Welcome to my annual player review series, where I dive into the Edmonton Oilers season player-by-player. We’ll look back at the season that was, what kind of impact each player had, and what we could see from them next season. You can read about the analytics behind my analysis here.
The Edmonton Oilers really hoped for more from Viktor Arvidsson.
When they signed him to his two-year, $4-million AAV contract in free agency a year ago, they hoped to be getting the Viktor Arvidssson who was putting up 50-60 points as he had with the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators before. Instead, they got 27 points and a lot of disappointment.
Arvidsson struggled to find his game for much of the season, and while he was still able to chip in some offence, largely playing on the second line with Leon Draisaitl, there could’ve been so much more. And while he played in all of the Oilers’ first-round series against the Kings, as the playoffs wore on, he began to find himself either as a healthy scratch or playing on the fourth line.
The biggest issue for Arvidsson all year long was his lack of consistency. The flashes were there of the productive player he had been before, but the frequent lows were outweighed by the highs.
He found his way to contribute, driving offence at a seven percent rate above league average, but his defensive game struggled to the tune of contributing at a five percent rate below league average, according to Hockey Viz. Ultimately, his efforts were those of a low-end second-line player.
He worked with the Oilers on finding a trade partner to get around his no-trade clause, ultimately getting sent to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2027.
VIKTOR ARIVDSSON’S CAREER SO FAR
2014-2015
6 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 0 0 0 9 0.0 10:15 2015-2016
56 8 8 16 -8 35 0.29 1 0 3 139 5.8 12:24 2016-2017
80 31 30 61 16 28 0.76 4 5 6 246 12.6 17:09 2017-2018
78 29 32 61 20 36 0.78 3 3 6 247 11.7 17:45 2018-2019
58 34 14 48 12 26 0.83 3 2 7 195 17.4 19:09 2019-2020
57 15 13 28 -4 26 0.49 4 0 1 127 11.8 16:12 2020-2021
50 10 15 25 9 21 0.50 2 0 2 151 6.6 16:36 2021-2022
66 20 29 49 1 22 0.74 4 0 3 227 8.8 16:59 2022-2023
77 26 33 59 -4 24 0.77 10 1 2 228 11.4 17:06 2023-2024
18 6 9 15 4 14 0.83 1 0 1 59 10.2 16:42 2024-2025
67 15 12 27 -3 24 0.40 1 0 2 158 9.5 15:00 OTHER PLAYER REVIEWS
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].
ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365
It’s amazing what a difference a year makes. When Jeff Skinner signed a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers on July 1, 2024, hopes were high for the veteran forward, who had scored 30 or more goals six times in his career. I remember seeing point projections all over — some had him hitting 70 points with the Oilers, others had him returning to the 35-goal mark. And honestly, those predictions didn’t seem far-fetched. After all, he was set to play alongside one of the league’s elite centers in Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Even my low-end point prediction had him at 55 points, because with his skill and the chance to play alongside superstar talent, how could he not reach at least that mark?
Yet, Skinner finished just one point shy of the 30-point plateau last season, was in and out of the lineup, and rather than skating regularly with the dynamic duo, his most frequent linemate in 2024–25 was Adam Henrique. If there were a soundtrack to his stay in Edmonton, it’d likely be Trooper’s “We’re Here for a Good Time (Not a Long Time),” because after just one season in Oil Country, we say so long to the small forward with the big smile, who recently signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the San Jose Sharks. And as we bid adieu to him, let’s look back at his time with the Oilers.
The former 40-goal scorer began the 2024-25 season playing on Draisaitl’s line, but the chemistry wasn’t there, leading to him getting a look with McDavid by the third game, in which he scored his first goal as an Oiler against the Calgary Flames.
However, with Edmonton losing their first three games, it felt like the coaching staff had already made up their minds about Skinner. That perspective — likely rooted in concerns about his defensive game — seemed to follow him throughout the season, as Skinner was never really given an extended opportunity in a top-six role and was bumped down to the bottom six after just the third game.
The 5-foot-11 forward played between the third and fourth lines until December, with only brief stints in the top six. Things worsened after Christmas, when he was a healthy scratch for the first time on Dec. 29 against the Anaheim Ducks — the first of six healthy scratches over the next month.
While Skinner’s time in Edmonton didn’t pan out as hoped, two things stand out about him — his infectious smile and his willingness to do whatever was asked of him. He never complained about being benched or demoted, nor did he speak poorly about the situation in the media. Rather, he focused on improving his all-around game, especially on the defensive side of things. Following a series of scratches in late January, his 200-foot game took a clear step forward.
An example of this came when he was inserted back into the lineup against the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 30. Not only did he score in the game, but he also made one of the best backchecks by any Oiler in the 2024–25 season — hustling to break up a 2-on-1 during a Red Wings attack and followed it up with a series of excellent plays in the games that followed.
