Confirmed Trade: [BUF/EDM] Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio for Matt Savoie

[Bryanbryoil]

They also need help getting the puck from their zone up the ice and McLeod's transition stats available in public spaces point to a player who can do that even prior to seeing what changes Ruff will want from the forwards compared to how Granato had them blowing the zone early and Bylsma-esque stretch passing to get going on the rush.

He is very good at transporting the puck through the neutral zone and gaining the offensive zone. It will be interesting to see who the Oilers will choose to do this on PP2 with McLeod now gone. I'm guessing maybe Dylan Holloway.

 

[Chainshot]

He is very good at transporting the puck through the neutral zone and gaining the offensive zone. It will be interesting to see who the Oilers will choose to do this on PP2 with McLeod now gone. I'm guessing maybe Dylan Holloway.

Buffalo had a lot of problems with that in part due to style and it seems like they will be trying to use McLeod to get the puck up the ice and then get Thompson or Cozens lines out in the offensive zone. Granted, the last guy they looked at for this job was Marcus Johansson and that didn't work out so well. I am not thrilled with their pro level scouting or utilization after the fact but in terms of the public space reporting on McLeod, that is something he graded out really well that Buffalo was just crap among their forwards last year. Hell, it might even be that he works up the lineup at times so a different center *cough* Thompson *cough* isn't forced to lug the mail.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

Good thing his linemates are. Benson and Greenway; those natural goal scorers.....cough cough, yikes.

Benson will be on 2nd line real quick if he starts on 3rd line.Zucker, McLeod and Greenway will make a nice shutdown line

 

[McDNicks17]

Benson will be on 2nd line real quick if he starts on 3rd line.Zucker, McLeod and Greenway will make a nice shutdown line

I’d be hesitant to put McLeod on a “shutdown line”.

Basically all his defensive value comes from the transition game. He really struggles at in-zone defense. Definitely not the type of guy you want to send out there to matchup against top guys on defensive zone draws.

 

[HolyGhost]

I think that the Sabres moved off of Savoie partly because they have lots of prospects and that there are questions if he can play at the nhl level and with stand the physical play

 

[Chainshot]

I’d be hesitant to put McLeod on a “shutdown line”.

Basically all his defensive value comes from the transition game. He really struggles at in-zone defense. Definitely not the type of guy you want to send out there to matchup against top guys on defensive zone draws.

The transition part of his game is definitely something they needed. Territorially it will improve shots for/ shots against, but it is not a traditional shutdown unit that they’re going to have out there. Granted that might be what they want out of NAK and Malenstyn so if they put them all together, it may fall more to the wingers to win possession. I can’t see McLeod succeeding in a true shutdown role with his level of physical shyness.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I was high on this trade but like others I share concerns over whether or not he will adapt to the NHL physical nature and stay healthy.

 

[CanadasTeam99]

I was fine dumping McLoed for a pick. He is not a guy who battles with you in the playoffs. Way too soft. Perimeter. Hope he does well though. I don't care if Sav busts. Did not want Ryan here. That was just a bonus magic bean TBH

 

[OilerSuperstar17]

I suspect EDM is adding a piece or 2. There's just no way McLeod+Tullio brought back Matt Savoie.

Edit: I was wrong.

AND this is why any one on HFBoards wouldn't make it as a real GM

 

[TageGod]

AND this is why any one on HFBoards wouldn't make it as a real GM

OR why HF members would make good ones.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

He was their fifth best PK forward and was healthy scratched because he had like four horrible giveaways that directly led to goals.

Cool story -- You're just making up stuff dude.

If he was their first best, why did they give him more minutes on the PK than any other forward, in both the regular season and playoffs?

 

[Lacaar]

Buffalo had a lot of problems with that in part due to style and it seems like they will be trying to use McLeod to get the puck up the ice and then get Thompson or Cozens lines out in the offensive zone. Granted, the last guy they looked at for this job was Marcus Johansson and that didn't work out so well. I am not thrilled with their pro level scouting or utilization after the fact but in terms of the public space reporting on McLeod, that is something he graded out really well that Buffalo was just crap among their forwards last year. Hell, it might even be that he works up the lineup at times so a different center *cough* Thompson *cough* isn't forced to lug the mail.

This is probably the best part of watching Mcleod. I've honestly mistaken him for McDavid with some of his transports up the Ice. He's a pretty fun player to watch.

 

[ManofSteel55]

This is probably the best part of watching Mcleod. I've honestly mistaken him for McDavid with some of his transports up the Ice. He's a pretty fun player to watch.

Foegele had this quality too. I hope with our changes this summer, that we didn't get too slow and sacrifice too many of our speedy players.

 

[On The Prowl]

So seems like 86% of the time he was not playing with Leon…based on that data set. So” constantly put with Draisalt” seems more like occasionally or infrequently more accurately.

He should have been stapled to Draisaitl all year imo. The Foegle, Mcleod, Drai line was one of the best lines the team used, and then they just went away from this line after the big winning streak ended. Mcleod could quite possibly put on his man strength with time which would help mitigate his biggest flaw of being too soft/scared, so he has potential to become better yet in my eyes.

 

[McDoused]

Cool story -- You're just making up stuff dude.

If he was their first best, why did they give him more minutes on the PK than any other forward, in both the regular season and playoffs?

You might want to check your facts.

