The Edmonton Oilers have two quality rookie forwards at this year’s training camp; all eyes are on Matt Savoie and Ike Howard. Despite coach Kris Knoblauch’s efforts to ease the pressure on both men by talking about immersing them slowly into the lineup, fans are fascinated by the talented wingers and want the future now.

If he needs it, Knoblauch has a pile of evidence from recent Oilers history that shows rushing prospects to the NHL is a bad idea. Jesse Puljujarvi, the No. 4 selection in 2016, came right to the NHL and floundered. When dispatched to the AHL, the big winger thrived, but Edmonton’s management couldn’t resist plugging him back in to the NHL lineup.

Puljujarvi was a teenager at the time of his NHL debut. Savoie and Howard are both 21. They are older, more physically mature (Puljujarvi had injury issues, including a hip issue, during his entry-level deal) and appear NHL-ready or close.

Coach’s decision

Before training camp, Knoblauch discussed bringing along both players at a pace that would allow them to succeed. He mentioned Savoie’s ability to play on both special teams and talked about Howard making an impact on the second power play with his shot.

Since the beginning of training camp, Savoie and Howard have played two games and had some success at five-on-five. Here’s the tale of the tape:

StatSavoieHoward

Games

2

2

5-on-5 TOI per game

12:27

15:11

5-on-5 pts-60

0

1.97

5-on-5 shots-60

2.41

3.95

PP TOI per game

1:40

1:45

PP pts-60

0

17.14

PP shots-60

0

17.14

PK TOI per game

1:47

0

All numbers via Natural Stat Trick

Knoblauch has the rookies playing a little more than 17 minutes per game, and both have impressed. Howard has a power-play goal (an impressive rip off a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins pass on the power play) and a five-on-five assist. Despite having no points yet, Savoie has been more noticeable due to touches of the puck. They both have made a number of impressive passes in the early going of this year’s camp.

Savoie is the more polished of the two, which is no surprise, given that he has one year of professional experience, while Howard is just getting started.

Support from veterans

Oilers captain Connor McDavid talked about an infusion of youth heading into camp, saying, “Having some new faces and some young blood and playing with new guys can be exciting.”

So far, Howard has been with winger Kasperi Kapanen in both games, and Nugent-Hopkins and Curtis Lazar (one game each) as his centres. Meanwhile, Howard is playing second- or third-line minutes. Savoie’s most common linemates at five-on-five are Vasily Podkolzin, Trent Frederic and Adam Henrique. That’s third-line territory as the Oilers are currently constructed.

The look of the numbers currently suggests a slight push for Howard at five-on-five, and a small fade for Savoie in the discipline to allow for the penalty-killing work.

Less than optimal

Knoblauch’s decision to load up the top line (McDavid with Leon Draisaitl) complicates matters — if the plan was to start the season with both men in significant roles. Nugent-Hopkins is likely to be the second-line centre, but Knoblauch may employ Andrew Mangiapane and Podkolzin on the unit.

It is unlikely Knoblauch would play both Savoie and Howard on the same line, meaning one of the rookies could see action on the third line while the other would get fourth-line minutes. Since Oilers coaches routinely scrap the fourth line for parts in-game, it’s possible one of the two gets sent to the AHL Bakersfield Condors before opening night.

The structure of the team could get more complicated when Zach Hyman returns to the top line, although splitting McDavid and Draisaitl would mean electric centres for the first two lines. That could spell a major opportunity, especially for Savoie. He showed good chemistry with Draisaitl in limited minutes last year.

Matching team needs

Savoie’s penalty-killing prowess gives him a better chance to stick with the team this fall. However, Howard’s power-play goal in preseason drove home the possibility for the young winger to get power-play time. The Oilers were predictable last season on the five-on-four, and the second power-play unit may get more time this winter in an effort to freshen the look.

Will they make it?

The best way to evaluate talent is to play them and allow each individual player to tell you who they are via performance. There was plenty of talk about Howard being unready and a possible defensive drag on his line, but the goal share (1-1, 50 percent) and shot share (12-15, 44 percent) are a match for Savoie (via Natural Stat Trick) so far this fall.

The two young Oilers have a lot going for them. Both are high draft picks; Savoie was selected by the Buffalo Sabres No. 9 at the 2022 draft, while Howard was chosen No. 31 the same year by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ironically, the player chosen by Edmonton (Reid Schaefer, No. 32) that year was traded by the Oilers before turning pro.

At this point in preseason, both the eye test and the math are inconclusive. When the Oilers got serious about Dylan Holloway making the club in the fall of 2022, he played in five preseason games, and his most common five-on-five linemates were Draisaitl and Hyman, via Natural Stat Trick.

Jay Woodcroft was the coach then, and Knoblauch has a different style. However, despite the push Holloway received from Woodcroft that fall, he was used sparingly during the regular season. As an NHL rookie, Holloway played in 51 games but scored just three goals and nine points.

Savoie and Howard are applying for more prominent roster positions, and their competition for playing time is much different than the group of wingers Holloway was forced to contend with in 2022-23.

With McDavid and Draisaitl playing with Frederic, and Nugent-Hopkins plus Henrique poised to occupy the second- and third-line centre positions, Savoie and Howard face the following wingers in the race for playing time: Mangiapane, Podkolzin, Kapanen, Mattias Janmark, David Tomasek and one of Noah Philp or Lazar. If Knoblauch bets on skill, both Savoie and Howard have the edge.

Playing these men in the NHL during October, November, and December would ensure they were battle-hardened come playoff time in April. That’s the play here.

(Photo of Matt Savoie: Perry Nelson / Imagn Images)