Why didn't Denis Savard ever play in the Canada Cup?

[Big Phil]

In reality he is just a center on the long list of centers that never played for Canada that could have. Francis, Oates, Federko, Turgeon, Seguin (so far)..............Lemaire

But if you ask me there could have easily been room for him on the 1984 or 1987 teams. I think they should have thrown Savard on the 1984 team over Stastny. After all, Savard was Canadian, Stastny got his citizenship just before hand and it really makes no sense as they were both the same level of player.

But 1987 is where we needed him the most I think. His explosive offense would have worked well against the Soviets. I honestly think Keenan made some mistakes with that team and while we did win there were loads of defensemen and forwards that could have made that team that perhaps should have and then maybe we aren't playing three tight 6-5 games in the final. If you throw Lemieux on the top line with Gretzky you've got Savard on the 2nd scoring line. Maybe bump up Hawerchuk to play on the left side with him and then you still have Messier on the 3rd checking line. Then Gilmour. To me I think Savard was just too explosive offensively to leave off a team like this. I know there was a backlog and such and it makes sense to an extent, but I wouldn't have done it if I were Keenan.

 

[Roboturner913]

Savard was truly an electrifying player, a one-man show. I wonder if that didn't have some bearing on why he wasn't on those teams. You already have enough egos on all-star teams like that, and then you have a guy who is dipsy-doodling through the entire defense, maybe that rubs guys the wrong way a bit. That's not trying to say Savard was selfish or anything like that, but I could see where some guys might have that perception about him.

 

[The Panther]

That's not trying to say Savard was selfish or anything like that, but I could see where some guys might have that perception about him.

I think Savard was great, but there actually was a perception on the part of some players that he was selfish.

You may remember that amazing goal he scored against Edmonton in early 1988, at Chicago Stadium (it's on the all the highlight reels, and Jeremy Roenick says it's the best goal he's ever seen).

I used to watch an Edmonton weekly TV show about the Oilers, which was co-hosted by former Oiler Dave Lumley (admittedly probably not Savard's biggest fan). Anyway, there's a segment on that particular game (the Oilers lost 6-4), where, at the end, Larmer and Savard do a give-and-go with the empty net and Larmer scores to seal it. Lumley was describing the goal, and he says: "Savard, unselfish this year -- not as usual -- gives it back to Larmer and he puts it in the empty net." I always thought that was funny.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

that's so odd considering savard averaged an assist per game four times in his career. only four guys have done it more times; one is paul coffey and you all know who the other three are.

 

[Killion]

-- gives it back to Larmer and he puts it in the empty net." I always thought that was funny.

Yeah, amusing... even more so as Lumley was a Paluka who needed both of his hands and a map to find his ***... What does he know Panther?

 

[The Panther]

Yeah, amusing... even more so as Lumley was a Paluka who needed both of his hands and a map to find his ***... What does he know Panther?

I'm not arguing that Lumley knows anything. I'm saying there was a perception on the part of some players that Savard was selfish (a point raised by someone else).

 

[The Panther]

And don't forget that Lumley had 30-some pucks bounced off his ass and into the net (by Gretzky) one season! Takes some talent.

 

[tony d]

Don't know. Guy was one of the top Canadian centres in the 80's. Should have made at least 1 Canada Cup team.

 

[Neutrinos]

Same reason Steve Yzerman didn't play until the second half of his career. Gretzky and Messier were locks as the top 2, then they wanted better rounded players to play 3rd/4th line or wing. For whatever reason, Hawerchuk was trusted more to convert to wing than Savard or Yzerman

It's hard to believe anyone could actually think the Canadian roster in '91 was better off with Russ Courtnall at RW over someone like Yzerman or Sakic

Some of their roster decisions over the years have been quite egregious

 

[Big Phil]

I think Savard was great, but there actually was a perception on the part of some players that he was selfish.

You may remember that amazing goal he scored against Edmonton in early 1988, at Chicago Stadium (it's on the all the highlight reels, and Jeremy Roenick says it's the best goal he's ever seen).

I used to watch an Edmonton weekly TV show about the Oilers, which was co-hosted by former Oiler Dave Lumley (admittedly probably not Savard's biggest fan). Anyway, there's a segment on that particular game (the Oilers lost 6-4), where, at the end, Larmer and Savard do a give-and-go with the empty net and Larmer scores to seal it. Lumley was describing the goal, and he says: "Savard, unselfish this year -- not as usual -- gives it back to Larmer and he puts it in the empty net." I always thought that was funny.

Funny how that works. I always thought the perception from what I remember at the time was that Savard was an electrifying individual player who had a surprisingly less amount of goals than you'd expect. He had 473 career goals, and mostly he "only" had that many because he had so many assists.