The Edmonton Oilers have initiated their first roster cuts of the 2024 NHL preseason. On September 24, they returned goalie Nathaniel Day and forwards Connor Clattenburg, William Nicholl, and Dalyn Wakely to their respective Ontario Hockey League (OHL) teams. The following day, the Oilers trimmed their training camp roster further by nine players, sending five on AHL contracts and four on entry-level contracts to their affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
Among the notable cuts was 21-year-old winger Matvey Petrov, who was expected to make a significant impact this preseason but ultimately struggled. After a lackluster performance, he was loaned to Bakersfield after participating in just one preseason game, where he logged a mere 9:55 of ice time and failed to register any points, finishing with a minus-1 rating.
Petrov came into the preseason with high expectations following impressive seasons with the North Bay Battalion in the OHL, where he had recorded 40 goals and 50 assists in his first year and followed that up with 27 goals and 66 assists in his second. However, his transition to the professional level last season was challenging, as he managed only nine goals and five assists over 53 games with the Condors. This disappointing preseason performance has left many questioning his ability to adapt to the next level.
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