Savage is a consistent support player for his team. He finds open space well, always open for a pass or looking to assist his teammates in puck battles. Really nice puck protection in traffic. He’s really strong in his penalty killing, from dumping the puck to forechecking and pinning the opponents in their own zone to kill time. There is a certain fearlessness in his game, playing physical, driving play, and really getting involved all over the ice. Offensively, in front of the net he is very competitive. Does well to gain body and stick positioning, and at the same time he is able to find second opportunities. Also shows his nose for the net during the rush, frequently pushing defensemen back on their heels. When he has possession he is creative while still being smart with the puck. Doesn’t force passes through the middle, or try to make too many low-percentage plays. However, his puck handling is hit and miss. Sometimes it looks great and sometimes he really struggles with it, not able to get past players or even close to them. He plays a good, smart defensive game overall. His strong posture allows him to quickly rotate and move in different directions. Is a pretty intelligent forward, anticipating plays and taking advantage by forcing turnovers. Although he is leaned on in key defensive moments, he still has some big steps to take in order to become more complete in this area. A lot of his faceoff losses come from being out-competed. He doesn’t seem to have much leverage or strength on draws. As low forward he can over-commit and find himself on the wrong side of board battles. With his lack of size he can end up getting pinned along the wall, losing possession. You’d like to see faster reaction times from him at times. Savage probably doesn’t have the skill for a top-six role, but he could be a solid bottom-six forward penalty killing specialist at the next level.

– FCHockey’s 2021 NHL Draft Guide