Double offer slips and the subsequent loss of Philippe Broberg And Dylan Holloway has made a dent in the Edmonton Oilers youth department.

The youngest players in the NHL the list consists of new acquisitions Vasily Podkolzin (23) and Ty Emberson (24). All others The tankers playing in 2024-2025 are 25 years or older.

The veil cast by the magic of the Blues’ offer sheet didn’t completely catch the organization off guard.

Two summer trades show signs of producing quality young talent with a satisfactory ceiling.

Take a risk

When the Oilers trade for another NHL team’s recent first-round pick that’s still in development, there’s danger.

No team knew Matt Savoie’s strengths and weaknesses better than Buffalo swords on the day of the exchange, therefore in the sending center Ryan McLeod to the east, the Oilers were banking on their own scouting and analytics services.

This can backfire, as seen in the 2015 draft, when former Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli dealt two top picks to New York Islanders defense prospect Griffin Reinhart.

Edmonton’s recruiting staff had followed Reinhart closely in junior, nearly drafting him in 2012, and scratched an itch three years later in the deal with new York.

The information provided by the Oilers either did not include specific information about Reinhart’s struggles in the AHL in 2014-15, or it was ignored. The independent reporting on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers during this season was overwhelming. He wasn’t fast enough to make the same impact in the AHL that he had with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings.

The deal was a disaster and devastated the construction around Connor McDavid all at once.

The assets of Savoie

Savoie was drafted No. 9 by Buffalo in 2022 amid rave reviews from all recruiting sources.

Corey Pronman at Athletics classified it No. 8: “Savoie is a very talented scorer, he is an excellent passer, who can run a power play, hit seams at a high rate and make tough plays under duress. He has very good hands for maneuvering in traffic. He has good speed to beat his opponents wide and he has a shot that can score from distance. Savoie doesn’t have ideal NHL size, but he competes hard and wins a surprising number of battles for his size.

Meanwhile, Scott Wheeler of Athletics had Savoie at No. 4: “There isn’t a player in this draft class whose game is more exciting than Savoie’s when he shoots. In the offensive zone, he is deadly. He has extremely quick side-to-side hands that help him beat defenders one-on-one off cuts. He has an NHL shot (which he can place with pinpoint accuracy from a bad angle and rip a goalie from distance, but he also likes to change positions and slide five holes). He does a great job creating plays on the slot outside of traffic. He’s a hot skater with explosiveness that allows him to win races, separate in transition and put defenders on their heels.

Savoie finished his junior career in the spring and now plays with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL.

I like to use statistically comparable players from the past to get an idea of ​​a young hockey prospect’s possible future. Here are some comparables for Savoie based on his draft year.

Savoie’s peers have been a solid group for a decade. The only name on this list that is miles from Savoy is Leon Draisaitl. That’s an extremely high bar for any prospect, but Savoie is ahead of several quality NHL players who are further along in their respective careers.

Excluding Draisaitl, the remaining names on the list have averaged 18-34-52 per 82 games during their NHL careers.

Another comparable, Logan Stankhoven, is not listed here because his numbers were delivered during the pandemic season and are not credible as an accurate reflection of WHL competition over the past 10 years.

Take a different risk

Roby Jarventie is a talented forward who posts solid offensive numbers wherever he plays – when healthy.

Jarventie had experienced knee problems before undergoing surgery earlier in 2024, and his recovery made the trade with Edmonton this summer high risk.

On the other hand, the Oilers paid a discounted price for Jarventie in the hopes that he would recover and play with his usual abandon.

Jarventie missed all of training camp and did not step on the ice during the preseason or early in Bakersfield’s AHL regular season schedule.

Friday night, Jarventie came back and had a sudden impact on a line with Savoie and veteran winger Seth Griffith.

He has good hands and can win battles, with foot speed the concern coming out of the draft.

The biggest concern for this player is injury.

If Jarventie enjoys good health over the next few years, the Oilers will have been fully paid for the risky acquisition of a recovering player.

Conclusion

The Savoie acquisition reset the cap situation in a key area.

McLeod is a young and efficient number 3 center in the NHL. He’s a team staple (there are 12: top two lines and pairs, starting goaltender and third-line center) and McLeod made a value deal (2.5 million dollars) for one more year.

The big payday comes the following year.

For the Oilers, Savoie is a prospect who could also play a foundational role (right winger #1 or #2) with the risk of a delayed arrival (Savoie could be ready later this year or, more likely, in 2025-26) and the player’s ability to progress from junior to professional level.

He could play this role as a valuable contract for several years spanning the rest of the decade.

After seven games with the Condors, Savoie is 2-3-5 with an even-strength goal share of 5-2 (71 percent). His speed and passing ability have been strengths early in the season, and his 12 shots on goal suggest he is creating chances in good attacking locations.

Jarventie played Friday night and delivered a nice performance over three periods. He had two assists and was constantly in the game.

Talent and performance level have never been an issue, but it’s impressive to see Jarventie think outside the box early in his 2024-25 season.

The Oilers are in a tough supply situation. Picks are bounced at every deadline, which means losing ground every summer in the draft.

In the same way that a team that’s down a goal or two has to take risks, Edmonton’s two summer trades were designed to take risks in hopes that Savoie and Jarventie deliver on their promises.

The first days are promising.

(Photo by Roby Jarventie: Marc DesRosiers / USA Today)