Player Discussion Matthew Savoie

[Mav3rick07]

I'm not sure about his Junior years but Yamamoto's shot was definitely well below average in the NHL.

 

[McFlyingV]

Yeah, its almost a 1-2 inch and 25 pound difference. That is a significant difference in size.

Their stats are pretty similar for draft year and D+1, very similar in fact, but D+2 is harder to read as Yams was in NHL/AHL and Savoie was in WHL/minimally in AHL:
- draft: KY: 65GP, 42G, 99P, MS: 65GP, 35G, 90P
- D+1: KY: 40GP, 21G, 64P, MS: 62GP, 38G, 95P

In the D+2 MS had almost a PPG pace in the AHL, but only over 6 GP, and then tore up WHL with 2.09 PPG, whereas Yams was 0.67 in AHL and 2 points in 17 NHL GP. Yams AHL season was pretty respectable for a 20 year old though, and with a cup of coffee in the NHL, was a pretty successful season I would argue. Not really sure who I would give the advantage to in the D+2 year really.

In Yams D+3 year he was almost a PPG in the NHL over 27 GP and strangely had a lower AHL PPG of 0.7, lol. We'll see what Savoie can do in D+3.

Anyway, I don't think the comp holds all that much in style, at least from the limited highlights I've seen of Savoie. I'm not that familiar with the player outside those highlight packages and then the descriptions I've read. He seems to be a significantly better skater, first and foremost, which will help him a lot being a smaller player. Also, as stated above, having an inch or 2 and 25 pounds, is quite a big difference really. Its the difference between "very small", and just "smaller than average".

Keep in mind Yamamoto is a late birthday and had 3 full seasons in the WHL before being drafted while Savoie had a 22 game season (would have needed exceptional status to play the full season because he was 15 when the season began), a COVID season where he played in the AJHL and USHL because the WHL had only a short 24 game season that started late, and then his draft year which was his first full WHL season. Their situations were so incredibly different that you really can't compare their draft years because Yamo had 3 full WHL seasons to adapt while Savoie had 1.33 seasons in the WHL.

 

[Shizuka]

Sometimes I wonder if some of the guys posting are actually Oilers fans. Prior to the trade he was quite highly regarded, and from organizations he's played for, he's spoken of highly. Notably the MJ GM who said he was someone who was hard on the puck.. so I don't know where this idea is coming from, that he's a perimeter guy. If you don't like the trade getting rid of Mcleod alright, but Savoie is a legitimate prospect with a real chance to succeed.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Sometimes I wonder if some of the guys posting are actually Oilers fans. Prior to the trade he was quite highly regarded, and from organizations he's played for, he's spoken of highly. Notably the MJ GM who said he was someone who was hard on the puck.. so I don't know where this idea is coming from, that he's a perimeter guy. If you don't like the trade getting rid of Mcleod alright, but Savoie is a legitimate prospect with a real chance to succeed.

Buffalo fans said that he is gritty. My biggest worries about small players are if they are weak, timid and don't have any elite skills. Savoie sounds like he has a strong core, plays with grit and he has elite skating and at least really good stickhandling. If he can continue to get stronger and stay healthy, he should be a player for us.

 

[Shizuka]

Buffalo fans said that he is gritty. My biggest worries about small players are if they are weak, timid and don't have any elite skills. Savoie sounds like he has a strong core, plays with grit and he has elite skating and at least really good stickhandling. If he can continue to get stronger and stay healthy, he should be a player for us.

Yup, the guy is a plus skater with a high IQ, given his production. Add a high work rate and he's hitting all those targets Kalle Larsson set out as his markers: compete level, hockey IQ and speed. If he came back from his injury and his production was down, there would be further concerns but he came back and produced at the same clip. Excited to see how he performs even in pre-season games.

 

[Messrules11]

From the clips I’ve seen and what I’ve read the past few days it looks like we squeezed Buffalo pretty good.
Hell, if he throws a few hits he’s already got McLeod beat.

 

[McDoused]

Does Savoie wear 93 because Nuge is his favorite player? He did say he has a nuge sweater.

Be pretty cool to see them on a line together.

