One of the more intriguing Edmonton Oilers training camp stories will be how winger Roby Jarventie looks after the Finnish forward was in town but not cleared to take part in in any games because of consistent knee issues last fall.
Jarventie, acquired from Ottawa in the Xavier Bourgault trade last summer, only played two games last season in November in Bakersfield (two points) before being shut down and has just 24 games over his last two American Hockey League years. He had surgery on one knee while with the Senators’ farm team, then injured the healthy one before Oilers camp started. If he can stay in one piece, a very big, if, the 2020 second-round draft pick (33 overall) clearly has the tools, the size and the shot to be in the NHL picture here, somewhere down the line.
The Oilers very much wanted to resign the just-turned 23-year-old and Jarventie forsook a reported agreement with Tappare in Tampere, to stay in North America for at least another year. As an AHL player, the 6’2” and 190-pound winger has 88 points (38 goals) in 138 games. He got into seven NHL games with the Senators in 2023-24 (one assist), but he only averaged 7.5 minutes a night, so a pretty slender body of work to get a read on him
Jarventie might have benefited from being at rookie camp with at least one game against Calgary’s prospects, but he’s not. The prospect games are more chaotic and the NHL exhibitions more of a controlled environment, a better read for Oilers. Maybe he gets three or four games, if (a) he passes the medical and (b) he stays healthy in action.
“He hits a one-timer better than anybody. He’s a big man who uses a small stick,” said farm coach Colin Chaulk, who was an assistant coach on Senators’ AHL team with Jarventie. “He can make small-area plays. He won’t kill you with his speed but he’s got poise.”
Is it realistic that Jarventie could see some NHL games this season if he’s producing in Bakersfield? Maybe. Up in the air. Again, he’s had injury issues for the last three seasons. His knees keep betraying him.
Chaulk liked what he saw in the two back-to-back games Jarventie played in Bakersfield, but he was mostly just around. Part of the team, but only sort of. “He got two assists in the first game and couldn’t move around as well in the second. He played 12 or 13 minutes. He couldn’t skate. He came in the next day and said ‘it hurts,’” said Chaulk, who used 46 different players last season with all the injuries.
Jarventie was well looked after by the Condors’ support staff while out, but when the AHL season ended, it looked like a one-and-done. He was going back home. But, he’s not ready to give up his NHL dream, even though he’s only managed 71 total games the past three seasons, because of his knees.
“We all thought he was going back to Finland…it was all over the media,” said Chaulk.
Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Savoie speaks to media after the first day of the on-ice sessions for the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp at the Downtown Community Arena wrapped up on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
Small guy, big heart
Local product Matt Savoie is only 5’9” and 180 pounds, but there’s lots of fight in this kid who very much could get a top 9 winger spot in the Oilers’ line-up. While he was an offensive dynamo in the WHL, did his utmost to round out his game in his first season of pro in Bakersfield, knowing he’ll need all of that to make the NHL.
Savoie could be in one of the three forward penalty-killing groups this season.
“One of the real defining moments for me last season with Matt was when we had a road game in Calgary and we were losing the game 4-1, the game was over and Matt laid down to get in front of a shot. I thought ‘alright, he really wants this. He wants to do the hard things,’” said Bakersfield head coach Colin Chaulk.
“The player has to meet you half way (skill meets battle). You have to want to do it and Matt was a great student,” said Chaulk.
This ‘n that
At this point, there are no indications the Oilers will be extending any tryouts to NHL players without contracts, so no re-engagement with Klim Kostin, but main camp doesn’t open with medicals and fitness testing until Wednesday. Last year, the Oilers had winger Mike Hoffman on a tryout but released him early, even though he had four points in four of the first five exhibition games. Right now only 22 players (11 teams, including the Blues with Milan Lucic) have extended PTO’s to players with Florida (five) having the most. No, PTO’s yet to veterans Jack Roslovic and Matt Grzelcyk with both holding out for a contract…
Ryan Marsh, the former Golden Bears’ defenceman, who was head coach last season with the Spruce Grove Saints and before that has worked as an assistant or associate coach with the WHL Oil Kings and Saskatoon Blades, U of Alberta, AJHL Fort Saskatchewan and in Germany, is now working with Oilers. With David Pelletier leaving here to work as an assistant coach in Dallas to Glen Gulutzan, Marsh will be helping skate players coming back from injury or those not playing along with new skills coach Conor Allen—anything the team asks of him. Pelletier, the skating coach here, did that job…
Winger Matvey Petrov, 22, who had a poor camp last season and has just 33 points in 103 AHL games, isn’t on the rookie camp roster. Entering his third year of pro and very much under the gun to get another contract unless he provides some offence on the farm, has been to three rookie camps already. He will be at main camp…
London Knights forward William Nicholl, the Oilers seventh-round draft pick in 2024, who had a breakout 57 points in 66 OHL games last year, isn’t taking part in rookie camp. He’s rehabbing from shoulder surgery and likely won’t be back until the New Year…
It’ll be interesting in Bakersfield this season with brothers Rhett, in rookie camp at 24 after a sterling college career, and Rem Pitlick, the much-travelled NHL forward, on AHL contracts…
Goalie Connor Ungar, who is in the hunt for a back-up goalie spot in Bakersfield after a good first pro season in ECHL Fort Wayne, isn’t on the ice at camp, either. He’s also coming off an injury…
Keep an eye on Oilers sixth-round 2023 goalie pick Nathaniel Day. After his junior career (Flint) ended, the 20-year-old played five games for Fort Wayne at the end of last season with a 2.14 average and a .914 save percentage…
Olivier Rodrigue is on the Barys Astana roster but has yet to play in their two KHL games…
Oilers invited goalie Josh Bandini to rookie camp. He’s a good story. He’s the first-ever graduate of the junior Oilers, to get this look. He played last season for Moose Jaw on the rebuilding Warriors…
Buffalo Sabres forward Peyton Krebs‘ defenceman brother Dru, 22, a former Washington Capitals’ sixth-round draft pick, is at Oilers rookie camp on an invite. He played last season in Greenville (ECHL)…
The only Oiler-drafted defenceman at their rookie camp is Beau Akey. Oilers third-round 2025 draft D Asher Barnett is playing at U of Michigan.
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