Oilers Make Three New Additions to Development Staff

Contending teams always have to find wins on the margins.

View the original article to see embedded media.

Up against the cap, sending valuable draft picks out for more immediate help, often living off a top-heavy lineup, teams like the Edmonton Oilers need to get the most they can possibly get out of every young player.

With that in mind, the Oilers announced three new additions to their player development staff on Wednesday. Joining the organization this offseason are Tobias Salmelainen, Andreas Karlsson, and Vincent Malts.

While it's difficult to evaluate the performance of behind-the-scenes actors such as these, we're going to take a look at each of these men's careers to see what they'll bring to the Oilers and what GM Stan Bowman is prioritizing in the first year of his tenure.

Tobias Salmelainen, Player Acquisition and Development (Europe)

If the name Salmelainen seems familiar to you, it may be because his brother Tony played 13 games for the Oilers in 2003-04 and, much like myself, you're cursed to remember every single player who ends up in Edmonton. Fun fact: their father, Tommi, was the first Finnish player ever drafted by an NHL team.

As for Tobias, he was most recently the general manager of HIFK of the Finnish Liiga, starting in 2017-18. During his time at the helm, HIFK made the playoffs every year, making five bronze medal games and winning two. Players that suited up for HIFK during that time include Miro Heiskanen, Anton Lundell, Jets prospect Brad Lambert, and 2024 Oilers draft pick Eemil Vinni.

Salmelainen, who spent four years as a player agent before moving to HIFK, will stay in Helsinki with the Oilers. Given his connections in Finnish hockey and Stan Bowman's history of signing European free agents, Salmelainen would be a big part of the scouting and signing process with established players in the Liiga.

Andreas Karlsson, Player Development Coach

Karlsson, a former member of the Atlanta Thrashers and Tampa Bay Lightning, comes to the Oilers from the OHL. There, he spent the past six years as an assistant coach, first with the Kitchener Rangers, and then with the Hamilton/Brantford Bulldogs, where he won an OHL championship in 2022.

Before that, Karlsson was the head coach of Frolunda's J20 team in his home country of Sweden. In a decade of coaching, the most impactful NHLers to play under him have been Pierre Engvall, Arber Xhekaj, and Mason McTavish. While his alumni list is a little underwhelming, Karlsson's player development experience is welcome in a farm system that has seen precious few success stories in recent years.

Vincent Malts, Mental Performance and Player Development Coach

Malts is tougher to get a read on, with a more obscure track record than Salmelainen or Karlsson. A former scout for the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL, Malts has spent the past few years as a Mental Performance Coach for the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks of the NAHL and the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.

Related: Catch The Oilers And More In The Hockey News Magazine

Malts runs a program called Bloodline Hockey, where he focuses on the mental aspect of the game and "holistic player development." Through Bloodline, Malts has worked with USA Hockey and various NHL teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks.

Bloodline Hockey's website refers to Malts as "the player whisperer." Considering the Oilers' relationship with "the performance whisperer" George Mumford, who Jeff Jackson brought in to work with the team during last year's playoff run, Malts' hiring makes sense. Whether Malts works with the NHL team or with its prospects, it's clear that Jackson and Bowman see mental coaching as something worth addressing.

It takes more than just good players and a smart GM to make a successful organization. After a poor run of drafting and development under Ken Holland, the Oilers' new management is clearly trying to right those wrongs and think outside the box a little.

These three hires aren't former Oilers or old college roommates of front office members, but experienced minds from all over the hockey world. Considering the Oilers' rich history with Finland and the relative lack of Europeans in NHL front offices, the hiring of Salmelainen is particularly intriguing and encouraging.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss news, interviews or any other updates on the Oilers.

Related: Sam Gagner Joins New Team in Eastern Conference

Related: Oilers Big and Bruising Prospect Moves On

REPORT: Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane Won't Be Ready to Start Edmonton Oilers Training Camp

Related: Promising Former Oiler Signs With New Team

Related: Wife of Former Oilers Forward Ending Marriage

Related: 'It's a Very Magical Experience': Stuart Skinner Reveals How He Balances Being a Husband, Father and Starting Goalie for the Edmonton Oilers.