Confirmed with Link: Ryan McLeod & Ty Tullio traded to Buffalo for Matthew Savoie

[sirsabre]

Some definite overreactions in this thread.

I'm new here... does everyone on this board always overvalue prospects to this degree?

 

[ValJamesDuex]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808968725355508078

https://x.com/i/web/status/1809320128716197968

 

[TageGod]

Maybe, maybe not. They got a known commodity for an unknown commodity. It hurts trading blue chippers because it could bite you in the ass. Sometimes you have to push your chips in, though.

Except those blue chippers are always in a package to get an existing top end player not McLeod.

 

[Dubi Doo]

Except those blue chippers are always in a package to get an existing top end player not McLeod.

Usually packaged with something else. They're rarely trade straight up for an established NHLer.

 

[buffalowing88]

Hoping this is a Moneyball move. Not a sexy player, but what does he do, Pete?

“He gets on base”

If our bottom six has excellent defensive metrics and Lindy is deploying them correctly with his system, this helps make the top 6, the D and the goaltending better. I’m assuming that Sam Ventura and Lindy had some strong input here , which makes me feel better.

This man screams "Lindy guy" to me. He's made chicken salad out of chicken shit before. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Fighting a losing battle on the main. I quit lol

 

[Chainshot]

If Savoie goes Brayden Point in Edmonton…

 

[Chainshot]

Fighting a losing battle on the main. I quit lol

I remain fine with the deal. Matt was my favorite prospect. Oh well.

 

[dire wolf]

Isn't the whole point of Moneyball that Beane wasn't just identifying those guys, but identifying them consistently at very low value? The Hatteberg story wouldn't have hit quite as hard if Beane had shipped off a top 10 pick to bring him in right? Idk.

Yes - that's one part of it. The other part is identifying value using the less flashy metrics that everyone else is under-valuing. At least, that's the theory.

If Savoie goes Brayden Point in Edmonton…

It won't shock me.

 

[Butt Ox]

I had hoped to see all three Peggers take a shift together at least once. I reckon it's time to move on from that and see if they're building a proper team for Ruff, and how that turns out.

 

[Dubi Doo]

If Savoie goes Brayden Point in Edmonton…

You just know theyre going to win a cup with Savoie and Skinner to continue the trend. How often does a blue chipper get traded straight up for an established NHLer?

 

[elchud]

Majority opinion here seems to be Savoie is in the top 2 out of Kulich/Rosen/Ostlund/Savoie/Helenius/Wahlberg

I really want to believe that, for whatever reasons, Savoie was in the bottom 2 of that list in the minds of the Sabres brass. If it's true that he was being offered in multiple trades.

 

[Zach716]

If Savoie goes Brayden Point in Edmonton…

Hyman just scored 54 goals in 80 next to McDavid. This will look like the most lopsided trade in history mainly because he will be playing next to possibly the best player in history.

 

[Samsonite23]

If Savoie goes Brayden Point in Edmonton…

I love the player. Bet he goes off for a while at some point. I genuinely see no way he stays healthy given his injury history and how hard he plays.

 

[K8fool]

Majority opinion here seems to be Savoie is in the top 2 out of Kulich/Rosen/Ostlund/Savoie/Helenius/Wahlberg

I really want to believe that, for whatever reasons, Savoie was in the bottom 2 of that list in the minds of the Sabres brass. If it's true that he was being offered in multiple trades.

Ostlund and novikov will play in Buffalo , i see wahlberg next w short viewing although kulich has belief in himself and rosen is a year or two of conditioning and an adjustment to fill
A role yet undetermined.

Savoie could surprise and excel around Edmonton. Mc loud could develop his game aroumd lindy. May help both teams but we see dividends first. Liked mccloud against fla. can dominate w surprisingly little hesitation, fear. Encouraging.

 

[EichHart]

View attachment 892660

How soon people forget.

How does the #1 PPG player in the WHL not have top line upside?

 

[K8fool]

Hyman just scored 54 goals in 80 next to McDavid. This will look like the most lopsided trade in history mainly because he will be playing next to possibly the best player in history.

Mcloud playing w healthy . Tage and the rest of the hospital gang may truly be a great fit as both teams play fast. , Karmonos or Adams saw this as real trade or similar to necas in our lineup

 

[Gras]

How does the #1 PPG player in the WHL not have top line upside?

Smol

 

[Dingo44]

Thought this was a good breakdown of McLeod.

Evaluating Newest Sabres Forward Ryan McLeod

The Buffalo Sabres announced Friday that they traded top-tier prospect Matthew Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for center Ryan McLeod and forward prospect Tyler Tullio. The trade was a clear move to upgrade the forward corps immediately by adding the 24-year-old McLeod. He will...

buffalohockeynow.com

 

[Ace]

How does the #1 PPG player in the WHL not have top line upside?

In his draft plus 2 year? As a top ten pick? If he wasn’t there would be a big problem. Also if the younger Benson wasn’t too good for the league…he’d have beaten him like he has every year.

We’re talking about a guy who isn’t making the league until what…draft plus 4? That’s not the special player people want to pretend he is. Some are acting like we traded Bedard or Celebrini away today. We didn’t. We traded away one of a bucket of guys around the same place. They wouldn’t move Kulich in this deal. Or Helenius. Or Benson…who of course we still can’t count because unlike Savoie made the league year one and is no longer a prospect so we pretend he doesn’t factor into Savoie discussion. Which is hilarious.

