Latest news with #DavidSavard
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The 24 Hour Race Episode 1: Light, Sleep, Speed, Repeat
Canadiens: The Grades Are In – David Savard The 2024-25 season was David Savard's swan song, and at 34 years old, hanging up his skates was the right decision for the Montreal Canadiens' veteran. Not that he had a bad season, but the years finally seemed to catch up with him. 2:46 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Ottawa Citizen
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Hickey: Centres, penalty killers focal points of Canadiens' off-season
Article content What price should a team place on a competent penalty kill? Article content That's a question facing the Canadiens as they look ahead to next season. Article content One of the keys to the Canadiens' season was the penalty kill, which ranked ninth in the NHL with a success rate of 80.9 per cent. But the Canadiens are facing the loss of three of the top performers on the PK. Article content David Savard, who was second to fellow defenceman Mike Matheson in short-handed ice time, has retired and centre Christian Dvorak and winger Joel Armia, who were fourth and fifth, respectively, in short-handed ice time, are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Article content Article content The more valuable of the two UFAs is Dvorak and he's the least likely to return. As the players cleaned out their lockers, Dvorak said he enjoyed his time in Montreal, but he also framed his experiences in the past tense. Article content Article content He's valuable because, in addition to killing penalties, he was the team's top centre in faceoffs and, as a lefty, he offers a balance to righties Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans. He also led all Montreal forwards with 74 blocked shots. But Dvorak had a cap hit of US$4.45 million and retaining him would require his accepting a deep hometown discount. Article content Armia, who leaves the impression that someone with his size and strength should produce like the first-round (No. 16 overall) draft choice he was in 2011, has begun negotiations with the Canadiens and the question is how much of a cut he's willing to take from his US$3.4-million cap hit. Article content Needy Canadiens: Montreal's off-season priority begins — and ends — with finding a second-line centre and there are two options. Article content Article content The first is to find a 30-something UFA, someone who could hold the fort for two or three seasons until Owen Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. The list of top available players is limited to Matt Duchene, Brock Nelson and John Tavares. Article content If the Canadiens don't have confidence in the kids, it might be prudent to look for a long-term solution. Sam Bennett turns 29 in June and has a Stanley Cup ring, but a better ploy might be an offer sheet for a restricted free agent like Mason McTavish. The 22-year-old has good size, wins more faceoffs than he loses and has shown growth in each of his three NHL seasons. He might relish the opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim, particularly if he has the chance to play for a long time alongside Ivan Demidov. Article content Article content The Canadiens do not need a veteran defenceman to replace Savard. They have two veterans in Matheson and Alexander Carrier and it's time to see if Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom are ready for the next level.
Vancouver Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Hickey: Centres, penalty killers focal points of Canadiens' off-season
What price should a team place on a competent penalty kill? That's a question facing the Canadiens as they look ahead to next season. One of the keys to the Canadiens' season was the penalty kill, which ranked ninth in the NHL with a success rate of 80.9 per cent. But the Canadiens are facing the loss of three of the top performers on the PK. David Savard, who was second to fellow defenceman Mike Matheson in short-handed ice time, has retired and centre Christian Dvorak and winger Joel Armia, who were fourth and fifth, respectively, in short-handed ice time, are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. The more valuable of the two UFAs is Dvorak and he's the least likely to return. As the players cleaned out their lockers, Dvorak said he enjoyed his time in Montreal, but he also framed his experiences in the past tense. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. He's valuable because, in addition to killing penalties, he was the team's top centre in faceoffs and, as a lefty, he offers a balance to righties Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans. He also led all Montreal forwards with 74 blocked shots. But Dvorak had a cap hit of US$4.45 million and retaining him would require his accepting a deep hometown discount. Armia, who leaves the impression that someone with his size and strength should produce like the first-round (No. 16 overall) draft choice he was in 2011, has begun negotiations with the Canadiens and the question is how much of a cut he's willing to take from his US$3.4-million cap hit. Needy Canadiens: Montreal's off-season priority begins — and ends — with finding a second-line centre and there are two options. The first is to find a 30-something UFA, someone who could hold the fort for two or three seasons until