Canadiens: David Savard, Paquette, Signed to Four, One-Year Deals

Well, the 2021 NHL Free Agency period is officially underway, and the Montreal Canadiens have already made their presence felt. Inking veteran defenseman David Savard to a four-year deal worth $3.5 million AAV, Montreal has also added bottom-six center Cedric Paquette on a one-year deal worth $950 K. Former KHL defenseman Chris Wideman has also been picked up on a one-year deal worth $750 k.

A native of Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Savard had spent the 2020-21 season split between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning, after being acquired by the Lightning from the Detroit Red Wings at this year’s trade deadline. In exchange, Detroit got longtime AHL farmhand Brian Lashoff, and the Lightning got a reliable stay-at-home defenseman, who hoisted his first Stanley Cup in the process, as the Lightning repeated as Cup champs over the Canadiens in 5 games.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed defenseman David Savard and center Cedric Paquette to four-year and one-year deals respectively.

Originally a fourth round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2009, Savard experienced the highs and lows of the franchise from the Todd Richards to the John Tortorella era, managing career highs of 11-25-36 totals in the 2014-15 season. While it’s unlikely he’ll hit those totals again in Montreal, Savard brings a wealth of experience to the Canadiens blue-line and a hard nosed physical presence alongside. With the loss of Captain and franchise cornerstone Shea Weber for 2021-22 and possibly beyond, Savard should help to fill that hole whilst giving Canadiens fans another hometown player to root for.

Paquette, a Gaspe native, was originally a fourth round selection of the Lightning in 2012, and was a key part of their bottom six for the better part of six seasons, being apart of their second Cup Championship in 2019-20. After signing with the Ottawa Senators last off-season on a one-year deal, Paquette struggled early on for the Senators with some lackadaisical defensive play, before being shipped to the Carolina Hurricanes along with former Habs first round pick Alex Galchenyuk.

While he doesn’t bring much to the table offensively, Paquette has a relentless work ethic and hard-nosed approach to the game, and should be a perfect compliment on the fourth-line with his penalty killing acumen and faceoff expertise. In many ways, Paquette is not too dissimilar to former left winger Nicolas Deslauriers, and should similarly become a fan favorite in Montreal with his never say die attitude.

Wideman was a former fourth round pick of the Senators in 2009, and had spent this past season playing for KHL club Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo. A former two-time 50-point defenseman in the AHL in 2013-14 and 2014-15, Wideman drifted on the outskirts of NHL rosters from 2015-16 to 2018-19. After turning down a reported $2 million AAV deal to stay in the KHL, Wideman will have to fight and fight hard to secure a spot in Montreal. Should he end up in Laval instead, expect him to be a potent top pairing option alongside Xavier Ouellet.

More developments will be posted here at A Winning Habit as 2021 NHL Free Agency continues on.