7 Standout Players From Oilers Rookies’ 6-1 Win Over Flames Rookies – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers took on the Calgary Flames in the Next Gen Showcase on Monday in an exhibition game at the Scotiabank Saddledome featuring players attending Rookie Camp. Edmonton won in a rout, defeating the Flames 6-1, with goals from Zach Bookman, Caden Harvey, Kyle Heger, Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson, and Rhett Pitlick. Calgary’s lone goal was scored by Jonathan Castagne.

Between the pipes, Nathaniel Day, Samuel Jonsson and Eemil Vinni each saw one period of action for the Oilers. Edmonton outshot the Flames 31-27. But this game was more about prospects making an impression than the result. With that in mind, here’s a look at the Oilers rookies who stood out in the Next Gen Showcase.

Zach Bookman

Bookman is a genuine underdog story among the Oilers Rookies: a 5-foot-11 undrafted camp invite who is finally getting his crack at pro hockey at age 24 after four seasons in the NCAA. On Monday, he showed he belonged on the ice.

Exhibiting a savvy that some more skilled but younger prospects haven’t yet developed, Bookman provided sound defence while chipping in two points, including the game-winning goal.

Kyle Heger

Another camp invite on the blue line, Heger closed out the scoring, stepping into a shot from the faceoff dot to the right of Flames goaltender Kirill Zarubin and snapping it past him.

Heger began the game as Edmonton’s seventh defenceman, but made the most of his limited minutes. The 18-year-old (he turns 19 later this month) will be worth keeping an eye on this season when he returns to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Heger notched 35 points in 64 WHL games in 2025-26.

Isaac Howard/Quinn Hutson/Josh Samanski

Edmonton’s top line was made up of a few familiar faces, as all three spent time in the NHL last season: left winger Isaac Howard (29 games in 2025-26), right winger Quinn Huston (four games), and centre Josh Samanski (24 games).

The trio, who were a force with the Bakersfield Condors (the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate) when they played together last season, dominated the puck on Monday. While their line didn’t produce a goal, Howard and Hutson each found the back of the net on the power play.

Viljami Marjala

Forward Viljami Marjala led the Oilers Rookies with three points, all assists. He had two primary assists, including a brilliant one-time pass from the corner to Howard in the slot for Edmonton’s fourth goal.

The 23-year-old winger saw plenty of time with the man advantage on Monday, demonstrating the playmaking skills that made him so effective in the AHL last season, when he totalled 43 assists in 72 regular-season games with the Condors. Marjala is headed into his second season in the Oilers organization.

Eemil Vinni

For all intents and purposes, Monday’s game marked the North American debut for 20-year-old goaltender Eemil Vinni, who recently signed a one-year, two-way AHL contract with the Condors after playing his entire career to date in his native Finland.

Vinni, who Edmonton drafted 64^th overall in 2024, stopped all 12 shots he faced in a scoreless second period against the Flames Rookies. He also made a couple of highlight-reel saves, flashing an ability to stop rebounds.

Monday’s game marks an end to Oilers Rookie Camp. Edmonton will open its Main Camp at Rogers Place on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and several players who were part of Rookie Camp will move on to Main Camp. The Oilers’ first preseason game is on Saturday, Sept. 19, when they host the Winnipeg Jets.