22 candles for Sergei K

posted by Dave Stubbs at 9h21 EST on Mar 20


bob-mccord.jpg

Bob McCord
Photo courtesy Society for International Hockey Research

Happy 22nd birthday to Canadiens farmhand Sergei Kostitsyn.

And 61st to Bobby Orr.

And 75th to 1950s Montreal junior Canadien Bob McCord, who went on to play 316 games on defence in the NHL with Boston, Detroit, Minnesota and St. Louis from 1963-73, with plenty of minor-league time along the way.

If you don't remember McCord, you don't recall his being claimed by the Habs from Minnesota in the Intra-league draft on June 9, 1970, or being traded back to Minnesota for cash two months later.




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Number31's picture
Happy birthday Sergei! Just opened the scoring in the Bulldogs vs Flames game (1-0 Dogs so far).

jimhasbeen's picture
very smart move, laraque over ak46 that whats this team needs to get in the playoffs

aemarchand11's picture
Looks like Andrei will be able to be with Sergei for his Birthday Tonight, As per RDS Andrei will not be in the lineup for Saturdays game against the Leafs. Tangs, Koivu, Higgy Pax, Plek, Kovy Lats, Laps, Kosp Laraque, Metro, Stewart I guess laraque is okay..? __________________________________________________________________ Please Beware: Maple Leaf products may contain traces of Lysteria.

I don't know if Price was asleep but it looks like Higgens is sleeping in that picture after the Sens goal. Does anyone know if the Habs practiced today or were they given another well deserved day off. They really don't need to practice anything anyway.

Nahlsy's picture
They went bowling

longbow's picture
I don't know if acquiring Vinny is part of Bob's plan heading towards the draft(I hope not)but I would suggest Boivin's big mouth just bumped up the price tag.Brian Lawton must be having a good chuckle right now.Boivin has certainly hand-cuffed the GM.If I was Bob I'd get the hell out of town quick.Let the debacle land on Boivin's head.This team is a serious mess. Vox Populi,Vox Humbug! -- William Tecumseh Sherman

I just can't even bring myself to bash the guys .... We just need to win a fu%*in hockey game .... Belive dont Bash

ab-hab-nut's picture
Anybody notice how sleepy Price looked in net last night? I mean this is not the same guy that played last year, something is up with this team..What about AK, he is totally MIA?? Komi?? and so may others.. I am disgusted..:(

RetroMikey's picture
How do we relieve the depression carried on by our Habs? It's sooooooooooo hard to be happy anymore with the first day of spring! "We will win the Cup only with Carey Price in the nets"

HardHabits's picture
Back in thte 80's at this time of year, well after the 1st or 2nd round exit, we'd always say, "There's always next year!" Nowadays we can console ourselves with, "There's always next year's 5 year plan!"

Number31's picture
I still say "there's always next year" thank you.

Tom S.'s picture
I've had time to think since last night's debacle and I realized that we're an average team. We were spoiled last year with that 1st place finish which was nothing more than a mirage, somewhat like Boston is experiencing right now. We're not a bad team or we wouldn't have won 36 games. We're not a good team or we wouldn't have lost 35 games. So, what do we do now? Well, we're Habs fans, we grin and bear it as we have since the glory years. We were lucky enough to witness 2 unlikely championships in '86 and '93, some teams' fans would only be so lucky. We should keep supporting our team, win or lose, and know that in the new reality of the NHL we may not win another Cup in a very long time. I've seen my beloved Habs hoist the Cup many times over since 1975 when I became a fan and I consider myself blessed to have seen the dynasty of the 70s. If I never witness another championship season I won't be happy about it, but I won't feel cheated either. How many other teams' fans have never enjoyed the thrill of a Cup win? I'm happy I'm not one of those people who were cheated out of that joyful event.

Nahlsy's picture
Is anyone else here old enough to recall the headlines through a lot of the '92 season that kept saying 'Echange Roy'? The way this team's gone since the incident at the end of '95, this is starting to look like the Curse of St Patrick. Maybe they should hire him to be a coach for a week or two, to see if it breaks the curse. Hey, it's as good an idea as bowling was to try to snap out of it right?

smiler2729's picture
Happy Birthday, SK, go get hammered with some steel city mafiosos. See ya next season... or not. I don't care 'cuz you don't care.

