The Edmonton Oilers traded speedy center Ryan McLeod and minor-league winger Tyler Tullio to the Buffalo Sabres for prized forward prospect Matt Savoie, the teams announced Friday.
McLeod recorded a career-high 12 goals and 18 assists in 81 games with the Oilers in 2023-24, primarily serving as their third-line center. He turns 25 in September and carries a $2.1-million cap hit before becoming a restricted free agent in 2025.
He's posted superb defensive metrics over the last three years.
Ryan McLeod, acquired by BUF, is a two-way centre and penalty killer. Offensive upside is unclear but he produces fairly efficiently for his minutes. In line with the Sabres' other moves this summer, he's one of the fastest skaters in the NHL. #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/5SkLVgSSpf
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 5, 2024
McLeod is coming off a difficult postseason in which he managed only four goals and zero assists in 24 games. His ice time dropped from 14:15 in the regular season to 13:12 in the playoffs. He was also healthy scratched for one game.
The trade helps create some much-needed cap space for the Oilers. By carrying the minimum 20-player roster, they'd currently have $433,000 in cap space. Edmonton still needs more room with restricted free agents Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg lacking new deals, though.
McLeod figures to assume the third-line center role in Buffalo behind Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens. He'll also become a key piece of its penalty kill.
The Sabres drafted Savoie with the No. 9 pick in 2022. He tallied 95 points in 53 games - regular season and playoffs combined - in the WHL in 2023-24, leading the Moose Jaw Warriors to a berth in the Memorial Cup. He also represented Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship, recording one assist in four games before suffering an injury.
Savoie also added five points in six games in the AHL. The 20-year-old made his NHL debut in November but didn't appear in another game with the Sabres.
A native of St. Albert, Alberta, Savoie is listed at just 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds but is considered a dynamic offensive forward. Although he's a natural center, it's possible his NHL future will be on the wing. He immediately becomes Edmonton's top prospect and could challenge for an NHL job as early as 2024-25.
The Oilers still have several center options behind Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, including Adam Henrique, Derek Ryan, and Holloway.
The Sabres' farm system remains rich with high-end forward prospects selected in the first round, as Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Isak Rosen, and Konsta Helenius are still in the fold.
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