Even though management had been rather clear in its intentions to keep David Savard, the Canadian defender breathed a sigh of relief at the close of the transaction market.
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Which didn’t stop him from experiencing some jitters around 3 p.m.
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“I had my phone ringer on just in case. I took the plunge when my father called me at three o’clock. He didn’t expect it to be so bad. Let’s just say that I thought it was something else.”
Something else, like Kent Hughes calling to tell him he had to pack his bags.
“You never know. Things can change quickly at the last minute. I’m happy to be here this morning and to be here until the end of the season and to stay close to my family.
“We will see if this will still be the case this summer,” he continued.
Build on solid
Savard will always be happy to wear the Canadian uniform. Make no mistake about it. The “we will see” rather concerns the decision that the team management will make regarding him, when he begins the last season of his four-year agreement.
“I want to stay here until the end of my contract. My goal is to build something with this group of players. We’re still young, but we’re heading in the right direction. We are building something very solid.”
If it were only Martin St-Louis, Savard’s cause would already be heard and he would remain in his team as long as possible.
“A presence like his helps our young players, it calms the group,” argued the Canadian head coach. These players don’t grow on trees. There are fewer and fewer of them in a young league like ours.”
Less juggling for St-Louis
So the dust has settled on the trade deadline and the uncertainty that comes with it every year. For the Canadian, that means a clearer idea of the short-term future. Starting with the goalkeeper situation.
“I think the two goalkeepers will be able to have more rhythm, especially [Cayden] Primeau, St-Louis said after morning practice. As a coach, I won’t have to juggle too much anymore.”
Managing a schedule with two goalkeepers is not always easy. We can therefore imagine the complexity of a ménage à trois, considering that one of them must systematically take a place on the bridge for each match.
“At first, [la gestion] it was complicated. Subsequently, with Sam’s performance [Montembeault], we had a better idea. We looked at the schedule one week at a time and made a plan to know who was going to play, said the Canadian head coach. It wasn’t something that gave me headaches. The three goalkeepers were very professional. They understood the situation.”
Allen demonstrated this professionalism from start to finish. A veteran of the trio, he made sure to have a positive influence over his two teammates.
“It wasn’t an easy scenario, but he helped them every day,” St-Louis said. He had a big impact on Montembeault. He spent a lot of time with him.”
“It’s tough to see a guy like him leave, but the impact on our young players isn’t wasted because he’s not here anymore,” he added.