Edmonton Oilers roster moves may depend on Mike Babcock’s system

Edmonton Oilers General Manager Stan Bowman indicated that the team’s future roster decisions, particularly regarding long-term contract commitments, may depend on how new head coach Mike Babcock’s system impacts player performance. Specifically, the team is evaluating Matt Savoie to determine if his breakout performance warrants a heavy long-term contract or if he remains a candidate for a bridge deal.

As the preseason approaches, Babcock has a limited window to test line combinations before the regular season begins. Potential combinations to evaluate include Matt Savoie, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman; Vasily Podkolzin, Leon Draisaitl, and Kasperi Kapanen; and Mathieu Joseph, Jason Dickinson, and Colton Dach. The Savoie-McDavid-Hyman line is noted for its existing chemistry, following a strong performance late last season where Savoie recorded a hat trick assisted by McDavid.