Shane Wright (left) and Matthew Savoie (right) at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge (Photos courtesy of Scott Roblin)

By Scott Roblin

Rising Stars

2022 NHL Draft frontrunners Wright, Savoie focusing on the present

Nov 4, 2019 | 6:16 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – They might not be household names yet, but odds are Shane Wright and Matthew Savoie will hear their names brought up together for many years to come.

Wright and Savoie lead the class of burgeoning superstars at this year’s World Under-17 Hockey Challenge representing Canada Black and Canada White, respectively.

The pair are among the most talked about 15-year-old hockey players in the world and seem destined to join the stage together at the 2022 NHL Draft.

On Saturday night, the pair faced off for the first time on the national stage.

“I’ve known Shane for a little bit,” said Savoie. “We’ve played on some teams together at just some little tournaments. He’s a great guy, I think we both respect each other a lot, and I think it was great to get out against him.”

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Wright’s squad got the best of Savoie’s Canada White with a 6-5 overtime victory, led by a hat-trick from the Canada Black team captain.

“He’s obviously an unbelievable player, there’s not much to say,” said Wright.

“He’s just such a great player. It’s fun to play against him, fun to compete against a guy like that, a guy who is such a top level [player] with such high skill. He’s obviously going to be a really good player for years to come.”

Wright became the sixth player in Canadian Hockey League history to earn exceptional player status, meaning he’s been able to play with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs full-time in his 15-year-old season.

This after posting mind boggling numbers in midget last year with 66 goals and 150 points in 72 games with the Don Mills Minor Midget AAA Flyers.

Joining current NHL stars like Connor McDavid and John Tavares in receiving the exceptional tag, Wright has not looked out of place with five goals and 11 points in 14 games before the World Under-17 tournament.

Through his first two games wearing the maple leaf, Wright leads all players with three goals and four points.

He’ll likely be challenged for the top overall pick in 2022 by Finland’s Brad Lambert and Savoie, who put up three assists in his first game of the tournament on Saturday.

Savoie was denied exceptional player status by Hockey Canada in the summer, but was still the slam-dunk first overall pick by the newly-relocated Winnipeg ICE in the WHL Bantam Draft.

Bouncing between the WHL and the CSSHL’s Rink Hockey Academy Prep team, Savoie has still kept up the scoring touch that saw him pot 31 goals and 71 points in 31 games with the Northern Alberta X-Treme Prep club last year.

Savoie has only netted one solitary assist in five games with the ICE this season but has dominated the CSSHL with 20 points in only seven games of action, averaging 2.85 points per game.

That’s put the teen on the radar for NHL scouts, however Savoie claims talk of the draft isn’t even on his radar yet.

“Obviously, everyone wants to make it to the NHL and be drafted as high as you can,” said Savoie. “But, I’m more focused on development and getting there when I need to be.”

Savoie and Canada White face the United States at 7:00 pm on Monday night at the Canalta Centre, while Wright takes to the ice again with Canada Black on Tuesday at 3:00 pm against the Americans.