Marc Bergevin - Now What?

[habsgirl5000]

The moderator speaks the truth. If I had season tickets for the Montreal Canadians? They would be part of my investment portfolio. Why? I could sell them for profit or political favors every season.

If you haven't noticed, our team has been a train wreck for quite a while. Unfortunately, the tickets and sponsorships keep flowing like honey. Smacks of some kind of inbred nationalism to me.

In any case, my point is this. Season ticket holders know that no matter how bad their organization gets, has been, or will be, their tickets are gold. Sound investment. Seriously.

people may say i am part of the problem, and maybe there are others like me......

i have habs season tickets.....but i end up selling 99% of them, they are not hard to sell to friends or co-workers etc etc, i dont make money on them, i sell them at face value,

the only reason i keep them is in case the habs get competitive again i would have playoff or potentially stanley cup tickets

 

[member 256847]

I don't know about his fancy pats or if he's hated but the players but one thing i do know is he the worst GM since Houle

That's no contest. The more difficult debate would be who was the worst between the 2. I know that my dislike for Houle has never been as high as Bergevin, maybe because he was a more likable person, even if completely in over his head as GM. Maybe the over-sized ego is perceived by ownership as a required trait to take the heat in a city like Montreal I'm not sure. Houle is responsible for what I consider to be the worst trade in the team's modern history. But as far as going in the wrong direction, they are both equals as far as I'm concerned. And Bergevin is like someone driving towards his destination blindly following his faulty GPS into the ocean.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Empty seats means less concessions, less merch sales, less parking revenue.

It still matters.

 

[Miller Time]

You're bent out of shape because of the pants he's wearing............t'as la peau mince chum

So the players hate him?.....how do you know this for fact?

There are a lot of professions where clothing attire is an important consideration.

Surely debatable whether or not a General Manager of a hockey team should be expected to dress a certain way... but the industry standard clearly isn't bright purple pants and unkept beards.

For an organization and brand like the Canadiens, that prides itself on class, history, legacy... i think it's pretty fair to say that MB's stylistic approach is not in line with the brand. I'd argue that it has not added any value, and, as seen by the response of a key stakeholder group (fans), been a negative.

has nothing to do with "thin skin" and everything to do with the basic principles of business operation and execution

 

[member 256847]

people may say i am part of the problem, and maybe there are others like me......

i have habs season tickets.....but i end up selling 99% of them, they are not hard to sell to friends or co-workers etc etc, i dont make money on them, i sell them at face value,

the only reason i keep them is in case the habs get competitive again i would have playoff or potentially stanley cup tickets

Nobody could blame you for hanging on to those because if you part with them, you don't know how many years it'l take to get at the top of that list again.

That's the curse of big market team fans. The high demand means the offer can be of mediocre quality without much consequence for the owner.

 

[Habs]

There are a lot of professions where clothing attire is an important consideration.

Surely debatable whether or not a General Manager of a hockey team should be expected to dress a certain way... but the industry standard clearly isn't bright purple pants and unkept beards.

For an organization and brand like the Canadiens, that prides itself on class, history, legacy... i think it's pretty fair to say that MB's stylistic approach is not in line with the brand. I'd argue that it has not added any value, and, as seen by the response of a key stakeholder group (fans), been a negative.

has nothing to do with "thin skin" and everything to do with the basic principles of business operation and execution

I do agree.

 

[Kriss E]

There are a lot of professions where clothing attire is an important consideration.

Surely debatable whether or not a General Manager of a hockey team should be expected to dress a certain way... but the industry standard clearly isn't bright purple pants and unkept beards.

For an organization and brand like the Canadiens, that prides itself on class, history, legacy... i think it's pretty fair to say that MB's stylistic approach is not in line with the brand. I'd argue that it has not added any value, and, as seen by the response of a key stakeholder group (fans), been a negative.

has nothing to do with "thin skin" and everything to do with the basic principles of business operation and execution

Definitely an organization that is conservative. I want Bergevin fired as much as anyone else and think he's a complete bozo, but I don't think his apparel matters.

