Chicago Blackhawks

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Denis Savard: Blood, Sweat and Cheers

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In the edition of the “Blood, Sweat and Cheers” series created by ChicagoBlackhawks.com, “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky talks about his many, many matchups against Denis Savard and the Blackhawks.

Denis Savard and I are seeing more of each other now than when we played, which is natural. In the National Hockey League, you see each other on game nights, and you never really socialize. You’re cordial if you talk at all, and there’s a respect factor. But you don’t really hang out until you’re done, which we both are now. I’ve had the same kind of relationship with Mario Lemieux since we retired.

Denis has been good enough to come to my fantasy camp the last few years. It’s every February in Las Vegas for five days, and it’s part of my charity foundation. A bunch of former players come out and we have a ball. We’ve even had Mike Keenan out there to coach. Just to make us feel at home, he throws a tantrum every once in a while.

To read the full article by Wayne Gretzky please click here.

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Denis Savard’s Interview on Patrick Kane

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“Watching Patrick Kane in action is one of the biggest thrills you can have watching hockey. There are plays he makes, even playing the game as long as I did and watching as many games as I have, that make me say, “How did he do that one?” He’s just fun to watch, simple as that. I absolutely enjoy going to games and watching him play; 20,000 fans at the United Center would agree with me.

People often say that Patrick and I play the game the same way, and that’s true, but in some ways I think playing today is a little harder. It’s not that in our day we weren’t good players, but today the guys on the ice are so much faster, stronger and bigger. Patrick is the same size I was in my playing days, but he still makes it look easy at times, even with a stiffer level of competition.”

–Denis Savard

Read the full article at chicagoblackhawks.com.

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Most Exciting NHL Players Of All Time

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NHL.com recently posted an article by John Kreiser, that listed the most exciting NHL players of all time, and Hall of Famer Denis Savard was on the list.  Below is the write up on Denis:

Denis Savard (1980-81 – 1996-97)

The NHL doesn’t allow do-overs in the draft. If it did, the Montreal Canadiens unquestionably would have wanted one in 1980.

The Canadiens had the first pick in the 1980 draft and picked Doug Wickenheiser, a big, powerful center from Regina. They passed over a speedy little center from Gatineau, Que., named Denis Savard, who went to Chicago with the third pick.

Wickenheiser went on to a serviceable NHL career — 111 goals and 276 points in 556 regular-season games. Savard had exceeded those scoring marks by the end of his fourth NHL season, by which time he already was one of the most exciting players in hockey history.

Savard may or may not have invented the spin-o-rama, a 360-degree spin and deke that usually left defensemen flat-footed, but he became the player most identified with it. The “Savardian Spin-o-rama” was part of an offensive arsenal that helped him pile up five 100-point seasons in his first eight seasons in Chicago that left baffled defensemen and frustrated goaltenders in his wake.

Ironically, Savard became a Canadien 10 years after being drafted — the Habs acquired him in a deal that sent Chicago native Chris Chelios to the Blackhawks — but his magic didn’t make the trip. Savard never again scored 30 goals or averaged a point a game. He made it back to Chicago in 1995 and finished his career with the Blackhawks, retiring with 473 goals, 1,338 points — and thousands of video clips of some of the most spectacular moves in NHL history.

Here is a short highlight video when he was introduced into the Hockey Hall of Fame:

To view the rest of the article and the other NHL all stars that topped the list, please click here.