Back to the Condors?

The Edmonton Oilers loaned forward Matt Savoie to the Bakersfield Condors on Tuesday afternoon. The Oilers’ rookie forward has been up with the NHL club since the beginning of the season, scoring nine goals and 18 points this season. He’s played all 58 games.

Bob Stauffer of 880 CHED says this move is being done purely for salary cap purposes. The idea is that Savoie will play at least one game with the Condors in the AHL — a new requirement in the CBA to eliminate paper transactions — while the Oilers manage their salary cap.

This is being done purely for Cap purposes!
Matt Savoie will play at least one game for the @Condors in the American Hockey League.
He has had a solid season to date for the @EdmontonOilers

The #Oilers have loaned forward Matt Savoie to the @Condors.

For the Oilers to activate Adam Henrique from long-term injured reserve, Edmonton needed to clear $112,000 of annual cap hit, according to PuckPedia. Henrique hasn’t played since January 6 against the Nasvhille Predators after blocking a Filip Forsberg shot.

Savoie played 66 games with the Condors last season, scoring 19 goals and 54 points, while becoming a trusted penalty-killer. That trust has grown to the NHL-level under head coach Kris Knoblauch.

No Oilers forward has played as much on the penalty kill as Savoie has, with his time-on-ice at 4-on-5 clocking in at a total of 89 minutes and 58 seconds. In fact, only defencemen Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm have more minutes on the PK than Savoie.

The Edmonton Oilers could return to practice for the first time during the Olympic break on Tuesday, with their next game slated over a week away in Anaheim on Wednesday, February 25.

Savoie must play at least one game while on loan with Bakersfield. The Condors host the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday and the Calgary Wranglers on Friday.

Calvin Pickard reported on Tuesday to the Condors, as well, after clearing waivers and re-assignment on February 4. He received the same Olympic break as current Oilers.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and has been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, he also collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues.

PRESENTED BY DAILY FACEOFF’S OLYMPIC COVERAGECatch Every Goal from the 2026 Milan Games! The 2026 Milan Games are almost here, and the world’s best men’s and women’s hockey players are ready to battle for gold! The Nation Network is bringing you every game, every jaw-dropping save, and all the drama with live reaction streams and full recaps. Don’t miss a moment of Olympic hockey action—men’s, women’s, and everything in between—on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel. Subscribe now and stay on top of every play!