Confirmed with Link: Canadiens release defenceman Francis Bouillon

[Jigger77]

Agree with you. Some of you guys are morons. The cube played his heart out here for many years, took the disappointing news for him as well and respectfully as one could, and some idiots with no respect post crap like dean on this forum...

Makes you wonder. Why are you that bitter? I don't get it.

Anyway, I thought the team made the right decision though.

 

[HF-Addict]

Makes you wonder. Why are you that bitter? I don't get it.

Anyway, I thought the team made the right decision though.

Decision was right. It's some people on here that are wrong.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

The guy played 600 games in the most iconic uniform in hockey...

At least 599 too many, imo. I get the "he deserves some respect" thing, but he's just a name on a sports team to me, and a player that I never wanted my favourite team to hold onto this long in the first place, so... I'll leave the empathy for the meteros.

 

[TRG]

? what did he say?

This:

http://www.985sports.ca/lecteur/audio/ron-s-entretient-avec-francis-bouillon.-242263.mp3

 

[deandebean]

The guy played 600 games in the most iconic uniform in hockey, never drafted in the NHL, routinely fought guys twice his size, played a physical game until he was 38 despite being undersized. Yet a 5 minute press conference where he basically says he understands the decision and accepts it gets you to post this gem? Good on you man.

You have a press conference when you are Koivu and you retire. If you are Mike Weaver and you retire, you don't organize a press conference.

The fact that he lasted that long is a tribute to his close relationship with Michel Therrien.

When you're Bouillon, you don't organize a press conference unless you think your word matters. And that comes because this organisation let him believe he was bigger than he truly was. He was a serviceable defenceman, who shouldn't have played more than 20 games last year.

Bouillon was waived by the Nashville Predators. The ONLY team to give him a second life was Montreal. He was NOT a valuable member of this team. If his name would have been Joe Smith, like others have said, he would have not kept his job here.

What is sad is that Bouillon's aura in Montreal was a media creation AND a Habs creation, because he spoke french, and since there were few players to speak the native tongue, he was often the spokesperson. This was on the organisation. Not the guy. He thought of himself very highly, because he was told so by many around him. It's unfortunate.

Warrior in his younger days, but a spare part over the part of the last 3-4 seasons. Should have left last year.

Happy to see Bergevin tell him that it's enough. Evidently, he was the one who took that decision. Good on him.

Look, Bouillon was a warrior for this team. I loved him during his first stay. He fought tough cookies while guys like Brisebois refused to. He hit like a train with his signature move on the boards. Man, I loved that.

Some say he got mistreated by Gainey, but we'll never know the real story. The official line was that he played hurt and got even more hurt. The unofficial line is that he had refused to play because he wanted a contract, and Gainey forced him to. Gainey did not like the fact that the player was thinking of himself instead of the team. Thus the reason why he was let go.

In the end, his stay here was at least one year too long. End of story.

 

[TRG]

At least 599 too many, imo. I get the "he deserves some respect" thing, but he's just a name on a sports team to me, and a player that I never wanted my favourite team to hold onto this long in the first place, so... I'll leave the empathy for the meteros.

Well, it's not his fault, he did give his best and the management thought they needed him. All blame should go to management, especially how he was used at times.

 

[Grant McCagg]

No doubt that Bouillon deserves praise for lasting in the NHL until he was 38. I can remember back in the day 15 years ago on another Hab message board that Frankie was crucified as part of the "unholy triumvirate" along with Robidas and Traverse....it was said time and again that all three had no business ever playing in the NHL. Well..15 years later Robidas and Frank were still playing.

Frankie defied the odds for all of these years...A 5-8 dman on the Habs? Yet when you look at the list of guys he fought through the years...he may have been short but he was built like a brick you know what, and could more than handle himself. He also surprised a lot of guys with thundering hits in his prime.

Unfortunately you are only as good a your last shift. Fans have short memories..right now he is not good enough to play for the team..so sayonara..don't let the door hit you on the way out. It is indeed unfortunate..Frank achieved something all of us could only dream about..competing at the NHL level for a decade and a half. He deserves all of our respect, but it still doesn't mean folks can't be happy that the club made the right decision. At the end of the day it is still a business.

