Montreal Canadiens Defenceman Set To Retire After Playoffs

As the Montreal Canadiens prepare to face the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 2025 NHL Playoffs, one player revealed some important news about his future in the league.

David Savard, 34, announced this will be his final season in the league, as he is set to retire once Montreal’s playoff push comes to an end.

Savard was originally drafted 94th overall by the Blue Jackets in 2009, before eventually making his NHL debut in 2011-12. He spent over a decade with the organization before a trade saw him join the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a pair of first-round picks.

The trade paid off, for both the Lightning and Savard, as the team captured the 2021 Stanley Cup by beating the Canadiens in five games in the final.

Following the win over Montreal, Savard signed a four-year contract with the Canadiens that carried a $3.5 million annual average value (AAV), making him one of the few veteran defencemen in the mix as the Habs soon started their rebuild in earnest.

Savard has acted as mentor for one of the youngest teams in the league, and despite his on-ice play declining in his later years, it’s fair to say he’s one of the most appreciated players in the lineup. He also had fun with the fact that he was one of the oldest players in the lineup, showing up to the team’s Halloween party dressed as an old man.

That speaks to Savard’s affability, with the defencemen being well known as one of the best people to have around a locker room, regardless of whether you’re attempting to secure a Stanley Cup, or whether the team is in the midst of a rebuild.

Savard’s retirement will open the door to a few opportunities in the organization, with young, right-handed defencemen such as David Reinbacher expected to fill the gap in the lineup.