OT: Would you guys be interested in a documentary that covers the Habs from 1996 - 2004

[Tricolore#20]

There were always stories coming out of the Habs dressing room in that era that there were several cliques, and they barely talked to each other. There was so much drama. Koivu vs Ribeiro being a big one.

That era wasn't just dark because of behind the scenes issues. They also had some horrifically traumatic injuries, and I saw it all. Brian Savage's broken neck. Trent McCleary taking a slap shot to the throat, and hurrying off the ice before passing out at the benches because he lost his airway. Donald Audette getting his arm sliced after he fell and it was skated over. OMG, the blood.

Hell, they even managed to get snowed in in Carolina. They were playing a back to back with Washington the next night. The Habs requested that the Caps game be rescheduled and the NHL refused. The Habs got into Washington around 2 p.m. for a 7 p.m game and played with little to no sleep. I think they spent the night at the airport, while waiting for clearance to take off. Boy, was that a fun game!

That whole era was just one big cluster****. No one wanted to play in Montreal. Horrible times, and yeah, I'd watch a documentary on it. I want to know how bad it all really got.

Interestingly, it was also a time when the Quebec economy was really bad, businesses on Ste Catherines were shuttering up, and even nobody from Montreal wanted to buy the team! (enter George Gillett).

I think it would be a fascinating documentary. In hindsight, it truly was dark times. I think 1998-2001 was easily the lowest I've ever felt as a Habs point.

 

[Habs13]

I'd watch it

 

[Kimota]

Wasn't Andre Savard a good GM?

Yes he salvaged a lot things that had been done and did a good clean up but it always felt like he was working with his balls cut off.

 

[ROEN]

Yes he salvaged a lot things that had been done and did a good clean up but it always felt like he was working with his balls cut off.

You get a feel with Savard that his greatest input was just 'know-how' when he got the job as GM, you saw a break in the spiral caused by the 'Ron Corey choke hold' to quote an article and long time suffering Torontonian Peter Kilgour

So what happened to this storied franchise? Can it return to glory? Is there a 25th Stanley Cup in its future? Are the fans prepared to lower expectations because of the Canadiens' financial restraints? What is the future of the Montreal Canadiens?
"Two words -- Ron Corey," Kilgour said when asked what happened to the Habs.
"He is the No. 1 culprit. He didn't have a clue how to run a hockey team. He was deliberate right to the end to kill the team when he gave up a first-round pick to the Islanders for Trevor Linden, who has seen his best years.
"Harold Ballard didn't die, he went to Montreal in the form of Ronald Corey."

 

[OldCraig71]

Is Andre Savard available these days?

 

[ROEN]

Is Andre Savard available these days?

Yes, Devils consultant

 

[ROEN]

Interestingly, it was also a time when the Quebec economy was really bad, businesses on Ste Catherines were shuttering up, and even nobody from Montreal wanted to buy the team! (enter George Gillett).

I think it would be a fascinating documentary. In hindsight, it truly was dark times. I think 1998-2001 was easily the lowest I've ever felt as a Habs point.

Several failed sales too

 

[DAChampion]

Is Andre Savard available these days?

Habs did not interview him for GM position back in 2012.

 

[donghabs98]

You get a feel with Savard that his greatest input was just 'know-how' when he got the job as GM, you saw a break in the spiral caused by the 'Ron Corey choke hold' to quote an article and long time suffering Torontonian Peter Kilgour

That last line is pretty true and sad at the same time, two of Canada's historic teams were torn apart at the hands of one person. His decision to fire both Savard and Demers without any proper replacements was something a angry pre-teen would do.

"Harold Ballard didn't die, he went to Montreal in the form of Ronald Corey."

Wasn't Andre Savard a good GM?

He is very underrated in part because of his short tenure as GM but he really did help build a foundation for the following years. Here is a old article (from 2006) but it highlights the many players who were drafted under Savard's watch and went on to become key members of this team. I would say the turn around of the Habs started with Savard's hiring.

One of Savard's moves was to bring in Doug Gilmour to fill in the leadership void when Koivu was out in 01-02. This article still lingers in my mind when it comes to Gilmour's short time in Montreal and it shows how important it is to have a good veteran in the lockeroom.

http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/pages/doug-gilmour-a-habs-captain-with

When Richard Zednik was knocked senseless by the Bruins Kyle McLaren, general manager Andre Savard, insensed and furious, descended to the Canadiens bench to tear a strip off the game's officials. The rinkside double doors were wide open to allow Zednik's stretcher and doctors tending to him to pass.