Beware of those Hapless Leafs on Saturday, nobody has told them they are bad.

on a lighter note lol...Gordon Ramsey (Hells Kitchen) for coach next season

wd40's picture
he's a great communicator (of sorts), but alas, he's not francophone.

TommyB's picture
If I was going to go outside the hockey world to hire a coach, I'd go for Jack Bauer! He may not speak French either, but who is going to argue with him?

I'd go with Tony Soprano .... might be a better fit with this group.

TommyB's picture
Good call. Silvio and Paulie as assistants....and does anybody want to talk "contracts"!

Actually, he does speak French. Hire the man!!!

mrhabby's picture
it should not matter its the best candidate, yes.

TorontoHabsFan's picture
Well I've been avoiding this site like the plague today...because last night my optimism finally faded with this squad. Quite simply, they HAD to win that game...I very much doubt this team makes the playoffs now - the only way is to hope that both Buffalo and Carolina (or Florida) play worse. That being said, I think this off-season will be the most crucial one in the franchise's history. Proteau is right, the temptation to throw around money like a drunken sailor will be high (he's wrong about Komisarek though...if he wants $6m/year then let him get it elsewhere)...hopefully ownership is smart enough to realize that replacing Gainey with someone who will feel compelled to make a big splash would hamstring this team for a decade.

forskis's picture
Buffalo is slowly dropping out...they are 5 points out and I think everyone has either played the same number or has a game in hand on them. It'll be down to Florida/Montreal/Carolina/NY: NY still has to play the Flyers twice I think...could help there... Carolina still has to play Washington several times...could be a repeat of last year... I still think the Habs can make it.

RetroMikey's picture
And what do we accomplish if we make the playoffs? More embarassement? Come to Hamilton, you'll see real hockey and it will cost you about $20 bucks. "We will win the Cup only with Carey Price in the nets"

forskis's picture
How they do is not written in stone yet...everything and anything is possible...they could flame out (many agree on that) or they could do well (even though it appears they do not have the ability) or they could do ok (2nd round or whatever)... Quite honestly, not making the playoffs would be more embarassing since this is a "special" season...any playoffs is better than no playoffs, plus if you are in the playoffs, your chances of a Cup are not zero, just really small vs. a definite big fat 0%. I'll take the upside.

TorontoHabsFan's picture
and let's not forget - how many years has Detroit entered the playoffs as the heavy favourites only to lose in the 1st Round? It's kinda true, once you get in, anything can happen. (damn you for reviving my inner optimist!)

TorontoHabsFan's picture
I hope so too! *fingers crossed* (Cause nothing would make me happier than a repeat performance of 8th place Mtl upsetting 1st place Bos - my Boston relatives would NEVER hear the end of it :)

damn sorry lost half my post....N E Hoo ...All of that to say this year has been nothing but a soap opera and a complete distraction to everyone invovled with this team. Stay with Halak and for gods sake go back to puck control if they remember how to do it. 30 sec shift 20 in your own end does not make for a successful post season or second half

Cape Breton's picture
Happy Birthday to Bobby Orr, the greatest hockey player to ever lace 'em up.

G-Man's picture
Any chance he's available? __________________________________________________________________________________ Beliveau is the best that ever was.

Anyone know if there is any chance our Russians come next year (Perezhogin, Emelin). Is Perezhogin still under contract?

HardHabits's picture
The Russians wont come here until we get rid off all the Finns. Finnish hockey is all heart and grit with no talent whereas Russian hockey is all talent with no grit or heart so the styles clash on the ice and in the locker room! ;-)

forskis's picture
The Habs still own his rights.

But is he signed in the KHL through next year

forskis's picture
Last I heard, he got a 3 year contract or something, not sure what year so not sure what rules apply.

