A couple of players on the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/">Edmonton Oilers&#8217;</a> pipeline are receiving notoriety among the game&#8217;s top youngsters.
On Monday, Daily Faceoff draft and prospect Steven Ellis released his <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-75-nhl-affiliated-skater-prospects-2025-26-rankings">top 75 prospects affiliated with NHL teams</a>. Among the big up-and-comers, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-1-matthew-savoie">forwards Matt Savoie</a> and Isaac Howard sit back-to-back on the list.

Savoie was on Ellis&#8217; list heading into the 2024-25 season, ranked 40th among notable prospects. This year, the 21-year-old dropped down the list to 58th. Savoie is coming off his first full season in pro hockey. After playing a handful of games with the American Hockey League&#8217;s Rochester Americans, the former Wenatchee Wild and Moose Jaw Warrior was traded to Edmonton from the Buffalo Sabres. He appeared in 66 games for the Oilers&#8217; primary affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, scoring 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points, g<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-prospect-report-matthew-savoie-and-the-growing-nuance-of-his-game">ood for second on the team</a> in scoring.
The St. Albert native played four games for the Oilers during the regular season. In his first game with the team, on Feb. 22, Savoie picked up his first NHL point via an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Ellis believes it won&#8217;t be an easy path for Savoie to make the full-time roster in Edmonton, but says that it can be done.
<blockquote>&#8220;Savoie was a dominant producer in the WHL and continued that success to the AHL,&#8221; Ellis wrote. &#8220;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.&#8221;</blockquote>
The other rising star<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/scouting-report-isaac-howard-newest-edmonton-oilers-forward"> is that of Isaac Howard</a>. The Michigan State star made plenty of headlines over the past several months. He helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, along with helping the Spartans with the Big Ten Regular Season and Conference Championships. Then, he stunned many <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/lightning-prospect-isaac-howard-wins-2025-hobey-baker-award">by winning the Hobey Baker Award</a> as the best player in college hockey.
Then, after MSU was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament, it was announced that Howard wasn&#8217;t going to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That led to the Bolts sending <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-acquire-isaac-howard-tampa-bay-lightning-sam-oreilly">the 21-year-old to the Oilers last month,</a> leading to him signing his entry-level contract, despite previously confirming that he <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/tampa-bay-lightning-prospect-isaac-howard-wont-turn-pro-yet-will-remain-ncaa-michigan-state">would be returning to Michigan State</a>.
<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-2-isaac-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Certain aspects of Howard&#8217;s game</a> will translate to the pro level, though he might not be the prolific scorer he became known to be in the college ranks. Ellis, who has Howard sitting 59th in his recent rankings, hopes that his play in university isn&#8217;t his peak.
<blockquote>&#8220;It was a dream season for Howard, who had nothing left to prove at the college level. Howard has an excellent shot release and his skating is a serious positive. Scouts are worried that he won’t thrive unless he’s paired with a center who could take away some of the defensive responsibilities, but the Oilers definitely have the manpower to do that. And before you get too excited – players who have won the Hobey in their upper-class years have rarely panned out over the past 15 years. Hopefully for Edmonton, that’s not the case.&#8221;</blockquote>
Both Savoie and Howard are coming into training camp in September looking to earn spots in Edmonton&#8217;s top-six forward group. There are positions available alongside both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and both of the organization&#8217;s top prospects will get an opportunity to show if they can find chemistry with either Hart Trophy winner.
<hr />
<h2>Read More: Edmonton Oilers Summer 2025 Prospect Countdown</h2>
<ul>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-honourable-mentions">Honourable Mentions</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-10-eemil-vinni">No. 10: Eemil Vinni</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-9-paul-fischer">No. 9: Paul Fischer</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-8-dalyn-wakely">No. 8: Dalyn Wakely</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-7-william-nicholl">No. 7: William Nicholl</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-6-maxim-beryozkin">No. 6: Maxim Beryozkin</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-5-roby-jarventie">No. 5: Roby Jarventie</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-4-beau-akey">No. 4: Beau Akey</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-3-samuel-jonsson">No. 3: Samuel Jonsson</a></li>
<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-2-isaac-howard">No. 2: Isaac Howard</a></li>
<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-1-matthew-savoie">No. 1: Matthew Savoie</a></li>
</ul>

A couple of players on the <a href="https://oilersnation.com/">Edmonton Oilers'</a> pipeline are receiving notoriety among the game's top youngsters.

