Oilers top prospect Matthew Savoie gets personal about call up to the NHL
Photo credit: Shaughn Butts /Postmedia
It was a special moment for the Oilers and top prospect Matthew Savoie as he played in his first game with the Oilers in front of his hometown crowd.
Prior to the game, he sat down for an interview and explain how this game means so much to him as he's been an Oilers fan all his life and able to show the team what he could bring to the group as the Oilers prepare for the stretch run of the season.
Savoie savouring this moment for a long time
«My love for the Oilers goes beyond just being a prospect for them. It's pretty cool just to be able to watch and have a little bit of that fan side on me and also being dialed into how I can get there and how I can have an impact on that team.» Matthew Savoie
His dream to play for the Oilers came true when he was notified in the summer on July 5th 2024 that he was traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Oilers in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio.
After showing a strong camp in this year's training camp, many felt that he would have the opportunity to play with the Oilers early on but the team felt it was better for him to remain in Bakersfield to continue to mature and improve despite a slower start to the season.
«A little bit of a slow start adjusting to pro hockey, but I've been playing really
well the last couple of weeks, or even a month, so I'm feeling really confident and feeling really good about my game.» Matthew Savoie
well the last couple of weeks, or even a month, so I'm feeling really confident and feeling really good about my game.» Matthew Savoie
Oilers recalled Savoie to evaluate their depth and his NHL readiness
With the NHL trade deadline looming in the next few weeks, general manager Stan Bowman was preparing to evaluate his talent and see how Savoie would fit in the lineup especially alongside Leon Draisaitl.
Draisaitl explained to Oilers television on what his first impressions were on Savoie and that he's excited to see how he fares since the Oilers are on a five game road trip which began in Philadelphia on Saturday.
«He looked great I thought,» Draisaitl told Oilers TV on Tuesday. «He moves really well. You can tell he's got a lot of hockey sense to him, so maybe we'll get a couple games together and we'll see what we have in him. Of course, I think he's been playing really well from what I heard, and I'm excited to see him.» Leon Draisaitl
There's a strong possibility that he will remain with the Oilers for the remainder of the year especially if he continues to play well. Many will wait and see how Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch will shuffle his lines to make him fit into the lineup.
Source: Heavy Hockey
Matt Savoie earns opportunity with hometown Oilers
Matt Savoie earns opportunity with hometown Oilers
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