Oil Kings Trio Finding Early-Season Success on NHL Stage
October 18, 2022 – Western Hockey League (WHL) – Edmonton Oil Kings News Release
When the Edmonton Oil Kings hoisted the Ed Chynoweth Cup in June, it marked the end of a two-month journey that included 16 wins, and a return to normalcy with the crowning of a WHL Champion for the first time in three years.
Fast forward four months, and no fewer than three members of that Oil Kings group are finding their way, and finding the scoresheet in the National Hockey League as the 2022-23 season kicks into gear.
Forwards Dylan Guenther and Jake Neighbours are getting opportunities to strut their stuff with the Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues, respectively, while defenceman Kaiden Guhle is turning into a Montreal Canadiens stalwart with just four NHL regular-season contests under his belt.
Guenther, the ninth-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut for the Coyotes Saturday in Boston. The Edmontonian, who led the Oil Kings in scoring with 91 points a season ago, collected his first NHL point with Arizona in Saturday’s setback to the Bruins when he assisted on a third-period tally by Josh Brown.
“I think it took me a few shifts in the first period to get my feet under me, but then I thought, I can play with these guys,” Guenther said following Saturday’s game.
I kind of felt better as the game went on, got more comfortable. I felt pretty good towards the end,” Guenther added.
Neighbours, selected in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Blues, already has a goal to his name this season after potting an insurance marker in St. Louis’ 5-2 win Saturday over the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 20-year-old Airdrie, Alta. product got into nine games with the Blues a season ago, scoring once and adding an assist before returning to Edmonton to captain the Oil Kings to their third WHL Championship in the past 10 years.
“I thought my line played really well [Saturday] and had a lot of chances. I just tried to put a shot on net, but that helps bring confidence,” Neighbours said following the win over the Blue Jackets.
“It’s good to get the first one of the season and just try to build on it,” Neighbours noted.
Guhle, the 2022 WHL Playoffs Most Valuable Player and a two-time Ed Chynoweth Cup winner, led all Montreal Canadiens skaters in ice-time in his first NHL contest last week, and again on Monday night as the Habs upended the Pittsburgh Penguins. Selected 16th-overall by Montreal in the 2020 NHL Draft, Guhle was matched up against future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby for more than 15 minutes Monday; he helped limit the Penguins captain to one shot on goal while also collecting a pair of assists to open his NHL account.
“The guys are great, guys are telling me to keep skating, the coaches have been in my corner, helping me out whenever they can,” the Sherwood Park, Alta. product said following Monday’s game.
“It helps when you’re playing lots too, you’re on the ice, just go and play. You can’t really think too much about the game,” Guhle added.
Guenther, Guhle and Neighbours were just three of the eight NHL picks to grace the Oil Kings roster last season, and all but two have started the 2022-23 season in pro hockey. Forward Justin Sourdif (Charlotte), defenceman Luke Prokop (Milwaukee) and goaltender Sebastian Cossa (Grand Rapids) have started the 2022-23 season in the American Hockey League, while forwards, and 2021 NHL Draft selections Jakub Demek (Vegas) and Jalen Luypen (Chicago) could have followed suit, had they not both been sidelined to start the season due to injuries.
Edmonton earned pro attention behind the bench too, as head coach Brad Lauer returned to the NHL over the summer, accepting an assistant coaching role with the Winnipeg Jets.
It’s early days, of course, for the Edmonton Oil Kings graduates from last season. But for Guenther, Guhle and Neighbours, the early success at the NHL level is a continuation of the individual and team triumphs they all enjoyed in the WHL last spring.
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