Montreal Canadiens
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.
I wonder if he’ll slide right into a player development role with the team or Laval?
I wouldn’t be surprised if it has already been arranged.
That’s what I figured too. Announcing before the playoffs begin seems like a little bit of a weird time to do it, other than it potentially can be used as “Win one for Savy” vibes (even though he already has one). It seems like something you would do when you already know what you will be doing off the ice after you are done with playing on the ice.
They may also have had a conversation about playing Struble/Xhekaj together in the playoffs, and Savard sitting.
Okay that’s more wishful thinking than anything else, but you never know.
I sure hope so! Free Arber! ✊
Arber Xhekaj isn’t good enough to play, they should for next season try him at forward.
It just seems like the leash he got for youthful mistakes was WAY shorter than all the other kiddies. Given time, I think he will become a stud defensive defenceman. I wish we’d utilize his cannon of a shot more, but we don’t need him for offence. What our D core is lacking is a big, nasty shutdown guy. Imo, that can easily be Xhekaj, but we need to develop him for that role, just like we’re doing for all the offensive kids. Having said that, our D cupboards are overflowing, so I too have suggested in the past, that I’d much rather try him at forward than trade him away or watch him waste away.
I would like to see the wifi brothers as forwards with a physical forward at centre. Super Smash Brothers.
From your lips to God’s ears. Please let it be so!
Yeah. But it was with Tampa. Now to go to out on top with the cup in your home town and top market,would be the stuff of legends. As it would have been if he cost Tampa the cup with some own goals and giveaways. 😛