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Oilers Make More Cuts

9 players assigned to Bakersfield as the Training Camp roster is trimmed down to 34 players.

AHL: OCT 31 Bakersfield Condors at Stockton Heat Photo by Lyle Setter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Morning, folks.

This just in, from the Edmonton Oilers’ Twitter account:

Here are the cuts:

Adam Cracknell (F)

Vincent Desharnais (D)

Luke Esposito (F)

James Hamblin (F)

Philip Kemp (D)

Michael Kesselring (D)

Brad Malone (F)

Markus Niemelainen (D)

Olivier Rodrigue (G)

Nobody in this group was really expected to grab an NHL job this year — or perhaps ever, in the forwards’ case — but based on preseason form some might be surprised to see Philip Kemp’s inclusion on this list.

Kemp, Michael Kesselring, and Markus Niemelainen should occupy at least two of the top four slots in Bakersfield, with Dmitri Samorukov and Philip Broberg likely to occupy the others if they wind up in California.

Rodrigue being sent down is no surprise. Both Stuart Skinner — who was excellent last night with 36 saves in a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken — and Ilya Konovalov are ahead of him on the organizational depth chart. Either of those two could crack the big club this year with Alex Stalock ruled out for the season, but Rodrigue wasn’t really in that conversation.

Edmonton returns to action tonight in Winnipeg, with puck drop slated for 5PM MST.