The newest team in the Western Hockey League has locked up a key piece of its future.
Matthew Savoie, the first-overall pick in the WHL Draft, signed a standard player agreement with the Winnipeg Ice on Thursday.
The five-foot-nine, 165-pound forward had 31 goals and 40 assists in 31 regular-season games last year with the Northern Alberta Xtreme Midget Prep of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.
Savoie added 12 points in five post-season games as Xtreme won the CSSHL title and was named the league’s MVP.
Winnipeg president and general manager Matt Cockell says it’s an exciting day for the franchise.
“Matt is an elite player and we are excited that he has chosen the WHL and Winnipeg ICE to continue his development,” Cockell says.
The St. Albert, Alta., native represented his province at the 2019 Canada Winter Games and helped the team capture bronze. He had six goals and seven assists in six games during the tournament.
Savoie was equally as impressive in his bantam year with Xtreme, also winning league MVP honours with 97 points in 30 games while leading the CSSHL in assists.
The Ice, which relocated from Kootenay at the end of this past season, have also signed Conor Geekie and Daniel Hauser from their draft class.
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