Oilers have a beauty in Matt Savoie, and a big year ahead for Ty Emberson

With each passing day, we get a little closer to the start of the 2025–26 NHL season, and I think I speak for a lot of us when I say it can’t come soon enough. Last night, the Oilers played their seventh of eight pre-season games against the Seattle Kraken, and while the loss was ultimately irrelevant, the takeaways weren’t. At this stage of the tune-up tour, the only thing that matters is staying healthy and sorting out who’s ready for opening night, and that’s why I’m checking in on how Matthew Savoie and Ty Emberson looked as the opening night lineup decisions draw nearer.

I’M ALL IN ON MATT SAVOIE

I haven’t exactly been shy about how excited I am to watch Matt Savoie play with the Oilers this season, and I honestly believe he’s getting better every time I watch him. Even when he’s not putting points on the board, the kid is buzzing all over the ice. He’s darting in and out of lanes trying to make something happen on both sides of the puck, and I think that hustle is going to turn him into quite the puck thief as he gets more at-bats. I know the goal he scored in the second period came on a tip and not one of the hustle plays I was just gushing about, but it’s another example of him getting himself to the right place on the ice more often than not. Not only is Savoie talented, but he’s also got the instincts you want to see in an offensive prospect. He’s going to score a pile of goals, and the only question I have is how long it’s going to take for him to get things to click at the NHL level. For me, it’s a matter of when, not if.

What I really enjoy about Savoie’s game is that he doesn’t shy away from mistakes if there’s a play to be made, and from my side of the TV screen, you can tell that confidence is only going to grow with experience. Sure, it’s the pre-season and nobody really cares that much, but you can already see flashes of a player who wants the puck on his stick when it matters. The Oilers haven’t had many prospects in recent years that bring that kind of swagger, and it’s been even longer since one has had a real shot at landing a gig in the top six. It’s still way too early to staple his name to McDavid or Draisaitl’s wing, but if he keeps playing with this blend of speed and tenacity, it’s going to be damn near impossible for the coaching staff to keep him away from prime-time minutes. There will definitely be bumps in the road as Savoie makes the leap from AHL to NHL, but we’re going to have a hell of a time watching him figure it out.

THIS IS A BIG YEAR FOR TY EMBERSON

I wonder how much pressure Ty Emberson is feeling heading into his second full year with the Oilers? Last season, Emberson played in 76 games and registered two goals and 11 assists to go along with 18 PIMs and a –5 rating. There were moments when you could see how effective he could be at locking things up in the defensive zone, and others when slow puck movement got him caught in a bad spot. Learning on the fly at the NHL level is a tough ask for most defencemen, and I think we got a real dose of that learning curve with Emberson last season. At 25 years old, there’s still room left to grow for Emberson, who enters the first year of a two-year extension that carries a $1.3-million AAV, but he also got leapt over by Troy Stecher in the 2025 playoffs. And with veterans like Kulak and Walman on the depth chart who can also play the right side, plus Alec Regula knocking on the door, it will be up to Emberson to lock down a spot if he wants to play every night.

That’s why Wednesday’s matchup against the Kraken mattered more for Emberson than just another pre-season skate. Even in a game that technically doesn’t count, the Oilers needed him to chip in stable minutes on the back end and not leave all of the heavy lifting to his partner Brett Kulak. This is the time of year when coaches are sorting out who they can trust, and for Emberson, that meant showing he can make quick decisions with the puck and keep things quiet in his own zone. It wasn’t about racking up points on the scoresheet — he’s never going to be that guy — but rather proving he can offer steady minutes without cracks showing, because if he can’t, someone else will be more than happy to take them. And on a night when the Kraken were the only ones able to score on their big chances, Emberson quietly navigated his 18:18 in TOI and finished with four shots on goal, four hits, and two blocks. That’s pretty much what you want from him, no?