Best of the Rest Series: Peter Mahovlich

[LastWordArmy]

Our summer series, best of the rest, looks at the best players who are not in the Hockey Hall of Fame (but are eligible, ie no recent retirees or current players).

Today we look at the career of the Habs Peter Mahovlich.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/08/04/best-of-the-rest-montreal-canadiens-peter-mahovlich/

Click to read more...

 

[Price is Wright]

I would have went with Damphousse.

 

[Lshap]

I saw Pete play. He was the bigger, goofier, happier Mahovlich, less moody than brother Frank, but also less intense on the ice. I remember the knock against Pete was that he cruised through games without giving 100%. But when he did turn it on he was a beast. His overall talent and career peak were probably higher than Frank's, but he didn't sustain it as long.

 

[HuGort]

I remember John Ferguson took him under his wing when he came to Montreal. Changed him as player. Mahovlich's goal in Game 2 of summit series still one best goals i ever seen thou.

 

[MXD]

Many of those picks would be debatable.
But for the Habs, I have a hard-time seeing anybody other than JC Tremblay get that distinction.
Claude Provost would also be a choice.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

I saw Pete play. He was the bigger, goofier, happier Mahovlich, less moody than brother Frank, but also less intense on the ice. I remember the knock against Pete was that he cruised through games without giving 100%. But when he did turn it on he was a beast. His overall talent and career peak were probably higher than Frank's, but he didn't sustain it as long.

When you reminisce, you should brush the cobwebs out of your memory. Where do you get that "probably higher than Frank's." It wasn't so. Frank was a much better skater with a much better shot. He was unstoppable in the 2001 upset of the Bruins and set a points record for a playoff season (later broken by Gretzky). I remember Derek Sanderson saying ruefully, "Our biggest mistake was waking him (Frank) up." By the way, his line with Lafleur and Shutt was called the "doughnut line" because of the hole in the middle.

 

[Lshap]

When you reminisce, you should brush the cobwebs out of your memory. Where do you get that "probably higher than Frank's." It wasn't so. Frank was a much better skater with a much better shot. He was unstoppable in the 2001 upset of the Bruins and set a points record for a playoff season (later broken by Gretzky). I remember Derek Sanderson saying ruefully, "Our biggest mistake was waking him (Frank) up." By the way, his line with Lafleur and Shutt was called the "doughnut line" because of the hole in the middle.

I was nine or ten years old, so my memories are probably more incomplete than cobwebby. My perspective of Pete was of a giant who occasionally got fired up and dominated the ice. Frank was smoother, but I remember Pete as more unstoppable, although his fire never stayed lit for long enough.

 

[Laphroaig]

Peter Mahovlich still holds the single season scoring record for a Montreal Canadiens centre with 117 points. He was really good for a while but there are better former Habs more deserving of Hall of Fame consideration. MXD is correct when he mentions JC Tremblay and Claude Provost in that regard.

 

[thom]

The guy was 6ft 6 and he and the flower clicked but Bowman like Lemaire better and probaly was right.Peter had great talent but lacked intensity but againhe played well in 1972 Canada Cup.Rumour was that he was shocked when Pollack traded him to Pittsburg.Ironic part is that Habs received another player who lacked win at all costs skill which was Pierre Larouche.Larouche put up very good numbers but was benched by coaches and later traded to Hartford.Read the game by Dryden-very negative comments about Larouche though talent and skill were elite level

 

[68*]

I have a question and I don't want to start a new thread so I'll just post it here. Does anyone know who was the last good tall forward (6ft3 or more) that played for the Habs?

 

[thom]

Good Question Im going with Bobby Smith in the 1980s he was 6ft 3 I believe.Weird part of Mahalovich and Smith-40 and 30 yrs ago.In 1980 habs drafted the late Doug Wickenheiser man was a giant at 6ft 3 and 210 lbs but sadly things did not work out-he was suppose to be center for Guy Lafleur.That same draft Chicago drafted little Denis Savard a french kid who became a Hall ofFamer

 

[68*]

Good Question Im going with Bobby Smith in the 1980s he was 6ft 3 I believe.Weird part of Mahalovich and Smith-40 and 30 yrs ago.In 1980 habs drafted the late Doug Wickenheiser man was a giant at 6ft 3 and 210 lbs but sadly things did not work out-he was suppose to be center for Guy Lafleur.That same draft Chicago drafted little Denis Savard a french kid who became a Hall ofFamer

Thanks! Man that was a long time ago.

 

[MXD]

I have a question and I don't want to start a new thread so I'll just post it here. Does anyone know who was the last good tall forward (6ft3 or more) that played for the Habs?

If you take out Pacioretty -- what he did last season was better than everbody Smith did as a Hab -- yeah, that's Smith.

 

[HuGort]

Good Question Im going with Bobby Smith in the 1980s he was 6ft 3 I believe.Weird part of Mahalovich and Smith-40 and 30 yrs ago.In 1980 habs drafted the late Doug Wickenheiser man was a giant at 6ft 3 and 210 lbs but sadly things did not work out-he was suppose to be center for Guy Lafleur.That same draft Chicago drafted little Denis Savard a french kid who became a Hall ofFamer

Wickenheiser wasn't that big

 

[Price is Wright]

I have a question and I don't want to start a new thread so I'll just post it here. Does anyone know who was the last good tall forward (6ft3 or more) that played for the Habs?

Answer is Bobby Smith who was 6'4".

 

[overlords]

Answer is Bobby Smith who was 6'4".

Was going to say Robert Lang, as I always thought he was 6'3 or taller. Turns out only 6'2.

edit: actually nhl.com has him as 6'3. But I can see people not counting lang since he didn't get to play much with us before going down to injury.

 

[Price is Wright]

Was going to say Robert Lang, as I always thought he was 6'3 or taller. Turns out only 6'2.

edit: actually nhl.com has him as 6'3. But I can see people not counting lang since he didn't get to play much with us before going down to injury.

Forgot about Dre. I mean Lang.

If I remember correctly, Montreal at times tried Zubrus at center.

 

[57special]

When you reminisce, you should brush the cobwebs out of your memory. Where do you get that "probably higher than Frank's." It wasn't so. Frank was a much better skater with a much better shot. He was unstoppable in the 2001 upset of the Bruins and set a points record for a playoff season (later broken by Gretzky). I remember Derek Sanderson saying ruefully, "Our biggest mistake was waking him (Frank) up." By the way, his line with Lafleur and Shutt was called the "doughnut line" because of the hole in the middle.

Agreed. I'm old enough to have seen the Big M in his prime, and it's no knock on Pete to say that Frank was a better player. When Frank came to Montreal he was nearing the end of his career, but even then you could see how he was in the uppermost tier talent wise in the NHL.

Pete was really good, Frank was just better. He beat out Bobby Hull for ROY in 1958, and had some terrific years in Detroit and Toronto when he was younger. He was one of the league's superstars during the 60's.

 

[HuGort]

Frank could dominate the game when he was on. I thought he was best player in '71 playoffs. The '73 playoffs he was just as good.

 

[googlymoogly]

I have a question and I don't want to start a new thread so I'll just post it here. Does anyone know who was the last good tall forward (6ft3 or more) that played for the Habs?

John Leclair, and we traded him

 

[deandebean]

My dad used to hang out with Habs players including Pete. Pete drank A LOT. Often went to the Texan restaurant after games to eat some huge steaks and drink A LOT.

 

[HuGort]

My dad used to hang out with Habs players including Pete. Pete drank A LOT. Often went to the Texan restaurant after games to eat some huge steaks and drink A LOT.

He may have drank a bit but he had a lot of heart. I remember the HNIC interview with Howie Meeker following New Year's eve game. That was a classic