After overcoming shoulder injuries, Oilers’ Beau Akey is chasing Canadian World Juniors spot

OTTAWA – When Brandt Clarke joined the Los Angeles Kings organization last season, it opened the door for Beau Akey to take a big step forward with the Barrie Colts.

And early on, it looked promising: the Edmonton Oilers prospect had nine points in 14 games and was generally one of the best players every single night. Not too shabby for a defender taken 56th overall.

But on Nov. 10, 2023 in a game against the Mississauga Steelheads, everything came crumbling down when he injured his left shoulder in a collision. Turns out, after dealing with an injury on his right side, as well, Akey required double shoulder surgery and was knocked out for the rest of the season. All that momentum, all that opportunity – gone.

But he’s back and playing fully healthy in his fourth and final season with the Colts. He was also a bit of a surprise to get named to Canada’s World Junior selection camp roster, taking place this week in Ottawa. A total of 10 defenders are challenging for eight spots, with Akey looking to make it as a 19-year-old. Akey previously skated with the U-17 team at the one-off Capital City Challenge, but this would be his first time participating in an International Ice Hockey Federation tournament if he qualified.

Many consider Akey to be a bit of a long shot. He isn’t dominating the OHL by any means, and he was brought in ahead of some other highly touted young blueliners. But Akey isn’t letting the opportunity go to waste – he knows how big of an opportunity it is.

There won’t be a lot of time for Akey to outperform his peers, though. Canada will play the USPORTS selects all-star team in Ottawa on Thursday and Friday before the final roster is solidified.

“Making the team would be a dream come true,” said Akey, who cited Connor Bedard’s dominance at the 2023 tournament in Halifax as a personal highlight. “Everyone wants to be on this team.”

Akey said he spent most of his downtime just watching as much hockey as he could last year. That includes keeping a close eye on the Oilers during their Stanley Cup final run. But the whole time, he kept the World Juniors as a big goal of his heading into 2024-25.

“Everybody is here for a reason, everybody gets a fair chance to make the team,” Akey said. “It’s a great opportunity.”

Akey had 19 points in 25 games this season in Barrie, putting him on pace for 50 points for the first time in his career. He said it took a bit of time to get re-adjusted to the pace, but he’s feeling at the top of his game at the right time.

“The conditioning definitely wasn’t all the way there, but I picked my feet up off the ground and now I’m running,” Akey said.

As for what scouts think, one told Daily Faceoff, “He’s such a stronger skater who uses his speed and footwork to create opportunities. He’s one of the OHL’s elite blueliners – better than his stats suggest. It feels like he’s still learning how to maximize his game with the puck, but the raw talent reminds you a bit of Brock Faber.”

Akey had to play a bit of catchup to get himself back on Canada’s radar for a tournament like this, but the results have been positive. World Junior spot or not, Akey’s return to form is a promising sign for an Oilers pipeline lacking much of anything, really.

But making the team, and realizing a childhood dream? That’s all Akey is thinking about right now.

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