BOSTON — Marc Savard already had plenty weighing on his mind this summer as he struggled with post-concussion syndrome symptoms, so it would be easy to understand how seeing his name crop up repeatedly in trade rumors throughout the offseason could have caused him even more pain.
Savard told the Ottawa Sun in August that he was "hurt" by the rumors. But Saturday morning in his first time addressing the Boston media since last season, Savard was more at ease with the nature of such talks, and stated that he had been in communication with Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli throughout the summer.
"I was talking to Peter the whole time," said Savard. "It's part of the business. I'm a veteran. I've been around long enough to know that's what people talk about. I knew I was going to be here and this is where they wanted me. But obviously with the cap people start putting numbers together and that's the way things end up."
As for his comments to the Ottawa Sun, Savard said they may have been made in haste.
"Obviously when you read something like that, you're like 'oh,'" said Savard of seeing his name in trade rumors. "I think it was just a comment. I came out a little too quick [to say] my feelings were hurt. That's just part of the business."
Savard also said he had no regrets about signing his seven-year, $28.05-million extension with the Bruins last year, even as the rumors swirled through the summer.
"Once you start reading everything you start thinking again," said Savard. "But at the end of the day I know that's why I signed here, I thought I'd finish [my career] here and I still think I'll finish here."
Savard was also never concerned about the NHL investigation into his contract, which is heavily front-loaded with a pair of $7-million years to start the deal before dropping all the way to just $525,000 for each of the final two seasons. While the New Jersey Devils were fined $3 million and stripped of draft picks for their attempts to circumvent the camp with Ilya Kovalchuk's front-loaded long-term deal this summer, there were no findings against Savard's contract and other similarly-structured deals already on the books.
"No, I just knew everything was legit," said Savard. "I signed for seven years and plan on playing seven years and that's just where it's at."
Savard ended by praising the Bruins' fans, citing their support as part of the reason he re-signed in Boston.
"The fans have been great me to here," said Savard. "I love the fans and that's one of the reasons I re-signed here, how great they've been to me here. I just want a chance to play again here and get back out there."
