What's Next For Les Canadiens?

Marakh--here's one for you...well, two for you.

Compare Chris Higgins and Mike Fisher.



And why would Gainey take Kelly and an unnamed Sens d-man for Higgy?

davetherave wrote:Marakh--here's one for you...well, two for you.

Compare Chris Higgins and Mike Fisher.



And why would Gainey take Kelly and an unnamed Sens d-man for Higgy?

Is Chris Higgins "good in the community"? That's what makes "stars" in Ottawa.

The latest on the battle of ownership of Le Club de Hockey Canadien--and its related assets, notably Le Centre Bell--features a familiar player...this from The Montreal Gazette:

New horse enters race for Habs

PAT HICKEY, The Montreal Gazette, May 27, 2009

A late entry with an impressive pedigree might turn the quest for control of the Canadiens into a three-horse race.

Geoffrey E. Molson, whose family is a major part of the team's storied history, announced yesterday he "is considering the possibility of submitting a proposal to acquire the Montreal Canadiens hockey club." While there had been reports this year that the Molson family might be interested in submitting a bid, yesterday's announcement was the first formal acknowledgement that a Molson was interested in re-acquiring the family heirloom. Geoffrey Molson said the bid would be on behalf of members of his immediate family, including his brothers, Andrew and Justin.

Until yesterday, the battle for control of the team appeared to have come down to a fight between two Quebec-based corporate giants - Quebecor and BCE.

Geoffrey Molson's possible entry into the race would seem to be too late in the process, but it might be an indication that the sale isn't going as smoothly as owner George Gillett would like. The timetable for the sale calls for a deal to be completed before next month's National Hockey League entry draft.

Gillett, who will only admit he is reviewing his portfolio as part of an estate-planning exercise, faces a July deadline to repay a loan he took out to finance the purchase of his other iconic sporting asset, the Liverpool FC soccer team.

While the news release announcing the 38-year-old Molson's interest was vague, you have to believe he wouldn't be floating the idea if he weren't serious.
Molson has the advantage of being an insider.

He is a director the Molson Coors Brewing Company, which owns 19.9 per cent of the hockey team and is the brewery's representative on the Canadiens' board of directors. He said yesterday he would not participate in the work of either board when the sale is under discussion. His brother, Andrew, is vice-chairman of Molson Coors and will also remove himself from any discussion of the sale.

Geoffrey Molson played hockey at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y., and has an MBA from Babson College in Boston. He learned the brewery business from the ground up after working for Coca-Cola and a New York-based consulting firm.

The Molson family's involvement with the Canadiens began in 1957, when brothers Thomas and Hartland Molson bought the team from Senator Donat Raymond.

They sold the team to their cousins, David, Peter and Bill Molson, in 1964.

The Molson brothers held the team until 1971, when they sold the club to a group headed by Peter and Edward Bronfman.

Molson Breweries bought the team in 1978 and owned 100 per cent until Gillett arrived on the scene in 2001. During the period the family controlled the team, the Canadiens won 11 of their 24 Stanley Cups.

phickey@thegazette.canwest.com

Interesting development, as it would be private holding and not corporate. Although it would help the American based Molson-Coors conglomerate.

Does the venue move from Lily Tomlinson's Switchboard to the Beer Barrel?

Prost

From one ringy dingy to have a beer, eh? The sale of Le Canadien, with BCE or the Molsons seemingly leading suitors, apparently has Bob Gainey in a holding pattern.

This from Dave Stubbs of Habs Inside Out, posted May 29:

General manager Bob Gainey's work is cut out this offseason.

Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey tells La Presse reporter Marc Antoine Godin that his work is "not directly" affected by ownership issues, what with George Gillett seemingly on the verge of selling the club.

In Toronto for the combine camp featuring draft-eligible players, Gainey said he'll have nothing major to announce in the short term, either regarding player signings or any announcement of a new head coach.

