Denis Savard

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, and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2017 Savard was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. Savard was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks and became the forefront of the team during the 1980s. He led the Blackhawks to the Conference Finals four times, losing each time, twice being to Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers. Savard is known for the spin' o rama move, a tactic in Hockey used to create distance between the puck carrier and opponent. Savard won one Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993. Savard also played with the Tampa Bay Lighting for two seasons before returning to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1994, and then retiring there in 1997. He has also served as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, and now serves as an ambassador for the Blackhawks' organization. Savard was born in Gatineau, Quebec, but grew up in Montreal.
==NHL playing career==
As a youth, Savard played in the 1973 and 1974 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Verdun, Quebec.
For the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens held the first overall pick and many fans hoped the Canadiens would use it to draft Savard. Instead, the Canadiens drafted Doug Wickenheiser and Savard was chosen third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks. He was the highest drafted player in Blackhawks' history, until the organization drafted Patrick Kane with the first overall pick in 2007. He began his career during the 1980–81 NHL season in which he had three assists in his first game. He then went on to set the Blackhawks' record (since broken) for most points by a rookie with 75.
He was known for his trademark move, the 'Savardian Spin-o-rama' (a term actually coined by Danny Gallivan, referencing the move performed by Serge Savard), which entailed Savard whirling around with the puck in a full rotation allowing him to defeat defenders and goaltenders alike.
Savard had two separate stints with the Blackhawks. The first was from the 1980–81 season to the 1989–90 season. The second was from 1994–95 to 1996–97. During his absence from Chicago, he played for the Montreal Canadiens (1990–91 to 1992–93) and the Tampa Bay Lightning (1993–94 to 1994–95).
On June 29, 1990, Savard was infamously traded to the Montreal Canadiens for star defenceman Chris Chelios and a second-round pick (Mike Pomichter), a transaction that has since been considered largely in Chicago's favor as Chelios would produce some of his best seasons as a Blackhawk while Savard's career was on the decline. Savard won the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1993, although Savard was kept out of much of the postseason due to a hairline fracture in his ankle, and was essentially an assistant coach by the clinching game five.
He signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the summer of 1993, where he played a season and a half. On April 6, 1995, Savard was traded back to Chicago, for a 1996 sixth-round pick (Xavier Delisle). Savard's NHL career would end where it had started, with the Blackhawks.
In 1,196 NHL games, Savard scored 473 goals and 865 assists, totalling 1338 points. He trails only Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita for total points in Chicago Blackhawks history. Five times during his career he scored at least 100 points and for seven straight years he had at least 30 goals. His highest point total of 131 came in 1987–88 and his highest goal total of 47 came in 1985–86. In 169 playoff games, he scored 66 goals and 109 assists for a total of 175 points.
Savard officially retired from professional hockey on June 26, 1997. On March 19, 1998, the Blackhawks retired his jersey number #18. Savard was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 13, 2000.
==Awards==
*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
===NHL Accolades===
*#24 All Time in Career Assists (865) - "Regular Season"
*#29 All Time in Career Points (1338) - "Regular Season"
*#19 All Time in Career Assists Per Game Average (0.72) "Regular Season"
*#20 All Time in Career Points Per Game Average (1.12) "Regular Season"
*#19 All Time in Career Playoff Goals (66)
*#18 All Time in Career Playoff Assists (109)
*#16 All Time in Career Playoff Points (175)
*#9 All Time in Career Playoff Hat Tricks (3)
*12 Regular Season Hat Tricks
*3 Playoff Hat Tricks
*4 time Hart Trophy Nominee (1981–82) (1982–83) (1983–84) (1987–88)
(Regular Season)
* 5 times Top 10 in Points (1981–82) (1982–83) (1984–85) (1985–86) (1987–88)
*5 times Top 10 in Assists (1981–82) (1982–83) (1984–85) (1984–85) (1985–86) (1987–88)
*1 time Top 10 in Goals (1985–86)
*2 times Top 10 in Even Strength Goals (1985–86) (1986–87)
*2 times Top 10 in Shorthanded Goals (1987–88) (1988–89)
*2 times Top 10 in Game Winning Goals (1985–86) (1986–87)
*2 times Top 5 in Hat Tricks (1984–85) (1986–87)
*4 times Top 10 in Goals Created (1981–82) (1982–83) (1985–86) (1987–88)
*7 times Top 10 in Assists Per Game (1981–82) (1982–83) (1984–85) (1985–86) (1987–88) (1988–89) (1989–90)
*4 times Top 5 in Assists Per Game Average (1981–82) (1982–83) (1987–88) (1988–89)
*7 times Top 10 in Points Per Game Average (1981–82) (1982–83) (1985–86) (1986–87) (1987–88) (1988–89) (1989–90)
