Hockey legend Denis Savard thrills young players

Like the Pied Piper, Chicago Blackhawks legend Denis Savard drew a following of excited young hockey players as he skated onto the ice Monday in Vernon Hills.

Savard coached a Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey day camp at Glacier Ice Arena for players ages 10 and under at the Mite and Squirt levels.

“It's always nice to be involved with the Hawks and the kids,” Savard said. “We do a lot of things for youth hockey with the Blackhawks involved in the Chicagoland area. We want to make sure to help the kids in youth hockey. It's a lot of fun. It is our future and I remember being at their age.”

After instruction from the Hall-of-Famer, about 70 pint-size hockey players, all dressed in Blackhawks jerseys, skated through drills and shot on goal, acting like their favorite Chicago players.

“I feel good about it because we get to skate with him in these jerseys,” said 7-year-old Nick Coletta of Lake Zurich as he waited to go on the ice with Savard. “And it is so cool that you get to learn all these things from him.”

Savard played in the National Hockey League from 1980 to 1997 and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

Savard was the third overall pick in the 1980 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks and played with the team from the 1980 to 1990 and again from 1994 to 1997. He has also served as head coach of the Blackhawks from 2006 to 2008.

At the end of the clinic, Savard took time to talk with the kids and sign autograph, leaving a lasting impression with the young Blackhawks fans.