The Buffalo Sabres turned some heads a few years ago when they traded prospect Matthew Savoie, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for third-line center Ryan McLeod and forward Tyler Tullio, who's since departed the organization.
Although it felt like a risk for the Sabres to give up a player with a high-end offensive pedigree, the trade looked like an absolute steal for about 19 months.
McLeod emerged as a key contributor for Buffalo, which has transformed into a legitimate Eastern Conference contender this season, while Savoie struggled to make his mark in Edmonton.
The 22-year-old Canadian may finally be turning a corner in his development, though. He's recorded nine points (two goals and seven assists) over the past 10 games. He's also fired off 19 shots on goal, blocked six shots and posted a plus-two rating during that span.
More importantly, Savoie is starting to look more confident with the puck on his stick. His undersized 5-foot-10, 179-pound frame was always going to increase the difficulty of his learning curve, but he's no longer shying away from contract in the most dangerous area of the offensive zone.
It's earned him an opportunity to play on the Oilers' first line alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman, and he scored the game-winning goal in Sunday's victory over the Nashville Predators on a perfect pass from McDavid.
"Just bust as hard as I can and try and give him an option," Savoie told reporters. "Obviously, he did a good job selling the shot and sliding over to a pretty open net."
Speaking of "bust," that label was starting to pop up as the former Winnipeg Ice standout struggled to gain his NHL footing with the Oilers. He's quieting those criticisms with his recent play.
"I think in the first half of the year, there were stretches of a couple of good games and a couple of bad games, getting a bunch of looks and going cold for a little bit," Savoie said. "But I feel like since the Christmas break, I've been more consistent game by game, just getting looks and playing better all around."
Playing with a generational talent like McDavid obviously helps, but his individual play has taken a significant step forward over the past few months, which is great news for Edmonton as it attempts to lock down a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Buffalo Sabres will never regret trading for Ryan McLeod despite the recent play of Matthew Savoie
Although Savoie is starting to flash the offensive skill set that made him a top draft prospect four years ago, the Sabres will remain completely content with the 2024 trade.
McLeod filled an important spot in Buffalo's lineup to near perfection. His two-way ability is exactly what teams seek from a third-line center, and his offensive impact may even be a touch higher than even the Blue and Gold expected with 102 points (32 goals and 70 helpers) in 146 games.
He's compiled 12 goals, 37 assists and 28 blocked shots in 67 appearances this season. He also leads the NHL in shorthanded goals (five) and owns a plus-27 rating, which is 14th-best mark in the league.
Recently, McLeod has been playing alongside Jason Zucker and Jack Quinn. Even though it's designated as the third line, head coach Lindy Ruff has shown a lot of confidence in the trio, often putting them on the ice first to open periods.
"We're a confident group right now, just taking it one day at a time, enjoying the ride," McLeod said after a March 5 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. "Not trying to get too high or too low, but definitely enjoying it."
The Sabres have been the NHL's hottest team since early December. They've surged up the East standings with an almost unbelievable 30-6-2 record over their past 38 games, which has allowed them to take over first place in the Atlantic Division.
While McLeod doesn't get the same level of recognition as cornerstones like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson, there's no doubt he's been vital to Buffalo's remarkable turnaround.
So, while the initial trade reviews suggested the Oilers may have stolen Savoie from the Sabres and the script then flipped to Buffalo winning the deal, the reality is both sides may be happy in the end.
Or , for those eager to declare a winner from the trade, perhaps a Sabres-Oilers Cup Final could settle the debate once and for all.