Around Hockey and the NHL

[Point21]

 

[Hoek]

Just gutted that the Panthers aren't going to tie or set a new bogus record.

For once they weren't able to capitalize on beating our leftovers on the back end of a back to back.

 

[LightningStrikes]

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Mathieu Darche’s name being thrown around too for GM



Translated:

Several names will be put forward.
Those of Mathieu Darche, Vincent Damphousse and Patrick Roy will return without a shadow of a doubt. Other names like Martin Madden Jr. deserve attention.
What is clear: is that the next GM of #CH will speak French

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Ce qui est clair: c'est que le prochain DG du #CH parlera français

The Habs box themselves in so f*cking much because of their own made-up internal rules.

 

[Hoek]

The Habs box themselves in so f*cking much because of their own made-up internal rules.

Do the fans even really care any more? I think they just want a winner by now, lol. And especially as far as a GM goes it's not like they're constantly talking to the media the way a coach does so who cares if they don't speak French.

 

[Felonious Python]

Do the fans even really care any more? I think they just want a winner by now, lol. And especially as far as a GM goes it's not like they're constantly talking to the media the way a coach does so who cares if they don't speak French.

I'm not really familiar with Quebec, but I'd figure that there's a generational gap.

In 1995, Quebec came close to exiting Canada. A Quebexit. We don't hear much about that now, and I'd have a hard time believing that young Quebecers today would want that.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Evander Kane on waivers. Also changed his agent to Milstein.

 

[DaBolts]

There goes the GM of our developmental team in Montreal.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

Hab fans: You all don't respect the position culturally and historically.

Montreal Canadiens: Our new french speaking "gm" is a figurehead.

 

[These Are The Days]

I actually respect Montreal more for adhering to this kind of standard. Like half your fanbase speaks Quebecois only. You need an appointment they can hear from directly just like everyone else does in sports. But the only stupid thing is if your best candidates are from Minnesota and British Columbia and neither speaks a lick of Quebecois you can teach them. Jean doesn't have more merit than John does. But if John is clearly the better choice that's who you hire.

Unless the dude has the aptitude of Jesse Puljuarvi he'll have it down in a few months. An hour a day produces almost immediate results.

 

[These Are The Days]

Actually better idea. Just teach Gorton to speak Quebecois. You don't need a figurehead. If the team turns it around and wins #25 in a few years no one is gonna give a shit he didn't speak the language for the first 3 to 6 months

 

[LightningStrikes]

How many times does a Montreal GM (have to) address the media / fan base directly? I mean, for reference JBB does it what, two or three times max per season right? How’s the language thing such a big deal there. First and foremost he should be good at GM’ing (which is mostly done in English anyway).

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

Actually better idea. Just teach Gorton to speak Quebecois. You don't need a figurehead. If the team turns it around and wins #25 in a few years no one is gonna give a shit he didn't speak the language for the first 3 to 6 months

...is there a reason you're calling it "Quebecois" and not "French"? I understand that there are some differences between European French and Canadian French (much like differences in British English and American English, etc.) but do Quebecers call it "Quebecois" and I'm just not aware of it or something?

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

I actually respect Montreal more for adhering to this kind of standard. Like half your fanbase speaks Quebecois only. You need an appointment they can hear from directly just like everyone else does in sports. But the only stupid thing is if your best candidates are from Minnesota and British Columbia and neither speaks a lick of Quebecois you can teach them. Jean doesn't have more merit than John does. But if John is clearly the better choice that's who you hire.

Unless the dude has the aptitude of Jesse Puljuarvi he'll have it down in a few months. An hour a day produces almost immediate results.

I feel like it's more insulting to say Gorton is going to pull the strings, because whoever the Quebec guy they hire is not capable of doing the gm duties himself. It seems to go directly against why they've been preaching you'd have a hometown guy in a high up position in the first place. But hey, he'll sign autographs, he'll do appearances at birthday parties, he'll recite stuff in 2 languages, it'll be great.

Actually better idea. Just teach Gorton to speak Quebecois. You don't need a figurehead. If the team turns it around and wins #25 in a few years no one is gonna give a shit he didn't speak the language for the first 3 to 6 months

They know this problem better than anyone. I'm not sure why they haven't been grooming Bergevin's replacement for the past few years. Get an up and coming guy who just lacks experience and let him learn on the job under Bergevin for 5 or so years. I thought that was kinda what they were doing originally with Brisebois who was working his way up through their organization before Yzerman came calling.

Right now we're hearing a lot about Mathieu Darche as a potential hire. But Darche is not experienced or qualified enough at this moment in time. But who is it he's getting his current job experience from? The Tampa Bay Lightning. They should've hired him to a position before we did and created a pool of people they could promote from within.

How many times does a Montreal GM (have to) address the media / fan base directly? I mean, for reference JBB does it what, two or three times max per season right? How’s the language thing such a big deal there. First and foremost he should be good at GM’ing (which is mostly done in English anyway).

I was thinking the same thing yesterday on the main boards

Habs front office shakeup coming?

