Marc Savard held a brief press conference this afternoon for the national and Boston media, appearing in public for the first time since Matt Cooke’s shoulder knocked him out for the season. He was pale, struggled at times with his responses and generally looked like a guy who had made it out of his house for the first time in three weeks.
He spoke of wanting to get back on the ice as soon as possible, but also sounded as if it’s going to take some time for that to happen.
“This is what I grew up learning to do and what I want to do for a long time,” he said. “I want to get back and play hockey as soon as possible. I’m taking it a day at a time. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”
When asked about whether he’s had concussions before, and how this one compares to those, he was clear that this recovery has been tough for him.
“I had three kind of minor ones, none as serious,” Savard said. “I don’t feel good a lot of days. I have trouble sleeping through the night. Everyday things I don’t feel comfortable doing. Very irritable. I get mad at a lot of things I shouldn’t.
“I’m just trying to feel normal again and I don’t feel that way right now. I’m getting outside, getting some fresh air, but I’m not where I need to be. I miss playing hockey. I miss my buddies. Hopefully. I’m back soon.”
Savard did feel well enough to put in a dig at his team’s power play, which has struggled considerably since he’s been out. He won’t be able to help out anytime soon.
“Obviously, I would like to get back and help my team. I’m not looking at it right now. I want to get healthy. I need a couple clear days before I can get on a bike. Right now, Just taking it day by day.”
He also was understandably bitter and upset over the hit, and had this to say about Matt Cooke attempting to reach out to him.
“Yeah, he has tried and he has tried to get my phone number and stuff like that, but from what happened I really don’t, right at the moment, have any interest in talking to him and that’s just how I feel. Maybe down the road, but right now, I am not feeling any better so I would rather just not talk to him.
“To me, it was a shoulder and I watched the (Mike) Richards on (David) Booth hit. I think that was a shoulder.... I think mine was more of an elbow, so I think there was an attempt to injure there.
“It was an attempt to injure that could have been avoided.”