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].
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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.
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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.
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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].
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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?
