When the Edmonton Oilers sent Ryan McLeod and prospect Tyler Tullio to the Buffalo Sabers in exchange for Matt Savoie, trade was seen as a gamble on both sides. At the time, the Oilers seemed like winners to many, as Savoie was seen as a player with untapped potential, and the Sabers were seen as a club that had given up on a top prospect far too quickly. These days, while Savoie isn’t clear yet on what he’ll become, McLeod’s numbers in Buffalo suggest things look a little different.
Edmonton gambled on the lead of Savoie – a dynamic young scorer with speed and skill – while Buffalo looked for an NHL forward who could help right away. A year later, it is increasingly clear that McLeod has offered greater returns.
McLeod has quietly become a big part of the Sabers roster. He delivers far more than even Buffalo probably expected. Since the trade, he has recorded 59 points in 88 games. He has a new contract and new responsibilities, which shows that the coaching staff has him high on the list of important players. He has shown that he can play as a center back, secondary scorer or defensive specialist. In Edmonton he was a penalty killer and a speed-driven depth center. It wasn’t clear he would ever amount to much more, which is why the Oilers felt comfortable trading him.
McLeod is only 26 years old and has yet to reach his ceiling. The only real knock so far has been his struggles in the faceoff circle.
Don’t be too quick to write off Matt Savoie
Savoie, on the other hand, has had a slower start in Edmonton. With just two points in fourteen NHL games, he has secured a permanent spot in the lineup, but it is unclear where the Oilers see him fitting best. He has been tried in the top six, top nine and on the fourth line. He is also seen as a solid penalty killer with speed, but his offense has not clicked. He is already working on it and the opportunities seem to be coming, but he has not broken through yet.
Some believe he deserves a longer spot in the Oilers’ top six, while others wonder how long Edmonton has to wait for everything to click and wonder if his play fits what Edmonton needs right now.
The Oilers made the trade in hopes that Savoie could develop into a future top-six forward. That could still happen — he’s only 21 — but in the short term, Buffalo clearly won the deal. McLeod’s blend of reliability, speed and versatility has made him an integral part of the Sabres’ forward group, while Savoie remains a work in progress.
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