Gainey added that he's been in contact with his stable of unrestricted free agents, but hasn't had concrete talks with anyone, aware that new ownership might want to move "in a different direction."

He also maintained that Montreal is a good place for other UFAs to consider. He's comfortable with his goaltending and says he knows his team's needs both at forward and defence.

http://habsinsideout.com/main/20174

And from longtime Canadiens chronicler Red Fisher:

Hockey came first for Molsons

"Teams don't wear the mantle of greatness unless they're also blessed with great owners."

Red Fisher, The Montreal Gazette, Friday, May 29, 2009

Hockey's most important story of the week for Canadiens fans had nothing to do with the start of tomorrow night's Red Wings-Penguins Stanley Cup final in Detroit.

It had nothing to do with the same two teams pursuing the game's biggest prize for a second consecutive season.

It had everything to do with the announcement this week that members of the Molson family are "considering" purchasing the team from George N. Gillett Jr.

Uh-huh. That Gillett, the one who the last time we met I asked about reports that his Canadiens were on the block. He insisted in the briefest interview of my 50-plus-year career that his decision to hire a firm to study his financial situation was linked only with "estate planning."

End of interview.

No problem there. Those two words were better than none, even though they wouldn't come within a rink-length of passing a polygraph test.

As you know, Tuesday's late-afternoon announcement from Geoffrey Molson, son of Eric, said that he and his brothers, Andrew and Justin, are "considering the possibility of submitting a proposal to purchase Gillett's 81.1 per cent ownership" of the Canadiens and the Bell Centre.

In the 54 years I have covered this one-of-a-kind franchise, 17 head coaches, starting with Toe Blake, have come and gone. Others are Claude Ruel, Al MacNeil, Scotty Bowman, Bernie Geoffrion, Bob Berry, Jacques Lemaire, Jean Perron, Pat Burns, Jacques Demers, Jacques Laperrière (only one game, as I recall), Mario Tremblay, Alain Vig-neault, Michel Therrien, Claude Julien, Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau.

Fifteen captains: Butch Bouchard, Maurice Richard, Doug Harvey, Jean Béliveau, Henri Richard, Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Bob Gainey, Guy Carbonneau, Chris Chelios, Kirk Muller, Mike Keane, Pierre Turgeon, Vincent Damphousse and Saku Koivu.

There have been seven general managers: Frank J. Selke, Sam Pollock, Irving Grundman, Serge Savard, Réjean Houle, André Savard and Gainey.

The owners have been Senator Donat Raymond, Senator Hartland Molson, the brothers David, William and Peter Molson, Peter and Edward Bronfman, Molson Brewery and Gillett.

The one I have admired the most was Senator Molson, because during all the years he sat in the owner's box, he felt the team belonged to the fans. It was all about hockey rather than the almighty dollar. As much as Senator Molson loved the Canadiens, he felt deeply about the game wherever it was played. He never hesitated to leap into the fray whenever and wherever there was a hint of scandal.

If the Molson brothers do submit a proposal, they would be joining what appeared to have been a two-horse race in what was expected to be a bitter battle between communications giants BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. I don't know any of the Molson brothers, but what I do know is that Canadiens fans and the credibility of the game always came first with Senator Molson. The Canadiens were family.

How do you put a price on that?

Sixteen years have passed since the Canadiens have won a Stanley Cup, but the franchise still is regarded as the NHL's flagship for success. Twenty-four Stanley Cups. Forty-four players in the Hall of Fame. Ten builders. Selke and Pollock: the greatest general managers in NHL history. Blake and Bowman: the best coaches, in that order.

It goes beyond that, though: teams don't wear the mantle of greatness unless they're also blessed with great owners.

Most of them made their fortunes in the business world, but there was one constant among them: a love of the game. They were more than owners: they were hockey fans - none as devoted as Senator Molson, who along with his brother Thomas purchased Le Club de Hockey Canadien and the Canadian Arena Company in September 1957 from Senator Raymond - after the team had won the first two Cups of what was to be a record run of five in a row.

