On August 27th, Red Savage was announced to be the new captain of the men’s ice hockey team at Michigan State University. In just his second season with the Spartans, Savage is the lone senior on the team and will serve his captaincy alongside three alternate captains- Karsen Dowart, Tiernan Shoudy, and Matt Basgall.
Red Savage started his collegiate career at Miami University (Ohio) and played two seasons there with his brother- Ryan Savage. In those two seasons, he garnered a total of 13 goals and 17 assists through 67 games played. His father, Brian Savage, played for Miami from 1991-1993 and went on to play 674 games in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and the Philadelphia Flyers.
In his one season with the Spartans, Savage had his collegiate-career best stats with 10 goals and 17 assists through 27 games and helped lead the team to a Big Ten title. As he was announced as captain, Michigan State head coach Adam Nightingale said that Savage and the three alternate captains all embody what it means to be a Spartan and that they will be great leaders for the program.
Prior to his collegiate career, he was a standout player on the U.S. National Team Development Program where he tallied 42 points with the U18 team in the 2020-21 season. Some of the characteristics that were noted heading into his draft year were his transitional skills, flashiness, sound shot, and energetic persistence- all traits that he has vastly improved upon since being drafted (Elite Prospects).
The Detroit Red Wings drafted Savage in the 2021 NHL Draft at 114th overall and he has recently solidified himself as one of their top prospects, especially at the collegiate level. While he could have made the decision to go pro following his junior year at MSU, he decided it was best for his development to stay at the college level and finish up his NCAA eligibility.
“I want to set myself up to be the best hockey player that I can be and the best person on and off the ice. A college degree is going to be a really good thing to have in my back pocket.”
– Red Savage
It will be exciting to see how the 2024-25 season goes for Captain Savage and the reigning Big Ten Champions as they look to retain their title!