 

[Miller Time]

Definitely an organization that is conservative. I want Bergevin fired as much as anyone else and think he's a complete bozo, but I don't think his apparel matters.

So you'd be fine with a GM showing up to press conference wearing ripped jeans and a hipster t-shirt?

fair enough.

Belicheck usherd in the "hoodie", and i'd be the first to agree that apparel has no direct correlation to coaching effectiveness.


personally (and i've certainly never been labelled as conservative in my thinking), i think that the GM role is better executed by someone who maintains a very professional attire... the beard (more than the bright coloured pants) was ridiculous, and imo contributes to undermining his personal credibility (among fans, clearly, and i'd suggest it fair to assume it had a likewise impact on players & potentially staff... no one wants their boss to be the public target of mocking regardless of their personal attire preferences).

unlike Belicheck, also, MB has no strong winning success to buffer the criticism. Winning gives you far more flexibility, losing brings you far more scrutiny... MB's attire decisions are not very wise considering how little success he's built.

 

[Kriss E]

So you'd be fine with a GM showing up to press conference wearing ripped jeans and a hipster t-shirt?

fair enough.

Belicheck usherd in the "hoodie", and i'd be the first to agree that apparel has no direct correlation to coaching effectiveness.


personally (and i've certainly never been labelled as conservative in my thinking), i think that the GM role is better executed by someone who maintains a very professional attire... the beard (more than the bright coloured pants) was ridiculous, and imo contributes to undermining his personal credibility (among fans, clearly, and i'd suggest it fair to assume it had a likewise impact on players & potentially staff... no one wants their boss to be the public target of mocking regardless of their personal attire preferences).

unlike Belicheck, also, MB has no strong winning success to buffer the criticism. Winning gives you far more flexibility, losing brings you far more scrutiny... MB's attire decisions are not very wise considering how little success he's built.

Well yes, that is the important part. Bergevin could come out in pink pyjamas so long as he actually does his job well.
I think Bergevin is usually properly dressed. Whether one likes his suit's color or not...I think that is a bit much. I don't have a problem with a purple suit.
The beard I agree. If I am an owner, I want GM to be well groomed, not someone that looks depressed and not having showered or shaved for weeks. Keep the beard, I have one, but groom it.

But as I said, he could have doritos in his beard and any suit he wants if he would produce as many championships as Belichick.

 

[LaP]

The Rangers are a bubble playoffs team and have now realized they aren't going anywhere with their roster and are ready to sell. We're not even a bubble playoffs team and our GM thinks with luck we're back in the thick of things next season. Good job Bergie.

I like what NYR GM has been doing the last 2 seasons. He was not afraid to trade Stepan and Brassard for a good return (always said Stepan was overrated imo both him and Brassard are at best 2nd line centers). He's definitely in the process of retooling the team and when i look at their young players it might pay fast.

Meanwhile we are wondering if we should trade Byron and Pleknaec while it's god **** obvious we should.

 

[Runner77]

I don't know about his fancy pats or if he's hated but the players but one thing i do know is he the worst GM since Houle

I wonder where he'd rank amongst the worst GMs in the league right now, in terms of how fans from this forum evaluate him. How many GMs are really much worse than Bergevin?

 

[blarneylad]

Empty seats means less concessions, less merch sales, less parking revenue.

It still matters.

What does beer go for now? 14$? Easily spend 28 on beer alone when I go to a game. Let alone a snack and if you bring your kid he wants a new hat or something. Can easily spend an extra $50-100 at a game

 

[Runner77]

I like what NYR GM has been doing the last 2 seasons. He was not afraid to trade Stepan and Brassard for a good return (always said Stepan was overrated imo both him and Brassard are at best 2nd line centers). He's definitely in the process of retooling the team and when i look at their young players it might pay fast.

Meanwhile we are wondering if we should trade Byron and Pleknaec while it's god **** obvious we should.

