Savoie, No. 9 pick in 2022 Draft, traded to Oilers by Sabres
Buffalo signs Jokiharju to a 1-year contract, obtaining the 20-year-old center in exchange for McLeod and Tullio.
© Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images
Matt Savoie, the No. 9 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, was traded to the Edmonton Oilers from the Buffalo Sabres on Friday for Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio.
Last season, the center, who was 20 years old, made his NHL debut on November 10, 2023, and played one game. During the 2023-24 season, he played six games for Rochester in the American Hockey League and recorded five points (two goals and three assists). Additionally, he played 11 games for Wenatchee, earning 24 points (11 goals and 13 assists), and 23 games for Moose Jaw, earning 47 points (19 goals and 28 assists) in the Western Hockey League.
In the 2022-23 season, Savoie, who was selected as the top pick in the 2019 WHL Draft, showcased remarkable performance for Winnipeg of the WHL. He accumulated an impressive total of 95 points, comprising 38 goals and 57 assists, throughout 62 games.
Last season, McLeod contributed 30 points (12 goals and 18 assists) to the Oilers. As a 24-year-old center, he scored four goals in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games for Edmonton. Unfortunately, the Oilers fell short, losing to the Florida Panthers in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final.
In the 2018 NHL Draft, McLeod was selected as the No. 40 pick by the Oilers. Throughout his NHL career, he has accumulated a total of 75 points, consisting of 32 goals and 43 assists, in 219 games. Additionally, in his 56 playoff games, McLeod has contributed 13 points, which include seven goals and six assists.
Edmonton picked Tullio in the 2020 NHL Draft as the 126th overall selection in the fifth round. Last season, the 22-year-old forward played for Bakersfield in the AHL, tallying 21 points with nine goals and 12 assists. However, he has not yet made his debut in the NHL.
The Sabres also signed defenseman Henri Jokiharju to a one-year, $3.1 million contract Friday.
Last season, the defenseman, aged 25, who was a restricted free agent, achieved a career-best performance in the NHL with 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) across 74 games while playing for Buffalo.
Jokiharju, chosen as the No. 29 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, has accumulated a total of 87 points (16 goals, 71 assists) throughout his career playing for both the Blackhawks and Sabres in 347 games.
