Matthew Savoie could end up in an Oilers trade package if Edmonton decides to go big, even while the team is winning.
The Oilers beat Toronto 1-0 on Saturday night for their fourth straight win, and they visit Philadelphia tonight. At 15-3-3, they sit first in the Pacific Division and third in the NHL.
Nobody in that room is begging for a panic move, and Stan Bowman hasn't made one. But a team this comfortable is exactly the kind that can shop without any pressure.
Edmonton could still use another top-six forward, a top-four defenseman, or both. Saturday's win showed the base is strong: Devon Levi stopped all 19 shots for the shutout, and Evan Bouchard scored the winner.
Savoie is the name to watch on the outgoing side. The 22-year-old was the ninth overall pick in 2022, he held a spot in Edmonton's top six last season, and he has 38 points in 87 career games.
He hasn't played this season, though. Savoie is listed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is expected to be out until at least Nov. 24, which limits how fast he could move in any deal.
Who fits the Oilers' budget before the deadline?
Start with who doesn't. Nikita Kucherov is the biggest name in the rumor mill, and Elliotte Friedman said the Lightning plan to keep Kucherov and chase the Stanley Cup. He carries a $9.5 million cap hit on a deal that expires after this season, and his next contract is expected to land far above anything Edmonton could absorb.
The realistic shopping zone is $5 million to $12 million. Players in that range fit the Oilers' structure, and waiting until the deadline would make the money easier to manage.
That's the smart play. Edmonton is 8-0-1 on the road and has little reason to overpay in November, so Bowman should let the market thin out and strike when a seller's price drops.
The season's first NHL trade board gives a map of who might be available, and it's worth running every name against Edmonton's needs on the wing and the blue line.
Other teams are circling too. Insider David Pagnotta just put the Canadiens in the conversation, calling them a premier destination for Kucherov, a sign of how crowded the top of the market could get.
Mike Babcock's group gets its next test in Philadelphia tonight, and the deadline is still months away.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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