20 years ago...

[Not The One]

I think People are too harsh with Tremblay. Sure he was a terrible coach, but he wasn't supposed to be there. The guy is bleeding Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, more than any other player I can think of. For such a dedicated Habs, it was impossible to refuse the mission. He did his best with the knowledge he had and with his huge shortcomings.

I remember Lemaire telling reporters that even after a few years as a Minny ass-coach, Tremblay was still checking the newspapers everyday to see how the Habs were doing.

Houle and Tremblay were both amazing dedicated Habs that would have done anything for the team. They just didn't have what it takes to do the job. They shouldn't have been hired in the first place, without any hiring process by Corey. They were greatly incompetents, that's it. But they should never been called "buffon" or "clown" or anything.

They failed BIG TIME as coach and GM, but they did won many Stanley Cups as players, playing injured against goons in the '70s, giving all they got at all time. They deserve respect, not being called names.

THIS!

I've always thought that it was Molson itself that was mostly responsible giving Houle the mandate to trade Roy and to liquidate some of the best talent on the team in order to cut costs, starting with Roy but including players like Carbo, Turgeon and Damphousse who all flourished elsewere after being traded for cents on the dollar. The is no reason (besides $$$) that all four of those players couldn't have been lifetime Habs.

Except maybe Roy's ego...

 

[MasterDecoy]

THIS!

I've always thought that it was Molson itself that was mostly responsible giving Houle the mandate to trade Roy and to liquidate some of the best talent on the team in order to cut costs, starting with Roy but including players like Carbo, Turgeon and Damphousse who all flourished elsewere after being traded for cents on the dollar. The is no reason (besides $$$) that all four of those players couldn't have been lifetime Habs.

Except maybe Roy's ego...

Molson? They owned the team back then?

 

[TRG]

Houle was always a nice dude and dedicated as ****. Despite him being an absolutely terrible GM, I respect him.

Tremblay coached with an ******* attitude and let his ego get the best of him. That's why I can't stand him. Even today, he keeps picking on star players who have a bit of attitude (Subban par exemple). Him being a third/fourth liner and wanting to apply the philosophy of those type of players to a whole team did him in.

 

[Runner77]

The Roy trade had ripple effects in the oddest ways.

Someone in my family was so turned off at the Habs trading Roy and how he was handled, that he became a hardcore Bruin fans since, and continues to be a vocal Habs hater every time we have a family gathering and a Habs game is on. He's so adamant that he's purchased a ticket to the outdoor game at Gillette Stadium just to cheer the Bruins on.

Another fallout has been the timeless one-liner that keeps popping up whenever a fan comes up with a ludicrous fake trade proposal, the infamous "Reggie, is that you?"



Too bad he didn't end up using his special skillset to become a concussion spotter.

 

[yianik]

Have to remember that guys like Houle and Tremblay were Habs at a time that no player was bigger than the team, even with all the greats this team has had. Corey would have also been this way huge, and I understand he had a big role in the trade. There was no tolerance for this kind of stuff. Unfortunately the modern athlete is not that kind of player, and teams will ( we have ) lose lots of talent if we don't have a higher tolerance level for bratty behaviour. And when you are thin on star players, making a move like that could cripple the team, and it did.

I was at that game and saw it all. Remember saying to my cousin, holy cow Roy is yapping at Corey, jesus, letting fly at Tremblay, OMG back to Corey. Didn't realize the consequences though, especially when I heard Roy apologized, but it quickened the onset of out Dark Ages.

 

[therealkoho]

I always wonder why people have to say this 'Insert your team' fan in peace. If what you say make sense and you don't talk **** about the team, you can post on another team's board without announcing you're not a fan.

just to avert the likely reaction of of any Canadiens fans that don't like the observation by and immediately jump to the conclusion that the post was made for nefarious purpose

 

[Runner77]

The Roy incident also forever changed the seating arrangements taken by Habs management-types. Corey was the last of his ilk to ever sit so close to a Habs bench.

And of course, there were a lot of rumors surrounding Corey, but I digress.

 

[Lshap]

Great stories. Terrible memories.

Also... a strong wave of gratitude that today's Habs seem to have strong team leadership and character. Players love the culture in the locker, and that reflects a buy-in from everyone. Can you imagine Price or Subban doing what Roy did, or Therrien creating that level of tension? No. Bergevin's 'character' theme has become a cliche, but it's a big reason why this team is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

[Lshap]

The Roy incident also forever changed the seating arrangements taken by Habs management-types. Corey was the last of his ilk to ever sit so close to a Habs bench.

And of course, there were a lot of rumors surrounding Corey, but I digress.

Good point about the seating arrangement. Never thought about it.

Don't know about any rumours, but let's not go there.

 

[Rafafouille]

http://www.hockey-reference.com/boxscores/199512020MTL.html

Just to have the full boxscore of that game...

Bergevin had an assist. I blame it on him. Bergevin evil plan to destroy the Habs started 20 years ago!

 

[Runner77]

Great stories. Terrible memories.

Also... a strong wave of gratitude that today's Habs seem to have strong team leadership and character. Players love the culture in the locker, and that reflects a buy-in from everyone. Can you imagine Price or Subban doing what Roy did, or Therrien creating that level of tension? No. Bergevin's 'character' theme has become a cliche, but it's a big reason why this team is greater than the sum of its parts.

Looking back, it was a necessary evil.

Remember how only ex-Habs were suitable candidates to act in management roles in the eyes of ownership? We needed to sink to the bottom to realize that just cause someone never wore the uniform, they could still have the Habs best interests at heart and yes, they could even be hired on account of just being a talented, smart, hard-working, up-and-coming management-type like Bergevin was at the time of he joined the Habs.

The biggest mistake the Habs never recovered from was not letting Scotty Bowman run the show and let him be the GM instead of Irving Grundman who had no direct experience. It took the team decades to recover. But, that's just hindsight, it's always perfect in retrospect.

 

[Hullois]

Good point about the seating arrangement. Never thought about it.

Don't know about any rumours, but let's not go there.

Actually yes, yes!! Let's go there! I love rumours.

What rumours about Corey??

 

[Bon Esprit]

THIS!

I've always thought that it was Molson itself that was mostly responsible giving Houle the mandate to trade Roy and to liquidate some of the best talent on the team in order to cut costs, starting with Roy but including players like Carbo, Turgeon and Damphousse who all flourished elsewere after being traded for cents on the dollar. The is no reason (besides $$$) that all four of those players couldn't have been lifetime Habs.

Except maybe Roy's ego...

We all know what Patrick Roy is and was, but this trade was one of the most stupid one ever occured in modern hockey. Period.

 

[Runner77]

Great stories. Terrible memories.

And continuing eyesores.

The guy in my family who became a Bruin fan, that I was mentioning in my post upstream, saw him this past weekend. He was sporting a Bruin t-shirt. And to make matters worse, his daughter was wearing Bruin apparel and mentioned to me that she was buying Booin souvenirs for her dad, for Christmas. Ugh, damn you Mario Tremblay.

 

[Brainiac]

I remember watching this game and thinking at the moment that Roy's reaction was completely justified. Tremblay was a buffoon and deserved this outcome. I kept thinking, ok Roy is getting pulled, but Tremblay had made his decision to humiliate him. It has to be the most memorable moment in recent Habs history. The image of seeing him walk to Ronald Corey and Tremblay glancing over is imprinted in my mind forever. And thus began the dark days of habs history.

In fact, that game was just the final straw. From the quotes in the article, it appears Roy and Tremblay couldn't work together from day 1.

And yeah, the GM should have stepped in. You don't trade a guy with two Conn Smythe for scraps just because he and the coach don't get along well.

 

[Saint Patrick]

Things might have been set in motion earlier but I still blame the way it went down entirely on Tremblay, I don't care that he bled red white and blue. You don't humiliate one of your own out in public the way he did. As a matter of fact has any coach ever hung a goalie out to dry the way Tremblay did to Roy?

 

[sheed36]

I still don't care for either Roy or Tremblay 20 years later. Tremblay acted like a huge a-hole but Roy also acted like a huge spoiled child and could've handled that better. They both can go **** themselves as far as I'm concerned. Yes I'm still bitter..

 

[Price is Wright]

Roy had an ego. All the big stars had egos. Wayne had an ego. Mario had a huge ego. Messier had an ego. Even Yzerman had an ego, but it wasn't on display much due to taking the blame for the Red Wings playoff losses until 97. Lindros had an ego before he played a game. The concept of the humble hockey player is a modern creation. There were very, very few humble hockey players. Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull, Bobby Clarke, Gordie Howe, none of those guys were humble. Heck just watch anything that's not entirely biased about the Summit Series and see how Canadian hockey players were so conceited, they thought they were gonna wipe out the Russians. They now celebrate the fact they merely survived.

Roy had an ego, would treat some teammates like garbage (Ron Tugnutt) and did things his own way but when he's your best player, you build around that. That's how it always goes. You build around your best players, regardless of their attitudes. Tremblay tried to tear the best player down. It's inexcusable.

 

[Capitaine Subban*]

I still don't care for either Roy or Tremblay 20 years later. Tremblay acted like a huge a-hole but Roy also acted like a huge spoiled child and could've handled that better. They both can go **** themselves as far as I'm concerned. Yes I'm still bitter..

I feel the same, as far as I'm concern Roy is a Avalanche and we shouldnt have retired his number **** him,**** Corey and **** Tremblay.

 

[TRG]

**** Roy indeed.... Without him, we'd be looking at a 35 years winless streak.

Unless you're still bitter, I understand the feeling.

Edit: One of my favorite Roy saves ever

 

[Capitaine Subban*]

**** Roy indeed.... Without him, we'd be looking at a 35 years winless streak.

Unless you're still bitter, I understand the feeling.

**** him

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Roy did apologize publicly and asked to stay in the org. but la "Peanut" had already made his mind

I don't think so. As far as I can recall he never asked to stay in the org. He apologized for the way he handled things but he (at least publicly) maintained that he was done in Montreal.

Believe me, I was watching the TV hoping and begging that he'd ask to stay but it never happened. Not publicly anyway.

 

[TRG]

**** him

Didn't this fill you with joy?

He was my favorite goaltender before moving to the Avs. First hockey childhood hero.

That trade still pisses me off.

 

[Capitaine Subban*]

Didn't this fill you with joy?

He was my favorite goaltender before moving to the Avs. First hockey childhood hero.

That trade still pisses me off.

He he it is better indeed !
I think he betrayed/quitted on the team and the fans I just cannot forgive every actor of this fiasco except Houle because he was just an idiot who shouldnt be there.

 

[Brainiac]

I always wonder why people have to say this 'Insert your team' fan in peace. If what you say make sense and you don't talk **** about the team, you can post on another team's board without announcing you're not a fan.

Nope. Don't even try that on some boards. And I won't name names because I'll probably get in trouble.