He was projected to be the first-overall selection in next month’s WHL Bantam Draft, but late Wednesday night Matthew Savoie surprised the hockey world when he committed to the University of Denver to play for the Pioneers starting in the 2021-22 season.

Committing to DU isn’t the surprise - his older brother Carter is committed to join the program a year earlier - what is surprising is the fact that he’s planning to go the NCAA route at all.

Proud to announce my commitment to @DU_Hockey for the 2021/22 season. Thanks to my family, friends, teammates, and coaches for helping me along the way. Excited for what the future holds. #GoPioneers pic.twitter.com/4WcaUmIOzN — Matt Savoie (@mattsavoie7) March 19, 2019

Through the winter, Savoie had been working with Hockey Canada in an attempt to gain “exceptional player” status - a move that would have allowed him to play a full season in the WHL next year. Unlike the OHL and QMJHL, the WHL drafts players after their Bantam season, meaning they are selecting players who are 15 as opposed to 16. Since the players are so young, the league restricts the number of games a 15-year-old can play to only five.

Despite the common belief that Savoie is head and shoulders above the peers in his age group, last week he was denied exceptional player status which means he wouldn’t be able to become a full time WHL player until he turns 16 next January.

It appears that this news wasn’t taken well as Savoie has now decided to take his talents to the NCAA and forego a career in the WHL. While many believe Canadian major junior hockey is the best course for development, only being eligible to play 5 games through the first half of his rookie season isn’t something many star players are willing to do.

In the meantime, Savoie could stay with his Northern Alberta Prep team in the CCHL before joining his brother on the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the AJHL. That said, the WHL’s loss could be the USHL’s gain as rumors suggest that he might take a bigger leap and join the USHL next season.

Savoie is a right-shooting forward that projects to be a play-driving center as he develops towards the NHL. He isn’t eligible for the NHL draft until the summer of 2022, but scouts are already praising his elite talent level:

“An elite skater who blends hard to contain strength with bursting acceleration. He has a tremendous vision and deception with the ability to both score or create at will. His work ethic extends beyond the offensive side of the puck, he’s a relentless back checker and overall a complete package.”

There is still the chance that Savoie uses the thread of the NCAA as a way to get drafted by a WHL team of his choosing. It’s a tactic often used by elite junior players - most notably Max Domi and Mitchell Marner claimed they were going to skip the OHL and both committed to Michigan in order to force their way onto the London Knights.

Regardless, Savoie will still be drafted by a WHL team - possibly pretty high. With his talent level as high as it is, a team will take a gamble by selecting Savoie in the hopes of getting him to change his mind. The same thing happened in the OHL last season when Cole Perfetti used the threat of the NCAA to force his way to the Oshawa Generals. Saginaw called his bluff and selected him 5th overall. Perfetti relented, signed with the Spirit and is on the verge of becoming one of the best players in the OHL.

If Savoie does end up at DU he will likely only be there for a single season before making the jump to the NHL, but that one season should be a heck of a lot of fun for Pioneer fans.