Overall, it seemed like Skinner had turned the page from late January onward, adding a more defensive mindset to his game. Additionally, with injuries piling up down the playoff stretch, he played some of his best hockey of the season, tallying eight points in the final 14 games and finished the regular season with 16 goals and 13 assists.
Skinner’s Playoff Debut Finally Arrives
One of his biggest highlights during his time with the Oilers was when he made his long-awaited playoff debut. After playing 1,078 regular-season games, the 15-year NHL vet finally played in the postseason when he suited up against the Los Angeles Kings on April 21.
In just over 11 minutes played in Game 1 against L.A., he registered an assist and tied for second on the team in hits with five. However, the Oilers lost the game 6-5, and he was on the ice for three goals against at 5-on-5. Just like that, he was scratched for the rest of the series and more.
The veteran forward sat out the next 14 playoff games, and it looked like he wouldn’t see the ice again for the rest of the postseason — until Zach Hyman suffered a season-ending injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Dallas Stars. This created an opportunity for Skinner to get back into the lineup, and he was given the nod for Game 5, where he made an impact almost immediately playing on the third line against the Stars.
JEFF SKINNER FIRST CAREER PLAYOFF GOAL#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/LTFE6vGI5N
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 30, 2025
In the first period, after a tough battle in front of the net, he kicked the puck to his stick and slid it between the pads of Casey DeSmith, who had replaced Jake Oettinger, scoring his first-ever playoff goal and helping the Oilers secure a 6-3 win to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
With Skinner scoring his first-ever playoff goal and having a great Game 5 against Dallas, naturally, you’d expect him to be in the lineup for Game 1 of the Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, right? Nope. As we saw all last season, big games from Skinner didn’t guarantee anything. With Connor Brown returning from injury, Skinner was the odd man out once again and was scratched for the first three games against Florida. That said, when the Oilers dropped Game 3 against the Panthers 6-1, a shake-up was needed, and the 15-year NHL vet was inserted into the lineup for the final three games of the series.
Jeff Skinner giving Dmitry Kulikov a pat on the back after the Oilers second of the nightpic.twitter.com/soAIYvJ7FZ
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 13, 2025
The Toronto, ON native averaged 12:15 minutes of ice time in the Stanley Cup Final but went pointless in three games, yet one of his most memorable moments came in Game 4, when he gave D-man Dmitry Kulikov a light, pest-like pat on the back and flashed his big wide grin after an Edmonton goal. But like many Oilers, his impact fell short when it mattered most in the Finals, and after being eliminated, the team chose not to re-sign him.
Did the Oilers Give Skinner a Fair Shot?
At 33 years old, he’s still got the hands — evident in the 16 goals he scored during the regular season, some of which were highlight-reel finishes. However, being undersized in today’s NHL is manageable if paired with speed, and that’s where the concern lies with Skinner. NHL Edge data showed his top speed last season was 21.96 MPH, ranking below the 50th percentile league-wide. In the playoffs, it dipped further to just 19.77 MPH, suggesting he never really quite hit his stride when it mattered most.
Still, despite the lack of footspeed the skill was clearly still there, and years from now, when we look back on Jeff Skinner’s time in Edmonton, we’ll likely remain puzzled as to why it seemed the coaching staff didn’t give him a fair shake. Moreover, the lingering question will be whether he deserved a longer look in the top six. I think of the example from Feb. 5 against the Chicago Blackhawks, when, after several games of playing well, he was finally rewarded with an opportunity to play alongside Draisaitl again — his first chance in a few months.
Skinner scores after some pristine passing#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/6FimGvo9K3
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 6, 2025
They connected for a beautiful goal, and Skinner picked up two points in the game, yet just two games later, he was back on the fourth line with Mattias Janmark. Or consider the stretches where he’d have a strong game, even score, only to be healthy scratched the very next night.
Overall, Skinner had some bright spots in Edmonton with nice finishes, and he seemed like a heck of a human being during his time with the Oilers, always smiling and laughing with his teammates. That said, I feel Zach Laing summed up the veteran forward’s stint in Oil Country perfectly in his recent article, pointing out that Jeffery Scott Skinner got the short end of the stick last season.
Presented by Litco Law
Litco Law has been serving Edmontonians and all of Alberta for over 50 years. A family-owned and operated company, their purpose is to balance the power for people who find themselves having to navigate the complex legal system. They can help with personal injury claims (like car accidents), employment matters (such as wrongful dismissal or severance package reviews), or if you’ve been denied long-term disability benefits. Litco Law is known for being experienced, responsive, and genuinely caring. You might not believe Lawyers You’ll Love™ exist—but they do. To learn more or book a free consultation, visit LitcoLaw.com.
Kris Knoblauch has been interviewing coaches for the past two weeks to fill four vacancies on his staff.
Glen Gulutzan and Paul Coffey won’t be on the bench next year, while goalie coach Dustin Schwartz and skating and skills coach David Pelletier were not re-signed. I expect the Oilers to announce their new staff this week.
