The Edmonton Oilers roster taking the ice for training camp and the 2024-25 season looks dramatically different from the team that skated off in defeat after losing to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. The sting of that Game 7 loss still lingers, but so does the opportunity for fresh faces to help Edmonton finally capture the championship that has eluded them.
Gone are veterans like Corey Perry, Viktor Arvidsson, Connor Brown, Evander Kane, John Klingberg, and Jeff Skinner. However, GM Stan Bowman has added pieces like Andrew Mangiapane, Curtis Lazar, and Isaac Howard to fill those gaps. Beyond the established additions, young prospects throughout the Oilers’ system are pushing for NHL opportunities, and that breakthrough could happen as soon as the 2024-25 campaign.
How Could Matt Savoie Fix the Oilers’ Penalty Kill Problems?
Among the most intriguing prospects in Edmonton’s pipeline is forward Matt Savoie, who originally entered the NHL as a Buffalo Sabres draft pick in 2022. His journey to Alberta began last July when the Oilers acquired him in a trade that sent Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio to Buffalo.
Savoie spent his first season with the Bakersfield Condors, Edmonton’s AHL affiliate, where he tallied 19 goals and 35 assists across 66 games. Those numbers tell part of the story, but it’s his specialty work that has caught the attention of the coaching staff.
The 21-year-old’s ability to contribute on special teams could address one of Edmonton’s most persistent weaknesses. Jason Gregor, an insider with Oilers Nation, highlighted how Savoie’s skills align perfectly with the team’s needs.
“The Oilers’ regular-season PK has been below average the past three years: 20th in 2023 at 77.0 percent, 15th in 2024 at 79.5 percent, and 16th in 2025 at 78.2 percent. Overall, they rank 18th at 78.2 percent over that span,” Gregor wrote. “It is rare for a single forward to move a PK meaningfully on his own, but head coach Kris Knoblauch has already spoken glowingly about Savoie’s work there, so I expect he’ll get minutes early. Being on special teams keeps a player in the flow, too. If Savoie hits 30 points this season, that would be a very solid rookie campaign.”
The foundation for Savoie’s success was built during his junior career with the Winnipeg Ice of the WHL. There, he established himself as an elite offensive talent, posting back-to-back seasons of 90 and 95 points respectively. Those numbers caught Buffalo’s attention and eventually led to his draft selection.
Standing at just 5’9″, Savoie will never dominate through physical presence alone. Instead, his path to NHL success runs through the hockey sense and skill set that made him effective at every level he’s played. If he can translate those abilities to the speed and intensity of NHL penalty killing, Edmonton might finally have found a piece to their special teams puzzle.
The opportunity is there for Savoie to make an immediate impact. With Edmonton’s penalty kill struggling for consistency over recent seasons, a young forward who can think the game quickly and execute under pressure could be exactly what Knoblauch needs to turn that unit around.
