Blackhawks Top 100- #4 Denis Savard

Jun 28, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks legend

Denis Savard

during the 2013 Stanley Cup championship celebration at Grant Park. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

We’re counting the days until the Chicago Blackhawks 2014 Season kicks off. We’re doing a Top 100 list of all time Chicago Blackhawks. It’s a fun way to pass the time and take a stroll down Memory Lane as we head towards opening night on October 9th in Dallas.

Denis Savard (1980-1997)

Games-881

Goals-377

Assists-719

Points-1,096

+98

Penalty Minutes-1,005

Game Winning Goals-46

Playoffs

Games-131

Goals-61

Assists-84

Points-145

Penalty minutes-209

Game Winning Goals-6

The most exciting player to ever lace up the skates in Blackhawks history could be on the ice today and wears #88, but for sure the most exciting player of my youth was Denis Savard and he could basically do anything on the ice that he wanted to do.

Savard slipped to the #3 spot in the 1980 draft a slot that has produced legends in Chicago (Michael Jordan, Jonathan Toews) and the Hawks were well on their way to get out of the doldrums of the late 70’s to the exciting hockey of the 80’s at Chicago Stadium.

Savard spin-0-rama was patented and it was a move that left defenseman holding their jocks as #18 would score or set up a score.

Savard was part of one the highest scoring Blackhawks lines ever with Steve Larmer and Al Secord and what a top line they were tough, hard-nosed, full of leadership and creative and we are just talking about Savard still.

Savard holds the Blackhawks record for most assists in a season with 87 twice and points in a season with 131 and although he played in an era with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, it was Savard that could do things on the ice that others could only wish they could and it brought the fans out to the Stadium every night.

Savard and the Blackhawks were very good in the 80’s but they always came up short including 5 trips to the Conference Finals without reaching the Stanley Cup Finals. Mike Keenan was brought in to make that final step which they did in 1992, but Keenan’s plan didn’t include Savard who was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Chris Chelios.

The trade did help Savard pick up his only Stanley Cup with his hometown Canadiens in 1993 before coming back to Chicago to finish off his career.

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Savard would get his spot in the hockey Hall of Fame and would have his #18 retired to the rafters of the United Center, but one of his greatest marks in his entire Blackhawks career could be the time he spent as Head coach molding the extremely young talent on the roster with the names Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane. Savard may not have been the right coach to win the Stanley Cup, but he was the right fit to show potential talent how to thrive in the NHL.

Savard is a Blackhawks legend and #4 on our list of Greatest Blackhawks of All-time. What do you think Too Low or Too high?

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