Edmonton Oilers prospects take centre stage on kid line to bad reviews

The top two prospects in the Edmonton Oilers organization were thrust into the spotlight on the kid line on the weekend.

Just don’t get used to it.

It ended up being a one-off, at least for now, but when forwards Quinn Hutson and Isaac Howard got called up from the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League, they raised eyebrows when they were placed on the wings of fellow youngster Matt Savoie, who was moved over to play centre for the first time here in his rookie season.

The combined age of the trio is 67, and only because Savoie just turned 22 on New Year’s Day. That’s still less than the ages of both of the Oilers’ most veteran members, 35-year-olds Mattias Ekholm and Adam Henrique, added together.

But experience can only be earned the hard way. And things certainly weren’t easy on the young trio in the kid line’s debut, which resulted in a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The reviews are in, and they’re not great. Then again, you could say that about two-and-a-half other lines.

In around 10 minutes of ice time, they failed to register a single shot. And as bad as that sounds, the other bottom-six line of Henrique, Mattias Janmark and Trent Frederic only managed a single shot between the three of them in the game.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch was well within his right to demand more, and shrug it off as at least worth a shot, as Hutson was loaned back to Bakersfield on Monday.

But considering no one else is doing anything in the way of secondary scoring lately, what would be the harm in letting the youngsters punch their time cards together a little more?

G-MAN’S TAKE: At least there is sky to their limits. They might not have had a shot on goal in their limited time together, but the members of Henrique’s line have been playing musical chairs throughout the bottom-six all for half a season and didn’t accomplish much more.

With all due respect to Jack Roslovic as he regains his form since returning from injury, there is only one line actually doing something right now. And specifically, one guy on it. Connor McDavid is on a wild point streak, and aside from linemates Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman, everyone else seems content watching their captain do his thing.

But, hey. At least the Oilers finally got their goaltending situation sorted out over the first half … Right? With so much not going right, they could at least keep an eye to the future by keeping the two youngsters up here for a while longer. Then again, there is something to be said for paying your dues on the farm first.

POULIN PRIMED FOR BAKO

He’s gone largely overlooked as the ‘other piece’ in the trade of goaltender Stuart Skinner last month, but forward Sam Poulin has two goals and two assist in eight games so far for the Condors, since coming from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Sammy, he came in obviously a big trade,” Condors head coach Colin Chaulk said of Poulin, who was drafted in the first round (21st overall) by the Penguins in 2019. “He comes in, had to pack up his whole life and he did that in 24 hours. He ended up playing a game and he was impactful.

“That’s hard to do what he did and I mentioned that to him. He probably could have taken the fifth and said, ‘Hey, I’ll meet you there later, I’ve got to get my life in order.’ But he was excited. He’s a hockey player.”

No stranger to the AHL over the past four years with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Poulin has 15 NHL games to his credit with Pittsburgh. And initial impressions in Bakersfield are good, considering Poulin hasn’t missed a beat since the trade.

He now has 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 30 combined games this season.

“He came in, he’s a power forward,” Chaulk said. “He’s played as well as he could have played based on the circumstances.

“Adam Krug, our forwards coach, had a few clips for him ready just to talk a little about our play and we let him go. He’s had some penalty-kill time, he’s had some power-play time and he’s had some even-strength time, as well. So, we’re excited to have him.”

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On X: @StarkRavinMod

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