Asher Barnett

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We continue our Cult of Hockey summer series of the Edmonton Oilers’ Top prospects entering 2026-27.

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Our panel of judges cast votes on thirty-seven organizational “prospects”. From those, we will pay closer attention to what we have deemed (by the afore-mentioned voting process) as the Top 25.

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Jim Matheson, David Staples, Kurt Leavins, Ira Cooper, Kevin McCurdy and Matthew Panchyshyn.

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Asher Barnett

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2026 Ranking: 16

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2025 Ranking: 19

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Asher Barnett is a nineteen-year-old left shot Defenceman. He was born in Glencoe, Illinois. He is a solid 6’1 197 LB.

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The youngster had an early taste of Edmonton, having played at The Brick Invitational for CCM Chicago in 2016-17. It would be a harbinger of
things to come.

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Barnett emerged from the Chicago Mission U15 program after a pair of point-per-game seasons in the HPHL and joined the USHL National Junior Team in 2023-24. There, he went 4-14-18 in 54 GP. He made the USA World Junior Team that season and went 0-2-2 in 5 GP in Worlds.

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Barnet took a significant step forward the following season, with the US U18 club. There he went 8-14-22 in 58 GP and was +8. Barnett was then named Captain of the American World Junior squad and went 2-4-6 in 7GP and was +7 in his second taste of world competition.

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That clearly caught the eye of Edmonton Oilers scouts, who selected him in Round 5 of the NHL Draft, 133 overall. It was my view at the time that Barnett easily could have gone in Round Four, and that Edmonton’s amateur scouts did a
good job spotting him.

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Barnett then committed to the University of Michigan and played his rookie season there in 2025-26. He went 5-13-18 in 40 GP and was an eye-popping +27. Those are very good numbers for a freshman.

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He is currently unsigned. But “arrows up”.

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Dobber Prospects: NHL sized already at just 18 years old, Barnett has the makings of a solid two-way defenseman. His defensive side stands out more than the offense. He won’t threaten to take the top powerplay quarterback position, but his combination of competitiveness, physicality and leadership should give him the upside of a defensive, bottom four blueliner at the NHL level.

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Elite Prospects: Bringing a little bit of everything defensively, Barnett wins his minutes with transition passing, physicality, and defensive details. He punishes net-front attackers with crosschecks and then detaches to intercept the puck carrier behind the net for a stop. He wins inside position, proactively engages opponents, and tips away passes, all key traits for strong off-puck defenders moving forward.

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2026-27 Projection