Ryan McLeod trade grade: Who got the better of the deal between Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres

Forward Ryan McLeod and Ty Tullio are headed to the Buffalo Sabres. Coming the other way is Matt Savoie, Sportsnet confirms. Based on the face value of this deal, it looks like the Sabres could have fleeced the Oilers.

The move itself is rather surprising, as Ryan McLeod played a key role in the Edmonton Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season. While Savioe has yet to make an impact in the NHL.

McLeod, a former second-round pick, notched 30 points in 81 games last season. In the postseason, McLeod added four goals in 24 total games. He was a valuable piece, playing at times on the same line with Leon Draisaitl.

Tullio was a fifth-round choice for the Oilers in the 2020 draft. He is yet to play in the NHL, spending most of this time with the Bakersfield Condors the past two seasons.

As for Matt Savoie, he was Buffalo’s first-round pick in 2022, selected ninth overall. He has played in one NHL game, failing to register a point as of yet. Savioe had an impressive career in the WHL, notching 90 points in 65 games during his draft year. That performance made him worthy of a first-round selection.

On the surface, this deal is a cap dump for the Edmonton Oilers. McLeod is entering the final year of a two-year contract that carries a $2.1 million cap hit for next year, according to PuckPedia. The Sabres get a solid middle-six forward with the potential to grow.

Meanwhile, the Oilers get a diamond in the rough, as Savioe seems to be far away from making the NHL at this point.

Overall, it seems the Oilers get out ahead in this trade. While they lost a roster player, McLeod mainly played a bottom-six role. As such, the Oilers recover cap space while earning a solid prospect in Savioe. If Savioe lives up to his talent, the Oilers could make out like bandits with this trade.

Ryan McLeod victim of the Oilers’ cap situation

Shipping Ryan McLeod to Buffalo is not something the Oilers would have wanted to do. However, the Oilers are in a cap crunch. Even after the trade, Edmonton is over the cap by $354K. While teams can go over the cap by 10% during the offseason, the overall cap total will need to come under the ceiling before the season begins.

That situation means sacrificing some players to remain cap-compliant. As such, it seems the Oilers plan to swap McLeod for Savoie, assuming Savoie can make the team. If that’s the case, the Oilers get a great prospect out of this situation.

However, reality seems to dictate otherwise. The Oilers must continue making tough choices, especially as Draisaitl’s contract extension looms. The following season, the Oilers will need to figure out contracts for Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid.

In short, the Oilers could be looking at stripping their club down to bare bones unless they can find a taker for Darnell Nurse’s contract. Unfortunately for the Oilers, Ryan McLeod will not be the last solid player to go for the sake of remaining cap-compliant.