Canadiens made big offer for Lindros at draft.

[De Montreal]

Here is an article about it with an interview with MacLean

Dans les coulisses du repêchage avec Doug MacLean

Quand Doug MacLean a annoncé à son entourage qu’il allait publier un livre sur l’art du repêchage, le commentaire qui est le plus souvent revenu est : « Toi? Avec les choix que tu as faits, tu vas écrire un livre sur le repêchage? »

ici.radio-canada.ca

He also say the Canadien screw them up in 2005 by forcing them to pick between Brule and Kopitar, they thought for sure they would ended up with Kopitar but Habs took Price instead of Brule

 

[Forsead]

Here is an article about it with an interview with MacLean

Dans les coulisses du repêchage avec Doug MacLean

Quand Doug MacLean a annoncé à son entourage qu’il allait publier un livre sur l’art du repêchage, le commentaire qui est le plus souvent revenu est : « Toi? Avec les choix que tu as faits, tu vas écrire un livre sur le repêchage? »

ici.radio-canada.ca

He also say the Canadien screw them up in 2005 by forcing them to pick between Brule and Kopitar, they thought for sure they would ended up with Kopitar but Habs took Price instead of Brule

He could've made the right call though and take Kopitar, hardly the Canadiens screwing the Blue Jackets.

 

[Garbageyuk]

That's an absolutely bonkers trade offer. Carbo and Roy were very good players in '91 even if Guy had a poor 90-91 season. Absolutely bonkers. They were in the Cup Finals in '89!

It isn’t really a good offer. The package the Nords ended up getting beats it by a lot. And they obviously ended up with Roy anyway, and didn’t even give up much. Crazy reading about all this stuff though.

 

[OldCraig71]

I was not on the Michkov bus, but I was convinced we would draft a forward.......that said, the ego driven guys usually can work in sports, but for a short time. It seems Savard was not happy with Roy back in the day, and Roy not happy with Savard......
I was glad the ego got traded out of Montreal but very underwhelmed with our return...........Corey forced Reggie to act too quickly.

The Habs always are wary of egos, and behaviors etc. Lindros also had lots of that, if he did not want to play in Quebec, he could very well not wanted Montreal either??
It's all moot, but some interesting chatter.....

I think that I remember him saying that he would play in Montreal and it wasn't about him not wanting to play in Quebec City but instead, refusing to play for Marcel Aubut.

 

[HuGort]

Here is an article about it with an interview with MacLean

Dans les coulisses du repêchage avec Doug MacLean

Quand Doug MacLean a annoncé à son entourage qu’il allait publier un livre sur l’art du repêchage, le commentaire qui est le plus souvent revenu est : « Toi? Avec les choix que tu as faits, tu vas écrire un livre sur le repêchage? »

ici.radio-canada.ca

He also say the Canadien screw them up in 2005 by forcing them to pick between Brule and Kopitar, they thought for sure they would ended up with Kopitar but Habs took Price instead of Brule

MacLean said rumours heading into the draft some were calling Brule, Crosby West.

I thought we were going to take Brule at 5 also. Choosing Price surprised me also. MacLean said he had Price ranked 22th.

Rask went 21st. If you had to pick between those two, who you take Rask or Price? Price better goalie but Rask healthier.

 

[LesCanadiens]

Posted in another thread but thought deserve its own thread.

Doug MacLean, former GM, coach, has good book out on the draft. A few tidbits among his 30 years involved with the draft.

At Lindros draft, Montreal pushed hard to get Nordiques pick. Savard offered Guy Carbonnesu, Patrick Roy, Eric Desjardins, among lesser names for Lindros. Serge was really upset at Patrick at the time. He was trying hard to make the deal. Pierre Page kept notes on every transaction. He made them available to MacLean for his book. Aubut told Dave Chambers to lose games to ensure Nordiques got the first pick. Aubut was why Lindros wouldn't go to Quebec City. Page bought in Guy Lafleur to try and talk Lindros into signing there. After a meeting, Lafleur said trade him, he's not coming here.

Calgary made a big offer for Lindros also. Cliff Fletcher had second thoughts and pulled the offer next day. It included Gilmour and a bunch of others.

MacLean went to '05 draft thinking he would end up with Kopitar. Montreal surprised the Dickens out of everybody by taking Carey Price. He thought for sure they would take Brule. With Brule still on board he changed his mind and took him.

At 1990 Draft, MacLean then a scout for Detroit. Much debate among the Wings to take Jagr. They took Primeau third overall. Many years later after Wings win several cups, he was talking with Wings GM. Said imagine if we had taken Jagr?

