The Canadian | The smile of David Savard

(Los Angeles) In the seconds following his tying goal against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, Kaiden Guhle curiously did not seem the most excited player on the ice.

The defender was happy to have found the back of the net when he returned to action after two months of recovery. But his enthusiasm could hardly beat that of David Savard. The latter rushed to his young partner, smiling as if the Stanley Cup was going to be given to them.

“Like a father?” “suggested journalist Marc-André Perreault, in the locker room after the game. Laughing, Guhle replied in the affirmative, adding that Savard was shouting with joy as he approached him. “It’s great to have a guy like that in your corner,” the number 21 added.

Savard is a popular man in the Habs locker room this season. Of all the club’s veterans, he is probably the one who has most embraced his role in the organization’s transition. Especially on defence, where five rookies got regular stints, he’s become a rock, both on and off the ice.

Savard himself expressed on Tuesday morning how much he appreciated his situation. “I think it shows that I’ve been here a long time!” he said, hours before the game against the San Jose Sharks. I like being around young people, seeing their excitement about being in the NHL. »

Just days before the trade deadline, the names of just about every player on the team with more than three seasons of NHL experience have been tied up for trade. Barring a monumental surprise, however, the Quebecer seems to be in Montreal for good. According to our information, the club’s management has not contacted him to discuss a potential transaction. And the Savard family has no intention of packing either.

” Amazing ”

Martin St-Louis won’t complain. Asked about the contribution of his big right-handed defender, the head coach of the Canadian seemed seized with emotion. “It’s hard to describe,” he replied straight away.

With the young people, he sees in Savard an “extension of the coaches”, who is however “in the trenches” with them.

In terms of hockey, St-Louis has often praised the intelligence of the man who is first recognized for his defensive work.

“Savvy is an incredible player,” said St-Louis. I know people say he doesn’t have enough speed, but you have to be careful how you define speed. Because his brain is functioning at a very high level. He understands where the game is heading, he always has good angles; he is aware of where his teammates and players from other teams are. »

Last season, his first in Montreal, started on the wrong foot, like his team, by the way. The very short summer of 2021 – he won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning – had an obvious impact on his preparation. However, he had regained his means during the campaign, but in the difficult context of evolving for the worst formation on the circuit.

This season has once again started slowly for him. However, the confidence he has shown since November is impressive, as is his ability to do thankless work against the best opposing lines or on the penalty kill. He is also seventh in the league in blocked shots (137).

After Tuesday’s victory in San Jose, Jake Allen spoke of the “maturity” acquired by his young teammates. Spontaneously, he mentioned that Savard deserved “a lot of credit”.

In fact, with an average of 22:19, his ice time is comparable to that of his best years with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He surpassed that total only twice, in 2014-15 and 2015-16, when he was in his mid-20s. At the Canadian, at five against five, Mike Matheson and him became the indisputable generals of the defense.

Also, “he keeps the band together, he relaxes the atmosphere,” Allen said. Before concluding that, without David Savard, this season, “the story would be very different”.

We tend to believe it. We almost prefer not to think about it.