Roby Jarventie has five points in his first three AHL games this season. Sergei Belski / Imagn Images
In July 2024, the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators traded several prospects who were in need of a second opinion. These deals happen often and rarely work out. NHL teams are loath to deal early-round selections unless they know the player is going to land well short of his original draft day promise.
Over the last decade, the Oilers organization has collected miles of players who had exhausted the patience of their original teams. Oilers fans can regale you with names like Griffin Reinhart, Cooper Marody and Hayden Hawkey.
That July 2024 trade, made about one week before Stan Bowman was introduced as Edmonton's new general manager, looks like it could be that rare trade of this type that returns true value.
Edmonton sent two AHL players to Ottawa, including 2021 first-round pick Xavier Bourgault and the club's fourth-round selection (Jake Chiasson) from the same draft.
Coming to Edmonton was a fourth-rounder in 2025's draft. David Lewandowski is delivering quality play for the WHL Saskatoon Blades this season. The other piece of the deal was the key for Edmonton: Roby Jarventie, a second-round pick in 2020 by Ottawa and the only player in the group to play in the NHL.
Jarventie played just two games for the Bakersfield Condors in 2024-25, losing most of the season to knee issues. One of the reasons he was available to the Oilers surrounded his injury history. It looked like those two AHL games would be the extent of Jarventie's time with Edmonton. He signed a three-year contract with a Finnish team in May 2025.
However, the organization received positive news on Jarventie's recovery and signed him to a one-year, two-way deal in June (via PuckPedia). During the preseason this fall, Jarventie played three games with the Oilers (recording two assists), cleared waivers and began the season in Bakersfield.
So far this AHL season, Jarventie is easily the best player on the Condors and is making the 2024 trade look good from the Edmonton side:
All numbers via theahl.com
Jarventie's offence has been impressive in the early days of this season, and his outscoring is an even bigger story. Through three games with the Condors, his team has outscored opponents 3-1 (75 percent) while Bakersfield is being outscored 5-9 (36 percent) when Jarventie is off the ice. His even-strength offence (1-2-3) is also impressive.
Bourgault ran in place for the Belleville Senators in 2024-25, scoring 12-14-26 in 61 AHL games. He's off to a strong start offensively this year, but his even-strength share of on-ice goals (2-5, 29 percent) trails his team's (9-11, 45 percent) when he's off the ice. He's having great success on the penalty kill (two short-handed goals already, leading the league), which is an area he has thrived in since turning pro.
Edmonton appears to have won this trade, with the caveat being Jarventie's health.
Jarventie's injury issues are still a factor in his development. The Oilers are not playing him in back-to-back games during the early weeks of the 2025-26 season, in an effort to make sure he can stay on the ice and thrive.
For the Oilers, Jarventie is a luxury at this point. The club is auditioning many wingers at the NHL level, so recalling the young winger would be inefficient. Coach Kris Knoblauch is getting a long look at rookies Matt Savoie and Ike Howard, along with European winger David Tomasek and recent free-agent signing Jack Roslovic. There's no more room for open auditions until further notice.
Edmonton might benefit from using Jarventie as an AHL hammer (he's sixth in AHL points per game so far this year) and leaving him in Bakersfield for the season. He's waiver eligible, and if he can stay healthy, he would be a strong candidate to make the team in the fall of 2026. Jarventie's current deal is for one year and $775,000; he will be a restricted free agent after the season.
Getting his name on a two-year deal at a low AAV would put him in a good spot to make the team and ease cap worries. He can play either wing and has the ability to impact the game in several ways. It's reasonable to suggest the Oilers' left-wing depth chart one year from now could house all of Howard, Jarventie and Vasily Podkolzin. All in, that trio could cost less than $5 million. That's terrific value if everyone performs well and stays healthy this year.
For many Oilers fans, Jarventie remains a bit of a mystery. He played little in preseason and has just three games with the Condors this season.
What does he do? In his short time in the NHL, his skating was in the 67th percentile, via NHL Edge, and that's a large player (6-foot-3, 209 pounds). He can play all three forward positions, although wing is the likely NHL landing spot. Jarventie is 23 and has plenty of time to establish himself as an NHL player.
His draft day scouting reports were mixed, and speed was at the centre of concern.
Jarventie's career hasn't gone as hoped, but the Oilers may be able to work it to the team's advantage. In watching Bakersfield's games this season, he's the driver at even strength and on the power play. There appears to be no room on this year's NHL roster, but he's NHL-ready if healthy, even if his chance doesn't arrive until next fall.