And the champs take ...:
Simon Despres. And the crowd goes wild. A Q defenceman who played in my hometown of Saint John, N.B.
Tampa Bay trades up with Detroit:
To take Carter Ashton, whom THN had at 20.
Scotty Bowman makes pick for Chicago:
Dylan Olsen, a d-man from the west
Another Quebecer:
Philippe Paradis to Carolina. THN had him 60th, International Scouting 87th. They thought he's be a third-rounder.
Boston takes a Quebecer:
Jordan Caron, who projects as a power forward ... on a team that collects 'em.
Trevor Timmins on Leblanc:
The Canadiens director of player devlopment said the team picked the best player available at 18. Leblanc, Timmins said, "participates in all aspects of the game, offensively and defensively ... he gets his nose dirt in the corners, and he's a natural scorer."
Gainey on Leblanc:
The general manager was "glad Louis was there" at 18. Gainey described Leblanc as "intelligent, very competitive with good skills and the opportunity to get better and get bigger." Gainey praised Leblanc's "skill set, character and intelligence."
Dialogue from the table:
Stubbs: What are you using for Leblanc's hometown, Pointe Claire or Kinkland.
Hickey: Kirkland
Stubbs: It says he was born in Pointe Cliare.
Hockey: That's because there's no @#$%ing hospital in Kirkland.
Still out there:
Simon Despres, a D-man from the Q
Robert Luongo makes Vancouver's pick:
Jordan Schroeder, whom THN had at ninth overall.
The crowd:
12,700. The Canadiens and the NHL thanks the great city of Montreal and its very patient, Louis Leblanc-loving hockey fans.
Columbus gets John Moore at 21:
I love this kid. Surprised he lasted this long ...
Louis, Louis:
"Fans here are crazy," the kid told TSN. "It's a great night." The first francophone selected in the draft is being awaited by a massive scrum in a hallway unedr the stands. I love Leblanc's candor in describing his plans for Harvard: He'll stay "a year or two" until the Canadiens turn him pro, Ã la Max Pacioretty at Michigan.
Kid has a long walk to the stage:
With the weight of history on his shoulders
Louis Leblanc!:
And the crowd goes wild
Gainey, Timmins, Martin, Gillett, Boivin and the scouts:
Here we go:
Suspense building
Deafening roar!:
Standing O!
Canadiens are up and ready to go to the stage:
"LE-BLANC! LE-BLANC! LE-BLANC!":
John Davidson, a great guy, gets a warm reception:
And they take David Rundblad, from Sweden
St. Louis up:
And they can't take Leblanc, Despres AND John Moore.
Scooped!:
The Wild take Nick Leddy, Minnesota's Mr. Hockey. No fair! Canadiens table should walk out in protest.
Getting close:
Minnesota and St. Louis, then Canadiens. Leblanc and/or Despres should be on the board.
Anaheim takes Peter Holland:
Tall centre, some scouts think he's lackadaisical
First kid from the Q:
And first Russian: Dmitri Kulikov to Florida
Hot dog break:
I'll be back ...
Buffalo takes Kassian:
I'm a wizard! Gonna buy a lottery ticket on the way home. Look at the size of this kid
Still no Yanks?:
Sabres:
Will take Zack Kassian right here ... and get much tougher to play Lucic six times a season
Minny trades down:
To the busy Islanders, for 16, 77 and 182. Garth Snow, one wag observes, "is doing more than Bob Gainey." They take a skinny defenceman, Calvin de Haan, at 12. De Haan is from the bustling metropolis of Carp, Ont.
Still out there:
John Moore, Zack Kassian, Simon Despres, Dimitri Kulikov, Carter Ashton, Drew Shore .... and six picks till the Canadiens
Nashville takes Ryan Ellis:
Toomsall for a D-man: 5'10". Very good with the puck, though, and a great shot. Pair him with Shea Weber on the PP and you've got something
Attendance tonight:
We're guesstimating 15,000
Big roar:
Sweeps the crowd when the scoreboard shows Bob Gainey hanging up the phone at the Canadiens table
Another hyphenated Swede to Edmonton:
Magnus Pjaarvi-Svensson: a speedster who played in the elite league over there. Good-lookin' kid.
