Why the Canadians suck. 10 years in the making.

[LV426]

One other thing that has affected this franchise that hasn't been mentioned is our winning history. Just a short time ago our old arch-rival had a ceremony to commemorate breaking the curse of losing to us in the playoffs for 45 years and it was comical, to say the least. The Habs by comparison could have 5 ceremonies a season to commemorate things of much higher significance than breaking a losing streak lol.

We have become a brand that has cashed in on the glory of the past without a hunger to be more, we are an institution much like the Yankees in Baseball. We were the gold standard in hockey, the organization that others tried to mimic and that died 30 years ago. Gillette was our best chance at reclaiming that but sadly he had other interests and the Molson family swooped back in. We are now worth 2.5 billion, quadruple the price paid by Molson and company, all of this while winning nothing. We are a cash cow without any new banner hanging at the Bell Centre.

There are plenty of reasons why we have been bad but I believe that the lack of urgency created by enormous wealth is the reason why we have been bad for so long. As much as we would like to believe that the goal for the CH is to win cups, I believe that ownership has been content to deliver a mediocre product because of the growing bottom line. Cheers.

Ballard 2.0

 

[holy]

We allow our team name to get spelled like that on our board smh.

 

[StCaufield]

Our horrible drafting has been talked about more than Taylor Swift over the years. We need this kid though

 

[StCaufield]

Ballard 2.0

Ballard is legit a criminal with child human trafficking. Maple leafs gardens was a mini Epstein island

 

[Not The One]

People here don't want to hear it but with that drafting it's a miracle that they were as competitive as they were during Bergevin's time here.

 

[Chili]

People here don't want to hear it but with that drafting it's a miracle that they were as competitive as they were during Bergevin's time here.

The pro scouts did a good job for years, that's how they 'won' trades.

We talk a lot about coaches and management but the ones finding the new players are the pro and amateur scouts.

 

[BLONG7]

People here don't want to hear it but with that drafting it's a miracle that they were as competitive as they were during Bergevin's time here.

CP31..............is the only reason our team was not told to go to the AHL
He covered up all of our issues.....
Teams were laughing at the habs, ask Steve Ott.

 

[Captain Mountain]

People here don't want to hear it but with that drafting it's a miracle that they were as competitive as they were during Bergevin's time here.

Is it? Bergevin basically coasted on the players and prospects he inherited and used cap space and bad contracts to fill in depth. Frankly, its less a miracle and more how rosters generally age. The trade off is what the team is dealing with now and will for at minimum one or two more seasons.

 

[Captain Mountain]

One other thing that has affected this franchise that hasn't been mentioned is our winning history. Just a short time ago our old arch-rival had a ceremony to commemorate breaking the curse of losing to us in the playoffs for 45 years and it was comical, to say the least. The Habs by comparison could have 5 ceremonies a season to commemorate things of much higher significance than breaking a losing streak lol.

We have become a brand that has cashed in on the glory of the past without a hunger to be more, we are an institution much like the Yankees in Baseball. We were the gold standard in hockey, the organization that others tried to mimic and that died 30 years ago. Gillette was our best chance at reclaiming that but sadly he had other interests and the Molson family swooped back in. We are now worth 2.5 billion, quadruple the price paid by Molson and company, all of this while winning nothing. We are a cash cow without any new banner hanging at the Bell Centre.

There are plenty of reasons why we have been bad but I believe that the lack of urgency created by enormous wealth is the reason why we have been bad for so long. As much as we would like to believe that the goal for the CH is to win cups, I believe that ownership has been content to deliver a mediocre product because of the growing bottom line. Cheers.

I'm not so sure its a "hunger to be more" and more not understanding why Montreal became the gold standard in hockey for so long.

Its generally harder to win in the NHL now than it has at any other time with the cap and the number of teams. And being in the position Montreal was in (highest salary and worst records when the rebuild began a couple of years ago) isn't down to hunger or lack of urgency. Hell, demands to win when its not really feasible is how you get teams that don't pick a lane. Urgency may have done more harm than good. The Habs also had a few guys basically end their careers pushing for a cup in 2021. Ownership has consistently shown a willingness to spend.

What Montreal was missing was that they weren't innovative or aggressive. This franchise built minor hockey programs and leagues, and found competitive advantages relative to the league with the draft, European players, etc. But for the last 10 years they generally ignored that analytics boom, skill development investment, never really set themselves up to really victimize teams with cap or even really operated as more than a middle of the road team.

I know people like to look at ownership, but Molson's hypothetical role in that is generally speculation and doesn't really line up with what other teams with similar owners. Its really just that Bergevin didn't do a great job.

IDK if HuGo will be better, but at least they've invested in data, skill development, have picked a lane, have acquired good picks and pursued young, high upside guys. Even if it doesn't work, at least there's a better chance that it will work.

 

[OldCraig71]

I'm not so sure its a "hunger to be more" and more not understanding why Montreal became the gold standard in hockey for so long.

Its generally harder to win in the NHL now than it has at any other time with the cap and the number of teams. And being in the position Montreal was in (highest salary and worst records when the rebuild began a couple of years ago) isn't down to hunger or lack of urgency. Hell, demands to win when its not really feasible is how you get teams that don't pick a lane. Urgency may have done more harm than good. The Habs also had a few guys basically end their careers pushing for a cup in 2021. Ownership has consistently shown a willingness to spend.

