BROSSARD, Quebec — David Savard will retire from the NHL following the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Montreal Canadians defenseman said Friday.
The 34-year-old played the second half of the season knowing that this would be his 14th and final NHL season.
“Around Christmastime I kind of knew what my body felt like,” Savard said. “My body’s just kind of failing a little bit. By that time, just thinking about going through another summer, another season, you just don’t see yourself doing it. So I was just going to enjoy it and play as hard as I can.”
Savard’s NHL career was extended beyond the regular season Wednesday when the Canadiens clinched their first playoff berth since 2021 with a 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes to claim the second wild card from the Eastern Conference.
“He’s really loved in the room and he’s been a big part of this rebuild,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said. “He’s 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. So it was nice to share that moment with him, that it wasn’t going to be his last game.”
Savard told management and his teammates after making his decision midway through the season, but only revealed it publicly after the Canadiens’ optional practice on Friday.
“I just knew my body wasn’t able to do what I used to do,” Savard said. “I’ve known for a few months now that it was going to be my last year. I don’t know, I think I just wanted to be able to enjoy it as much as possible knowing it’s your last year instead of just waiting until the end of the year to see how you feel and everything.”
Savard won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021, when they defeated the Canadiens in five games in the Final. He was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets prior the Trade Deadline after spending his first 10 seasons there.
After winning the Cup, he signed a four-year contract with Montreal as an unrestricted free agent prior to the 2021-22 season.
“We knew it could be his last go at it and we wanted him to be a part of a playoff team one last time, and we’re very happy that it’s happening,” Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson said.
Savard helped guide a talented young crop of defensemen through the start of their NHL careers, including Hutson, who had 60 assists this season to tie Larry Murphy‘s NHL record for assists by a rookie defenseman, and Kaiden Guhle, who had his first two-goal game Wednesday.
“He’s like the team dad,” Guhle said. “He’s been unbelievable for me, especially that last game. I wanted to do part of that for him and I didn’t want that one to be his last one.”
Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said Savard “actually is an extension of the coaching.”
“He does a lot of coaching,” St. Louis said, “He’s got a calming presence so for any young players who come in and might be a little stressed out about playing in the NHL, I think ‘Savy’ is a very good sounding board and he can kind of hold their hand going through what they’re going through a little bit without giving them all the answers and overcoaching it.”
Savard, a St-Hyacinthe, Quebec native, said he was excited to get Montreal back in the playoffs after three straight last place finishes in the Atlantic Division.
“It was fun for me to be around those guys,” Savard said. “They kind of keep you young a little bit and it was a lot of fun. I hope I’m leaving the place in a better place than when I first came in and I think the future is really bright here. A lot of the young guys are going to be really good for a long time and it’s going to be exciting to watch.
“It’s fun to be a little part of what the team is going to be and hopefully I stick around to watch the games and I’ll be a great fan cheering those guys on for sure.”
Savard had 242 points (54 goals, 188 assists) in 870 regular-season games and has 16 points (one goal, 15 assists) in 57 playoff games.
Montreal will open its First Round series at the Washington Capitals on Monday (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS, MNMT). The Canadiens went 1-2-0 against Washington in the regular season.
“They’re a team that can score a lot of goals, that doesn’t give anything to the other team,” Savard said. “Their two top lines are guys who have a lot offense and their bottom six are guys who are extremely responsible defensively so they’re a complete team. They play a good team game and it’s going to be a big challenge, but we’re going to do everything we can to make it to the next round.”
