The Sabres are catching some heat for their latest trade.
The Sabres are catching some heat for their latest trade.
The Buffalo Sabres made a big move last week, trading top prospect Matt Savoie to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Ryan McLeod and Ty Tullio. It was certainly surprising to see the Sabres part ways with their former first-round pick for that kind of return.
In a recent appearance on NHL Network Radio on SiriusXM, Daily Faceoff's Matt Larkin discussed his opinion on the move and did not hold back.
"I think this is a crazy sell-low by Buffalo, and I think it’s been an absolutely horrific offseason for Kevyn Adams. I think this is the definition of a panic trade."
Larkin also added: "It doesn’t compute. This trade does not make any sense to me. It’s not like Savoie is 23 years old, and they’ve given him so many chances, and they’re giving up on him. It’s so early in his career, and he was only drafted a couple of years ago."
Savoie, 20, was selected by the Sabres with the ninth overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The expectation was that he would be a long-term part of the Sabres' top six, but that thought can be forgotten entirely after this move.
Savoie has not slowed down in his development, either. The St. Albert, Alberta native had a big season in the WHL split between the Wenatchee Wild and Moose Jaw Warriors, posting 30 goals and 71 points in 34 games. He also posted two goals and five points in six games for the Rochester Americans. Clearly, he still has very good upside, but the Sabres viewed him as expendable to land their 3C.
It is understandable that Larkin and many others are not fans of this trade for the Sabres. Savoie has the skill to become an impactful forward in the NHL, and he is still only 20 years old. However, time will tell how this move ages for both clubs. None of these players have played their first game with their new clubs.
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