If you save as html you are saving the code to generate that page and not the link. If the webpage disappears you should still be able to view the page as it was when you saved it.  What I'm not certain on is images within the page. Maybe someone could answer that question.

Edit:
 I just made a test.

 When you save a webpage as html only then all you get is text and layout without theme or image. 

When you save a webpage as complete then you will get it all, theme and pics included.

If PDF is an easy option, I'd go that way.