Oilers Expected to Give Howard, Savoie Looks in Top-Six Forward Role

Edmonton Oilers fans haven’t been excited about prospects in a while, but with the additions of Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard, who are expected to take big steps forward next season, fans are hopeful they can establish themselves as stars and can help the Oilers remain contenders for quite a few seasons. Head coach Kris Knoblauch spoke earlier this month about what fans could expect out of the duo, and mentioned he would love to give them both looks in the top-six forward group, but understands there are going to be hiccups along the way.

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Howard was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this month in exchange for forward Sam O’Reilly. Some fans questioned why the Oilers would trade one of their top prospects, but with the resume Howard has had at the NCAA level, giving up a promising youngster for a former Hobey Baker Award winner is a smart investment.

Howard, who is 21 years old, has spent the previous two seasons at Michigan State University in the NCAA. He won the Hobey Baker Award last season, which is awarded to the top NCAA player, after scoring 26 goals and adding 26 assists for 52 points through 37 games. The season prior, he put up 36 points in 36 games. It was revealed he wasn’t going to sign with the Lightning, and trade rumours were running rampant until he was finally traded.

Savoie, who is also 21 years old, got his first taste of NHL action last season, playing four games and picking up an assist. He was acquired by the Oilers from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio last summer, and has widely been considered one of the NHL’s top prospects for a while.

Last season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors, Savoie scored 19 goals and added 35 assists for 54 points through 66 games. It was his first full season of professional hockey, and the belief is he will play his first full season in the NHL next season.

Predictions for Next Season

Both players make sense to play in the top six to kick off the 2025-26 campaign, but things can change. The Oilers have the depth to be able to take some risks, but also have some players to fall back on if they both don’t find their game early in the season. It’s hard not to be excited about what they will be able to do next season, but expectations should be lowered, and fans shouldn’t rely on them to drop 100 points a piece.

Realistically, expecting strong rookie campaigns from both of them is fair. I would guess Savoie steps into a huge role right away alongside Leon Draisaitl. He played with him a bit last season and looked solid, and his hard forechecking tendencies make him a perfect fit on the second line. If I had to predict a point total, I would guess Savoie scores 16 goals and adds 29 assists for 45 points next season.

Howard is an interesting one. There is a lot of hype following him, and some fans aren’t high on him, since he seems to be a little overconfident for their liking. However, his swagger might bode well at the NHL level, especially if he can carry the confidence over from the NCAA. I would guess Howard finishes the season with 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points, and moves up and down in their lineup.

Depending on how the preseason goes, both players could start the season in the bottom six, but could get some looks as soon as they show any sign of confidence. The fact that Knoblauch is willing to be open-minded and reward them if they’re playing well is positive, but time will tell what happens with the pair of rookies.

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