Confirmed with Link: [EDM/BUF] McLeod + Tullio for Matt Savoie

[JordanGalhanth]

Reading the comments on the Sabres board like:

Imagining him with Benson and Greenway. SHUTDOWN line...to really rub salt in the wound. We just got a lot better. Winning hockey games >>>> winning trades. Young 3Cs who are good defensively are not easy to come by.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

nowhere near a bust, there are smaller players in the league with way less skill, he is fast great skaters wicked shot and a great passer if he was 6foot in draft year he would have been 1st or second overall pick

He doesn't look tiny out there like a Yamamoto for instance. That said if he's had multiple shoulder injuries that's a bit scary. Hopefully they're all healed up now.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

No he's not that. But does seem like a Top 6 or bust type player. Like Bourgault. Except Savoie is way more skilled and actually trending like he's supposed to.

What exactly is stopping him from contributing as a middle six option???

Like his ceiling is top 6, that’s where an offensive player like Savoie is expected to play. This team has always been flexible in terms of deployment. We have a lot of options to play guys up and down the line up.

Why are you proclaiming top 6 or bust? I don’t get it..

 

[Giggleplex]

Im not saying he's a bust or close to it. The term Top 6 or Bust means when he makes the NHL it'll either be in a Top 6 role or won't be anywhere at all.

He seems like a feisty enough player to play a Yamo-like role in the middle 6. He's already way more skilled than Yamo while also being bigger and a better skater.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Reading the comments on the Sabres board like:

Let them enjoy adding him. The reality is that we are at different points as franchises, we are in a win now mode and they are trying to get to a competitive and playoff caliber team. They can afford to be patient with McLeod and we can afford to be patient with Savoie.

 

[TheNumber4]

What exactly is stopping him from contributing as a middle six option???

Like his ceiling is top 6, that’s where an offensive player like Savoie is expected to play. This team has always been flexible in terms of deployment. Why are you proclaiming top 6 or bust? I don’t get it..

I’m still learning about the prospect. But doesn’t sound like he has much of a defensive game. Plus the size issue. So sounds like he’ll either be Top 6 or bust. That said, his offensive skills sound like he’s gonna hit as a Top 6.

Pretty sexy draft year comps. Familiar faces too:

 

[tiger_80]

McLeod is tall and extremely fast, like one of the fastest players in the NHL fast. He can also PK very well and IMO has more offense than he's shown here. He's thrived at times on the wing with Draisaitl as well. Those are his positive attributes. Now the biggest glaring issue with him is that he is a perimeter player and is one of the softest players out there. It's like he has stretches where he realizes that he has to be grittier and does so for a few games, but overall it's not in his nature and always haunts him. Toffoli plays a gritty style but I haven't seen much of him. Could be a future bottom 6 guy for you guys.

Appreciated, hopefully both players do well for Buffalo and you guys get back to the playoffs. Thompson is one of my favorite non Oilers players to watch.

Extremely, not just saying this because he's on his way out. This has been my criticism of him for years.

There is a place for that type of player in the NHL. In Buffallo, Arizona, or the shitty Oilers circa 2006-2015.

 

[TheNumber4]

He seems like a feisty enough player to play a Yamo-like role in the middle 6. He's already way more skilled than Yamo while also being bigger and a better skater.

Hm maybe. Doesn’t sound like he has much of a defensive game though. Unknown how his forechecking game is at this point, but he’ll need both and in most cases size too to be a bottom 6er IF his offence doesn’t translate. But signs are good his offence will translate from what I’m reading.

 

[tiger_80]

I’m still learning about the prospect. But doesn’t sound like he has much of a defensive game. Plus the size issue. So sounds like he’ll either be Top 6 or bust. That said, his offensive skills sound like he’s gonna hit as a Top 6.

Pretty sexy draft year comps. Familiar faces too:

This seems more like the cap and future asset management. Savoie may be ready in a couple of years. If he pans out, it would be helpful to have a potential top 6 forward at a league minimum for a year or two.

 

[TheNumber4]

This seems more like the cap and future asset management. Savoie may be ready in a couple of years. If he pans out, it would be helpful to have a potential top 6 forward at a league minimum for a year or two.