HardHabits's picture
Watching l'AntiChambre. Michel Bergeron questioned Gainey's not putting Lapierre and Latendresse on the final PP situation, with Tanguay. A line I have toyed with as an idea as well. Laps-Lats-Tang together, the Flying Frenchmen line! Laps-Lats-Tang Pax-Plex-Kovy SKost-Koivu-AKost Stew-Higgins-Kosto

G-Man's picture
The only way Lats "flies" is if he's on a plane. Otherwise, looks like a promising line. __________________________________________________________________________________ Beliveau is the best that ever was.

lol ...i don't really mind the line that much and I am a Gui supporter but I can just see this site if they nicknamed a line the flying frenchmen and Gui was on it. I think his skating is noticeably better this year but some poeple on here have predetermined opinions of players and won't budge......I can just see it if Lats hit a rough patch and he was playing on the flying frenchmen line. I actually like your lines though.

HardHabits's picture
The French Connection?!

forskis's picture
The media have no right to complain/question...Carbonneau did it and he got roasted by everyone for it...those pluggers were working harder than the offensive lines and he threw them out there and we questioned it...we wondered why the offensive lines were not out when we needed a tying goal...Gainey did it and now he gets questioned for doing what we thought should be done during Carbonneau's reign? I DON'T THINK SO.

Is there a cap hit if your player is in the slammer? lol ...sort of

forskis's picture
Probably under LTIR...or something like that...

Off topic question: When is the last time Montreal and Toronto faced each others in the playoffs?

longtimehabsfan's picture
1979 quarterfinals. Habs swept 4-0. Time before that was 1978 and swept 4-0 also. Time before that was in 1967 where Toronto beat Habs in finals for the Cup. That series went either 6 or 7.

Thank you very much. I knew it had been quite a while but I thought I was alive back then !

longtimehabsfan's picture
I was in my late teens in the 70s and those series were mismatches. The ones in the 60s I don't recall but my dad and uncle tell me that was when the Habs-Leafs rivalry was at its best because of all the the star players on both teams, the great goaltenders, the great coaches, the cities and of course the fact that they were always meeting in the playoffs.

Fire_Laraque's picture
When was the last time the leafs made the playoffs? Koivu: Communication wasn't his strong point. Carbo: I was doing press conferences everyday since I was hired as head coach. You thought I had communications problems? To have a communication, you need two people. If the other one is not listening..

forskis's picture
No offense...but what we do not have the right to make that joke - yet.

Fire_Laraque's picture
Well, actually, we made the playoffs last year. Every occasion is a good occasion to shaft the leafs. Didn't you know that? :) Koivu: Communication wasn't his strong point. Carbo: I was doing press conferences everyday since I was hired as head coach. You thought I had communications problems? To have a communication, you need two people. If the other one is not listening..

mrhabby's picture
2003 or 2004

forskis's picture
Just remember, we will have to offer a mea culpa to those Leafs fans if the Habs do not make the playoffs in this "special" season. For the record, I believe the team will make it.

Fire_Laraque's picture
Well, you are right of course. It would be a real shame. You think it would be worst then not winning the cup in 40 years? Koivu: Communication wasn't his strong point. Carbo: I was doing press conferences everyday since I was hired as head coach. You thought I had communications problems? To have a communication, you need two people. If the other one is not listening..

forskis's picture
I think given the hope and optimism coming into this season given the changes that were made to improve the team, that it would be worse. Also for the record it could be the season is fixed, Bettman wants the PR, so he will make the Habs a feel-good story: scrape into the playoffs and face overwhelming odds and win the Cup...BOOM, Cinderella story and the NHL makes headlines. Knowing Bettman it could happen...

The only fixin' Bettman will do is to make the south win another cup. The fans will pack the joint until June and next year the place will revert back to an empty cavern. In the meantime Bettman can smile at Ron McNiel on CBC and tell him how much the game is growing in the sunbelt. But I do like your story a lot better. I just think that Bettman prefers it if Canadian teams pay into the revenue sharing and stay out of cup contention. He knows that win or lose we'll still keep watching. Why do you think four officials missed Koivu getting his eye gouged out by a southern team player during a crucial game in a series the Habs were winning? I mean Koivu had the puck all by himself and bingo...out comes an eye. And no one seen it. No one. Man, this dumpster the Habs fell into has really made me a pessimist. GO HABS...

forskis's picture
I remember the eye-gouge...I forgot that it was a almost a break away too! Wait a minute...no penalty AND no penalty shot!

