The NHL Draft is a time when every franchise across the league hopes to nab at least one blue-chip prospect as they prepare themselves for the new regular season while trying to fix the mistakes of the old. But not all draft picks are the same.
Some are much better than others. For the 2025 Edmonton Oilers, the last few years have been better than most when it comes to the draft. After all, in 2015, they drafted current captain Connor McDavid with the first overall pick, while in 2018, they drafted defenseman Evan Bouchard with the 10th overall selection.
But as one insider points out, things weren’t always as rosy for the Oilers. He takes fans back to the season when the Edmonton outfit drafted one of their worst prospects, Xavier Bourgault, and missed out on Jesper Wallstedt, a decision that could have changed the franchise’s trajectory.
How the Oilers’ 2021 Draft Strategy Backfired Spectacularly
As the Oilers prepare for the 2025 NHL Draft, one media source has revisited the time when the Oilers drafted Bourgault at 22nd overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. This proved to be an especially painful decision, considering that goaltender Wallstedt was selected just two picks earlier at 20th overall by the Minnesota Wild.
The Oilers had originally held the 20th overall pick but traded it to Minnesota, receiving the 22nd and 90th overall selections in return. Minnesota immediately used that 20th pick to select Wallstedt, who had the potential to be a franchise goalie, something the Oilers have been desperately seeking from Stuart Skinner in recent years. The Swedish netminder could have addressed a critical need that Edmonton has struggled with for the past two seasons.
There he is, Jesper Wallstedt, the future Great Wall of St. Paul pic.twitter.com/83EGUilTbj
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) January 8, 2024
Instead, the Oilers chose to select Bourgault with center Wyatt Johnston still available on the board. The Dallas Stars capitalized on Edmonton’s oversight, selecting Johnston at 23rd overall. While Bourgault was expected to eventually assist McDavid on the front line, he never even made it to the regular NHL roster.
Bourgault’s struggles with consistency and adaptation to professional hockey made things increasingly difficult for the right-winger. His battles in puck possession were particularly concerning for Edmonton’s development staff. He was quickly assigned to the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, to continue his development.
During his time in Bakersfield, Bourgault managed to score 34 points (13 goals and 21 assists) across 62 regular-season games in his first professional season. However, his performance wasn’t strong enough to earn NHL consideration. He failed to make his NHL debut during his entire rookie professional season and continued to play for the Condors for one more season before Edmonton ultimately moved on from him.
The Stark Contrast in Development Paths
Bourgault was eventually traded to the Ottawa Senators in July 2024, along with Jake Chiasson, in exchange for Roby Jarventie and a fourth-round draft pick. Meanwhile, Wallstedt, despite experiencing his own ups and downs, has shown significant promise, including multiple shutouts for the Iowa Wild in the AHL and his first NHL shutout with Minnesota.
The development trajectory couldn’t be more different. While Wallstedt has made his NHL debut and recently signed a two-year, $4.4 million contract extension with the Wild, many expect him to compete for significant NHL playing time in the 2025-26 season. Johnston, meanwhile, has become a cornerstone player for Dallas, emerging as one of their top scorers and earning a five-year, $42 million contract extension.
With the NHL Draft now just three days away, the Oilers won’t have a draft pick until the third round, where they hold the 83rd overall selection (acquired as compensation from St. Louis for Dylan Holloway). Edmonton will be hoping this pick follows in the successful footsteps of McDavid and Bouchard rather than the disappointing path of Bourgault.