Total TOI in the Regular season

1. RNH - 197:51
2. Janmark - 177:44
3. Brown - 159:20
4. McLeod - 136.50
5. Ryan - 135:04

Total TOI in the playoffs

1. RNH - 54:06
2. Janmark - 49:45
3. McLeod - 36:43
4. Brown - 34:27
5. Foegele - 26:17

TOI/GP in the Regular season

1. RNH - 1:53
2. Janmark - 1:51
3. Brown - 1:46
4. Ryan - 1:31
5. McLeod - 1:18

TOI/GP in the playoffs

1. RNH - 2:10
2. Janmark - 1:59
3. Brown - 1:49
4. McLeod - 1:32
5. Ryan - 1:12

 

[Dr Quincy]

Edit: Nevermind... beaten by 7 minutes.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Cool story -- You're just making up stuff dude.

If he was their first best, why did they give him more minutes on the PK than any other forward, in both the regular season and playoffs?

The irony...

 

[Fatass]

This is probably the best part of watching Mcleod. I've honestly mistaken him for McDavid with some of his transports up the Ice. He's a pretty fun player to watch.

Isn’t McLeod 210 as well? He’s a pretty solidly built guy who can push the play. Other than for cap reasons it’s a trade where the Oilers gave up a lot.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

You might want to check your facts.

Total TOI in the Regular season

1. RNH - 197:51
2. Janmark - 177:44
3. Brown - 159:20
4. McLeod - 136.50
5. Ryan - 135:04

Total TOI in the playoffs

1. RNH - 54:06
2. Janmark - 49:45
3. McLeod - 36:43
4. Brown - 34:27
5. Foegele - 26:17

TOI/GP in the Regular season

1. RNH - 1:53
2. Janmark - 1:51
3. Brown - 1:46
4. Ryan - 1:31
5. McLeod - 1:18

TOI/GP in the playoffs

1. RNH - 2:10
2. Janmark - 1:59
3. Brown - 1:49
4. McLeod - 1:32
5. Ryan - 1:12

I don't see 5 forwards having more PK time in any scenario, do you? That was the claim I was responding to.

The irony...

The person I was responding to said there were 5 forwards who had more PK time. I was closer to being correct than he was.

There were two players who had more time than him in the playoffs. 3 in the regular serason. I wasn't far off.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

He was their fifth best PK forward and was healthy scratched because he had like four horrible giveaways that directly led to goals.

Fifth best but he had more time on the PK than every forward except for two of them? Sounds like a stupid coach.

 

[Fourier]

Isn’t McLeod 210 as well? He’s a pretty solidly built guy who can push the play. Other than for cap reasons it’s a trade where the Oilers gave up a lot.

He's definitely not 210. He's tall but not really all that solidly built for a guy who is 6'3''. Even so the issue is that so far he has not used that size at all. I'd also not really say that he pushes the play. He was probably going to be the Oilers #4C this year. In that roll he was a luxury.

I am probably one of the bigger McLeod supporters from the Oiler board and I would be happy to see him succeed in Buffalo. Seems like a really good kid who is always smiling. But honestly I'd make this trade everyday. Even if Savoie does not turn out the trade would still be the right move. It's kind of like trading a third round pick for a second. If the guy you pick with the second busts it does not mean that it was the wrong move.

 

[CupofOil]

I don't see 5 forwards having more PK time in any scenario, do you? That was the claim I was responding to.


The person I was responding to said there were 5 forwards who had more PK time. I was closer to being correct than he was.

There were two players who had more time than him in the playoffs. 3 in the regular serason. I wasn't far off.

The poster you responded to said he was their 5th best PK forward, he didn't say 5th most used, you said he was their most used PK forward and the numbers @McDoused posted illustrated that he was their 4th most used forward in the regular season and 3rd (barely) in the playoffs and it was a distant 3rd so you weren't close really.

RNH and Janmark, as Oiler fans know because they watch their team the most, were their most used PK forward by far and RNH, Janmark and Brown were their most effective PKers in the playoffs.
McLeod is a solid PKer and a great puck transporter but he was not good in the playoffs which is part of the reason why they traded him besides the pure value aspect of it.

 

[Fourier]

Fifth best but he had more time on the PK than every forward except for two of them? Sounds like a stupid coach.

You may want to look at Toi/gm. Total time is distorted by the fact that McLeod played more games as the Oilers rotated out guys like Brown and Ryan. McLeod had a bigger role 5 vs 5 so he stayed on the roster.

The only thing you have going for you in questioning @McDNicks17 claim is the possibility that he may have been more important than Ryan. But there is no question that Nuge, Janmark and Brown were the guys driving the PK in the playoffs and much of the regular season. I say maybe because it is definitely not obvious that McLeod over Ryan is the case. McLeod is fine on the pk but he is certainly replaceable.

 

[On The Prowl]

Isn’t McLeod 210 as well? He’s a pretty solidly built guy who can push the play. Other than for cap reasons it’s a trade where the Oilers gave up a lot.

He is a tall, skinny kid. I would guess he only weighs around 170-180.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

I think the Oilers got great value for a guy who was ok in the regular season and terrible in the playoffs for the most part.

I get that Savoie didn't have the greatest year but my viewings of him in Moose Jaw were pretty positive. Guy has a motor that doesn't stop and the skill to back it up. If he can stay injury free I think the Oilers picked up a guy that will be very complimentary to the big guys in that lineup.

This is a year after Buffalo fans felt Savoie was untouchable in a trade for Hellybuyck and then he gets traded for what is a good 3rd line center. I think I would be upset at that trade. We are going to have to move from McGroarty and if the return was McLeod I think I would be upset what that trade.