Saku Koivu Retirement and Legacy

[Team_Spirit]

45mins interview, highly recommended :

http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2...ial-guest-saku-koivu-habs-interview-canadiens

 

[donghabs98]

He would've been 85-90 point center in another team. Instead he had to carry cheap ass Montréal and ****** linemates through his prime.

Injuries as well, considering some of the serious injuries that Saku suffered during his career (with a number happening around his prime) he carved himself a really nice career, not resigning him and then replacing him with Gomez is still a bitter pill to take in.

 

[DangerDave]

Don't care what people say, Saku was a great captain, a great hockey player and a great person. He was the only bright spot during the dark years. An inspirational human being.

 

[BLONG7]

Don't care what people say, Saku was a great captain, a great hockey player and a great person. He was the only bright spot during the dark years. An inspirational human being.

Well said...would love to see him back, working in the organization somewhere...

 

[donghabs98]

Well said...would love to see him back, working in the organization somewhere...

He would be perfect as a European scout as he wouldn't be too far from his family in Finland. I wouldn't mind seeing him in a player development role someday. He is certainly a player prospects can count on for advice and lessons.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Injuries as well, considering some of the serious injuries that Saku suffered during his career (with a number happening around his prime) he carved himself a really nice career, not resigning him and then replacing him with Gomez is still a bitter pill to take in.

What bothers me the most is how we just let a bunch of players walk away with no return. I still think back to the year Huet went down. We should've dealt Saku and Souray to Anaheim. Saku wins a cup with the Ducks and we get picks plus Bobby Ryan. Would've been win/win/win.

 

[Doc McKenna]

He would be perfect as a European scout as he wouldn't be too far from his family in Finland. I wouldn't mind seeing him in a player development role someday. He is certainly a player prospects can count on for advice and lessons.

Replaced Carbs as my favourite hab (Which is weird because I was a dman) Most habs captains have had a team around them, not so much for Saku. Will always remember his return from cancer. Can't say enough about how great Saku was IMO.
Only had 2 MacFarlane toys, this is one of them

 

[donghabs98]

What bothers me the most is how we just let a bunch of players walk away with no return. I still think back to the year Huet went down. We should've dealt Saku and Souray to Anaheim. Saku wins a cup with the Ducks and we get picks plus Bobby Ryan. Would've been win/win/win.

And I'm pretty sure Saku would have came back to Montreal in the off-season because the Ducks wouldn't have had the cap space to resigned him and his family would still be living in Montreal.

Asset management was never a concept the Gainey Era was good at. The only real time they traded a pending FA (asides from 2012 when they had to do it) was in 2011 with Gauthier when Wiz was traded for a 5th a few days before free agency and in 08 with Huet. The amount of 2nd rounders given up in the Gainey Era is a little bit unsettling as I look back.

 

[Naoned]

And I'm pretty sure Saku would have came back to Montreal in the off-season because the Ducks wouldn't have had the cap space to resigned him and his family would still be living in Montreal.

Asset management was never a concept the Gainey Era was good at. The only real time they traded a pending FA (asides from 2012 when they had to do it) was in 2011 with Gauthier when Wiz was traded for a 5th a few days before free agency and in 08 with Huet. The amount of 2nd rounders given up in the Gainey Era is a little bit unsettling as I look back.

There was that Rivet deal though. Not too shabby. But I agree on the big picture.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

What bothers me the most is how we just let a bunch of players walk away with no return. I still think back to the year Huet went down. We should've dealt Saku and Souray to Anaheim. Saku wins a cup with the Ducks and we get picks plus Bobby Ryan. Would've been win/win/win.

As nice as that fantasy is we wouldn't have gotten 2nd overall pick(Ryan) ++ for rentals.

The Rivet trade spoiled us a bit. We could've got more 1st thought, just doubt we'd get Ryan.

 

[donghabs98]

There was that Rivet deal though. Not too shabby. But I agree on the big picture.

Correct, that slipped my mind. Unfortunately it was the only major move done at the 07 deadline.

 

[Scintillating10]

So many injuries hurt his career. If not for injuries I think he'd been Aho caliber

 

[OneSharpMarble]

I haven't watched barely a game in probably 8 years because I couldn't stomach Bergevin but looking back back what an absolute stain Gainey and Bergevin were on this team. I'm getting acquainted with the new management and I feel a lot of hope they won't ruin careers like Koivu and Price suffered.

 

[BLNY]

So many injuries hurt his career. If not for injuries I think he'd been Aho caliber

Injuries and the fact the best winger he played with 5-on-5 was Recchi. He's pretty easily a 1000 point player with a better supporting cast.

 

[Vachon23]

Do we draft his kid this year and have the new generations of Koivu in MTL ?

 

[JianYang]

Injuries and the fact the best winger he played with 5-on-5 was Recchi. He's pretty easily a 1000 point player with a better supporting cast.

Koivu was injured alot when recchi was linemate too, but when he was healthy with recchi, he was tied for the league lead in points with forsberg pre knee on knee collision.

