Matthew Savoie’s first opportunity with the Edmonton Oilers will be short-lived. The Oilers announced they’ve reassigned Savoie to their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
The former ninth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft was the key player Edmonton acquired in the trade that sent Ryan McLeod to the Buffalo Sabres last summer. Savoie was coming off a sensational final season in the WHL, scoring 30 goals and 71 points in 34 games split between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Wenatchee Wild. His playoff performance was arguably better, as he scored 10 goals and 24 points in 19 games for the Warriors, helping lead the team to a WHL championship and a berth in the 2024 Memorial Cup tournament.
Savoie also began his professional career last year. He showed promise in a brief stretch with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, scoring two goals and five points in six games. Those happened to be his only appearances in the Sabres organization.
The St. Alberta, Alberta native began the 2024-25 campaign with AHL Bakersfield. His transition to professional hockey couldn’t have gone better. Savoie is third on the Condors in scoring with 13 goals and 37 points in 45 games with a +16 rating. He won’t challenge the lead for rookie scoring, but it’s as good as the Oilers could have hoped for from their new prospect. Savoie registered one assist and a -4 rating in his four-game stint with Edmonton.