The Canadiens may have its interim captain
Dominique Ducharme has indicated that Shea Weber will remain the captain of the Montreal Canadiens during his absence in the 2021-22 schedule. To bring the team together and keep it on track, Ducharme will rely on a committee of leaders: Brendan Gallagher, Jeff Petry, Nick Suzuki, Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson, Joel Edmundson and Ben Chiarot.
Among this group of leaders, we must add the name of David Savard, who has the makings and the aura to fill the role of main leader. Even if he is not one of those who will share the letter "A" during the next season, his presence in front of the media indicates that he can certainly play the role of interim captain, even if no member of the Canadiens mentions it directly.
As a Quebecer, he has the responsibility of being one of the main players in front of the media, a role that suits him very well. That was evident Tuesday, as he participated in several interviews, including an appearance on JiC's show on TVA Sports. He is articulate, aware of the Montreal market for a player from Quebec, and his speech is worthy of a great captain.
Here's a portion of it, specifically regarding the comparison between him and Shea Weber:
"I don't see myself as a replacement for Shea. For sure it's a big loss for the team, but I'm not going to change my style of play because of it. I'm going to give big minutes on the short-handed and I'm going to take a physical approach, but I'm not going to try to be Weber. He's a guy who's had a phenomenal career. I have my own style on the ice."
Obviously, the 30-year-old veteran will play a mentoring role with the team's younger players:
"If I can help the young guys feel good, I will. It's important that all the guys are in a good frame of mind and confident."
He also returned to his choice to sign with the Habs, which was unequivocal:
"This is the team I grew up watching. It was also very appealing to come back and play close to home. Hockey-wise, it was also a great opportunity because the Canadiens made it to the Stanley Cup Final last year and there are a lot of talented young players pushing to make the team. As soon as they made the offer, it was clear that I would accept."
In short, isn't this the guy we've been looking for to hold the torch high in the absence of Shea Weber?
