For some time now, the Oilers have been caught in a hamster wheel when it comes to incorporating young players into the lineup.

This goes back several years.

The players show some potential. They are called up. The coaches and management don’t have a plan for their deployment or they lose their nerve on the deployment, so the kids get benched and then sent down. Then the kids show their ability again, but now it’s March and the playoffs are around the corner so the coaches do not want to risk playing them.

We all know the names of these players. All of them have moved on to other teams where they have had varying degrees of success.

Here we are in spring and again the Oilers have some glaring needs on their roster. Again, the Oilers have only spotted a couple of young players and then sent them down. Not surprisingly the team is caught again in the position of battling for playoff positioning, but also needing some additions on the roster.

As of the writing of this post, the Oilers have done what they always do so the wheel goes round and round. To add to the situation, Matthew Savoie and Noah Philp are playing some of their best hockey of the season. Could they help the Oilers? For sure. Will they? Time will tell. More on Savoie, Philp and all the news and notes in this week’s Oilers Prospect Report.

If anyone has earned a shot to make an impact on the Oilers, it’s Noah Philp. Part of that stems from the underwhelming performances of some players in Edmonton’s bottom six. While that alone doesn’t justify a recall, Philp’s recent resurgence certainly strengthens his case. Early in the season, he showed flashes of the form that landed him a spot on the Oilers roster. While his puck skills may not dazzle, they’re solid enough for a supporting NHL role. Add in his size and skating ability, and Philp has the tools to generate opportunities for his teammates and bring a fresh spark to the lineup.

He’s also a very smart player who does his best to play in the middle of the ice with and without the puck. This leads to what often look like easy plays, but don’t come without effort and hockey sense.

When Philp puts it all together, he really is difficult to handle at the AHL level.

All of this makes Philp enticing for the Oilers. The bonus is that he is a right-shot center, which is something the Oilers could use. He’s also a tremendous defensive forward who could carry out a penalty-killing role with Edmonton.

In last week’s report, I noted Savoie’s struggles to find the scoresheet since his return to the AHL, despite showing strong overall play. As a player projected to be a top-six forward in the NHL, producing offensively at the AHL level is a crucial step in his development.

This week, we saw promising signs of his scoring touch reemerging. Over three games, Savoie recorded one goal and two assists, a step in the right direction.

That said, his shot total remains a concern, with just six shots across those games. Still, there’s reason for optimism, particularly highlighted by a spectacular second assist that showcased his elite puck-handling in tight spaces. Savoie’s ability to thrive in these high-pressure moments is essential, given the limited time and space he’ll face in the NHL.

Check out the slowed-down replay of this play, where you’ll see his sharp change-of-direction skating paired with impressive puck control. It’s a glimpse of what makes him such a promising prospect.

In the space of no more than eight feet, Savoie shakes the check of two players giving him time and space to make a play to his defenceman, which leads to a goal for the Condors. It’s hard to state just how effective this type of skill will be for him in the NHL.

His goal this week was also of the “quick play” kind. Now it was on the powerplay which he will not see much time on in Edmonton. However, watch the release in a very close quarter situation in the slot.

Again, it should be noted that his powerplay time will be limited. However, this is a play that happens at 5v5 in the NHL. A tight area slot chance with lots of defending pressure. Savoie’s ability to get the shot off with no backswing and do so with accuracy is notable. It is something that will benefit him at the NHL level.

Playoffs are abounding everywhere for Oiler prospects.

In the KHL, Maxim Beryozkin has two points in two games to help Lokomotiv take a 2-0 lead in its opening-round series.

In the NCAA, Matt Copponi has three points in two games to help get his Boston University team to the Frozen Four next weekend.

In the OHL, Sam O’Reilly has two points in two games and William Nicholl has a single point in those games. Beau Akey and Dalyn Wakely each had a point in the first game of their OHL series. Connor Clattenburg is scoreless and his team may go out early to a very strong Kitchener team. He could join Bakersfield if his series ends early.

With his OHL season finished, Brady Stonehouse joined the Condors and suited up in both games over the weekend. He played limited minutes on the fourth line in a left-wing role.

The Condors also signed U of A Golden Bear captain Josh Prokop to an amateur tryout. He played one game this past weekend registering an assist playing on the fourth line with Stonehouse. He was held out of the second game as he had been battling an injury sustained with the University of Alberta.

That’s all for this week everyone. See you around the rink.