July 15, 2024 by Ryan Lotsberg

The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have traded 2021 first round pick Xavier Bourgault and 2021 fourth round pick Jake Chiasson to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for 2020 second round pick Roby Jarventie and a 2025 fourth round pick on Monday.

Bourgault had promising showings at Oilers training camp in the last two seasons, but he was never able to realize that potential in the organization. He got 34 points in 62 games with the Bakersfield Condors in his first professional season in 2022-23. However, Bourgault took a bit of a step backwards in 2023-24. He only managed 20 points in 55 games for the Condors last season. He only played in 55 games due to a shoulder injury, but he wasn’t as effective as he was in his rookie season when he was healthy in 2023-24. 

Chiasson played one game for the Condors last season, and he got twenty points in 68 games for the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL.

Jarventie got twenty points in 22 games for the Belleville Senators of the AHL last season. He also got to play in seven NHL games for the Senators. Jarventie is only two months older than Bourgault, but he has much more professional hockey experience. He played five games in Finland’s SM-liiga in his draft year. That’s also where he spent his draft + one year, a season in which he got 25 points in 48 games with Ilves Tampere. He also got four AHL games that season. Jarventie has 83 points in 132 AHL games over four seasons in total, compared to Bourgault’s 54 points in 117 AHL games over two seasons.

Jarventie suffered a knee injury last season, which is why he only played 22 games. He had surgery to address the injury this past spring. It will certainly impact his play in the 2024-25 season, but Jarventie is still a high quality prospect that will add some offensive firepower to the Condors and the Oilers’ prospect pipeline.

Remember that Oilers CEO Jeff Jackson’s first move after being hired was to fire Tyler Wright and replace him with Rick Pracey. That was a clear sign that Jackson was unimpressed by the Oilers’ prospect pool, which is fair. Since he began his role as acting GM on June 27, 2024, Jackson has made trades to add Sam O’Reilly, Matthew Savoie, and Jarventie to the Oilers prospect pool. He has also traded away three of Wright’s picks: Ty Tullio, Bourgault, and Chiasson.

Related: Philosophical change for the Oilers under Jackson

I have friends that can attest to how angry I was when Ken Holland traded back in the 2021 draft to select Bourgault. He had the opportunity to select Jesper Wallstedt, who is an elite goaltending prospect, with the twentieth pick in the 2021 draft. While Wallstedt is still not an established NHLer, he is trending upwards in the Minnesota Wild system. The thought of having Stuart Skinner and Wallstedt as a goaltending tandem for the next decade gave me goosebumps; but alas, it was not to be because Holland wanted Bourgault, and he got Bourgault with the 22nd pick. Let’s not forget that Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston was selected with the very next pick after Bourgault was taken. Johnston led the Stars in goal scoring during this past regular season and their playoff run to the Western Conference Final. While Bourgault has an intriguing skill set, it was always the wrong choice in my opinion. This move suggests that Jackson felt the same way.

Related: What are the Oilers getting in Matthew Savoie?

By all accounts, Jarventie appears to be a clear upgrade on Bourgault. Chiasson was highly unlikely to pan out given his extended stay in the ECHL last season. The Oilers got a fourth round pick in the 2025 draft, which brings them up to five picks in that draft. It was a smart move for Jackson to add another pick to the cupboard. It could be used on another prospect, or it could be another potential asset that could be used in a trade to address the current roster. The Oilers don’t have a full slate of draft picks until the 2028 draft, so adding a pick is an important piece of business. Jackson is clearly not married to any of the Oilers prospects outside of Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. If that’s the case, then it makes sense to move out the prospects that are unlikely to work out to add future draft picks.

This is yet another move that appears to be a win for Jackson and the Oilers despite the admittance that Bourgault was the wrong pick for the Oilers in the first round of the 2021 draft.