Young phenom Connor Bedard has been wowing fans in Chicago, but in this story from THN's Nov. 20, 1987 edition, we profiled another Blackhawks standout youngster, forward Denis Savard. It wasn't always sunshine and lollipops for Savard in the Windy City, but he became a Hawks icon because of his all-around elite game.
The Chicago Blackhawks consider themselves blessed to have super-rookie Connor Bedard on board – and in this cover story from THN’s Nov. 20, 1987 edition (Vol. 41, Issue 9), THN writer Michael Ulmer spotlighted another elite Hawks youngster – forward Denis Savard.
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When the article was published, Savard was 26 years old and in his eighth NHL season. In all but his rookie year, he scored at least 32 goals per season, and in the 1987-88 campaign, he generated what would be a career-high 44 goals and 131 points. Eventually, he would be named Blackhawks captain, although he was traded to Montreal in 1990 – in a blockbuster move that sent star defenseman Chris Chelios to Chicago – and he was part of the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup-winning team in 1993.
Like all Hockey Hall of Famers, Savard wanted to be on the ice as much as possible in all situations. And Hawks coach Bob Murdoch gave him more responsibility in 1987.
“I feel really good about this year,” Savard told Ulmer. “Killing penalties has given me more ice and coach Murdoch has shown me a lot of confidence in a lot of departments.”
Savard wowed his teammates with his focus, determination, and, of course, his offensive skills. And he was at his peak when the article was published.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Savvy play with this much intensity,” Chicago winger Steve Larmer said.
“He has made a lot of guys look bad,” added Hawks forward Al Secord.
When Chicago gave Savard an official leadership role, he recognized his responsibilities would change and adapted accordingly.
“It matured me a lot," Savard said. "I was surprised in a way that (Murdoch) gave me the ‘A’ because we’ve got a lot of leaders on this team but I was kind of happy. It is really a challenge to me.
“When they gave me the assistant captain, it really told me I have to be a leader, I really have to help kids out.”
Savard would go on to play 1,196 regular-season NHL games, amassing 865 assists and 1,338 points in that span. He’s a legend both in Montreal and Chicago, and though he had his share of struggles in the Windy City, he maintained a positive attitude that panned out in incredible success.
“I’m so happy,” Savard said at the time. “And I know better days are coming.”
HE’S GOT PUCK ‘SAVVY’
Vol. 41, Issue 9, Nov. 20, 1987
By Michael Ulmer
Joe Louis Arena, Oct. 21: The Chicago Blackhawks lead Detroit 3-1 late in the second period when referee Denis Morel tags Doug Wilson with a five-minute spearing penalty and game misconduct.
The Wings, outplayed on the evening, sense the opportunity to strike back. A goal late in the period and the absence of Wilson, the Hawks’ top defenseman, may be enough to overcome Chicago. The 19,000 Joe Louis patrons brace for a comeback.
Detroit presses but three minutes into the penalty Steve Larmer finds Denis Savard in flight at center ice. Savard charges toward the Detroit blue line, angles past one defender and loses the only defenseman back with a tantalizing juke.
You can see it coming now. Savard veers in on goaltender Greg Stefan, drops his shoulder and snaps a wrist shot into the net.
“By the time the puck was in the net, Stefan was swimming,” remembers Hawks’ radio announcer Pat Foley.
The goal finishes the Wings. Savard nets two in the Hawks’ 5-1 victory. He also spearheads the power play, kills penalties and takes a regular shift.
The message is clear to the Wings, who brushed Chicago and Savard aside last season in the Norris Division semi-final, and to the rebuilding Hawks.
The Artful Dodger is back.
“I feel really good about this year,” says Savard. “Killing penalties has given me more ice and coach (Bob) Murdoch has shown me a lot of confidence in a lot of departments.”
Savard, now 26 and in his eighth NHL season, has earned that confidence.
“I didn’t know what his personality was as far as working with the team and making his teammates better players,” says Murdoch, who came to Chicago after five years as an assistant with Calgary. “It’s been a pleasant surprise coming into the organization and finding Denis the way he’s been. He’s helped the younger players. He’s had the great attitude. He’s been a leader.”
Savard, with 13 goals and 23 assists in the team’s first 15 games, has been playing better than ever.
“I was watching him the other night,” marvels last year’s co-coach Roger Neilson, “and he was doing the spinnerama…in the warmup. “
Chicago Stadium, Nov. 4: The Blackhawks already have one power-play goal as Wilson rags the puck into the Montreal zone with Chicago on the man advantage. Wilson flicks a pass to Savard but as the Canadiens’ defense converges on him he whirls and finds Rick Vaive left alone at the comer of Montreal’s crease. Vaive pops a rebound past Brian Hayward and the Hawks lead 3-2.
Chicago’s power play, among the best in the league, had 20 goals after 13 games and five of those markers belonged to Savard. “That’s another True Hardware power-play goal,” intones radio color man Dale Tallon. “I’m beginning to sound like a broken record.” Savard has three assists, including the game-tying marker with three minutes left as Chicago ties Montreal 4-4.
Denis Savard is a premier player who has never played in the Canada Cup, never scored 50 goals (his high is 47 in 1985-86) and never led his team past the Campbell Conference final. Only once in his career has Savard been chosen for the post-season all-star team and then, in 1982-83, he was a second-team choice.
