Edmonton Oilers trade looking more like a steal before matchup against former player

The Oilers made a gutsy trade during the offseason of 2024 to trade the speedy young centreman McLeod in exchange for Matt Savoie, an undersized top-10 draft pick coming off a tough year. It was a big risk for Edmonton, but the reward is starting to deliver.

Savoie's begun to breakout in recent weeks since being elevated into the top six, and now his offensive talents are starting to emerge. Now so far this season, he has just 4 points less than McLeod in far less ice time.

Not only do the Oilers have a quality young player already producing in their lineup, he's doing so at a fraction of the cost of McLeod. Paid up on a $5M per year extension, the Oilers just couldn't afford to have him in their bottom six.

The Oilers instead have Savoie at a very valuable salary of under $1M, and will have him at a cost-controlled number for years.

If Savoie can continue to develop his game and take another step forward, this trade will just continue to look better and better.

Getting a mentorship from Leon Draisaitl on the second line, it's a safe bet that Savoie is going to develop into a great player. He seems to have the intangible hockey sense that will make him an effective complimentary talent for the superstars in the Oilers top six.

Tomorrow night will be a good test to see what McLeod's looking like, and a direct matchup against the Oilers new talent in Savoie.