Oilers 2025-26 Report Cards: Matt Savoie

Unfortunately, the playoffs were a different story. He had just one assist in six games with a minus-1 rating. This was his first taste of playoff hockey, and he didn’t make a positive impact. Despite that, there’s a lot to be excited about from his overall game.

As a rookie, Savoie was trusted in all situations. He spent some time on the power play in Leon Draisaitl’s absence, recording five power-play goals and seven power-play points. However, he also became a crucial penalty killer. He led all forwards with 132:13 of shorthanded ice time, scoring two shorthanded goals.

Savoie Got Top-Line Minutes

Savoie finished the season on the top line alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman. He developed chemistry with the Oilers’ captain, and that trio looked good together. In 79:40 of ice time at 5-on-5, they outscored their opponents 5-1. They got the results, and that should be the top line heading into next season. Savoie has earned those minutes and should be rewarded for his efforts.

McDavid commented on Savoie’s play following Edmonton’s 5-2 win over the Utah Mammoth on March 24. “He’s playing well. He’s doing a lot of really good things. He plays with a lot of energy, he’s got a great motor on him, he keeps pucks alive, and that’s all you can ask for,” the captain stated. The youngster gets to the scoring areas and can keep up with McDavid’s speed. They complement each other extremely well.

Overall Grade

Overall, this was a quality rookie season for Savoie, and he will only get better. He’s undersized at just 5-foot-10, 179 pounds, but he doesn’t play like it. He’s not afraid to get into the corners and take a hit to make a play. He uses his speed to generate offence and is a tenacious forechecker. The St. Albert, Alberta, native makes subtle plays that often go unnoticed. He gained more confidence with the puck the longer the season went. He has a great work ethic and is a massive part of Edmonton’s future.

Therefore, he gets a B for this season. His 18 goals tied him for seventh in rookie goal scoring in franchise history with four other players. He was the last rookie to score 18 goals since teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins accomplished that in 2011-12. Savoie has the potential to be a perennial 20-goal scorer. Hopefully, he can take another step forward next season and be an impactful piece in the top six.

Do you agree with Savoie’s grade? Keep following The Hockey Writers as we continue the Oilers’ player report cards throughout the offseason.

*Advanced stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.