BROSSARD — David Savard knows his NHL career is coming to a close. But with the Montreal Canadiens in the playoffs, he doesn’t know exactly when he’ll hang up his skates. The veteran defenceman revealed Friday that he’s playing his last NHL season and plans to retire after Montreal's playoff run, calling it a perfect swan song after three seasons of missing the post-season with his boyhood team.
“I'm just happy I got to be in Montreal and finally make the playoffs,” he said, as the Canadiens prepared for a first-round series against the Capitals beginning Monday in Washington. "It's pretty cool to be able to do it in Montreal, at home, in front of your family. I was a fan growing up, and to be able to wear the jersey in a playoff run, it's gonna be special."
The 34-year-old from Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., arrived in Montreal via free agency in July 2021 after helping the Tampa Bay Lightning win the Stanley Cup over the Canadiens in five games. His four-year, US$14-million contract expires at the end of this season. Savard joined a Canadiens team coming off a run to the final, but the club quickly shifted to a rebuild after a disastrous start to the 2021-22 season led to widespread organizational changes.
His wife and three kids sat on Montreal's bench during warm-up when the Canadiens hosted the Carolina Hurricanes in what could have been his last game Wednesday. Montreal, however, won 4-2 in the regular-season finale to punch its ticket into the playoffs and extend Savard's career.
“We're playing for a lot, and obviously we want to prolong his career,” said captain Nick Suzuki. “It was nice to share that moment with him, that it wasn't going to be his last game. He's really loved in the room, and he's been a big part of this rebuild and been someone to look up to for a lot of guys.”
Savard played in parts of 14 seasons with the Canadiens, Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning, totaling 54 goals and 188 assists in 870 regular-season games. Known for his ability to block shots, the shutdown defenceman has been a steady presence on the young Canadiens blue line, often tasked with helping rookies ease into the NHL.
"He actually is an extension of the coaching,” head coach Martin St. Louis said. “He does a lot of coaching, and he's got a calming presence. So for any young players who come in who might be a little stressed out about playing in the NHL, I think Savvy is a very good sounding board. He can hold their hand going through what they're going through a little bit, without giving them all the answers and overcoaching it."
Kaiden Guhle said Savard filled that role as his first partner when he entered the league in 2022-23. The 23-year-old Guhle remembers Savard shouldering the blame for his rookie mistakes. “He's the first guy to tell you it's OK, or first guy to say, ‘I could have done this and that wouldn't have happened,’” Guhle said. “He's just so good for any young kid coming into the league. He's unbelievable. He tries to pick something out of his game, so you don't just put it all on yourself. He's still doing it to this day.”
With players like Guhle developing and taking on more responsibility, Savard’s role diminished this season, averaging 16:35 in ice time after reaching higher than 20 minutes per game in each of his previous three seasons. Savard said he started thinking about retirement last summer, knowing he might feel ready to call it a career after one more campaign.
His shot-blocking is an asset, but the putting his body on the line to block 1,624 attempts has also taken a toll. “It's more about me and the way I feel, the way my body's just handling the season,” Savard said. “We were going to kind of play it by ear a little bit at Christmas and see how I felt. It slowly crept in, just knowing that was the time for me to be done.”
Despite that, Savard said his body can withstand “one more run,” even if it means stepping in front of a few blistering Alex Ovechkin one-timers. “I'll do everything I can to help this team win and hopefully get a deep run,” he said.
The Canadiens have defied the odds by reaching the playoffs this season as the team continues its rebuild. And as Montreal prepares to meet the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the opening round beginning Monday night at Capital One Arena, it has yet another motivating factor in its quest to stage an upset. Veteran defenceman David Savard, quite unexpectedly, revealed Friday he has decided to retire at the end of the post-season.
“It’s my last season,” Savard said after the Canadiens’ optional practice at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. “It’s more about me, the way I feel, the way my body’s just handling the season. It’s something I talked about with my agent last year, after the season and in the summer, not knowing how I was going to feel at the end of this year.”
One of the NHL’s premier shot-blockers, the 6-foot-1, 235-pound Savard has been paired lately with Jayden Struble. It wasn’t by chance that head coach Martin St. Louis made a point of generally teaming him with young players who could lean on his experience and wisdom to help them overcome growing pains.
“We knew it could be his last (season),” rookie Lane Hutson said. “We wanted him to be a part of a playoff team one last time. We’re very happy that it’s happening. It was pretty instant with him, being around him. Learning little things about being a pro. He’s been great to me. I got really lucky with him. He’s really patient with what he’s teaching and what he’s explaining. He’s just the nicest guy and easy to be around.”
As the Canadiens prepare for their series against the Capitals, Savard’s teammates are rallying around him, motivated to make his last season memorable. “Obviously, he’s really loved in the room,” captain Nick Suzuki said. “He’s been a big part of this rebuild. He has been someone to look up to for a lot of guys, including myself. We’re playing for a lot, and obviously we want to prolong his career. I think (Savard’s retirement) is another motivator. He has been locked in and I’m happy for him.”
As the playoffs approach, the Canadiens are not just playing for a chance at the Stanley Cup; they are playing to honor a veteran who has been a key figure in their locker room and on the ice. With Savard’s leadership and experience, the Canadiens look poised to make a deep run, one that could very well culminate in a fitting farewell for one of their beloved players.
