Defenseman David Savard of the Montreal Canadiens, who first surfaced as a possible target in mid-November, continues to create trade rumours. The Habs defenseman is now being linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, with Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic pointing out that both teams would be a good match for him if he were traded. LeBrun stated during his appearance on TSN’s “Insider Trading” on December 20 that the blueliner, who was instrumental in Tampa Bay’s 2021 Stanley Cup victory, is anticipated to be transferred prior to the NHL deadline.
LeBrun stated, “He’s a pending UFA,” “There have not been any talks at all between Habs management and Savard’s camp about a potential one-year extension.”Therefore, it seems as though this will be his final year in Montreal. Savard is now in the last season of a $14 million, four-year contract with a yearly cap charge of $3.5 million. The 34-year-old still has significant postseason experience and is a reliable presence on the blue line despite his advanced age.
On Thursday, Johnston mentioned the Toronto Maple Leafs as a possible destination for Savard. “Savard has playoff pedigree and would give Toronto a level of depth at the position usually needed to go on a long run,” Johnston stated. “He might even slide alongside Morgan Rielly and give them better balance from top to bottom.”
Meanwhile, LeBrun floated the Edmonton Oilers as another option, highlighting their need for depth defensemen who can help kill penalties.
“[Savard’s] play has dipped this season, but in the context of a Habs team that’s not been very good defensively, I would imagine Cup contenders would look at Savard’s body of work and conclude it would travel well if he’s put in the right role. Enter the Oilers,” LeBrun wrote. “There will be sexier trade targets on the market, to be sure. “But I think as a sixth or seventh defenseman who can help kill penalties and who won a Cup with the Lightning-plus is a right-shot D-he’s a sensible idea for Edmonton.” Savard’s future has been the subject of speculation for weeks, and with the Canadiens sitting at 14-17-3 and unlikely to make the playoffs, a trade could help them build for the future. For the Leafs and Oilers, Savard represents a cost-effective option to solidify their blue lines as they prepare for playoff pushes, although none of the two teams have enough cap space to allocate Savard’s salary in full.
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