Fire_Laraque's picture
Agreed!!! Koivu: Communication wasn't his strong point. Carbo: I was doing press conferences everyday since I was hired as head coach. You thought I had communications problems? To have a communication, you need two people. If the other one is not listening..

Dave isn't it the young man on the picture in your post the main caractere of a Russian movie ? please remind me the name of the director if you will.....

Ian G Cobb's picture
There is only 9 players that could make my team next year. The rest of them are going to be hard to shift for anything better. The whole works of them might bring in two first rounders in the draft. I feel that lever better identify any young players he wants brought up from the farm this summer, and rebuild AGAIN. We have gotten rid of all the chemistry we had built over the last three years, and now even Bob's job is in jeopardy. Identify all the cancer in the room and cut it out. I am not close to the team just like the rest of you, but I have my theories about our demise and we all have our ideas about what has happened to a team that was progressing in the correct manner for 3 years and now have compleatly blown them selves clear out of the water. I sure hope all this depth of young talent that we were told we had waiting in the wings are still around somewhere. Or this franchise is doomed for another 5 years. So sad!!! We sure deserve better than this group. Time for Gilette to get his moneies worth, time to clean house and start from scratch with the kids and rid ourselves from the over paid. I feel totaly empty inside, I have given the benifit of the doubt time and time again, but it is time to pick ourselves up dust off the grime and start over again.

Xtrahabsfan's picture
Yeppers Ian,feel the same empty feeling here as well,I don't think LEVER should be Head coach,but an assistant so who ever the experienced N.H.L.coach is can know through him who it is the new up comers are as well as the 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th year ex bulldogs on the Habs.As for Jarvis ,Rollie ,Muller AND GAINEY, ADEU TO THEM ,NICE TRY....

Cape Breton's picture
Hey there again Ian. I know of George Burnett. He coached my Cape Breton Oilers to an AHL Calder Cup back in 1993. We now have in their place the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL who begin their playoffs tonite versus the Saint John Sea Dogs. Also, like yourself, I enjoy Major Junior Hockey very much. There's talk that we'll be attempting to host the Memorial Cup in the near future.

I feel your pain Ian...... but there is much worse to come.... as I see it we our number of prospects that could one day play in the NHL are less in number than when Gainey took over in 2003 which then numbered 12..... I think we could have around 9 max right now and even then thats including D' Agostini and Pacioretti....... but that number could be less since Gainey is notorious for wasting prospects..... Ron Hainsey comes to mind or even worse Francois Beauchemin. With Koivu gone we only have Plek as a no.2 center in our system because Gainey gaved Ribeiro away 3 years ago...... giving Ribeiro away while trying to replace him with Brière the following summer was a crazy move all around..... the first one was making 2.5 while the second one wanted 7 million + 7 years non-trade clause...... lets face it both are better off to be where they are at...... although Ribeiro would have loved to stay for the CH so would have Mark Streit which was ready to sign an extension las december for a home discount at 2.3....... Gainey is blind like a taupe. We have to start from scratch top office included.

Well said Ian. I'm in my late 40's....no dependents or wife. The Habs occupy all of my waning monents from Oct to April. I know I know-I should get a life. Every year I say I will not be the same come next October and it never changes. I am an addict!!!

Ian G Cobb's picture
You sure could be doing worse. They are a large part of my life also!

mrhabby's picture
hey ian . how are you. we have all heard the saying bad apples..who do u think are the bad apples in the dressing room just saying.

Ian G Cobb's picture
I have my idea who they would be but I'm not prevy to the room, so It would not be right for me to say whome. But there will be a full changing of the guard, or should be anyway.

JasonM's picture
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/271536.html Foreshadowing. No Lever IMO. Prolly assistant, with "hopefully" Marc Crawford. *HOPES*

HardHabits's picture
Article states that Boivin says the next coach will be a francophone (able to speak french). He also stated that the team is determined to sign a Quebecois impact forward.

Ian G Cobb's picture
Sorry Jason, my french is not up to speed.