What will Knoblauch be looking for? I asked Craig MacTavish, who was an NHL assistant coach in St. Louis and New York and the head coach in Edmonton, his thoughts on the topic.
Do you think it’s a must to have one assistant coach who used to be an NHL head coach?
What will be Knoblauch’s biggest challenge in the hiring process?
What would you look for in a goalie coach?
Jun 4, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) reacts with goaltender Calvin Pickard (30) after defeating the Florida Panthers in overtime for game one of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
MacT’s last response about how coaches are often defined solely by their shortcomings and problems, while overlooking what they do well, and their success, is very true. I’d add that it’s often the same with players. Mistakes are magnified tenfold compared to good plays.
My understanding is that Mark Stuart will oversee the defence, replacing Coffey. With that in mind, Knoblauch won’t be hiring a defence coach. The coaches all work together and share their input on the forwards, defence, penalty kill and powerplay, but he still likes to have one person directly responsible for the power play and the penalty kill.
They need a new PP coach, and I’m not sure if the other assistant coach will oversee the PK or work in tandem with Stuart. The PK struggled last year, but it was historically good in 2024. As MacTavish mentioned, you can’t just look at last year’s PK to evaluate Stuart. It would be foolish to overlook the success he had in 2024. I think the Oilers losing Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais and being without Mattias Ekholm for multiple months played a huge role in the PK struggling as much as it did in the 2025 playoffs.
The new coaches have lots of talent to work with. Edmonton is a very good team, and new ideas and new voices could help. Of course, there will be high expectations, but every coach would rather have high expectations and a winning roster than the alternative.
Look for the coaching staff to be announced this week.
For the second consecutive off-season, the Edmonton Oilers saw a considerable amount of turnover.
Following last year’s loss in the Stanley Cup Final, Warren Fogele, Sam Carrick, and Vincent Deshanrias left the team as free agents, Philip Borberg and Dylan Holloway signed offer sheets, and Ryan McLeod and Cody Ceci were traded in deals to make the roster younger.
Some of the holes left by those departures were filled in the summer, others during the regular season.
The Oilers inked Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, and Josh Brown in free agency and then traded for Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson in August following the offer sheets. The team grabbed Kasperi Kapanen off waivers in November and signed John Klingberg in January. Before the trade deadline in March, they added Jake Walman, Trent Frederic, and Max Jones.
Following this year’s loss in the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers again saw several roster changes. Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Skinner, and Klingberg departed in free agency, while Evander Kane and Viktor Arvidsson were traded as salary cap casualties.
The freed-up cap space was primarily used to re-sign Evan Bouchard and Trent Frederic. Bouchard signed a four-year contract with an average annual value of $10.5 million, which kicks in alongside Leon Draisaitl’s record-setting $14 million extension from last summer. Edmonton also made a couple of additions in free agency, bringing in Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar.
Without much cap room available, the Oilers will be looking for young forwards to contribute in 2025-26. More reinforcements will come ahead of the trade deadline later in the season, but the first few months will be about having the likes of Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard get reps in key situations.
The Oilers acquired Savoie, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, from the Buffalo Sabres in the Ryan McLeod trade. They acquired Howard, the 31st pick from that same draft, from the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this month in exchange for prospect Sam O’Reilly.
Savoie scored 19 goals and 54 points over 66 games in the American Hockey League last season and picked up one point in a four-game stint with the Oilers in February. Howard was named the Hobey Baker Award winner as the top player in men’s NCAA hockey after leading Michigan State University to their second consecutive Big Ten title.
Having even one of these 21-year-olds hit the ground running as a productive NHL winger would be a huge win for Edmonton’s front office because they would be able to focus their in-season trade efforts on adding to the blueline or finding a goalie rather than the never-ending search for skill in the top-nine.
The Oilers are hoping that Trent Frederic can be a younger, cheaper Evander Kane and that Andrew Mangiapane can do a better job than Viktor Arvidsson as a pesky, skilled winger. Beyond those two, the team also needs to find forwards to replace Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, and Connor Brown, who combined for nearly 50 goals during the regular season and were often used on special teams.
Nobody can expect rookies like Savoie and Howard to step into the shoes of grizzled, two-way veterans immediately, but the Oilers are going to give them both a shot to show what they can do. It’s a necessary play for a team dealing with the challenges of a tight salary cap situation while trying to maintain a lengthy Stanley Cup window.
Presented by Litco Law
Litco Law has been serving Edmontonians and all of Alberta for over 50 years. A family-owned and operated company, their purpose is to balance the power for people who find themselves having to navigate the complex legal system. They can help with personal injury claims (like car accidents), employment matters (such as wrongful dismissal or severance package reviews), or if you’ve been denied long-term disability benefits. Litco Law is known for being experienced, responsive, and genuinely caring. You might not believe Lawyers You’ll Love™ exist—but they do. To learn more or book a free consultation, visit LitcoLaw.com.
