'This is tasty': Oilers put hot new rookie attackers on Kid Line

This just in, news that the Edmonton Oilers have called up Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard, the two hottest rookie scorers in the American Hockey League, and put them on a new Kid Line with Matt Savoie at centre.

But the question obsessing Oilers fans is exactly how Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch will use them. In his three games with the Oilers earlier this year Hutson played just 7:34, while in 17 games Howard played just 9:30.

At practice, with Vasily Podkolzin out sick, here were the reported lines:

RNH-McDavid-Hyman
(*Mangiapane)-Draisaitl-Roslovic
Howard-Savoie-Hutson
Janmark-Henrique-Frederic
Lazar-Kapanen

Ekholm-Bouchard
Nurse-Regula
Stastney-Emberson
Stillman

Pickard
Ingram

Here’s how Oil Country reacted to the call-ups:

Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer @Bob_Stauffer
The Edmonton Oilers bring up 2 players who have EARNED their recalls.
Hutson has 17 goals in his last 16 GP with the Condors and is 3rd in the AHL with 19 goals. Howard has 7-8-15/+6 in his last 10 GP with Bakersfield.

Oilers TV host Tony Brar ???? @TonyBrarOTV
Issac Howard had 10 PTS (4G, 6A) in his last four AHL games ahead of this morning’s call up, including a hat trick vs. Coachella Valley. Was named December’s AHL Player of the Month. Skating with Savoie & Hutson during practice.

Heavy Hockey Net writer Lotsy @lotsryan
That 3rd line will be popular! Fun combo. Curious to see Savoie at C, perhaps the answer is right under our noses. Also, another RH 3C experiment… Mangiapane as a placeholder for Podkolzin. That might be an indication of a move coming soon

Oilers fan Bleed Oil Blue @BleedOilBlue
Howard – Savoie – Hutson
This is tasty.

Oilers fan Finn ???????? @oilersjayscan
It’s Murphy, Graves, and Gélinas from 1990 all over again????

Oilers Nation writer Sid ???????? @NHL_Sid
Love the idea of a kid line, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they average six minutes or less.

Oilers fan Bone @bonejrp
Who’s the centre on a Kid Line? RNH? (he at least still looks young and can barely grow facial hair)

Daily Hive hockey writer Preston Hodgkinson @NHLHodgkinson
Oilers needed some firepower down the lineup… and both Hutson and Howard have been lighting up the AHL

Edmonton Oilerlytics @EdmOilerlytics
Oh it’s happening. Knoblauch better give these 2 a fair shake. They earned it.

Sportsnet writer Mark Spector???????????????? @SportsnetSpec
Here comes the cavalry.

Edmonton hockey commentator Jason Strudwick @Jason_Strudwick
3rd line bound???

What Chaos podcaster DJ Bean @DJ_Bean
most exciting roster announcement of the day

Bakersfield media Ryan Holt @CondorsHolty
Insane month for Howard, leading the league in scoring with 16 points in 11 games including FOUR three-point games.

Oilers prospects experts Bruce Curlock 
The call-up isn’t an accomplishment without the proper usage. I’ll reserve comment until we see the utilization

Analytics experts Darcy “Woodguy” McLeod @Woodguy55
I’d try Hutson at 1LW (defensive ability needed in that spot and he can score) and Howard at 3LW with 93 at 3C

Edmonton fan Oilers All Day @OilersEvery_Day
Henrique, Janmark, and Frederic are all on pace to score 4 goals or less over 82 games. Play the kids in the Top 9, Knoblauch. Please.

Oilers fan Nick T @tomcat1771
Playing well in the minors does not mean they’re good NHL players.
Obviously neither will see PP time and their production will diminish but if they want to stick they’ll have to earn it with limited opportunity. Nature of the beast, also what separates the men from the boys

Edmonton sports radio host Brenden Escott @BrendenEscott
Both Hutson and Howard have been on fire for the Condors this season. The Oilers could certainly use a secondary scoring touch. They’ll need to be deployed in an effective manner to help provide it though.

Oilers fan Rod Coykendall @RodCoykendall@EdmontonOilers
Earned what? 6 minutes on the 4th line? Unless they’re playing useful minutes, they should stay in Bakersfield and continue what they’re doing.