JasonM's picture
Basically, he wants a french coach that can "relate" to the majority of fans. Which is wrong, the coach's only language should be "winning", every fan can relate to that.

sYstem21's picture
Yup, like I said yesterday ...Language = politics= no place in pro sports. Only language I speak or understand in sports is W and L. Point finale. ------------------------ Vive La Sainte-Flanelle!

HardHabits's picture
French = 90% of Quebec It's important from a marketing and public relations point of view. If you can't stand the heat....

There are likely more English speaking Hab fans than French fans I would guess (not in Quebec but throughout the world).......they can't go to an arena in North America and not have a loud boisteroud contingent of HAb fans. For simplicity sake and the sanity of our future coach I hope he as at least passable French but I hope it isn't a requirement.

forskis's picture
I agree that it is important in some respects, but if it in any way limits success, then the fandom has no right to complain about said lack of success... Plus isn't it a lot less than 90%...more like 65%-70%?

sYstem21's picture
Get the best man for the job, a winner, if he doesn't speak french hire a translator....they don't have a problem translating what the players say on RDS, should be no different for the coach. ------------------------ Vive La Sainte-Flanelle!

HardHabits's picture
Personally I dont give a rats a$$. I agree with the idea that the language of sports is wins vs. losses not EN vs. FR. Nevertheless the local fan base pays the rent, even more than global merchandise does. I am very happy that all of you non-Montrealers are fans of my city's team but it is OUR team and not the Planet Earth Canadiens after all. The truth of the matter is that the coach will NEED to speak English too!! ;-)

longtimehabsfan's picture
Amen.

Cape Breton's picture
I don't if you're a fan or not Ian but baseball starts soon. No Expos, of course, too bad, but the Blue Jays are almost as bad as our habs. I still watch all the games, though. I'm addicted to losing teams

G-Man's picture
Baseball? Talk about watching paint dry. Yawn. __________________________________________________________________________________ Beliveau is the best that ever was.

Ian G Cobb's picture
Fortunetly I have the Belleville Bulls here in town, great play off hockey on now. The coach here George Burnette who coached the Edmonton Oilers before coming to Belleville, gets this club playing my kind of winning hockey year after year. This mans dad was a great Mtl. Habs fan. George is GM and he coaches the same way as the old time Habs played. Be a nice candidate for us. He never played the game at a high level, but he is a fantastic teacher and knows how to use and develop talent properly.

Cape Breton's picture
Hey there again Ian. I know of George Burnett. He coached my Cape Breton Oilers to an AHL Calder Cup back in 1993. We now have in their place the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL who begin their playoffs tonite versus the Saint John Sea Dogs. Also, like yourself, I enjoy Major Junior Hockey very much. There's talk that we'll be attempting to host the Memorial Cup in the near future.

forskis's picture
I agree...that is probably what is most frustrating, the improvements were coming in reasonably sized increments, no short-term fixes or bandaid solution, then BOOM...it all goes to pot. BTW...which 9 players?

Ian G Cobb's picture
All 9 of the Kids that have come through our farm and Georges. Older players I would keep-Lang, Markov,and Boullion. Get rid of one of our Tenders for a season pro.

sYstem21's picture
I'm with you + keep Tanguay ------------------------ Vive La Sainte-Flanelle!

WindsorHab-10's picture
There must be a player on this team that knows what's going on and is as much pissed off as we are. I'd love for him (them) to come forward or even start smashing things up on the ice or in the dressing room. I refuse to believe that we are a bad team all of a sudden.

Fire_Laraque's picture
Actually, yesterday, after the fourth goal, I thought a fight would start on the bench... I wished it!!! Koivu: Communication wasn't his strong point. Carbo: I was doing press conferences everyday since I was hired as head coach. You thought I had communications problems? To have a communication, you need two people. If the other one is not listening..

This would actually be the best possible time to recall Sergei...would Gainey let Sergei and Grabs on the ice together?? Come on Bob ...make it happen.

Ian G Cobb's picture
Gee, I'm starting to wonder if Toronto got the better deal, we might give both K. brothers away.

mrhabby's picture
TO media says Gainey got the better of the deal. Grabs and Blake fight all the time. Burke getting tired of it. Grabs a UFA July 1, 09.

They lived the crazy night life all year long and they are both out of shape.




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