A closer look at Oilers prospect Sam O'Reilly: Why Edmonton drafted him and what to expect

In a summer of shocking offseason developments, the Edmonton Oilers traded into the first round to select OHL centre Sam O’Reilly from the London Knights.Oilers fans were in shock. The organization rarely trades up, let alone uses a future pick to trade into the first round of the current year.The skill set selected was also mildly surprising. O’Reilly is a two-way centre with an aggressive style and is projected as a No. 2 or No. 3 centre.AdvertisementWhen picking in the first round, or any round, valuing skill above all else is the best idea. (Someone even wrote a book about it.)What were the Oilers thinking?O’Reilly’s scouting reportIt’s important to start at the beginning with the individual player’s skill. For O’Reilly, that means scouting reports before the NHL Draft.Corey Pronman at The Athletic ranked O’Reilly No. 41 (he was taken No. 32), writing that he played “in all situations. He’s a two-way center. He competes hard and has physicality. I’ve seen quicker skaters, but he ca...