Denis Savard

Lore & Background

As a youth, Savard played in the 1973 and 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Verdun, Quebec. In the 1980 NHL entry draft, the Montreal Canadiens held the first overall pick, and many fans hoped they would draft Savard, but they chose Doug Wickenheiser instead; Savard was selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks, becoming the highest drafted player in Blackhawks history until Patrick Kane in 2007. He began his career in the 1980–81 season with three assists in his first game and set the Blackhawks' record for most points by a rookie with 75.

Savard is known for his trademark move, the 'Savardian Spin-o-rama' (a term coined by Danny Gallivan, referencing the move performed by Serge Savard), which entailed whirling around with the puck in a full rotation to defeat defenders and goaltenders. He had two stints with the Blackhawks: from 1980–81 to 1989–90, and from 1994–95 to 1996–97. In between, he played for the Montreal Canadiens (1990–91 to 1992–93) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (1993–94 to 1994–95). On June 29, 1990, he was traded to the Canadiens for star defenceman Chris Chelios and a second-round pick, a transaction considered largely in Chicago's favor. Savard won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993, though he was kept out of much of the postseason due to a hairline fracture in his ankle and was essentially an assistant coach by the clinching game; after the game, captain Guy Carbonneau beckoned Savard to join him and let him hoist the Cup first, a break from tradition.

Reader's Guide

Denis Savard's significance lies in his prolific scoring and innovative playmaking over 17 NHL seasons. He recorded a 20-goal season in each of his first twelve seasons, including five 100-point seasons, and led the Blackhawks to the Conference Finals four times, losing each time, twice to Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers. His highest point total of 131 came in 1987–88 and his highest goal total of 47 in 1985–86. In 1,196 NHL games, he scored 473 goals and 865 assists for 1,338 points, trailing only Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Patrick Kane for total points in Chicago Blackhawks history. His five 100-point seasons with Chicago remain a franchise record. He was one of three players to record 1,000 points for the Blackhawks, behind only Mikita and Hull. He averaged 1.12 points per game, ranking 10th best for players with at least 1,000 games played in NHL history. In 169 playoff games, he scored 66 goals and 109 assists for 175 points, with 61 of those goals coming with Chicago, second most in franchise history behind Hull. He is one of nineteen players with 175 points in the playoffs in league history. When he retired, he was 13th all-time in assists with 865 and 17th in points with 1,338. After his playing career, he joined the Blackhawks coaching staff, became head coach in 2006 for three seasons, and currently serves as an ambassador for the organization.

Did You Know?

• Savard was the highest drafted player in Blackhawks history until Patrick Kane was selected first overall in 2007.
• His trademark move, the 'Savardian Spin-o-rama', was a term coined by Danny Gallivan referencing a move performed by Serge Savard.
• Savard's number 18 jersey was retired by the Chicago Blackhawks on March 19, 1998.