C Matthew Savoie - Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL (2022, 9th, BUF, traded to EDM) - PART 2

[dire wolf]

Pronman talked about it on an athletic podcast earlier this year. Said that you couldn’t ignore the drop in production especially for a small skill player…but that he’d watched him play a bunch of games and he looked fast, engaged and dangerous…just not getting on the score sheet. Now he’s on the score sheet at a higher rate as expected.

He couldn’t even get on the ice from the end of last year through camp this year. And he’s somehow still getting stronger and finding more at the end of the grind of a year entered cold. Its impressive.

Off topic. That man in your avatar. Who he is? Thanks.

@Ace -- yes, thanks for the reminder. I think that was one of the podcasts I heard about Savoie

@ Nikolajs -- Henry Worsley. If you want to read an incredible adventure story, I highly recommend this piece in the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-white-darkness An inspirational badass.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I don't really watch him play, but I have heard multiple people say that he also had terrible puck luck early in the season but was getting good chances -- so his PDO regressing to the mean would be part of a longer answer.

He was getting good chances because he could still skate and handle the puck. But his traditionally deadly shot was definitely missing something, and he wasn't using it nearly as much from distance.

He was averaging only 3.6 shots per game during October - since then he's up to 4.1. And since then he's been shooting 17% vs closer to 10% through his first dozen or so games.

 

[Halfy]

He was getting good chances because he could still skate and handle the puck. But his traditionally deadly shot was definitely missing something, and he wasn't using it nearly as much from distance.

He was averaging only 3.6 shots per game during October - since then he's up to 4.1. And since then he's been shooting 17% vs closer to 10% through his first dozen or so games.

He wasn’t getting inside at all to start the year. Way too much perimeter play. Now he’s still gonna be a perimeter guy (with the puck) but he gets inside and tries to make a play at the net far far more often now. Obviously, with an injury like he had that was expected, but he was actually very similar last year. He’s been way more aggressive attacking lanes with the puck since about the halfway mark of this season than he’s ever been in the WHL

 

[wetcoast]

@Ace -- yes, thanks for the reminder. I think that was one of the podcasts I heard about Savoie

@ Nikolajs -- Henry Worsley. If you want to read an incredible adventure story, I highly recommend this piece in the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-white-darkness An inspirational badass.

Great read and what a fascinating character.

 

[Chainshot]

Three more assists last night, now a career high 92 points with four games remaining in the season. With Benson out, he's put up 9 points in those four games and generally been their top PKer and keyed their first PP unit.

 

[Halfy]

Three more assists last night, now a career high 92 points with four games remaining in the season. With Benson out, he's put up 9 points in those four games and generally been their top PKer and keyed their first PP unit.

He’s really stepped up since Benson went out. Really great to see.

 

[Gabrielor]

Game 1 of the playoffs.

Hattrick, 4 point game.

 

[Ace]

Guess that rest they gave him the last couple games worked out pretty good

 

[Chainshot]

I appreciate that he stepped up when Benson was felled by injury and he has continued to produce.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

I love the tenacity on the forecheck, it seems like he creates a lot of turnovers and has a ton of finish

 

[DatDude44]

I love the tenacity on the forecheck, it seems like he creates a lot of turnovers and has a ton of finish

Dog on a bone mentality off the puck, tons of skill, vision and scoring ability with the puck, can play C or W…….sign me up

 

[Gabrielor]

Dog on a bone mentality off the puck, tons of skill, vision and scoring ability with the puck, can play C or W…….sign me up

1st overall pick candidate last year if 5'9" was 6'1"

 

[McFlash97]

Savoie is starting to get his mojo back. It took him a year or so. This guy was once in the conversation to get exceptional status. Buffalo lucked out here. Best forward in his draft. Will be right there with Bedard in future scoring races. McDavid is in the prime of his career so it wont be for a while.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

1st overall pick candidate last year if 5'9" was 6'1"

I had him at #3 in my final rankings, but had him as high as #1 at various stages of last season.

Savoie is starting to get his mojo back. It took him a year or so. This guy was once in the conversation to get exceptional status. Buffalo lucked out here. Best forward in his draft. Will be right there with Bedard in future scoring races. McDavid is in the prime of his career so it wont be for a while.

He's still in the tier of players right behind Cooley for me, but I do think he's going to make more than a few teams regret passing on him.

As of today, I'd rank the top forwards from 2022 as follows:

Cooley
Savoie/Lambert/Kulich
Gauthier/Wright/Slafkovsky/Kasper

 

[McFlash97]

I had him at #3 in my final rankings, but had him as high as #1 at various stages of last season.

He's still in the tier of players right behind Cooley for me, but I do think he's going to make more than a few teams regret passing on him.

As of today, I'd rank the top forwards from 2022 as follows:

Cooley
Savoie/Lambert/Kulich
Gauthier/Wright/Slafkovsky/Kasper

He is probably the best skating prospect I have seen after McDavid. Can stickhandle at high speeds too.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[toddkaz]

For a second I thought I was watching a goal against the sabres

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Great to see Savoie playing at 100% again. Aside from Bedard, he's been arguably the best player in the WHL in the last few months (toss up between Savoie, Lambert, and Stankoven).

Since the start of February:
Savoie 59p in 33gp 1.79 ppg
Lambert 54p in 31gp 1.74 ppg
Stankoven 49p in 26gp 1.88 ppg

Lots of talent in the WHL this year... Great to see both Savoie and Lambert rebound so well after injuries/COVID set them back early on.

 

[Dubi Doo]

He's playing tonight in game 2 of the conference finals for the Amerks. Kulich and Rosen have been on a tear for Rochester. If Savoie comes in and provides a big impact, then damn- it's looking good for Buffalo.

 

[Chainshot]

 

[IWillMakeTheNHL]

What about the nhl/chl agreement tho

 

[Chainshot]

What about the nhl/chl agreement tho

It's a conditioning assignment - he's got 14 days with the Amerks and then either he goes back up to Buffalo or back to the WHL.

 

[Boonk]

What about the nhl/chl agreement tho

`

Edit: what Chainshot said

 

[wetcoast]

It's a conditioning assignment - he's got 14 days with the Amerks and then either he goes back up to Buffalo or back to the WHL.

I hope he impresses down in Rochester.