Savard scored his first career NHL goal on February 7, 2012, against Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Bäckström. After playing 31 games during the 2011–12 season at the age of 21, he was slowed by an injury suffered in December 2012, shortly before the 2012–13 NHL lock-out's resolvement. At the Blue Jackets' camp, he was not able to do justice at the beginning of a season that was going to be shortened, but still managed to be in the line-up for four of the team's 48 games.