MacLean said at '15 Draft, Jets were trying hard to move up to draft Lawson Crouse. Nobody would trade down. They wound up taking Kyle Connor at 17. Sometimes the trades you don't make are your best. That was draft Boston had three picks in a row, 15-17th. None mounted to much. The next three picks were Connor, Barzal, Chabot. Ouch!

Chapter on analytics interesting also.

Cool post. Thank you. I'll never forget that '05 draft. I was on vacation from Vancouver in the Okanagan. Watched the draft at the Whitespot in West Kelowna. When Gainey announced Carey Price's name, I was like: "Who?". I thought for sure it was going to b Kopitar or Brule. And I remember MacLeans reaction. He literally jumped-up from the table and practically ran to the podium to announce Brule. He thought he had a steal there, lol. I personally liked Kopitar. But of course, Price turned out to be an awesome pick.

 

[BLONG7]

I think that I remember him saying that he would play in Montreal and it wasn't about him not wanting to play in Quebec City but instead, refusing to play for Marcel Aubut.

Oh, I did not realize that............very interesting.

MacLean said rumours heading into the draft some were calling Brule, Crosby West.

I thought we were going to take Brule at 5 also. Choosing Price surprised me also. MacLean said he had Price ranked 22th.

Rask went 21st. If you had to pick between those two, who you take Rask or Price? Price better goalie but Rask healthier.

Price.................Rask had the better team also...
Remember, with Price, playoffs...........without Price, the basement....

 

[Zam Boni]

Pierre Lacriox looks like a genius building the Nordiques in the early 90's:
31 pts in 90 (second worst NHL season ever?), 46 pts in 91, 52 in 92.
Lindros trade in the summer of 92 and BOOM! 104 pts!

The Flyers offer gave them some needed depth and how that trade tree plays out is just a thing of beauty.
Duschesne turns into Krupp, Hextall turns into Islanders' 1st which is used to draft Adam Deadmarsh, Ricci wins a Cup before turning inte Tanguay, one of the first turns into Wendel Clark and Sylvain Lefebvre from the Leafs and the other is used to draft Thibault, and we knew the rest of that story....

The Rangers' offer wasn't bad either:
Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck and three first round draft picks (1993, 1994 and 1995) and $12 million in cash.

 

[salbutera]

Pierre Lacriox looks like a genius building the Nordiques in the early 90's:
31 pts in 90 (second worst NHL season ever?), 46 pts in 91, 52 in 92.
Lindros trade in the summer of 92 and BOOM! 104 pts!

The Flyers offer gave them some needed depth and how that trade tree plays out is just a thing of beauty.
Duschesne turns into Krupp, Hextall turns into Islanders' 1st which is used to draft Adam Deadmarsh, Ricci wins a Cup before turning inte Tanguay, one of the first turns into Wendel Clark and Sylvain Lefebvre from the Leafs and the other is used to draft Thibault, and we knew the rest of that story....

The Rangers' offer wasn't bad either:
Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck and three first round draft picks (1993, 1994 and 1995) and $12 million in cash.

Lacroix didn’t build the Nords team he only arrived in 94…. the drafting & Lindros deal was mainly Pierre Page w Pierre Gauthier as head of amateur scouting and early portion of rebuild (88-90) Martin Madden Sr w Maurice Filion filling in on an interim basis

 

[Zam Boni]

Lacroix didn’t build the Nords team he only arrived in 94…. the drafting & Lindros deal was mainly Pierre Page w Pierre Gauthier as head of amateur scouting and early portion of rebuild (88-90) Martin Madden Sr w Maurice Filion filling in on an interim basis

OK, thanks. I thought Lacriox arrived earlier.

 

[HuGort]

Pierre Lacriox looks like a genius building the Nordiques in the early 90's:
31 pts in 90 (second worst NHL season ever?), 46 pts in 91, 52 in 92.
Lindros trade in the summer of 92 and BOOM! 104 pts!

The Flyers offer gave them some needed depth and how that trade tree plays out is just a thing of beauty.
Duschesne turns into Krupp, Hextall turns into Islanders' 1st which is used to draft Adam Deadmarsh, Ricci wins a Cup before turning inte Tanguay, one of the first turns into Wendel Clark and Sylvain Lefebvre from the Leafs and the other is used to draft Thibault, and we knew the rest of that story....

The Rangers' offer wasn't bad either:
Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, Alexei Kovalev, John Vanbiesbrouck and three first round draft picks (1993, 1994 and 1995) and $12 million in cash.

Makes you wonder if best to keep the first overall pick or trade it for a bundle like either of those?

 

[1909]

I've been saying this since the Roy trade. I never blamed Mario. I always held it against Roy. But I wouldn't use this story about Savard as vindication. Not because I don't think it's true but because Savard is also the one who made that ridiculous Recchi trade and shipped out Chelios for a Denis Savard who was a shadow of his former self.

