"Just so chicken sh*t": Ex-Maple Leafs enforcer calls out 'gutless' David Savard for turning down Max Domi fight 

By Mike Whitaker

Modified Nov 12, 2024 12:18 GMT

The Toronto Maple Leafs took on the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, a 4-1 victory by the host Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. It was their second straight win over a divisional opponent, as they bested the Detroit Red Wings by a 3-1 score 24 hours prior.

But a moment took place during the contest that had former Maple Leafs defenseman and current analyst Jay Rosehill fuming. Canadiens defenseman David Savard refused to drop the gloves with Leafs forward Max Domi, something that Rosehill called Savard out on during an appearance on "Leafs Morning Take."

"Look, it doesn't really matter what the deal is, or who it is, or what happened," Rosehill said of the incident. "When a guy challenges you at that level, you have two options. You can step up and accept - and that doesn't mean stand up and go toe to toe - but take your s**t off and defend yourself. Or you can pretend like you don't know what's going on, tuck your chin and hide and look around and scream for the ref and linesmen to save you."

"One version of it, you can have pride in. Another version, you should be embarrassed about it," he said. "I just love Domi, I love the way that he eats the crosscheck and then turns around and is like, 'You think I'm going to f***ing stand for that?'"

Rosehill then said that had he been in Savard's position, he wouldn't be able to talk to his father with a straight face after turning down an invitation to drop the gloves.

"I don't know how you sleep after that or call your dad and ask if he's proud," Rosehill concluded. "I wouldn't be able to sleep at night because it's so chicken-s**t and right on display that you're kind of gutless."

We'll have to wait and see if Savard decides to respond to Rosehill.

David Savard is in his 4th season with the Canadiens

A native of Quebec, Savard is playing in his fourth season with his provincial hometown team after signing a free-agent contract with the club that he had just helped defeat in the Stanley Cup Final with the Tampa Bay Lightning weeks prior.

In fact, it was Savard who assisted on the game-winning goal for the Lightning in Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, putting a perfect pass onto the stick of Ross Colton, who re-directed the puck past goaltender Carey Price:

He's appeared in 810 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Lightning and Canadiens, scoring 53 goals with 178 assists.

He and the rest of his Habs teammates are next in action on Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.