Oil Kings acquire defenceman Luke Prokop from Calgary
Edmonton, AB – The Edmonton Oil Kings have acquired defenceman Luke Prokop from the Calgary Hitmen, the team announced today.
In exchange, the Hitmen receive defencemen Keagan Slaney and Blake Heward, along with a second-round pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft.
Prokop, 19, has appeared in three games this season with Calgary, recording two points (1G, 1A), four penalty minutes and a -3 plus/minus rating.
The Edmonton, AB product has spent parts of five seasons with the Hitmen, tallying 43 points (8G, 35A), 66 penalty minutes and a -19 plus/minus rating in 153 career games.
Following a career year during the 2019-20 season, in which the 6-foot-5, 220-pound blueliner registered 23 points (4G, 19A), 30 penalty minutes and a +4 plus/minus rating, he was drafted by the Nashville Predators in the third-round, 73rd overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft. The Predators subsequently signed him to his entry-level contract in December of 2020.
In addition to his 153 career games in the regular season, he suited up in 11 career playoff games with the Hitmen, all during the 2019 post-season, picking up four assists and a -4 plus/minus rating.
He has served as an alternate captain for the Hitmen over the past two seasons and was also an alternate captain with Team Canada White at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Prokop was born and raised in Edmonton and played his minor hockey with the Canadian Athletic Club and Northern Alberta X-Treme. He was originally acquired by the Hitmen during the 2017 WHL Prospects draft, when they selected him with the seventh-overall selection.
“The organization is really excited to welcome Luke to the Oil Kings,” said Oil Kings President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kirt Hill. “Luke is a player we know well having played against him in our division over the past three seasons. We feel he will bring a wealth of experience to our back end and is a player who can play big minutes for our group.
“Luke is a great skater with good puck moving abilities who will fit into our style of play and system here in Edmonton. We are looking forward to getting him into our lineup this weekend”
Slaney, 18, appeared in 78 career games with the Oil Kings, registering 11 points (2G, 9A), 96 penalty minutes and a +17 plus/minus rating. The Airdrie, AB product was originally drafted by the Oil Kings with their first-round selection, 20th overall, in the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft.
Heward, 18, appeared in 23 career games with the Oil Kings, picking up three assists, 12 penalty minutes and a +9 plus/minus rating. The Regina, SK product was listed and signed by the Oil Kings prior to the 2020-21 season. He was originally drafted by the Swift Current Broncos in the seventh-round, 153rd overall, of the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft.
“The Edmonton Oil Kings would like to thank Keagan Slaney and Blake Heward for their contribution on and off the ice,” added Hill. “We wish them all the best in their future endeavors in hockey and life.”
Edmonton Oil Kings Season Seats, Flex-Packs, Weekend Passes and Single-Game tickets, for as low as $20 per game, are currently on sale at oilkings.ca.
The Oil Kings next home game is Friday, October 15 when they welcome the Lethbridge Hurricanes to Rogers Place at 7:00 P.M.
