Savard/By S. Bradley

The reports out of Los Angeles late Saturday after the 2010 NHL Entry Draft ended revealed Marc Savard and his agent Larry Kelly might’ve have loosened their stance as far as the center’s total no-trade clause, which doesn’t become a limited no-trade until July 1.

The two teams Savard was willing to go to before the end of this month were Ottawa and Toronto, which would both keep him in the East and near his children. But a glance at the respective rosters of the Senators and Maple Leafs reveals little in the way of assets those teams would be willing to part with and Boston would be interested in acquiring.

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According to the Twitter feed of Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, Bruins center Marc Savard might have loosened the reins on his no-trade clause in order to expedite the Bruins trading him out of Boston.

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Savard/By S. Bradley

We’ve beaten this fact to a pulp ever since the regular season ended: the Bruins scored the fewest goals in the NHL in 2009-10.

But that’s obviously not the only negative associated with the Bruins and scoring. We all know that when Marc Savard was out of the lineup, they were even worse — both at even strength on on the power play, where the difference between Boston with and without Savard was the same as listening to an aria sung by Miley Cyrus or Andrea Bocelli.

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Savard/By S. Bradley

The Bruins signed 32-year-old Marc Savard to a seven-year contract extension with the intention that he probably wouldn’t play out the entire term of the deal but would at least be a perennial offensive force (at a friendly salary cap hit) for no less than half of that time.

So hopefully Savard’s injury-ravaged 2009-10 season got all those ailments out of the way and wasn’t a sign of things to come for the playmaking center. (more…)

Savard

BOSTON — As frustrated as he was with his team’s overall play in a 4-0 loss to Philadelphia in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Flyers tonight at TD Garden, Marc Savard also took exception with a Mike Richards hit with 5:26 left in regulation.

The hit was a bit from behind and sent Savard into the side wall in the attacking zone. Savard got up and went after Richards to earn a roughing penalty. There was no call on the initial hit. (more…)

Savard

PHILADELPHIA — While most of the focus today at Wachovia Center, where most of the Bruins spent an hour or so of their off day before tomorrow’s Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Flyers, was focused on the center that won’t be available for the Bruins — David Krejci — another center talked about how things are looking up after three games back in the lineup.

Little by little, Marc Savard is rounding into his old form in his return from a severe concussion suffered March 7.

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Savard takes a bite.

PHILADELPHIA — Bruins center Marc Savard is trying his hardest in public to get everyone to turn the page from Daniel Carcillo’s bit accusation from Monday’s Game 2, but that’s not likely to deter the Flyers fans at Wachovia Center tonight for Game 3 to pour it on the would-be chomper.

“It doesn’t worry me. I just go out and play and that stuff’s happened before, in different cities, but it doesn’t worry me,” said Savard this morning after the Bruins’ skate. (more…)

Carcillo

WILMINGTON, Mass. — The morning after Daniel Carcillo’s bite allegations against Bruins center Marc Savard from Monday night’s Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series became a focal point of the playoff showdown, Savard was ready to turn the page.

“It’s a non-issue. It’s nothing,” he said after taking part in an optional practice at Ristuccia Arena today.

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BOSTON – There’s more than just a playoff series now being waged between the Bruins and Philadelphia.

A controversial second-period scrum has now introduced us to “Bite-Gate.”

After Bruins center Marc Savard took swipe with his stick at Brian Boucher’s puck-filled glove at the 5:55 mark of the middle stanza, defenseman Kimmo Timonen and forward Daniel Carcillo took exception and knocked Savard over.

The ensuing scrum went to the corner with bodies crashing into bodies and gloves and sticks going up in the air. Savard received the lone penalty, for slashing, but that wasn’t the controversy. The soap opera started when Carcillo claimed to the officials that Savard had bit him. (more…)

Savard

BOSTON – It’s just a coincidence that the Bruins’ lone power-play goal Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with Philadelphia came with Marc Savard in the penalty box and his unit on the ice.

Dennis Wideman, Johnny Boychuk, Miroslav Satan and Michael Ryder were more than excited to have Savard, one of the league’s premier playmakers, back in the man-advantage fold after a two-month absence with a concussion – even if it means changing the attacking plan against the Flyers. (more…)

Savard

BOSTON — Sometimes when the adrenaline wears off, a player’s second game back from a lengthy injury absence can take more of a toll than the first.

Bruins center Marc Savard, who was the Game 1 hero against Philadelphia Saturday in his first game in almost two months after a severe concussion, knows that fact well. So he’s still taking a cautious approach even though he’d like to help his team as much as he normally would this time of the year.

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Savard's celebration. Photo courtesy of Sharon Bradley

BOSTON – You score the game-winning goal in overtime in your first game back in a second-round playoff game, and you try to throw away your stick?

Come on, Marc Savard, you’re one of the most meticulous players on the Bruins when it comes to preparation and routine. You use a black marker to ink out any white portions on your skates. You line up three sticks in front of your stall every morning in perfect formation and no one’s allowed to breathe on them.

And then you go and try to get rid of the luckiest stick in your collection? (more…)

Ference

BOSTON — If there’s a Bruins player that knows what it’s like to return from a lengthy injury absence, it’s defenseman Andrew Ference.

The veteran has had to battle back from numerous ailments the last three years, including the groin/hernia problem he is playing through right now. After practice today, Ference provided some insight into why Marc Savard, who will play Saturday against Philadelphia in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series, should be all right for his first game since March 7.

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Ryder

There are so many reasons to be leery of head coach Claude Julien’s apparent decision to place Michael Ryder on Marc Savard’s right wing as the star center makes his return to the Bruins’ lineup after a Grade 2 concussion.

While nothing is written in stone with Julien’s line formations, he skated Ryder next to Savard for two straight practices, including today, while swapping out Vladimir Sobotka for Daniel Paille on the left flank from one day to the next.

The Bruins signed Ryder in July 2008 with the initial attention of him providing the set-up sensation Savard with a perennial puck-burier. That didn’t quite work out, so by putting those two back together to start the Eastern Conference semifinal series with Philadelphia, Julien is taking a bit of a risk. (more…)

Savard

WILMINGTON, Mass. — Now center Marc Savard should finally be treated like the rest of his Bruins teammates.

Skating in his first practice since getting medical clearance to compete in games today at Ristuccia Arena, Savard stayed on the ice longer than the rest of the players he’s expected to while he did extra conditioning work with strength and conditioning coach John Whitesides. (more…)