One from Stubbs:
"How come no one chants '61 at the Chicago Blackhawks?"
Edmonton next:
Kevin Lowe will thrill everyone by speaking French
Ottawa takes a big one:
Jared Cowan: 6'5" 218 D-man from the Dub. Hockey News calls him another Braydon Coburn and had him going fourth.
Halfway to the Habs' pick:
And soooooo boring. Now that they've booed Toronto, the crowd will be quiet for an hour
Oddity:
No American drafted yet
Spotted at the rail:
The legendary Scotty Bowman
Scott Glennie to Dallas at 8:
Hockey News had him at 14
Leafs take Nazem Kadri:
Very solid pick. A press guy quips "he's no Manny Mulhotra."
Burke on big screen:
Booed ... and smiled at it
More boos for Toronto:
They're up. Chants of "'67".
Some Swedish kid with a hyphenated name:
Picked by Hamilton
Columbus and Islanders trade picks:
I have no idea what this means
Phoenix up:
And the chant is "HAM-IL-TON! HAM-IL-TON!"
Yessss! Schenn to L.A. :
Far from the ACC.
Long tribute to Luc Robitaiile, by Dean Lombardi:
No trade. Kings are up:
Take Schenn, please ... just to tick off Burke
Now the plot thickens:
The L.A. pick may be in play. Burke makes a move here to get another Schenn?
Safe pick:
Atlanta takes Evander Kane. Agent Don Meehan on the big board
8:45 ... three picks:
Canadiens won't be up there till 11 at this rate.
Wouldn't it be great?:
To get the jerseys teams made up for kids they didn't end up getting
Matt Duchene:
Really good player to Colorado
The price for Pronger:
Lupul, Luca Sbisa, first rounder this year, first rounder and third rounder next year.
So easily pleased:
At the prompting of Leroux, Hedman says "Merci beaucoup". Applause.
Colorado up:
But they aren't moving. Trade?
Commercials:
On the big screen. I should be used to it, but ...
Brian Lawton booed, Claude Loiselle cheered:
Hedman. Great pick. The next Lidstrom ... with size
On the big screen:
Stéphane Leroux interviews Tavares for RDS. Meanwhile the TB guys are standing around the stage like spare dicks at a wedding
Tampa Bay up already:
But they have to wait while TSN interviews John Tavares
Not a whole lot taller than Charles Wang:
Kid is taking forever to hug his way out of the stands:
Didn't take long:
Isles' spokesman is Mario Saraceno, son of the scout who got them Bossy. Garth Snow then thanks Montreal – yeah, whatever – and takes Tavares. Guys in Islanders jerseys high-five in Section 114
Bettman puts the Islanders on the clock:
Tavares, I'm sure
The price for Pronger:
Lupul, Smid and three picks? Won't hurt Philly
Bettman's bodyguards:
Cournoyer and Henri Richard. They're booing him anyway
Pronger to the Flyers!:
Merde!! They just got a lot better ... and meaner
Past number ones:
On the big board. First buzz of the night for Vinny
Uncle George:
Described by Boivin as "an outstanding owner". Gillett says franchise is "blessed" to have the Molson family continuing a three-generation tradition with the Canadiens. Finishes with "Je vous aime".
Sustained applause:
For Pierre Boivin and George Gillett
Tearing the roof off:
For your Montreal Canadiens. Louder than Nashville gets during games. First Olé's of the night
First up:
E.J. McGuire, director of NHL Central Scouting. Going from table to table, alphabetically, asking for names of selectors. Boston Bruins BOOED!
At the fence, talking to CKAC:
Alain Vigneault. A lot of buzz about the Sedin twins today
In animated discussion:
Jacques Martin and Claude Julien
Hedman:
My pick in a heartbeat. That skills level at 6'6" ...
On the big board:
Video of the prospects. First up: Matt Duchene
Michel Lacroix's PA announcements:
Totally incomprehensible at ice level
Upper reaches of the stands filling in:
But no "Vinny" chants .... yet
A few of the execs:
like Stevie Y are working the fence that separates tables from ink-stained wretches. No one from the Habs' table has ventured back this far.
