The Edmonton Oilers got some tough off-season news when it was announced that Matt Savoie will be missing from training camp and will be out until late October with a lower-body injury. The injury, the team confirmed, was suffered during training this summer.

Savoie had an excellent rookie season, playing in all 82 games and amassing 37 points. He seemed to come on more as the season progressed, getting more comfortable playing in an involved, top-six role. He also was an important figure on the penalty kill, gaining more trust from the coaching staff the more they saw of the young forward.

Savoie’s absence leaves a hole in the Oilers lineup, with many having Savoie pencilled in alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman. This line was together for stretches of last season and did a great job controlling play. Savoie is a relentless forechecker who creates turnovers, chaos and space, enabling his linemates to find scoring areas. He brings the same energy and work ethic on the penalty kill and in the defensive zone, both things the Oilers will look to improve on this season.

In the........

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