David Savard knows rumours will swirl, but he will control what he can

The Montreal Canadiens number one intention is to continue moving forward and improving - with development being high priority.

For this reason, David Savard has heard his name in the rumour mill many times and figures that he will continue hearing it. This can be a bit of a double-edged sword, simply because it is hard to ignore, but there may be some truth to it. But, he can only control how he performs and not what the organization decides to do.

One thing above all else can be said about Savard - he is the perfect mentor to young defenseman trying to establish themselves as everyday NHL players. Sure he isn't as fleet of foot as he once was, but he has an embarrassment of experience and insight. If Montreal is hoping to bring along a defence prospect, it's hard to argue Savard not being the top candidate to show them the ropes.

His comment, "If they let me go, I'll leave them in a better position," couldn't be more true. He will be missed and wouldn't be traded unless the Habs were confident in the young cast. In which case, it should be the right move, but he will definitely leave the blueline in a better position because of his teaching.

Savard's impact leaves Habs blueline in a good place

Kaiden Guhle has learned a ton from Savard and I think it has been a large reason why he transitioned so well to the top defence pair. Guhle came in with some promise, but having Savard to lean on allowed him to make mistakes, but learn on the fly. It also allowed him to watch what works and what doesn't and how to pick his spots.

I expect that Lane Hutson will play the majority of his minutes alongside Savard, and while he will learn from him, I think he will benefit in a different way. Where Guhle learned to be better defensively, I think Hutson will show improvements also. But I think that Hutson will benefit from being able to join the offence, knowing that Savard - old steady and reliable - will be back to cover for him.

Even guys like Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj, will benefit just from watching him play and seeing how he carries himself. They already have experience playing with him and learning little tips and tricks to make life easier in the NHL, if that's even possible. It's hard to put into words what Savard means to the team, beause it's better to watch how he helps the young defenders.