Welcome to my annual player review series, where I dive into the Edmonton Oilers season player-by-player. We’ll look back at the season that was, what kind of impact each player had, and what we could see from them next season. You can read about the analytics behind my analysis here.
From waiver claim to playoff hero, the 2024-25 season was quite a campaign for Kasperi Kapanen.
He joined the Edmonton Oilers in November after the St. Louis Blues waived the winger, and while it took a little while for him to get situated, he had some solid moments for the Oilers. He scored five goals and 13 points at five-on-five in the regular season, bringing a physical element while on the strong side of the penalty ledger.
His individual impacts were particularly strong, driving offence at a 10 percent rate below league average and defence at a one percent rate below league average, according to Hockey Viz, who pegged his overall contributions at that of a high-end fourth-liner.
That’s about exactly what he was for the Oilers, but he showed an ability to jump up the lineup with some solid contributions and in the playoffs, his most common linemate at five-on-five was Leon Draisaitl. Two of Kapanen’s three playoff goals were assisted by Draisaitl, while Kapanen assisted on one of his in the Final.
His biggest moment undoubtedly came in Game 5 of the Oilers’ second-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring the lone goal in overtime to clinch the series.
Kapanen’s underlying numbers in the playoffs were highlighted by some of the same things as they were in the regular season, with an excellent hits per hour rate and an ability to generate some high-quality looks. His goals against per hour rate were much stronger than his other defensive metrics in the playoffs.
He re-signed with the Oilers ahead of free agency, inking a one-year, $1.3-million extension that some overreacted to at the time. But after looking back at some of the other contracts handed out for bottom-six players, it looked like a steal.
With Edmonton’s additions of Andrew Mangiapane, Ike Howard and with Matthew Savoie expected to take the jump this season into the Oilers’ top-six, Kapanen will head into next season competing for a spot in the bottom-six — right where he belongs.
KASPERI KAPANEN’S CAREER SO FAR
Season Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM PTS/G PPG SHG GWG SOG S% ATOI 2015-2016
9 0 0 0 -3 2 0.00 0 0 0 14 0.0 14:47 2016-2017
8 1 0 1 -2 0 0.13 0 0 0 11 9.1 10:42 2017-2018
38 7 2 9 -1 4 0.24 0 1 1 55 12.7 11:15 2018-2019
78 20 24 44 12 27 0.56 1 2 3 174 11.5 16:37 2019-2020
69 13 23 36 0 22 0.52 0 2 2 121 10.7 15:47 2020-2021
40 11 19 30 15 7 0.75 1 0 3 68 16.2 15:32 2021-2022
79 11 21 32 2 16 0.41 0 0 2 129 8.5 14:32 2022-2023
23 8 6 14 0 10 0.61 0 1 3 47 17.0 16:45 2022-2023
43 7 13 20 -8 8 0.47 3 0 2 69 10.1 12:02 2023-2024
73 6 16 22 -5 14 0.30 0 1 1 99 6.1 14:23 2024-2025
57 5 8 13 -16 14 0.23 0 0 1 55 9.1 12:01 2024-2025
10 1 0 1 -6 2 0.10 0 0 1 11 9.1 11:19 Totals: 527 90 132 222 -12 126 0.42 5 7 19 853 10.6 165:42 OTHER PLAYER REVIEWS
- Evander Kane
- Connor Brown
- Corey Perry
- Jeff Skinner
- Viktor Arvidsson
- Derek Ryan
- John Klingberg
- Trent Frederic
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].
ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365
The Edmonton Oilers head into the 2025-26 season with one important goal and one trophy in mind to win: the Stanley Cup. But to make the playoffs, it starts with delivering through the grind of the regular season, and big performances over those 82 games set the stage for most individual awards.
Last season, Leon Draisaitl was the only Oiler to win individual hardware, taking home the Rocket Richard Trophy after leading the league with 52 goals. With the new season on the horizon, we break down which Oilers have a shot at winning some individual awards in 2025-26.
What Does Connor McDavid Have to Do to Reclaim the Hart Trophy in 2025-26?
At this stage of Connor McDavid’s career, with season 11 for him on its way, nothing matters more than winning the Stanley Cup.
Just recently, though, Oilersnation’s Aaron Bordato raised the question of whether the captain can take back the Hart Trophy and reclaim his M.V.P. status in the league, saying:
Quite simply, my answer is yes. Like Bordato mentioned, I would never count McDavid out of an M.V.P. trophy. When it comes to individual awards, he has that rare ability to almost flip a switch and say, ‘I want to win that,’ and then go out and do it — just like he did in 2022-23 when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 63 goals. That season, it almost felt like he wanted to show everyone that he could lead the NHL in goals and simply turned on the scoring switch.
That said, to take back the M.V.P. crown, he’ll need to continue his playmaking wizardry, but I also feel he needs to get back into his shooter’s mentality.
Over the last three seasons, his shots on goal per game have dropped. In 2022-23, when he scored 64 goals, his average shots on goal per game was 4.29, then it slipped to 3.46 the following season, and last year it dipped to 2.92. Yet, if he just flicks on his ‘scoring cheat code mode,’ which he certainly can, that should boost his chances of winning another Hart Trophy and hopefully carry that scoring confidence into the playoffs. Also, if he’s back in the Hart Trophy conversation next season, chances are he’s taking home the Art Ross too, a trophy he hasn’t won since 2022-23.
Can Draisaitl Make It Back-to-Back Rocket Richard Trophies?
Leon Draisaitl is that rare breed where he might be one of, if not the best, passers in the league, but he’s also one of the NHL’s best goal scorers. Over the last 10 seasons, he ranks third in regular-season goals with 397.
Last season, despite missing 11 games, he won his first Rocket Richard Trophy with 52 goals in 71 games, finishing seven ahead of Toronto’s William Nylander, who played all 82, and just missed out on winning his second Hart Trophy, finishing second in votes.
Leon Draisaitl secures his first Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's goal-scoring leader this season!#NHLAwards
He ends 2024-25 with 52 goals. pic.twitter.com/p3hzXU2c8W
— NHL (@NHL) April 18, 2025
Draisaitl has reached the 50-goal mark in a season four times, last season tying Jari Kurri for the second-most in Oilers franchise history, behind Wayne Gretzky’s eight seasons. Moreover, he is also just the fourth player born outside North America to record four 50-goal campaigns. That said, year in and year out, the Oilers’ centerman could contend for several individual awards — the Art Ross, Hart, and perhaps even one day a Selke, but next season, his strongest case at winning an award, and the best chance among all the players mentioned in this piece to win individual hardware, is capturing his second straight Rocket Richard Trophy, which is very realistic for one of the best goal scorers of this generation.
Is a Norris Trophy Within Evan Bouchard’s Reach?
Oilers’ blueliner Evan Bouchard has played in 347 regular-season games and an additional 75 playoff games, and what we know about him is that he’s a playoff monster, but in the regular season, the defensive gremlins creep into his game more often than in the postseason.
Still, Bouchard, who signed a four-year deal last month with an annual average value of $10.5 million, could be in the mix for the Norris Trophy next season if his offence stays hot and he cleans up his Grade-A defensive lapses during the regular season, which is what most individual awards are based on.
He and his usual defence partner, Mattias Ekholm, have statistically been one of the best pairings in the NHL since the Swedish D-man arrived in Oil Country in 2023. Since then, according to Natural Stat Trick, among D-pairings that have played a minimum of 500 minutes together at 5v5, they rank:
– 1st in the NHL in High Danger Chances For percentage (61.16 HDCF%)
– 4th in the NHL in Scoring Chances For percentage (60.21 SCF%)
– 5th in the NHL in Shots For percentage (59.02 SF%)
– 7th in the NHL in Corsi (59.83 CF%)
Yet, when Ekholm missed the last three rounds of last playoffs, one might have assumed Bouchard’s play would dip as a result. In fact, he stepped up his game and maintained that elite playoff form, proving that, in a small sample size, he’s not just a byproduct of a veteran D-man carrying him.
Additionally, Bouchard finished 5th in Norris Trophy voting in 2023-24, and he finished 11th last season, which shows he’s been in the mix, even if only slightly.
On that note, the 2025-26 season will be a big one for the Oilers’ blueliner. With a brand new contract, he will make the fourth-most money among NHL blueliners. That kind of pressure could work against him, but for someone who usually plays with ice in his veins (sometimes too much), the hope is that he can carry over the confidence he showed playing like a #1 D-man last playoffs and maybe, just maybe, even win the Norris Trophy next season.
Could One of Isaac Howard or Matt Savoie Have an Outside Shot at the Calder Trophy?
When it comes to young Oilers rookies, expectations can sometimes run too high as they enter the NHL, and I usually like to temper them. I’ll take the same approach with the next two youngsters — Isaac Howard (59th) and Matt Savoie (58th), both ranked within Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis’ top 75 prospects, but for the sake of this piece, let’s explore how and why one of them could win the Calder Trophy.
The Oilers, with all the great players they’ve had in their history, have never had a Calder Trophy winner, and sometimes it feels like the rookie award just isn’t meant to be won in Edmonton. For example, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid were both trending to win in their rookie seasons but were denied by injuries, making it increasingly hard to believe that an Oiler is destined to claim the trophy.
Yet, Howard leaves the NCAA as one of college hockey’s best, and with Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch hinting he could play in the top six alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, you can’t help but think of Jim Carrey’s line in Dumb and Dumber — ‘So you’re telling me there’s a chance?’ — when it comes to winning the Calder Trophy, even if the odds are stacked against him.
As per Jason Gregor, Knoblauch alluded last month that he’s going to give the 21-year-old every chance to succeed in an offensive role, mentioning he’ll receive time on the PP, saying, “Howard is a very offensive player and we’d like to find him a role on the power play, probably on the second unit.”
Although the Oilers’ second unit isn’t leaned on heavily, the head coach also added that both Howard and Savoie will also be given chances to play in the top six:
That said, the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner, Howard, scored 26 goals and 52 points in 37 games last season. He’s offensively gifted with a very quick release, and if, and it’s a big IF, he finds chemistry with McDavid, there’s certainly the possibility of him piling up a bunch of points and winning a Calder Trophy.
Alternatively, if Howard falls short of the rookie trophy — or of being an impactful player next season, for that matter — the Oilers have Savoie, who could also be in the Calder mix if everything clicks.
Savoie was recalled last season for a four-game stint in February, during the Oilers’ worst stretch of the campaign, right after the Four Nations faceoff, losing all four games he appeared in. However, there were some positives in Savoie’s short call-up — his wheels, skill, and hustle were all evident. In his first game with the club against the Philadelphia Flyers last February, he got hard on the forecheck, beat a Flyers D-man to the puck, and made a nifty backhand pass to his centerman, Leon Draisaitl, who used his backhand to score as well.
WHAT A PASS
Matt Savoie collects his first career NHL point with a beautiful pass to Leon Draisaitl who buries his League-leading 41st of the season!
: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+
https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/ZFNSmBDpsN
— NHL (@NHL) February 22, 2025
Based on that small sample of potential chemistry, and with Knoblauch hinting that he’ll also get a chance to play in the top six, I think it’s a very real possibility that Savoie will hold onto a spot on the second line next to Draisaitl next season. Stylistically, the two should complement each other well.
Savoie’s potential pairing with Draisaitl brings to mind the way former Oiler Kailer Yamamoto clicked with his centerman at their peak. I mention this because Savoie and Yamamoto share similarities — both are 5-foot-9 and tenacious forwards, though Savoie might even be more skilled and a stronger skater.
When Yamamoto was recalled from the AHL during the 2019-2020 season, he went on a tear, producing 26 points in 27 games, playing like a dog on a bone and consistently retrieving pucks for his centerman, while Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played on the left wing, and they formed one of the league’s best lines during that stretch.
If that stylistic fit clicks and lightning strikes again for Draisaitl playing with a smaller, speedy and tenacious forward, Savoie could put up big numbers, and the Calder Trophy could be within reach.
With that in mind, which Oilers do you think are most likely to win individual awards next season?
Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Jeff Petry comes in at No. 94 on our updated 2025 list. He was ranked No. 68 on Brownlee’s original list.
For an Edmonton Oilers team that long struggled with stability on the blueline in the post-Pronger days, it’s hard to look at Jeff Petry as anything but one that got away. Trading him away as he entered his prime for draft picks was a blunder, and the last trade Craig MacTavish would ever make.
Notable
Petry was a homegrown talent drafted from the second round of the 2006 draft, right after the Oilers fell in the Stanley Cup Final and days before they would trade Chris Pronger. The team had gained a compensatory selection, 45th overall, for not signing 2002 first-rounder Jesse Niinimaki. That draft was the first time in franchise history they didn’t have a first-round pick, using it in the deal that landed them Dwayne Roloson.
With Theo Peckham selected a round later, the Oilers hoped that the blend of Petry’s puck-moving, offensive upside, along with Peckham’s toughness, would help solidify the blueline in years to come.
While Petry would never reach his potential in Edmonton, he found himself in the same boat as many other offensively gifted defencemen: run out of town. After all, he had munched minutes for the Oilers in a top-pairing role for years. He totalled 17 goals and 74 points in 295 games in Edmonton.
The Oilers had an emerging Oscar Klefbom, a recently drafted Darnell Nurse, and another young, offensive defenceman in Justin Schultz, leaving Petry, 27 years old, as the perceived odd-man out. At the 2015 trade deadline, Petry would head to Montreal for a second and fourth round picks in the 2015 draft, the former of which was later traded to the Rangers for Cam Talbot, the latter used to select Caleb Jones.
The Story
Petry’s best years would come after he left Edmonton, with a career year coming in Montreal in 2018-19 as he scored 13 goals and 46 points in 82 games. His all-around game would settle as he entered his 30s, and after averaging .25 points per game in Edmonton, he would double it in Montreal, scoring 70 goals and 248 points in 508 games, becoming the defenceman Oilers fans always hoped he would.
He would be acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023 in the convoluted three-team Erik Karlsson trade, spending a year there before playing for his hometown Detroit Red Wings in each of the last two years (Petry is the son of former Detroit Tigers pitcher Dan Petry).
Might this former Oiler end his career with a Stanley Cup? Petry signed a one-year, league-minimum deal with the Florida Panthers this summer.
