Hockey

Replacing David Savard, a truly underestimated priority in Montreal
Marc-Olivier Cook
Replacing David Savard, a truly underestimated priority in Montreal
Credit: Getty Images

David Savard played his last career game in the National Hockey League last night.

We saw him cry at the end of the game as he congratulated his teammates, and that's normal.

He let his emotions out and it made for a beautiful moment on the ice.

The defenseman may only have played four years in Montreal, but that doesn't mean he hasn't helped the organization.

On the contrary, in fact: Savard was useful because he played the way he was asked to play, and it was his role with the youngsters that enabled him to become a (very) important player in Montreal.

The CH will miss him…

The CH will miss him and that leads me to say this.

Kent Hughes will have to find a way to replace him (not just on the ice, off too)… and that absolutely has to be a priority on the GM's table.

We'll have to find an older player who can help the next generation and who can have an important voice like Savard's in the dressing room.

Because losing a good veteran like him can hurt any club.

Savard has slowed down on the ice in recent years, and that's no secret, but his off-ice role was so important to the Habs organization that sometimes we tend to forget about him.

Mike Matheson could technically fill that role… and Nick Suzuki is a good leader too. But Savard is different because he's a Stanley Cup winner and has more experience than the other two.

All this to say that David Savard's absence will really be felt if the Habs aren't able to replace him properly.

And with the young players in place and those on the way, it would be a bad thing to go into next season without a David Savard 2.0.


In bursts

– Congratulations again.

– Good point.

– Who will win tonight between the Oilers and Kings?

– He's human after all!

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