Warriors' Savoie, Broncos' Geekie set to face off for first time since being traded

Two of the most notable trades made in the Western Hockey League (WHL) before the deadline earlier this month saw the Wenatchee Wild trading away two of their top forwards, Matthew Savoie and Conor Geekie.

Savoie was sent to the Moose Jaw Warriors for seven draft picks including two first-rounders.

Geekie meanwhile, was traded to the Swift Current Broncos for three players and four draft picks, including two first-rounders.

The two were considered a dynamic duo for the Wenatchee Wild before the trade. Geekie was leading the Wild in points with 49 in 26 games. Savoie began the year in the American Hockey League (AHL) but eventually re-joined his former WHL team and had 24 points in just 11 games.

Now the two former teammates who spent the first four seasons of their WHL careers together will play against one another on Friday night for the first time.

“It’s never happened you know? We did everything, whether it was Hockey Canada stuff, we were playing together the entire time. It’ll be weird. I think it’ll take probably one or two shifts to realize he’s not on my line anymore,” Geekie said with a smirk on his face.

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“It’s going to be weird to see him in a Swift Current uniform. You know it’s tough. We’ve been together pretty much everywhere. We’ve gone to the (NHL) combine, gone to the draft together. So it’ll definitely be a little bit of an adjustment playing him,” Savoie said.

The pair admits they expected the trades to happen due to the fact Wenatchee needs to recuperate draft picks in the near future.

“I did have an idea that I was getting moved just because Wenatchee has to get a bunch of picks back and get some more players in the prospect pool which makes complete sense. They’re a new team, they don’t want to have to go through a really long rebuild. So I had a good idea I was on the move, but I wasn’t sure about where to,” said Savoie.

“I knew the rumours were kind of going around. I mean, it’s the trade deadline, you never know what’s going to happen so I kind of just kept my options open,” Geekie said.

However, the two had one final opportunity to suit up on the same team when they played for Team Canada at this year’s World Juniors. Both knew their time together was winding down.

Now they are just a couple of weeks in to playing for their new squads and both are already making an impact. Savoie has six points in two games with the Warriors and Geekie has five in three games with the Broncos.

“I’ve been really happy. His first game was a real strong one. I think just his ability to not only score and produce on the offensive side, but he also can play a physical game. He understands what it means to be a complete hockey player,” said Swift Current Broncos interim head coach, Taras McEwen said of Geekie.

“He’s a pro. I think he has instant respect, I think because off his pedigree, but also the way he practices, how he jumps right into the game. He does everything, full effort, full intensity, and he’s a great kid,” Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary said when asked about Savoie.

Puck drop for the Broncos and Warriors game is 7 p.m. at the InnovationPlex in Swift Current.