Edmonton Oilers 2025 fourth-round draft selection David Lewandowski impressed during his one-game look with the Bakersfield Condors in the spring. Lewandowski showed plenty of second effort, passed the puck well and showed up at the play ready for contact. These skills are showing up more often among the team’s prospects.Since Stan Bowman arrived in Edmonton as general manager during the 2024 offseason, the team’s additions have good mobility, are aggressive in puck pursuit and recover quickly when the puck is turned over. This player type runs counter to the heady days of acquiring elite offensive talents with hopes each prospect would grow into the finer points of the defensive game. The Oilers don’t draft in the first round anymore, and appear to have concluded the later picks should be spent on support players.Is it working?Get that puck! Lewandowski’s time with the WHL Saskatoon Blades showed real growth and maturity. He went from 0.75 points per game in his draft year to 1.14 points per game last season. Still only 19, standing 6-foot-2 with room to fill out (AHL site has him at 176 pounds), his single game with the Condors showed much of what made Lewandowski a quality junior should translate to pro hockey.He never shies from contact, and works well along the wall. As a pro, he’s more likely to help his line secure pucks along the boards and find an outlet (he’s a good passer) than he will be driving to the net and looking for a pass. Lewandowski is a good skater and has improved in this area over the last year. He doesn’t shoot enough but finds the net often enough to suggest a 20-goal season in the AHL during his entry-level contract is possible.Players who own similar attributes are marbled across most of the names Edmonton has drafted since the arrival of scouting director Rick Pracey. Here’s a quick description of the skaters chosen by the Oilers in the three most recent drafts.PlayerSkills and futureSam O'ReillyQuality 2-way C with NHL futureAsher BarnettSkates, hits, great in coverageRudolfs BerzkansExceptional checking centreWilliam NichollSpeedy C with 2-way abilityTommy LafreniereBurner, possible middle-six WDavid LewandowskiPossible middle-six WConnor ClattenburgEnergy depth W, 5 NHL GP alreadyConsidering the Oilers have used just one of their first-round selections (Sam O’Reilly), and dealt him to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Ike Howard, this is an impressive list of puck hounds, speedsters and possible NHL futures.Pracey is emphasizing responsible play, speed plus size when possible, and aggressive pursuit of the puck. A player like Rudolfs Berzkalns is already an impressive suppression centre, with the only question mark surrounding his ability to score goals. If he can develop into a 12-15 goal-scorer annually, his future is on an NHL third line. If he doesn’t progress offensively, he still has a chance to be an effective fourth-line centre/penalty killer in the NHL down the line.