Edmonton Oilers defensive prospect Beau Akey is demonstrating the kind of resilience that defines a professional athlete, steadily growing into his game after a significant injury interrupted his early career trajectory.
Overcoming Early Career Adversity
The journey for the young defenceman, selected by the Oilers in the second round (56th overall) of the 2023 draft from the Barrie Colts, hit a major hurdle just months into his professional path. In November 2023, Akey underwent dual shoulder surgery, a setback that altered the development plan the organization had envisioned for him.
This was not an isolated incident, as Akey has faced several injury battles early in his hockey life. The recovery process has been long and, at times, challenging, but the focus has remained on getting the promising blueliner back on track.
Earning His Stripes in the Pros
This season, Akey began with the ECHL before earning a promotion to the American Hockey League's Bakersfield Condors. The move was part of a calculated development strategy. Condors general manager Keith Gretzky explained the rationale, emphasizing the importance of playing time for young players returning from long absences.
"When you've missed a lot of hockey with injuries, the one thing we don't want to do is have people sit. I don't believe in that," Gretzky stated on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer. "If you're young, we want them to play." The initial plan was for Akey to log heavy minutes in the ECHL, quarterbacking both the power play and penalty kill to accelerate his adjustment to playing against men.
However, a cascade of injuries on the Condors' blue line, including the call-up of Riley Stillman to Edmonton, created an opportunity. Akey was summoned to Bakersfield, where he has held his own. In 22 AHL games so far, he has recorded 2 goals and 7 assists. Notably, his production has ticked up recently, with both goals and three assists coming in his past ten outings, where he posted an impressive plus-9 rating.
The Road Ahead: Strength, Growth, and Grind
While his offensive instincts, poise, and skating ability are evident, the consensus from the Condors' brass is clear: physical development is the next crucial step. Listed at six-feet and 172 pounds, the native of Waterloo, Ontario, acknowledges he has growing to do, both in his game and in his physique.
"His physical shape is light. Really light," said Condors head coach Colin Chaulk. "He takes his shirt off and that kind of stuff, he's got a lot of growing to do." Gretzky echoed this sentiment, noting Akey is still raw and needs to acquire man-strength. The organization plans to present him with a specific summer training regimen designed to help him mature physically.
The immediate future involves a delicate balance. With injured Condors players returning, the decision between keeping Akey in the AHL for limited minutes or returning him to a starring role elsewhere is ongoing. The priority remains maximizing his development through consistent, high-level play.
"He's just got to grow, he's got to learn and he's got to grind. That happens in the American League," Chaulk summarized. "And then the player needs to meet the coaching staff and the player-development staff halfway, he's got to do the work." For Beau Akey, the work continues as he turns early-career aches into the foundation of a promising professional future.
