Denis Savard

Denis Savard, born on February 4, 1961, in Gatineau, Quebec, is a former professional ice hockey player. He began his professional career with the Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted him third overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. Savard quickly made an impact, setting a Blackhawks record for most points by a rookie with 75 in the 1980–81 season. Throughout his career, he became known for his innovative “Savardian Spin-o-rama” move, which allowed him to maneuver past defenders and goaltenders. Savard played for the Blackhawks from 1980 to 1990, leading them to the Conference Finals four times, though they did not win the Stanley Cup during this initial period.

In 1990, Savard was traded to the Montreal Canadiens, where he played until 1993, winning the Stanley Cup in 1993. Following his time with the Canadiens, he spent a season and a half with the Tampa Bay Lightning before returning to the Chicago Blackhawks in 1995. Savard retired from professional hockey in 1997, concluding a career that spanned 1,196 NHL games, with 473 goals and 865 assists for a total of 1338 points. His jersey number, #18, was retired by the Blackhawks in 1998, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

After his playing career, Savard transitioned into coaching, joining the Blackhawks’ coaching staff in 1997 and becoming head coach in 2006. He led the team to within three points of a playoff berth in his second season as head coach, marking the first time in six years the team achieved 40 wins. Savard was replaced as head coach in 2008 but continued his involvement with the Blackhawks organization as an ambassador, receiving Stanley Cup rings in 2010, 2013, and 2015. In 2017, he was recognized as one of the ‘100 Greatest NHL Players’ in history.