Oh how things could have been different if that was the case.
However, history tells us that the Habs selected Doug Wickenheiser. Although Wickenheiser was a serviceable NHL'er (who passed away at age 37 due to cancer), he would always be remembered as the guy who was drafted instead of Denis Savard.
Savard was dazzling through the 1980's as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. With his great vision, spin-o-rama move, and speed, Denis Savard scored 1,338 points (473 goals, 865 assists) in 1,196 games. He added another 175 playoff points and was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.
Often remembered as a Chicago Blackhawk (1980-90, 1994-97), Savard also played with Tampa Bay and the Montreal Canadiens. Savard was famously traded to the Habs for Chris Chelios in 1990 and won a Stanley Cup with the team in 1992-93. From In The Game's Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge comes this Denis Savard hard-signed autograph/patch (bleu version). Although the Habs missed Chelios and his defensive domination, it was nice to see Savard in the red, white, and blue of the Canadiens, especially since he should have been there from the beginning of his career.
1 comment:
It was a lop-sided trade that brought hometown heroes to both sides (Chelios was from Chicago), but then-GM Serge Savard (no connection) had been told by the Habs' medical staff that Chelios' knees were done for and he'd be lucky to play another two years in the NHL, so with this 'insider knowledge', the trade was a no-brainer to correct a mistake of the past.
Serge has said many times in retrospect, he should have asked for more medical opinions, but the Habs still won the Cup in 1993, so it wasn't all bad.
Post a Comment