An hour to go:
The stands are empty but the team tables have filled up. No one's sitting down. Everyone milling around and talking. Darryl Sutter has come to the back to talk to Pierre LeBrun and Scott Burnside of ESPN
If the camera pans the stands:
Section 115. White dress. Row DD, if you catch my drift
5:20:
Floor filling up, but still no action at the Habs' table. Also empty: Tampa Bay table. Hmmmmmm
Should have brought binoculars:
Could have read lips at the Habs' table ... as opposed to the usual reading of minds
First bellows from the cheap seats:
"Dreger! What's the scoop?"
5:10 p.m.:
Stubbs and I put our genius minds together to figure out how the teams are arrayed on the floor.
Highest finish puts you farthest from the stage. So the back row is Boston, San Jose, Carolina, Chicago, Detroit and Pittsburgh.
Share the agony and ecstasy of Habs fandom and read live blogs from every game with Gazette columnist Mike Boone.
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Stubbs: What are you using for Leblanc's hometown, Pointe Claire or Kirkland.
Hickey: Kirkland
Stubbs: It says he was born in Pointe Claire.
Hickey: That's because there's no @#$%ing hospital in Kirkland.
Ha ha ha, a typical conversation... nice.
---------- I am down but never out for their elimination from the playoffs. They will come back next year. Thanks for the Centennial, can't wait for 101st...
Very pleased that the Russians with the exception of Koolikov(?) are being shut out of the drafting process thus far. This pick is a waste. Signing 1 as a free agent with no "compensation" to the Russian Leagues is okay, as long as they don't have any contractual obligations, but this guy already has a 2 year deal with the KHL. NHL teams shouldn't waste draft picks on players who want to be in the KHL like Useless Yemelin and Invalid Valentenko. Let them play in front of 2000 fans in Ohmsk in January at -50 degrees.
Imagine, the Habs picked a local boy that's not from Minnesota. Did someone spike Timmins' drinks?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau is the best that ever was.
If you pick a Russian player and he bolts for the KHL do you get a compensation pick ???
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
"Louie, Louie" - Habs Go Local At 2009 NHL Draft
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2009/6/27/927254/louie-louie-habs-go-l...
The stars did aligned for us tonight..... Louis Leblanc was expected to get picked by a team at around the time of our selection..... he is right handed and is expected to be a top-two center..... readiness to do so should be at around 3-4 years from now.
Despite being a most appropriate selection it wont in itself resolved our present predicament at center, our top two center situation is ridiculously precarious and is a direct consequence of Gainey reckless decision 3 years ago when he decided to substrac Ribeiro from our top two center quality reserve.
You cant be an upper echelon team in today's game unless your team can depend on two quality centers to set-up your best players and to create the efficient PP needed in order to be a high scoring team...... which is a standar feature among the better teams.
Gainey defied a basic building team principle when he wasted Ribeiro away 3 years ago..... did he thought that Plek would become a super star or that Koivu would never aged ?..... or that an UFA like Brière would come to our rescue at his first request..... moving Ribeiro was costly, we missed the playoffs that very season and almost missed it again last season..... this year could be way worse with a Koivu metering is energy reserve.... that is if he is signed at all..... otherwise its Plek and Maxwel and thus a certainty that no UFA will be coming here to play under those conditions..... bottom feeder here we come.
I wouldn't be surprised to see Daniel Briere in a Habs uniform. The Flyers are hurting for cap space and the Habs have plenty. Briere has more of an upside than Koivu but still leaves us smail down the middle. He is skilled and could fit the bill until Leblanc is ready to go. Briere has been more of a spare part in Philly and with his salary that's a bit too much.
i am praying briere does not get traded to us...great another smurf. he said no the first time.
I want Carter and Gagné. Forget Briére and all the other smurfs. The Habs have had too many for too long.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau is the best that ever was.
I agree & add - NO THANK YOU MR. BRIERE OR MR. GAGNE !!
I would be ok with Carter or Richards, not Gagne either - the injury monger ain't that great, + it's a Center we need not another Winger.