Senator Raymond, like Senator Molson, was a fan. Loved the game. Loved to win.

He didn't come around as often as Senator Molson, who rarely missed a game in Montreal, but he bled bleu, blanc, rouge. And when you do, if you're an owner, you step aside and let hockey people run the shop. No questions asked.

I don't know which group is likely to acquire the Canadiens. At the moment, nobody does.

What I do know ... what Canadiens fans must hope for ... is that the biggest winner is hockey.

rfisher@thegazette.canwest.com

year 101

So how does the Jacques Martin hiring affect the Canadiens chances next year?

From the Montreal Gazette this afternoon:

Canadiens name Jacques Martin as coach

MONTREAL - Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey introduced Jacques Martin as the team's new head coach during a news conference at the Bell Centre Monday afternoon.

At the same time, Gainey announced that Roland Melanson will not return as the club's goaltending coach.

Martin had spent five years in the Florida Panthers organization, after joining the club in May 2004 as the team’s head coach. He served as the team’s head coach for three seasons (2005-08), while assuming the duties as the club’s general manager on Sept. 3, 2006. On May 16, 2008, Martin agreed to a contract extension to remain solely as the club’s general manager through the 2011-2012 season. That contract will now be voided.

In three seasons as the Panthers' bench boss he posted a 110-100-36 mark and stands as the club’s all time leaders in wins and games coached (246).

On Nov. 2, 2006, Martin became only the 13th head coach in NHL history to record his 450th win and on March 3, 2007, Martin became only the 12th coach in NHL history to coach in his 1,000th NHL game. Martin ranks in the National Hockey League’s top 10 all-time coaching leaders with 1098 games coached (8th) and 517 wins (9th).

Prior to joining the Panthers organization, Martin guided the Ottawa Senators to a 43-23-10-6 mark during the 2003-04 campaign earning 102 points. For his career with Ottawa, he posted a 341-255-96 regular-season record in nine seasons. He stands as the franchise's all-time leader in games coached (692), regular-season wins (341), playoff wins (31) and playoff games coached (69). (Martin also led Ottawa to the playoffs in eight consecutive years--Ed.)

Under Martin's guidance, the Senators earned their first President's Trophy, posting a 52-21-8-1 mark upon completion of the 2002-03 campaign. He led Ottawa to its first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils.

Martin has been nominated for the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL Coach of the Year four times. He won the award in 1998-99 and was nominated in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2002-03.

He also was selected as head coach of the Eastern Conference at the 2003 NHL All-Star Game in Florida and head coach of the World Team at the 2001 All-Star Game in Denver. Martin was born on October 1, 1952 in St-Pascal, Ontario. He has two daughters, Angela and Nathalee.

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So in hiring Jacques Martin, the Habs get 'their man': a bilingual bench boss, satisfying those think speaking French and English is important; a coach with considerable experience and a successful track record.

Martin is also an intense competitor and a demanding coach.

His knowledge of the front office may also be an asset to Bob Gainey, assuming they work together as the Canadiens look to re-shape the team.

I think Kovalev just signed his ticket to the Pens with this move. That's where I'd go if I was him. 4 million, 3 years to be Crosby or Malkin's wingman. I'm certainly not staying in a Martin coached team.

If I was Koivu, this move would make it more likely that I'd stay, but I'd like to go and be with my brother in Minny, so...bye.

If I was Komisarek, I'd stay, but...then I'd realize that I no longer want to be in this ridiculous media city, so, I'm moving on as well.

If I'm Price, I'm very, very happy with this. Then I find out that Mario Trembley is coming in as assistant coach and I poop my pantaloons.

If I'm Markov and Hamrlik, I'm very, very happy - period.

504Heater wrote:I think Kovalev just signed his ticket to the Pens with this move. That's where I'd go if I was him. 4 million, 3 years to be Crosby or Malkin's wingman. I'm certainly not staying in a Martin coached team.

