Savoie, Howard, and Jonsson lead Oilers’ Prospect Pool Breakdown at Daily Faceoff

With the Edmonton Oilers squarely focused on capturing a Stanley Cup now, their prospect pool has thinned out somewhat over the past few seasons. Nevertheless, they still have some key names to watch as the next era of this team will soon start to take shape.

On Monday, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis broke down Edmonton’s prospect pool, ranking their top 10 up-and-coming players heading into the 2025-26 season. At the top of his list is 21-year-old Matt Savoie, the 2022 9th overall pick who was dealt to Edmonton from the Buffalo Sabres last summer.

On Savoie, Ellis writes:

Savoie was a dominant producer in the WHL and continued that success to the AHL, where he had 19 goals and 54 points in 66 games. He made Bakersfield much, much more dangerous every time he touched the puck – simple as that. He blends high-end playmaking with loads of skill, and I like his skating, too. As a smaller forward at 5-foot-9, the odds will always be against him, but I have always been a Savoie believer and that hasn’t changed in the slightest over the past year. I think he’ll have some tough competition to beat in training camp, but I think he has a realistic shot at making the Oilers this year.

Coming up behind Savoie is Isaac Howard, a name that caused quite a buzz in Edmonton this summer after he was traded to the Oilers from the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier in July. On a team full of grizzled veterans, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner has the potential to jump right into this Oilers lineup and make an impact now, bringing some much-needed youthful energy.

In the third spot is Swedish goaltender Samuel Jonsson, who looks set to move to North America to play with the Bakersfield Condors this season after inking his entry-level deal in April. Ellis identifies the 21-year-old as a potential future backup for Edmonton, which could be crucial as the Oilers’ crease faces an impending re-structuring with their tandem on expiring contracts:

Jonsson had a fantastic year in the second-tier Swedish league, posting a 17-6-0 record with a .922 save percentage through 24 games while sharing the crease with Norwegian veteran Lars Volden. … He’s very quick for his size and doesn’t give up many poor rebounds. He also has a quick glove hand, allowing few poor goals on that side.

The first defenceman comes in at number four in Beau Akey, as Ellis notes that it’s an area of weakness overall in the Oilers’ prospect pool. The 2023 second-round pick has dealt with a series of shoulder injuries over the past few years that have hampered his development, and is now looking for a big year in Bakersfield to make up for lost time.

Ellis’s list includes Maxim Berezkin (RW), Roby Järventie (LW), Josh Samanski (C), David Lewandowski (LW), Tommy Lafrenière (C), and Paul Fischer (LHD), rounding out the list from fifth to tenth, respectively.

What do you think of Ellis’s ranking? Is there anyone you’d have higher or anyone he missed?