What Brownlee said
The Last 10
- No. 100 — Mark Lamb
- No. 99 — Bryan Marchment
- No. 98 — Kent Nilsson
- No. 97 — Dean McAmmond
- No. 96 — Ladislav Smid
- No. 95 — Marty Reasoner
ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365
Edmonton’s city council approved plans on Monday for a $400-million project that will see a new event park built adjacent to Rogers Place.
Council members voted 9-4 in favour of the all-or-nothing project to be funded by the Province of Alberta, the City of Edmonton and the Oilers Entertainment Group.
It will feature a new event park in the lot directly east of the home of the Edmonton Oilers, a space the team has utilized in recent years as a fan park, as well as 2,500 housing units. OEG will “make significant capital investments directly and/or in partnerships” to assist in building on a lot directly north of the arena.
The event park is scheduled to open in 2029, while 354 housing units will be built by 2028, and an additional 420 within five years, “which may include below-market housing and student housing.” The housing project is bound by 106th Ave. to the north, 101st St. to the east, 104th St. to the west, and 105th Ave. to the south, totalling roughly 10 acres of land. Investments from the province and city will accelerate “utility upgrades, streetscaping, remediation and park space” in the area.
A map from the Oilers Entertainment Group shows where the new event park and housing project will sit in Edmonton’s downtown core.
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said the event park “will further allow us to attract more events and attract more people to live, work and play downtown,” and that it was “a big investment in our downtown,” according to CTV Edmonton.
Sohi has been vocal about the province’s lack of support for the city in recent years, especially after the United Conservative Party committed $330 million to Calgary’s project to build a new arena. The city twice requested support from the province in the building of Rogers Place, which was declined by then Alberta Premiers Ed Stelmach and Allison Redford. Instead, they offered a Community Revitalization Levy.
The new event park project, meanwhile, will see the province put up $183 million, the city $138 million and OEG $87 million. The project also includes funds allocated for the demolition of the Northlands Coliseum, scheduled to begin in 2026.
The city is set to use revenues from the Downtown CRL to fund it’s portion of thep projects, with the funding estimated to break down down as so:
- Event park – $250 million
- Province – $97 million
- City – $69 million
- OEG – $84 million
- Village at ICE District (Housing project) – $68.2 million
- Province – $31.4 million
- City – $33.8 million
- OEG – $3 million
- Northlands Coliseum demolition and area improvement – $90 million
- Province – $55 million
- City – $35 million (previously approved capital funding)
A rendering shows what part of the ICE District’s event park could look like.
Not all city councillors were on board with the project, like ward Papatew councillor Michael Janz, who voted against it, telling CTV Edmonton the project was “one business provider’s idea” and that among priorities council looked at in the city’s four-year budget, “an event park downtown was not one of them.”
Another councillor who voted against it, ward Nakota Isga’s Andrew Knack, said “the whole point of this was to build housing,” and that “Now there’s no legal requirement to build housing.”
Councillors Erin Rutherford and Jo-Anne Wright also voted against it.
A rendering shows what part of the Village at ICE District could look like.
Ward Dene councillor Aaron Paquette, meanwhile, told the Edmonton Journal the deal was a win for the city.
“I think Edmonton is kind of coming out ahead on this one,” he said. “The city’s contribution is capped, the province is putting in $183 million on the overall deal, and the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) is responsible for every overrun, every operating cost, every utility bill, and two-thirds of the renewal costs. If they default, the city keeps the building debt free and they still have the lease payments.
“I don’t know where you get a better deal than that. I’ve never seen a better deal than that, frankly.”
The next steps for the project will be the finalization of grant agreements with the province, which must be completed by November 30th, according to the Edmonton Journal.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at [email protected].
ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365
Oilersnation is reviving the Top 100 Edmonton Oilers of All Time list, a project originally created by the late Robin Brownlee in 2015. Dave Manson comes in at No. 93 on our updated 2025 list. He was ranked No. 52 on Brownlee’s original list.
There’s a reason Dave Manson’s nickname was “Charlie,” and it’s not because he was fun to play against. The exact opposite, however, as there were few players more feared in the NHL — but that’s not all he was known for, either.
Notable
Like the Trooper song, Manson was in Edmonton for a good time, not a long time. But in his three years in Edmonton, he further solidified himself as a top-pairing defenceman who not only racked up penalty minutes, but also put up points, too. Acquired by Glen Sather alongside a third-round pick, later used to select Kirk Maltby, for Steve Smith in October 1991, Charlie would rack up 33 goals and 108 points in 219 games, a .49 points per game rate he would never come close to with any of the other five teams he played for.
Manson’s 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons were his best in the league, as he put up 92 points in 162 games in those seasons alone. Between pummelling opposing players in the corners or in front of the net, the smooth-skating defenceman was slick on the power play, and endeared himself to the fanbase for both reasons.
The frequency of Manson shedding the mitts would begin to diminish after arriving in Edmonton, but as was described by the commentator on his Dec. 3, 1992, fight with Gerald Diduck, “I think this is good for Dave Manson — he has to do this once in a while just to maintain that respect he has throughout the league.”
