DEV CAMP: Chiasson healed and ready for next season

EDMONTON, AB - Oilers prospect Jake Chiasson is on the mend and back again.
Flash back to nearly a year ago. The fourth-round pick in 2021 was experiencing his first taste of a National Hockey League dream back in Oilers rookie camp last September until a freak accident sidelined him for the majority of his season. Chiasson got tangled up with another player and took an unfortunate tumble into the boards during Oilers rookie camp, injuring his shoulder to the extent that the malady required surgery.
"That's no way you want to start a year. It's tough, a lot of guys go through it, but you don't understand how tough it is until you go through it until it happens to yourself," Chiasson said about the injury. "It's good to be back here and get a little redemption. I've been looking forward to this camp for a while now. It's nice to be back, see some familiar faces, and get going."
The recovery process was long and tedious, sidelining Chiasson for the better part of six months. During that time, the then 18-year-old was forced to watch his teammates get to work together from afar. While he was unable to contribute on the ice, Chiasson worked hard to make sure he still felt connected to the rest of the Wheat Kings.
"It's tough, you're sitting at home doing your stretches and rehab. You're watching the team you want to play for so bad going to battle every night," he said. "That wasn't easy at all, but I did as best as I could to stay in touch with the guys in Brandon there and give any help I could to the young guys coming in. I did whatever I could to be a part of the team from far away."

The bond inside a hockey locker room is a strong one to break. For Chiasson, he never felt alone while he worked to get healthy from an injury that cost him 48 games of action.
"It's pretty special. A lot of the guys that have been in Brandon since I was 14-15 years old, so I have a pretty close relationship with a lot of the guys there," Chiasson said. "The medical and coaching staff were regularly checking in to make sure my head was in the right space and my body was feeling good. That definitely made my time go by quicker. It was a lot easier having them in my back pocket for any help and just to reach out and talk hockey."
The 6-foot-1 forward out of Abbotsford, B.C. was injured on September 17 and was out of action until March 4, when he returned for the Brandon Wheat Kings with an emphatic four-point night against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The scoring didn't always come that easy after the return - Chiasson joined Brandon during the playoff drive where the games get tighter and there just seems to be less room on the ice. Still, he was able to suit up for 20 games while recording 18 points (6G, 12A) as he re-acquainted himself back into the lineup.
"It's tough stepping back into the lineup after you miss 48 games. That is kind of the ramp up area of the season to get ready for playoffs," Chiasson said. "You come in and the games are fast and physical and like I said it was tough to step in. Each game I got more comfortable with myself and my injury, and realized I was in good shape and ready to go."

Brandon would end up qualifying for the WHL playoffs, taking on 45-19-2 Red Deer Rebels in the first round. The Wheat Kings would push their opponent to the brink but fell in triple-overtime of Game 6, with Chiasson notching three assists in the series.
After having a lot of hockey taken away from him the last two seasons - one due to covid and due to the injury -- Chiasson can't wait to get back to Brandon after Oilers Development camp to continue polishing his game. The right winger knows that this is a vital development year to make his National Hockey League dreams a reality.
"It's crucial. It's something I'm really looking forward to. There's been ups and downs in my career so far and this is just another one I'm taking head-on," Chiasson said. "I'm excited to get back, we're going to have a good group. Being an older guy in the league it's going to be a good opportunity to be a leader and show the ropes to the guys coming in. This is a big year for me and I'm excited to get going."