The Edmonton Oilers head into the 2026-27 season with several significant question marks. How will the players react to Mike Babcock’s controversial coaching style? Can the Oilers be good enough to persuade superstar Connor McDavid to stay in Edmonton? Will the trio of goalies improve after the team’s disastrous display between the pipes a season ago?
Another concern is the future of budding star Matt Savoie. The former first-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft burst onto the scene with a strong freshman season last year. The forward recorded 37 points in his first full 82-game campaign with the Oilers. He, however, is set to enter his final season of a three-year, $5.85 million deal. As a result, the youngster will become a restricted free agent next summer.
Despite this, Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is optimistic Savoie will be with the club beyond this season. “As far as his contract, I’m not going to comment on that, but I’m confident that that’s going to work itself out in time,” Bowman said when asked about the forward’s expiring deal, as reported by The Athletic’s Janson Duench.
The exec did, however, admit that “the landscape is shifting around the league” regarding new contracts. Due to the increasing NHL salary cap, young players are earning more money. Because of this, Duench believes that Savoie should expect to ask for a minimum of $6.6 million per season. If the Oilers opt to give the forward a full seven-year extension, the total salary would exceed $46 million.
Edmonton Oilers Have Funds to Reward Matt Savoie With New Contract
Duench landed on the $6.6 million AAV mark by comparing Savoie to Buffalo Sabres youngster Noah Östlund. The Sabres just recently rewarded the fellow forward with an eight-year, $52.8 million ($6.6 million AAV) extension. The links between Savoie and Östlund are certainly understandable. Both forwards are the same age (22) and come from the same draft class (2022).
Another comparable player to Savoie could also be Boston Bruins standout Fraser Minten. Boston also recently gave the young forward a new long-term deal. The agreement between the two sides was a seven-year, $50.4 million ($7.2 million AAV). Interestingly, the Edmonton forward essentially outplayed these two competitors during the 2025-26 campaign.
The Edmonton Oilers forward had more goals and assists than Östlund and Minten last season. Savoie also picked up more goals on the power play, while shorthanded, and even had more game-winning goals than the two combined. While rewarding the youngster will be costly, Bowman can afford it. According to PuckPedia.com, Edmonton has over $25 million in cap space beginning next summer. This comes as several Oilers veterans will be UFAs in 2027.
Edmonton Youngster Set to Miss Training Camp
Just how much the Edmonton Oilers give Savoie will likely depend on how he fares in his sophomore NHL season. Assuming Bowman does not get a deal done quickly, the forward could earn a higher AAV in his next contract by excelling at the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
The youngster, however, will have to wait a bit to get back on the ice. Savoie is currently dealing with an injury and is expected to miss his team’s training camp. While the Oilers are not providing a ton of info on the setback, it is believed the forward is dealing with a lower-body injury.
Oilers Star Expected to Earn $46 Million Contract Extension