David Savard

Lore & Background

Savard played in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Collège Antoine-Girouard as well as the Richelieu Éclaireurs in 2004. He, along with the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François of the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League, finished third overall at the 2007 Telus Cup. In the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he was known as a reliable defenceman with strong defensive skills. The following QMJHL season, he began to support more in an offensive aspect, aiming to become a more complete player, and was awarded the Émile Bouchard Trophy as the best defensive defenceman and the Kevin Lowe Trophy as the best overall QMJHL defenceman, while finishing first in league scoring among defencemen and establishing a QMJHL record for assists at his position. He was named the Canadian Hockey League Defenceman of the Year after his season with the Moncton Wildcats, who captured the President's Cup championship en route to a berth in the 2010 Memorial Cup.

Professionally, Savard began with the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, scoring his first career NHL goal on February 7, 2012, against Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Bäckström. He played his first full NHL season in 2013–14, registering 15 points in 70 games. During the 2016–17 season, he effectively set a franchise record in plus–minus at +33. Entering the final year of his contract in the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, he collected one goal and six points through 40 regular-season games. Approaching the annual NHL trade deadline, Savard was involved in a three-way trade involving Columbus, the Detroit Red Wings, and eventual destination Tampa Bay Lightning. He and the Lightning then went on to win the Stanley Cup, with Savard contributing five points in 20 playoff games, including an assist on Ross Colton's series-clinching goal in game five of that year's Stanley Cup Final.

Following his Stanley Cup run, Savard secured a four-year, $14 million deal with the Montreal Canadiens on July 28, 2021. Drawing into the Canadiens' lineup amidst team captain Shea Weber being placed on long-term injured reserve, Savard was regarded as part of the attempt to compensate for the foregoing's loss. He became a focus of criticism from fans after what was an historically poor season for the team overall. On January 29, 2022, it was announced that Savard would miss eight weeks of the 2021–22 season due to an ankle injury. While injury likewise plagued his 2022–23 production, Savard received recognition as the team's annual recipient of the Jacques Beauchamp Molson Trophy, awarded to the player deemed to have had a dominant role during the course of the regular season. At the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, he was again named recipient of the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to accomplish this feat in consecutive years. During the 2024–25 season, he skated in his 800th career NHL game. Shortly after the Canadiens secured their berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, Savard announced that he would retire at the end of his team's respective postseason run, which culminated following their first-round series defeat by the Washington Capitals on April 30, 2025.

Reader's Guide

David Savard's significance lies in his role as a reliable defensive defenceman who contributed to a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021. His career path from a fourth-round draft pick to an 800-game NHL veteran underscores his durability and consistency. Savard's QMJHL record for assists by a defenceman and his CHL Defenceman of the Year award highlight his offensive development alongside his defensive foundation. His tenure with the Montreal Canadiens, though marked by team struggles and personal injuries, saw him earn the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy in consecutive seasons, a rare honor recognizing his dominant role. Savard's legacy includes representing Canada at the 2015 World Championships, winning gold with a perfect 10–0 record. His retirement announcement after the 2025 playoffs closed a career that spanned 16 NHL seasons across three organizations, with his most notable achievement being the Stanley Cup victory with Tampa Bay.

Did You Know?

• Savard established a QMJHL record for assists by a defenceman.
• He won the Émile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL's best defensive defenceman.
• Savard assisted on Ross Colton's series-clinching goal in game five of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.
• He is one of only four players in Montreal Canadiens history to win the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy in consecutive years.