Hindsight is great, at the time almost all Hab fans were glad to see him go (granted you may not have been one of them) and felt that it was a good deal that would strengthen the D.
bn - After Ribs first year in Dallas his services were not exactly wanted but other deals fell thru so the Stars turned around and signed your Ribs for another year and the rest is history. Right place at the right time. If Ribs hadn't been that fortunate god knows where he would be today. He would not of been the answer in MTL.
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049Duchene isn't a Quebecer.
Overall I'm very happy with Louis. He will add some muscle and maturity during his next two years at Harvard. This guy will be a competitor. Go Habs Go!
Megan Fox on Jimmy Kimmel
Who cares about hockey....
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
I will teach leblanc to go FULL BREEZER.
go FULL BREEZER at fullbreezer.com
Oh man, I wish FullBreezer.com do exist...
---------- I am down but never out for their elimination from the playoffs. They will come back next year. Thanks for the Centennial, can't wait for 101st...
I know people find your posts funny but I'm really curious to know if you're just a bored 15 year old or a 45 year old who really gets a kick out of this.
I'm pretty sure that the whole Full Breeezer thing is a sad comentary on how sad this once great franchise has become. For a long time we've settled for 3rd and 4th rate talent, and played them like they were #1,2. Something bold needs to happen, the cup days are getting farther behind and the future looks bleak.
Now for the rainbow shooting unicorn lovers to let me know how we've got a great wealth of talent. They'll also probably say that Gainey is going to sooth 6 faries wave his wand and wish us up a superstar through the draft @ position 18 no less.
Go get bent hosers.
Gainey has one more year to un-Fk this team. Mark my words. He makes a dogs breakfast of it this coming year and he's gone.
Yet another Hab fan that hates the team. Get bent yourself.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Beliveau is the best that ever was.
It should be clear I don't hate the team. 16 years of utter futility can make anyone irritable. My apologizer days are behind me. I want results. This pick may turn out great, its the mixed bag thats been Gaineys other 5 years that has me wondering what the hell is going on.
We'll see.
You coming back as a coach?
Ok let's look at this in a rational way.
Leblanc is a good player going to Harvard. Hopefully he'll get the education he wants which is great for him, he should be a role model for any hockey player in Quebec. But we are not the Montreal Canadiens hospital or the Canadiens Law firm. We are a professinal hockey team. We want hockey players who want to win, who want to play hockey and play against and beat the best the sport has to offer.
When you play in any sport you go to where the competition is the best, that's why some europeans play in the CHL. And if there wasn't an import quota there would be more.
Time will tell with LeBlanc, Bob did the right choice for the fans of this city. Now, was it the best hockey choice? Was this the best choice to help us in a position we need help? If Bob gets a UFA centerman then this pick is for the future. If he comes up empty in the UFA sweepstakes, then we are a weaker team, in a conference that got that much better.
Are we demanding? Of course we are as the media and the organization keeps saying we are the best fans and deserve the best, and you know what, after a while we believe it. So this reaction of being disapointed when we don't get the best (or perceived as the best) is to be expected.
If you don't want the best for your team, then you are a spectator, not a fan.
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
The NHL draft is all about team needs in 3 seasons, not immediately. Teams that are drafting for immediate needs should be making trades to fill the roster spot, not pushing a 19 year old to step in and play like a 10 year vet.
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Beliveau is the best that ever was.
Correct, unless you are drafting top 5 and even then it's not a sure thing, sometimes you have to wait 1 or 2 years.
That's why UFA and RFA will determine if we pick top 5 in 2010.
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
Is the competition any less in Northeastern US Hockey? BU, Boston College, Harvard, UVM, U Maine, UMass Lowell...all excellent programs with many NHLers coming directly from their ranks into the league. A couple of seasons at Harvard and he will step right into the line-up. He wll not go 4 years there (hope he does return to finish later)
I remember many years ago the place for Quebec players who wanted a US education was the U of Maine, a bit at the time of Kariya.
Like I said previously he will not step in for another 3 years so let's chill and see what Bob does with RFAs and UFAs and UFOs...ok well not the last one but who knows....
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
I'm unable to find any rationality in your post.
Leblanc is listed by ISS as the 12th best player available and he was chosen with our 18th pick. Advantage Canadiens.
