Oilers Prospects Lafrenière and Nicholls Eliminated from CHL Playoffs, Lewandowski Advances

Two Edmonton Oilers prospects see their junior careers end, while another fights on in the WHL playoffs

Apr. 12, 2026 at 1:19pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with the players and action broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of blue, red, and yellow, creating a dynamic and abstract visual representation of the sport.Oilers prospects Lafrenière, Nicholls, and Lewandowski face different fates in the CHL playoffs, with Lewandowski's Blades pulling off a surprise upset.San Diego Today

Two Edmonton Oilers prospects, Tommy Lafrenière and William Nicholls, have been eliminated from the CHL playoffs with their respective junior teams. Meanwhile, fellow Oilers prospect David Lewandowski and his Saskatoon Blades pulled off an upset over the Edmonton Oil Kings to advance to the next round of the WHL playoffs.

Why it matters

The performance of Oilers prospects in the CHL playoffs is closely watched, as it provides insight into the development of the team's future talent. While Lafrenière and Nicholls have seen their junior careers come to an end, Lewandowski's continued success could bode well for the Oilers' prospect pipeline.

The details

Lafrenière's Kamloops Blazers were swept by the Kelowna Rockets, while Nicholls' London Knights were eliminated by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. However, Lewandowski and the Saskatoon Blades pulled off a surprise upset over the Edmonton Oil Kings in a tight seven-game series. Lewandowski was a key contributor, scoring three goals and adding five assists.

  • The CHL playoffs' first round concluded recently.
  • Lafrenière and Nicholls have signed amateur tryout contracts with the Bakersfield Condors and made their professional debuts this past weekend.
  • Lewandowski and the Saskatoon Blades will face the Prince Albert Raiders in the next round of the WHL playoffs, starting on April 10.

The players

Tommy Lafrenière

A third-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers, Lafrenière finished his WHL career with the Kamloops Blazers, scoring two goals and adding an assist in their first-round playoff series.

William Nicholls

The Oilers' seventh-round draft pick, Nicholls had three assists for the London Knights in their first-round playoff loss to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

David Lewandowski

A fourth-round pick of the Oilers, Lewandowski led the Saskatoon Blades to an upset victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings in the first round of the WHL playoffs, scoring three goals and adding five assists.

Rowan Calvert

The Saskatoon Blades forward scored the series-winning goal against the Edmonton Oil Kings, tipping in a shot from Lewandowski.

Hunter Laing

The Calgary Flames prospect tied Lewandowski for the team lead in points with eight during the Blades' first-round upset of the Oil Kings.

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What’s next

The Saskatoon Blades and David Lewandowski will face the Prince Albert Raiders in the second round of the WHL playoffs, starting on April 10.

The takeaway

While two Oilers prospects saw their junior careers come to an end, the continued success of David Lewandowski and the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL playoffs provides hope for the Oilers' prospect pipeline. The development of Lewandowski's shot has made him a dual threat on the power play, and his performance could bode well for his future with the organization.