Daily Faceoff Live: Oilers’ Reid Schaefer leading ‘Next Wave’ with wicked WHL start

New Daily Faceoff associate editor and prospect analyst Steven Ellis joined Frank Seravalli on Tuesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff Live to discuss some of the top prospects leading the charge in their respective leagues to start the 2022–23 regular season.

First, Ellis and Seravalli discussed Edmonton Oilers 2022 first-round draft pick Reid Schaefer, who is currently tied with 2023-eligible phenom Connor Bedard for the Western Hockey League’s goal-scoring lead:

Steven Ellis: This is an interesting one, where he’s kind of emerged as a very strong power forward. I’d say, heading into last season, there was no one talking about him. I didn’t have him on my top, like, 150 players to watch at the beginning of the year but then he forced his way into first round conversation. This is a guy Oilers fans are going to really like. He plays a tough game but he scores a lot, he’s got a great shot, he’s not afraid of any physical challenge, and he’s getting better defensively.

The analysts also touched upon the Buffalo Sabres’ backlogged goaltending pipeline, which features Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen already in the AHL and a pair of NCAA prospects — Devon Levi and Erik Portillo — tearing it up at their respective schools.

Frank Seravalli: When you consider the situation with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, where do [the Sabres] stand, what decision do you think they’ll make after this season?

Steven Ellis: Having those two guys [Levi and Portillo] in there with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, it’s a really exciting thing, but you don’t want to have a crowded crease. You don’t want to have three of these guys competing in the AHL next year. I think, in a perfect world, Luukkonen goes up and then you’re giving Devon Levi, or giving Portillo, the opportunity to be the starter in the AHL. I don’t know if we’ll see both of them with the Sabres. I think one of them will be moved. If I had to guess, it is Portillo, but that’s a guy you don’t really want to give up unless you’re getting a really good return.

Seravalli and Ellis also had a brief conversation about Jets prospect Dmitri Rashevsky, who — having just turned 22 — is up to nine goals and 18 points in 22 KHL games this season. Ellis described Rashevsky as a potential “good middle-six option for the Jets” if they’re able to get him signed.

Here’s the full episode of Daily Faceoff Live: