He looks like Yamamoto with less tenacity, he can likely make it in a couple years due to having some tools in his toolbox but he doesn’t seem to play a game that translates well to the NHL level
Outside of size, I don't see the comparison.
I feel Paul Byron might be a better comparison for Savoie's biggest strengths, the transition game. Byron made his career with a level of speed that Savoie (or most others) doesn't have but it's more the style that Savoie will develop.
Byron was a forecheck king, one of the best I've ever seen. He used his speed and hockey IQ to predict play and interrupt play in all 3 zones, he controlled play especially through the neutral zone. He didn't have much offensive punch outside of forcing turnovers to rush chances and he would get out muscled when he was out there but he was so effective at breaking up plays and forcing errors that it didn't matter.
Savoie right now is a PP merchant but he won't be as effective in the NHL when the d put more pressure on him, he's not a very elusive player. Heck, he struggled a lot at the WHL level when the d would pressure him in the offensive zone, so many of his chances came after his teammates did the dirty work and he could set up shop and benefit from their work. I don't feel that's going to be an every day NHL skill he uses, especially on the Oilers.
His route to the NHL is going to be the transition play and forecheck, both of which are strengths of his. He's got a great stick in breaking up plays, one of the best prospects for that. Yamamoto was never someone who could play that role. Savioe played on some passive forechecking teams in the WHL so it wasn't always apparent but be was effective despite having some pretty crappy coaching for most of his WHL career.
The reason I don't feel Savoie will be a complete bust and will make a role for himself is that transition play, he will always have a role on a depth forecheck and creating neutral zone turnovers. He's going to struggle in a lot of ways for some of the same reasons as Yamamoto, not being able to win puck nattles, getting out muscled, and over relying on teammates to get the pucks from corners.
Also, Yamamoto was a pass first, pass second, pass third player. Savoie uses his shot to set up passes. Yamamoto always created passes from his speed, lots of skate to spot and flick it to open player passes, but Savoie is very much a slow down the game type player (which is where my Bryon comparison absolutely falls apart).
