Savoie & Howard Could Be Oilers’ 2 Most Important Pieces This Season – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are entering their most important season of the Connor McDavid era. As has been the case in Edmonton the last several years, this is truly a Stanley Cup or bust type season, though the pressure is undeniably ramped up even more this time around.

That, of course, is due to the fact that McDavid is set to begin the first year of his two-year contract extension. Should the Oilers falter in 2026-27, it could very well force the organization into trading their captain next offseason. On the flip side, they do possess the talent to go all the way and finally bring the Cup back to Edmonton.

With their main core group of McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and Evan Bouchard all still part of the roster, there is a very strong shot that the Oilers are one of the best teams in the Western Conference by the time the 2026-27 season comes to a close. On top of that, they were able to tweak their blueline while making some much-needed changes in between the pipes.

The one issue that remains with this Oilers roster is that they lack scoring wingers. Things drop off dramatically after Nugent-Hopkins and Hyman, meaning others will need to step up. Luckily for them, they have two young pieces who have the skill to do so.

Savoie and Howard Need to Step Up

Oilers management went into the 2025-26 season hoping that both Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard, two of their brightest young pieces, could step into the lineup and make immediate impacts. That wound up being the case for Savoie, who saw some time in the top six and finished the season with 18 goals and 37 points.

As solid as Savoie’s rookie season was, the Oilers are going to need even more from him in 2026-27. He has an opportunity to be an everyday top-six player this coming season, which could put him in line for 50+ points. That said, there is always the possibility of a sophomore slump, something the Oilers cannot afford to have happen to the talented 22-year-old.

Howard’s 2025-26 season, his first as a pro, played out differently. The 22-year-old suited up for just 29 games with the Oilers, where he struggled to make an impact with only two goals and five points. That said, he did impress in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors, registering 24 goals and 50 points in only 47 games.

Given that it was Howard’s first season in the pro ranks, it’s actually quite exciting to see that he was able to produce as quickly and often as he did in the AHL. Now, it’s time for him to prove that he can produce at the NHL level as well. Projecting him to get 50+ points like Savoie may be unwise, but it would be incredibly beneficial to the Oilers if Howard could put up similar numbers as Savoie did this past season.

Oilers Could Get Further Help at Trade Deadline

One thing to note when it comes to the Oilers this offseason is that they’ve left money on the table. Rather than past summers where they are struggling to be cap compliant, general manager (GM) Stan Bowman still has $4.73 million at his disposal.

Having that cap space will allow for the Oilers to make some moves at the trade deadline. Should Savoie and Howard struggle, that money will almost certainly be used on a scoring winger. If they can step up, however, that would allow for Bowman to add a piece or two on the back end ahead of what the organization hopes is a lengthy playoff run. Both Savoie and Howard will play a big part in whether or not that happens.