This is the time of year when we make sweeping statements, with extra oomph (ALL CAPS!) despite a large range of possibilities for the outcome of our statement.
Take Matthew Savoie. I saw him play for the Bakersfield Condors and Edmonton Oilers and man he looks good. Lots of touches, creativity, speed and finish. There’s zero doubt in my mind that if he stays healthy this is a substantial career just getting started.
What could derail Savoie from the No. 2 right-wing job in 2025-26? I’ve already mentioned injury, but it’s possible Kris Knoblauch finds Mangiapane-Draisaitl-Podkolzin to be the ideal fit during preseason and into the regular year. The coach may feel a more traditional third-line RW is a better fit for Frederic-Henrique and that may allow Kasperi Kapanen or Curtis Lazar to step in. The coach might like a third line with a LH and RH center. Klim Kostin could sign late and be the old Klim Kostin, or Sam O’Reilly kicks out the jams in camp. It happens. It’s also possible David Tomasek eats Savoie’s lunch.
I’m not saying it will happen, and I always cheer for the prospects, but this is something we need to discuss.
What do we know? Savoie is NHL-ready and he’s absolutely too good for the AHL. He was the top scoring AHL forward age 20 in 2024-25, and the Condors owned 65 percent of the even-strength goals (49 percent OFF). That’s a sensational number, and Bakersfield wasn’t any screaming hell this year.
THE SPLITS
He was also consistent in these important categories. Savoie proved himself worthy of a recall and did well in his NHL minutes. However, if he gets knocked off the puck too many times in preseason, lags offensively, or has some bad injury luck, things could go a different way.
What can we say with authority? This young man is 21, has done everything required in finishing school and has a pristine resume. There’s no reason to keep him from a full audition in training camp this fall. If he gets it, I’ll bet he wins the day. Godspeed, Matt Savoie. The Oilers need you.
Today on the Lowdown, Steve Lansky and Tyler Yaremchuk are the feature guests, and Declan Krueger will have Declanations. We’ll hang around noon to 2 on Sports 1440. Hope you listen!
New for The Athletic: How free agency has impacted Edmonton Oilers’ roster construction for 2025-26
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6470225/2025/07/04/oilers-roster-2025-free-agency/
Podkolzin and Draisaitl are magic together. Pretty much any schmoe will work on the right side.
Last year it was Arvidsson, Perry, and Kapanen. This year, there are lots of potential options…Mangiopane, Kapanen (in spurts), Savoie, Tomasek, O’Reilly, Lazar
Extend Podkolzin now.
Stauff has expressed the Bowman will be working to extend both Walman and Podz this off-season.
Even Klim Kostin would work. He had his best NHL season in Edmonton. I seriously think he should be a strong consideration on a PTO. I can see him being a force in the bottom six.
LOL Frederic even changed his number so Klim could have his old number 21 back when he returns to Edmonton.
He hasn’t had any NHL success other than a couple of heaters in his time as an Oiler – a PTO would be fine.
another test.
Hey folks, I’ve been away from tracking hockey news for awhile. Nearly fell out of my chair. https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/cody-ceci-signs-four-year-18m-deal-with-kings/
That’s the Ken Holland Experience.
Haha, so is immediately hiring Tyler Wright as director of player personnel, which he apparently did according to Stauffer.
His son will be next to be hired then he can kick of his cowboy boots and put his feet up on the desk.
The KHE is a league of its own.
Still need some dependable depth scoring so that all the scoring pressure does not sit on just a few guys.
And once again, we need a little more size and ruggedness in the forward group. This has to be addressed.
Imagine what Savoie is thinking right now. Hey your first single is going to be with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.
We have real chance to tie in with Oasis’ comeback today. The Masterplan: “All we know is that we don’t know”.
l wonder what the line in the sand is for Savoie. I do hope K.K gives him enough rope the first 10 games. Magpie-Leon-Savoie this line would have two smaller forwards that are hard on the puck that are able to process and shoot quickly. I could see this being a good regular season line.