But Savard, the export of Verdun, Que., a Montreal suburb, is the undisputed king of the Blackhawks. When the Wings’ Shawn Burr, whom Savard was quoted as calling a “no-brainer,” outscored the Chicago star in the Norris semi-finals last year, the Hawks bowed in four straight without a whimper.
This year, Savard is back with a new marriage, contract, coach and linemate. He even has a new addition to his sweater, an ‘A,’ and his family, a seven-pound, four-ounce girl.
Mona, his wife, gave birth to Tanya on Nov. 6. Two days later, Savard celebrated with a career-high six points—three goals and three assists—in an 8-5 win over Minnesota. That victory ended a seven-game winless streak for the 6-7-2 Hawks.
The hard times were through no fault of Savard’s. He continued to play brilliantly despite working with a succession of left wingers. Rookie Everett Sanipass was the latest.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Savvy play with this much intensity,” says Steve Larmer, Savard’s right winger for the past five seasons.
Savard may be the most riveting player never to win a scoring crown. A Denis Savard goal is a triumph of style.
Neither Larmer nor past linemate Al Secord, now a Toronto Maple Leaf, can remember Savard’s flashiest goal. “He has,” Secord smiles, “made a lot of guys look bad.”
Savard holds seven club scoring records and his 756 points (in 553 games) rank him third in the club’s history behind Stan Mikita (1,467) and Bobby Hull (1,153).
Although he led the team in scoring for the sixth time in seven campaigns, the 1986-1987 season was a nightmare for Savard.
Savard had only been at training camp a few days when word came from Verdun that his mother, Jacqueline, was terminally ill with cancer.
Since his father, Arthur, died five years ago, Savard had spent his summers living with his mother. She died in November and hockey provided her son little comfort.
“You could see he wasn’t himself,” says Foley. “He got several misconducts, he was yapping at referees.”
The off-ice Denis Savard changed too. The kid who delighted in serving players when stewardesses fell behind, was finding his life uncommonly difficult.
The Hawks were rarely entertaining or even promising last year. The coaching regime of Bob Pulford and Neilson could do little to shake life into a mediocre team.
“The chemistry wasn’t good on the team for whatever reason.” says Murdoch. “I think the guys were frustrated. They didn’t have success.”
Naturally, the eyes of the league focused on Savard.
“People are always expecting the most out of him,” says Larmer. “They’re always always expecting him to do well. That means he puts a lot of pressure on himself to do well.”
Off the ice, Savard is a perpetual motion machine. He consistently fights a battle with cigarettes. Standing still is a slow death.
“He has a lot of confidence in his ability,” says Neilson. “He likes to be happy and he likes things to be fun. When he’s down, he’s down.”
The emotion Savard brought to the game became his millstone last year but without it, Savard was just a quick center with an equally-quick shot.
The Blackhawks limped into the playoffs with a 29-37-14 record and were dispatched easily by Detroit. Savard contributed one goal and 12 penalty minutes in the playoffs.
Savard had finished the regular season with 40 goals and 90 points, spectacular statistics for almost any other player but a middling sum for a member of the game’s elite.
The finish represented a drop of 26 points from his previous season and underscored a career suddenly going in the wrong direction. His point total was the lowest since his rookie year.
In May, sports sections predicted a deal would send Savard to Montreal for a package of goalie Patrick Roy, defenseman Craig Ludwig and forwards David Maley and Stephane Richer.
The Canadiens were finally going to make amends for passing on Savard in 1980, when they chose Doug Wickenheiser first overall. Chicago took Savard third.
But Savard was told not to worry. He did anyway.
“It was a rumor that had been going on for a couple of years but this one seemed solid,” says Savard.
The most important step in rebuilding the Hawks was revitalizing Savard and management knew it.
Late last season they signed him to a five-year pact paying him in the neighborhood of $600,000 (U.S.) per season.
When he arrived in training camp, sweater number 18 also bore an ‘A.’
The assistant captain’s role was a confirmation of Savard’s status and a needed boost to his confidence.
“It matured me a lot. I was surprised in a way that he (Murdoch) gave me the ‘A’ because we’ve got a lot of leaders on this team but I was kind of happy. It is really a challenge to me.”
Savard has cemented his relationship with longtime partner Mona Bedard. The two had been living together for several years and were married this summer.
The changes, the stable family life and the quick start have rejuvenated him.
“I don’t know why but I matured so much over a month or two in the summer. I told myself this year I’m not going to let anything bother me.
“I noticed what I did, how I got upset at myself and upset at the other guys checking me. I said it can’t go on like this.”
Savard agreed that his promotion to a leadership role forced him to look past last season’s failures.
“When they gave me the assistant captain, it really told me I have to be a leader, I really have to help kids out.”
Savard billeted Sanipass at his suburban home when the rookie was up for four games last year. Defenseman Marc Bergevin lived with Savard four seasons ago, during Bergevin’s rookie year.
“He gets you up for the game,” says Sanipass. “He’s the type of guy who will help a younger player out, just by telling you the little things.”
With his career back on solid footing, Savard speaks optimistically of the future. The Blackhawks have 10 new faces in the lineup. Once the team shakes off their early-season injuries, he says, they will surprise.
Savard, a little wiser, is again the dressing-room jester.
“I look forward to getting up in the morning and coming back home to lead a life with my wife and the kid…That’s the ultimate, our kid. The only other ultimate is the Stanley Cup.”
“I’m so happy,” says Denis Savard, “and I know better days are coming.”
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