C Matthew Savoie - Winnipeg Ice, WHL (2022, 9th, BUF)

[S E P H]

Yes this thread will get comments of "omgz, he's thirteen" and "long way to go". You're right that he has a lot to prove because WHL is much different than AAA as we've seen with Bantam picks. A lot of 1st overalls and a lot of top 10s normally always busts and then you have a player like Ryan Johansen who gets picked in the 7th round of the WHL Bantam draft, but gets picked 4th overall in the NHL. What does this kid do that is separating him apart from the rest? Playing two years younger than the rest of the competition. Granted he is already 5'7" as a 13 year old and once other kids eventually meet his growth, he might fade away.

But to put it in perspective...

- Sam Steel as a 15 year old had a 1.52 PPG in AMBHL
- Tyler Benson as a 14 year old had a 2.54 PPG in AMBHL
- Mat Savoie as a 13 year old has a 1.71 PPG in AMBHL

What are some of the other strengths in your game that help set you apart from your peers? On the other hand, what weaknesses do you feel still need the most work?

I think my speed and stick skills set me apart from my peers because so far I have been able to use my speed and agility to create space and spin off defenders. Some of my weaknesses are not shooting as much as I should. Sometimes I pass when I should shoot, which I am correcting by shooting more often in practices, and in my free time.

http://westernelitehockeyprospects.com/next-big-time-western-canada-star-matthew-savoie/

Video of him here...
http://globalnews.ca/video/3200947/13-year-old-bantam-player-already-on-scouts-radar

EP Profile
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=476028

Click to read more...

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

He skates with an eerily resemblance to McDavid in fluidity from what I saw from a youtube game lol. Doesn't mean he's anywhere near the player but damn, kid can fly.

 

[Hansen]

The thought that someone available for the 2022 draft is 13 already terrifies me

 

[Passchendaele]

Prodigy?

Numbers are nice and all but.. Ty Rattie who held the scoring record not so long ago is still struggling to get a permanent NHL job at 24.. while Benson who broke his records was a 2nd round pick and is most certainly not a future superstar at this point.

 

[BondraTime]

Yes this thread will get comments of "omgz, he's thirteen" and "long way to go". You're right that he has a lot to prove because WHL is much different than AAA as we've seen with Bantam picks. A lot of 1st overalls and a lot of top 10s normally always busts and then you have a player like Ryan Johansen who gets picked in the 7th round of the WHL Bantam draft, but gets picked 4th overall in the NHL. What does this kid do that is separating him apart from the rest? Playing two years younger than the rest of the competition. Granted he is already 5'7" as a 13 year old and once other kids eventually meet his growth, he might fade away.

But to put it in perspective...

- Sam Steel as a 15 year old had a 1.52 PPG in AMBHL
- Tyler Benson as a 14 year old had a 2.54 PPG in AMBHL
- Mat Savoie as a 13 year old has a 1.71 PPG in AMBHL





EP Profile
http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=476028

Sam Steel was never 15. You are too old for bantam at 15.

Also, as a 13 year old he had 50 points in 33 games. As a 14 year old he had 104 points in 33 games.

Savoie is in his 12 year old season, in which Steel played Bantam AA and got 32 points in 11 games.

 

[dahrougem2]

Steel and Benson aren't exactly the best barometers to look at, though. Especially at that age. Benson dominated that league because of his sheer strength and skating ability where he was simply physically more developed than every single player in the league.

Now, if he can maintain similar numbers as he progresses into the WHL, you're on to something. But scouting bantam-aged players is almost always a crapshoot.

 

[Beukeboom]

Sam Steel was never 15. You are too old for bantam at 15.

Also, as a 13 year old he had 50 points in 33 games. As a 14 year old he had 104 points in 33 games.

Savoie is in his 12 year old season, in which Steel played Bantam AA and got 32 points in 11 games.

I heard about this kid in the prodigy thread. The fact that he has a higher ppg than those guys while being 12 is promising indeed. At that age a year is incredibly important.

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

He's sure off to a hot start in the Western Canadian prep school league. 16 points in 5 games as the only 13 year old in a league full of 14 year olds.

 

[Daximus]

Word on the streets is he is being promoted to the CSSHL Elite 15 Bantam league where his older brother Carter plays.
Will be interesting to see if he can continue to play well there as a 13 year old against mostly 15 year olds that are stronger overall then the last league he was in.

If he plays well there over the next two years and dominates the league by next season he might be the first candidate to ever really be up for consideration for exceptional status in the WHL.