But like how many times does a GM really speak to the media in person? BriseBois addresses the media publicly for the Lightning maybe like 5 or 6 times a year. Off the top of my head: the beginning of training camp, the trade deadline, the start of the playoffs, the end of the team's run, the draft, and 1st day of free agency. It's your head coach, your team captain, and other prominent players that are out in front of the team, speak to the press, and interact with your fan base almost daily. This Habs team too is coming off a Cup run where Luke Richardson took over the reins a little bit while Ducharme was out, had Shea Weber as their Captain - the first guy who would have gotten the cup, and were led by long time face of the franchise Carey Price. Please excuse my ignorance on the topic, but the whole thing is just very curious.

It's such a head scratcher because I look at a guy like Saku Koivu who isn't even from this side of the pond, but as far as we all know, he'll forever be a universally beloved member of the Montreal Canadiens. It was Mats Naslund who Marty St. Louis idolized growing up too. Just like players or coaches which have never been exclusively French Canadain, hire someone who can do a good job, and people will accept them.

 

[The Macho King]

...is there a reason you're calling it "Quebecois" and not "French"? I understand that there are some differences between European French and Canadian French (much like differences in British English and American English, etc.) but do Quebecers call it "Quebecois" and I'm just not aware of it or something?

I think the differences are much more pronounced than various "types" of English. Maybe more akin to Swedish and Norwegian being largely mutually intelligible but still different.

 

[LightningStrikes]

I was thinking the same thing yesterday on the main boards

Habs front office shakeup coming?


It's such a head scratcher because I look at a guy like Saku Koivu who isn't even from this side of the pond, but as far as we all know, he'll forever be a universally beloved member of the Montreal Canadiens. It was Mats Naslund who Marty St. Louis idolized growing up too. Just like players or coaches which have never been exclusively French Canadain, hire someone who can do a good job, and people will accept them.

Great minds…

Nobody responded unfortunately, it will remain a secret I guess.

 

[These Are The Days]

...is there a reason you're calling it "Quebecois" and not "French"? I understand that there are some differences between European French and Canadian French (much like differences in British English and American English, etc.) but do Quebecers call it "Quebecois" and I'm just not aware of it or something?

As far as I know that's the correct name for it because standard French is mostly but not entirely interchangeable. It's a provincial difference. Either way, the Canadiens are going to handicap themselves for as long as they make Jean qualified than John. It's so stupid because it's all for the sake of one of the easiest languages for an English speaker to learn. You can be as stupid as me and still get enough down to have a conversation in about 6 months time if you actually try at it.

 

[JoVel]

Marchand 3 games for slewfooting. It's such a bitch move, I hope every slewfoot from now on gets a game at least. It hasn't been taken seriously at all in the past.

Same with spearing.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Marchand 3 games for slewfooting. It's such a bitch move, I hope every slewfoot from now on gets a game at least. It hasn't been taken seriously at all in the past.

Same with spearing.

Good feel like he's gotten away with some things in the past.

 

[JoVel]

Good feel like he's gotten away with some things in the past.

Not even a Marchand thing. It's a gutless play and there's really no justification for not handing out suspensions for them.

 

[BowDownToVasilevskiy]

...is there a reason you're calling it "Quebecois" and not "French"? I understand that there are some differences between European French and Canadian French (much like differences in British English and American English, etc.) but do Quebecers call it "Quebecois" and I'm just not aware of it or something?

Most people just refer to it as French in Canada, but the word Quebecois is mostly used to describe someone who resides in Quebec. I feel like they could just use a translator anyways even if they hired someone who didn't speak French but I guess they've chosen the figurehead route now.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Not even a Marchand thing. It's a gutless play and there's really no justification for not handing out suspensions for them.

Agree its a total dirt bag play. Shocked it came from Marchand.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

As far as I know that's the correct name for it because standard French is mostly but not entirely interchangeable. It's a provincial difference. Either way, the Canadiens are going to handicap themselves for as long as they make Jean qualified than John. It's so stupid because it's all for the sake of one of the easiest languages for an English speaker to learn. You can be as stupid as me and still get enough down to have a conversation in about 6 months time if you actually try at it.

Hell, I've spent years doing off/on French studying...I can make my way around TVAsports.com and other French-language websites and generally grasp what I'm reading but I still have trouble actually trying to think in the language. Doesn't help that I don't really know many French-language forums or writing places in general online that are based on personal interests. The whole practice makes perfect thing but I struggle to find outlets to get that practice. Even HFBoards is supposed to be English-only.

 

[Felonious Python]

Bob Gainey is from "The Electric City" Peterborough, ON
Frank Selke was from Kitchener
Tommy Gorman was from Ottawa
Léo Dandurand lived in Illinois until he was 16
George Kennedy was an Anglo-Quebecer

Being a French-Canadian isn't a prerequisite to being GM of the Habs.

While GMs may not talk to the media all that much (compared to the coach or players). Let's do a thought experiment. JBB is French only. Does the same job, but only in French. Would we feel that our concerns were being heard, or would we assume that he was out of touch? Would we convince ourselves that Coop was doing more GM-type work than he really was? I think there's a good chance.