Savard was dangerously close to ice. In a heated rage, he was about to set foot on the playing surface and risk making matters severely worse. Doug Gilmour approached Savard, and gently placed a hand on him and guided him back, while calling a nearby security agent to shut the doors.

In a polite manner, the team's elder statesman assumed leadership while protecting his own boss from himself, and avoiding a worse scenario. Few players on the team would have risked stepping in front of the general manager, especially when the superior is screaming mad. It's one thing to be a leader on the team, but the boss remains the boss.

Immediately following game 4, McLaren apologized somewhat, stating that his action was unintentional, but Therrien didn't buy it. "If they try to go after our best players ... we have no choice — we'll go after theirs." After he had threatened retaliation, the coach was asked if his threat would escalate into violence. Therrien replied, "I don't care. This is what they did and this is what we're going to do."

The following morning, in the lobby of a Boston hotel, Gilmour was seen discussing the previous night's events with his coach. Therrien was seated in a sofa chair, while Gilmour held his attention, crouched beside him on one knee. For long minutes, Gilmour spoke, and Therrien listened. In the aftermath of the previous evening's massacre, both wore faces that looked as though they had just burried a loved one.

"Killer", as he was known, was disgusted by what went on the night before. He'd seen it all in 19 years of patrolling NHL rinks, while Therrien was a coach in the midst of on the job training, so to speak. Therrien, was learning new things on a daily basis. If Therrien progresses in this field, it will be because he has the intelligence to understand that his job isn't a one man show. He consults with his assistant coaches. He listens intently when a veteran player has something to say.

That morning, Gilmour convinced Therrien that regardless of the fact that one their own had had their head practically ripped off the night before, the Canadiens would gain nothing in reciprocating the action. It was extremely important in this situation that the Canadiens do not answer with an eye for an eye, because they would have just received more of the same from a rugged Bruins team. Overzealousness and indiscipline, in this instance, would only have served to create a greater distance between the Canadiens and their game plan in defeating the Bruins.

"To beat the Bruins", Gilmour made Therrien understand, "We have to stick to playing hockey and only playing hockey."

The message was understood, resulting in the outcome that we all are aware of.

 

[icerocket]

To me the dark years will only be over once that 25th banner is hanging.

 

[AshyHabs]

I'd be interested. I'd watch anything Habs related. Make sure to include snippets from this year tho..December was the worst month on record.

 

[MasterDecoy]

of course im interested, as long as it doesn't come across as the HF whiny shoulda/coulda nonesense...

 

[ROEN]

of course im interested, as long as it doesn't come across as the HF whiny shoulda/coulda nonesense...

Ha ! I'll just be helping out with some research on this, Amazingly qualified people are already doing some storyboards and preparing the guidelines for the ONF and other organisms involved.

 

[TheCanasianfrasian]

I've been researching a lot lately on the subject for a friend who is working on a book that covers the 'dark period' in Habs history. The documentary would include some footage (drafts etc ...) and interviews from players from that era and how difficult things were from the inside in those years. The whole narration that accompanies it would be from players, staff etc ...

We have a working title, we'd like to probe a bit of interest on the subject before we take it to the next level and get a whole bunch of feedback on what you guys would like to see and hear.

Thanks a bunch in advance

Are you guys showing new footage? New interviews?

Or just an editing of all existing footage?

 

[ROEN]

Are you guys showing new footage? New interviews?

Or just an editing of all existing footage?

There is a lot of footage we dug up from archives via local TV stations etc ... very cool stuff, some of it was shown on TV, others not at all. I think that what is important is mainly for us to tell a story and a 1 hour documentary needs pace. I could listen to Red Fisher talk for days but ... There are people from within those years that have insight on the team that blows everything away ...

 

[Compile]

When does the dark age end? Is it really 2004? If so why 2004? I think that ending it at the 2007-2008 season would have been more suitable because we had finally "made it" and become a contender again. It also shows a nice progress between the crappy teams all the way back to respectability again.

Anyway I'm still lookng forward to it

The dark ages haven't ended yet...

 

[ROEN]

Thanks for the great input guys !