 

[NotAVacuumSalesman]

Does Savoie wear 93 because Nuge is his favorite player? He did say he has a nuge sweater.

Be pretty cool to see them on a line together.

I want him wearing 98 just to piss off Matheson.

 

[Throttlehead]

Buffalo fans said that he is gritty. My biggest worries about small players are if they are weak, timid and don't have any elite skills. Savoie sounds like he has a strong core, plays with grit and he has elite skating and at least really good stickhandling. If he can continue to get stronger and stay healthy, he should be a player for us.

Im not sure how Buffalo fans would know how gritty he is, he played one game for the Sabres. If you watch his junior games, you could say he is not afraid of board battles or getting in traffic and dirty areas. He does it smart.

From what Savoie himself said, his shoulder injuries were not severe.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Im not sure how Buffalo fans would know how gritty he is, he played one game for the Sabres. If you watch his junior games, you could say he is not afraid of board battles or getting in traffic and dirty areas. He does it smart.

From what Savoie himself said, his shoulder injuries were not severe.

Some of them watched a good bit of him in the dub.

 

[walktheboulavard]

Still haven't absorbed the fact we acquired a elite blue chip prospect. Time after time we would witness other elite teams around us select and inject young talent into their line up through great amateur scouting. Just not used to the Oilers being a beneficiary of this, albeit the acquisition was made through a trade.

I mean just look at the skating ability with the puck at the at the 2:26 mark. Looks like McDavid for a brief moment.

 

[Sheikyerbouti]

He has a full toolbox. Now he needs to level up, first to the AHL then to the NHL.

If you want to make those downplaying Savoie's value eat some crow make damn sure he's developed correctly. Only then will he reach his full abilities and go on to have an outstanding NHL carer.

He will be the harbinger of Kalle possibly. Prospects have been developing good defensive habits in the AHL, but on the skills side there has been nothing. Kalle has control of policy, so hopefully we see better utilization and usage right away


Currently, everyone who should play with Savoie is right handed imo. Hopefully we see that as a priority and make an AHL move

 

[5 14 6 1]

I read comparables - Stankoven, Barzal. That would be a great add to this team!

Still can't believe we got him. Even if he busts, we still freed up cap space. If he develops into a star, did we ever luck out. Perfect timing to land Skinner for a year and give Savoie another year to develop without as much pressure. Looking at our forward lineup is incredible - for years ahead, we might look back at this lineup at the best (ever) we've seen?

I think the best comparable is Brayden Point

He will be the harbinger of Kalle possibly. Prospects have been developing good defensive habits in the AHL, but on the skills side there has been nothing. Kalle has control of policy, so hopefully we see better utilization and usage right away


Currently, everyone who should play with Savoie is right handed imo. Hopefully we see that as a priority and make an AHL move

Interesting to note Savoie played in Dubuque for a year where Kalle was at the time

 

[doulos]

Does Savoie wear 93 because Nuge is his favorite player? He did say he has a nuge sweater.

Be pretty cool to see them on a line together.

https://oilersnation.com/news/before-being-traded-to-oilers-matt-savoie-named-ryan-nugent-hopkins-his-hockey-hero

 

[DrDrai]

Always hilarious to see people compare him to Yamamoto when Yamamoto was missing most of those elite qualities. Yamo was an average skater with an average shot and good passing/hockey smarts. Savoie is an excellent skater, has an excellent shot, excellent hands, excellent offensive IQ, excellent playmaker. Always a good laugh when people compare small players just because they're small. I am just going to block any poster who compares this guy to Yamo because their hockey takes aren't worth reading.

This reminds me of an NFL draft, This defensive lineman was the same relative weight and height as JJ Watt, even had nearly exact combine performances as JJ Watt. Guess what? He wasn't JJ Watt, not even close and people were somehow shocked.

There is so much more that goes into an athlete, I just finished watching that "Sprint" documentary on Netflix, one of the guys, Zharnel Hughes is the same stature as Usain Bolt, has been fairly inconsistent in races, he just doesn't have the same mentality as Bolt, or that freak gene likely. But Bolt even said he has the body to possibly achieve levels like he did. Hughes is now 28, pushing past his prime.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

So I watched a 30+ minute highlight video of his on youtube. He is very quick and skilled but also thinks the game quickly. If he can develop NHL level strength and stay healthy this guy will be a solid NHL player. Until I see him against pro's I have no idea what he'll be capable of this season, but he is definitely fast and skilled enough to play at the NHL level. In a sense I think that he might be better served to stay at center unless he's good along the walls.