Owen Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. The list of top available players is limited to Matt Duchene, Brock Nelson and John Tavares. If the Canadiens don't have confidence in the kids, it might be prudent to look for a long-term solution. Sam Bennett turns 29 in June and has a Stanley Cup ring, but a better ploy might be an offer sheet for a restricted free agent like Mason McTavish. The 22-year-old has good size, wins more faceoffs than he loses and has shown growth in each of his three NHL seasons. He might relish the opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim, particularly if he has the chance to play for a long time alongside Ivan Demidov. The Canadiens do not need a veteran defenceman to replace Savard. They have two veterans in Matheson and Alexander Carrier and it's time to see if Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom are ready for the next level. Anyone who is concerned that the defence is too young should be reminded that the last time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, they had six defencemen under the age of 25 — Patrice Brisebois, Mathieu Schneider, Lyle Odelein, Éric Desjardins, Sean Hill and Kevin Haller. Battle of the goalies: Goals should be hard to come by when the Laval Rocket faces the Rochester Americans in the best-of-five AHL North Division final. Newcomer Jacob Fowler was in net for all three victories as Laval eliminated Cleveland in four games in a division semifinal. He has a 3-0 record, 1.00 goals-against average, .953 save percentage and one shutout. Those numbers are tough to beat, but Dollard-des-Ormeaux native Devon Levi led Rochester to a sweep of the Syracuse Crunch in the other semifinal. He has a 3-0 record, 0.67 GAA, .978 save percentage and two shutouts. Fowler is 5-1 since wrapping up a stellar collegiate career at Boston College. He is pencilled in as the starter in Laval next season, but don't be surprised if he challenges Jakub Dobes for the backup job with the Canadiens. Rantanen reaps revenge: It's rare for a rental to make a major impact in the playoffs, but Mikko Rantanen is leading the charge for the Dallas Stars. The Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes traded Rantanen because they didn't feel they could fit the 28-year-old under their salary cap after he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Rantanen made Colorado regret its decision Saturday when he spearheaded a comeback in Game 7 of their Western Conference quarter-final. The Avalanche led 2-0 going into the third period, but he had a period for the ages with three goals and an assist on Wyatt Johnston's game-winner to give Dallas a 4-2 victory. Rantanen had another three-goal game Wednesday as Dallas took the home-ice advantage away from Winnipeg with a 3-2 win in Game 1 of their Western semifinal. He leads the playoff scoring race with eight goals and 15 points in eight games, which makes him the clubhouse leader for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Montreal Gazette
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Hickey: Centres, penalty killers focal points of Canadiens' off-season
Montreal Canadiens By Special to the Montreal Gazette What price should a team place on a competent penalty kill? That's a question facing the Canadiens as they look ahead to next season. One of the keys to the Canadiens' season was the penalty kill, which ranked ninth in the NHL with a success rate of 80.9 per cent. But the Canadiens are facing the loss of three of the top performers on the PK. David Savard, who was second to fellow defenceman Mike Matheson in short-handed ice time, has retired and centre Christian Dvorak and winger Joel Armia, who were fourth and fifth, respectively, in short-handed ice time, are eligible to become unrestricted free agents on July 1. The more valuable of the two UFAs is Dvorak and he's the least likely to return. As the players cleaned out their lockers, Dvorak said he enjoyed his time in Montreal, but he also framed his experiences in the past tense. He's valuable because, in addition to killing penalties, he was the team's top centre in faceoffs and, as a lefty, he offers a balance to righties Nick Suzuki and Jake Evans. He also led all Montreal forwards with 74 blocked shots. But Dvorak had a cap hit of US$4.45 million and retaining him would require his accepting a deep hometown discount. Armia, who leaves the impression that someone with his size and strength should produce like the first-round (No. 16 overall) draft choice he was in 2011, has begun negotiations with the Canadiens and the question is how much of a cut he's willing to take from his US$3.4-million cap hit. Needy Canadiens: Montreal's off-season priority begins — and ends — with finding a second-line centre and there are two options. The first is to find a 30-something UFA, someone who could hold the fort for two or three seasons until Owen Beck, Michael Hage or Jared Davidson are ready for prime time. The list of top available players is limited to Matt Duchene, Brock Nelson and John Tavares. If the Canadiens don't have confidence in the kids, it might be prudent to look for a long-term solution. Sam Bennett turns 29 in June and has a Stanley Cup ring, but a better ploy might be an offer sheet for a restricted free agent like Mason McTavish. The 22-year-old has good size, wins more faceoffs than he loses and has shown growth in each of his three NHL seasons. He might relish the opportunity to