David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs or Oilers Predicted to Trade for Canadiens' David Savard

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Dec 27, 2024 5:30 AM ET

Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard keeps generating trade buzz after first emerging as a potential target in mid-November.

Now, it's time for both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers to get linked to the Habs defenseman, with The Athletic's Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun highlighting those teams as fits for the veteran if he gets moved.

The blueliner, who played a key role in Tampa Bay’s 2021 Stanley Cup win, is expected to be traded before the NHL deadline, as reported by LeBrun while appearing on TSN’s "Insider Trading" on Dec. 20.

“He’s a pending UFA,” LeBrun said. “There have not been any talks at all between Habs management and Savard’s camp about a potential one-year extension.

”So it does feel like this would be his last year in Montreal.”

Savard is in the final season of a four-year, $14 million contract that carries a $3.5 million annual cap hit. Despite his age, the 34-year-old remains a steady presence on the blue line and brings valuable playoff experience.

Johnston suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs as a potential landing spot for Savard on Thursday.

“Savard has playoff pedigree and would give Toronto a level of depth at the position usually needed to go on a long run,” Johnston wrote. “He might even slide alongside Morgan Rielly and give them better balance from top to bottom.”

Meanwhile, LeBrun floated the Edmonton Oilers as another option, highlighting their need for depth defensemen who can help kill penalties.

“[Savard's] play has dipped this season, but in the context of a Habs team that’s not been very good defensively, I would imagine Cup contenders would look at Savard’s body of work and conclude it would travel well if he’s put in the right role. Enter the Oilers,“ LeBrun wrote. “There will be sexier trade targets on the market, to be sure.

“But I think as a sixth or seventh defenseman who can help kill penalties and who won a Cup with the Lightning—plus is a right-shot D—he’s a sensible idea for Edmonton.“

Savard’s future has been the subject of speculation for weeks, and with the Canadiens sitting at 14-17-3 and unlikely to make the playoffs, a trade could help them build for the future.

For the Leafs and Oilers, Savard represents a cost-effective option to solidify their blue lines as they prepare for playoff pushes, although none of the two teams have enough cap space to allocate Savard's salary in full.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: