Edmonton Oilers invite three women's hockey players to 2026 Development Camp

The Edmonton Oilers are making history this week by welcoming three of women's hockey's brightest talents to their annual Development Camp at Rogers Place. Abbey Murphy, Chloe Primerano, and Caitlin Kraemer will skate alongside 24 other prospects from June 30 to July 2, marking the first time female players have received invitations to an NHL development camp. The trio joins a group of 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and five goaltenders for a week of fitness testing, on-ice practices, information sessions, and team-building activities, all capped off by a three-on-three tournament on the final day.

Who are the three women joining the Oilers' camp?

Abbey Murphy is arguably the biggest name in the group. The 24-year-old forward just wrapped up a legendary five-year run at the University of Minnesota, where she became the program's all-time leading goal scorer. Her final collegiate season was nothing short of spectacular, with 40 goals and 66 points in just 31 games. Beyond the college ranks, Murphy has been a force on the international stage for the United States, helping the Americans capture gold at both the 2023 and 2025 IIHF Women's World Championships. She also played a pivotal role at the Winter Olympics earlier this year, averaging a point per game as the U.S. claimed Olympic gold for the first time since 2018. Her dominance led to the Seattle Torrent selecting her second overall in the 2026 PWHL Draft, where she is expected to be a transformative presence for a franchise looking to build from the ground up.

Chloe Primerano, a 19-year-old defenseman from North Vancouver, has been turning heads since 2022 when she became the first woman ever chosen in the WHL Prospects Draft. Although she ultimately chose the college route instead of pursuing a career in men's junior hockey, Primerano has been a standout at every level she has played. At the IIHF Under-18 Women's World Championships, she set a new tournament record for points by a defender with 16 in 2024, and the following year she matched Marie-Philip Poulin's career mark of 26 points, the most ever by a Canadian in tournament history. Now entering her third year at the University of Minnesota, Primerano tallied 10 goals and 30 points in 34 games last season. She also earned a spot on the Canadian National Team, competing in the Rivalry Series and at the 2025 Women's Worlds, where she helped Canada win a silver medal. She will not be eligible for the PWHL Draft until 2028.

Caitlin Kraemer rounds out the trio as another rising Canadian star. The Kitchener, Ontario native made her name at the U-18 Women's Worlds, where she set a Canadian record by scoring 10 goals in a single tournament, a feat she accomplished twice in 2023 and 2024. Her 20 career goals at the event rank third all-time. Playing for the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Kraemer was named the 2025 NCAA Rookie of the Year and has accumulated 61 points over her first two collegiate seasons, including 15 goals and 30 points in 36 games last year. Like Primerano, she represented Canada in the Rivalry Series and will not be PWHL Draft eligible until 2028.

A loaded camp roster beyond the headlines

While the inclusion of three women's hockey players is grabbing most of the attention, the Oilers' development camp roster is stacked with intriguing prospects across the board. Edmonton's five picks from the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo will all be in attendance, led by second-round selection Rudolfs Berzkalns (58th overall), along with Malcom Gastrin (third round, 84th), Andrew Robinson (fifth round, 133rd), Caden Harvey (sixth round, 180th), and Ryan Cameron (seventh round, 212th).

Returning for his third development camp is defenseman Beau Akey, a 2023 second-round pick who leads the Oilers' blue line prospect group. The forward contingent features familiar names like Connor Clattenburg, Tommy Lafreniere, and David Lewandowski, all recent draft picks working their way through the pipeline.

The camp also includes several undrafted invitees and free-agent signings. Forward Weston Cameron, who was draft eligible this year but went unselected after posting six goals and 16 points with the OHL's Kitchener Rangers, will be looking to make an impression before heading to the University of Massachusetts this fall. Goaltender Johnny Hicks is another compelling invite after putting together a remarkable 16-0-1 record with a .957 save percentage and a 1.19 goals-against average at the University of Denver last season. Free-agent signings Owen Michaels, Brady Stonehouse, Damien Carfagna, Tomas Cibulka, and Connor Ungar are also part of the group.

Between the pipes, Ungar is expected to lead the goaltending group, joined by recent draft picks Nathaniel Day, Daniel Salonen, and Cameron. The camp kicks off Monday with fitness testing and medicals before the prospects hit the ice on Tuesday, building toward the culminating three-on-three tournament on Wednesday.