Newest Oiler Matt Savoie talks about ‘dream’ opportunity to play for team he grew up cheering for

Matt Savoie, a highly-regarded NHL imaginable who grew up successful St. Albert, Alta., said to members of nan media successful Edmonton connected Monday astir what it’s for illustration to person been traded to nan Oilers, nan squad he grew up cheering for.

“I’m really excited to beryllium here,” nan 20-year-old, who was selected ninth wide by nan Buffalo Sabres astatine nan 2022 NHL Entry Draft, said pinch a wide smile. “Just excitement being an Edmonton guy, increasing up astir here, ever coming to games arsenic a kid.”

He added that his family location increasing up was “definitely an Oilers household.” His older relative Carter moreover spent respective years pinch nan Oilers organization, playing for nan club’s American Hockey League affiliate.

“Watching nan playoff tally they went connected (this season) and being astir nan metropolis and nan buzz, it’s breathtaking to travel to this squad correct now,” he said of nan Oilers’ 2024 quality successful nan Stanley Cup Final, nan first clip nan nine has accomplished that successful 18 years.

Savoie noted that he arrived successful Edmonton arsenic nan title bid was underway aft his play wrapped up playing astatine nan Memorial Cup pinch nan Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors. He said he watched nan Stanley Cup Final games connected TV pinch friends and “cheered for nan Oilers successful secret,” thing he won’t person to beryllium observant astir anymore aft the Sabres traded him to Edmonton connected Friday successful speech for guardant Ryan McLeod and imaginable Tyler Tullio.

“They person a ton of young prospects correct now who are benignant of connected nan cusp of making nan (NHL),” Savoie said erstwhile asked why he thinks Buffalo was consenting to portion ways pinch him contempt his demonstrated violative talent. “They had to move a mates of guys retired to effort and make their squad amended now and get immoderate older players — knowledgeable players.

“I understood it.”

In 2024, nan Sabres missed nan playoffs for a 13th-straight twelvemonth and nan nine is surely emotion nan unit to play immoderate post-season games this year. The Oilers connected nan different hand, are stocked pinch loads of talent — led by skipper Connor McDavid — and had their champion playoff tally yet pinch its existent group, thing Savoie noted bodes good for nan future.

“You look astatine nan roster and nan additions they made successful nan summer, and they’re going for it,” he said.

“It’s each young player’s dream to travel into an opportunity for illustration this and play pinch really bully players and get bully opportunities, truthful I’m conscionable really wished (and) motivated.”

Last season, Savoie played 1 crippled pinch nan Sabres and besides divided clip playing pinch nan Roster Americans of nan AHL and nan WHL’s Wenatchee Wild earlier ending up connected nan Warriors for their tally to nan Memorial Cup.

“(It was) a small spot hectic,” nan guardant admitted arsenic he said astir his 2023-24 lucky season. “I felt for illustration I was benignant of ever connected nan move playing connected 4 different teams.

“It was a batch of nosy though. I sewage to acquisition a bunch of different things.”

With nan Warriors, Savoie scored 19 goals and put up 28 assists successful conscionable 23 regular-season games. He past added 10 goals and 14 assists successful nan playoffs and helped nan Warriors triumph nan WHL championship. In six games pinch nan Americans, he put up 5 points.

“That first sensation of pro was large for what I request to activity connected this summer: continuing to information retired my game, continuing to get faster and stronger, and really beryllium capable to play astatine that precocious gait for a afloat displacement and afloat games,” said nan five-foot-nine, 179-pound subordinate who tin play each 3 guardant positions.

Trending Now

Reporters asked Savoie astir his wounded history connected Monday and nan imaginable confirmed his shoulders are emotion good.

“At nan commencement successful Buffalo past year, successful training campy erstwhile I sewage injured, I thought moreover erstwhile I was not skating pinch nan squad — rehab — I was capable to make large strides successful nan gym conscionable moving connected small things,” he added.

Savoie said he is excited astir attending nan Oilers’ training campy successful September moreover if it is not yet clear what type of role, if any, he whitethorn person pinch nan nine astatine nan NHL level adjacent season.

“I deliberation I’m tin of playing astatine that level correct now, but you want to do what’s champion for your improvement arsenic good and play lots,” he said. “Wherever I play adjacent year, I’m going to beryllium moving really difficult and conscionable trying to get better.”

Savoie said he believes his ft velocity is 1 of his “biggest weapons” erstwhile he plays.

“I for illustration to play really fast,” he explained. “I deliberation nan crippled astatine a precocious level arsenic well, … looking for nan champion opportunity to put nan puck into nan nett while being reliable connected nan protect broadside arsenic well.”

Oilers re-sign Lavoie

The aforesaid time that Savoie was introduced to nan Edmonton media arsenic an Oiler for nan first time, nan nine announced different move done which it has bolstered its guardant extent up of nan 2024-25 season.

The Oilers re-signed 23-year-old Raphael Lavoie to a one-year, two-way statement pinch an mean yearly worth of $775,000 astatine nan NHL level.

Lavoie played 7 games pinch nan Oilers past play but spent astir of nan twelvemonth pinch nan club’s AHL affiliate, nan Bakersfield Condors. As a Condor, he scored 28 goals and put up 50 points successful 66 games.

Lavoie, a autochthonal of Quebec, was selected by nan Oilers successful nan 2nd information of nan 2019 NHL Entry Draft.