Now that there is a GM that is quick on his feet, they have to make the call on Savoie. Do they think he is an NHL player? 10 games isn’t enough, they need to plan that he’s on the team and give him the season, so he has a chance to be ready enough for playoffs
If he can’t handle it, you find a player whenever and send him down. Holland had a point about not pushing guys too early, but that isn’t the same as expecting they come up and look like a veteran. You either think he has the skills and brain, Or in his case enough size, or you don’t. If not move on for someone else before you toast his value (the Oilers’ previous preferred MO), like the Habs did with Mailloux
He’s 21 he starting to get his man strength. The AHL can be a brutal league for skilled players as they are targeted. He made It through the season rather unscathed there’s nothing left in the AHL to learn. Either he pops immediately in the top 6 or he goes through the bottom 6 development route. Savoie has a job this season only way he loses it is through injury.
I vote for signing Kostin now for league minimum. Maybe he already has that offer out there.
Maybe hes choosing a team where he can get minutes, but heck, he just came from the sharks so….knock knock
Likely a PTO more than a contract somewhere.
I thought Jeff Skinner played well on many occasions last year.
Not big or fast but excellent at scoring through chaos.
Looking at him now as a player who puts up points from the third or fourth line, why is he not in demand? Oilers just did not see much in him. How about the rest of the league? What am I missing?
He’ll be somewhere in the league this season, just a later-summer signing this year.
Would have been in Edmonton if the coach could pull his head out of his rear end, but here we are.
The Oilers need guys who are going to go fetch the puck, not guys who are waiting for the puck to be fetched for them.
The Oilers need forwards who are going to go hard on the backtrack.
Guys who put the puck in the net reliably other than #29 are rather important.
Especially if they’re going to rely on Podkolzin, who won’t score goals.
And that second PP + PP reserves have taken a hit they need to replace.
I would agree. But I did not witness Skinner fail miserably at these elements. If there was chaos around the net, it was Skinner who seemed to find the puck and get a shot off.
To be clear, I don’t know if he should be back or not, just that I don’t understand how he was deemed to be low value.
Wasn’t he at 2.4 points per 60 playing with Henrique? Thats pretty darn good, particularly from that place in the line up.
The other thing of course is the rest of the recipe in the bottom six. If you had a bunch of those puck fetchers, and I think Frederic might be one of them, who is going to put the puck in the net?
Finally, Im curious if Skinner is on record about his preferences. I kind of doubt he is highly interested in the Oilers again, though all accounts were that he was a “good soldier” and he did play 72 games with 16 goals.
We do need some regular season scoring, and Im not seeing a lot in the bottom six right now.
The Oilers need wingers who score, who outscore. Relying on 2-3 guys won’t work.
I don’t know if Skinner should be an Oilers this season, but your explanation doesn’t fly.
I’m thinking more along the lines of Tomasek eating Henriques lunch. Unless they use Henrique up with McDavid & Hyman and Nuge with Leon & Mangiapane. Tomasek could be RH3c. There’re so many ways to form these line combos, but Frederic-Tomasek-Savoie could be a thing as a third line. Which leaves some combination of Janmark, Kapanen, Podz, Lazar, Philp & Jones to form a fourth line. Which may even leave one of Henrique & Janmark or both available for trade. That creates even more possibilities.
I actually think that at the current stage of his career Henrique would benefit greatly with a move to the wing. His skating can’t keep up with his mind at times and he actually has some good touch as a finisher.
Not counting on it but that would be a fantastic outcome.
Hyman McDavid Savoie
Podz Draisaitl Mangiapane
Henrique RNH Frederic
Tomesek Philp Kapanen
No reason that third line can’t take on some tough minutes to give lines 1 and 2 some clean air
I do like that third line and think RNH’s sunset years should have him holding down a responsible third line that can chip in. Thats what that looks like to me.
Nuge just doesn’t do enough in the top 6 for me. They need more speed, more aggression, better finishing. We need a better third line and that would be a big contribution for him
Nuge was excellent in the playoffs – one of the better 2-way players in the SCF playing with a broken hand and the team’s best forward in the Dallas series. I do see more 3rd line for him as we go forward but he had an excellent playoffs – he’s not riding off quite yet.
I’m liking this. I’m all for a third line that has some offensive punch and I suspect Henrique Nuge Frederic could score in the that 45-55 goal range.
