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

[Reddawg]

I will not be reading 30+ pages of Buffalo fans justifying the trade. Massive pass.

If you did read the thread, most of us are pretty pissed about this.

 

[sportsdynasty]

Savoie won’t be playing center in the NHL. He wasn’t even going to play center in Rochester next year

Neither will McLeod be playing centre. He's a better winger than centre.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

McLeod is a likeable guy with speed to burn (one of the fastest skaters in the league). He can also play on the wing and showed well with Draisaitl centering him at times. Good PKer as well. Lots to like, but unless he decides to start to play grittier he'll always leave you wanting more. Definitely not a scrub. Probably our 4C this season, but he can be a solid 3C and maybe even a spot holding 2C in the right situation.

 

[featherhawk]

I have no idea what your top 9 wing situation is. Savoie was on track to make the Sabres out of camp last year until an injury during our prospect challenge. That spot likely would have been there for him once he got healthy.....but Benson straight-up stole the spot out from underneath Savoie.

It wouldn't shock me at all to see Savoie make the Oilers out of camp, if there's room for him.

there will be room and I bet he does, the buffalo GM has no idea what they are doing

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I guess maybe if Kane isn't healthy and Savoie impresses maybe that's Savoie's route to breaking camp with the big club?

Personally, I was always pencilling in Savoie for at least half a season in Rochester if not the full season. So him going to a (far) deeper team likely means he's spending the year in Bakersfield.

Probably best for him and the team unless he shoots the lights out in the preseason. His value will be when guys like Skinner (1 year deal) and Arvidsson (2 year deal) are possibly walking as UFA's or if we have injuries to any of our wingers. I've heard that he's had shoulder issues, any idea if they were on the same shoulder and if any of them required surgery?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

This is why Buffalo is in the state they are in, because they trade top prospects or high picks for 3rd and 4th line players.

 

[MOGlLNY]

This is why Buffalo is in the state they are in, because they trade top prospects or high picks for 3rd and 4th line players.

what are you talking about? Please list me when else this has happened

 

[Skolman]

I didn't know there were so many Ryan McLeod fans on HF.. I guess all it took is for him to get traded out of Edmonton.

It is quite comical how non-Oiler fans apparently believe they know more about his game than Oiler fans do.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Think it comes down to Savoie is flashy, fun and a sexy get for Edmonton. While McLeod is purposeful and boring for Buffalo.

Going more towards constructing more of a “team” rather than a collection of skill that we’ve seen the last 2 seasons. With a lot more skill waiting in the wings.

Sure, but why not just sign any of the like 20 available 20-30pt boring guys instead of trading your recent 9th overall pick with 1st line potential?

I can’t see a single way to spin this in a positive way for Buffalo

 

[Hodge]

Bizarre trade for Edmonton. Savoie won’t help them at all when they’re in their Cup window, if ever, while McLeod was the best player in their bottom six. Maybe it makes sense if they’re able to flip Savoie in a package for a better player than McLeod at the trade deadline.

 

[biturbo19]

Savoie has much higher ceiling than McLeod

Savoie also has a much lower floor than McLeod.

McLeod is a solid speedy Bottom-6 Center. Savoie might not even be an NHL player at all. Which can be said of pretty much any prospect, but he's plenty risky. More realistically, i don't see him busting completely...but i also really don't see him sticking at Center. Not at his size and profile.


That said...i get that Buffalo need to consolidate some "small skilled winger prospects/on the cusp players" into some more deliberate Bottom-6 suitable players, or actual size and grit for their Top-6. But this is pretty wild. Savoie isn't a "sure thing" by any means, but giving up that kind of "upside" this close to potentially breaking into the NHL is nuts.


Savoie is an absolute coup for the Oilers. They can replace McLeod. But if they can get Savoie playing with McDavid/Draisaitl and producing on an ELC and/or early RFA deal...that'd go so far in softening that monstrosity that is the Nurse cap hit going forward.

 

[Donner]

I think it's a good trade. However McLeod is a good 3rd liner and still has room to grow

Plenty of 6-10th overall picks have flopped.

Imagine if Alex Turcotte was traded for a young, solid 3rd liner in 2021

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

Bizarre trade for Edmonton. Savoie won’t help them at all when they’re in their Cup window, if ever, while McLeod was the best player in their bottom six. Maybe it makes sense if they’re able to flip Savoie in a package for a better player than McLeod at the trade deadline.

Bizarre if you don't know the Oilers forward group or cap situation maybe.

 

[Skolman]

Bizarre trade for Edmonton. Savoie won’t help them at all when they’re in their Cup window, if ever, while McLeod was the best player in their bottom six. Maybe it makes sense if they’re able to flip Savoie in a package for a better player than McLeod at the trade deadline.

McLeod didn't help them much in the playoffs this year either, he was a complete non-factor in the majority of games and made some massive mistakes.

Why would the Oilers healthy scratch their "best player in the bottom-6"?

 

[Shizuka]

As an Oilers fan, Mcleod is not the crappy player some are making him out to be. He is lightning fast, and he did go 12-18-30 for the season (mind you, some of that production was when he was with McDavid or Draisaitl.. he's not great offensively). He is a fine PKer, and an established NHLer at this point. At 24 / 25 yo, he'll be a nice addition to your bottom 6 (though not sure if he's best suited to be a C).

However, he is butter soft. Without question, and it was amplified in the playoffs just how scared he is to take a hit. You can't play scared like that and make the turnovers he did at crucial times. Unfortunate, his speed and PK acumen will be missed but not the guy who was afraid of his own shadow at times.

 

[Donner]

Bizarre trade for Edmonton. Savoie won’t help them at all when they’re in their Cup window, if ever, while McLeod was the best player in their bottom six. Maybe it makes sense if they’re able to flip Savoie in a package for a better player than McLeod at the trade deadline.

He wasn't the best player in the bottom 6, but was solid.

Savoie also likely steps into the nhl next year and will have an impact immediately

 

[McDNicks17]

Bizarre trade for Edmonton. Savoie won’t help them at all when they’re in their Cup window, if ever, while McLeod was the best player in their bottom six. Maybe it makes sense if they’re able to flip Savoie in a package for a better player than McLeod at the trade deadline.

What?

He was the worst player on the team in the playoffs and only showed any signs of life in the regular season while on Draisaitl's wing. He was slated to be the #4C this coming season with two wingers better than he is.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Sure, but why not just sign any of the like 20 available 20-30pt boring guys instead of trading your recent 9th overall pick with 1st line potential?

I can’t see a single way to spin this in a positive way for Buffalo

We did that too.

 

[Skolman]

He wasn't the best player in the bottom 6, but was solid.

Savoie also likely steps into the nhl next year and will have an impact immediately

Nope, there's no room for him on the roster.

Likely Skinner's replacement for 2025-26

 

[Stephen]

The craziest thing about this whole sequence is Buffalo just bought out Jeff Skinner. And Edmonton signed him.

So it works out to Skinner, Savoie, burning a boat load of cash for McLeod and Tullio.

Like at least don’t give away Savoie to the team that also just picked up your dumpster trash.

 

[Donner]

McLeod reminds me of Beniot Pouliot. Fast, somewhat skilled, soft and a good third liner who has great underlying numbers

BP was an awesome depth player to have

 

[toddkaz]

4 points in 24 playoff games. Sounds like he will fit in with missing the playoffs since he missed them this year too.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

what are you talking about? Please list me when else this has happened

This trade is Exhibit A

Exhibit B would be giving up a 2nd for Beck Malinstine

2 recent examples right there.

 

[TageGod]

He was drafted on pre-injury, pre-vanishing development trend. Just like 95% of every draft pick outside of the top 5 year after year. And let's not try and hide the elephant in the room, in the Sabres organizational prospect depth pipeline, he won't be missed given, once again, the sheer volume of the same potential in their pipeline.

Funny he was stuck because of contract reasons with WHL and got hurt. There isn’t another Savoie in their pipeline. Not a single player in there is first line potential, not Benson, not Konsta, certainly not Kulich or Rosen. They traded a potential Marner for a player that is worth 3x3 in FA. He will be missed, maybe not if we make playoffs this year, but he will.

 

[Freaky Styley]

From an outsider's perspective:

1. Very poor asset management/negotiation skills from Kevyn Adams. A two-year-old 9th overall pick who is projecting well for a dime-a-dozen NHLer like McLeod that you can pick up in free agency is just bad, there's no way around it. Add to the fact that Edmonton had little leverage because of their cap situation and it's even worse. I understand trading Savoie, but McLeod is a strange target.

2. Obviously Buffalo is putting high value on speed this offseason, so they targeted McLeod. He fills a need for them up front and still has some untapped offensive potential he could hit.

3. Savoie probably isn't valued as high league-wide as he is on here or amongst fans. He's an undersized guy already with some injury concerns. He likely ends up on wing and has boom or bust potential and a much higher ceiling than McLeod, albeit lower floor.

Overall I think Savoie is being overrated but it's still and inexcusable trade for Buffalo given the circumstances. He was one of Buffalo's better trade chips and I think they will regret not parlaying him into something better, even if it required more patience.