Great photos in hockey history you've just seen for the first time (Part III)

[Gilles Meloche]

On this day in 1992, Martin Brodeur made his NHL debut. He turned away 24 shots in a 4-2 win over the Bruins

 

[BB79]

View attachment 667761
The Old Garden and the New Garden.

(9” apart)

Man I miss the old Garden. It was filthy, had narrow concourses and the seats were like sitting on a sea urchin but the atmosphere was always top notch.

 

[tinyzombies]

 

[The Panther]

Montreal Canadiens' payroll, 1977-78.

View attachment 670594

5 out of 7 top salaries were French speakers.

This is the problem with the Habs of today. Montreal's glory years (1942 to 1986) were built on French-Canadian star players, playing with cultural / national pride in front of Montreal fans, many of whom (most) were French speakers. Before they went down that route, the club was average. After they gave up that idea, the club was average.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

This is the program referenced in this story: The Day I Met Bobby Orr - Puck Junk

Orr estimates that he was 12 years old for this game, putting it around 1960. He claims that he scored two goals and had an assist. This has probably been posted somewhere but I've never seen it before.

No #13's.. I wonder how common that was

 

[ForsbergForever]

Great pic of Gil Perreault in his Montreal Junior Canadian’s jersey.

If only he could've worn that sweater in the NHL...

5 out of 7 top salaries were French speakers.

This is the problem with the Habs of today. Montreal's glory years (1942 to 1986) were built on French-Canadian star players, playing with cultural / national pride in front of Montreal fans, many of whom (most) were French speakers. Before they went down that route, the club was average. After they gave up that idea, the club was average.

I'm pretty sure it was terrible drafting and worse trades that killed the Habs glory days. And if you look around the league today, there really isn't much top talent from Quebec.

 

[MeHateHe]

View attachment 677641

You guys have to explain photos like these.

 

[FerrisRox]

5 out of 7 top salaries were French speakers.

This is the problem with the Habs of today. Montreal's glory years (1942 to 1986) were built on French-Canadian star players, playing with cultural / national pride in front of Montreal fans, many of whom (most) were French speakers. Before they went down that route, the club was average. After they gave up that idea, the club was average.

I would say the problem with the Habs of today is the exact opposite.

Requiring a coach or a general manager to speak French dramatically shrinks the pool of qualified candidates and it's entirely unnecessary.

The organization should be trying to get the best and most qualified people in their front office, behind their bench, and on the ice and the language that they speak is completely and totally irrelevant and shouldn't be factored into the decisions at all.

 

[The Panther]

I would say the problem with the Habs of today is the exact opposite.

Requiring a coach or a general manager to speak French dramatically shrinks the pool of qualified candidates and it's entirely unnecessary.

The organization should be trying to get the best and most qualified people in their front office, behind their bench, and on the ice and the language that they speak is completely and totally irrelevant and shouldn't be factored into the decisions at all.

I didn't say anything about the coach. Rocket Richard's first coach couldn't speak French.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

You guys have to explain photos like these.

Orr was at a kids hockey camp in Buffalo, and strapped on the pads.

 

[tarheelhockey]

This is the program referenced in this story: The Day I Met Bobby Orr - Puck Junk

Orr estimates that he was 12 years old for this game, putting it around 1960. He claims that he scored two goals and had an assist. This has probably been posted somewhere but I've never seen it before.

Bobby Orr playing in the same game as Nels Stewart is quite the trivia item.

 

[JackSlater]

Bobby Orr playing in the same game as Nels Stewart is quite the trivia item.

Nels Kennedy?

 

[tarheelhockey]

Nels Kennedy?

LOL, I saw "Nels" and conflated the two. That makes a lot more sense

 

[JackSlater]

LOL, I saw "Nels" and conflated the two. That makes a lot more sense

The pharmacy sponsoring the game probably didn't want "old poison" and the accompanying connotations in the game. Also Nels Stewart was dead.

 

[JianYang]

Montreal Canadiens' payroll, 1977-78.

View attachment 670594

What stands out to me here is that bunny Larocque is making 6 digits as a backup goalie.