Ultimately, with the Oilers fading out of the dynasty years in the early 90s, Slats traded Manson to the Winnipeg Jets in March 1994 for Boris Mironov, Mats Lindgren, and a first-round pick later wasted on Jason Bonsignore.
The Story
Drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks 11th overall in 1985, Manson would begin his career there, playing five years before arriving in Edmonton. After the Oilers sent him to Winnipeg, he would follow the team to Phoenix before getting dealt to Montreal later that season. Manson would later have a second stint in Chicago, as well as ones with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars, before retiring in 2002.
He’s made a career in the coaching ranks, getting on as an assistant coach with the same Prince Albert Raiders team he played for in the WHL in 2002-03, spending 13 years there and three with a AAA team in town, before he returned to the Oilers organization. He joined Jay Woodcroft’s coaching staff with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in 2018-19, spending a little over three years before getting the bump up to the Oilers alongside Woody.
After being fired, he spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes and is joining the AHL’s San Diego Gulls this upcoming season in the same role.
What Brownlee said
The Last 10
- No. 100 — Mark Lamb
- No. 99 — Bryan Marchment
- No. 98 — Kent Nilsson
- No. 97 — Dean McAmmond
- No. 96 — Ladislav Smid
- No. 95 — Marty Reasoner
- No. 94 — Jeff Petry
ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365
It should surprise no one reading this that Connor McDavid is once again the top-rated centre in EA Sports’ NHL video game series. What might surprise you is that this marks his eighth straight year in the top spot — and the ninth straight year he’s been listed among the best, dating back to the crown he shared with Sidney Crosby in NHL 18.
McDavid’s 97 overall rating in NHL 26 also makes him the highest-rated player in the game for the second year in a row. And even after a season that some (not me) might call “human” by his standards — No. 97 registered 100 points in 67 games while dealing with injuries — he still cooked in the playoffs with 33 points in 22 games. EA clearly noticed.
How the rest of the list shakes out
Right behind McDavid is Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton’s handsome king Leon Draisaitl, who both carry 96 overall ratings. Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov also joins that elite group after catching up from last year’s solo second-place finish by MacKinnon.
Here’s how the rest of the top 10 centres line up:
- Aleksander Barkov – 95 OVR (Fresh off back-to-back Cups with Florida)
- Sidney Crosby, Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews – 94 OVR
- Jack Hughes – 93 OVR
- Brayden Point – 92 OVR
- Mark Scheifele – 91 OVR
EA notes that others might share the same overall as Scheifele but didn’t make the official Top 10 list despite having the same rating. If you’re a hockey video game fan, you’ll have to wait and see how that shakes out when full rosters drop. I guess EA Sports must have felt bad about all those “no airport” jokes and wanted to throw Winnipeg a bone. Just me? Possibly.
What this means (and doesn’t mean)
While EA Sports ratings aren’t the final word on player value by any stretch of the imagination, they do carry weight. EA factors ratings into in-game performance, sim results, and trade logic in Franchise Mode, so being the best player in the league is meaningful for the game play. More importantly, these ratings reflect what EA’s scouting group thinks about league-wide talent tiers heading into a new season, and what’s wild about that is that they’re usually not far off.
McDavid’s 97 speaks for itself, but there’s added pressure this year as we enter the final season of his current deal before we end up in extension land. While the rankings hit the Internet this morning, the NHL 26 cover isn’t announced yet, but if EA wants to sell copies in Alberta, they’d be wise to slap No. 97 on there one more time. Maybe a collage of when Connor looks his most handsome? I’d buy that.
When can you play?
NHL 26 drops on September 12, 2025 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. No last-gen version this year — and no PC version either — so if you want to see McDavid dominate the digital world like he does the real one, you’ll need to be on current generation. What does that mean for you? I’m not really sure because all I can tell you is that this game will work on my PS5, so that’s a big win for Baggedmilk.
In the meantime, we’ll be waiting and watching closely to see how the full Oilers roster gets rated, because you know I’ll be firing up Franchise Mode and making sure the Cup finally comes back to Edmonton even if that means I have to do it myself.
THE #NATIONVACATION TO VANCOUVER
It’s a Battle of the West, and you’re riding shotgun with the Nation. Edmonton is heading to Vancouver and we want you in the lineup. Join The Nation crew for a weekend full of hockey, high-fives, and good ol’ fashioned rivalry.
We’re flying out to Vancouver for a showdown on October 26th, but that’s not all we’re throwing an exclusive, invite-only Nation Watch Party on Saturday night (Oct 25) as Edmonton takes on Seattle. Expect food and drink specials, giveaways, and more Nation-style chaos than a third-period line brawl.
Massive shoutout to our MVP travel star, Chelsey Labelle at Expedia Cruises North East Edmonton, for making this trip happen.
We have a package for every fan! So travel your way at NationGear.ca
