Tough look for the Edmonton Oilers prospect pool after The Athletic's Top 100 prospects reveal
Photo credit: Oilers Nation
The Edmonton Oilers are in Stanley Cup contention, which will naturally impact their prospect pool.
However, their overall prospect stock took a major hit in new rankings with top prospect Matthew Savoie dropping significantly.
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic released his mid-season top 100 prospects under 23 and Matthew Savoie was the only Oiler to appear and was falling from 9th to 46th.
"Savoie's game has the potential to thrill when he's at his best. He's on the smaller side, though, and there have been questions about whether his offense will translate at the NHL level - and if it doesn't, what his role and position are as a natural center who many believe is an NHL winger I remain a believer in him becoming a high-tempo, top-nine forward."
- Scott Wheeler
- Scott Wheeler
While his drop is notable, it's mainly due to the rise of new prospects rather than poor performance.
Wheeler praised Savoie's speed, quick hands, shot and playmaking ability and despite being 5'9, Savoie plays with intensity.
His quickness allows him to create space and his awareness makes him an offensive threat in the offensive zone.
Earlier this season, Oilers prospect analyst Bruce Curlock called Savoie the best defensive forward on the AHL's Bakersfield Condors.
He's also near the team lead in scoring and is showing an impressive two-way game for a player of his age.
Savoie was the only Oilers prospect to make the top 100 which is showing the organization's thin pipeline.
While teams in contention often have weaker prospect pools, the Oilers' lack of top-end young talent is a concern for the future of the team.
Prospects like Beau Akey, Maxim Berezkin, Paul Fischer and Olivier Rodrigue have promise, but none are widely regarded as impact players.
The Oilers need to have a look at their system, especially with limited draft capital.
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