escape a losing team in Anaheim, particularly if he has the chance to play for a long time alongside Ivan Demidov. The Canadiens do not need a veteran defenceman to replace Savard. They have two veterans in Matheson and Alexander Carrier and it's time to see if Logan Mailloux, David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom are ready for the next level. Anyone who is concerned that the defence is too young should be reminded that the last time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, they had six defencemen under the age of 25 — Patrice Brisebois, Mathieu Schneider, Lyle Odelein, Éric Desjardins, Sean Hill and Kevin Haller. Battle of the goalies: Goals should be hard to come by when the Laval Rocket faces the Rochester Americans in the best-of-five AHL North Division final. Newcomer Jacob Fowler was in net for all three victories as Laval eliminated Cleveland in four games in a division semifinal. He has a 3-0 record, 1.00 goals-against average, .953 save percentage and one shutout. Those numbers are tough to beat, but Dollard-des-Ormeaux native Devon Levi led Rochester to a sweep of the Syracuse Crunch in the other semifinal. He has a 3-0 record, 0.67 GAA, .978 save percentage and two shutouts. Fowler is 5-1 since wrapping up a stellar collegiate career at Boston College. He is pencilled in as the starter in Laval next season, but don't be surprised if he challenges Jakub Dobes for the backup job with the Canadiens. Rantanen reaps revenge: It's rare for a rental to make a major impact in the playoffs, but Mikko Rantanen is leading the charge for the Dallas Stars. The Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes traded Rantanen because they didn't feel they could fit the 28-year-old under their salary cap after he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Rantanen made Colorado regret its decision Saturday when he spearheaded a comeback in Game 7 of their Western Conference quarter-final. The Avalanche led 2-0 going into the third period, but he had a period for the ages with three goals and an assist on Wyatt Johnston's game-winner to give Dallas a 4-2 victory. Rantanen had another three-goal game Wednesday as Dallas took the home-ice advantage away from Winnipeg with a 3-2 win in Game 1 of their Western semifinal. He leads the playoff scoring race with eight goals and 15 points in eight games, which makes him the clubhouse leader for the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Ottawa Citizen
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
Laval Rocket punches its ticket to next round of AHL playoffs
With the retirement of David Savard, the Canadiens will have at least one opening on defence next season. And Logan Mailloux is playing like a guy determined to take his best run at the opening. Article content Article content Say what you will about Mailloux's alleged defensive shortcomings. The former first-round (31st overall) Canadiens draft choice in 2021 is wonderfully gifted offensively and would be an excellent complement to rookie Lane Hutson, a finalist for this season's Calder Trophy. Article content Article content Mailloux scored a power play goal and added an assist while producing four shots on net, as the Laval Rocket eliminated the Cleveland Monsters with a 4-1 victory Tuesday night at Place Bell. The Rocket, which finished first overall in the AHL and had an opening-round bye, captured the best-of-five series 3-1. Article content Article content The 22-year-old Mailloux is living in the moment and will have no part of hypothetical scenarios. He has said he believes he's ready for full-time NHL employment and played seven games for Montreal this season, scoring two goals and four points. But he also was a minus-5, a number that won't translate well in the big leagues over a full season. Article content 'I'm trying to win hockey games,' Mailloux said. 'I'm hoping to win a Calder Cup before anything. That's what my focus is on. It's do-or-die time. Everybody has to elevate their game and do what they can to help the team win. I'm just trying to do my part. I'm just trying to play my game at both ends of the ice.' Article content The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Mailloux has worked hard on improving his defensive responsibilities under first-year Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent. Mailloux was plus-5 in 63 games this season, while scoring 12 goals and 33 points. While he produced more offensively last season with Laval — scoring 14 goals and 47 points in 72 games — he also went minus-8. Article content Article content 'I think he's playing his best hockey that I've seen so far,' Vincent said. 'Consistency-wise, routes on the ice, killing plays, decisions with the puck. What he does on special teams, I think he has been playing his best hockey. And he's a big piece of our success right now.' Article content Laurent Dauphin paced the Rocket with a pair of goals, both on the power play, as Laval went three-for-six with the man advantage. In Sunday's 3-1 loss on home ice, Laval failed to capitalize on four manpower advantages while also allowing a shorthanded goal. The Rocket took a commanding 3-0 lead following the first period, with Xavier Simoneau opening the scoring only 4:22 into the contest. Article content Luca Del Bel Belluz scored Cleveland's only goal, late in the second period, narrowing the deficit to 3-1 and providing the Monsters with some hope.
