“David Savard should play tomorrow”

Yesterday, just before the day’s game, we learned that David Savard and Emil Heineman would not be able to play the game in Nashville.

Officially, the habs said the guys “are being evaluated daily and will not participate in tonight’s game”: this obviously suggests they are injured and have a minor issue.

Josh Anderson rejoined the lineup after the birth of his child and Michael Pezzetta kept his spot. We imagine that if Heino had been able to play, the coach would have liked to send Pezz to the stands, alongside Joshua Roy.

But defensively? It’s a different story.

I’m not saying Savard is not injured. But I have the feeling that Martin St-Louis didn’t mind giving a game to Arber Xhekaj and resting David Savard in the process.

I wouldn’t bet my house on David Savard being injured. – Maxime Truman in his article of the day

After all, we can feel that the weight of the years is starting to bear down on Savard. The Canadiens’ veteran is playing less and less and clearly, he has become a third-pair defender.

Resting him on the heels of a second game in two nights, it’s not bad. And that, regardless of his health status.

Canadiens weekly notebook is out. Bad starts, Lane Hutson keeps rolling, David Savard’s perspective, Mike-Matheson-Monster-Minutes, Juraj Skafkovský gets to properly chirp and more. www.nytimes.com/athletic/626…

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— Arpon Basu (@arponbasu.bsky.social) April 7, 2025 at 09:34

So at this point, we wonder: will Savard’s injury prevent him from playing tomorrow? Or will Sunday’s rest allow him to rejoin the lineup on Tuesday?

About this, Renaud Lavoie (BPM Sports) said this morning:

I think David (Savard) should play tomorrow. – Renaud Lavoie

The TVA Sports journalist questioned whether Savard should really play both games in two nights (there’s another one on Friday and Saturday) and he knows that on Saturday, there’s “maybe” something that bothered him.

Lavoie doesn’t rule out that Savard might be absent tomorrow, but he expects to see him play.

I’m not going to conclude that Savard is not the most injured man because we don’t know – and he probably has a small issue because he sacrifices his body every night. But we can think, hearing all this, that in case of need, Savard could have filled in last night.

If the habs decide to rest him just before the playoffs, that’s okay too.

Let’s recall that Savard doesn’t know if he’ll play hockey next year. The playoff race is taking a lot out of him and let’s say he might not be the most in-demand man this summer.

Resting him like that was done yesterday is therefore okay. After all, the team will need him if they make the playoffs… even if it’s in a small role.

Overtime

– Why?

An idea that’s starting to make noise https://t.co/pDzqypDm9q

— TVA Sports (@TVASports) April 7, 2025

– Rangers fans want to see the habs in the playoffs? [HF]

– To note.

Cam Talbot starting Tuesday for #RedWings at Montreal.#Habs #NHL pic.twitter.com/DC8HS1X6KY

— Stormin Norman (@Stormin1Norman) April 7, 2025