Scenes From Morning Skate: Opportunity on Edmonton’s top line awaits young Savoie

Matt Savoie is getting the opportunity every young forward dreams about: playing on a line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

The 21-year-old has earned this chance by grinding it out in the bottom six and penalty-killing effectively, all while flashing offensive talent that keeps showing up even when the puck isn’t going in. Now he gets to see what he can do with the two best players in the NHL feeding him opportunities.

This isn’t just a desperation move due to injuries. This is a reward for doing everything the coaching staff has asked. Savoie has played defensively responsibly. He’s killed penalties effectively. He’s shown the hockey sense and work ethic that make coaches trust you. Now the question is whether he can capitalize on the offensive chances that come from playing alongside elite talent.

“You can tell, obviously, it’s all there. He’s got all the tools,” McDavid said. “As I said, (he) skates really well, he’s a big engine, handles pucks well, shoots as well, checks a lot of boxes. So it’s only a matter of time.”

That’s high praise from the best player in the world. McDavid isn’t one to oversell prospects or hand out compliments just to be nice. When he says someone has all the tools and checks all the boxes, he means it. The “only a matter of time” comment is particularly telling—McDavid believes Savoie’s offensive production is coming, it’s just a question of when the bounces start going his way.

“He’s got a great engine on him. He skates really well. With a little bit of luck, he scores one or two last game, and he’s off and running,” McDavid explained. “But he’s playing really well. He’s dug in defensively. He’s done a great job on the penalty kill, done everything that’s asked of him. So that offensive side will come.”

That’s the key phrase: “done everything that’s asked of him.” Savoie hasn’t pouted about bottom-six minutes. He hasn’t complained about killing penalties when he was a first-round pick expected to produce offence. He’s done the work, earned the trust, and now he’s getting rewarded with top-line minutes alongside two generational talents.

The skating ability McDavid keeps mentioning is crucial for playing on that top line. You need to be able to keep up with McDavid’s pace. You need to be able to get to loose pucks and create separation when opportunities present themselves.

The other element is his hockey IQ. He’s not just fast—he knows where to go. He reads plays developing and positions himself to be an option. Those are the qualities that allow young players to succeed alongside elite talent instead of getting overwhelmed by the speed and skill around them.

The challenge for Savoie is finishing the chances that will inevitably come. McDavid and Draisaitl create offence for everyone they play with. Pucks will find Savoie’s stick in dangerous areas. Lanes will open up that didn’t exist when he was playing on the third line. The difference between this being a successful experiment and a brief audition will be whether he can capitalize on those opportunities.

McDavid’s mention of needing “a little bit of luck” to score one or two last game suggests Savoie is doing the right things but hasn’t gotten the results yet. That happens to young players. They generate chances, they get looks, but the puck hits the post or the goalie makes a save, or the bounce just doesn’t go their way. Playing with McDavid and Draisaitl should increase the volume of those chances, which means the law of averages should eventually work in Savoie’s favor.

The defensive responsibility and penalty-killing work Savoie has put in matters because it shows he can be trusted in all situations. The coaching staff isn’t just throwing him on the top line to see if he can score. They’re promoting him because he’s earned it through his complete game. That trust is crucial, especially if things don’t click immediately.

This is Savoie’s chance to show he belongs in a top-six role. He’s got the tools. He’s got McDavid’s endorsement. He’s got the opportunity to play with two players who will make the game easier for him. Now he needs to make the most of it.

The offensive production will come. McDavid believes it. The coaching staff believes it. Savoie has done everything asked of him to get to this point. Now he gets to see what happens when he’s playing with the best in the world. For a 21-year-old trying to establish himself in the NHL, there’s no better opportunity than this.

Lines and Pairings

Draisaitl-McDavid-Savoie

Mangiapane-RNH-Roslovic

Podkolzin-Philp-Frederic

Howard-Henrique-Tomášek

Lazar

Ekholm-Bouchard

Nurse-Walman

Kulak-Emberson

Stecher-Regula

Pickard

Skinner