He is going to Harvard this year and that shows he has a certain amount of intelligence and character. Advantage Canadiens. I also heard that he has to attend for at least one year to be eligible to go back there in the future.
Europeans play in Canada to integrate into the North American way of life and hockey system, not just because it's the best competition.
Regardless of whether Gainey gets a UFA Centerman or not, this pick is strictly for the future as are all of these picks.
If you really believe that we're the best fans, then you haven't been paying attention to the stupidities of these so-called best fans over the past decade or so.
Who are you to decide what is best for your team?
Dear Omit,
Yes the Habs got a player that was rated higher and droped for some reason most probably because he didn't fit the team that was drafting at that moment. If our scouting said he sit our team than great.
Look if we drafted taxes specialists or lawyers that I would go drafting at Harvard or McGill. Intelligence or not I want hockey sense and hockey skills. I think what scares a lot of people is the time they think he will spend at Harvard. One way or another HE IS NOT PLAYING WITH MONTREAL FOR ANOTHER 3 YEARS AT LEAST.
So let's forget about him for the time being. It's UFAs and RFAs that are the important thing right now, as we have a lot unsigned and eed a couple to fill out the roster. Also everyone knows that the CHL is where the best players are.
As for best fans, I say we are way too demanding, way too critcal, way to emotional and way too self-absorbed. I blame the team + the media who constantly tell us we are the best. I look at what we do when we win or lose a game and know what kind of fans we are.
Spectator, supporter or fanatic, I am a supporter. I want the best but will not live my life by what a hockey team or any other sports team does.
Why an early post like this? Cuz I hate thunder and lightning.....
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
Your second to last sentence is bang on. People living vicariously through another outlet (team or person) always leaves me shaking my head. Appreciate your reply.
You seem to be convinced that the extra years in Harvard are going to be a detriment for him...I would disagree with that implication, the extra years will in all likelihood make him more mature and stronger between the ears and we all know, the Habs need to be stronger in between the ears and that is what is best for the team right now, they are not mentally all there. As for the best hockey choice,it was time they drafted centers and he is one, so yeah, they filled a hole in their prospect cupboard.
Again, if you had a kid who had the option to go to Harvard if even for a few years, would you talk them out of it?
BTW, Leblanc was the best French Canadian available, so there is nothing to be disappointed about unless you are annointing him as the next Jean Beliveau and it is WAY too early for THAT.
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
Will Harvard make him a better player? Time will tell, will Harvard make him smarter ? Probably. As far as I know lots of Harvard grads are working on Wall Street that worked well if I look at my RRSPs....
Did he draft a solution for our needs YES, will it be a quick fix for that problem NO, but that wasn't the idea. If it was Bob's idea, he would have traded to try to get a higher draft pick. The 2010 season will rest on UFAs, and the way I see it, I will get ready for us to have a top 5 pick, and try to get Taylor Hall.
Like I said Bob satisfied the Fans but unless you draft in the top 5 you will rarely take care of an immediate hocket need.
I don't think LeBlanc will be anyone but LeBlanc in 4 to 5 years. But let's see what Bob does tomorrow....
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
For those complaining about Leblanc going to Harvard, give your head a shake, it is his life and he will do as he sees fit, his parents raised him to see school as important...the way it should be. People complain enough everywhere about athletes (even the public in general) being dumber than dirt....the Habs have someone going to Harvard and now you want him run out of town for wanting to be more? There is life outside/after hockey and he should be prepared for that eventuality. Besides, if the kid is projected to be as good as we hope he is, then a year or two extra is no big deal, at least he will be more mature then. AND if he was supposed to help the team THIS YEAR, then the team is in worse shape than we thought OR you just are too darn impatient.
If any of you had a kid going to Harvard are you really going to try to talk him/her out of it and make them do something else?
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
I'm not complaining about the kid going to Harvard. I'm complaining about the Habs drafting a kid going to Harvard.
For him, it makes some sense, but it is still a risk in terms of his hockey development. If he is willing to take that risk, good for him. Yes, there are certainly are non-hockey reasons for going to Harvard.
