Confirmed with Link: David Savard re-signed

[Samkow]

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=678025

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman David Savard to a one-year, two-way (NHL/AHL) contract for the 2013-14 season, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. As is club policy, further terms were not disclosed.

Click to read more...

 

[Xoggz22]

Hope he's worked on his skating. I think he has talent but he was clearly not ready for the NHL speed last year at the end of the year during his brief call up. He looked scared and was brutal on the ice.

He's now elligible for waivers when sent down. Unlikely he's someone the CBJ can retain given his potential. Same with Goloubef although I would be much more saddened by Cody's departure than David's.

 

[Robert]

Not ready for prime time but good for depth and perhaps the future... defense usually takes time unless one is on an above average level..

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Probable trade bait

 

[Matthew]

The future of D. Savard is blurry at best. Too many possibilities to list.

So, a one year deal makes perfect sense.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

Glad he is signed in the CBJ organ i zation.

I think this guy will be very good when he figures it all out, he has shown glimpses over the past 2 years, congrats David

 

[SuperGenius]

I think this guy will be very good when he figures it all out, he has shown glimpses over the past 2 years, congrats David

Glimpses of what? Seriously. I have no idea what people see in Savard. To my eyes, he's big, but also slow and not physical. He has an ok shot I guess, assuming he can handle a pass. What am I missing?

 

[EspenK]

Glimpses of what? Seriously. I have no idea what people see in Savard. To my eyes, he's big, but also slow and not physical. He has an ok shot I guess, assuming he can handle a pass. What am I missing?

The ultimate fanboy gene that only sees good in all Blue Jackets (except maybe Umbie)?

 

[major major]

Hope he's worked on his skating. I think he has talent but he was clearly not ready for the NHL speed last year at the end of the year during his brief call up. He looked scared and was brutal on the ice.

He's now elligible for waivers when sent down. Unlikely he's someone the CBJ can retain given his potential. Same with Goloubef although I would be much more saddened by Cody's departure than David's.

Can he be plucked away on waivers if he doesn't make the team out of camp? I hope we trade him first, because its hard to imagine him making this squad.

In Savard's defense his nervousness in his short stints last year was out of character. Do y'all think he could do third pair + PP for some teams?

 

[dru]

Glimpses of what? Seriously. I have no idea what people see in Savard. To my eyes, he's big, but also slow and not physical. He has an ok shot I guess, assuming he can handle a pass. What am I missing?

96 Pts in 176 AHL games and was the CHL defenseman of the year in 2010.

Let's give him a little leeway before we act like he's got no chance in the NHL. He's 22 and playing one of the hardest positions on the ice and he's only played 35 NHL games.

 

[JACKETfan]

The ultimate fanboy gene that only sees good in all Blue Jackets (except maybe Umbie)?

But his name is "Savard"

*sniff*

 

[SuperGenius]

96 Pts in 176 AHL games and was the CHL defenseman of the year in 2010.

Let's give him a little leeway before we act like he's got no chance in the NHL. He's 22 and playing one of the hardest positions on the ice and he's only played 35 NHL games.

I didn't say he had no chance in the NHL, nor anything of the sort. I said I didn't get what people like about the guy. The ECHL, AHL and European Leagues are full of guys who had great statistical CHL seasons. That really doesn't matter to me. For every Pronger there's a Mickey Dupont.

I can usually recognize "it" when I see it, and I don't see it with Savard. I'd like to know about what people see that they like about the guy now, not the past, not the hope...now.

I don't think he's not worth the 1 year deal really...I just always wonder when I hear people talk about his play in a positive light.

 

[blahblah]

Glimpses of what? Seriously. I have no idea what people see in Savard. To my eyes, he's big, but also slow and not physical. He has an ok shot I guess, assuming he can handle a pass. What am I missing?

No more or less what I like in any other young puck moving defensemen with some size. Two years ago he wasn't bad when he got the call up. Last year, not so much. Didn't find that unexpected.

He's projecting as a possible bottom pairing guy. Fine with that.

We didn't see him play in Springfield (most of us), at least with any regularity. I'm really not big on listening to fans perceptions on whipping boys and that is what was happening to a guy like Savard. I'll make my judgements in camp and in NHL games. Two seasons ago, I was fine with him. Last year, he wasn't ready to perform when he came up for whatever reason.

At any rate, he's back in the fold for another year. The trade bait comment was kind of amusing.

 

[Skraut]

Glimpses of what? Seriously. I have no idea what people see in Savard. To my eyes, he's big, but also slow and not physical. He has an ok shot I guess, assuming he can handle a pass. What am I missing?

There's a common saying in Aussie Rules Football:
"Little guys have to prove they can play. Big guys have to prove that they can't."

Seems to fit pretty well in hockey as well.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Have to admit to being decidedly meh on this. He's going to have to start figuring out how to translate his game to the next level.

 

[Samkow]

Didn't Davidson publicly call him out of shape a few months back?

Can't find the quote anywhere but I swear it happened.

