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

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

Digging? It took two seconds.


He's kept steady since he was drafted and you're being a goof talking about "undersized this, undersized that."

Maybe he expected Savoie to sprout half a foot after the draft.

 

[Skolman]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809331756002082822

 

[McFlyingV]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809331756002082822

This came to mind when the trade happened, but McLeod is obviously a lot younger than Erat was. Same concept though if you don't look at age.

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

I've never thought that much of McLeod. I think that Savoie has higher potential.

On the other hand, if Oilers are in win-now mode and they're aiming for next season in particular, then I don't understand the reasoning behind this deal.

McLeod had played himself down to 4th line/healthy scratch and the Oilers acquired 2 more forwards to push him further down (1 spot down with Foegele's departure). With a $2.1M cap hit, he was the obvious piece to move out.

 

[PatLaFontaineASMR]

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

Sure point me to some of the 24 year old young 3Cs in FA

 

[TheNumber4]

"nO oNe iS gOinG tO heLp thE OilErS CaP SiTuAtIoN" posters in shambles. You know who you are, posters that don't understand that trades are made to help both teams out.

 

[Jumptheshark]

this is a fun thread to read

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

Proven players will always have more value than some unproven prospects.

People act like Savoie is a sure fire PPG player or something. He might bust and Buffalo ends up winning the trade.

This also looks like Buffalo has a hard time bringing in UFAs and have to over pay for roster players of need, oilers were there once. That said this is still a wild trade

 

[kylbaz]

People trying to justify this because McLeod fits the 3c hole is mind blowing. For a 9 overall draft pick who was playing well. This is insane.

 

[McFlyingV]

Sure point me to some of the 24 year old young 3Cs in FA

It's up for debate if McLeod is actually a #3C tbh. Around 1/3 of his points came playing wing with Leon Draisaitl in a short stint there. I'm not sure the offence is quite yet at a 3C level when you factor in that he isn't a typical shutdown centre because he doesn't play physical or engage physically at all. I think this is evidenced most by his regular season numbers compared to his playoff numbers where he wasn't nearly as good defensively and provided very little offence (4g-0A with one being an empty netter and another being the 8-1 goal in a game that Florida had already given up in).

 

[Djp]

This trade is Exhibit A

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

2 recent examples right there.

you want me to go they the laundry list of useless trades thr maple laughs have donr.

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.

Maybe after the draft they realized he was injury prone and maybe he has some character issues.

For someone drafted in top 10 they usually are in the nhl by year 2 post draft. There may be a reason why.

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.

Maybe Ruff can mold him. Hes still young.

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.

Buffalo valued other high picks more.

Thompson and cozens are signed for 6 more years. They have ELCs in benson, quinn, and Peterka. I see Tuch being resigned. That's 6 of your time 9 long term

Then they still have helenius, ostlund, kulich, Rosen, poltapov, Wahlberg as high prospects.

McLeod has 75pts in 219GP for the Oilers. I think he could be a top 6 forward if he hits his stride in Buffalo. He would be on the wing as he's not taking Thompsons or Cozens spot at center. If Buffalo does give him a shot in a top 6 role, I wouldn't be shocked to see him get an opportunity on Thompson's wing.

He's got good wheels, just not that high of an IQ offensively. His best asset is his ability to kill penalties very well.

D/PK 3C is what sabres wanted.

So what I want to know is, why do this trade anyway? Is there any underlying reason why Buffalo would agree to this?

Savoie is small, likely top 6 or bust. Injury prone. Probably has character issues

Another scenario is that Savoie is flipped at the TDL and has the value of a 1st round pick. McLeod wouldn't have that same TDL value

See what happens. Maybe he becomes a 20/50 3C in buffalo.

 

[Rubi]

There comes a point where you have to finally admit that the Sabres are a totally f***ed up organization that doesn't have a clue and will most likely never have any appreciable playoff success. Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio for Matt Savoie...

 

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

He brings size and Speed to the lineup, that’s what you need more of in the playoffs, not less.

His size is completely irrelevant. He doesn't use it. He doesn't win puck battles on the boards, and he never goes to the dangerous areas of the ice required to score. He adds great speed, is decent on faceoffs, and on the PK. That's it. He won't piss a drop of offense.

 

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

More Ryan McLeod’s help you win?

Absolutely not.

Easily the worst take in this entire thread. This guy has never watched McLeod play. 40 games into the next season, he'll be ready to run McLeod out of town.

 

[TheNumber4]

This also looks like Buffalo has a hard time bringing in UFAs and have to over pay for roster players of need, oilers were there once. That said this is still a wild trade

That definitely played a role in this trade.

I mean just look at the Oilers. IF we didn't trade for Henrique at TDL and had a long run, if we wanted to upgrade 3C this year we'd look at Henrique. And he might choose Tampa or more money elsewhere, and we'd be forced to keep Mcleod at that point.

 

[Jumptheshark]

People trying to justify this because McLeod fits the 3c hole is mind blowing. For a 9 overall draft pick who was playing well. This is insane.

AS I posted on the oiler board. Sabres have lots of FWD prospects coming up in their system.

Since 2019 FWD draft picks taken in the first 3 rounds

Dylan Cozens

Jack Quinn John Peterka Isak Rosen Matthew Savoie Noah Ostlund Jiri Kulich Prokhor Poltapov Aleksandr Kisakov Stiven Sardarian Josh Bloom Olivier Nadeau Viktor Neuchev Zachary Benson Anton Wahlberg No obviously they are different levels of development but the Sabres needed a role player like McLeod now..not in 4 years. McLeod is no a veteran and the Sabres need them and at 24 he is a perfect age to grow with the prospects coming up. No idea why the Sabres did not hold out for a 2nd round pick or something

 

[alphahelix]

Edmonton didn’t sign his brother like a few days ago then traded for him? Weird

 

[Rubi]

Somebody call the cops. Kevyn Adams just got mugged.

 

[Folignos Helmet]

You think the jets say yes to Macleod for Macgroarty? Seems like a similar ask.

Jets would hang up the phone. Seems like a crazy deal unless there are some major underlying concerns on Savoie from the Sabres.

 

[SoundAndFury]

.For someone drafted in top 10 they usually are in the nhl by year 2 post draft. There may be a reason why.

What's the point of just saying stuff that's not true and everyone knows it?

 

[wetcoast]

LOL IS THIS A DREAM? Jeff Jackson a f***ing genius?????!!!!1

My first thought as well as Savoie has some skills.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

This may be up there with the worst trades in NHL history.

On the plus side, McLeod is a tall, fast center who is very much a bottom 6 guy with limited two-way skills.

On the other side Matt Savoie was touted as probably having the most skill of anyone in his draft class and has been well over a PPG basically everywhere he plays.

Tullio is a big whatever, AHL mid 6 winger.

 

[BurnabyJoe7]

The last time a prospect of this “calibre” was traded out of nowhere like this was when Griffin Reinhart was moved to Edmonton. Buffalo clearly knows something about Savoie that others don’t. Otherwise you ride it out with a prospect you drafted 9th overall. I love this move for Buffalo.

Small offensive forwards aren’t how you win in he NHL now.

And before that it was the forsberg-erat trade. I bet you loved that trade for the caps at the time too.

Even for hf this take is brutal. Might be one of the dumbest things I've read on here in a while

 

[FiveFourteenSixOne]

100% - he is a demon on the forecheck and back check. You need players like him with speed and heart to win come playoff time. Not saying he’s the sole reason the Oilers went far last season but he was a piece of the puzzle, and now that piece is gone and hasn’t been replaced.

At this point its clear you never watched him play. He is NOT a demon on the forecheck. If he has the opportunity to make a hit he does a flyby. If he can't win a race he pulls up. McLeod was such a detriment at times in the playoffs he got HEALTHY SCRATCHED.

With every post you dig a bigger hole and expose your ignorance of the player.

He was the softest, least engaged player on the Oilers roster. There's a reason that not a single Oilers fan is disappointed in this trade.

Part of me thinks you are mistaking McLeod for Foegle.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

my only guess is that buffalo knows something we all don't about savoie.