The Habs should be selecting players that are good prospects and that are going to be in the best environment for developing as hockey players. I am sceptical about the Harvard hockey program and the ECAC hockey league. For me, it is not about years of development. Beyond the first few selections, I see these draft choices as making an impact in the NHL in about 4-5 years from now (if ever). FRankly, for a Harvard kid, LeBlanc is being pretty stupid for suggesting that he might turn pro after one year.
In general, American college teams play 25-30 games per season in total. CHL teams play close to 70 plus playoffs if they make it. I believe the CHL is still a better development league for producing NHL players. Furthermore, not all US college hockey programs are equal. I'm not sold on Harvard. Yes, their coach is a former NHL player. As well, the ECAC, in general, is not the strongest hockey group among the NCAA. Of course, part of the problem is that most hockey players are not quite Ivy League material!
Good for the kid, yes! Good for the Habs, unsure. But the draft is all a crapshoot anyway.
Darche went from McGill to the NHL (not much of a career but at least he made the leap)...you knock him for going to Harvard in the fears that his hockey may not develop but if he says he WANTS and will try to turn pro after one year you knock him....PK Subban did the same thing last training camp, his goal was to make the team, was he a nimrod for saying that too? AT LEAST it shows they have hockey ambition in SOME quantity which is what some on here are worried about. We should save any critique of the kid when he plays his first shift as a Hab....THEN we can complain about him not scoring on his first shift or first shot.
"Even Roy can be run out of town after 2 Stanley Cups."
So he says education is important to his family, but he wants to get out of Harvard after one year? Does that make him a hypocrite? Perhaps not, since he says he plans on continuing his education in the summers.
Personally, I would have understood if PK had said he wants to get the heck out of Belleville ASAP!
He appears to be an articulate, intelligent person that will be able to handle the pressure of playing in his hometown.
Holy crap I agree with you for once.
Check out Matt Duchene. He's a bright kid. He is going to be great alongside Paul Stasny (himself an excellent college kid).
For those thinking that Garth Snow was some kind of genius with all his wheeling and dealing, here's what Duhatschek had to say about NYI taking De Haan at 12:
Eric Duhatschek: McGuire had him 25 in his mock draft; Craig Button 26 - but "Button did have him going to the Islanders in that slot. So the Isles moved up twice - to get from 26 to 16 to 12 - to get a guy virtually everybody figures would have been there at their original pick. Strange ...
It was like watching Three Card Monte playing the shell game!
I'd rather we keep the young players in development, unless they are bonafide NHLers.
Which they aren't. I agree with you.
After reading through the comments again:
What in God's name is wrong with an 18 year-old kid wanting to go to Harvard?
They've a decent hockey program, and Leblanc will be incorporated into the Habs developmental program, every step of the way.
It's Harvard. As in, Harvard.
If my kid was accepted to Harvard, and was then drafted by the Canadiens in the 1st round, I would buy a lottery ticket for the boy. Anything less than a million would be a disappointment.
And again: Ken Dryden.
So many fans want their players to be "intelligent," but are offended when those players go to a distinguished place of learning.
There is nothing wrong with an 18 year old kid wanting to go to Harvard.
But my thinking is that it was his parents decision for him to go to school.
I don't know any 18 year old kids who would rather goto school than sign a 2 way contract that on the upside pays him over a million in salary and bonuses
Don't get me wrong, I like the pick. I think he'll be good for us. but i think he'd develop faster in the Q playing twice as many games a year as he will at school.
"LeBlanc will be incorporated into the Habs developmental program"? Oh that's really reassuring!
On Harvard's hockey program, see:
http://www.gocrimson.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=45209&SPID=4035&DB_OEM_ID=9000&ATCLID=3750745
Current NHLers that played for Harvard: Craig Adams (cup winner), Dominic Moore, Noah Welch, Tom Cavanagh and Craig MacDonald.
Do you not get it by now? First, we wanted a superstar center. The prospect of Lecavalier being traded to us surfaced and everyone started complaining about his contract. Now, most were expecting/rooting for us to take Leblanc and so there is still something wrong. We wanted change in our administration/coaching and fired Carbo, and plenty of people who clamored for it started complaining. We wanted an overhaul of the coaching staff and it's happening, yet people complain about it! These people flip-flop more than George W.
If Gainey was fired it would be minutes before the same people who've been demanding he be replaced were rioting on his behalf.