Mango-McD-Hyman
Podz-Drai-Savoie
Fred-RNH-Tomo/Kap
Henri-Philip-Kap/Jan
LC and RC on both the bottom 2 lines.
I’d bet on podz down and Henrique or Fredric up as the season goes on.
With how much Drai gets punted from faceoffs…. Maybe they need another natural center up there instead? Henrique?
that three line looks pretty good actually. Nuge n Rico trade off centre duties as needed
Hell they all can, apparently. It’s the “3C” line.
Hyman is better on the RW and Mangiapane says he prefers the LW so I’m not sure that the following wouldn’t work better with the same top 6 personnel used:
Mangiapane/McDavid/Hyman
Podz/Drai/Savoie
I also prefer Savoie starting with Drai.
I do hope they let Nuge run his own line this year. Would have been great if we kept Holloway but I think they can piece together forward lines and add at trade deadline and next offseason. Bowman while I don’t always agree with his choice like Frederic he seems to be pretty aggressive. Would be great to get Isaac Howard for that future first
Projections here, NHLe and otherwise, seem higher than Puljujarvi (still available btw). What has prevented Puljujarvi from success. Are there any lessons for Savoie?
Between the ears early and pissing a drop later.
Just like all of us.
pul party went to europe
Thanks
https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/rumor-jesse-puljujarvi-headed-to-switzerland-after-ahl-finals
Muzenberger signs with Kolner Haie of the DEL for 25-26 and the Oilers will lose his rights… As per Garfield.
Frederic/McDavid/Savoie
Podkolzin/Draisaitl/Hyman
Mangiapane/Nuge/Tomasek
Janmark/Henrique/Kapanen
If they’re keeping Henrique, he’s nothing more then a 4C at this point.
Agreed that Henrique is best suited to a bottom 6 role at this point, but I don’t see Frederic playing on the top line. I’m also pretty sure Hyman is stapled to McDavid at this point.
I think it’s more likely we see
Mangiapane – McDavid – Hyman
Podz – Drai – Savoie
Fred – RNH – Kap/Tomasek
Jan – Henrique – Kap/Tomasek
There’s a little grit, speed and skill on each of those lines, which I like. Feel like we need an upgrade to push Kap and/or Tomasek down, but not sure if we’ll have that luxury
Frederic is Maroon with a defensive conscious. He’ll offset Nuge covering for McDavid while crashing the crease like a big man.
I don’t mind the idea at all of Savoie playing with Draisaitl, I despise not giving him some ice time with McDavid to see what can happen.
The coach rolled Hyman out not on McDavid’s line alot last season, Hyman and Kane had great success pushing the forecheck together before he got injured in the playoffs. I’d love to see if Podkolzin/Hyman could create similar chaos while Draisaitl feasts off of it.
If the Oilers bring up, bring in substantial offensive talent I need to see it all with McDavid at some point. If Savoie ends up better with Draisaitl so be it, but if it’s not tested with McDavid that’s a complete failure. Luckily the Oilers have a coach that likes every forward to be seemingly familiar with one another.
I agree Tomasek/Kapanen being interchangeable.
Frederic becoming Maroon would be an excellent outcome. (26 goals) But so far, he cannot cash on an open net.
Fingers crossed.
I would argue that stylistically Kapanen and Tomasek couldn’t be more different. So expecting that their roles might be the same doesn’t seem to line up to me. I don’t see tomasek being effective if he doesn’t have a good forechecker who creates chaos. Kapanen is the forechecker. They should be deployed to their strengths. Best case scenario to me is Savoie blowing the doors off on Drais wing so you can make a rambunctious 3rd line of Fred-Tomasek-Podz/Mangiapane. Having a third line that gives opponents nightmares would have given Edmonton a better chance at the only prize that matters anymore.
Tomasek is a wild card. We won’t know until he plays some NHL games. My hopes are that he’s worth the gamble.
If he doesn’t succeed what did he cost? Low risk potential high reward.
Rico is more than a fourth liner. He’s still a solid top niner either on the wing or at center.
If he’s only a 4c at this point in his career they should move him out, clear some cap space, but I don’t think they see him that way.
