Brian Arthur Savage (born February 24, 1971) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers.

Playing career

Savage attended Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School in Sudbury as a teenager. He was a proficient golfer and track athlete. He played one season with the Sudbury Cubs of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League before jumping to college.

The nephew of former NHL players Larry, Wayne and Floyd Hillman. Savage was originally drafted in 1991 in the 8th round, 171st overall by the Montreal Canadiens. After completing his college hockey career at Miami University, he began his professional career with the Fredericton Canadiens of the AHL in 1993. His first taste of the National Hockey League came at the tail end of the 1993–94 season, playing in 3 regular season and 3 playoff games.

Savage was the first Montreal Canadien since Joe Malone in 1917 to record six points in a road game when he had four goals and two assists against the Islanders on April 8, 1999. He also recorded the Canadiens' first hat trick in Bell Centre history on October 7, 1996. After several fast starts in the month of October and subsequently fading the rest of those seasons, Savage became known as hockey's "Mr. October".

After parts of eight seasons with the Canadiens, Savage was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on January 25, 2002, along with a 2002 3rd-round pick for Sergei Berezin. On December 27, 2003, he scored the first Coyote goal in Jobing.com Arena. He was soon after traded to the St. Louis Blues for their playoff run. Due to the parameters of the trade, he was claimed off waivers by Phoenix in the off-season.

Following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Phoenix bought out his contract for $1.9 million. Savage signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers prior to the 2005–06 NHL season. After one season in Philadelphia, Savage announced his retirement on September 21, 2006.

Savage was the co-owner of the now defunct New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League while he was playing for the Flyers.

Personal life

Savage's son, Redmond, was drafted in the fourth round, 114th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2021 NHL entry draft and is currently a member of the Buffalo Sabres organization. He has a third son named Rory Savage. Rory is signed as a St. Thomas Star for thr 25-26 GOHL hockey season in Ontario, Canada.

Awards and honours

AwardYear
All-CCHA First Team1992-93
CCHA Player of the Year1992-93
AHCA West Second-Team All-American1992–93
Silver medal Canadian Olympic Team1994 Winter Olympics

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1988–89Lo-Ellen Park Secondary SchoolHS-ON——————————
1989–90Sudbury CubsNOJHL3245408561811142526
1990–91Miami UniversityCCHA28561126—————
1991–92Miami UniversityCCHA4024164043—————
1992–93Miami UniversityCCHA3837215844—————
1992–93CanadaIntl930312—————
1993–94CanadaIntl5120264638—————
1993–94Fredericton CanadiensAHL171215274—————
1993–94Montreal CanadiensNHL3101030220
1994–95Montreal CanadiensNHL371271927—————
1995–96Montreal CanadiensNHL75258332860222
1996–97Montreal CanadiensNHL812337603951120
1997–98Montreal CanadiensNHL642617433690226
1998–99Montreal CanadiensNHL5416102620—————
1999–00Montreal CanadiensNHL3817122919—————
2000–01Montreal CanadiensNHL6221244526—————
2001–02Montreal CanadiensNHL4714152930—————
2001–02Phoenix CoyotesNHL306612850000
2002–03Phoenix CoyotesNHL436101622—————
2003–04Phoenix CoyotesNHL6112132536—————
2003–04St. Louis BluesNHL13437251120
2005–06Philadelphia FlyersNHL6695142861014
NHL totals67419216735932139381112

International

YearTeamEventGPGAPtsPIM
1993CanadaWC81012
1994CanadaOG82246
1999CanadaWC83366
Senior totals24651114

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from , or , or , or
Awards and achievements
Preceded byDwayne NorrisCCHA Player of the Year 1992-93Succeeded byDavid Oliver