The Oilers Might Be Quietly Building Another 'Kid Line'

Sometimes these things start quietly. A practice line here, a comment there, a couple of Edmonton Oilers prospects skating together, and suddenly people start remembering the past. That’s kind of where the Oilers are right now with Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson, and Matthew Savoie. Nobody’s carving it in stone, but during a recent interview, the idea of a new “kid line” has floated into the room, and once that happens, you can’t really ignore it.

There’s a Chance Howard and Hutson Have Never Heard of Kid Line Before

Howard and Hutson talked about it this week, and what stood out wasn’t bravado — it was comfort. Howard mentioned how the NHL doesn’t feel as overwhelming the second time around. Less emotion, more routine. Just hockey. That’s usually when players start to look like they belong. Add in the fact that all three can skate, move the puck, and play fast without overthinking it, and you can see why the idea is at least interesting. Maybe fun, even. From the way Howard described it, it didn’t sound like pressure. It sounded like curiosity.

It also brings up an old Oilers memory, whether these kids realize it or not. Around 1990–91, the Oilers created their own version of a Kid Line. Joe Murphy, Adam Graves, and Martin Gélinas weren’t there to replace the stars. They were there to give the team legs while everything else was shifting. The dynasty years were fading, and the NHL was changing fast.

Yet, Murphy, Graves, and Gélinas played like they didn’t know they were supposed to be nervous. Straight lines. Hard areas. No hesitation. They were all over the place with speed. The Oilers won the Stanley Cup that season, and the Kid Line helped make it happen. Sometimes youth doesn’t lead — it supports, pushes, and surprises.