During the 2021-22 season, Edmonton Oilers farmhand Vincent Desharnais started to gain some traction as a real NHL prospect. The giant defenceman (6-foot-7, 226 pounds) was the proud owner of a wingspan that opposition forwards could not overcome on their way to the net. The Bakersfield Condors benefited from Desharnais’ unique talent, and he posted a minor-league defensive season for the ages.
At five-on-five, Desharnais delivered an on-ice goal share of 66 percent (68-35 goals) on a team that managed to score only 52 percent of the goals when he was off the ice. That impressive season, along with coach Jay Woodcroft’s belief in him, allowed Desharnais to progress to an NHL career. He did not have a great draft pedigree, signed an AHL-only deal before he got an NHL contract (in March 2022, after most of his breakout season was in the books).
Desharnais was 25 in 2021-22 and was already mentoring some of the younger defenders (notably Dmitri Samorukov) on the roster.
The 2024-25 Condors did not have a Desharnais available on defence, but rookie Matt Savoie had a similar impact on even-strength outscoring for the team. He was 20 when he did it.
In many ways, it was a lost season in California for Oilers prospects. Injuries, wayward trades and recalls left the team at times threadbare in important spots. Savoie thrived despite the chaos and became the runaway top prospect in the system. He did so despite injuries to top-end AHL centres like Lane Pederson and an NHL recall for pivot Noah Philp. Pederson as his centre for a full season might have forced a recall by Christmas, so in a way, Bakersfield fans were fortunate to see Savoie for most of the season.
Savoie doesn’t represent a typical AHL prospect. He was chosen top 10 in the 2022 draft. Desharnais wasn’t a typical impact AHL player either, with little draft pedigree, turning pro much later than the average player, and climbing from an AHL-only contract to the NHL in a matter of months. No matter how the organization finds him, the Condors need another one. Now.
Chaulk on the hot seat?
Colin Chaulk took over the head coaching job with the Condors midway through the 2021-22 season. He coached several players who are now in the NHL, including Desharnais, Dylan Holloway, Philip Broberg and Mike Kesselring.
During the last four years, the team has also seen disappointing results from names like Xavier Bourgault, Raphael Lavoie and others. Most of the prospects whom Chaulk has coached in recent seasons were not high picks, but Bourgault was a first-round selection in 2021, and Lavoie was a second-round pick two years earlier.
This is an important year for Chaulk. Prospects the organization believes in must find traction.
Bowman to the rescue?
None of this is Oilers general manager Stan Bowman’s fault, but it is his problem. His offseason moves that will directly impact the Condors include adding a veteran AHL starting goaltender (Matt Tomkins, who finished No. 20 in save percentage among starters a year ago) to the roster. Tomkins will get plenty of work this winter, with youngsters like Samuel Jonsson, Connor Ungar and Nathan Day attempting to steal playing time behind him.
What Bowman and Chaulk need to avoid is the same kind of performance dive in goal witnessed after Dec. 1 a year ago. At the beginning of the season, Condors starter Olivier Rodrigue posted a .925 save percentage. After Dec. 1, the young goaltender’s percentage fell to .886 for the rest of the year. Rodrigue is without a contract at this time, and the final months of last season are most certainly the culprit.
The step into an elevator shaft wasn’t limited to stopping shots. The team slumped badly on the power play, but did deliver the strongest even-strength scoring season over the last three years. However, all of the scoring progress at even strength was given back at the other end.
Stat2022-232023-242024-25
Games
72
72
72
GF
212
223
224
GA
212
202
223
EV GF
160
165
187
EV GA
152
145
160
PP GF
45
51
36
PP GA
51
52
51
All numbers via the AHL.com
The numbers here show just how difficult the journey was for Bakersfield when Savoie’s line was off the ice. When the rookie was deployed at even strength, Bakersfield outscored opponents 55-30 in the metric (65 percent). When he was off the ice, the Condors won the even-strength share by an eyelash, 132-130 (50 percent).
In his way, Savoie had a similar impact to Desharnais, and did it as an AHL rookie at 20.
Condors projected 2025-26 lineup
There is no obvious Desharnais or Savoie in this group. Finding a play driver will be key for Chaulk and his coaching staff this fall.
PlayerRole
Matt Tomkins
Starting G, could play 40 games
Connor Ungar
He is 23, most pro experience among backups
Samuel Jonsson
21, coming off an impact season in Sweden
Nathan Day
20, OHL grad, ECHL likely
PlayerRole
Riley Stillman
Veteran LH D, big mins and may mentor Akey
Cam Dineen
Veteran who could play anywhere on depth chart
Atro Leppanen
Pure offence, chaos defence
Damien Carfagna
College man, plus speed, two-way acumen
Mats Lindgren
Recent AHL signing
Alex Regula
Top RH D, if healthy could make the Oilers
Beau Akey
Top rookie, he’ll get chances at feature minutes
Josh Brown
Rugged edge, tough as nails blue
PlayerRole
Noah Philp
Complete player at AHL level, could play in NHL
James Hamblin
Burner, lacks NHL scoring but quality in AHL
Jayden Grubbe
Checker, enforcer
Josh Samanski
Huge C from Germany
Rem Pitlick
AHL signing could play a lot
Roby Jarventie
Range of skills, impressive if healthy
Viljami Marjala
Skill W, expert passer and assist demon
Brady Stonehouse
Aggressive winger looks like a tweener
Connor Clattenburg
Rugged winger with some skill
Rhett Pitlck
Another AHL signing who could eat minutes
Ethan Keppen
AHL signing could play in ECHL
Max Jones
Physical winger, solid AHL scorer
Matvey Petrov
Skill W can’t score consistently
Quinn Hutson
College grad, has scoring potential
James Stefan
Junior scorer has yet to launch in pro
Matt Copponi
AHL signing, he has real skill. Sleeper
(Photo of Matt Savoie: Leila Devlin / Getty Images)