Welcome to Oilersnation’s Top Prospect Countdown for Summer 2025. This list profiles players and goaltenders under 25 years old who have played fewer than 25 NHL games.

In 2024, during his brief stint as acting general manager between Ken Holland and Stan Bowman, Jeff Jackson focused his draft on Ontario Hockey League talent. The Oilers traded into the first round to grab Sam O&#8217;Reilly of the London Knights, then used three more selections in the fifth to seventh rounds on OHL forwards.
Edmonton had acquired an extra seventh-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks in the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-acquire-forwards-adam-henrique-and-sam-carrick-from-anaheim-ducks">Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick</a> deal ahead of the trade deadline in 2023-24. They used it to select William Nicholl, who’s looking like one of the draft’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-prospect-william-nicholl-listed-among-late-round-steals-from-the-2024-nhl-draft">best late-round steals</a> a year later.
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<h2><a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/716344/william-nicholl">William Nicholl</a></h2>
Position: C/LW
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Canada
Date of Birth: May 24, 2006
Drafted: 196th overall in 2024
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 pounds
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-179263" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-09-at-8.28.43-AM.png" alt="" width="772" height="156" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-09-at-8.28.43-AM.png 772w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-09-at-8.28.43-AM-300x61.png 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-09-at-8.28.43-AM-768x155.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px" />
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Nicholl Nets Hat Trick in Four-Point Night" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_eQENRx5Su8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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As a rookie in 2023-24, Nicholl chipped in six goals and 20 points over 65 games for the London Knights. He saved his best for the playoffs, posting eight points in 18 games as the Knights captured the OHL Championship. They fell short in the Memorial Cup, but that playoff performance helped boost the young forward’s draft stock.
<blockquote>&#8220;Nicholl is a forward who shows unrelenting pace, textbook details, and flashes of high-level offence,&#8221; <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/nhl-draft-guide/2024">Elite Prospects aid in their Draft Guide</a>. &#8220;He wins body positioning on everyone in every situation: Net front, along the boards, on the backcheck, on random opponents in open ice. His physical skills enable him to beat defenders off the wall, get inside, and fire off chances.&#8221;</blockquote>
This was the common thread with all four OHL forwards the Oilers selected in the 2024 draft. Sam O’Reilly, Connor Clattenburg, Dalyn Wakely, and William Nicholl all excel away from the puck, forcing turnovers and limiting opposing chances. Even if they can&#8217;t find offence at the pro level, each projects as a player who could eventually contribute to an NHL club in a bottom-six role.
In 2024-25, Nicholl stepped into a larger role with London and his offence took a major leap. He broke out with 21 goals and 57 points across 66 regular-season games, finishing fifth on the team with a plus-38 rating. In the playoffs, he added eight points in 17 games as the Knights completed the sweep, winning both the OHL Championship and the Memorial Cup.
Back in January, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-5-best-late-round-steals-2024-nhl-draft">Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff</a> mentioned Nicholl as one of the top late-round steals from the previous summer&#8217;s draft.
<blockquote>&#8220;Taken 196th overall, Nicholl has emerged as the London Knights’ second-line center alongside Easton Cowan and is on pace for more than 60 points. He was a depth forward with just 20 points in 65 games last year, but his game started to come alive as the team won the OHL championship. Nicholl is an excellent skater who brings speed and energy to every shift. I think his ability to handle the puck on the rush – and at speed – has improved, making him more dangerous in the process. Given that he was one of the last picks in the draft, there’s a lot to like, and I think he’ll push his way up the Oilers’ depth chart as time progresses. Once known more for his off-puck play, I’m glad Nicholl has taken control offensively, too.&#8221;</blockquote>
Now 19, Nicholl will return to the London Knights for his third season with the club. With top players like Easton Cowen and Denver Barkey turning pro, the Ottawa native will be counted on to take on a bigger role. London remains loaded with talent (first-round NHL picks Sam O’Reilly and Henry Brzustewicz are expected back) and should be in the mix for a third straight OHL Championship.
<hr />
<h2>Top Prospects Countdown&#8230;</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-honourable-mentions">Honourable Mentions</a></li>
<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-10-eemil-vinni">No. 10: Eemil Vinni</a></li>
<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-9-paul-fischer">No. 9: Paul Fischer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-8-dalyn-wakely">No. 8: Dalyn Wakely</a></li>
</ul>

Welcome to Oilersnation’s Top Prospect Countdown for Summer 2025. This list profiles players and goaltenders under 25 years old who have played fewer than 25 NHL games.



