The scoreboard at Nationwide Arena read 5-4 for the Blue Jackets when the final horn sounded Thursday night, and the Edmonton Oilers trudged off the ice having squandered a chance to extend their winning streak to three games. But buried in the frustration of another road loss, in the mistakes around the net and the disallowed goal that killed momentum, was something worth noticing: Matt Savoie is starting to look like he belongs.
Riding shotgun with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — a spot that’s chewed up and spit out plenty of promising young players — Savoie didn’t shrink. He tipped home an Evan Bouchard blast from the slot in the second period, cutting Columbus’s lead to 2-1 and sparking a brief Oilers surge that saw them erase a two-goal deficit in 100 seconds. It was his third point in two games, and more importantly, it was the kind of goal that comes from being in the right place at the right time. Not flashy. Just hockey.
“We battled our way and kept it within striking distance,” said Darnell Nurse.
“We were a little too soft around our net," added Kris Knoblauch more pointedly. "Too often they were left alone in front with Picks by himself.”
Fair criticism, all of it. The Oilers made life difficult for themselves, while Columbus played simple, blue-collar hockey. Dump, forecheck, get pucks to the net, and it worked. Mathieu Olivier scored twice. Charlie Coyle had three points. Adam Fantilli extended his point streak to three games. The Blue Jackets executed, the Oilers didn’t, and that was that.
But Savoie? He did his job. And that’s the story here.
The 21-year-old center came to Edmonton in July’s trade with Buffalo, a first-round pick with skill and speed who needed NHL ice time to figure out what he could become. Early in the season, that ice time was hard to come by. He was playing limited minutes, trying to find his rhythm, adjusting to the pace. Then Ryan Nugent-Hopkins went down with an undisclosed injury — he’ll miss about a week (or month, who knows) — and Knoblauch needed someone to slide into a top-six role. Savoie got the call, and he’s making the most of it.
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Against Columbus, playing alongside McDavid and Draisaitl, Savoie looked like the player that made him the ninth overall pick in 2022. He didn’t try to do too much. He went to the net, got his stick down, and redirected Bouchard’s point shot past Jet Greaves. Simple. Effective. The kind of play that wins games when everything else works ok, too.
It wasn’t on Thursday. Not fully, anyway. The Oilers battled back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits, only to watch the Blue Jackets answer every time. Mateychuk scored just 30 seconds after Draisaitl tied it. Fantilli restored a two-goal lead late in the second. Olivier made it 5-2 early in the third, and while Vasily Podkolzin and Draisaitl clawed the Oilers back to within one, Calvin Pickard’s .800 save percentage told the story of a defence that left him out to dry too often.
Still, for a stretch in the second period, the Oilers looked like themselves. Savoie’s goal got them going. Draisaitl’s one-timer from his office — faceoff win, slide to his spot, rip it off the post and in — tied it. McDavid finished what looked like a brilliant play set up by Draisaitl and Savoie, only for Columbus to successfully challenge for offside. The goal came off the board. Momentum vanished.
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But the chemistry? That was real. Savoie gave the line something it doesn’t always have: a third forward who can keep up, make smart reads, and contribute offensively without needing the puck on his stick every shift. McDavid and Draisaitl are generational talents. They’ll score no matter who’s with them. But hockey’s easier when your linemate opens up space, finishes checks, and puts pucks in the net when chances come.
Savoie did that on Thursday. He’s doing it now. And if he keeps doing it, the Oilers might’ve stumbled into something at exactly the right time.
"It's been good to build some confidence and chemistry with (McDavid)," began Savoie. "It's obviously a privilege to get to play with a guy at that level. Just the skill level he has and the ability to shake defenders off and beat guys one-on-one. Just try to get him the puck in good spots and be available."
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This isn’t about turning a 21-year-old into a saviour. It’s about finding someone who's a little more than just ok. A little better than just another filler. The kind of guy who's shown up and quietly become one of the Oilers' most consistent players in a string of inconsistent games. Edmonton’s top-heavy roster works when everyone in the top six pulls their weight. When injuries hit — and they always do — the depth guys need to step up. Savoie’s stepping up. He’s not trying to be McDavid or Draisaitl. He’s trying to be Matt Savoie, and right now, that’s good enough.
The loss stings. The Oilers fell to 8-7-4, their fifth straight loss at Nationwide Arena dating back to 2019. They’ll head to Carolina on Saturday looking to regroup, still trying to climb out of the hole they dug themselves earlier this season. But in a game full of mistakes and missed chances, Savoie wasn’t one of them.
He’s figuring it out. And when the Oilers need someone to fill a role, to play smart hockey beside their superstars, to score when the opportunity’s there — that’s what Savoie’s becoming. Not the flashiest player. Not the guy who’ll dominate the highlight reel. Just someone who does his job, night after night, exactly when the team needs it most.
Turns out, that’s the kind of player that matters.
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