David Savard is not at the right place in the Habs' defensive brigade
When Marc Bergevin acquired defenseman David Savard, many saw him as the "replacement" for Shea Weber. However, after 12 games with the Habs, the Quebec defenseman is not living up to expectations, posting a differential of -5.
Savard, who was used to playing as a third pair with the Tampa Bay Lightning, has seen his responsibilities increase drastically. The St. Hyacinthe native is playing against the opposition's best every night, averaging close to 20 minutes of playing time.
What is most disappointing when looking at his stats is that Savard was on the ice for 11 of the opponent's 22 goals at five-on-five. On top of that, the 31-year-old was on the ice for nine opponent goals when the Habs was short a man.
Is this a matter of adjustment for Savard? Maybe it is. It's certainly not a lack of effort, but rather a lack of cohesion and timing in his game. Remember that he is just starting out in Montreal and that adapting to the Montreal market is not always easy.
He and his partner Brett Kulak had a particularly tough time last night. In the 6-2 loss to the Islanders, the pair combined for a -5 differential as they were trapped in their zone more often than not.
The point here is not to put all the blame on David Savard, but rather to conclude that he is not in the right chair right now.
When Joel Edmundson makes a return to the game, it will be interesting to see what role the Quebecer will have to play. The best scenario would obviously be to use him on the third pair with Alexander Romanov for example.
In short, with the Habs' defensive woes, Edmundson's return is more than expected!
