The Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool is very overwhelming, and it’s expected for a team that has been a contender for the past few years. For their management, they are able to add two very stable prospects to the fold.
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The first was Matt Savoie, who was acquired from the Buffalo Saber in the 2024 offseason in exchange for Ryan McLeod. Another was the latest deal as the Oilers took Isaac Howard from the Tampa Bay Chargers in exchange for prospect Sam O’Reilly. Ironically, O’Reilly is one of the better prospects the Oilers have, but they obviously feel Howard is closer to the NHL ready.
Savoie and Howard are expected to enter the NHL next season, which has made Oilers fans very excited. It’s always exciting for the fan base, although it usually happens more often for teams in the rebuilding phase. Instead, the Oilers are in the Stanley Cup stage, which is why fans should ease expectations from the two young forwards.
Not ready
For years, the Oilers have been trying to figure out a way to make Leon Draisaitl a true top six winger. They tried to do this by signing Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson for a deal, although neither of them stood out and both left the organization.
Now, it seems many people have concluded that Sava and Howard will both be Dresel’s two wingers. The mentality is certainly logical, as both are highly talented forwards who were taken away in the first round, hoping they could turn into offensive studs at the NHL level.
Of course, both players can prove this because they have high potential and meet expectations in every ranking they play. That said, the NHL is a completely different beast, and it is a big, if not ridiculous, if not ridiculous to expect these two young men to come in and make a big difference in the top six.
Savoie has only played for one professional season so far, but is still only 21 years old. His first professional season was a success as he scored 19 goals and 54 points in the Bakersfield Condor (AHL) of the American Hockey League (AHL). He also registered four games with the Oilers, where he registered assists.
These numbers are by no means ridiculous, especially for players who were only 21 years old in January. They suggest Savoie will have a solid NHL career, despite the hope that he will produce for Cup contenders at a high rate, a very young rookie. On top of that, he is only 5-foot-9, meaning he may need some time to adapt to the NHL level of competitiveness.
As for Howard, he has not recorded any NHL games so far. The 21-year-old won the Hobby Baker Award last season with Michigan State, where he dominated with 26 goals and 52 points in just 37 games. These figures certainly indicate that he is a good prospect for the NHL, although it seems that Oilers fans have high expectations for him as well.
It would be foolish to expect a player who has never played a professional game to play the first six minutes of the game against Draisaitl. Howard will almost undoubtedly start the 2025-26 season with the Oilers, but if he struggles at any time, he will definitely have a chance to reassign him to the AHL. From other prospects in the past, this is not rare.
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Like Savoie, Howard is also in the 5-foot-11 size smaller. He has been playing with players of similar college age, players who are smaller and much more mature than NHL players. It may also take him some time to get used to the NHL speed.
Oilers can’t rely on
Although both Savoie and Howard can finish their rookie seasons, it is crucial that Oilers Management does not rely on both ages. Entering the NHL is a learning process and hopes to be the focus of production they hope to find for Draisaitl, which will be childish and have the opportunity to rush south.
