As I’m sure we remember all too vividly, the Edmonton Oilers were really, really bad last season. Because they were so bad, they didn’t hold on to pending UFA Patrick Maroon for a non-existent playoff run, they instead shipped him to New Jersey in exchange for a 3rd round pick. At first I didn’t think that return was enough, but as the deadline passed, it sure looked like a slower rental market than typical deadlines.

With that third pick, the Oilers looked to have another top-100 pick in the 2018 2019 entry draft. (Thanks, Bruce McCurdy) I’m all for it, even if the player isn’t ready for another 4 seasons, stacking the prospect pool is always a good line of thing. Then however, the Oilers got a little more creative. They flipped that 3rd round pick to Philadelphia for Cooper Marody — a player who did three years in the NCAA, and was far closer to seeing NHL action than that pick would have been.

About:

Cooper Marody was originally taken in 158th overall in the 6th round by the Flyers. He’s sepnt the last three seasons putting up fairly respectable numbers in the Big-10 league. He’s a right-shooting 6’ tall center capable of playing both sides of the puck. His play earned him a Hobey Baker nomination last year at the University of Michigan.

Dobber Prospects had this to say:

In March, the Oilers paid a third round pick for Marody, who was drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round in 2015. The trade comes following a very strong campaign for the young forward where he recorded 16 goals and 51 points in 40 games and topped it off with a Hobey Baker nomination. The Flyers likely traded Marody due to concerns of him potentially becoming a free agent. In April, the Oilers signed Marody to an entry-level contract. He then recorded three points in three games for Edmonton‘s farm team, the Bakersfield Condors. The trade looks like an overpayment on paper but it could be smart move for the Oilers. Edmonton’s lack of quality forward prospects, the teams questionable prospect development and poor drafting history, makes trading a draft pick for a pro-ready prospect a potentially savvy move. The young American has strong puck skills and solid vision but must improve his foot speed and become stronger. If Marody shows well in his first season in the AHL, he could see time in Edmonton sooner than later and could be a sneaky good fantasy pickup. Jameson Ewasiuk

What have you done for me lately?:

Well, he signed his ELC with the Oilers and joined the Condors late in the season. He only suited up for three games down there and posted a goal and two assists. That doesn’t sound like much, but I assure you, the AHL is a very tough league to score in. Even in three games, being a point per game player is very impressive. He has a knack for getting to loose pucks and getting it off his stick first. Here’s a look at his first pro goal.

What does the future hold?

He’s likely going to start the season in Bakersfield and look to be one of the team’s top scorers down there while he works on using his body a little bit more. It’s going to be interesting to see how well his college game transitions to a league with 2 head-hunters on every team, and older guys looking to make a name for themselves.

But maybe, just maybe, he’s actually a lot closer to the NHL that we think he is. He has the talent, he has the smarts, I don’t think it’s out of the question that he gets some games in as early as this year. If he looks good, he might just be the first call-up. The college ranks are a great path to development, playing an entire pro-season might be a grind, however. If he manages to put up 30+ points in the AHL this season, it’s a very good sign of things to come. Quite frankly, the only way I think he doesn’t put up 30+ points, is an injury or a long-term NHL call up. Everything I’ve seen of this player makes it look like it’s better than that 3rd round pick. Time will tell, but at the very least, he’s helping turn the Bakersfield Condors into a real team, and not just the Oilers’ garbage can.