After coming up one win short of a Stanley Cup, the Edmonton Oilers went out and got better this summer. The additions of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson are significant, but what’s even more important is that they really didn’t lose any key pieces.

All the main drivers of the 2024 playoff run will be back next season, and they’ll have more support than they previously did.

As a result, the Oilers’ roster feels pretty set right now, with little room for competition heading into next season.

Skinner – McDavid – Hyman
Nugent-Hopkins – Draisaitl – Arvidsson
Holloway – Henrique – Kane*
Janmark – Ryan – Brown
Perry

Ekholm – Bouchard
Nurse – Broberg
Kulak – Ceci
Stetcher

*Kane could start the season on LTIR

With all of that appearing to be pretty set, there are still a few spots on that projected roster that aren’t stone-cold locks. Also, things never play out the way you expect and as the season plays out and the team deals with different injuries or slumps from various players, the Oilers will need some players to step up and fill those spots.

For example, it’s still unclear if Evander Kane is going to be available to the Oilers when the season begins. There is a chance that he starts the year on LTIR and that would mean that there could be an open spot in the top nine.

Here are some players that aren’t locks to make the lineup on opening night but could end up making an impact on the Oilers in 2024-25.

Lane Pederson: The Oilers didn’t give Pederson a two-year deal back in the summer of 2023 for no reason. They clearly believe that there is a player here. He didn’t earn a call up last season but he scored 22 goals in just 66 games with the Condors last season.

There is a lot to like about Pederson. He’s got a decent scoring touch and he shoots right and the Oilers could use a right shot centreman.

If there’s one spot that could be considered a bit of an open competition in training camp, it’s the fourth line centre spot and I think Pederson has the best chance of taking that job away from Derek Ryan.

Roby Jarventie: Our prospect analyst Steven Ellis said that if there’s one thing that Roby Jarventie is good at, it’s bringing energy. If someone in the Oilers bottom six goes down then bringing up a young player who can buzz around and create energy wouldn’t be the worst idea.

His numbers at the AHL level are pretty solid and he has a little bit of NHL experience so I do think Jarventie will be high up on the list of potential call ups. The only reason I wouldn’t really call him a true wild card is because I’m not sure how much upside he has.

I think he can be serviceable as a call up next season, but I’m not sure if he can be truly impactful.

Matt Savoie: Of all the players I’ll talk about here, there’s no doubt that Savoie has the most upside. He’s easily the Oilers’ most talented prospect and while he has very little professional experience, if there’s spot where a highly skilled young player could succeed early in their career, it’s with the Oilers.

Savoie scored five points in his first six AHL games last season and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was above a point per game next season with the Condors.

Now, the Oilers appear to be okay with a patient approach. Condors’ head coach Colin Chaulk has spoken about how the plan is for Savoie to start the year as a centreman for the Condors and they want to develop him there.

If he gets a look at the NHL level, I would expect that it’s as a winger and it would likely take a signifcaint top six injury later in the season for him to get a call up. If it does happen though, Savoie could really surprise us.

Noah Philp: I’m a big fan of Noah Philp. After scoring 19 goals in his first full season with the Bakersfield Condors in 2022-23, he stepped away from the sport for personal reasons and did not play last season. Philp is ready to resume his career and I think we’ll see him in an Oilers jersey at some point next season.

I watched him a lot back at the University of Alberta and what I loved about his game is how effortlessly he made high-skill play looks. His ability to see the ice combined with his size and shot should lead to more success this year with the Condors.

Like I said earlier, Ryan is far from a lock to hold the 4C spot all of next season and it would not surprise me if the Oilers give a younger player, like Philp, a legitimate chance to prove he can play in that spot.