Canadiens made big offer for Lindros at draft.

[SlyIslands]

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.

Timmins said it was between Price and Marc Staal. He asked Gainey if he wanted a franchise goalie or a franchise defenseman. So they took Price.

 

[HuGort]

Timmins said it was between Price and Marc Staal. He asked Gainey if he wanted a franchise goalie or a franchise defenseman. So they took Price.

I liked Brule that draft. Surprised he never made it

 

[HuGort]

Concerning Slaf, MacLean put in his book, Sam Pollock told him to never give up on a prospect until he was 23.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I remember this. The names of the players have changes over the years but the story remains the same. If I recall correctly, the Nords didn’t want to trade with their biggest rival so it didn’t matter what we offered.

 

[HuGort]

Most a full chapter in there on Pollock. How he built the Habs. Traded 1970, 10th overall pick, which turned out to be Chris Oddleifison, and Hicke to Oakland for Guy Lafleur pick. Traded Desjardins to Kings for pick to get Shutt. Tried very hard to get pick which turned into Denis Potvin. Not able to secure Potvin, He traded 2nd overall in '73 for 5th, and first in '74, traded 5th for 8th, and another first in '74. Then drafted Gainey 8th.

Left Habs future secure by acquiring first overall pick in '80 back in 1976. Tried hard for Gretzky by acquiring 3 first round picks in 1981 draft. When Pollock acquired them the draft age was 20. He had no way of knowing WHA would merge.

 

[salbutera]

Timmins said it was between Price and Marc Staal. He asked Gainey if he wanted a franchise goalie or a franchise defenseman. So they took Price.

Bob Gainey said on Mitch Melnick’s show last year, Habs wanted Benoit Pouliot after Crosby, had heavily scouted him, even tried to trade up for him, and when Minny selected him @ 4OA they went with next player on their list… Price

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

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.

Not sure the Nords would've won even if you add Muller to that trade. Nords wouldn't have Forsberg, Duchene and Ricci either.

If they had Lindros, Habs would've been more likely to keep Leclair, Desjardins and Schneider. Cuz, getting Lindros might've sparked Leclair early, so we'd have more offense, insulating Koivu more, maybe preventing his injury, more offense means no need to trade for Reechi and finally, no Roy means you get to keep Schneider. Add guys like Keane, Damphousse, Brisebois and Odelein to that mix. Our only hole would've been the G position. After getting Lindros, do the Habs still trade Corson for VinnyD? Imagine a legion of doom of Lindros, Leclair and Corson. Do the Habs still trade Courtnall for Bellows or do they try getting a goalie like Potvin instead?

That trade would've definitely helped the continuance of epic battles and Nords chances at the cup would've been at its highest between 92-94. Adding Koivu in 95 as a 2nd centermen (or winger to VinnyD) to the Lindros-Leclair duo would've been deadly, especially if they kept both Desjardins and Schneider. I guess that by 95-96, Nords add Hejduk, but not enough to offset Habs deep O+D.

In 92, Sakic, Sundin, Nolan, Rucinski, Muller, Carbo, Foote, Roy. Defense is thin without Duchene. Without Forsberg, do the Nords still trade problem child Sundin for the same package or do they try for a #1C or D instead? They quite probably still trade Nolan for Ozolinsh.

Hard to say which team would've been better, but you can't discount how good the Habs would've been.

Also, in reality, the rising salaries and weak CND would've killed both team and have them trade their best players.

 

[Expos94]

People forget but Roy was pretty bad in the playoffs for most seasons between 86 and 93. By the spring of 93 a poll in the Gazette saw a majority of fans wanting him traded. Harry Sinden would regularly make “Patrick Roy in the playoffs” jokes.

Very true

 

[Kimota]

Not sure the Nords would've won even if you add Muller to that trade. Nords wouldn't have Forsberg, Duchene and Ricci either.

If they had Lindros, Habs would've been more likely to keep Leclair, Desjardins and Schneider. Cuz, getting Lindros might've sparked Leclair early, so we'd have more offense, insulating Koivu more, maybe preventing his injury, more offense means no need to trade for Reechi and finally, no Roy means you get to keep Schneider. Add guys like Keane, Damphousse, Brisebois and Odelein to that mix. Our only hole would've been the G position. After getting Lindros, do the Habs still trade Corson for VinnyD? Imagine a legion of doom of Lindros, Leclair and Corson. Do the Habs still trade Courtnall for Bellows or do they try getting a goalie like Potvin instead?

That trade would've definitely helped the continuance of epic battles and Nords chances at the cup would've been at its highest between 92-94. Adding Koivu in 95 as a 2nd centermen (or winger to VinnyD) to the Lindros-Leclair duo would've been deadly, especially if they kept both Desjardins and Schneider. I guess that by 95-96, Nords add Hejduk, but not enough to offset Habs deep O+D.

In 92, Sakic, Sundin, Nolan, Rucinski, Muller, Carbo, Foote, Roy. Defense is thin without Duchene. Without Forsberg, do the Nords still trade problem child Sundin for the same package or do they try for a #1C or D instead? They quite probably still trade Nolan for Ozolinsh.

Hard to say which team would've been better, but you can't discount how good the Habs would've been.

Also, in reality, the rising salaries and weak CND would've killed both team and have them trade their best players.

Both teams woud have been a jugernaut esp. if the Habs keep Leclair with Lindros. Would have ressembled Colorado-Detroit in the 90s. I think yea the Nords might not have had Forsberg but they may have kept Sundin. As far as Duchene, he was not a big factor esp. since he never made the trip to Colorado.

 

[BLNY]

People forget but Roy was pretty bad in the playoffs for most seasons between 86 and 93. By the spring of 93 a poll in the Gazette saw a majority of fans wanting him traded. Harry Sinden would regularly make “Patrick Roy in the playoffs” jokes.

Yep. Outside of 1989, he was pretty ordinary. People were getting ticked at being unable to beat Boston and how much Neely and Bourque had his number.

 

[HuGort]

Bob Gainey said on Mitch Melnick’s show last year, Habs wanted Benoit Pouliot after Crosby, had heavily scouted him, even tried to trade up for him, and when Minny selected him @ 4OA they went with next player on their list… Price

Gainey later traded for Pouliot, so probably true.