Buffalo Sabres trade top prospect to Oilers for Ryan McLeod

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A week after the Buffalo Sabres decided to use their first-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, the team has traded their first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Matt Savoie, in exchange for speedy Edmonton Oilers center Ryan McLeod and promising forward Ty Tullio.

McLeod, the Sabres’ key addition, is 24 and played 81 regular-season games for the Oilers last season. He scored 12 goals and had 18 assists in the regular season, while adding four goals in 24 playoff games last season. In 2023-24, McLeod averaged 14 minutes per game and finished with a +10 rating. McLeod is a solid penalty killer and immediately becomes one of the Sabres’ fastest players.

Matt Savoie has played just one game with the Sabres and has spent most of the last two seasons in the Western Hockey League. Savoie was one of the Sabres’ top prospects and is only 20 years old.

Tullio was a fifth-round pick in 2020 and spent the last two seasons with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.

Bove’s point of view:

After a week of criticizing the Sabres for their lack of urgency in the trade market, I think the team deserves credit for taking a risk with the addition of McLeod.

It could be argued that the Sabres overpaid in sending Savoie to Edmonton, but this deal helps the Sabres field a much more complete roster next season and adds much-needed speed and experience to their third line.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams needed to make a splash and this trade fits the bill. It’s never a good idea to make a trade just for the sake of it, but I think McLeod makes the Sabres a more complete team right out of the gate.

The deal also gives the Sabres flexibility with restricted free agent Peyton Krebs, who can now play a role that better suits him on the fourth line. Krebs could also be moved in a corresponding move to help the Sabres add a top-tier winger.

Buffalo has yet to add a top-six winger this summer, but they took a step in the right direction Friday afternoon and believe the reward outweighs the risk.