 

[jbobell98]

Sportsnet posted an article about this kid and I was wondering if anyone has seen him play. Hes almost guaranteed to be granted exceptional status for the WHL and would become the first to ever do so in the WHL.
Keep in mind hes only a 2004 and isnt eligble for the NHL draft till 2022.
He has 20g 41a 61p in 19gp for the Northern Alberta btm prep team.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

watched a global segment on him last year and in the am very short clips they showed he looked like Mcdavid stylistically

 

[BarDownBobo]

How exactly would exceptional status work in the WHL? Would he be drafted this year along with the 2003s, and then be allowed to play full time at 15? Or would he still be in next years WHL draft and just not have the games played limits that 15 year olds usually have?

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

How exactly would exceptional status work in the WHL? Would he be drafted this year along with the 2003s, and then be allowed to play full time at 15? Or would he still be in next years WHL draft and just not have the games played limits that 15 year olds usually have?

I too have wondered this and have no clue. The W needs to scrap the Bantam draft and go to midget like the others

 

[Daximus]

From what I've heard it's unlikely he applies. But if he did he would be drafted in the same year but just not have any limitations on games played.

 

[Daximus]

It should also be noted he played 2 games at the Elite Bantam level and got 3 points in those games. Kid has a tonne of speed and skill. What is really special about him is how he uses his teammates. Both him and Cole Sillinger are kids to keep an eye on.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Edmonton prepare yourselves!

 

[Daximus]

Edmonton prepare yourselves!

Based on the cycle it's probably Detroits turn this time.

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Based on the cycle it's probably Detroits turn this time.

No way, if there is a franchise player available at #1 it's gonna be Pittsburgh or Edmonton who gets him.

 

[Dominance]

No way, if there is a franchise player available at #1 it's gonna be Pittsburgh or Edmonton who gets him.

He’ll be available just when the Pens are gonna be in need of the next “The Next One”.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

From what I've heard it's unlikely he applies. But if he did he would be drafted in the same year but just not have any limitations on games played.

I think this would be the case too. I don't think he has the size to be granted exceptional status for this year's draft. He'd have to grow within the next year and then get exceptional status in next year's draft.

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

Teen phenom Matthew Savoie draws comparisons to Sidney Crosby | CBC Sports

I watched him play in the gold medal game of the John Reid Memorial Tournament this past weekend. All I can say is "holy shit". The kid skates stylistically like McDavid and some of his passes were unbelievable. He tied the game up and then scored the game winner, he had the arena on the edge of their seat. From the article it sounds like his family is considering applying for exceptional status. I believe he would still be eligible for the Bantam draft next year, but play the following season in the WHL if that was the case. Most likely he plays Midget Prep (15 yo's) next year anyway, so it's not like he is skipping Midget.

 

[Daximus]

I think it bodes really well for how successful the CSSHL will be at developing players. I always thought the main reason Ontario and Quebec produce such elite players is because they have a massive population in a small area which drives up the level of local development leagues. Now that Western Canada has an elite development league stretching from Vancouver Island to Winnipeg we finally have something to unite the stretched populations and drive up the level of development. It's tough to produce elite talent when local league are very small and don't have the talent level to drive guys to become better. Matthew Savoie will hopefully be the face of why this is the way to go for Western Canada from now on.

 

[BigGreenAlum]

Teen phenom Matthew Savoie draws comparisons to Sidney Crosby | CBC Sports

I watched him play in the gold medal game of the John Reid Memorial Tournament this past weekend. All I can say is "holy ****". The kid skates stylistically like McDavid and some of his passes were unbelievable. He tied the game up and then scored the game winner, he had the arena on the edge of their seat. From the article it sounds like his family is considering applying for exceptional status. I believe he would still be eligible for the Bantam draft next year, but play the following season in the WHL if that was the case. Most likely he plays Midget Prep (15 yo's) next year anyway, so it's not like he is skipping Midget.

I checked his elite prospects profile and he has a New Year's birthdate, so assuming EP is accurate, if he was born 24 hours earlier he would be an '03 and eligible for the WHL draft this spring without all the exceptional status hype and process - the process is what it is but it seems very odd that a mere 24 hours can trigger it. McDavid, Veleno, and Day were all born in early/mid January, Ekblad early February. The only true exceptional status player in my mind is Tavares with a September birthday.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

I checked his elite prospects profile and he has a New Year's birthdate, so assuming EP is accurate, if he was born 24 hours earlier he would be an '03 and eligible for the WHL draft this spring without all the exceptional status hype and process - the process is what it is but it seems very odd that a mere 24 hours can trigger it. McDavid, Veleno, and Day were all born in early/mid January, Ekblad early February. The only true exceptional status player in my mind is Tavares with a September birthday.

That's very true and while some will argue that as an '04 birthday he developed with the other '04s, it looks like Savoie has been playing up for much of his life and as a result, we should really be treating him as an '03 when evaluating him.

 

[tony d]

Seems like he could be a good one. Still he's not eligible until the 2022 draft, plenty of things could change between now and then.