The Edmonton Oilers reconvened on practice ice on Tuesday after a ten-day break minus a few top players who are/have been otherwise engaged at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but with a couple of replacements from their AHL affiliate to flesh out the group. Two small-ish, right shot forwards from opposite ends of the age spectrum, one a very familiar face, the other a fresh new one.
The former is Derek Ryan, 38, a highly-respected veteran who finally, grudgingly lost the battle with Father Time a few weeks back after ten years in the NHL. In mid-January he got waived, cleared, and reported to Bakersfield Condors where he has played 3 games. The organization did right by Ryan, allowing him to take a leave from that squad for a long-planned vacation when the NHL break began, then bringing him back to the big club for the restart. Even as he’s not expected to be added to the roster on the resumption of play, it’s a classy move by the org befitting a classy player.
The latter is Matt Savoie, 21, a first-year pro who has been asserting himself in the high minors with growing confidence and results. In his first avail with the big club, he expressed his excitement at getting the call, but also found time for some glowing words about the example set by Ryan during his brief time in Bako.
- “D.R.’s an unreal guy, an unreal pro off the ice and on the ice as well. His details are second to none. The way he carries himself in the locker room, leading, just proving why he’s played in the league for so long. Guys can learn a lot from him.”
While Savoie is technically not a roster player for now, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed he will stay with the big club when action resumes and will play at some point during the 5-game road trip that begins Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. On Tuesday he reportedly practiced on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Vasily Podkolzin. That could be as a placeholder for the absent Viktor Arvidsson or…
Notable that it’s Savoie who gets the look this time and not Noah Philp who was recalled twice earlier in the season. Oilers already have an idea what Philp can do and want to afford the younger man a similar opportunity in the fast-waning days before the trade deadline.
Unlike Philp, who turned 26 last August and was a couple of weeks too old to even qualify as an NHL rookie (the Sergei Makarov Rule), Savoie is very much a rookie NHLer, indeed a rookie pro. He had brief cups of coffee in both leagues a season ago with the Buffalo Sabres organization before being returned to junior at midseason. After a stint with Team Canada at the WJC, he was traded to Moose Jaw Warriors for seven draft picks including two first-rounders. He went on to record 47 points in 23 regular season games, won the league title and played in the Memorial Cup.
The former #9 overall pick (2022) was acquired from the Sabres last summer in return for Ryan McLeod and Ty Tullio and immediately was identified as the #1 prospect in the Oilers org in our annual Cult of Hockey summer rankings.
The St. Albert native has already made his NHL debut as a 19-year-old in the fall of 2023, but saw just 4 minutes of action. He’s now 21, far closer to being ready, and will surely receive a more serious opportunity in the days to come. When he does, he’ll be the first official rookie to dress for the Oilers all season.
Draisaitl was asked about his first impressions after the practice:
- “He looked great I thought. He moves really well, you can tell he’s got a lot of hockey sense, so hopefully we’ll get a couple games together and see what we have in him. He’s been playing really well down there from what I’ve heard. Excited to see him.”
Even as conventional wisdom has projected Savoie to challenge for a roster spot next fall, the thinking has clearly changed as the current season has progressed. He’s been coming on gangbusters for a while now in the AHL. We provided a scouting report on Savoie just two days ago, covering what for the time being will remain his last game with the Condors. In that post we noted with approval his splits through the opening 45 games of the AHL campaign:
- Through Dec 15: 22 GP, 4-8-12, -1
- Since Dec 16: 23 GP, 9-16-25, +17
His season totals of 13-24-37, +16 rank third among AHL rookies in both points and plus, with arrows pointing up, up, up.
In that report we also noted the relative maturity of his 200-foot game, of his strong positional play and puck support, and of his ability to make quick reads and move the puck in the right direction in all three zones.
Regular Condors observer and occasional Cult of Hockey contributor Ira Cooper (known to many as “Original Pouzar”) provided similarobservations:
- “Savoie is very responsible defensively and a plus forechecker (at the AHL level) – he also doesn’t hold the puck – quick, smart and skilled plays with the puck and finds the soft area… Over a PPG through the last 25 games, arguably the top defensive forward on many nights, solid on the 0-zone board battles, GREAT ability to make quick, smart and skilled plays with puck (should be great for Drai) and a plus one-timer. He is legit.
He will need to establish himself as an all-ice player to warrant an extended look with the playoff-bound Oilers. Offensive flair is certainly welcome, but that alone will not be enough on Kris Knoblauch’s Oilers.
The coach himself had some glowing words about the new addition in his post-practice avail:
- “I think it was important that he did spend that time in Bakersfield. As the season’s gone on he’s progressing and playing really well, and we wanted to look and see whether he fits into our line-up, whether there’s a fit with somebody or maybe he’s not quite ready, whatever it is. I think he’s earned it, I think he’s been playing very well in Bakersfiled, we’ll just see if he plays well and we’ll m,ake a decision after that. At some point during the road trip he will play, but how many games and what games, that will be determined… The reports we’ve had for quite a while are that he’s been playing well and getting better every time, in many areas of the game. We’re looking forward to seeing him play.”
He’ll also need to prove that at a listed 5’9, 179 pounds, he can hold his own with bigger, older men. At a surface level an excellent comparable is Logan Stankoven of Dallas Stars, 10 months older and a year ahead of Savoie on the career curve. A season ago the highly-skilled 5’8, 165-lb pepperpot tore up the pea patch as an AHL rookie; he was called up at this exact juncture a year ago, making his NHL debut on 2024 Feb 24. He went on to play 24 regular season games and another 19 in the playoffs before the Stars were ultimately eliminated by the Oilers in the Conference Finals.
Can Matt Savoie do that? I guess we’re about to find out.
Last word
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