There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Edmonton Oilers going into the 2025–26 NHL season. After losing some key depth pieces to free agency, such as Connor Brown and Corey Perry, the Oilers will be forced to pivot when it comes to the starting roster this season, especially with the forwards. 

Fortunately, the Oilers have a couple of options to fill specific roles with players. The situation generating the most buzz among fans is who will play in the top-six alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Will it be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Andrew Mangiapane, or the two rookies in Issac Howard and Matthew Savoie? 

Howard and Savoie’s career so far

Issac Howard was a Tampa Bay Lightning first-round pick in 2022 and had some major confidence in his TV interviews after getting picked,  saying he was “the best looking guy in the draft.” He was awarded the Hobey Baker Award as the most outstanding player in the NCAA for the 2024–25 season at Michigan State University. 

Matthew Savoie was also a 2022 first-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres, and this season will be his first full season in the NHL. Last season, Savoie had 54 points in 66 games for the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL. 

It’s always risky to put rookies high up in the lineup, but if you put them with McDavid and Draisaitl, they’re going to do some damage on the scoresheet. Having said that, if the rookies were to be in the top-six, it would be either Howard or Savoie, but not both.

Howard has some confidence in him, saying he was not only the best-looking player in the draft but also the best-dressed. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s quick and a goal scorer with a sneaky release. He always seems to score a big goal whenever his team needs one. 

He had 52 points in 37 games with Michigan State last season and won the World Juniors with Team USA in 2024. There’s been a lot of anticipation around him about what he’s going to do with the Oilers this season. It’s risky to put rookies high up in the lineup, but it could be beneficial for their development. Some fans on X or Twitter argue that they can put up points on a line with McDavid or Draisaitl.

Howard definitely has the offensive ability to play within the top-six, and he has the potential to thrive with the Oilers, rather than being hidden on a line with McDavid. Having said that, Howard is yet to play professionally in his career. The most games he has played were 37 last season with Michigan State. The 82-game regular season could be tough on him. 

As for Savoie, he was a prodigy as a young kid and was a highly touted prospect going into his draft year for the WHL, playing with the Northern Alberta Xtreme alongside Utah Mammoth forward Dylan Guenther. Savoie hasn’t gotten a legitimate chance to prove himself in the NHL just yet, having only played five games in his career so far. His size and speed could lead to some problems, but he is very offensively gifted and is a smart player on the power play, so that he could do some serious damage playing McDavid or Draisaitl.

Savoie has more professional experience than Howard and also has the offensive ability to play within the top-six. He was nearly a point-per-game player in the AHL last season, and he is likely ready to take the next step in his career. However, the fact that he’s only played five games in the NHL is worrisome because he hasn’t yet proven himself as a full-time NHL player. This year may be his chance to do so. 

Can the rookies live up to the expectations?

One argument against placing the younger players high up in the lineup is the theory that teams need to ease players into larger roles. Sometimes, younger players don’t do as well when they get the big minutes. However, some guys excel in those types of situations. It’s a lot of pressure to put on two 21-year-old kids in their first year in the league. 

It all depends on which direction the Oilers would like to go this season. They will likely be a playoff team and have the opportunity to compete for a Stanley Cup again this season. If they want more experience or more of a veteran presence in the top-six, it may be better to go with Nugent-Hopkins or Mangiapane. However, if they wish to develop Howard or Savoie into the players that scouts or management think they could be, that would be a better option. 

Only time will tell what happens with Howard and Savoie. It will be exciting to see if they can crack the top-six forwards in the Oilers lineup. Is this the beginning of another one-two punch in Edmonton? 

Follow The Oil Rig on social media!

Like this:

Like Loading…