Savard done for season, not thinking retirement

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By Danny Picard
CSNNE.com

BOSTON -- @font-facefont-family: "Times New Roman";p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormalmargin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; a:link, span.MsoHyperlinkcolor: blue; text-decoration: underline; a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowedcolor: purple; text-decoration: underline; table.MsoNormalTablefont-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; div.Section1page: Section1; The Bruins confirmed in an emotional press conference onMonday at the TD Garden that Marc Savard would be shut down for the remainderof the regular season and playoffs. The center is still struggling with post-concussionsymptoms following a hit he took from former Bruin Matt Hunwick on Jan. 22 inColorado.

Savard said a loss of energy and some minor memoryloss following that hit scared him enough that he took the advice of hisfamily, his agent, and team doctor Peter Asnis, and agreed that it was in hisbest personal interest to sit out for the rest of the year.

We feel that its best short-term, medium-term, long-termwelfare, security, his family . . . Theres obviously a lot of consequencesthat flow from this, general manager Peter Chiarelli said in opening up Monday's press conference, which had Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Mark Recchi sitting in the front row.

Obviously the proximity between the subsiding of thesymptoms from the last concussion, and this concussion, and othercircumstances, have led us to this decision.

Marc has had some slight improvement in his symptoms, buthe continues to be symptomatic at this time," said Asnis. And so aftersome long discussions with Marc, and with the team doctors who have beeninvolved with his care, we all think that its in his best interest to shut itdown for the year and remove him from playing the remainder of the season,including the playoffs.

As to what his plan is after this season, Savard said heisnt currently pondering retirement, and would like to get back on the ice inthe future.

Its tough enough as it is, not to be able to finish theseason, said a teary-eyed Savard. Im going to get some more medical stuff done, sometests, and then Ill be able to make a clear decision on what my future is. Butright now, Im hoping that Ill be able to continue at some point again.

Danny Picard is on Twitter at http:twitter.comDannyPicard. You can listen to Danny on his streaming radio show I'm Just Sayin'Monday-Friday from 9-10 a.m. on CSNNE.com.

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