David Savard Bio
David Savard (born October 22, 1990) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2010 to 2025. Selected 94th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Savard built a reputation as a reliable, defensively responsible blueliner across more than a decade of professional play. He won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021 and also represented Canada internationally, capturing gold at the 2015 IIHF World Championship. Over the course of his career, he skated for the Blue Jackets, the Lightning, and the Montreal Canadiens, his final club.
Early Life and Background
David Savard was born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, and raised in a province with a deep hockey tradition. As a young player, he participated in the 2003 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team representing Collège Antoine-Girouard. The following year, he also suited up for the Richelieu Éclaireurs in the same developmental tournament, gaining early exposure to competitive play in his home province.
Savard continued his development through the Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League (QMAAA), skating for the Blizzard du Séminaire Saint-François. During the 2006–07 season, he helped his team finish third overall at the 2007 Telus Cup, one of the most prestigious events for Canadian minor hockey. He is the youngest of three siblings, and his upbringing in Quebec helped shape the work ethic that carried him into the major junior ranks.
Path to Professional Hockey
Savard advanced to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he spent two seasons establishing himself as a dependable defensive defenceman. Following his second QMJHL campaign, the Columbus Blue Jackets selected him in the fourth round, 94th overall, of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He then returned for an additional QMJHL season in which his game expanded significantly, as he contributed more offensively while maintaining his defensive responsibilities.
That breakout major junior season with the Moncton Wildcats produced an impressive collection of awards. Savard captured the Émile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL’s best defensive defenceman and the Kevin Lowe Trophy awarded to the league’s best overall defenceman. He also finished first in league scoring among defencemen and set a QMJHL record for assists by a blueliner. His Wildcats won the President’s Cup championship, advancing to the 2010 Memorial Cup, and Savard was named the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Defenceman of the Year in recognition of his dominant play. He also represented Quebec in the Subway Super Series during that same campaign.
David Savard Career
Early Career (2010–2013)
In October 2010, while still eligible for major junior hockey, the Blue Jackets assigned Savard to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. He finished the year as the top-scoring defenceman on the Springfield roster and ranked second among all rookie blueliners leaguewide, signaling his readiness for the NHL. He returned to the AHL ranks to begin the 2011–12 season before earning his first extended look in the NHL.
On February 7, 2012, Savard scored his first career NHL goal against Minnesota Wild goaltender Niklas Bäckström. He played 31 games during the 2011–12 NHL season at age 21 before an injury suffered in December 2012, just before the resolution of the NHL lockout, slowed his progress. As a result, Savard spent the majority of the 2012–13 season with Springfield. In July 2013, as a restricted free agent, he signed a one-year, two-way contract to remain within the Blue Jackets organization.
Columbus Blue Jackets Breakthrough (2013–2021)
Savard played his first full NHL season with the Blue Jackets during the 2013–14 campaign, registering 15 points in 70 games and cementing his place on the Columbus roster. On July 5, 2014, he signed a two-year contract extension, and on September 15, 2015, he inked a longer-term five-year, $21.25 million extension that reflected his growing value to the franchise. During the 2016–17 season, he set a Blue Jackets franchise record in plus-minus at plus-33, a mark that underscored his effectiveness in even-strength defensive situations.
Entering the final year of his contract in the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, Savard collected one goal and six points through 40 regular-season games. Around the NHL trade deadline, he was part of a three-way deal involving Columbus, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The trade marked the end of his long tenure with the Blue Jackets and opened a new chapter in his career.
Tampa Bay Lightning Era (2021)
Savard joined the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2020–21 trade deadline and quickly became part of a deep defensive group chasing another championship. He contributed five points in 20 playoff games during the Lightning’s run to the Stanley Cup, including an assist on Ross Colton’s series-clinching goal in Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. The championship was the defining accomplishment of his time in Tampa Bay.
Montreal Canadiens Era (2021–2025)
Following his Stanley Cup win, Savard reached free agency and signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens on July 28, 2021. He stepped into the lineup as the team tried to absorb the long-term injured reserve placement of captain Shea Weber. The 2021–22 season, however, was historically difficult for Montreal, and Savard faced criticism from frustrated fans despite his individual efforts. On January 29, 2022, the team announced he would miss approximately eight weeks because of an ankle injury.
Injuries also hampered his 2022–23 production, but Savard was recognized as the Canadiens’ annual recipient of the Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophy, given to the player who had a dominant role during the regular season. He repeated the honor at the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, becoming just the fourth player in franchise history to win the award in consecutive years. During the 2024–25 campaign, he skated in his 800th career NHL game, joining a select group of players from his 2009 draft class to reach that milestone.
Driving Style and Strengths
Savard’s game has always been built on defensive reliability, positional discipline, and a willingness to block shots and battle in difficult areas. He excels in even-strength defensive zone coverage and penalty-killing situations, where his steadiness has been most valued by coaches and teammates. While not primarily an offensive contributor, he has shown the ability to chip in timely goals and assists, particularly during playoff runs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Savard’s career highlights include his 2010 QMJHL awards sweep, his franchise plus-minus record of plus-33 with Columbus, his Stanley Cup win with Tampa Bay in 2021, and his 800th NHL game in 2024–25. He also represented Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Championship, helping the team capture gold with a perfect 10-0 record and end a gold-medal drought dating to 2007.
David Savard Career Wins
Across his professional career, David Savard collected the trophies and milestones that mark a long and dependable tenure. His biggest team win came with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2021, when he lifted the Stanley Cup as a key member of the defensive corps. Earlier, he had stacked multiple QMJHL awards and a President’s Cup title, and later he earned consecutive Jacques Beauchamp-Molson Trophies with the Canadiens.
NHL and Playoff Highlights
Savard recorded his first NHL goal on February 7, 2012, against the Minnesota Wild, and went on to play more than 800 regular-season NHL games across his career. His deepest playoff success came in 2021 with Tampa Bay, where he contributed five points in 20 postseason games and assisted on the series-clinching goal of the Stanley Cup Finals.
International and Junior Achievements
At the junior level, Savard won the QMJHL’s President’s Cup with the Moncton Wildcats and earned the Émile Bouchard Trophy, the Kevin Lowe Trophy, and CHL Defenceman of the Year honors in 2009–10. Internationally, he was part of Canada’s gold-medal squad at the 2015 IIHF World Championship, which posted a perfect 10-0 record.
David Savard Family
Family Background and Personal Life
David Savard is the youngest of three siblings and grew up in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, in a family rooted in the province’s hockey culture. His upbringing and early minor hockey experiences helped lay the foundation for his long professional career.
Spouse and Children
Savard married his longtime girlfriend, fellow Quebecer Valerie Lachance, during the 2018 offseason. The couple has three children: a daughter named Emma and two sons named Elliot and Zachary.
2025 Season Performance
David Savard’s 2024–25 campaign with the Montreal Canadiens served as the closing chapter of his 15-year professional career. He reached the 800-game NHL milestone during the regular season, further cementing his longevity in the league. Shortly after the Canadiens clinched their berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, Savard announced that he would retire at the end of his team’s postseason run.
Montreal’s playoff appearance extended Savard’s career into late April, with the Canadiens ultimately eliminated in the first round by the Washington Capitals on April 30, 2025. That defeat marked the final game of his NHL career, closing the book on a journey that began in 2010 with the Columbus Blue Jackets. His retirement concluded a career defined by defensive reliability, leadership, and one Stanley Cup championship.