Rhea Todd @Jason8675309op
Watch them get 4 minutes of ice time lol

Oilers fan Roy Parmessio @Cinnamon_Ray
Where should they land? Calling up two goal scorers & asking them to check on the 3rd and 4th surely can’t be the answer. Not much room in the top two. If they score goals the way Kane and Perry used to then they can play on any line, but these small skilled guys don’t really fit

Oilers fan Greg payne @oilers1975
Bit shocked they actually did the right thing here. I’d put Nuge between them and move Savoie in nuges spot. Give the kids a real C to play with

Oilers fan Doppa D @Doppa_D
Hopefully Knoblauch uses them properly. Also, sit Frederic for like 10 games.

Oilers fan Derrick Aubrey @DaPoco05
They are both ready to make a huge impact.

Oilers fan Scott @Oilersfan9911
6 mins a night coming up. Coach of the year.

Oilers fan Gram @Grammica
Good – Mangiapane can ride the pine until he gets moved

Oilers fan Jimmy Van @jimmyvan
If they want to bolster their bottom six so much, why not make Nuge your 3C and try Howard on LW next to McDavid for more than three shifts? I realize that the top line has been great but if Howard can find chemistry with McDavid and Hyman, then they’re set.

Oilers fan Vivek Kalia @V_kalia95
If they play 4th line minutes then what’s the point

Oilers fan Ron Prochner @RonProchner
Momma Let’em play.

Oilers fan TylerDT- @qauckenbush17
Gotta be a trade coming here before Kapanen comes back. No reason to have these guys come up for one game tomorrow

Oilers fan Murdoch Davis @murdochdavis
Now please tell your coach to play them, they’re not kids. Give them a run ahead of veterans who have had 40 games to show they’re mediocre. Or worse.

Oilers fan Dirk @DirktheOilfan
5 min a night on fourth line centered by Rico

Edmonton Journal hockey writer Jim Matheson @jimmathesonnhl
Any chance Oilers put Mangiapane on waivers with call ups of Howard and Hutson. Unlikely anybody would claim Mangiapane but they would save roster spot and $1.15m on his $3.6m cap hit. And Kapanen close to returning off LTIR off his knee injury.

Oilers fan Den Polland @oilersgm2
I took a lot of heat last time for making a stink about Hutson playing on the 4th line. Again I will make that stink. These players HAVE to be in the top 9 getting an actual look. Jones is a good 4th line guy. These two are offensive guys. Play them in that role… I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT KID LINE!

My take

1. I’ll make this point again. The Oilers struck lightning once this year by finding a player who has the skill, puck sense and confidence to play well with Connor McDavid and Jack Roslovic. Roslovic should be on the wing with one of them, not trying to centre the third line, where he lacks the defensive acumen to succeed. But Edmonton’s bottom two lines have been major stinkers so far this year and they will destroy Edmonton’s Stanley Cup hopes if they don’t get better.

That’s why the Oilers need either Hutson or Howard to stick in the Top 6, so they can bump down Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to third line centre. RNH does have the grit and smarts to succeed defensively as a centre. And if he can get do that tough but critical job, the Oilers will be on their way to developing a functional third line, if not a good or great one.

2. Edmonton should try out Hutson with McDavid and Howard with Draisaitl, go all on this experiment for the next months, see what they have. If it doesn’t work, GM Stan Bowman has work to do. If it does work, Edmonton will be free to run a strong third line with RNH, Vasily Podkolzin and, possibly, Kasperi Kapanen.

3. In other Oilers, Team Sweden failed to pick Mattias Ekholm for their Olympic team. This is hard news for Ekholm, but excellent news for the Oilers. Now Ekholm gets a major break to rest and recover, get ready for the playoffs. That will be huge for the 35-year-old d-man. RNH, Evan Bouchard and Zach Hyman all would have added much to Team Canada, but they also get to rest. In this way, the Olympics could be good news for the Oilers, at least if it doesn’t drain too much from Connor McDavid.

4. I don’t mind the idea of a Kid Line. It’s worth a try. Savoie has been struggling to make a mark as a winger. He’s buzzing around but having not much impact. Perhaps as a centre he’ll find his game. There’s a chance he’ll be able to get the job done on defence, as he’s a conscientious player. He wants to defend well. The desire and grit are there, but sometimes he works too hard, over-pursues the puck and leaves his man open.

This line has the best of the Oilers prospects. It will be exciting to see them play. Fingers crossed they out-score their opponents early on because, again, Edmonton needs one or two of these players in the Top Six.

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