Prospect Info: C/RW Matthew Savoie, 9th Overall, 2022 NHL Draft - Traded to Moose Jaw 1/4/24

[Deep Blue Metallic]

With Savoie being my last name it's pronounced Sav-wa

I assumed that was the "correct" pronunciation, but I've always heard him called su-VOY.

 

[alehman42]

I assumed that was the "correct" pronunciation, but I've always heard him called su-VOY.

French speakers with that name will generally pronounce it Sav-wa, but many English speakers Anglicize it to Sa-voy. Matthew goes by Sa-voy (see post 49 in this thread).

 

[Matt Ress]

Update on his injury progression?

He was supposedly 1-2 weeks away from full contact at the time of development camp (mid July). So unless the Sabres already got their hands in his injury timeline, he should be at 100% already and getting ready for camp.

 

[flashsabre]

He was supposedly 1-2 weeks away from full contact at the time of development camp (mid July). So unless the Sabres already got their hands in his injury timeline, he should be at 100% already and getting ready for camp.

He missed the Canadian Junior summer camp a couple weeks later so I’m not sure where he stands. Would love to see him in the prospect tournament.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

He missed the Canadian Junior summer camp a couple weeks later so I’m not sure where he stands. Would love to see him in the prospect tournament.

That was just the summer camp, he'll have a couple months of gameplay before the team is selected after the December camp.

 

[Jacob582]

I hear he'll be ready for our home opener on October 13th.

 

[Savoie92]

any idea on his number yet? I plan on getting me a goathead jersey of his

 

[Ace]

any idea on his number yet? I plan on getting me a goathead jersey of his

He’ll have a number at the prospects challenge…but I would really wait until he makes the team in the future to know what it’s officially going to be.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

With Savoie being my last name it's pronounced Sav-wa

inside my own family theres 3 pronunciations of our last name

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

inside my own family theres 3 pronunciations of our last name

Track-suit
Trac-ka-suit
Track-sueh
?

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Track-suit
Trac-ka-suit
Track-sueh
?

I only hype for Dr. Tracksuit, he's not actually family.

 

[MOGlLNY]

any idea on his number yet? I plan on getting me a goathead jersey of his

You're gonna have to wait about 2 more years to find that out brother.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Track-suit
Trac-ka-suit
Track-sueh
?

He’s from Boston. So Tahck-zoot

 

[Matt Ress]

He’s from Boston. So Tahck-zoot

That was Schwarzenegger in my head

 

[Jim Bob]

In Matthew Savoie, Sabres possess talented, unique prospect - Buffalo Hockey Beat

The arrangement was unusual. Matthew Savoie would spend most of the 2019-20 season practicing with the Winnipeg Ice, learning the rigors of major junior hockey at the tender age of 15. But the phenom would be permitted to play just half of the team’s games. Savoie, the ninth overall pick by the...

www.buffalohockeybeat.com

 

[Jacob582]

In Matthew Savoie, Sabres possess talented, unique prospect - Buffalo Hockey Beat

The arrangement was unusual. Matthew Savoie would spend most of the 2019-20 season practicing with the Winnipeg Ice, learning the rigors of major junior hockey at the tender age of 15. But the phenom would be permitted to play just half of the team’s games. Savoie, the ninth overall pick by the...

www.buffalohockeybeat.com

The WHL should give him another exemption and allow him to spend part of this season in the AHL.

 

[Jim Bob]

The WHL should give him another exemption and allow him to spend part of this season in the AHL.

That's not going to happen.

 

[Zman5778]

The WHL should give him another exemption and allow him to spend part of this season in the AHL.

I'm not sure they can do that even if they wanted to.

 

[Ace]

This year there’s nothing they can do. Next year is the problem. By rule he has to go back…again. If they had granted him full exceptional status instead of that unofficial half assed garbage they did he’d be free and clear to play in the AHL next season. As it stands he either has to make the Sabres outright next year or go back to a league he’s way too good for by then. Forcing a kid who put up 90 points in his pre draft year to return TWICE if he doesn’t make the best league in the world out of camp is the opposite of good for player development.

 

[Gras]

This year there’s nothing they can do. Next year is the problem. By rule he has to go back…again. If they had granted him full exceptional status instead of that unofficial half assed garbage they did he’d be free and clear to play in the AHL next season. As it stands he either has to make the Sabres outright next year or go back to a league he’s way too good for by then. Forcing a kid who put up 90 points in his pre draft year to return TWICE if he doesn’t make the best league in the world out of camp is the opposite of good for player development.

Could he go to Europe next year and play in a mens league.

 

[Dingo44]

I can guarantee Savoie will get a few games with the Sabres next year and then they'll decide if they keep him with the club or send him back to the WHL. It's not too horrible.

 

[Ace]

I can guarantee Savoie will get a few games with the Sabres next year and then they'll decide if they keep him with the club or send him back to the WHL. It's not too horrible.

It doesn’t alleviate the problem. If he doesn’t make the Sabres the last place he should go is juniors for a fifth time. I expect they’ll petition the WHL given his circumstances of playing that half year. If he goes there this year and puts up the ridiculous stats he will it’s bad for the player to stick him in the mud or rush him to the big time.

 

[Dingo44]

It doesn’t alleviate the problem. If he doesn’t make the Sabres the last place he should go is juniors for a fifth time. I expect they’ll petition the WHL given his circumstances of playing that half year. If he goes there this year and puts up the ridiculous stats he will it’s bad for the player to stick him in the mud or rush him to the big time.

He wouldn't be the first to be in that situation and unless things change he won't be the last. I doubt the Sabres do something radical like send him to Europe.

Best case scenario is he makes the team outright next year. If he doesn't play more than the normal amount of games to let the contract slide, they'll send him back to juniors and like the team did with Reinhart they'll have him focus on certain areas and also get in the gym.

I imagine he'll be ready to go either way in 2024-25 for a full time job.

 

[Jim Bob]

True gloves, stick, and skates...

 

[jmelm]

This year there’s nothing they can do. Next year is the problem. By rule he has to go back…again. If they had granted him full exceptional status instead of that unofficial half assed garbage they did he’d be free and clear to play in the AHL next season. As it stands he either has to make the Sabres outright next year or go back to a league he’s way too good for by then. Forcing a kid who put up 90 points in his pre draft year to return TWICE if he doesn’t make the best league in the world out of camp is the opposite of good for player development.

It’s much better to play an extra year at a lower level and be the best, most dominant player in that league than play up in the NHL and possibly struggle and lose confidence.

I’m not saying Savoie will or won’t be able to make the jump next season (we’ll find that out next year). I’m saying that if he is 100% unequivocally ready for the NHL next year, he will not be hurt by spending 2 more years in the WHL.

It’s still the best junior league in the world (even better than the ‘O’ or the ‘Q’), and as long as he’s playing on a great team and chasing a Memorial Cup, he’ll be fine.