What is it with this GM's shroud of secrecy. You have the NYR and they're so in your face, you know where they're going and how they'll do it.

But no, in Montreal, people have to state the obvious but never have the satisfaction of knowing that their organization can afford them a minimum of transparency. It's always a secret plan and a bunch of Bergevin buddies meeting in Laval. What's the big friggin' deal. They have less than 2% chances of making the playoffs but they can't do what other teams have done in terms of acknowledging the obvious and admitting they are on selling mode.

This fanbase should demand more. The Habs think they can control every minutiae of their management or that they should. This is ridiculously disingenuous, We shouldn't have to constantly piecemeal everything from Friedman and LeBrun or less reliable sources for stuff that is reasonable and predictable for an organization to be doing in their position.

Dan Brown provides better clues than these guys. And the way this season has gone, Brown's way more interesting.

 

[Andrei79]

What is it with this GM's shroud of secrecy. You have the NYR and they're so in your face, you know where they're going and how they'll do it.

But no, in Montreal, people have to state the obvious but never have the satisfaction of knowing that their organization can afford them a minimum of transparency. It's always a secret plan and a bunch of Bergevin buddies meeting in Laval. What's the big friggin' deal. They have less than 2% chances of making the playoffs but they can't do what other teams have done in terms of acknowledging the obvious and admitting they are on selling mode.

This fanbase should demand more. The Habs think they can control every minutiae of their management or that they should. This is ridiculously disingenuous, We shouldn't have to constantly piecemeal everything from Friedman and LeBrun or less reliable sources for stuff that is reasonable and predictable for an organization to be doing in their position.

Dan Brown provides better clues than these guys. And the way this season has gone, Brown's way more interesting.

Hate to defend this sad sack of a management group, but they do it for both the players and to keep a workable environment for themselves. Gainey was the first to make a clear separation between media and team, and the truth is it had to be done after the '09 debacle. It was getting progressively worse since the early/mid 90s. Outside of management driven controversy (*cough* Subban/Galchenyuk *cough*), the drama around the team is not what it once was, even with the advent of social media.

I mean, NY is a big market, but the media for the Rangers is a child's game compared to Montreal.

 

[Runner77]

So Bergevin didn't only say that his defence was better than last year's, he also said this:



TRANSLATION: Our team is better than last year on account of the defence.

 

[The Great Weal]

So Bergevin didn't only say that his defence was better than last year's, he also said this:



TRANSLATION: Our team is better than last year on account of the defence.

We have 2 top 4 dmen. Lmao.

 

[Runner77]

Hate to defend this sad sack of a management group, but they do it for both the players and to keep a workable environment for themselves. Gainey was the first to make a clear separation between media and team, and the truth is it had to be done after the '09 debacle. It was getting progressively worse since the early/mid 90s. Outside of management driven controversy (*cough* Subban/Galchenyuk *cough*), the drama around the team is not what it once was, even with the advent of social media.

I mean, NY is a big market, but the media for the Rangers is a child's game compared to Montreal.

I get how there are elements of strategic importance that most teams will play close to the vest. However, when teams ahead of the Habs are not afraid to say that they are rebuilding, why not give the fans the time of day and admit that they're in the same boat and that they're looking now to prepare for next year? These are low hanging fruit type of organizational decision-making, it just takes fans for idiots by continuing to assert how they're still in it for this year's playoffs.

 

[Andrei79]

I get how there are elements of strategic importance that most teams will play close to the vest. However, when teams ahead of the Habs are not afraid to say that they are rebuilding, why not give the fans the time of day and admit that they're in the same boat and that they're looking now to prepare for next year? These are low hanging fruit type of organizational decision-making, it just takes fans for idiots by continuing to assert how they're still in it.

Well, Montreal has a long history of its fans being idiots. Even recently, with the Price fiasco. The media, too. The players already have to deal with being terrible and having to answer for it, I don't see how it would help their value to add the stress of trade rumours and the media on their case about it too.

