Well, this is it. The home stretch. 3 games to go and oh so close to the #2 pick and an 18% chance at #1. I can taste it. The Oilers helped us out last night and finishing 15th in the East seems pretty likely. It sickens me to be so excited to finish last, but it is necessary. No pain no gain. Although we've felt nothing but pain for the last 18 years with this team and have gotten no gain. Interesting...
But overshadowing our chase for last place is now the GM (and coach) search. Let's not kid ourselves. There is no way Cunneyworth is back. And not because he doesn't speak french. Have you ever seen an interim coach who saw his team slide from 9th to 15th come back? Ain't happening. So for the next 2 months, the rumor mill will be working overtime as the list of candidates for the jobs grows. The odd move in all this is the retention of Serge Savard as consiglieri. The guy is 97 years old and 17 years removed from being employed by the team. Is he really the best person to advise a president still wet behind the ears? And to make things even more awkward, he already contradicted his boss by announcing to the world that the next GM will speak french moments after Molson said he would not limit himself to that criteria. Only in Montreal could this shit happen. It seems the Damphousse-Roy tandem has the early edge and I for one am against it.
Roy as coach is ok. They guy has paid his dues in the Q and has undeniable qualities as a leader and motivator. He is a risky choice but nobody can argue his merit. He is also very skilled at ordering his goalies to skate across the ice and lay the smackdown on the opposing netminder that clearly wants nothing to do with it.
But can someone tell me what the hell qualifies Damphousse to be a GM? Because he was a player rep? Because he's a business man? Gimme a break. For once I would like this team to hire someone that other teams would consider. A guy that other teams wish they had. I don't see any offers lined up for Damphousse. There is no way he deserves to be in the drivers seat that fast. Vinny, if you wanna be a GM, go be someone's assistant for a few years and then we'll talk.
Geoff, at this point, I just hope you go with the best guy and not the most popular guy. You have a chance to set the tone to your reign as owner and president. Let everybody know that since you put up the $600M, you can do whatever you want and if the press doesn't like it, they can go cover the Impact.
6 comments:
I say give Roy both chairs. He can surround himself with suits to work the details, but the vision, the execution are all his. Make this team Patrick Roy, after 19 years of status quo, go for the gold, take a risk.
I say go for Dave Tallon. Look what he did in Chicago and now Florida is turning around with only spare parts available. Plus he speaks French. lets not just sign some joker who has a past relationship with the team. BTW awesome blog I am new to it but Ive read it every day for the last few weeks. Found it on Twitter thanks to Habs Fan 4. Why don't more people know about it?
@Canuklehead, if Tallon is available he would be a safer choice than Roy, perhaps the only one other than Roy or Ken Dryden I would like.
We need new people in the system. We have to get away from the old boys club mentality. It would be nice to have former players leading us to glory but with Damphousse-Roy I doubt it will happen. Nothing against both of them but this relying on former players to somehow save us could be asking for big trouble. Take a look at what happened under Gainey.
I'd say Gainey was and is a more patient and level-headed guy than Roy and he still screwed up big time.
Roy's first coaching gig/GM job has to be elsewhere. We all know what he's like and to put him in charge here when it's his first time in the show as a boss is risky as hell. I would love to see him here someday but not yet.
Two words: Houle-Tremblay
@chepanet, go wash your mouth out with soap.
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