Brian Savage
A swift and skilled winger whose promising NHL career was dramatically altered by a life-threatening injury.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: February 24·Generation X
Biography
Brian Savage carved out a notable twelve-year NHL career defined by speed, a quick release, and remarkable resilience. Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1991, the Sudbury native made an immediate impact, becoming a fan favorite at the Forum for his energetic play. His best statistical season came in 1998-99 when he netted 22 goals. However, his trajectory shifted in November 2001 during a game in Los Angeles, where a seemingly routine hit fractured his vertebra and left him temporarily paralyzed on the ice. His courageous recovery and return to play just months later became one of the sport's inspiring stories. He continued his career with Phoenix, St. Louis, and Philadelphia, adapting his game with veteran savvy before retiring in 2006. Savage is remembered not just for his offensive flashes, but for his sheer determination to overcome a catastrophic injury.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Brian was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Brian Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Brian's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 647 regular-season NHL games, scoring 192 goals and 363 total points.
- Scored a goal in his first NHL shift, just 36 seconds into his debut game for the Montreal Canadiens.
- Represented Canada at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, winning a silver medal.
- Recorded four career NHL hat tricks.
Did You Know?
His father, Bill Savage, also played professional hockey in the WHA.
He was teammates with his brother, Chris Savage, for one season with the AHL's Fredericton Canadiens.
After retirement, he worked as a color commentator for Montreal Canadiens radio broadcasts.
“I just tried to play hard every shift and put the puck on net.”
