The Edmonton Oilers are heading into the 2024-25 campaign with a goal in mind to win their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history, and they have made the moves this offseason to prove that. With the additions of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson in free agency, the Oilers bolstered their forward group by adding two proven offensive producers who can play well at both ends of the ice. On top of that, they got rid of a defensive liability in Cody Ceci by trading him to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for an upgrade in Ty Emberson. They also acquired Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks to try and replace Dylan Holloway, who they lost to the St. Louis Blues with Philip Broberg due to offer sheets and saved some money in the process.
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With the recent news that Evander Kane’s injury will require surgery and likely keep him out for an extended period, there is a wide-open spot in the Oilers’ opening-night lineup. Matt Savoie and Raphael Lavoie could both crack the lineup depending on how they perform during training camp, but Lane Pederson is someone else who could be rewarded for his strong 2023-24 season with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League (AHL). He doesn’t have much experience in the NHL having only played 71 games, but his AHL success could earn him a fourth-line role with the Oilers to start the season.
In 66 games with the Condors last season, he scored 22 goals and added 30 assists for 52 points which comes out to a 0.84 points-per-game average. Throughout his AHL career, he has played 293 games, scored 106 goals, and added 112 assists for 218 points which comes out to a 0.74 points-per-game average. He is a strong two-way forward who hasn’t earned a full-time opportunity at the NHL level because of his inconsistency, but Kane being out could give Pederson yet another chance to prove he is worthy of being a bottom-six producer.
Pederson Will Have Strong Competition
As mentioned, both Savoie and Lavoie could make a push for a roster spot out of training camp. Savoie was acquired by the Oilers this summer in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio in a surprise trade with the Buffalo Sabres, and Lavoie was drafted by the Oilers in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft at 38th overall. Last season, Lavoie played seven games with the Oilers and didn’t register a point, but he impressed at the AHL level scoring 28 goals and adding 22 assists for 50 points through 66 games.
Savoie, who is three years younger than Lavoie, played one game with the Sabres last season, as well as six games in the AHL with the Rochester Americans where he notched five points, but spent the majority of his campaign in the Western Hockey League (WHL) split between the Wenatchee Wild and the Moose Jaw Warriors. In 34 games between the two teams, he scored 30 goals and added 41 assists for 71 points which comes out to an impressive 2.09 points-per-game average.
Both of them are loved by fans as many people want to see them get their shot at the NHL level, but they could benefit more from developing at the AHL level for one more season. Pederson on the other hand, has a bit more experience and could fit in well as a fourth-line player for the Oilers. He has the perfect two-way style of play to be a depth forward at the NHL level; he just has to try and find consistency if he does earn the opportunity. He has proven himself to be worthy of another chance — he just has to play well enough to keep it.
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