The chance to be on the ice with one of the best offensive players in the NHL is a big responsibility, and Matt Savoie is making the most of the opportunity. 

“It’s just a lot of excitement from my side, obviously,” Savoie said. “A chance to play with the best player in the world and contribute at that level every night.”

That player is Edmonton Oilers teammate Connor McDavid, who is second in the NHL this season with 118 points (40 goals, 78 assists), two behind Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov (120 points; 40 goals, 80 assists). 

Savoie, a 22-year-old rookie, has three points (two goals, one assist) in five games riding shotgun with McDavid and Zach Hyman on the No. 1 line heading into their Pacific Division showdown at the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1, TVAS). 

The Oilers (35-28-9) have a one-point lead over the Golden Knights (32-16-14) for second in the division. 

Savoie drew the assignment after Leon Draisaitl sustained a lower-body injury in a 3-1 win against the Nashville Predators on March 15. He is expected to be out for the rest of the regular season.  

“When you’re playing with Connor, I think you just have to be aware of where he is on the ice and not force pucks to him, but try to get the pucks to him in good spots and be available for him,” Savoie said. “I think he’s a player that’s able to make good plays and little passes that very few in the League can do, so you have to be ready. You have to be on your toes and in scoring position at all times.”

It did not take long for Savoie to find chemistry with McDavid once coach Kris Knoblauch shuffled the deck in Draisaitl’s absence.

He was elevated at the start of the second period of the game against Nashville and scored at 2:32, finishing off a pass from McDavid on a 2-on-1. 

Savoie has been with McDavid since and is also getting time on the first power-play unit to go along with his usual penalty-killing duties. He scored a short-handed goal in a 5-2 win at the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday. 

“He’s playing well. He’s doing a lot of really good things,” said McDavid, the Oilers captain. “That was a huge goal on the kill there. He plays with a lot of energy, he’s got a great motor on him, he keeps pucks alive, and that’s all you can ask for.”