You’ve heard Mike Matheson’s statement after the meeting between the “ Red ” and that “ white “, Sunday ? For those who may have missed it, Matheson said, “It’s not normal to see so many people at an intrasquad game.”
You may have guessed that there was nothing negative in these reflections from the Montreal-born defender. He had this experience last year at his first training camp with the Canadian.
Matheson just wanted to say it’s phenomenal. It is, but every time we are amazed that so many fans come to the Bell Center for a game that means absolutely nothing.
Photo Martin Alarie
This year too, in this huge crowd, we found more than just people for whom it was the only opportunity to see the Canadian on site this season. We can’t say enough that this team is part of our morale.
The right decision
For the leaders of the organization, it is a confirmation that, despite the fears that dogged them, they have taken the right measures by declaring a period of reconstruction.
Fans were tired of seeing patched-together formations that went nowhere. They didn’t want to see any more exhausted veterans agreeing to play in Montreal to get a few more years on their contract before they left.
They wanted something concrete. They wanted to see young players who would allow them to be optimistic about the future. What we don’t know is how long it will take for this team to become competitive enough to compete with the best teams in the National League.
Photo Martin Alarie
As with all organizations embarking on this path, the path is full of obstacles. The criticism risks becoming more severe over time, but it would be surprising if fans left the Bell Center en masse.
Caufield doesn’t want any screamers!
For his part, Cole Caufield, who is really enjoying his time in Montreal, doesn’t want to have negative teammates around him. This is the statement he made in a recent interview with the website The Ahletic. “If you’re not happy being here, leave!” he said.
And wow!
Take these screamers!
Talkative nannies
When Francis Bouillon travels to visit a Canadian prospect, he asks everyone around him about him. “And that also includes the equipment supervisors,” he says. These are good resources. »
Bouillon knocks on the right door. The staff who work in the locker rooms are the ones who know the players best on a day-to-day basis. You know almost everything about her. In particular, they can tell you about their temperament.
Equipment attendants and sports therapists see everything. Let us think in particular of Pierre Gervais, who is preparing a second book about his 35 years with the Canadian.
When Eddie spoke…
In the 40-plus years I’ve been following the Habs’ operations, I’ve rarely had a locker room staff member confide in me. But I’ll never forget what good old Eddy Palchak, who coached Gervais, said to me one day as Perry Turnbull was trying on pair of skates one after the other in the locker room.
Turnbull was supposed to be that big left winger that Serge Savard had acquired from the Saint Louis Blues in December 1984 in exchange for Doug Wickenheiser, Gilbert Delorme and Greg Paslawski. In the 1979 draft, Turnbull was the second pick, behind a certain Rob Ramage. In three consecutive seasons he scored more than 30 goals for the Blues.
The Alberta native stood 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds, which was a large stature at the time. When he arrived in Montreal, he flopped, scoring just six goals and a total of 13 points in 40 games.
So let’s go back to that famous day after training at the Forum.
Turnbull walked through the locker room wearing all brands of skates, fresh from the manufacturer. As he passed me, Eddy said to me in French: “You don’t understand that the skates are not his problem!” »
At the end of the season, Savard traded Turnbull to the Winnipeg Jets for Lucien DeBlois.