Welcome to Oilersnation’s annual player review series, where we dive into the Edmonton Oilers season player by player. We’ll look back at the season that was, what kind of impact each player had, and what we could see from them next season. You can read about the analytics behind my analysis here.

In the wake of a busy 2024 free agent frenzy, the Edmonton Oilers made a bold move, trading Ryan McLeod to the Buffalo Sabres for Matt Savoie.

McLeod had already proven himself in the NHL, while Savoie only had one NHL game under his belt. As a former ninth overall pick, it was Savoie’s long-term potential that intrigued the Oilers. In his first season in the organization, he produced 54 points in 66 AHL games and earned a four-game cup of coffee with the big club.

Over in Buffalo, McLeod broke out, setting career highs in goals, assists, and points, while earning his way into the Sabres’ top six. The pressure was on for Savoie to deliver in 2025-26.

His rookie season got off to a rocky start, especially on the scoresheet. Savoie had just two goals and five points in his first 23 games, and the Oilers were outscored 16-8 in his five-on-five minutes. It didn’t help that he was deployed in the bottom six among a struggling group of depth forwards. With that said, it’s not the first time Savoie has........

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