On Monday, Daily Faceoff draft and prospect Steven Ellis released his <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-75-nhl-affiliated-skater-prospects-2025-26-rankings">top 75 prospects affiliated with NHL teams</a>. Among the big up-and-comers, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-1-matthew-savoie">forwards Matt Savoie</a> and Isaac Howard sit back-to-back on the list.



Savoie was on Ellis' list heading into the 2024-25 season, ranked 40th among notable prospects. This year, the 21-year-old dropped down the list to 58th. Savoie is coming off his first full season in pro hockey. After playing a handful of games with the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans, the former Wenatchee Wild and Moose Jaw Warrior was traded to Edmonton from the Buffalo Sabres. He appeared in 66 games for the Oilers' primary affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, scoring 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points, g<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-prospect-report-matthew-savoie-and-the-growing-nuance-of-his-game">ood for second on the team</a> in scoring.

The St. Albert native played four games for the Oilers during the regular season. In his first game with the team, on Feb. 22, Savoie picked up his first NHL point via an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Ellis believes it won't be an easy path for Savoie to make the full-time roster in Edmonton, but says that it can be done.
<blockquote>"Savoie was a dominant producer in the WHL and continued that success to the AHL," Ellis wrote. "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."</blockquote>
The other rising star<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/scouting-report-isaac-howard-newest-edmonton-oilers-forward"> is that of Isaac Howard</a>. The Michigan State star made plenty of headlines over the past several months. He helped the United States win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, along with helping the Spartans with the Big Ten Regular Season and Conference Championships. Then, he stunned many <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/lightning-prospect-isaac-howard-wins-2025-hobey-baker-award">by winning the Hobey Baker Award</a> as the best player in college hockey.

Then, after MSU was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament, it was announced that Howard wasn't going to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. That led to the Bolts sending <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-acquire-isaac-howard-tampa-bay-lightning-sam-oreilly">the 21-year-old to the Oilers last month,</a> leading to him signing his entry-level contract, despite previously confirming that he <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/tampa-bay-lightning-prospect-isaac-howard-wont-turn-pro-yet-will-remain-ncaa-michigan-state">would be returning to Michigan State</a>.

<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-2-isaac-howard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Certain aspects of Howard's game</a> will translate to the pro level, though he might not be the prolific scorer he became known to be in the college ranks. Ellis, who has Howard sitting 59th in his recent rankings, hopes that his play in university isn't his peak.
<blockquote>"It was a dream season for Howard, who had nothing left to prove at the college level. Howard has an excellent shot release and his skating is a serious positive. Scouts are worried that he won’t thrive unless he’s paired with a center who could take away some of the defensive responsibilities, but the Oilers definitely have the manpower to do that. And before you get too excited – players who have won the Hobey in their upper-class years have rarely panned out over the past 15 years. Hopefully for Edmonton, that’s not the case."</blockquote>
Both Savoie and Howard are coming into training camp in September looking to earn spots in Edmonton's top-six forward group. There are positions available alongside both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and both of the organization's top prospects will get an opportunity to show if they can find chemistry with either Hart Trophy winner.

<hr />

<h2>Read More: Edmonton Oilers Summer 2025 Prospect Countdown</h2>
<ul>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-honourable-mentions">Honourable Mentions</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-10-eemil-vinni">No. 10: Eemil Vinni</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-9-paul-fischer">No. 9: Paul Fischer</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-8-dalyn-wakely">No. 8: Dalyn Wakely</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-7-william-nicholl">No. 7: William Nicholl</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-6-maxim-beryozkin">No. 6: Maxim Beryozkin</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-5-roby-jarventie">No. 5: Roby Jarventie</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-4-beau-akey">No. 4: Beau Akey</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-3-samuel-jonsson">No. 3: Samuel Jonsson</a></li>
 	<li class=""><a class="text-accent" href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-2-isaac-howard">No. 2: Isaac Howard</a></li>
 	<li><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-summer-2025-prospect-countdown-1-matthew-savoie">No. 1: Matthew Savoie</a></li>
</ul>

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