What Montreal was missing was that they weren't innovative or aggressive. This franchise built minor hockey programs and leagues, and found competitive advantages relative to the league with the draft, European players, etc. But for the last 10 years they generally ignored that analytics boom, skill development investment, never really set themselves up to really victimize teams with cap or even really operated as more than a middle of the road team.

I know people like to look at ownership, but Molson's hypothetical role in that is generally speculation and doesn't really line up with what other teams with similar owners. Its really just that Bergevin didn't do a great job.

IDK if HuGo will be better, but at least they've invested in data, skill development, have picked a lane, have acquired good picks and pursued young, high upside guys. Even if it doesn't work, at least there's a better chance that it will work.

I don't disagree with a lot you said but Molson quadrupled on his investment and allowed us to be run poorly in management and the coaching and development ranks, it was a complete shit show but as I said, the profits were amazing. There would have been more urgency if we were seeing poor season ticket sales and 10 thousand fans in the stands but that didn't happen. Bergevin, despite being a bad GM was kept in power for 10 years, there was no desire to be better.

 

[Captain Mountain]

I don't disagree with a lot you said but Molson quadrupled on his investment and allowed us to be run poorly in management and the coaching and development ranks, it was a complete shit show but as I said, the profits were amazing. There would have been more urgency if we were seeing poor season ticket sales and 10 thousand fans in the stands but that didn't happen. Bergevin, despite being a bad GM was kept in power for 10 years, there was no desire to be better.

Almost every franchise has quadrupled value in the last 15 years.

And urgency for what? Rebuild? Go for it?

I'm not trying to defend or absolve Molson, I just don't know the argument. Should he have been more meddlesome? Less?

If we're comparing ownership, Montreal under both Gillette and Molson were generally middle of the road teams content with being competitive and unwilling to rebuild (and either unwilling or unable to go for it).

I don't think more precarious finances would improve anything.

I personally don't want to cheer for a team with an involved owner. Just be an open checkbook, hire the right hockey ops staff and instruct them to build a contender. And I think Molson's mistake was hiring Bergevin and keeping him around too long, and even that led to the first cup finals appearance for Montreal in almost 30 years (something that didn't happen under Gillette).

 

[Babe Ruth]

Who are the Canadians?

Montreal's lesser known Anglo team.
They've also been MIA since the early '90s.

 

[OldCraig71]

Almost every franchise has quadrupled value in the last 15 years.

And urgency for what? Rebuild? Go for it?

I'm not trying to defend or absolve Molson, I just don't know the argument. Should he have been more meddlesome? Less?

If we're comparing ownership, Montreal under both Gillette and Molson were generally middle of the road teams content with being competitive and unwilling to rebuild (and either unwilling or unable to go for it).

I don't think more precarious finances would improve anything.

I personally don't want to cheer for a team with an involved owner. Just be an open checkbook, hire the right hockey ops staff and instruct them to build a contender. And I think Molson's mistake was hiring Bergevin and keeping him around too long, and even that led to the first cup finals appearance for Montreal in almost 30 years (something that didn't happen under Gillette).

When it comes to firing an incompetent GM? Yes if his sights were set on building a better team and organization. He was obviously okay with the way things were going to allow 10 years of it.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

People here don't want to hear it but with that drafting it's a miracle that they were as competitive as they were during Bergevin's time here.

Its not a miracle , there's an explanation to how a team that's bottom 1 in the entire league when it comes to offensive output in the 21st century remained somewhat relevant/competitive.

CP31..............is the only reason our team was not told to go to the AHL
He covered up all of our issues.....
Teams were laughing at the habs, ask Steve Ott.

Their still laughing , no ppg player , no 1 C, clockwork , tik tok tik tok tik tok

 

[Durvann]

10 years of set backs really hurt.

 

[LV426]

Ballard is legit a criminal with child human trafficking. Maple leafs gardens was a mini Epstein island

It's common knowledge that he was a POS. Ballard sucked that franchise dry

 

[RealityBytes]

One other thing that has affected this franchise that hasn't been mentioned is our winning history. Just a short time ago our old arch-rival had a ceremony to commemorate breaking the curse of losing to us in the playoffs for 45 years and it was comical, to say the least. The Habs by comparison could have 5 ceremonies a season to commemorate things of much higher significance than breaking a losing streak lol.

We have become a brand that has cashed in on the glory of the past without a hunger to be more, we are an institution much like the Yankees in Baseball. We were the gold standard in hockey, the organization that others tried to mimic and that died 30 years ago. Gillette was our best chance at reclaiming that but sadly he had other interests and the Molson family swooped back in. We are now worth 2.5 billion, quadruple the price paid by Molson and company, all of this while winning nothing. We are a cash cow without any new banner hanging at the Bell Centre.

There are plenty of reasons why we have been bad but I believe that the lack of urgency created by enormous wealth is the reason why we have been bad for so long. As much as we would like to believe that the goal for the CH is to win cups, I believe that ownership has been content to deliver a mediocre product because of the growing bottom line. Cheers.

... also Free Agency and Salary Cap with 15 more teams in the picture makes it a lot more difficult than it was. The Edmonton Oilers were the last dynasty in the NHL and they also have the same problem.

 

[RealityBytes]

The NHL will never be what it was. The past is dead and gone. The teams that will win will be the teams that adapt to what the NHL is now.