 

[oil Leaks]

I'm happy that his shoulder is all good.

 

[Soundwave]

He's much faster and has better hands than Yamamoto, we'll see I guess. He's going to get an opportunity here eventually, up to him to take it and run.

 

[Mcnotloilersfan]

I'm still laughing at the fact that we got a better piece for McLeod than Calgary did for any of Lindholm, Tanev or Markstrom.

 

[K1984]

Buffalo fans said that he is gritty. My biggest worries about small players are if they are weak, timid and don't have any elite skills. Savoie sounds like he has a strong core, plays with grit and he has elite skating and at least really good stickhandling. If he can continue to get stronger and stay healthy, he should be a player for us.

The key is ability to score and make plays from distance. Savoie can shoot hard and accurately from almost anywhere in the zone, which mitigates some of the size issues.

Yamamoto for example had a muffin shot, requiring him to grind into the dirty areas to score goals and produce. Because of this he either couldn't get there, or would get injured getting there. Savoie can back into space and shoot it.

 

[Lacaar]

Well at the very least it gives me some motivation to watch some pre season games.

If the Oilers aren't the best team in hockey.. they've certainly been the most entertaining haha.

 

[nally]

Besides the shoulder injury and size issue, the one thing I have heard some people say is that he doesn't quite have the high IQ. This concerns me, as we have super athletic guys like Nurse (way back with Hall) with zero IQ and they are extremely frustrating. With a guy his size, IQ is almost a must to make it in the NHL. Does anyone "in the know" have any idea if his hockey IQ is a cause for concern?

I'm also asking as I'd like to trade for him in my keeper league but I'm hesitant due to those 3 factors.
Love that he's from Edmonton, but I also worry he is our only trade trip to bring in a real top 4 RD at the deadline.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

The key is ability to score and make plays from distance. Savoie can shoot hard and accurately from almost anywhere in the zone, which mitigates some of the size issues.

Yamamoto for example had a muffin shot, requiring him to grind into the dirty areas to score goals and produce. Because of this he either couldn't get there, or would get injured getting there. Savoie can back into space and shoot it.

And he has the speed and agility to dart in and out of traffic and sometimes makes players miss checks.

 

[McJadeddog]

Besides the shoulder injury and size issue, the one thing I have heard some people say is that he doesn't quite have the high IQ. This concerns me, as we have super athletic guys like Nurse (way back with Hall) with zero IQ and they are extremely frustrating. With a guy his size, IQ is almost a must to make it in the NHL. Does anyone "in the know" have any idea if his hockey IQ is a cause for concern?

I'm also asking as I'd like to trade for him in my keeper league but I'm hesitant due to those 3 factors.
Love that he's from Edmonton, but I also worry he is our only trade trip to bring in a real top 4 RD at the deadline.

I listened to a couple Buffalo podcasts right after the trade to hear their take on it, and this was brought up a couple times. The general thoughts were that he sometimes skates the puck into areas and doesn't seem to know what to do with it. Like he has the physical tools (skating mostly) to get into dangerous spots, but seems a little lost. I'm paraphrasing of course, but that was the gist of it.

 

[Spawn]

I listened to a couple Buffalo podcasts right after the trade to hear their take on it, and this was brought up a couple times. The general thoughts were that he sometimes skates the puck into areas and doesn't seem to know what to do with it. Like he has the physical tools (skating mostly) to get into dangerous spots, but seems a little lost. I'm paraphrasing of course, but that was the gist of it.

Meh. Sounds like copium. Savoie seems to have been pretty commonly ranked as a top 20-30 nhl prospect in the league over the past few months.

Those dragging Savoir after he was traded is the other half of the coin of those people calling McLeod an elite two-way 3C after he was traded.

If an Oiler fan had suggested this deal a day before it happened we’d be told McLeod would be lucky to return a mid round pick.