Inside Scott Wheeler’s Bold 2022 NHL Draft Shake-Up: Which Stars Rise and Fall?

See this week’s players I was wrong about column for more on my Bichsel evaluation.

19. Minnesota Wild: C/RW Matt Savoie

Actual draft pick: No. 9 (change: -10) to Buffalo
My final ranking: No. 4 (change: -15)

I was obviously too high on Savoie and underestimated the role his 5-foot-9ish frame would play him sticking at center and impacting at the NHL level. I really liked what I’d seen in the AJHL, USHL (all-rookie team during the pandemic season) and then WHL (41 goals and 102 points in 75 combined regular-season and playoff games as the leading scorer on a Winnipeg Ice team that featured Connor McClennon, Conor Geekie, Mikey Milne and Zach Benson). He was one of the better skaters in the draft. He was a driver with his work ethic. He made plays off the rush and inside the offensive zone. I’d spoken with folks in Sherwood Park, Dubuque and Winnipeg about him and knew he was a standout athlete and strong for his size, and I gave that too much clout. My top tier should have been four players, not five.

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