Buffalo’s ‘22 first-rounder is hoping to get an opportunity after preseason injury
After impressive performances in the first two games of the club’s Prospect Challenge last month, Matthew Savoie appeared to have the inside track on a roster spot with the Buffalo Sabres, but that all changed after his first shift against the Pittsburgh Penguins on September 18, when the 19-year-old suffered an upper-body injury that caused him to miss nearly all of training camp.
After nearly three weeks, Savoie returned to the ice and practiced with the Sabres for the first time on Friday, prior to their final preseason match against the Penguins at Key Bank Center, but when and where the young forward will play is in the realm of the unknown.
"It was definitely pretty devastating to not even get a chance to play any preseason games or get to show myself in games," Savoie said. "(The injury was) a best-case scenario. There was no structural damage, so I got pretty lucky there and you've got to take some positives out of it, that wasn't a longer-term injury. for sure."
Savoie faces the same quandary that fellow 2022 first-rounder Shane Wright was with the Seattle Kraken last season. Due to the existing NHL/CHL agreement, any player drafted out of the QMJHL, OHL, or WHL cannot play in the American Hockey League unless he turns 20 on or before December 31 of that particular season. That means Savoie (who does not turn 20 until January 1) is limited to playing either in the NHL with the Sabres or with the WHL’s Wenatchee Wild, where he scored 90+ points the last two seasons.
Wright spent the first half of last season practicing with the Kraken, playing an occasional NHL game, or going down to their AHL affiliate on conditioning stints before being loaned to Team Canada for the World Junior Championships. After winning gold in January, he was sent back to the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires for the remainder of the season.
The Sabres have still not received a ruling on their request to the CHL for an exemption to allow Savoie to play in Rochester, but it is not expected to be granted since it would open the door for more NHL clubs to make similar requests and deprive Canadian junior teams of their best players.
Savoie’s misfortune turned into junior linemate Zach Benson’s opportunity. The 2023 top pick has been impressive playing on the top line with Jeff Skinner and Tage Thompson, and after scoring his third goal of the preseason in a loss to Columbus on Wednesday, it is expected that the 18-year-old will stay with the Sabres.
Buffalo is likely to place Savoie on injured reserve next week while ramps up his conditioning, but whether that is a short stint or something longer is in question.