Denis Savard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Denis Savard |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 2000 | |||
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Savard in 2010
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| Born | February 4, 1961 Gatineau, Quebec, Canada |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Chicago Blackhawks Montreal Canadiens Tampa Bay Lightning |
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| NHL Draft | 3rd overall, 1980 Chicago Black Hawks |
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| Playing career | 1980–1997 | ||
| Website | http://www.savard18.com | ||
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Denis Joseph Savard (born February 4, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1980 to 1997. Denis Savard was a very exciting player to watch. He was known for his special move called the "spin-o-rama." This move helped him get past other players and score goals.
Savard was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks and became a big star for them in the 1980s. He helped the Blackhawks reach the Conference Finals four times. He also won one Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. After playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning, he returned to the Blackhawks and retired there in 1997. In 2000, he was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was also named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. Today, Savard works as an ambassador for the Blackhawks team. He was born in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, but grew up in Montreal.
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Denis Savard's Hockey Journey
Starting Young
When Denis Savard was a kid, he played in big youth hockey tournaments. He played in the 1973 and 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments. He played for a team from Verdun, Quebec.
Becoming a Pro Player
In the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, many fans hoped the Montreal Canadiens would pick Savard first. But the Canadiens chose another player. Savard was then picked third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. This was the highest a player had been drafted by the Blackhawks until 2007.
Savard started his NHL career in the 1980–81 NHL season. In his very first game, he got three assists. He quickly set a new record for the Blackhawks. He scored 75 points as a rookie, which was a lot for a new player.
The Famous Spin-o-rama Move
Denis Savard was famous for his special move called the 'Savardian Spin-o-rama'. This move involved Savard spinning around completely with the puck. It helped him get away from defenders and even trick goalies. It was a very exciting play to watch!
Playing for Different Teams
Savard played for the Blackhawks in two different periods. His first time was from the 1980–81 season to the 1989–90 season. He then played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1990–91 to 1992–93. After that, he played for the Tampa Bay Lightning from 1993–94 to 1994–95.
In 1990, Savard was traded to the Montreal Canadiens. He won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993. Even though he was injured during much of the playoffs, he was still part of the winning team. In 1995, Savard was traded back to the Chicago Blackhawks. He finished his amazing NHL career playing for the team where he started.
Savard's Impressive Stats
In his NHL career, Denis Savard played in 1,196 games. He scored 473 goals and made 865 assists. This added up to a total of 1,338 points. He is one of the top point scorers in Chicago Blackhawks history. Five times in his career, he scored over 100 points in a season. For seven years in a row, he scored at least 30 goals. His best season was 1987–88, when he got 131 points. He scored his most goals, 47, in the 1985–86 season.
Savard officially retired from playing hockey in 1997. On March 19, 1998, the Blackhawks honored him by retiring his jersey number, #18. This means no other player on the Blackhawks will wear that number again. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.
Awards and Achievements
Denis Savard earned many awards and honors during his career:
- Stanley Cup champion: 1993
- Selected to nine NHL All-Star Games: 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996
- NHL Second All-Star Team: 1983
Top NHL Rankings
Savard was often ranked among the best players in the league for many stats:
- #24 All Time in Career Assists (865)
- #29 All Time in Career Points (1338)
- He was nominated for the Hart Trophy (for the league's most valuable player) four times.
- He had 12 "hat tricks" (scoring three goals in one game) in the regular season.
- He had 3 "hat tricks" in the playoffs.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Savard became a coach for the Blackhawks in 1997. In 2006, he became the head coach of the team. He helped a young Blackhawks team get very close to making the playoffs in his second season. They won 40 games in the 2007–08 season, which was the first time in six years they had won that many games.
Savard was the head coach for 147 games. He had a record of 65 wins, 66 losses, and 16 overtime losses. He is still an ambassador for the Blackhawks team. He even received Stanley Cup rings in 2010, 2013, and 2015, celebrating the team's championships.
Personal Life
Denis Savard has a cousin named Jean Savard who also played for the Chicago Blackhawks. Denis also shared the same jersey number (#18) as Serge Savard, another famous hockey player, though they are not related.
Savard is sometimes called "Savoir-Faire." This nickname comes from a cartoon character. He was also mentioned in an episode of the TV show The Bear, which is set in Chicago.
See also
- List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
