Marc Savard's latest career in hockey has him coaching the OHL's Windsor Spitfires with an up-tempo game. And NHL teams are calling.
It feels like there is a changing of the guard in the NHL coaching carousel.
We have seen some former highly skilled NHL players, such as Martin St-Louis and Rod Brind’Amour, come into their respective organizations and find success early on.
Marc Savard may be next.
He’s only been in the OHL for two years coaching the Windsor Spitfires, but his success and the reputation he’s developed as a modernized coach already have his phone ringing with possible NHL jobs.
“I’ve had a few calls and been in touch with a few teams already,” Savard told The Hockey News. “I have one more year on my deal with the Spitfires here, and I think we can have a very strong team once again with a lot of very good young talent.”
Before his coaching career, Savard was a highly productive NHLer who challenged the 100-point plateau a few times. He was a playmaker with great intelligence and impeccable passing ability that were rare – even among the game’s best players.
Unfortunately, on March 7, 2010, Savard’s playing career effectively ended on a brutal hit while playing for the Boston Bruins. Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke approached from the blindside, elevated his elbow, and delivered a blow that comes to the mind of today’s hockey fans when they think of a head shot.
Savard tried to continue his career, but after struggling with the concussion and symptoms related to it, he stepped away from the game. His playing career would be over, but he couldn’t stay out of hockey.
Savard joined the St. Louis Blues coaching staff for the 2019-20 season before becoming the head coach of the Windsor Spitfires for the last two years. He led the Spitfires to the top record in the OHL’s Western Conference in both his seasons at the helm, including the OHL final in 2021-22.
The former Bruin coaches the way he played – up-tempo with a focus on creating offense.
“I want my players to play freely. They understand that if they make a play in the offensive zone and it ends up being a mistake, they need to get back defensively and try to make up for it,” Savard said.
“They’ll know they made the mistake so they know they have to take accountability. That doesn’t mean I don’t want them playing up-tempo hockey.”
“When the time is right and the right situation comes up, though, I think the NHL is the next step.” - Marc Savard
Savard is a forward thinker – both literally and figuratively. He doesn’t want his defenders to be shy about moving the puck, and he wants to get everyone involved in generating offensive chances.
“I always wanted the defensemen to send the pass up ice immediately and hated when they waited too long,” joked a jovial Savard. “People talk about playing fast, but what is playing fast? It’s playing a fast mental game and pushing the puck up ice. I don’t love when defenders go D-to-D – I’d rather them skate with it and draw pressure to open up new passing lanes.”
This is the modern game. It’s about speed – both mentally and physically.
The days of brutes running the NHL and bashing guys’ heads in are dying. Instead, the game is becoming more dependent on skill and offensive creation. Savard played in the era that began that process, and he’s all about moving forward with it.
“The OHL has done a great job in my opinion,” Savard said on player safety. “They have left very little room for grey area. If it’s a slew foot or a head hit, you’re going to be shown the gate. It makes the game way safer for kids coming up.”
When asked about the QMJHL’s plan for automatic ejections and suspensions for fighting, he was in full agreeance on that matter as well.
“I think they should (ban fighting),” said Savard. “If two or three guys get thrown out for it, eventually guys will stop doing it, and that’s how we get it out of the game completely. We don’t need it.”
The future of the game is important to Savard. That’s partially why he wanted to coach at the junior level.
“I enjoy being able to help these kids grow and reach the next level,” he said. “Seeing the success of Wyatt (Johnston) early on, Will Cuylle getting a cup of coffee, and now (Matthew) Maggio looking like he could be a stalwart for the Islanders, it makes me really proud to have had a hand in that.”
He is in no rush to step up to the NHL, though. It needs to be the right situation for his family and to step into personally as a coach and person.
“When the time is right and the right situation comes up though, I think the NHL is the next step,” Savard said.
If that means staying in Windsor for the foreseeable future, he’s very happy with the environment he’s helped cultivate. It’s a successful franchise that has continued developing players the right way.
“We may not have a Maggio or Johnston yet, but one could emerge, and we have a very deep team,” Savard said. “We already have three lines and four defenders kind of set in place, and that’s an excellent place to start. I think we can compete again.”
“People talk about playing fast, but what is playing fast? It’s playing a fast mental game and pushing the puck up ice.” - Marc Savard
The Spitfires are usually one of the OHL’s most competitive teams, but Savard’s up-tempo free-wheeling hockey has made them a tough out on any night. It didn’t matter whether they were down a few goals early or not because they could score in bunches. On other nights, Windsor dominated teams, getting out to big leads and never taking their foot off the gas.
Savard’s plans as of right now are to be in Windsor, coaching and developing a young team while still looking to continue the squad’s run atop the OHL’s Western Conference.
“That’s why I’m coaching at the level I’m coaching at,” he said. “I enjoy being able to help these kids grow. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to get these guys playing winning hockey.”
Maybe that’s why he’s finding success. He’s found a way to blend development and winning hockey by running intelligent offensive systems and putting his best players in a position to succeed, whether they are the highly touted star or the young and up-and-comer.
“Things will change, but I want my teams to create offense. That’s just who I am,” Savard said.
NHL teams are noticing exactly who Savard is as his second life in hockey has taken off. That’s why they’re calling.