For sure. Well we need the cap space now. And assets wise, we got 3C covered already and don’t need a 2M 4C. So it makes sense for us.

On top of that, it gives us future options to replace Skinner too who will likely price himself out of here after ripping it up with Drai

 

[VainGretzky]

He doesn't look tiny out there like a Yamamoto for instance. That said if he's had multiple shoulder injuries that's a bit scary. Hopefully they're all healed up now.

Coming back after a shoulder injury putting up 2 points per game and leading his team to a WHL championship for the 1st time ever and a Memorial Cup appearance is a pretty good indicator IMO that he will do just fine

 

[jukon]

At this rate nobody is going to want to be our GM, because they can't top what JJ is doing.

 

[Skolman]

Dude has tremendous skill

 

[Donner]

Love the trade

Although long list of top 10 picks who never pan out despite great junior careers

McLeod is a legit 3rd liner, that's nothing to sneeze at

 

[McDNicks17]

Love the trade

Although long list of top 10 picks who never pan out despite great junior careers

McLeod is a legit 3rd liner, that's nothing to sneeze at

IMO, to be a legit 3rd liner, you have to be able to do it in the playoffs too and that just ain't McLeod.

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

Love the trade

Although long list of top 10 picks who never pan out despite great junior careers

McLeod's value was like a 2nd or 3rd. I'll take the gamble on a 9th overall top prospect any day when we needed the cap space anyway.

 

[midnightcopper]

The couple of podcasts I listen to after most Oilers games have pretty regularly made the same comments and critique of Ryan McLeod, and that is that he does not go to the hard areas nearly enough, often bordering on frustration. With his speed and defensive abilities, he'd be a heck of a player if he chose to do so.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

McLeod was ass playing 3rd line C. Only time he put up points was with Drai.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

If Savoie is ready, but they want to insulate him, they could easily go.

Skinner - McDavid - Hyman
Holloway - Draisaitl - Arvidsson
Nuge - Henrique - Savoie
Janmark - not exactly sure - Brown

 

[Davo Ikinzom]

The Bruins needed cap space and traded a starting goalie for a late 1st.

The Oilers needed cap space and traded a 4th liner for a recent 9th overall.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

This seems more like the cap and future asset management. Savoie may be ready in a couple of years. If he pans out, it would be helpful to have a potential top 6 forward at a league minimum for a year or two.

At the very least Savoie provides 2 ELC years on Bouchard and Draisaitl new contracts and 1 ELC year of mcdavids new contract

 

[NedPlimpton]

Damn. I'm late to the party but I like it.

I liked Mcleod and always kept hoping he'd find that next level but never quite got there. Kinda had the feeling he'd be moving on but wasn't sure how it would go down.

this seems fantastic.

 

[Donner]

IMO, to be a legit 3rd liner, you have to be able to do it in the playoffs too and that just ain't McLeod.

One bad playoff run. Maybe it's a sign of what to come, or maybe a road bump

Savoie also is still in the WHL in draft +2 year. So juries still out if he's even a 3rd liner. Long list of similar prospects with similar hype that failed come pro, so we shouldnt count the eggs before they hatch

I'd stil make this trade easily, it's a great gamble. And our chance of getting a chrao top 6er in 2 years

But it's still a gamble. McLeod will play another 350 games in the nhl, MS likely will but who knows

 

[La Bamba]

Love the trade

Although long list of top 10 picks who never pan out despite great junior careers

McLeod is a legit 3rd liner, that's nothing to sneeze at

the beauty of the trade is that even if Savoie busts, the Oilers still won by opening up 2.1 cap space and a contract spot (2 contracts out for 1). If McLeod kept trending the way he did, he likely wouldn't have been qualified anyways

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

Wow these Savoie highlights are impressive. Very quick release, great vision and passing.

Looks like he could be our Stankoven

I’d like to see Savoie tear it up in Bakersfield for a little bit, maybe get Bourgault going. As someone else suggested, I think the hope should be that Savoie takes Skinners spot in a year.