DETROIT— The Detroit Red Wings acquired defenseman David Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets today in exchange for defenseman Brian Lashoff, and then transferred Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning in return for a fourth-round draft selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The Red Wings will pay Savard $1 million over two seasons, with an annual cap hit of $500,000.
Savard, 30, has five goals and 21 assists for 26 points in 136 games with the Blue Jackets since being acquired from the New York Rangers on June 15, 2016. He has one goal and six assists in 16 playoff games.
The 6'0", 195-pound native of Montreal, Quebec, joined the Rangers after seven successful seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he finished as the team's leader in both goals (43) and assists (89). Savard also ranked second on the club in total points (122), and helped them reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013-14. He signed a four-year contract worth $16 million dollars on July 1, 2014.
Born on January 4th, 1984, Savard is the son of former NHL player Jean-Pierre Savard who played 710 games with the Montreal Canadiens from 1979-88. He won the Stanley Cup with the Habs in 1979-80.
The Wings acquired Carolina Hurricanes netminder Alex Nedeljkovic on Thursday in exchange for the rights to unrestricted free agent goaltender Jonathan Bernier and a third-round draft selection (94th overall) in this weekend's NHL Entry Draft. The 26-year-old Nedeljkovic has 12 games left on his contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. He has a 2.40 goals against average and.914 save percentage.
Nedeljkovic was drafted by Carolina in the second round (44th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. The 6'0", 190-pound goalie played one game for the Hurricanes during the 2015-16 season before being traded to Detroit. With the Wings, he has appeared in 20 games this year with a 9-8-3 record, 2.45 GAA and.913 SV%.
Bernier signed with Detroit as a free agent last summer after spending the previous three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old will replace Jimmy Howard, who has been the team's starting goalie since 2006 when he made the leap from the American Hockey League to the National Hockey League.
The Chicago Blackhawks were dealt to the Detroit Red Wings on March 23, 1999, in exchange for a first-round selection pick in 1999 (Steve McCarthy), a first-round draft pick in 2001 (Adam Munro), and Anders Eriksson. On February 1, 2005, he was signed as a free agent by Motor City (UHL).
Cheli was born on January 4, 1959 in St. Catharines, Ontario. He is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who has played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, and Detroit Red Wings in an injury-plagued career that has been plagued by knee problems. The right wing has also had surgery on both of his shoulders and his left leg.
He won the Calder Trophy in 1983 when he led all rookies with 52 goals and 104 points, and was named to the All-Star Game. That same year, Chelis helped lead the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup title. He has since become one of only eight players to score at least 20 goals in each of the first five seasons of his career.
After eight years in Chicago, Chelis was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Stephane Yelle and a second-round pick in 2004. However, he never played a game for the Habs due to ongoing knee problems. On August 16, 2005, he announced his retirement from hockey.
He finished with 806 goals and 1510 points in 1401 games over 21 seasons.
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