6 Edmonton Oilers players who could have big breakout seasons
The Edmonton Oilers are going to need some help if they want to get over the hump next season.
GM Stan Bowman has had a good start to the offseason so far, revamping the goaltending and creating a lot of cap flexibility, but he needs results on the ice. The core roster has pretty much stayed the same, meaning that existing players will need to step up in order to get the Oilers to the next level.
There isn’t any worry about Edmonton’s superstars. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard are expected to continue their dominant play. It will be on some of the secondary players throughout the lineup to start pulling on the rope a bit more.
Luckily, the Oilers have plenty of players who seem poised to break out next season and could wind up surprising fans.
Who are those players? Let’s take a closer look at them…
1. Isaac Howard
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When the Oilers traded for Isaac Howard last summer, it was with the hope that he would be NHL-ready sooner rather than later.
The 2025 Hobey Baker winner spent the majority of his time in the AHL last season, where he lit it up with the Bakersfield Condors with 24 goals and 50 points in 47 games. Those are impressive numbers for his first professional season, and he’ll be looking to make the jump to the NHL next season.
Howard obviously has the toolset to be a top-six scorer for the Oilers, but he’ll have to prove it come training camp.
2. Vasily Podkolzin
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Last season was a breakout year for Vasily Podkolzin, but does he have more in the tank?
The 25-year-old Russian notched career-highs with 19 goals and 37 points last season and followed that up with three goals and six points in six playoff games. Podkolzin is a former top-10 draft pick, and he finally showed glimpses of the skill that got him drafted so high.
Podkolzin’s short, but productive, playoff run shows that he may have the potential to hit new heights this upcoming season, especially if he stays in Edmonton’s top-six.
3. Matt Savoie
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It took Matt Savoie a while to find his stride, but he wound up having a pretty decent rookie season last year.
The former ninth-overall pick was able to notch 18 goals and 37 points with the Oilers last season and found a home next to McDavid on the top line at the end of the year. Those aren’t bad numbers for a rookie, but the challenge will be taking another step.
If Savoie is able to stick on the top line, the expectation is that he will increase his production.
4. Kasperi Kapanen
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Kasperi Kapanen may be getting a bit old to have a breakout season, but he showed something last season.
The speedy Finn struggled with injuries early in the year, but when he was healthy, Kapanen found a way to be a difference-maker. That was no clearer than in the playoffs, where he was the heartbeat of Edmonton’s offence with four goals and six points in six games.
He looked comfortable in a top-six role next to Draisaitl, and the results were starting to come. Kapanen will likely slot into a bottom-six role next season, and we’ll see if he can follow it up with another impressive season.
5. Devon Levi
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The Oilers have an open spot for their “goalie of the future,” and Devon Levi will have the first shot at filling that position.
Levi fell out of favour in Buffalo and has spent the last two seasons percolating in the AHL. The results down there, however, haven’t been bad, and it’s clear that the 24-year-old is ready for an extended look in the NHL.
He’ll be a part of Edmonton’s three-goalie rotation next season, so he’ll have to stand out if he wants more games than Frederik Andersen and Tristan Jarry.
6. Quinn Hutson
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If Quinn Hutson can crack the Oilers roster out of training camp, he could surprise some folks.
The 24-year-old was arguably the best player on the AHL’s Condors last season, leading the team in scoring with 30 goals and second with 63 points. Those are pretty good results for his first professional season, and he’ll be looking to parlay that into the NHL this year.
Hutson was a standout NCAA player, and it appears he has the stuff to become a productive middle-six NHL player at the very least.