When The Hockey Writers dropped their list of top breakout candidates across the Pacific Division, the choice for the Edmonton Oilers may have turned a few heads: Matthew Savoie.
Some would consider it a bold pick. The Oilers are loaded with veterans, playoff scars, and a win-now mentality. Betting on a 21-year-old rookie to break through in that environment is hardly conventional.
But dig a little deeper, and the idea that Savoie could not only carve out a role, but even push into the Calder Trophy conversation, starts to feel a lot less far-fetched. This is a player who’s done nothing but produce at every level, and the circumstances in Edmonton might finally give him the runway to do it at the NHL stage.
Matthew Savoie Impresses With Speed & Production
Savoie’s path has been one of steady escalation.
Drafted ninth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2022, he carved up the Western Hockey League with the Winnipeg Ice, leading all rookies with 90 points in his draft year and following it with a 95-point campaign over 62 games in 2022-23. Savoie wasn’t just a skill player — he was a pace driver, a shift-to-shift problem for defenses, blending vision with tenacity despite his 5-9 frame.
Savoie saw time with five separate teams throughout the 2023-24 season, including a one-game stint with the Sabres, and he was then traded to Edmonton for Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio on July 5, 2024. It was then that Savoie found his footing in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors in 2024-25, posting 54 points in 66 games.
It was one of the best age-20 seasons in the 10 years that Bakersfield has served as the Oilers’ top minor-league affiliate, but it wasn’t just the production — it was the speed. Coaches and teammates raved about his ability to push pace, and that has always been Edmonton’s most obvious point of entry for him.
The Oilers don’t hand out top-six minutes easily, not with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins still in the mix. But look closer, and the wings are not set in stone. Edmonton made a conscious shift this summer toward speed and skill on the flanks, a direction that opens a lane for Savoie.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch hinted as much earlier this summer, telling Oilers media that Savoie and fellow youngster Isaac Howard have a chance to play real roles this season. The Oilers’ fan base is already buzzing.
“Smurf City,” the Edmonton Journal dubbed it, noting how small the club’s winger group has become with players like Savoie in the pipeline. But in today’s NHL, smaller players who skate like Savoie can thrive if deployed correctly. The Oilers believe the modern game rewards pace and creativity more than brute force, and that philosophy plays directly into Savoie’s wheelhouse.
Matthew Savoie Could Have Opportunity for Success With Oilers
What makes Savoie intriguing isn’t just his talent, but the stage onto which he is stepping. Calder hopefuls on rebuilding clubs can pile up ice time, but they often fade from the spotlight. Savoie, if he sticks in Edmonton, will be playing alongside McDavid and Draisaitl on a nightly basis. That means sheltered minutes, favorable matchups, and plenty of offensive zone touches. If he clicks on a secondary scoring line or finds himself riding shotgun with a superstar, his numbers could balloon quickly.
The Hockey Writers called him Edmonton’s top breakout candidate for good reason. He’s a perfect blend of readiness, skill, and opportunity. And Calder voters often reward rookies who thrive in meaningful minutes on contending teams — the kind of impact that feels bigger because it contributes directly to wins.
Matthew Savoie isn’t a lock to dominate out of the gate. He’ll need to win a job in camp, adjust to NHL size and speed, and prove his defensive reliability. But his track record says he’ll find a way. He’s produced in junior. He’s produced in the AHL. He’s shown the resiliency to bounce back from challenges and the drive to force his way into conversations he wasn’t supposed to be in yet.
If he does it again this fall, the Oilers may not just have their breakout player — they may have a Calder contender. And for a franchise searching for every possible edge in a narrowing Cup window, that’s the kind of storyline that could shift the season.
Calder Trophy Hopeful Could Be the Spark Edmonton Needs