If Savoie was as special as people are making it out…he wouldn’t have been traded. He’d have been in the league

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

I hope Savoie goes off. My favorite prospect and I’ll continue to be a fan. I think he will. If McLeod is a dud, this will sting.

 

[EichHart]

In his draft plus 2 year? As a top ten pick? If he wasn’t there would be a big problem. Also if the younger Benson wasn’t too good for the league…he’d have beaten him like he has every year.

We’re talking about a guy who isn’t making the league until what…draft plus 4? That’s not the special player people want to pretend he is. Some are acting like we traded Bedard or Celebrini away today. We didn’t. We traded away one of a bucket of guys around the same place. They wouldn’t move Kulich in this deal. Or Helenius. Or Benson…who of course we still can’t count because unlike Savoie made the league year one and is no longer a prospect so we pretend he doesn’t factor into Savoie discussion. Which is hilarious.

If Savoie was as special as people are making it out…he wouldn’t have been traded. He’d have been in the league

Wasn’t savoie injured last preseason when lineup decisions are made? Who knows how last year goes and who makes the team if he doesn’t get hurt. He came back from injury and didn’t miss a step. Was really excited for him. When I just went over to the top 10 prospect thread there are quite a few people that had savoie ranked #1. Many long time very knowledgeable posters…number 3 centers are not that difficult to find in free agency, especially with the cap space we had. Top few prospect trades should be saved for top 6 forward/top 4 d.

 

[TheNumber4]

Oil fan here. You guys got a good one in Mcleod. Oil fanbase is a bit down on him at the moment cause of a bad giveaway in the playoffs (whiffed a pass, it happens) which lead to a scratch. Plus anemic offensive production in the playoffs until the SCFs series.

But he's a good player. He really is, He's 100% defensively responsible, he will always back check and always mark his man. He has ELITE speed in this League, like he's as fast as McDavid (without the puck), which allows him to dart in and out of defensive positions breaking up plays and passes. He's got "smooth" hands, he stickhandles like butter and the puck is glued to his stick. He can weave in and out of traffic with his combination of smooth hands and even smoother skating. This helps him offensively and defensively.

There's some playmaking ability, especially below the goal line and into the slot, but this isn't a strong suit in his game. He can snipe decently, but again not a strong suit in his game. His offensive ceiling is held back by a lack of poise in his game and possibly a lack of offensive IQ. That said, I think there's more to give on the offensive front, not a lot more but a tad more.

I wanted him to be an Oiler for life. To be our Cogliano-type 3C. He can be that in this League. If offered a 1st round pick for him straight up, I say No to all suitors. So I don't think the value is that off here.

 

[aspin3]

Is Tulio even a legit NHL prospect? Is he doing anything here other than eating a contract slot?

Tullio is a legit prospect. He passed our first round pick Borgault for potential. Tullio is captain material. Scored 42 goals in OHL.

 

[McFlyingV]

Just wanted to chime in on my thoughts on the trade as I've enjoyed reading the opinions here.

My initial thoughts were holy f*** the Oilers just fleeced Buffalo. I still hold the belief the Oilers got a lot of value out of this trade, but I want to hash out my thoughts for both sides.

From Buffalo's perspective I think McLeod as a player makes sense for them if they really do have too many smaller skilled guys. I'm not familiar enough with your roster and which guys battle, embrace going into contact/dirty areas of the ice, and play physical, but those are the guys you'll want to surround McLeod with. He got a bit of that in Edmonton with Foegele who was one of his common line mates here and they had some good moments together. Anyways, lets start with good: Blazing fast, good motor, good puck transporter on the breakout, good defensive awareness, excellent stick checker and back checker through the neutral zone, elite penalty killer. Next we'll talk about the "ok": decent hands, decent passer, decent finisher. And then the bad: allergic to puck battles, taking a hit, or throwing a hit. Prone to own zone turn overs from time to time when breaking out. Rarely takes the puck to the net unless he's on a clean or partial breakaway, expect him to use his speed to enter the zone and then circle the perimeter with mixed results on making a good pass or turning over possession with nothing accomplished.

I think he'll be a good addition for you guys. I like him as a regular season 3C or middle 6 winger, but hate him as a 3C in the playoffs. Just doesn't engage in battles or contact enough to be a true shutdown centre when intensity ramps up because his intensity doesn't change. He can help you get to the dance, but I don't think he can help you win there. Has had 3 extended playoff runs in Edmonton and hasn't yet found a way to up his intensity and battle which has always been the criticism of him dating back to when he was 16.

As for Savoie I love the pickup for Edmonton. Small, but excellent skillset. Feels like he'll have a chance to make the team out of camp if the Oilers decide to run McD-Drai-Nuge-Henrique down the middle with Henrique as their shutdown line with Brown and Janmark. Equally as good chance he starts in the AHL, but Edmonton could offer him a very sheltered role on a scoring 3rd line with Kane and Nuge. If Kane is injured to start the year the likelihood of him making the team might be higher. I believe Edmonton envisions him as Skinner's replacement next year when he probably prices himself out of Edmonton giving them 2 ELC years of hopefully a top 6 winger.

Overall I think the Oilers win this on value, but I think it could be a positive for both sides and I hope McLeod can help you guys back into the playoffs. If that happens I don't think anyone will care if Savoie is succeeding in Edmonton.