In a recent article for The Athletic [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6946124/2026/01/13/nhl-prospects-rankings-u23-celebrini-bedard/], Corey Pronman ranked the best NHL players and prospects who are under 23 years old. Two Edmonton Oilers were among the players who were featured on it, as forwards Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard made the cut. Savoie was given the No. 121 spot on Pronman's list, and it is easy to understand why he made the cut. The 22-year-old forward is viewed as having good upside and has shown flashes of promise this season with the Oilers. In 47 games with the Pacific Division club on the year, he has recorded seven goals, seven assists, and 14 points. This is after Savoie had 19 goals and 54 points in 66 games this past season with the Bakersfield Condors. Howard, on the other hand, is currently in his first professional season. In 22 games with the Oilers this season, the 5-foot-10 forward has posted two goals and one assist. Yet, since being sent down to Bakersfield, he has been on fire. In 16 games with the Condors this campaign, the 2025 Hobey Baker Award winner has 10 goals and 23 points. The Oilers are hoping that both Savoie and Howard will be big parts of their future, as they both have plenty of potential. It will be fascinating to see how they perform as this season rolls on from here.
