Savard arrived in his native Quebec a season ago, playing in 62 games for the Canadiens. He missed the better part of two months in the middle of the year with an ankle issue but was otherwise a regular for the club. As has been the case for Savard's entire career, his point production (three goals, 17 points) was minimal. On the flip side, he contributed 134 hits and 127 blocks, giving him deep league value in formats which value those categories. Just keep in mind Savard will almost certainly finish with an ugly plus-minus rating since he'll be playing for what will likely be one of the weakest teams in the league.
There was a time when Savard held fantasy potential, but that time has passed. He was a combined minus-27 in 54 games split between Columbus and Tampa Bay last season, but he munched minutes and earned a Stanley Cup ring in the process. In Montreal, Savard will be expected to chew time on a blue line decimated by the loss of Shea Weber. He's a better on the ice than in the fantasy arena guy, unless hits and blocks count. Savard uses his body well and could top 140-150 of each in bleu, blanc et rouge this year.
In many fantasy formats, Savard was a disappointment last season even by his own modest standards. He managed only 11 points, all assists, in 68 games, and on a team that made the postseason he finished with a negative plus-minus rating for the first time since 2015-16. The stay-at-home stalwart did, however, remain a key part of the Blue Jackets' blue-line corps -- he was on pace to top 150 hits over a full schedule for the first time in five seasons -- and even with the games lost to the shutdown, he still set a new career high in blocked shots. Heading into the final year of his current contract, Savard could find himself on the trade block at the deadline if Columbus isn't in the playoff picture, but wherever he plays he should remain a strong asset in secondary categories.
The Blue Jackets have bigger names on their blue line, but they may not have a more reliable defender than Savard. The 28-year-old doesn't offer much offensive upside -- he's topped 25 points only once in his career -- but he's recorded triple-digit hits and blocked shots in five straight seasons, and he's missed only one game in the last two campaigns. His physical, responsible play makes him an excellent partner for a more skilled, mobile defenseman, allowing them to jump into the rush. Savard's steadiness on the back end could be key for Columbus this season as it begins life without Sergei Bobrovsky in net.
Not surprisingly, Savard wasn't able to repeat his exceptional plus-33 rating from 2016-17, and with Seth Jones and Zach Werenski growing into more offensive responsibility, the veteran defenseman's scoring took a step backwards as well. That's not to say Savard played poorly, however, as he remains a steady second or third pairing stalwart on the Columbus blue line. The departure of long-time partner Jack Johnson could have an impact on Savard in 2018-19, but the duo was separated for significant stretches last year, and the 27-year-old will now get to play the role of mentor for another one of the Blue Jackets' up-and-comers.
While young Columbus blueliners Seth Jones and Zach Werenski got most of the headlines last year as the squad’s exciting young top pairing, Savard quietly went about his business and formed the team’s shutdown duo with a revitalized Jack Johnson, leading him to a third-place finish in the entire NHL with a plus-33 rating. Savard plays a smart, physical game and keeps his focus on getting the puck out of danger rather than looking for chances to join the rush, although his strong passing skills do allow him to collect points when the opportunity presents itself. The 26-year-old may leave the flashy plays to his younger teammates, but he'll remain a crucial part of the team’s defensive success going forward.
Savard's production took a step back last season as he battled foot and oblique injuries before ending his campaign early to undergo foot surgery. When healthy, the 25-year-old offers solid size and a strong presence in his own end while chipping in as a secondary option on the power play, a role that isn't likely to change with Seth Jones and Ryan Murray entrenched at the top of the depth chart, not to mention 2015 first-round pick Zach Werenski, who’s expected to crack the roster as well. Consider last year's 39 points to be Savard's ceiling rather than his baseline.
Though he was a strong prospect who had produced in the AHL, Savard took some time to get acclimated to life at the highest level, but he simply took off last year, blowing away the previous campaign's numbers in nearly every category. He's now a top-pairing blueliner for Columbus, and thus should be heavily involved on the offense. WIth James Wisniewski gone now, Savard could see his power-play role expanded, but unless he starts firing more pucks on net (just 112 in 82 games last year), he's a good bet to see his goal total fall back -- that 9.8 shooting percentage is very high for a defenseman and likely unsustainable. Still, that doesn't mean Savard should be discounted in fantasy drafts -- with all the minutes he'll be seeing on the ice with the Jackets' super-talented top forward lines, he's got the potential to pile up plenty of points.
Savard continues to produce solid offensive numbers in the AHL, but hasn't yet found a way to translate his skill to the next level. The Blue Jackets' depth chart on the blue line gets more crowded every year though, and Savard may need a change of scenery to get another crack at the NHL.
Savard didn't acquit himself too badly in his first look at the NHL, scoring 10 points and managing a plus-minus of zero in 31 games (not bad at all when you're toiling for the worst team in the league). He continues to see competition flow into the organization, with second-overall pick Ryan Murray and former Ranger prospect Tim Erixon joining Savard and John Moore to form what could be an impressive core of young blueliners in a few years, and, as a result Savard could remain on the AHL-NHL shuttle until Columbus starts phasing out its veteran defensemen to make room for the future.
John Moore was the more heralded prospect coming into last season, but it was Savard who hit the ground running in his first crack at the pros, and he rang up 11 goals and 43 points in 72 AHL games. Savard's still a little rough around the edges at both ends of the rink but he'll likely be among the first defensemen called up to Columbus this season if injuries strike the blue line, and if he works his way onto the first power play unit next to James Wisniewski he could provide some surprising production as a rookie.
Two-way defense prospect begins his pro career after a 13-64-77 showing in 64 QMJHL games last season.
