Tribute 25 Years Ago Today: Montreal Forum Closes

[Adam Michaels]

@21:55 is the Maurice Richard introduction and standing ovation:

Click to read more...

 

[Schwang]

The ghosts got lost on the way to the Bell Centre

 

[swimmer77]

It's where my infatuation of the Habs started. Grew up in Hershey Bears territory (still there). My parents asked me where I wanted to go for my graduation gift and I chose Montreal to see the Habs play the Flyers in an exhibition game. I loved every second of that trip. Thanks, Mom and Dad.

 

[Whitesnake]

I already talked about it...but my father who was a usher (at the Olympic Stadium, Forum, Bell Centre and Molson Centre) who died in 2010, is the last usher to have been in the Forum. When they were destroying it, he was chosen to be at the main door to open it for various people working in it.

And the story that always resonate with me is that one player, who was in town, wanted to come in the forum one last time with his wife. My father said that he seemed really touched by it seeing how part of the stands were already out and so on.....It was Adam Graves. For the oldest guys like me who remember him, a really great 2-way tough player.

 

[Scintillating10]

It was emotional night

 

[peate]

I can't watch that; every time, I break down at the Rocket's ovation.

 

[Spirit of 67]

I already talked about it...but my father who was a usher (at the Olympic Stadium, Forum, Bell Centre and Molson Centre) who died in 2010, is the last usher to have been in the Forum. When they were destroying it, he was chosen to be at the main door to open it for various people working in it.

And the story that always resonate with me is that one player, who was in town, wanted to come in the forum one last time with his wife. My father said that he seemed really touched by it seeing how part of the stands were already out and so on.....It was Adam Graves. For the oldest guys like me who remember him, a really great 2-way tough player.

Gravy is one of my all time favourites.

That's very cool about your father.
My cousin in Arizona wanted some of his father ashes sprinkled at Maple Leaf Gardens. I was lucky to be there during renos and there was a spot where the floor was opened up. He's literally under the building as we speak.

I was glad to have visited the Forum. The lasting image in my brain of it is the hockey stick escalators. That picture from outside on (whatever) street is the default picture.

 

[hvac412]

I already talked about it...but my father who was a usher (at the Olympic Stadium, Forum, Bell Centre and Molson Centre) who died in 2010, is the last usher to have been in the Forum. When they were destroying it, he was chosen to be at the main door to open it for various people working in it.

And the story that always resonate with me is that one player, who was in town, wanted to come in the forum one last time with his wife. My father said that he seemed really touched by it seeing how part of the stands were already out and so on.....It was Adam Graves. For the oldest guys like me who remember him, a really great 2-way tough player.

Very cool

 

[angusyoung]

A great place for hockey and concerts as was the park opposite pre- game /concert. Was always surprised going to a game the day after a rock concert and it smelled smoke free.

 

[montreal]

I was there right before the last game, I was at the game vs the Flames so they played 2 more home games and then the final home game. Had a great time as the Habs kicked the Flames ass and I was still bitter about the '89 cup so that made it a little better. Went with some buddies from college, they were more impressed that we could drink legally in a bar since we were 19 so in the states we still had a couple years.

 

[FloJack]

I remember discussing it was its last season with a Québécois gentlemen while we were standing at the front of the stage of the Starfish Room in Vancouver awaiting Yo La Tengo. The season just started. Very vivid memory. Still sucks IMO.

 

[1909]

@21:55 is the Maurice Richard introduction and standing ovation:

They should show a shortened version of this to any new Habs player, and at the start of each season to the whole team. If you're not pumped up after that, you are soul less.

 

[Lshap]

I already talked about it...but my father who was a usher (at the Olympic Stadium, Forum, Bell Centre and Molson Centre) who died in 2010, is the last usher to have been in the Forum. When they were destroying it, he was chosen to be at the main door to open it for various people working in it.

And the story that always resonate with me is that one player, who was in town, wanted to come in the forum one last time with his wife. My father said that he seemed really touched by it seeing how part of the stands were already out and so on.....It was Adam Graves. For the oldest guys like me who remember him, a really great 2-way tough player.

I didn't know that about your Dad. What a great story and a fantastic connection he will always have to a historic moment!

 

[Lshap]

Gravy is one of my all time favourites.

That's very cool about your father.
My cousin in Arizona wanted some of his father ashes sprinkled at Maple Leaf Gardens. I was lucky to be there during renos and there was a spot where the floor was opened up. He's literally under the building as we speak.

I was glad to have visited the Forum. The lasting image in my brain of it is the hockey stick escalators. That picture from outside on (whatever) street is the default picture.

