Edmonton Oilers top prospect Savoie could impact trade deadline plans
The hockey world remains fixated on the upcoming 4 Nations final between Canada and the USA, but the Edmonton Oilers are resuming work in the Alberta capital.
Players who aren’t at the international tournament returned to Rogers Place to practice yesterday after an extended break. It was the usual faces, except for one player, as top prospect Matthew Savoie hit the ice with the NHL club for the first time since training camp.
The 21-year-old hasn’t been called up officially by the team yet, but a report from The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman says that should be coming as early as this weekend. When it does, Savoie could wind up making his Oilers debut just weeks before the NHL trade deadline.
Depending on how he performs, Savoie being up with the Oilers could have an impact on how GM Stan Bowman approaches his trade deadline strategy.
"A little bit of a slow start adjusting to pro hockey but I've been playing really well the last couple weeks… Feeling really confident & good about my game."
Matt Savoie on his play with the @Condors after today's #Oilers practice.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/JSShQGyHTP
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 18, 2025
The logic behind calling up Savoie right now makes sense. He’s been on fire in the AHL of late, having picked up 10 points in his last nine games with the Bakersfield Condors. The St. Albert native is third in AHL rookie scoring with 37 points and second on the Condors. It was a slow start to his first full professional season, but Savoie is starting to figure things out.
That type of performance is worthy of an NHL call-up, but it helps that Edmonton is currently in the market to add a top-six scoring winger. Finishing has been an issue for the Oilers all season long, and while the hope is that Jeff Skinner can regain his form down the stretch, there is a need for a more consistent scorer to play alongside one of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. This could be a spot that Savoie ends up filling if he can prove his worth in these coming weeks.
Savoie has never been a prolific goalscorer throughout his junior career and has skewed toward the playmaking side of the game. Even so, he has shown that he can possess an excellent shot that is more than capable of beating NHL goaltenders. If he can unlock that beside one of the two best players in the world, that would be a gigantic boon for this team.
The prophecy has spoken… SAVY is the chosen one!#Condorstown | #TimetoFeast pic.twitter.com/svVt2bzB0r
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) February 16, 2025
If the former first-round pick can find a permanent spot on the team, it would allow Bowman to add an effective top-six complimentary winger on a cheap ELC contract without having to give up any assets, of which the Oilers have very little. It would also allow the team to look elsewhere on the roster to improve, such as the defensive group or even goaltending.
On the flip side, this could also be a preview of Savoie to potential trade partners who have their eye on the top Oilers prospect. There is no doubt that he is currently Edmonton’s best trade chip who is not currently playing on the NHL roster. Savoie’s AHL play should already have some teams interested, but if he can put together a good stretch of NHL games, perhaps that convinces a team to pull the trigger on a deal with the Oilers.
Either way, it seems likely that a stretch of NHL games for Savoie with the Oilers will impact this team’s trade deadline strategy. Whether it’s a cost-effective mid-season addition or an audition for a bigger trade, we’ll have to wait and see.