Seattle Kraken Draft Profile: Matthew Savoie
The Seattle Kraken’s best bet with the fourth overall pick is taking a forward. They have a plethora of picks this year and will likely find gems in the mid to later rounds, which will add to their blueline and goalie pipeline. Francis is building a prospect pool from the ground up, so he has to be picky and particular when making selections.
Matthew Savoie could be an excellent pick for the Seattle Kraken, but it’s also worth asking if his game is too similar to Beniers. Does Seattle need two Top 6 centers with similar styles in their system?
In my opinion, yes. Beniers and Savoie’s play style differs enough that it would be worth it to have both. In the places where Beniers struggles, Savoie excels, and vice versa.
While Savoie is an excellent playmaker, he can also score. If he gets past his “pass first” mentality, it is likely he will find the back of the net more often. Beniers could also rub off on him defensively, helping him grow in an area he struggles in.
Savoie’s ability to play both center and wing would make him a valuable asset. Versatile players, who transition to different positions well, are hard to come by. Seattle could likely put him anywhere, and he would succeed.
Final analysis
His overall skill set is enough to offset quite a few of the Seattle Kraken’s deficiencies. He could be part of the solution to their goal-scoring issues in addition to their bottom five power play.
He can easily manipulate his opponents to play the game his way. Savoie seems to always be in control, and the Seattle Kraken need his kind of consistency on the ice.
Francis has made many mistakes in his first year as the Seattle Kraken’s GM. However, selecting Matthew Savoie on draft day could be a redeeming move.
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