Heading into the 2026-27 season, Edmonton Oilers fans have plenty to monitor. Leon Draisaitl’s health will be under the microscope.
Mike Babcock’s first year behind the bench will draw attention. And the bigger question, the one that never seems to disappear, is whether this group can put together another legitimate playoff run.
But two younger forwards could wind up mattering more than expected: Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard.
No one is asking either player to replace Connor McDavid or Draisaitl. That’s not the job. What Edmonton needs from them is much simpler: become useful NHL forwards who can provide offense and depth without taking up much cap space.
Savoie is the more familiar name for Oilers fans. He arrived from Buffalo in the Ryan McLeod trade and put together a strong first AHL season, finishing with 54 points in 66 games.
Edmonton also gave him a short look in the NHL, where he appeared in four games and recorded an assist. In that small sample, he didn’t look out of place.
Now the door is open a little wider. The Oilers lost some forward depth over the summer, with Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, and Connor Brown all moving on.
That creates room on the roster, and Savoie has a real chance to claim some of those minutes. Edmonton could use that to happen.
His cap hit is under $900,000, which only adds to the appeal. He doesn’t need to turn into a 30-goal scorer to make an impact. If he becomes a steady everyday player who can chip in offense, that’s already a strong return for the Oilers.
Howard is the more intriguing swing. Edmonton paid a real price to get him from Tampa Bay, sending Sam O’Reilly - one of its better prospects - the other way.
That tells you how much the organization believes in him. And the numbers back it up: Howard scored 26 goals and totaled 52 points in just 37 games at Michigan State, then won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top honor.
What stands out now is how quickly he may be asked to contribute. The expectation is that Howard will be in the opening-night lineup and fighting for a top-nine role.
For a rookie, that’s a big ask. It’s also a big chance.
The nice part for Edmonton is that neither Savoie nor Howard has to become a star for this to matter. If Savoie settles in as a dependable NHL forward and Howard brings real scoring ability, the Oilers get more depth and can lean a little less heavily on McDavid and Draisaitl every night. For a team that has spent years asking its stars to do everything, that could end up being a bigger development than it looks at first glance.
In Other News...
Oilers Fans Face A Familiar Connor McDavid Tradeoff This Season
Connor McDavid has made a career out of turning the Oilers into a nightly must-watch team, and this season the conversation around him is familiar: how much individual production comes with the territory when the bigger goal is winning in the spring. A recent fan survey suggests Edmonton supporters are bracing for a slight dip in his point totals, but not in the broader value he brings if the team is better positioned for playoff success.
The more interesting part is the temperature around what comes next if the Oilers keep coming up short. Fans may be willing to trade a little offense for a deeper run, but there is still an uneasy sense that the long view of McDavids future in Edmonton will depend on whether those results ever arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Capitals Face Intriguing Next Step With Two Young Forwards
The Capitals are already looking ahead to a tricky but important piece of business after a promising stretch from two young forwards. Ryan Leonard and Justin Sourdif have given Washington enough reason to think about long-term commitments, and the next step for the front office will be figuring out how to reward recent performance without losing flexibility as the roster continues to take shape.
Around the league, the broader landscape is shifting in ways that could matter down the road for teams trying to build and keep star power. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly has suggested Houston could be the next expansion market, with play potentially beginning in the 2029-30 season, while Connor McDavids future continues to be a topic of conversation as his Oilers contract plays out. For the Capitals, the immediate focus remains on Leonard and Sourdif, but the market for young talent is only getting tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Use A Familiar Face To Solve A Camp Dilemma
With training camp coming fast and the preseason shortened, the Oilers could use a low-risk way to add bodies and get a read on depth under new coaches Mike Babcock and D.J. Smith. Kurt Leavins of The Edmonton Journal floated the idea of bringing in a familiar face on a professional tryout contract, a practical move for a team that may lean toward players the staff already knows rather than spending precious time evaluating complete unknowns.
Curtis Lazar fits that description well. He has already worn an Oilers sweater and remains unsigned, making him an easy name to circle if Edmonton wants experience in a bottom-six role and some comfort in the camp competition. The appeal is obvious, even if the final decision still hinges on whether the organization wants to keep looking inward or give a known depth option another shot. [Read more 🡒]