Holland would absolutely keep him down another year.
Holland would percolate him until his agent publicly requested a trade.
🎤 You gotta keep ’em percolating 🎸🎸🎸
When I was young, and they packed me off to school, and taught me how not to play the game.
I don’t know what you mean. I perfected the horse drawn seed drill. And listen to Offspring.
Not one draft pick under Holland is on the big club. I thought L.A pushed the panic bottom as they were a brain fart (Byfield) away from smoking us in the 1st round. If your a youngster in L.A either your getting traded or buried until your ship sails into the abyss.
I hear tell the Kings have such a deep prospect pool it would take Holland a decade to burn through it.
Thank goodness for the BBF (Byfield Brain Fart).
You underestimate Holland.
I don’t blame series losses on single plays. It was the coach who had a brain fart. The 3rd period comeback in game 3 convinced him his gameplan from the first two games didn’t work. Instead of trusting score effects and tweaking his system, he decided to bench a third of his team and double shift Kempe in defense.
Nice Offspring reference.
Savoie won the fastest skater competition at the AHL All-Star weekend last year. He fits to a T the mandate of getting younger and quicker. Based on skating alone, I can’t see him slotting in below line 3 RW. Let’s not forget that Drai also likes playing with guys who can dig pucks. Podz and Savoie can do a lot of that digging for him.
Savoie made a really nice play on his first assist, winning a puck on the end board and making a no look pass to Drai in the slot. Suspect we’ll see more of that going forward.
It might come down to getting experience. Drai plays tough comp, and it might take a while for MS to get settled into the D system. I think he will get there though, but it might take some time
Mangiapane might end up being the second best winger after Hyman at 5v5. His style is much needed especially in the top 6 with Kane and Perry being out. He likes to be an irritant and is aggressive, and has ability and speed, keep going that way Stan
I think Connor needs a shooter/finisher, Breadman might be that guy according to NHL edge. PuckIQ shows him pretty good against top comp with the Flames. The assertiveness would be a great add, they would be a fast line with a strong fore check. Get back soon Zach
Mangiapane shows a low shot rate, but decent shooting percentage. Implying that he has good shot selection, ability off of the rush, and is able to find high percentage plays. But he doesn’t measure as a shooter. Very low shots per 60.
It depends on when you are lo8oking. 2023-2024 reg season in percentiles:
Shot Speed 65
SOG 66
SH% Below 50th (11.5/11.9)
Goals 66
2024-2025
Shot Speed 74
SOG 57
SH% 69 (14.7/11.2)
Goals 63
Hard to say how he fits in of course, but overall it’s better than Nuge to me, and that’s playing with far inferior players last year and less TOI and special teams. Nuge played 243:03 on PP last season AM 98:09. Nuge had 13 ES Goals AM 14, Nuge 9 5v5 goals AM 11. If he’s healthy and can play up with the centres I can see him perhaps staying there
This is one of the places where Edge is strange. SOG percentiles are counts. Not rates. Compare Mangipane to Kane. Kane is a shooter. Mangipane isn’t. He shoots at a lower rates.
If Podkolzin does the grunt work and Magpie can find the soft zone Leon will find him. Magpie does have good hands can he score from any distance after shoulder surgery a few years ago. I guess we are going to find out as Magpie will get some 3-5 star opportunities like he hasn’t seen since the 35 goal campaign.
“Get back soon [and healthy] Zach.” Hear hear. This team missed you big time in the SCF.
Fastest skater? Awesome, I did not know that.
I hope Matt can/will play with his brain more than trying to use his body and keeps his head up. He’s a lot bigger than Yamo but still. Watching a lot of Marchand video wouldn’t go amiss either. A win with him would be fantastic, and few others as they come in
Smarts may be one of Savoie’s top attributes.
He’s very good along the wall and playing on the inside – is able to succeed and doesn’t take the beating that Yamo did, for example.
LT or others… I believe at one point someone posted an NHL comparable player. Who does Savoie compare too?
For me, it’s Brayden Point in terms of his skating, hands and IQ.
I have very high hopes for young Savoie but want to be clear I do not expect him to become Point production wise, though that would certainly be something.