Yeah, those criss-crossing hockey stick escalators were made famous in almost every photo of the Old Forum. I spent most of my time there as a kid in the 1970s and young adult in the 80s, when you could buy a standing room ticket for about $8. Standing room was usually at the top section with those blue divider walls between the aisle and the seats. We used to sneak down to the middle grey section and get booted out by ushers. Little did we realize we were watching hockey royalty with rosters that included a bunch of Hall of Famers, future coaches and GMs, plus multiple Cups.

 

[eklund the clown]

Get choked up every time i watch this .What an array of superstar hockey players we once had.Seems as soon as the last game was over at the Forum and the move to the Bell Centre everything went downhill.Could watch this over and over except for one thing...seeing that piece of dirt Mario Tremblay behind the bench makes me want to throw up.

 

[Rapala]

How often I wish they had managed to accomplish what the NYR did with MSG. The Bell Centre has felt sterile to me since it's inception. It's certainly housed it's fair share of sterile editions of the CH club.

 

[JianYang]

I already talked about it...but my father who was a usher (at the Olympic Stadium, Forum, Bell Centre and Molson Centre) who died in 2010, is the last usher to have been in the Forum. When they were destroying it, he was chosen to be at the main door to open it for various people working in it.

And the story that always resonate with me is that one player, who was in town, wanted to come in the forum one last time with his wife. My father said that he seemed really touched by it seeing how part of the stands were already out and so on.....It was Adam Graves. For the oldest guys like me who remember him, a really great 2-way tough player.

I wonder what the connection was for Adam Graves

 

[JianYang]

How often I wish they had managed to accomplish what the NYR did with MSG. The Bell Centre has felt sterile to me since it's inception. It's certainly housed it's fair share of sterile editions of the CH club.

It's missing that aura of the forum, but bell center can be a very vibrant place.

The red wings actually referenced the bell center in some of the things they were trying to incorporate at their new rink.

 

[Shabs]

I got one of the seats from the forum when they were selling them.

 

[Whitesnake]

I wonder what the connection was for Adam Graves

Just a lover of the history of the Montreal Canadiens and how historic that building was.

 

[Rapala]

It's missing that aura of the forum, but bell center can be a very vibrant place.

The red wings actually referenced the bell center in some of the things they were trying to incorporate at their new rink.

The main difference is the Forum was known for it's vibrancy both on the ice and in it's surroundings. The Bell Centre's vibrancy is mostly contrived.

 

[rik schau]

Never been to the Bell center but when we lived in the city went to most of the games at the Forum,was a great fun place. The 70's with all the winning was a time I remember fondly.

 

[Kimota]

How Dare They do This.

 

[Chili]

I already talked about it...but my father who was a usher (at the Olympic Stadium, Forum, Bell Centre and Molson Centre) who died in 2010, is the last usher to have been in the Forum. When they were destroying it, he was chosen to be at the main door to open it for various people working in it.

And the story that always resonate with me is that one player, who was in town, wanted to come in the forum one last time with his wife. My father said that he seemed really touched by it seeing how part of the stands were already out and so on.....It was Adam Graves. For the oldest guys like me who remember him, a really great 2-way tough player.

I was at the draft when Graves was picked (at the Forum). There was a rumour, that I believe, the Wings were seriously thinking of taking him #1 overall instead of the consensus best player Joe Murphy. Graves was playing just across the river in Windsor so they knew him well. The Wings did pick Murphy and then watched the rest of the league pick a lot of long forgotten names. When the Oilers picked Kim Issel with the last pick of the first round the entire Wings table lead by head scout Neil Smith jumped in the air (they had the 1st pick of round 2). They couldn't believe they got both Murphy and Graves. When Neil Smith became gm with the Rangers, he traded for Graves and now he's a Ranger legend.

There is a great book on the Forum, my favorite part is the list of every event ever there. Lots of memorable pictures.

 

[LaP]

I was at the draft when Graves was picked (at the Forum). There was a rumour, that I believe, the Wings were seriously thinking of taking him #1 overall instead of the consensus best player Joe Murphy. Graves was playing just across the river in Windsor so they knew him well. The Wings did pick Murphy and then watched the rest of the league pick a lot of long forgotten names. When the Oilers picked Kim Issel with the last pick of the first round the entire Wings table lead by head scout Neil Smith jumped in the air (they had the 1st pick of round 2). They couldn't believe they got both Murphy and Graves. When Neil Smith became gm with the Rangers, he traded for Graves and now he's a Ranger legend.

There is a great book on the Forum, my favorite part is the list of every event ever there. Lots of memorable pictures.

I would not call Vincent Damphousse drafted 6th that year a long forgotten name personally. He was a much better player than Murphy. Brian Leetch drafted 9th was pretty damn good too