 

[Mayor Bee]

There's a common saying in Aussie Rules Football:
"Little guys have to prove they can play. Big guys have to prove that they can't."

Seems to fit pretty well in hockey as well.

Just because Colton Gillies is gone doesn't mean we need to keep piling on.

 

[blahblah]

Didn't Davidson publicly call him out of shape a few months back?

Can't find the quote anywhere but I swear it happened.

I remember either JK or JD calling him out (I think it was JK), but I don't remember anything about being out of shape. It was more of a generalization about stepping up his game.

Honestly I don't remember anyone specifically called out for issues of being in shape. I've heard generalizations about young kids and learning how to take care of themselves, but with young kids it is quite common.

 

[Xoggz22]

Can he be plucked away on waivers if he doesn't make the team out of camp? I hope we trade him first, because its hard to imagine him making this squad.

In Savard's defense his nervousness in his short stints last year was out of character. Do y'all think he could do third pair + PP for some teams?

Yes, if he's sent down from CBJ camp to Springfield he can be claimed. If he shows like he did last year when called up I don't think he'll be claimed. He has some skill sets that are appealing, especially on the PP but, in my opinion, his 5 v 5 game was awful last year and he was exposed defensively. Maybe he was trying to do too much but he didn't like like an AHL d-man let alone one for the NHL.

I'd like to see him succeed as he has shown he's got a good shot and good vision. His breakout passes are excellent but if he can't get his feet out of cement he's not goign to find success beyond AHL player of day.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

I have seen Savard play well

admittedly he seemed to regress last year (1/2 season), but the prior year he actually looked pretty good, better than John Moore. I remember thinking he was a great 3rd round pick.

Someone needs to light the fire. Prout has passed the other D prospects and there were certainly plenty of times Prout gave up a bad turnover, or didn't fight hard enough for the puck.

Folks on this board seem to lose patience with young D men, yet plenty loved Russell & I never understood that. As an organization we have rushed some of these guys into the NHL rather than making them earn their ice time.

What is the status of Cody Goulebef?

 

[major major]

Didn't Davidson publicly call him out of shape a few months back?

Can't find the quote anywhere but I swear it happened.

IIRC, JD was addressing the future of Holden and Savard when they were sent down this past year. He said Holden needed to get stronger, and Savard needed better conditioning.

 

[EspenK]

Yes, if he's sent down from CBJ camp to Springfield he can be claimed. If he shows like he did last year when called up I don't think he'll be claimed. He has some skill sets that are appealing, especially on the PP but, in my opinion, his 5 v 5 game was awful last year and he was exposed defensively. Maybe he was trying to do too much but he didn't like like an AHL d-man let alone one for the NHL.

I'd like to see him succeed as he has shown he's got a good shot and good vision. His breakout passes are excellent but if he can't get his feet out of cement he's not goign to find success beyond AHL player of day.

If Savard goes down (which I believe he will) he will be at best 8th or 9th on our depth chart. Not sure that makes him a prime target to be claimed. But it could happen.

 

[dru]

I can usually recognize "it" when I see it, and I don't see it with Savard. I'd like to know about what people see that they like about the guy now, not the past, not the hope...now.

Like I said, I don't know how well you can judge a 22 year old defensemen's NHL abilities after only 35 NHL games. Most people consider 35 games played to still be in prospect territory.

Personally I like his size but also his outlet passing and one-time shot from the point. That makes him a decent option for the left side of the 2nd PP unit. Yes, his feet are suspect and his skating needs lots of work at the moment. His conditioning was way off last year which is why he looked like lost and was scrambling all over the ice. If he can fix those things he has a chance to nab the 3rd pairing spot, at least to start the season.

He may not have all of "it" but he has something and if he can get into shape we can finally see how much of "it" is really there. I don't think it's fair to judge him mainly on his 4 games up last year.

 

[Xoggz22]

Like I said, I don't know how well you can judge a 22 year old defensemen's NHL abilities after only 35 NHL games. Most people consider 35 games played to still be in prospect territory.

Personally I like his size but also his outlet passing and one-time shot from the point. That makes him a decent option for the left side of the 2nd PP unit. Yes, his feet are suspect and his skating needs lots of work at the moment. His conditioning was way off last year which is why he looked like lost and was scrambling all over the ice. If he can fix those things he has a chance to nab the 3rd pairing spot, at least to start the season.

He may not have all of "it" but he has something and if he can get into shape we can finally see how much of "it" is really there. I don't think it's fair to judge him mainly on his 4 games up last year.

I'm not writing him off but this teams identity is skating, IQ and toughness (rough way to sum it up I guess). Savard seems to have the IQ but I'm concerned about the skating part. And there is no excuse for not being in shape if that's the case. By the time he got to Columbus he had played 30 or more games in the AHL which, worst case, should have gotten him in game shape with effort.

He's young and maybe the palm hasn't slapped the forehead yet but he's going to run out of time in Columbus sooner rather than later. There are other players coming up behind him that show a lot of promise and there are probably 8-9 in front of him right now at the current state. Let's start to see his CHL game translate.....