I remember in dryden's book that he mentioned bunny would always be puking before a game, but was he really that highly regarded or did he just have a really good agent?

 

[Staniowski]

So, the 5 biggest contacts are Dryden, Lafleur, Lapointe, Cournoyer, Savard.

This is 1978, so these were probably signed mid-decade, so they make sense.

Gainey and especially Robinson are due for raises, Robinson a big one.

 

[Staniowski]

What stands out to me here is that bunny Larocque is making 6 digits as a backup goalie.

I remember in dryden's book that he mentioned bunny would always be puking before a game, but was he really that highly regarded or did he just have a really good agent?

Yeah, it's a bit surprising. Maybe his contract is newer than some of the others.

Marcel Dionne mightve been the highest paid player in the league at the time.

 

[JianYang]

5 out of 7 top salaries were French speakers.

This is the problem with the Habs of today. Montreal's glory years (1942 to 1986) were built on French-Canadian star players, playing with cultural / national pride in front of Montreal fans, many of whom (most) were French speakers. Before they went down that route, the club was average. After they gave up that idea, the club was average.

I don't think they gave up on the idea. Even if they tried to give it up, the politics of that market will pull them right back in.

Post 1986, they still had a keen eye towards the French Canadian stars. Denis Savard, damphousse, turgeon in the 90s. They've definitely had a lull since then but it coincides with a decreased talent pool out of Quebec. More recently, they acquired Drouin to be the local star, and that has backfired badly. They are still looking for the next one.... They are always looking fo it. Dubois might be the next sizable target.

I think it's actually the other way around than what you describe. Kids from Quebec in the last couple decades don't have the same pride and desire to play for the canadiens. Their dream is more to play in the nhl, whereas in the past, the dream of playing for the canadiens was just as big as playing in the nhl itself.

The French Canadian star spotlight remains extremely intense in that market. There's not many players today who want it, and the same goes for the last couple decades.

 

[tinyzombies]

I don't think they gave up on the idea. Even if they tried to give it up, the politics of that market will pull them right back in.

Post 1986, they still had a keen eye towards the French Canadian stars. Denis Savard, damphousse, turgeon in the 90s. They've definitely had a lull since then but it coincides with a decreased talent pool out of Quebec. More recently, they acquired Drouin to be the local star, and that has backfired badly. They are still looking for the next one.... They are always looking fo it. Dubois might be the next sizable target.

I think it's actually the other way around than what you describe. Kids from Quebec in the last couple decades don't have the same pride and desire to play for the canadiens. Their dream is more to play in the nhl, whereas in the past, the dream of playing for the canadiens was just as big as playing in the nhl itself.

The French Canadian star spotlight remains extremely intense in that market. There's not many players today who want it, and the same goes for the last couple decades.

That’s because they’ve been bad for a long time now. The 2020 final awoke some kids and if this rebuild happens quickly and is successful I think there will be a resurgence.

 

[MeHateHe]

I remember in dryden's book that he mentioned bunny would always be puking before a game, but was he really that highly regarded or did he just have a really good agent?

Larocque was a very serviceable backup who took up a lot of time in the Habs net. He wasn't as good as Dryden, obviously, but ate a lot of minutes and gave Dryden enough time off. He had an unfortunate stint as the starter in Toronto but I suspect he would have had a little bit of success as a starter with a stronger defence corps. He was never going to be a Vezina winner, but he was still a solid goalie.

 

[tinyzombies]

 

[Staniowski]

Guy Lapointe and Ken Dryden, my two favourite players when I was a young kid.

The sign in the corner appears to say Mon Oct. 16....that day occurred in 1972, so this is probably the '72-'73 season. They won the Cup that season.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Carey Price with the surfer cut and his dad Jerry Price

 

[Gilles Meloche]

Dave Dryden Chicago Cougars.

 

[FerrisRox]

Larocque was a very serviceable backup who took up a lot of time in the Habs net. He was never going to be a Vezina winner, but he was still a solid goalie.

Bunny Larocque was a four-time Vezina Trophy winner.