Insider Says Oilers Could Carry 5 Rookies on Opening Night

According to Oilers Now host and radio color analyst Bob Stauffer, the Edmonton Oilers could start the 2025-26 season with five rookies on the roster.

In a social media post ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks, Stauffer posted, “Can foresee a scenario where the Oilers carry Matt Savoie, Isaac Howard, David Tomasek, Noah Philp, and Alec Regula on their opening day roster.” He adds that Edmonton needs internal growth and development from those players, and for that matter, Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson as well.”

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Savoie and Howard are both pegged to be in the Oilers’ top nine, producing offense on the wings alongside some of the team’s top stars.

Philp has shown he’s more than ready for the NHL with every preseason game. He’s in tight, competing with Curtis Lazar for a fourth-line center role, but he’s arguably earned the nod in Game 1 over Lazar, who hasn’t stood out.

Tomasek has been solid as well, shooting the puck often, winning a key number of faceoffs, and playing well on the forecheck. The Oilers have been giving him a look in practice on the net front power play, where Zach Hyman would typically go.

Potentially the biggest surprise of the group would be Regula, the 6’4″ defenseman. Regula came over from the Chicago Blackhawks organization. The team picked him up on waivers, but he’s yet to play a game in the NHL for the Oilers. Regula isn’t technically an NHL rookie, but he would be new to the Oielrs this season.

Missing the Cut for the Oilers

If Stauffer is correct in his assumption, that means Atro Leppanen, Cam Dineen, Lazar, and potentially someone like Mattias Janmark could be out of the lineup on opening night.

Leppanen has played well in the preseason and turned heads. It was a long shot for him to make the roster, but he’ll be a potential early call-up during the season.

Next: How Hyman and Podkolzin’s Returns Could Shake Up the Oilers’ Forward Lines