I have no problem with it, personnally. It doesn't change anything. Its actually nice not having too much drama around the team, it's been somewhat quiet considering the season. I want good decision making and that's really where the Habs are missing the mark spectacularly.

 

[eklund the clown]

We have 2 top 4 dmen. Lmao.

We did until the idiot traded PK and Sergachev.I can't understand 1 month before the trade deadline and this team primed for a rebuild that Molson is going to let purple pants conduct it when he is the guy that screwed this team up this bad.

 

[LaP]

I get how there are elements of strategic importance that most teams will play close to the vest. However, when teams ahead of the Habs are not afraid to say that they are rebuilding, why not give the fans the time of day and admit that they're in the same boat and that they're looking now to prepare for next year? These are low hanging fruit type of organizational decision-making, it just takes fans for idiots by continuing to assert how they're still in it for this year's playoffs.

- Get a pick for Byron
- Get a pick for Plekanec
- Get a pick and a 19 or 20 years old kid for Patch
- Call Juulsen and Scherbak up (anyway the ahl team is not doing better and is badly coached, not a fan of CJ but i prefer our kids to work with him than Sly)
- Get rid of Schlemko and Benn. If you can't get anything for them waive them after the deadline. They are waiver worthy anyway. Not NHL players in my book.
- Name a new captain (either Gallagher or Weber).
- Move AG to center to finish the year and give to him and Drouin as much defensive assignments and responsibilities as you can. Give them a chance to get experienced and evaluate them.

The plan should be clear. There's no secret about what we need to do. Everyone knows it. People just don't want to admit it. Ride that team (healthy) until the end of the season :

Lehkonen-AG-Scherbak
Hudon-Drouin-Gallagher
Carr-Danault-Shaw
Froese/Shaw-DLR-Deslaurier

Mete-Weber
Jerabek-Petry
Alzner-Juulsen
Morrow

It's a young team. Not much skills but still a young team. Lot of picks for next draft. People will get back on the train fast i'm sure of it.

But this said MB will try to drive the hopeless hope train again. Wont do **** outside of getting a 2nd round pick for Plekanec. Will keep the same team. Will trade AG low this summer and sell him as the cancer and the reason this team was losing. Will sign a done vet center this summer and will sell him as a solid guy with lot of rispek and kiriktr. Media will drink the kool-aid. The social media fans will do their job. And it's going to be rinse and repeat.

 

[OldCraig71]

I wonder where he'd rank amongst the worst GMs in the league right now, in terms of how fans from this forum evaluate him. How many GMs are really much worse than Bergevin?

He is at or near the very bottom of the league(in fan opinions) from what I read both here and on the main board, the only gm ridiculed as much as him might be Chiarelli.

 

[groovejuice]

I get how there are elements of strategic importance that most teams will play close to the vest. However, when teams ahead of the Habs are not afraid to say that they are rebuilding, why not give the fans the time of day and admit that they're in the same boat and that they're looking now to prepare for next year? These are low hanging fruit type of organizational decision-making, it just takes fans for idiots by continuing to assert how they're still in it for this year's playoffs.

It's Bergevin's nature. It is almost impossible for him to accept culpability, even in his own mind, so it comes as no surprise he's still strutting in public.

This is not an introspective man, nor a man who willingly takes responsibility. He's a goose.

 

[Andrei79]

It's Bergevin's nature. It is almost impossible for him to accept culpability, even in his own mind, so it comes as no surprise he's still strutting in public.

This is not an introspective man, nor a man who willingly takes responsibility. He's a goose.

And those men are what we have in management top to bottom. Have you ever read or heard Lefebvre in interviews ? A dumber, more agressive version of MB. Just a merry bunch of jackasses.

 

[groovejuice]

And those men are what we have in management top to bottom. Have you ever read or heard Lefebvre in interviews ? A dumber, more agressive version of MB. Just a merry bunch of jackasses.

It would be hilarious if it were another franchise Not so much when it's the one you love.

 

[justafan22]

Nepotism is rampant. Be wary fans.