Lowetide: Oilers hidden gems that could impact the 2024-25 season

The Edmonton Oilers will open camp this fall with an established roster populated by impact players, established veterans and only a couple of youngsters destined for opening night.

You could make the case that training camp will be window dressing; the roster can be set just by looking at salaries and last year’s most active players.

One worry: Edmonton is carrying a large group of players over 30 years old, which can mean injury and erosion of skills.

Fortunately, the club also has some interesting ‘hidden gems’ that could slide in and become effective plug-and-play options.

Matthew Savoie

Matthew Savoie is hardly a hidden gem, but he’s the best player on the Oilers’ extended roster who is also outside the projected opening-night lineup.

A recent look at his final junior season shows a dynamic talent who could be NHL-ready. It’s rare for a team as strong as the Oilers to acquire a possible plug-and-play graduating impact junior, but we are here.

Savoie should get some NHL playing time in preseason, possibly with one of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl as his centre. It’s possible that’s the only sliver of daylight he’ll need to kick-start what should be a strong NHL career.

Noah Philp is ranked No. 9 among Oilers prospects at this time, and his return from a year away is perfect timing.

Philp was on the verge of his NHL debut after a fine 2022-23 season with the Bakersfield Condors. He began the year as a depth winger, moved to his natural position (centre) and quickly established himself as one of the best players on the team.

A RH centre, the uniqueness of his skill set (size, skill, checking, centre) is a perfect fit for the Oilers in 2024-25. Consider his numbers in the minors in 2022-23:

That was Philp’s rookie AHL campaign, and he finished behind only veterans Seth Griffith and Raphael Lavoie in scoring. Late in the season and during the brief playoffs, he played a feature role after moving to centre.

This season, Edmonton made a trade for Sam Carrick at the deadline, and the RH centre played often during the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs. Carrick left via free agency and the Oilers haven’t replaced him. Only incumbent Derek Ryan (speed issues) and AHL veteran Lane Pederson (not as physical as Philp) are in front of him.

Philp missed a season of hockey. It will take some time for him to acclimate. When ready, he could be a strong recall option for the Oilers.

Raphael Lavoie

Lavoie is a more highly rated Oilers prospect (No. 7 on the summer list) than Philp. His lack of consistency in some important areas means he’s less of a sure thing.

Lavoie has improved much since arriving in Bakersfield in March of 2021. He moves his feet well, finds quiet areas that allow his centre to find him for high-danger chances and is better at using his body to muscle smaller players off the puck.

He has progressed as an even-strength outscorer, with an impressive 59 percent share in 2023-24. His defensive awareness and willingness to abandon offence have improved in the last year.

These things are vital for Lavoie because opportunity is likely to come with injuries to older vets on checking lines. When his chance arrives, he’ll need to shoulder some checking assignments successfully to stay in the lineup.

Lavoie arrived as an offensive player in pro hockey, so the button-down style he will be asked to play doesn’t come naturally to him. He has made progress and given effort, which should earn him a chance if injuries hit the group that includes Corey Perry, Ryan, Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown.

Phil Kemp

Among all players who spent the winter playing for the Condors, no one benefited more from the recent free-agent frenzy by the Oilers.

Kemp is an effective (if unheralded) shutdown defenceman in the AHL but has been blocked for several years by gigantic blueliner Vincent Desharnais. Desharnais cashed in on free agency and will play elsewhere this coming season.

The Oilers signed rugged defenceman Josh Brown and puck-mover Troy Stecher as possible No. 7 defencemen. The two men represent competition that is less than insurmountable for Kemp, and that’s good news for a player who has been waiting in line for several years.

During the 2023-24 season, Kemp helped Bakersfield deliver 58 percent of the even-strength goals and played an effective, physical style.

Time is of the essence for Kemp, the No. 18 prospect in Edmonton’s system. Young Max Wanner (No. 4 prospect) had a terrific rookie pro season and could push for the No. 7 NHL job himself by the end of the 2024-25 season.

Lane Pederson

Pederson played major minutes as the No. 1 centre in Bakersfield one year ago. He is RH, has real skill (22-30-52 in 66 games) and has good speed. The issue for him in Edmonton surrounds the role available. Chances are he’ll compete for a fourth-line centre role, and a more physical player like Philp may eventually win the day. Early in the season, Pederson could be an option.

Recently signed to a contract, puck-moving defender Connor Carrick is bound for the AHL during 2024-25.

He has one key advantage over fellow mobile defenders Ben Gleason and Cam Dineen, both of whom did fine work in Bakersfield last winter. Carrick, 30, was signed by the current management group. That alone could give him the advantage over other RH puck-movers who spent time in the minors one year ago.

The Edmonton depth chart entering camp will start with Evan Bouchard and Cody Ceci, with LH Philip Broberg a strong option to play second pair with Darnell Nurse. That would mean only Stecher would clearly rank ahead of Carrick among mobile defencemen in the system.

At that point, a recall might come down to need, with Carrick (offence) and Kemp (defence) being the prominent choices.

Jayden Grubbe

Jayden Grubbe has just one year of pro experience and is 21 years old. Expecting him to step into an NHL lineup this season might seem unreasonable, but his ability to win battles along the wall and play a rugged style stand out among the Condors prospect forwards.

He is not a big goal scorer (just eight goals in 67 games while playing an estimated 11 minutes, including all game states) but helped his team outscore at a 51 percent rate even strength. He also contributed as a penalty killer.

Grubbe is 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. If Edmonton needs a rugged forward who is RH and plays centre, he could see the NHL this season.

The Oilers are overly patient with prospect goaltenders, which explains why Olivier Rodrigue has yet to make his NHL debut.

Rodrigue has been among the AHL’s top 10 goalies in each of the last two seasons, and his resume looks similar to that of current NHL starter Stuart Skinner during his time with the Condors.

The depth chart in Edmonton is set (Skinner, backup Calvin Pickard) and the organization signed Collin Delia for AHL work and to allow new pro Connor Ungar a chance to develop in the ECHL.

Based on merit, Rodrigue should see NHL action this coming season.

(Photo of Raphael Lavoie: Perry Nelson / USA Today)