NHL Prospect Roundup: Buffalo Sabres’ Matthew Savoie is about to showcase his talent to the world

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
NHL Prospect Roundup: Buffalo Sabres’ Matthew Savoie is about to showcase his talent to the world
Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

Matthew Savoie isn’t messing around this year.

There might not have been a more high-profile omission from Canada’s selection camp roster last year, given his status as one of the most prolific producers in the CHL. He finished the year with his second consecutive 90-point season, tallying 38 goals and 95 points with the Winnipeg Ice.

Big things were expected this year, with Savoie leading the charge as the Buffalo Prospect Challenge in September. If all went well, he was going to stick around for the start of the Sabres’ season. Instead, an injury in the final game knocked Savoie out until late October, where he played some excellent hockey with the AHL;s Rochester Americans. He’d even make his NHL debut on No.v 10, but only played 3:55 against the Minnesota Wild before getting sent back to junior.

Since joining the Wenatchee Wild, Savoie has been one of the league’s top-scoring threats with 11 goals and 24 points in just 11 games. In a full season, he’d have no issue getting over 120 points for the first time in his career.

Savoie’s speed, skill and creativity has made him one of the best prospects in the game today. And he’s finally about to showcase that on the international stage for the first time since getting drafted ninth overall in 2022. Savoie is expected to play an integral role with Canada’s world junior team, which is set to kick off play against Finland on Dec. 26. With no NHLers on the roster – for now – Savoie is expected to be one of Canada’s top scorers alongside fellow Wild teammate Conor Geekie and top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Macklin Celebrini.

Savoie is one of a handful of WJC prospects I wanted to focus on this week, with others around the world deserving some special attention in this final NHL Prospect Roundup before the Christmas break:

World Junior Championship

– With Canada’s locks sitting out the two exhibition games, I felt Noah Warren was Canada’s most consistent defender throughout the week, showing good defensive awareness and physicality. The Victoriaville Tigres defender isn’t known for his offensive abilities, and he’s actually on pace for a much lower output of just 15 points this year. But that’s not what makes him valuable, either. Warren could be used in various capacities, but he might be used best as a physical shutdown third-pairing option. He’s yet another piece of the Anaheim Ducks‘ stacked defensive future that includes Pavel Mintyukov, Olen Zellweger, Jamie Drysdale, Tristan Luneau and more.

– After Eric Pohlkamp went to USA’s World Junior Summer Showcase this past summer and stood out, he finished the job and earned a spot on the final roster. The San Jose Sharks defender is having a great year with Bemidji State University, and he just looked more confident than I remember seeing when I saw him skate during USA’s WJC camp. I could see him being a puck-moving option on the third pair with the ability to generate offense with his great shot.

– Aram Minnetian showed some serious muscle at USA training camp, earning a spot on a crowded blueline. The Dallas Stars prospect is a competent offensive threat, but his game is built upon being a stout puck distributor with no real major downsides, stylistically. He’s an all-around threat in the vein of Kevin Shattenkirk, and that’ll make him valuable on this American roster. He needed some time to adjust to the college game, but he played great hockey before heading to Plymouth last week.

– Injuries have limited Samuel Honzek to just a handful of games, but the Calgary Flames prospect entered the weekend with seven points in five outings with the Vancouver Giants. Now headed to his third world juniors, he’s still seeking his first point but he’ll play a significant role with Slovakia. Honzek is coming off of some of the best hockey of his junior career, and that’ll be important for a Slovak team that has high hopes this year.

– Keep a close eye on Germany’s Julian Lutz. The Arizona Coyotes prospect has played some tremendous hockey with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers, entering the tournament with 11 points in his pats 10 games. He’s been great at nearly every touranment with Germany, but this year he’ll be counted on more than ever to keep the team in the top division. I know many are quite high on Lutz.

OHL

– Michael Buchinger had a difficult showing at Canada’s world junior camp, but he wasted little time making an impact in his return to Guelph. He had a pair of two-point efforts over Peterborough and Sault Ste. Marie, registering 11 shots total in those games. The St. Louis Blues defenseman is an excellent offensive defenseman with some own-zone issues, but it’s good to see him respond to the cut in a big way with the Storm.

AHL

– It’s too bad that the Finns didn’t release Joakim Kemell for the WJC, but I get it. He’s playing way too good in the AHL, putting him on pace for a 50-point rookie campaign. Kemell’s production has never been an issue, although it’s been good to see him get his confidence roaring after seeing his numbers slip with JYP last year. In the long run, it’s probably best for Kemell and the Nashville Predators to stay focused on helping Milwaukee, but I speak for everyone when I say I would have loved to see him challenge for the tournament scoring title.

– Congratulations to Clay Stevenson on his new three-year contract with the Washington Capitals this year. It’s well deserved given his league-leading .934 save percentage and four shutouts, giving him a 9-4-0 record for the defending Calder Cup champions. He’s currently in his second year of pro hockey, coming off of a tremendous season that saw him embark as one of the best players in the ECHL. His numbers at nearly all levels of hockey over the past half-decade are impressive – and at 24, he’s heating up at an interesting time for the Capitals.

NCAA

– The odds were stacked against him, but I’m still surprised Bradly Nadeau wasn’t at least invited to Team Canada’s camp. He’s lighting up the NCAA with 10 goals and 21 points in 14 games as a freshman at the University of Maine, living up to expectations after going 30th overall to the Carolina Hurricanes last year. Clearly, moving from the BCHL wasn’t a problem for him – he’s creative, fast and always looking to generate something on every shift. He might be the real deal, Hurricanes fans.

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