10 questions with Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard

David Savard has been a model of consistency since arriving with the Blue Jackets.
A fourth-round pick of the team in 2009, Savard made his debut during the 2011-12 season and is now in his eighth year with the Blue Jackets with nearly 500 games played for the franchise. In that span, he's totaled 38 goals and 105 assists along with a plus-43 mark and 272 penalty minutes. In addition, he's played at least 65 games for six straight seasons and is on pace to top 80 games for the third time this year.
Originally a high-scoring blue liner during his junior and minor league days, Savard has become a below-the-hashmarks shutdown defenseman who still has a bit of scoring touch to him.
The longtime Blue Jacket recently spent time with BlueJackets.com as the subject of this edition of 10 Questions.

1. You're a native of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, so it could just be as simple as being from Canada, but how did you get into hockey?
Savard: "It's my family. My dad played hockey at university back in the day. He's a big hockey fan. And I had two older brothers, so the day I was born I was already at the rink basically. My older brothers were playing already. I grew up around it and fell in love with it. I was always playing outside. It was just nonstop, playing downstairs and stuff like that with my brothers. I've been around hockey my entire life.
2. Is there an idol or someone you patterned yourself or your game after?
Savard: "Obviously being a Habs fan growing up, they were pretty big. Patrick Roy was huge when I was a young kid. I had a poster of him in my bedroom. After he retired, I was always a Montreal fan, so it was great."
3. Did you ever take after Roy and play goalie then?
Savard: "No, but maybe that's why I was a defenseman, trying to block shots every once in a while. I wish I played goalie. I think it would be awesome. After I retire, I'll get my goalie equipment."
4. A year ago, Pierre-Luc Dubois lived with you when he was a rookie. Do you miss having him around this year?
Savard: "Yeah. Obviously it's a little bit different this year, but it was a lot of fun last year when he was with us. He comes around quite a bit. He comes and wants to see the kids and stuff. It's fun to see him. Whenever he has a chance to stop by and when he's around the house, he always stops by, calls and comes for dinner. It's a little different, and last year was more busy having always around and you're talking all the time. Now it's more he comes over for dinner or he'll come in the afternoon and play with the kids, so it's fun."
5. Your beard has become a trademark throughout the course of your career. How did that begin?
Savard: "I shaved it off last year, but before that, it was basically my draft and I'm not saying I was lazy, but I'm not a big fan of shaving so I let it grow until it was too long. Now I just trim it. I like having a beard. I feel naked without one, so I'm just used to it now."
6. At Cannon Ball you went all in and dressed up in the '80s theme, and on the team's train trip recently from Montreal to Ottawa, you dressed up and wore the old-style hat and suspenders. Do you like to lean into that kind of stuff? Some guys are too reserved to do that.
Savard: "Yeah, I kind of like dressing up. I think it makes it fun. I'm a huge fan of Halloween, so as soon as I get the chance to put something together makes it fun. My wife (Valerie) is really into it too. She has lists of costumes we can do one day. She's the one doing most of the work every time we go somewhere. At the Cannon Ball, she ordered everything, so she's doing all the things. Credit to her, obviously, but I think it's fun. Dubois jumped in too this year when we talked about dressing up, so it was fun."

7. Tell us about your 1967 Camaro SS.
Savard: "It was a dream of mine to get an old car. I looked for a long time, and I finally chose a Camaro. It's awesome in the summertime, obviously. It was in storage for the last few months, but I've always dreamed of having one. My grandpa used to switch cars every year and my dad was always talking about it. I just wanted to treat myself to a nice car."
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8. In today's NHL, there's a lot of player movement, but you and a number of guys here have been a part of this organization since you've been drafted. What's it like to be one of those guys?
Savard: "It's great. The fact that you don't have to move around is awesome, especially now that I have a family. We love the city, and obviously when I had a chance to stay long term, I jumped on it. I thought it was awesome. I've been here since I was drafted, and they've treated me so well. As soon as I had the chance to stay here for a long time, I wanted to stay and set up a home in Columbus as a family. We've been so lucky to be here for a long time."
9. This is a question we ask every time. Even though you're a professional athlete, is there something athletic you're terrible at?
Savard: "I'm actually not really good at basketball. I really can't make a basket. I'm terrible at it. I was decent at soccer; not great, but I was OK. I've never played baseball, so I don't know. Maybe I'm terrible, it's hard to say. If I have to pick between them, probably basketball. I can dribble, so I'm not that bad, but I just can't shoot."
10. What's your favorite part of game day? Is there something you have to do for it to be a real game day, so to speak? A lot of guys say the pregame nap.
Savard: "I do nap, but sometimes I don't. I kind of grew out of it. I don't know if it's the kids. I'm usually busy all day, so I don't nap as much. I think the biggest thing would be the soccer game. It kind of gets you going. It's a good warmup. We're having fun out there playing soccer, and as soon as the soccer game is over, it's game time."