The Buffalo Sabres made a trade on Friday, acquiring forwards Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for prospect Matt Savoie.
McLeod, 24, is known for his great defensive metrics and winning faceoffs, though he does have offensive potential. He recorded 12 goals and 18 assists in 81 games last season and added four goals in 24 playoff games during Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Final.
The expectation is that McLeod will serve as Buffalo’s new third-line center. He carries a $2.1 million cap hit before becoming a restricted free agent in 2025.
The Sabres drafted Savoie in 2022 with the No. 9 pick. The 20-year-old made his NHL debut last November but spent the rest of his time in the minors.
McLeod joins forwards Jason Zucker, Sam Lafferty, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Beck Malenstyn, Josh Dunne, defenseman Dennis Gilbert, and goaltender James Reimer as new additions to the organization.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].