Savard, before being fired with Demers after only 5 games, was still trying to trade Roy to the Avs for Owen Nolan and Fiset.

said doctors should have been fired, knee held up pretty well

I think the "leg" thing was a false excuse to trade Chelios. Chelios has a very active life and bad reputation OFF the ice in MTL.

 

[HuGort]

I think the "leg" thing was a false excuse to trade Chelios. Chelios has a very active life and bad reputation OFF the ice in MTL.

IDK, doctor here now make big mistake. Ie Weber, Monahan

 

[Fish on The Sand]

That trade offer is completely unbelievable. In that I don't believe it.

 

[Wayfarer13]

Savard was a good GM, and not afraid of those huge blockbusters. He failed on two of them (Chelios btw EVERYONE wanted him out and Recchi) but I respect that he went for it. Every year was a year where he wanted the cup.

Getting Lindros would've guaranteed a decade of success here. I love that he tried, even it it involved Roy.

Yah know everytime a team traded for Lindros they lost the trade

 

[HuGort]

Yah know everytime a team traded for Lindros they lost the trade

He was so over hyped.

 

[Moose Head]

surprised I never heard anything that suggested we tried to trade for Lindros. That would have been insane.

I recall hearing about it back then. Can’t remember if it was Savard or one of the Nords people who said they came pretty close. I’d always assumed it was a package centered around Roy.

 

[1909]

IDK, doctor here now make big mistake. Ie Weber, Monahan

Monahan ? It was his fault. He wanted so badly to play against his former team Calgary that he lied to the staff, and just worsened his case. Weber was hard on his body and probably also hide lots of problems to play.

 

[Kimota]

Nords would have won the cup with Roy and probably would still be here today. They already had guys like Nolan and Sundin, Sakic, etc....add the leadership of Carbo and Patrick, wow. I would have asked for Muller as well. lol But imagine the rivalry with the Habs when Lindros would show up at the Colisé....! Holly shit.

 

[BLNY]

Doesn't really shock me. There were credible rumours at the time that Montreal and Detroit came close to swapping Roy for Yzerman.

 

[salbutera]

Nords would have won the cup with Roy and probably would still be here today. They already had guys like Nolan and Sundin, Sakic, etc....add the leadership of Carbo and Patrick, wow. I would have asked for Muller as well. lol But imagine the rivalry with the Habs when Lindros would show up at the Colisé....! Holly shit.

Zero chance - players would’ve demanded $ and a team salary structure that market could never support especially w mid-late 90’s exchange rate

Recall there were only 5-6 teams that could support the team salary structures that late 90s / early 2000 teams needed to build a winner.

NYR, Det, Dal, Phi, Avs, Leafs and Yotes for the first 3-4 years after moving from Winter-peg

 

[Kimota]

Zero chance - players would’ve demanded $ and a team salary structure that market could never support especially w mid-late 90’s exchange rate

Recall there were only 5-6 teams that could support the team salary structures that late 90s / early 2000 teams needed to build a winner.

NYR, Det, Dal, Phi, Avs, Leafs and Yotes for the first 3-4 years after moving from Winter-peg

How does that matter in anything? The only issue at play was the lack of an arena. A Stanley Cup champion team would have gotten their arena. And if they would not have been able to support a team with so many stars, they would have traded a few guys. That's it.

 

[salbutera]

How does that matter in anything? The only issue at play was the lack of an arena. A Stanley Cup champion team would have gotten their arena. And if they would not have been able to support a team with so many stars, they would have traded a few guys. That's it.

That Nords team would’ve cost upwards of $85M in mid/late 90s $ to keep together. Arena + attendance would’ve made no difference, QC didn’t & still doesn’t have the corporate $ to compete.

Look at present Jets, they are toast once Lord Thompson gets bored of them - he was the only reason small market Winter-peg got a franchise. QC didn’t have such a powerful owner waiting in the wings.

 

[HuGort]

Monahan ? It was his fault. He wanted so badly to play against his former team Calgary that he lied to the staff, and just worsened his case. Weber was hard on his body and probably also hide lots of problems to play.

Lied to them? Monahan arrived in Calgary walking around in a cast. Habs must have known. It was on national tv

 

[Scriptor]

Savard, before being fired with Demers after only 5 games, was still trying to trade Roy to the Avs for Owen Nolan and Fiset.


I think the "leg" thing was a false excuse to trade Chelios. Chelios has a very active life and bad reputation OFF the ice in MTL.

You really don't know just how bad that reputation was (and it was more than a mere reputation).

Moving to CHI probably saved his career and Chelios from much worse things than losing his career.