The Edmonton Oilers got a steal of a player when they drafted defenseman Beau Akey out of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after a remarkable stint with the Barrie Colts. He is a two-way, mobile defenseman who played extremely well during his time in the Oilers rookie showcase and is expected to break out into an even better player when he returns to the Colts this season. Stealing Akey in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft is insane, considering how skilled he is. With how talented the 2023 draft class was though, it could be said that in any other year, Akey would have been selected in the first round, so the Oilers should feel lucky he slipped down to them at 56th overall.
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If the Oilers weren’t going all-in and weren’t Stanley Cup contenders, I would argue that Akey could crack the roster as early as the 2024-25 season. But, with how strong the Oilers’ defensive core is, he has a tough hill to climb to make it into their lineup one day. Luckily for him, he has a ton of time to continue developing in the OHL once his time at the Oilers’ main camp is complete, and he’ll be able to work on his weaknesses as well as showcase just how strong of a skater, playmaker, and overall player he actually is. I would go as far as to say I can see Akey putting up over a point per game with the Colts in the 2023-24 season.
Akey’s Career So Far
As mentioned, Akey was the Oilers’ second-round draft pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft at 56th overall out of the OHL. He is a right-shot defender from Waterloo, Ontario, Canada who is listed at 6-foot, 174 pounds. Over the past two seasons with the Colts, Akey has scored 16 goals and added 47 assists for 63 points through 127 games, which comes out to just under a 0.50 points-per-game average. He has been described as a “precise and powerful” skater who is smart with his stick when he makes defensive plays.
In the 2022-23 season alone, which was his draft year, Akey scored 11 goals and added 36 assists for 47 points through 66 games. This was good enough for 7th on the Colts in points and 5th in assists. Everyone above him in points was at least 18, so Akey should have no issue finding the confidence to put up over a point-per-game pace next season. If I had to guess exactly, I’d predict Akey puts up 20 goals and a team-leading 81 points.
Why Will Akey Make The Oilers As Early As The 2025-26 Season?
The Oilers have always been a bit weaker on the right side of the blue line. Luckily, in recent seasons that hasn’t been the case and they’ve been able to stabilize their entire lineup with trustworthy two-way players. Akey is another player that will fall under that category and play a bottom-four role with the Oilers. He has the stride, shot, and IQ to make an NHL team as early as next season, but he’ll flourish alongside the star-studded Oilers roster.
“Smooth-skating blueliner who moves the puck efficiently. Potential as a top-four defenseman if he continues to improve his overall processing speed”
– Nick Richard: DobberProspects (Beau Akey – DobberProspects Prospect Profile)
The Oilers may lose Cody Ceci to free agency after the 2024-25 season and Vincent Desharnais after the 2023-24 season, both of whom are right-shot defenders. If the Oilers want to stick to their beliefs as they’ve done in the past and not spend big in free agency to find a replacement, that’s where Akey comes in.
There is almost a guarantee that he’ll continue to grow and might even get some playing time in the American Hockey League (AHL) pretty soon, where he can quickly learn how fast the professional level of hockey is. If he continues to grow, he could be the perfect replacement for Ceci on the right side, and might even make the Oilers’ defensive core stronger.