I agree Infanteer.
Its absolutley disgusting that people are hating on Leblanc for wanting to get an education.
Let the kid get his education and hone his craft playing college hockey. He'll be a better player in four years than he will be in two.
Fans here have no patience at all. Its time to admit that the ignorance and stupidity of fans has been a massive contribution to the lack of winning teams the last 16 seasons.
No. It's up to management to get the players, not the fans. Habs fans bitch because there's no Cup in sight and the team took a BIG step backwards in 08/09. Fans don't jump on the ice to score or make saves and they do cheer this team LOUDLY at the BC. After 16 seasons, patience is very thin.
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Beliveau is the best that ever was.
Oh come on.
The fans are the ones that go talking about landing an impact player two years in a row and come up short both times?
The fans are the ones that fired a good coach to put their inexperienced buddy into the job only to fire him with 16 games to go in the season?
The fans are tired of being lied to by Gainey.
Gainey has no plan or vision for the team.
Now he's going to have to scramble around in the next four days and hope to hell he can get some of the free agents signed before July 1.
But yeah I agree it's fans like me that actually expected Gainey to be a great GM that are the problem.
We tended to believe that his five year plan would actually take five years, not five decades.
But hey, we're told help is coming this summer or September, or October...just be patient.
It's not a priority of Gainey's to worry about putting a competitive team on the ice.
So why should we get our shorts in a knot.
Bob will still get his pay cheque.
Tanguay and Lang were both impact players last season. So your point is moot. The bottom line is the overwhelming negativity of the fans makes it hard to attract free agents. This is undeniable.
Lang was ok, got injured. Tanguay was completely worthless. In addition to that, the Habs were a very poor team last year and as of now we have NO team to speak of. This is a complete mess. Gainey will have one more year, if he f's up this year, he's gone. 100%.
"Tanguay was completely worthless"
Oh really? That's why he was our leading goal scorer and point getter when he got injured? That's why his playmaking and on ice leadership spawned the momentary rebirth of the swagger we had last season when he played on a line with Kovy and Saku? When Tanguay was healthy this year he was out best player bar none.
Some people on this site will never be pleased. You people are absolute retarded. You bitch and whine about Timmons and Gainey not taking French Canadians and then when they take the consensus BEST French Canadian available in this draft you bitch that he's going to college and won't make an immediate impact. It was the 18th pick guys, not top 3. Cry me a damn river, it was a damn good pick, not matter what the idiots say on this page.
seriosuly...i would love to see one of those dumbasses do a televised debate with Gainey about what he is doing wrong.
those morons would ge tlaughed out of town.
--- we need a kovalev
I agree so much it hurts.
I still can't believe Philly gave up Lupul, Sbisa and two first picks for Pronger. I know Pronger's a beast, and has always been a broad street bully at heart, but Sbisa was a 2008 first round draft pick, and Pronger's only signed for one more year. Anyways, Sid and Geno better keep their heads up cause Pronger's gonna be throwin' dem bows.
Agreed. That price does seem pretty steep, especially considering that the Flyers will also have to dump some talent to deal with the cap issue that this move exacerbates.
Couple of points from tonight:
a) Leblanc was a great pick. The Habs managed to nab him after he was supposed to go (most mock drafts had him in the 12 - 17 range).
However, I'm pretty shocked about the anti-university / college sentiment on this site. Comments about the "Brain Cup" and anti-Harvard rhetoric are ill-informed at best, ignorant at worst.
Perhaps Dryden should have left Cornell, too.
b) Ref the "Big Trade" that didn't happen . . . There was a single "big trade" that came, and it came at a tremendous cost. I'm quite happy that the Habs didn't get an aging, overpriced Pronger for 3 first rounders (one drafted, two not), a 3rd rounder, and a proven scorer (Lupul). Even Brains Burke couldn't make the "Big Trade" happen, as evidenced by:
c) The Hidden Mike: Why? Why would you deal with someone who is clearly "miked." And why would Burke go from GM to GM, dealing only in rumors and innuendo?
The best example was the exchange with Gainey:
BB: Lecavalier's going to either the Islanders or you. That's what I heard.
BG: (dismissively) Oh yeah?
