Carter Oakenfold commits to RPI
The '05 center adds power, a good motor and skill to the Engineers
On Thursday, RPI picked up a big commitment from Carter Oakenfold. Oakenfold is an ‘05 center currently playing for the Spruce Grove Saints in the AJHL. He is teammates with other RPI commit Xander Babich. Listed at 6’3” and 175 LBs, Oakenfold already has great size, which is a hallmark of his game. He was able to score 39 points in 35 games last year for Edge School Prep at the U18 level despite being only 16 years old. This year, he only has 2 goals, 5 assists and 7 points in 20 games as he has been adapting to junior hockey.
Oakenfold is said to be “a crafty playmaker with quick, nimble hands” according to one Neutral Zone report. He’s able to use his power, size and skill combination to get into the dangerous areas of the ice to create chances for himself and teammates. The hallmark of his game appears to be his outstanding motor though. He “outworks opponents all over the ice. He’s typically the first guy in on the forecheck, he hunts pucks and throws his weight around in the corners.” With his aggressive forechecking, it’s no surprise that he’s also an adept penalty killer. Overall, Oakenfold has a very good combination of size, strength, skill, and compete.
With Oakenfold already playing junior hockey, we project he will enroll in 2024. This will give him 2 full years of junior hockey to develop, which is what the coaching staff likes. With his tantalizing skill set, he should add a lot to RPI’s team when he arrives in Troy. Congratulations to Carter and his family!