If I was Koivu, this move would make it more likely that I'd stay, but I'd like to go and be with my brother in Minny, so...bye.

If I was Komisarek, I'd stay, but...then I'd realize that I no longer want to be in this ridiculous media city, so, I'm moving on as well.

If I'm Price, I'm very, very happy with this. Then I find out that Mario Trembley is coming in as assistant coach and I poop my pantaloons.

If I'm Markov and Hamrlik, I'm very, very happy - period.

smart move on his part no matter who is coaching in Montreal, its a drama of a team right now.

Former Habs (and Nordiques) star Guy Lafleur seems to think the Jacques Martin hiring is a net positive for Le Canadien.

In an interview with La Tribune de Sherbrooke today, in an article entitled: "Jacques Martin: le «party est fini», selon Guy Lafleur", Lafleur recalls his days in Quebec with Martin as assistant coach. "He's tough, but fair," Lafleur is quoted as saying. The players "will have good reason to show up in shape to play".

Discipline having been a major issue under Carbonneau, the Martin approach may be part of Gainey's prescription for 2009-10.

More here: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/la-tribune/sports/200906/01/01-861939-jacques-martin-le-party-est-fini-selon-guy-lafleur.php

Le party est fini. Heh heh.

I believe Hartsburg said something similar...

The consensus in the media seems to be that Martin will be a good fit in Montreal and will help protect Price and beef up their defense. What remains to be seen is how it affects the scoring and what players remain from the huge crop of UFA's.

The media? What's the last hiring they got right?

There are far too many problems the Habs are facing that can be fixed by hiring a coach. When they go out and hire someone like Martin -- who is two years removed from coaching, and nearly 10 years from coaching well -- they are taking a step back. Gainey has made some really, really stunning moves that have backfired in the last couple of years. They have 13 (?) free agents of their own, and talk at the end of the season was that nobody wanted to come to Montreal. The team's ownership is up in the air. And Gainey cannot seem to be able to acknowledge his bad decisions by undoing them. They are not going to make the playoffs next season, which should rightfully mean that Gainey will be fired. But that will probably mean that the new guy will not want to keep Martin. I see them missing the playoffs in 2010-11 as well.

I don't understand after digesting it for another day. If Martin can bring it super-high end assistants, like a Bob Hartley and Dave Lowrey, then I can see it perhaps working, but Martin as HC without those kind of guys? Show me a playoffs where he's been successful? Maybe when we made the ECF and should have lost in 5 games to NJ? That's the closest we came to playoff success.

It's on the players, but the coach eventually has to take responsibility for being a playoff failure.

Again, don't really understand, but good luck Jacques.

I think this is a rebuild for the Canadiens and Jacques can keep a team winning through a rebuild. The secret to success however is taking the team away from him when the are ready to compete for a cup. He is not the right resource to evoke cup winning emotion and determination, he just isn't....

MurderOnIce wrote:I think this is a rebuild for the Canadiens and Jacques can keep a team winning through a rebuild. The secret to success however is taking the team away from him when the are ready to compete for a cup. He is not the right resource to evoke cup winning emotion and determination, he just isn't....

That's the biggest Catch-22 in the history of hockey though. You're right, 100% right. You get Martin to mold the team into a playoff team through the younger players etc. etc. etc., but in the meantime Montreal media isn't going to like a rebuilding Habs team, so they'll be screaming for his head the entire time. If by chance he gets them to the playoffs this upcoming year, the media will have even more fodder for his firing than if he misses, because the true colours of Martin will show. He is an awesome regular season coach, who can be outcoached and outmotivated by 90% of the current crop of coaches (in the playoffs).

That's why I would insist on the Habs bringing in Hartley as the assistant to Martin - and the option is there for Hartley to step in when needed as well. No matter what the cost, Hartley should be part of that coaching team. No matter what the cost...