point production soared from 39 points with Saskatoon in 2024-25 to a team-leading 65 points this season. Across 57 regular season games, Lewandowski tallied 17 goals and 48 assists. His season was marked by impressive consistency, with no more than three consecutive games without a point and four separate streaks of at least five games with points. Notably, he was held scoreless in only three games during a 26-game stretch from January 14 to March 18.

Lewandowski also spent several weeks away from the WHL to represent Germany at the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota, marking his second consecutive appearance. He played a crucial role in Germany's 8-4 victory over Denmark, contributing a goal and two assists to help his nation avoid relegation and secure a spot in the 2027 World Junior Championship. Fans will have the opportunity to see Lewandowski in action during the WHL Playoffs, as Saskatoon prepares to face the Edmonton Oil Kings in a first-round series commencing Friday at Rogers Place. In his major junior postseason debut last year, Lewandowski registered a goal and an assist across four games with the Blades.

William Nicholl

William Nicholl's 2025-26 season was significantly impacted by an upper-body surgery last summer, causing him to miss over half of the OHL regular season. Since rejoining the London Knights' lineup on New Year's Eve, he has played 32 games, recording 15 goals and 11 assists. Although his 0.81 points per game average is a minor decrease from his 2024-25 performance of 21 goals and 36 assists in 66 games, Nicholl has recently shown a strong offensive resurgence, scoring in five of his last six games and registering points in 10 of his last 12.

The 6-foot center, a seventh-round (196th overall) pick by Edmonton in the 2024 NHL Draft, was instrumental in London's consecutive OHL championship wins in 2024 and 2025, and their Memorial Cup victory last year. The Knights are now aiming for their third consecutive J. Ross Robertson Cup as the 2026 OHL Playoffs kick off on Thursday, March 26. London will begin their championship defense in a best-of-seven first-round series against the Soo Greyhounds, starting Friday in London. While Lafreniere and Lewandowski are expected to return to their WHL teams next season, the 2006-born Nicholl might transition to professional hockey. His immediate focus, however, remains on securing another championship title.