On Friday (July 5), the Edmonton Oilers acquired ahead Matthew Savoie from the Buffalo Sabres in trade for forwards Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio.
A local of St. Albert, simply exterior of Edmonton, Savoie not too long ago helped the Moose Jaw Warriors seize the Western Hockey League (WHL) championship and advance to the 2024 Memorial Cup.
Associated: Oilers Buying and selling Ryan McLeod to Sabres For Prospect Matt Savoie
The 20-year-old Matthew is the youthful brother of ahead Carter Savoie, whom Edmonton drafted with the No. 100 choose within the 2020 NHL Draft. After spending all the final two seasons within the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors, Carter grew to become an unrestricted free agent when the Oilers didn’t tender a qualifying provide to the winger.
McLeod was drafted 40th general by Edmonton in 2018 and made his NHL debut in 2021. Over elements of 4 seasons with the Oilers, he scored 32 objectives and added 43 assists in 219 video games. McLeod had seven objectives and 6 assists in 56 postseason video games for the Oilers.
Tullio, the 126th general choose within the 2020 NHL Draft, has spent the final two seasons with the Condors, totaling 47 factors in 117 AHL common season video games.
There might be followers in Edmonton who’re unhappy to see McLeod go, and positively those that seemed ahead to seeing if Tullio may progress to the NHL stage. However with Savoie, the Oilers have acquired a 20-year-old with super promise. Right here’s all the things to know in regards to the centre’s hockey journey that has led to his hometown NHL group.
Savoie Was In comparison with Crosby and MacKinnon
At age 14, whereas taking part in with the Northern Alberta X-Treme, Savoie drew comparisons to NHL superstars Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche.
“Due to the way in which he skates, I hate utilizing Sidney Crosby. However he sort of performs the identical kind of fashion the place he’s so aggressive, fights for pucks, and is difficult on his stick,” Brent Parker, the pinnacle western Canadian scout for ISS Hockey, stated on the time.
“I bear in mind watching Nathan MacKinnon in bantam with Shattuck St. Mary’s, and there’s a bit little bit of that. I don’t assume he’s fairly as explosive a skater as MacKinnon, however he’s an terrible good skater.”
Savoie appeared in 31 video games for the X-Treme within the Canadian Sport College Hockey League in 2017-18, potting 31 objectives and dishing 40 assists.
He Was Denied Distinctive Participant Standing
Within the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft, Savoie was chosen first general by the Kootenay Ice, who had been transferring to Winnipeg for the 2019-20 season.
Savoie was denied his request for distinctive participant standing, which might have allowed him to play within the WHL at age 15, however he did obtain permission to play half a season as a 15-year-old for Winnipeg. He appeared in 22 video games with the Ice in 2019-20, totaling seven assists.
On the time, the WHL had by no means granted distinctive participant standing however has since executed so twice: to Connor Bedard in 2020 and Landon DuPoint in 2024.
Savoie Was Drafted Ninth Total by Buffalo
After racking up 95 factors in 62 video games with Winnipeg within the 2021-22 WHL common season, Savoie was chosen ninth general by the Sabres on the 2022 NHL Draft.
Buffalo earned excessive marks for the choice. Savoie was fourth amongst North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s closing rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft.
Analysts raved about Savoie of their prospect profiles. For instance, Matthew Somma of Smaht Scouting wrote: “Savoie is sort of a gnat within the offensive zone. He’s all the time buzzing round, and irrespective of what number of instances you swat at him, he gained’t go away. You’ll be able to’t cease Savoie from making performs within the offensive zone; you may solely hope to comprise him. He’ll pester you on the forecheck, create turnovers, assault the puck, and always hold his toes transferring.
“A part of what makes Savoie a lot enjoyable to observe is that it appears as if he’s by no means content material with standing round. He has to maneuver round and hold altering the angles and lanes for the protection, slowly sporting them down till they make a mistake, and he can strike.”
Savoie Already Has Professional Expertise
Savoie made his professional hockey debut within the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs, suiting up for 2 video games with the Rochester Individuals, Buffalo’s AHL affiliate.
He returned to Rochester on a conditioning mortgage early within the 2023-24 AHL season and scored 5 factors in six video games with the Individuals. Savoie then made his NHL common season debut with the Sabres, taking part in 3:55 in a 3-2 win towards the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 10 earlier than being despatched again to the WHL.
“It wasn’t a horrible factor for me to get despatched again right down to junior for another 12 months and actually fine-tune some issues in my sport that want engaged on, that have to get a bit bit higher for the professional stage,” Savoie stated. “I believe it’s developmental stage to work on these issues.”
Savoie Performed for 5 Groups in 2023-24
Savoie started his 2023-24 WHL season with the Wenatchee Wild, the previous Ice who had moved from Winnipeg and brought on a brand new nickname. Over the vacation season, he represented his nation on the 2024 World Juniors in Gothenburg, Sweden, selecting up one help in 4 video games for Workforce Canada.
On Jan. 4, Wenatchee dealt Savoie to the Warriors in trade for seven future picks within the WHL Prospects Draft. In simply 23 regular-season video games with Moose Jaw, Savoie scored 19 objectives and dished 28 assists. He notched 10 objectives and 14 assists in 19 playoff video games because the Warriors captured the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the primary time in membership historical past.
Add the Individuals and Sabres, and Savoie performed for 5 totally different groups at 4 ranges in only a few months. Savoie gained’t play for almost as many groups subsequent season. Search for the promising prospect to begin 2024-25 in Bakersfield, and don’t be shocked if he has a stint with the Oilers sooner or later.
