Canadiens Need to Trade David Savard to Maximize Value

The next candidate for a trade in Montreal may not be Jake Allen, but Savard. Defencemen, especially right-handed ones, become a commodity at the trade deadline. Savard has been viewed as a potential trade candidate throughout the season. Stu Cowen of the Montreal Gazette and former NHL player Rick Green discussed the value the defender can have for Montreal on their Hockey Inside Out podcast. 

Hughes was asked about him in his post-Monahan trade press conference. In it, he shares that Savard is not being shopped around but that he is taking calls on “anyone that can make the team better.” For Savard, he would rather remain with his hometown Canadiens stating that “I haven’t spoken to Kent (Hughes). If there was any thought of a trade he would talk with me, but my goal is to stay here in Montreal.”

Savard’s Impact on the Canadiens 

The 33-year-old defenceman isn’t in the same situation as Monahan was in. Savard still has one more season on his contract at $3.5 million. When he was signed by former GM Marc Bergevin, the hope was for him to lessen the impact the loss of Shea Weber had on the blue line defensively. But Savard was never going to bring everything Weber brought to the club. However, he is a respected shut-down defenceman with little offensive upside. He can be relied upon to play in a system and can kill penalties as well.

Savard, as a veteran of 13 seasons and a Stanley Cup championship with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021, has the experience coaches love to rely upon. That experience allows him to remain calm under pressure on the ice. That provides the young defencemen with a template on how to control their emotions in stress-filled situations. He also provides them with a sounding board and a mentor who can provide feedback, and constructive criticism, and answer questions as they continue their on-the-job training. 

As for his play, Savard is well known for blocking shots, averaging nearly two blocked shots per game over his 13-year NHL career. So far this season, he has blocked 85 shots in only 27 games played, which is an average of 3.2 per game. If he hadn’t missed part of the season due to injury and played in all 49 Canadiens games up to the All-Star Break, his average would have placed him in the NHL lead with over 154 blocked shots. This can help to support an emerging goaltender like Samuel Montembeault, he can stabilize a young blue line, and play the role of big brother. He isn’t flashy, he is just a steady, calming presence. All of that brings high value to the Canadiens, but is that enough to keep him?

Savard’s Value on the Trade Block 

Savard’s trade value needs to be looked at as well. Why all of the talk of blocked shots earlier? Because as a defensive defenceman, his role is to box out forwards from the front of his net, and block shots for his goaltender. In the regular season, this doesn’t have as much impact as it does in the playoffs when every play and every inch of the ice must be battled for and won. He has a championship pedigree, size, and experience, can kill penalties and basically eat up the hard, grinding minutes in a game that allows for a team’s stars to avoid and use as time to catch their breath between shifts, making them more effective. 

That has significant value to a contending team. Yet, Savard’s value to the Canadiens on the trade market is difficult to gauge. It may be too high to turn down a trade. One only needs to look at a past deal involving Savard to understand. The Lightning traded a first-round pick for his services in 2021. However, he is now older and has more mileage. He has another year left on his contract, which may be of value as well, as a team looking to him as an addition knows they can have him for two playoff runs.

Savard’s contract has no clauses limiting trades and Hughes still holds one more salary retention option, so he could be persuaded to keep as much as 50% of the cap hit. While he likely won’t fetch a first and a third-round pick like he did for Columbus in 2021, it is reasonable to think a second-round selection could be the cost. With Montreal having only one second-round pick in 2024, it would be a welcomed addition even as an additional trade chip for a future deal. Savard could be a good fit on a playoff team with some young defencemen looking to add valuable experience. Also, as an added bonus, he is already sporting a well-groomed playoff-ready beard.

The success of any rebuild is more than just adding picks and young players, it is the development of those assets into quality NHL players. The mentorship Savard has provided the young defensive corps has been invaluable, but they have likely learned everything they could from him at this point, and his value in a trade could outweigh his value to the team.