Engels made a good point too. When Saku played internationally on a line with selanne and lehtinen, he was a tournament leader in scoring.

So when people look at his numbers, remember that they were due to injuries and lack of supporting cast. He was a #1 center who didn't have #1 support.

Regardless, he always raised his game in the playoffs too. He was part of the solution, not the problem.

 

[JianYang]

There was that Rivet deal though. Not too shabby. But I agree on the big picture.

Kovalev for balej was amazing deal too.

Gainey had some massive losses on his trade resume, but he did have some balls. He swung for the fences. Sometimes it was a home run, other times, a massive failure.

Bergevin was a center away from having a serious contender in the mid 2010s but just didn't have that same bravado as Gainey to take a big swing. He was content to hit singles and doubles.

 

[StCaufield]

So many injuries hurt his career. If not for injuries I think he'd been Aho caliber

He was an Aho caliber if he had decent line mates other than Kovalev for a short period

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Injuries as well, considering some of the serious injuries that Saku suffered during his career (with a number happening around his prime) he carved himself a really nice career, not resigning him and then replacing him with Gomez is still a bitter pill to take in.

At the time, Koivu should be kept. The Gomez move was wrong but Gionta and Camma were better than late Kovalev and Tanguay/Higgins/Ryder. If he could unite Koivu with Gion and Camma, it would have been great in finals. Why Gainey didn't do it and why on top of it he gave McDonagh ? 2 big gaffes by Gainey, eeeeeechhh !!

 

[StCaufield]

Injuries and the fact the best winger he played with 5-on-5 was Recchi. He's pretty easily a 1000 point player with a better supporting cast.

Kovalev too

 

[StCaufield]

Koivu was injured alot when recchi was linemate too, but when he was healthy with recchi, he was tied for the league lead in points with forsberg pre knee on knee collision.

Engels made a good point too. When Saku played internationally on a line with selanne and lehtinen, he was a tournament leader in scoring.

So when people look at his numbers, remember that they were due to injuries and lack of supporting cast. He was a #1 center who didn't have #1 support.

Regardless, he always raised his game in the playoffs too. He was part of the solution, not the problem.

Sounds like Drouin lol Jk. I miss Saku. He was my boyhood idol and I wish things worked out for him and the Canadiens. His temperament was perfect for a captain in Montreal and his charity work was top notch. I’m a homer when it comes to him but he should have had his number retired. I f***ing hate that Gallagher wears #11

 

[BLNY]

Kovalev too

They didn't play together even strength. Kovalev played with Plekanec. Koivu was with Ryder.

 

[JianYang]

Sounds like Drouin lol Jk. I miss Saku. He was my boyhood idol and I wish things worked out for him and the Canadiens. His temperament was perfect for a captain in Montreal and his charity work was top notch. I’m a homer when it comes to him but he should have had his number retired. I f***ing hate that Gallagher wears #11

#11 in Montreal has usually represented a heart and soul player and who gives everything to the club.... Walter, koivu, Gallagher.

The outlier was gomez. I think he was generally a good guy and well liked but he was just a different kind of player/personality.

They didn't play together even strength. Kovalev played with Plekanec. Koivu was with Ryder.

He played with kovalev a little bit 5 on 5 but the Habs mostly opted to keep them on seperate lines. It just wasn't nearly frequent enough to consider them as linemates in general

 

[BLNY]

Koivu was injured alot when recchi was linemate too, but when he was healthy with recchi, he was tied for the league lead in points with forsberg pre knee on knee collision.

Engels made a good point too. When Saku played internationally on a line with selanne and lehtinen, he was a tournament leader in scoring.

So when people look at his numbers, remember that they were due to injuries and lack of supporting cast. He was a #1 center who didn't have #1 support.

Regardless, he always raised his game in the playoffs too. He was part of the solution, not the problem.

Oh I remember that stretch with Recchi and Corson - though I still hate the Corson/Baron for Turgeon trade. My point simply was that in 15 years in Montreal, Recchi was the best winger he played with at ES. It's a shockingly bad example of asset management.

#11 in Montreal has usually represented a heart and soul player and who gives everything to the club.... Walter, koivu, Gallagher.

The outlier was gomez. I think he was generally a good guy and well liked but he was just a different kind of player/personality.



He played with kovalev a little bit 5 on 5 but the Habs mostly opted to keep them on seperate lines. It just wasn't nearly frequent enough to consider them as linemates in general

I think 'sparingly' would be the only way to describe the amount they played together at ES.

 

[JianYang]

Oh I remember that stretch with Recchi and Corson - though I still hate the Corson/Baron for Turgeon trade. My point simply was that in 15 years in Montreal, Recchi was the best winger he played with at ES. It's a shockingly bad example of asset management.

Koivu did play well with recchi and corson. It was probably corson's last good offensive year although he was hurt alot too.

But the season I'm referring to, I believe the line was recchi and savage.