*2 times Top 3 in Points Per Game Average (1982–83) (1987–88)
(Playoffs)
*5 times Top 10 in Points (1982) (1983) (1985) (1989) (1995)
*3 times Top 10 in Assists (1985) (1989) (1995)
*5 times Top 10 in Points (1982) (1985) (1989) (1990) (1995)
*3 times Top 10 in Goals Per Game Average (1982) (1983) (1985)
*1 time Top 10 in Assists Per Game Average (1985)
*2 times Top 10 in Points Per Game Average (1985) (1995)
*5 times Top 10 in Goals Created Per Game (1982) (1983) (1985) (1989) (1995)
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1977–78 	Montreal Juniors 	QMJHL 	 	72 	37 	79 	116 	22 	 	13 	3 	17 	20 	0
1978–79 	Montreal Juniors 	QMJHL 	 	70 	46 	112 	158 	88 	 	11 	5 	6 	11 	46
1979–80 	Montreal Juniors 	QMJHL 	 	72 	63 	118 	181 	93 	 	10 	7 	16 	23 	8
1980–81 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 	 	76 	28 	47 	75 	47 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
1981–82 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 	 	80 	32 	87 	119 	82 	 	15 	11 	7 	18 	52
1982–83 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 	 	78 	35 	86 	121 	99 	 	13 	8 	9 	17 	22
1983–84 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 	 	75 	37 	57 	94 	71 	 	5 	1 	3 	4 	9
1984–85 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 	 	79 	38 	67 	105 	56 	 	15 	9 	20 	29 	20
1985–86 	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL 	 	80 	47 	69 	116 	111 	 	3 	4 	1 	5 	6
1986–87 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	70 	40 	50 	90 	108 	 	4 	1 	0 	1 	12
1987–88 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	80 	44 	87 	131 	95 	 	5 	4 	3 	7 	17
1988–89 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	58 	23 	59 	82 	110 	 	16 	8 	11 	19 	10
1989–90 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	60 	23 	57 	80 	56 	 	20 	7 	15 	22 	41
1990–91 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	70 	28 	31 	59 	52 	 	13 	2 	11 	13 	35
1991–92 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	77 	28 	42 	70 	73 	 	11 	3 	9 	12 	8
1992–93 	Montreal Canadiens 	NHL 	 	63 	16 	34 	50 	90 	 	14 	0 	5 	5 	4
1993–94 	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL 	 	74 	18 	28 	46 	106 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL 	 	31 	6 	11 	17 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	12 	4 	4 	8 	8 	 	16 	7 	11 	18 	10
1995–96 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	69 	13 	35 	48 	102 	 	10 	1 	2 	3 	8
1996–97 	Chicago Blackhawks 	NHL 	 	64 	9 	18 	27 	60 	 	6 	0 	2 	2 	2
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1,196 	473 	865 	1,338 	1,336 	 	169 	66 	109 	175 	256
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Coaching career==
Shortly after his retirement as a player, Savard began a coaching career with the Blackhawks in December 1997. On November 27, 2006, Savard was named interim head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks after Trent Yawney was fired mid-season. He was commended for leading a young Blackhawks team to within 3 points of a playoff berth during his second season as coach. The Hawks finished just one victory away from the .500 mark in 2007–2008. The 40 wins in 2007–08 marked the first time the club had reached the 40 win mark in six years.
On October 16, 2008, just four games into the season Savard was fired as coach of the Chicago Blackhawks. He was replaced by former Colorado Avalanche coach Joel Quenneville, who had been hired as a scout for the Blackhawks during the previous summer. In 147 games as coach, Savard posted a 65–66–16 record. Savard remains as an ambassador for the Blackhawks and received Stanley Cup rings in 2010, 2013 and 2015.
===Coaching record===
Team 	Year 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Post season
Team 	Year 	G 	W 	L 	OTL 	Pts 	Division rank 	Result
CHI 	2006–07	61 	24 	30 	7 	(71) 	5th in Central	Missed playoffs
CHI 	2007–08	82 	40 	34 	8 	88 	3rd in Central	Missed playoffs
CHI 	2008–09	4 	1 	2 	1 	(104) 	2nd in Central	(fired)
Total	Total 	147 	65 	66 	16 	.496 	 	
==Personal life==
Savard has a cousin named Jean Savard who also played for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1970s. He also shared the same number as Serge Savard, who is unrelated to him. They shared the same number (#18), and in the 1990s Serge was general manager of the Habs when he acquired Denis from the Blackhawks.
Savard is sometimes called "Savoir-Faire" referring to a fictional French Canadian mouse that was the archnemesis of the cartoon character Klondike Kat.
==See also==
*List of members of the Hockey Hall of Fame
*List of NHL statistical leaders
*List of NHL players with 1000 points
==References==
*"One on One with Serge Savard" by Kevin Shea, December 16, 2003, retrieved August 10, 2006
*Hockey draft central
==External links==
*
Category:1961 births
Category:Canadian ice hockey centres
Category:Canadian ice hockey coaches
Category:Chicago Blackhawks captains
Category:Chicago Blackhawks coaches
Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Ice hockey people from Quebec
Category:Montreal Canadiens players
Category:Montreal Juniors players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:National Hockey League first-round draft picks
Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players
Category:Retired in 1997