Matthew Savoie is an extremely intelligent playmaking forward who plays the game at a very high pace and was a very effective player in all situations this year, whether it was five-on-five, the power play, or even the penalty kill. He has the ability to play the game effectively at whatever pace is dictated. If the game is wide open, he’s able to use his explosiveness to blow by blueliners the second they make a mistake trying to defend him, and if the game is more controlled he has a firm grasp on his defensive assignments and won’t lose his positioning. Some players are able to move quickly when they have the puck but their hands aren’t able to keep up. That’s not the case with him. He’s able to handle the puck extremely well at full speed and can make defenders look silly when he’s one-on-one. He was lethal this year on the power play, and he’s so deceptive when he has the puck he keeps opponents guessing what he’s going to do. He displays a high compete-level, he’s a hound on the forecheck and despite his size is not afraid of any puck battle. His defensive game also doesn’t get enough credit. He’s got good defensive positioning and shows good heart while killing penalties. He also has the ability to use his high hockey IQ to read the play and cause turnovers. The big knock on him really comes down to his size. He can sometimes get bottled up when he’s going on a rush and get pushed off the puck, and although he is a hound on the puck he can’t really use his body to separate anyone from the puck. Despite the physical limitations, a team will undoubtedly select Savoie early in the draft with the hopes he’s able to develop into a top-six playmaking center.

– FCHockey’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide