It's very clear that many people have commented in this thread without ever having been an addict or dealt with someone who is an addict. The chances that an addict relapses is extremely high. The fact that Kassian was entered into stage 1 of the substance abuse program numerous times means that Bergevin was aware of this. If MB was not ready to deal with the fallout then he shouldn't have acquired Kassian in the first place.
A sign of true "character" is someone who lifts a man when he's down, not kick him to the curb during his time of weakness and his chips are down. Didn't your daddy ever teach you that?
On the very same day Bergevin was washing his hands of Kassian he came to bat for his coach. The man is nothing more than a hypocrite and a spineless weasel of the grandest scale. I've never hated management more in my entire life than I do now. I would take Rejean Houle over these clowns.
Just because people on this board haven't dealt with addiction doesn't make their opinion any less relevant. In fact I'd say people who have dealt with addiction problems are biased and going to be more sympathic and lose sight of what the actual issue is. That's the BUSINESS of hockey. It's not about making friends or helping your fellow man. It's about winning and making money by following a plan.
When Bergevin traded for Kassian who wore out his welcome with 2 other clubs before coming here, he was extremely clear that Zach was on a short leash. Kassian was a risk but the Canadiens hoped he turned a corner and could be a responsible and contributing member of the team. In return, Kassian gets loaded while in stage one of the leagues substance abuse program, puts himself a compromising position as well as in the spotlight and becomes a massive distraction, gets injured and takes himself out of the lineup before the season even starts! Bergevin is a monster for not giving him a 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th chance. I mean what would Jesus do, right?
Fact is, Kassian has had multiple chances in multiple environments and has shown he's not ready to be a professional hockey player. This has nothing to do with Begevin just as it has nothing to do with Jim Benning before him or any other GM. This is ALL on Kassian, period. These GM's are there to run a franchise and not babysit players to make sure their in bed by 11:00 and stay sober. Kassian is a grown man and if he can't get his addiction under control as so many have before him, that's on him and him alone. So lets not deflect and make this about the Habs, Canucks, Sabres etc and how they didn't do right by him and give him X number of chances. That's a cop out and I'm not having.
