Do you think Montreal should retire Saku Koivu's number?

[mhstudios]

Do you think Montreal should retire Saku Koivu's number? Right now Brendan Gallagher wears his number, I would love to see Brendan change his number the night when they retire his number so that they can retire his number. Very similar to Ray Bourque did with boston when he changed his number from 7 to 77.

thoughts?

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[Never]

No. Koivu's one of my favorite players ever, but because of injuries, illness, and playing on some bad teams, he wasn't able to achieve what the other Habs greats did.

 

[Hackett]

No. Koivu's one of my favorite players ever, but because of injuries, illness, and playing on some bad teams, he wasn't able to achieve what the other Habs greats did.

I agree.

However, I think the habs will find a way to honor him at some point. Maybe a ceremonial puck drop on a day where the habs hold a fundraising event. I can't think of a better ambassador for such events, and it gives habs fans one final chance to recognize and cebrate his community contributions and his professional career.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

He was superior in talent to a number of the players whose numbers have been retired. I know, because I've watched the Habs since the mid-1940s. Unfortunately, he was unable to achieve what he might have because he was injured early in his career.

 

[coolasprICE]

Hell no.

 

[Brainiac]

Talent was there, obviously. We're all dreaming of what he could have done if it was not for that knee injury early in his career.

Numbers are a there too, at least at the individual level.

Unfortunately, we never won anything serious during his time here. Obviously, it's not on him, but it's not off him either.

 

[S Bah]

Yes but for ex #11 Yvon Lambert an integral piece to the Habs 70's dynasty.

 

[K9]

As much as I loved Koivu as a player, no he does not deserve to have his jersey retired. I have no problem with a guy like Gallagher wearing #11.

The #11 is a good number in Canadiens history with Lambert as S Bah mentioned, Muller, Koivu, and now Gallagher.

It's just a shame that POS Gomez wore it.

I think we need to set standards for jersey retirements, it is getting a little much. I think to make it less subjective, to even be considered for a jersey retirement, you should have won one Stanley Cup. Obviously there's more to it than just that but I think that should be a prerequisite.

 

[DaHabMan]

Love him but nope. Hr needs to be honoured someway but no jersey retirement

 

[Saintpatrick*]

Yes. There are no more dynasties why should Koivu be held to an impossible standard?

 

[Whitesnake]

Yes. There are no more dynasties why should Koivu be held to an impossible standard?

Patrick Roy didn't play for dynasties and got his jersey retired. You should be an exceptional to see your jersey being retired. Retiring your jersey means that nobody else in the league is worthy of being seen with your number.

Koivu is a great player, I would take him on my team yet again. But in no way should he has his jersey being retired. And if it means not retiring a jersey for years to come....so be it. Yet, don't worry...we have Guy Lapointe coming....and somehow, some people will start talking about Jacques Lemaire.....Steve Shutt....We will find a way to keep that "jersey retirement" Madness alive....

 

[NeptunesTrident]

At first I didn't believe they should retire it. But the more I think about it, they probably should. Sometimes hockey goes beyond the ice surface; beyond wins and losses and beyond goals and assists. What he had to endure with the lymphoma and to come back for the playoffs. The work he did in the community to help raise the money for the PET scan for the hospital, which has/will benefit thousands of people.

Has there been better players to wear #11? Probably

For a current management group that wants players like him, they will certainly recognize him. But give the man his due. Whether you liked him or not, he deserves that. It doesn't lower the standards of being a Montreal Canadiens player; it exemplifies that to be a Montreal Canadien, it is both on and off the ice. My 2 cents

 

[habfaninvictoria]

He likely won't have his number retired. He doesn't have the hardware required. The only way it gets retired is if the organization decides to honour him for the massive amount of heart and character he showed. When former hab legends talk about the individual commitment required to win the cup there is no doubt that in any other generation he'd have lifted it multiple times. He had the misfortune to be here when it was a gong show.

He's a no brainer for the HHOF though.

 

[habdynasty]

No.......

 

[S Bah]

He likely won't have his number retired. He doesn't have the hardware required. The only way it gets retired is if the organization decides to honour him for the massive amount of heart and character he showed. When former hab legends talk about the individual commitment required to win the cup there is no doubt that in any other generation he'd have lifted it multiple times. He had the misfortune to be here when it was a gong show.

He's a no brainer for the HHOF though.

I could see him in the HOF as one of the best two-way centers in the last two decades and if not for the eye injury in the Carolina series, he would have led the Habs to that SC. But I believe there were many players in the Habs past that accomplished much more heroics and are more deserving of the honor. The Habs have had amazing success over the 3 decades 50's, 60's and 70's winning 15 SC's, it's not surprising the amount of players that had their jersey's hoisted into the rafters and deservedly IMHO. The Morenz #7 in memorial, Richard's #9, Harvey's #2, Plante's #1, Beliveau's #4, Lafleur's #10, Robinson 's #19, Gainey's #23 are just some of those greats. Cournoyer & Moore's #12 and it goes on without saying these were outstanding players of their era's. But Koivu's not in the same category IMHO, even though he was my favorite Hab for the entire time he played for the Habs.

Gretzky being the only player to have his #99 retired league wide and deservedly, for his work in the NHL and in the public as an ambassador for the league worldwide as no other player has with 47 records upon retiring, absolutely mind boggling player. The only other players I've seen that are in that scope are Bobby Orr & Jean Beliveau with their impact as players and gentlemen away from hockey, just my opinion.

 

[beowulf]

No, love the guy and what he did but in the end I don't think it was enough to deserve his number being retired. Some other sort of honor at a game next season, sure, but not his number retired.

 

[Masao]

If you retire his number you have to retire a bunch of other players like Damphousse or Carbonneau

 

[FerrisRox]

He was superior in talent to a number of the players whose numbers have been retired. I know, because I've watched the Habs since the mid-1940s. Unfortunately, he was unable to achieve what he might have because he was injured early in his career.

Like who?

 

[MXD]

Nope. Great player, I really hope the Habs something for him... As long as that something isn't hanging the 11 on the rafters.

 

[deandebean]

No. Not even close. Honor him with a painting and a puck drop ceremony.

 

[Davebo*]

Yes. There are no more dynasties why should Koivu be held to an impossible standard?

Dynasties? What's that have to do with it?

How about even a single cup? A Conn Smythe? Art Ross? No?

I appreciate his efforts, but at the end of the day - for whatever reason - he didn't get it done. So - no.

 

[crazyd]

Was not exceptional on the ice. So no.

 

[waffledave]

They should rename Rene-Levesque street in front of the Bell Centre after him.

 

[Ice Poutine]

They should rename Rene-Levesque street in front of the Bell Centre after him.

...and change the city's name to Koivuville and ditch Montreal.

 

[ZARTONK]

Yes. There are no more dynasties why should Koivu be held to an impossible standard?

Because we're the Montreal Canadiens. We only honour excellence. We don't do this kind of ********:

You might not think it's the same, but I do. There is a standard to be achieved to have your number retired by the Montreal Canadiens. Koivu, as much as I loved him, just doesn't cut it.