I think BB is trying to make a more successful media career at the CBC. He may have succeeded, but he didn't land Schen, and he didn't make the "big trade."
The brain cup was my comment on what BG said "we have lots of players in College". Well good for him, I would rather have hockey players now. It seems to me that if you are a Vg to great hockey player you want to play against the best. Harvard is great if you want to be a lawyer or Doctor, but hockey player? The Ivy league is not a hot bed of hockey.
Not sure about LeBlanc being a great pick, he's a pick right now. I say let's enjoy it and get ready for the real important things like UFAs and RFAs and maybe the rest of the draft but don't hold your breath....
_________________________ Scream for me Montreal.....
Okay, okay, Dryden played at Cornell. Wasn't that about 40 years ago? The fact that you bring up an example from 40 years ago, suggests that there may be some truth to the allegation that Ivy League schools are not exactly producing large numbers of NHL players. Hello Chris Higgins!
LeBlanc is going to play about 25-30 games per season at Harvard. Is that better preparation for a career in the NHL than playing a regular season of over 65 games somewhere in the CHL? I'm not so sure.
That said, I can see some benefit to having him not in the Q, facing the constant pressure and attention of being the francophone, first round pick of the Habs.
Players in the CHL play too many games and DO NOT PRACTICE enough. Development is stifled if you have to learn at the cost of 2 important points. How do you get to the Bell Centre? PRACTICE!
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Beliveau is the best that ever was.
I employed Dryden as my example because he is a personal role-model.
How about more recent examples, of just Canadians in NCAA: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=425710
It includes many, including Joe Nieuwendyk - a GM at tonight's party - and, like Dryden, a Cornell student.
Alternatively, is ditching university to play in the CHL going to better prepare him for life after hockey?
If he's lucky, he'll have a 10-15 year career. But then what?
Yes, I totally accept your point, if our goal as Habs fans is to look out for the future of the all the young men being drafted today and tomorrow. Get an education. Many of them won't have any NHL career.
But if we are concerned withthe future of the Montreal Canadiens, then we might want to see LeBlanc or someone else developing their hockey skills in a more proven developmental league.
I don't see why we can't be concerned with both points.
He'll be two years physically bigger and stronger by the time he gets to the AHL. And more importantly, he'll be two years more mature and stronger of character. That's not a bad thing.
The issue of Harvard versus the CHL is not about years of development. Many US college players jump to pro hockey after a year or two (even when they would be better off in terms of an education and in terms of hockey development if they stayed in school). LeBlanc has already said that he thinks he will be at Harvard for a year or two and then will sign a pro contract. I think that no matter what route these guys take, they should not be rushed.
I ran a timeline of the draft.</p>
I figured Mr. Boone's tech probs would get resolved so I didn't want to mention it during the draft and step on any toes.</p>
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Ya! The Habs Rule!
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Ya! The Habs Rule!...and still no Boone...the plot thickens...oops, never mind...refresh.
I don't recall being promised anything... I do recall certain media outlets tooting their horns and going "omg big splash coming you'll see!!!!". Gimme a break...
You don't actually believe that Gainey can pull of a deal, do you?
Get real.
Craig Rivet for Josh Gorges and Max Pac.
Grabovski for Lang.
Tanguay for a first round pick.
All very good deals...but morons like you choose to conveniently forget them.
no wonder no one wants to play here..fans like you just bitch and moan about EVERYTHING.
even if we win a stanley cup i can just see this argukment: ya but we wont win it next year.
just give it a rest.
--- we need a kovalev
man it's been a long time since the last time I heard, "ya but we wont win it next year"
;-)
We have been hearing "We would like to add an impact player" for the last 2 years and haven't. What made you think tonight would be any different.
Right, because he definitely didn't deal for Tanguay and Lang last year, who happened to be our two best and most consistent forwards last year. Yeah that definitely didn't happen.
And, the team progressed less in the playoffs than they did in 07-08. Frankly, I don't give a *** what deal he does or does not make. The Habs are a perpetual "bubble squad." Even when they tease and get into the playoffs, they make their predictable second round exit at best. Woo, woo!!!
It's so difficult to take a shot when these goalposts keep moving.........
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