In 2024, during his brief stint as acting general manager between Ken Holland and Stan Bowman, Jeff Jackson focused his draft on Ontario Hockey League talent. The Oilers traded into the first round to grab Sam O'Reilly of the London Knights, then used three more selections in the fifth to seventh rounds on OHL forwards.

Edmonton had acquired an extra seventh-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks in the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-acquire-forwards-adam-henrique-and-sam-carrick-from-anaheim-ducks">Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick</a> deal ahead of the trade deadline in 2023-24. They used it to select William Nicholl, who’s looking like one of the draft’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-prospect-william-nicholl-listed-among-late-round-steals-from-the-2024-nhl-draft">best late-round steals</a> a year later.

<hr />

<h2><a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/716344/william-nicholl">William Nicholl</a></h2>
Position: C/LW

Shoots: Left

Nationality: Canada

Date of Birth: May 24, 2006

Drafted: 196th overall in 2024

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 185 pounds

<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-179263" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-09-at-8.28.43-AM.png" alt="" width="772" height="156" />

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eQENRx5Su8

<hr />

As a rookie in 2023-24, Nicholl chipped in six goals and 20 points over 65 games for the London Knights. He saved his best for the playoffs, posting eight points in 18 games as the Knights captured the OHL Championship. They fell short in the Memorial Cup, but that playoff performance helped boost the young forward’s draft stock.
<blockquote>"Nicholl is a forward who shows unrelenting pace, textbook details, and flashes of high-level offence," <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/nhl-draft-guide/2024">Elite Prospects aid in their Draft Guide</a>. "He wins body positioning on everyone in every situation: Net front, along the boards, on the backcheck, on random opponents in open ice. His physical skills enable him to beat defenders off the wall, get inside, and fire off chances."</blockquote>
This was the common thread with all four OHL forwards the Oilers selected in the 2024 draft. Sam O’Reilly, Connor Clattenburg, Dalyn Wakely, and William Nicholl all excel away from the puck, forcing turnovers and limiting opposing chances. Even if they can't find offence at the pro level, each projects as a player who could eventually contribute to an NHL club in a bottom-six role.

In 2024-25, Nicholl stepped into a larger role with London and his offence took a major leap. He broke out with 21 goals and 57 points across 66 regular-season games, finishing fifth on the team with a plus-38 rating. In the playoffs, he added eight points in 17 games as the Knights completed the sweep, winning both the OHL Championship and the Memorial Cup.

Back in January, <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-5-best-late-round-steals-2024-nhl-draft">Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff</a> mentioned Nicholl as one of the top late-round steals from the previous summer's draft.
<blockquote>"Taken 196th overall, Nicholl has emerged as the London Knights’ second-line center alongside Easton Cowan and is on pace for more than 60 points. He was a depth forward with just 20 points in 65 games last year, but his game started to come alive as the team won the OHL championship. Nicholl is an excellent skater who brings speed and energy to every shift. I think his ability to handle the puck on the rush – and at speed – has improved, making him more dangerous in the process. Given that he was one of the last picks in the draft, there’s a lot to like, and I think he’ll push his way up the Oilers’ depth chart as time progresses. Once known more for his off-puck play, I’m glad Nicholl has taken control offensively, too."</blockquote>
Now 19, Nicholl will return to the London Knights for his third season with the club. With top players like Easton Cowen and Denver Barkey turning pro, the Ottawa native will be counted on to take on a bigger role. London remains loaded with talent (first-round NHL picks Sam O’Reilly and Henry Brzustewicz are expected back) and should be in the mix for a third straight OHL Championship.


<hr />

<h2>Top Prospects Countdown...</h2>
<ul>
 	<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-honourable-mentions">Honourable Mentions</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-10-eemil-vinni">No. 10: Eemil Vinni</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-9-paul-fischer">No. 9: Paul Fischer</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-8-dalyn-wakely">No. 8: Dalyn Wakely</a></li>
</ul>

Oilersnation’s Summer 2025 Prospect Countdown – No. 7: William Nicholl

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