Austria move expands Savage family's horizons

It may or may not be completely fair to refer to Sudbury as home for Brian Savage and his family these days.

After all, the former NHLer, his wife Debbie, and their three boys (Ryan, Redmond, Rory), have spent the bulk of most recent years in sunny Arizona.

That said, they are hardly strangers to these parts, returning to Northern Ontario each and every summer.

Yet neither Sudbury, nor Phoenix, will provide the home base for the Savage clan for at least the next year or so - and perhaps even longer.

In a move that is equal parts multi-layered hockey related, as well as incredible life experience, Team Savage heads off to Salzburg, Austria this week.

With 15-year-old Ryan currently part of the 190+ player field that is taking part in the USA Hockey U17 opening evaluation camp in Buffalo, the Savages will make their way, via Philadelphia and Munich, to their new home on Tuesday.

In a sense, it was a gentleman who was equally integral in helping to launch Savage's professional career who also started the ball rolling on this latest chapter of hockey travels.

A former scout both in the NHL and with the Canadian Olympic team, Paul Henry was instrumental in opening the doors for Savage more than 20 years ago, as the northern Ontario lad worked his way from Miami University of Ohio, along to Team Canada, and eventually on to his first contract with the Montreal Canadiens.

This time around, it was Ryan that would catch his eye. "He's more skilled, at this age, than I was," said Savage, as the proud father chatted while watching his son score yet another goal in Buffalo.

"He's got great hockey sense, just from being around hockey so much. And he has great hands."

This much was obvious, as well, to the management of the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, who selected Ryan in the fourth round of the most recent WHL Bantam draft, despite knowing full well that he was unlikely to make his way to the junior ranks.

"Being in the States, there are a lot of options," said the senior Savage.

Austria, however, was not something he and his wife envisioned.

This time last summer, Henry had approached Savage about the possibility of having Ryan join the fledgling Red Bull Hockey Academy in Salzburg, a growing facility that was now under the direction of long-time NHL head coach Pierre Pagé.

The multi-million dollar soccer and ice hockey complex opened its doors in September of 2014, the latest addition to a market that seems to have not yet reached its zenith.

"I loved his (Pagé's) vision of where this is going," said Savage. "The experience of travelling the world is a great opportunity for our children."

In the end, however, it was the chance to make this very much a "family move" that ultimately clinched the deal.

The day after Pagé talked, simultaneously, to Brian, Ryan and Debbie, he would make a follow-up call. Pagé wanted to bring Brian Savage aboard in a more integral role, helping to build the academy to a scope that both gentlemen could conceive.

"It's an opportunity for me to get back into hockey," said Savage. "There are coaches from all over the world on staff. It's a little flavour of everything. And Debbie is so excited about it."

Given the path that he travelled in making his way to the National Hockey League, Savage is not concerned, in the least, in allowing Ryan to expand his horizons, hockey and otherwise.

"He needs to play other sports," said Savage. "I've always maintained that if you're good enough, they will find you, and you will make it."

While the current agreement between the Savages and the Red Bull organization covers one year only, it is certainly not inconceivable that Ryan will continue to hone his skills, following in the NCAA footsteps of his father, in pursuit of an NHL dream.

"It's a great way to get educated and play hockey at the same time."
For the Savages, this is one of life's educational experiences that is simply too good to pass up, even if it requires a new home.