2 Local Kids Could Have Big Impact on Edmonton Oilers’ Playoff Run – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

After back-to-back Stanley Cup final losses, the Edmonton Oilers are finally looking to get over the hump and bring the Cup north of the border for the first time since 1993. To do that, they need players to step up and become important contributors. The Oilers have two homegrown kids with the ability to be difference makers and key pieces during their quest.

Matt Savoie and Colton Dach are two completely different players with different skills, but they are equally important to the team’s success. They both grew up in St. Albert, Alberta, just outside of Edmonton.

Savoie played his junior hockey with the St. Albert Sabers under-15 AAA before playing for the Northern Alberta under-15 team. After that, he played for the Winnipeg Ice, Wenatchee Wild, and Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He was acquired from the Buffalo Sabers in July 2024, and is a big part of the Oilers future.

During Edmonton’s press conference after the April 16 game against the Vancouver Canucks, Savoie was asked about playing playoff hockey for the team he grew up rooting for. “It’s going to be really special. I came to a lot of games when I was younger and I was a big fan of a few runs. I watched every game. I know how excited the city is, and I really enjoy it.”

Dach played for the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers under-15 AAA team before playing for the Edmonton under-15 team. He then played for the Saskatoon Blades, Kelowna Rockets, and Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. He also represented Canada at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships.

Savoie is 22 years old, and Dach is 23 years old, and these local guys have a chance to be strong players in the Oilers’ playoffs. Each brings something different to the table, and they play good hockey at the right time.

Savoie’s case has arrived

Savoie is a smart player and has become a key killer, leading Edmonton’s forwards in short-ice time with 132:01. He learned the defensive side of the game first but eventually found the offensive side. He flipped the switch after the Olympic break, registering nine goals and 19 points since the NHL returned to play. He has 37 points this season, but 19 of them have come in the last 24 games.

He was promoted to the top line and quickly learned how to play with Connor McDavid, and that duo has developed chemistry. Savoie is a speedster and can match McDavid’s speed while finding open spaces. He gets to those spots, and McDavid gives him the puck. That was evident at the end of the Oilers’ season. He scored a hat trick, but all three goals were from the same spot. He found a soft spot near the net, and twice, McDavid passed, and made no mistake, when Evan Bouchard found him for his first goal.

“I think in the lower levels, I play with the puck on my stick all the time, and even last year in the American League, I had the puck on my stick a lot. Coming here in the first few months of the season, you have to change and adjust, but I think the game has slowed down for me a little bit. I play with the puck a lot, and I feel very confident with it,” Savoie told the media after the win in Vancouver.

Savoie’s offense came along at the right time, and hopefully that will continue in the playoffs. He can be a difference maker on the top line with McDavid and Zach Hyman.

Dach Has Playoff Intangibles

While his name won’t always appear on the score sheet, Dach can impact the game in other ways. His style of play is built for the playoffs, which should please Oilers fans. He is a force of flesh that smiteth all that moveth. He is 14th in the league with 219 hits and has done so in just 61 games. He played the fewest games among the top 15 and averaged 3.5 strikeouts per game. Since being acquired at the trade deadline, he has scored 30 in eight games with Edmonton, and that should be posted in the postseason.

He can be an impact player in the playoffs because his body will hurt opponents in a seven-game series. The 2021 second-round pick isn’t afraid to drop the gloves and stick it to his teammates. That resilience is a valuable asset. It shows that the Oilers will not be pushed. He is a complete role player and can still make his mark in limited ice time.

In addition to physical fitness, he also plays a simple game. Chips pucks in deep and forechecks hard, forcing turnovers. Then, he uses his 6-foot-4, 218-pound frame to protect the puck in the corners and circulate the puck effectively. He also has a strong grip on the net, which the Oilers desperately need. He has two goals and four points in eight games since joining Edmonton. In the playoffs, offense is created by throwing pucks to the net and creating chaos in front of the goalie, which Dach excels at.

We got a glimpse of what he can offer in the playoffs during Edmonton’s last game. He had one goal, one assist, one fight, one shot, four hits, and two blocked shots in 13:42 of ice time. He showed some offensive brilliance as a freshman as he went around a defender to set up the first goal, and he was able to find a strong soft spot and shut down his opportunity. The Oilers need offensive production from depth players, and Dach has the offensive skill set that is missing from the bottom six.

Dach has five goals this season, while Mattias Janmark had one in 43 games before his season-ending injury. Meanwhile, Adam Henrique has two goals, Trent Frederic has four, and Curtis Lazar has four. Dach is more productive and brings more intangibles to this list.

The Oilers begin their quest for Lord Stanley on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks. Keep following Hockey Writers for all your NHL content throughout the playoffs.