 

[deandebean]

Well, it's not his fault, he did give his best and the management thought they needed him. All blame should go to management, especially how he was used at times.

100% right. I blame the organisation, not the guy.

 

[Jigger77]

You have a press conference when you are Koivu and you retire. If you are Mike Weaver and you retire, you don't organize a press conference.

The fact that he lasted that long is a tribute to his close relationship with Michel Therrien.

When you're Bouillon, you don't organize a press conference unless you think your word matters. And that comes because this organisation let him believe he was bigger than he truly was. He was a serviceable defenceman, who shouldn't have played more than 20 games last year.

Bouillon was waived by the Nashville Predators. The ONLY team to give him a second life was Montreal. He was NOT a valuable member of this team. If his name would have been Joe Smith, like others have said, he would have not kept his job here.

What is sad is that Bouillon's aura in Montreal was a media creation AND a Habs creation, because he spoke french, and since there were few players to speak the native tongue, he was often the spokesperson. This was on the organisation. Not the guy. He thought of himself very highly, because he was told so by many around him. It's unfortunate.

Warrior in his younger days, but a spare part over the part of the last 3-4 seasons. Should have left last year.

Happy to see Bergevin tell him that it's enough. Evidently, he was the one who took that decision. Good on him.

I agree with the decision not to keep him and I think he was over-utilized last year to a degree. Mind you it was probably more because they thought kids would be ready and weren't quite there yet. End result, a nice story where an old Habs warrior takes out Ottawa with an OT winner and pitches in despite sitting 20+ games helps his team go further in the playoffs than we have in 20 years. I see it as a nice story personally, as an inspiration for young guys who don't have the size but have the skill and the heart

If bashing the guy while he's down makes your feel better about yourself though have at her. It's as much your right to criticize him as a person than it's mine to think he doesn't deserve that.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

I agree with the decision not to keep him and I think he was over-utilized last year to a degree. Mind you it was probably more because they thought kids would be ready and weren't quite there yet. End result, a nice story where an old Habs warrior takes out Ottawa with an OT winner and pitches in despite sitting 20+ games helps his team go further in the playoffs than we have in 20 years. I see it as a nice story personally, as an inspiration for young guys who don't have the size but have the skill and the heart

If bashing the guy while he's down makes your feel better about yourself though have at her. It's as much your right to criticize him as a person than it's mine to think he doesn't deserve that.

...we all get that people want to thank Frankie for his years of service and his heart, but don't sugar-coat it too much; he was a detriment 99% of the time he was on the ice last year, including in the playoffs where he was just terrible...Beaulieu outplayed him by leaps and bounds and still had to split time with him in the NYR series...yeah, some are going a bit far, but noone is bashing Francis Bouillon the person, he simply hasn't been a serviceable defenceman in a couple years and alot of Habs fans aren't sad to see him go...

 

[deandebean]

I agree with the decision not to keep him and I think he was over-utilized last year to a degree. Mind you it was probably more because they thought kids would be ready and weren't quite there yet. End result, a nice story where an old Habs warrior takes out Ottawa with an OT winner and pitches in despite sitting 20+ games helps his team go further in the playoffs than we have in 20 years. I see it as a nice story personally, as an inspiration for young guys who don't have the size but have the skill and the heart

If bashing the guy while he's down makes your feel better about yourself though have at her. It's as much your right to criticize him as a person than it's mine to think he doesn't deserve that.

I'm not bashing him. Besides, who cares, he's not part of my life, and I could care less to be honest. I'm not there to bash, I'm there to say that he shouldn't have been there in the first place. And you're absolutely right about what you think! You ARE entitled to your opinion. I'M not the one who was attacking you, bud. You were the one who attacked my comments.

And what's wrong with analytical criticism? Are we just a bunch of cheerleaders? As an ex-member of the press, I know a media creation when I see one. He was one. The onus is on the organisation for not having enough spokespersons in the native tongue. That puts all the spotlight on 2-3 individuals, none of which are key players (well, except maybe for Desharnais).

Problem with RDS right now is that they have less than elite commentators on board. To be honest, I watched the Morrissette show last night and it was much better than L'Antichambre. Not even close. And I HATE with a passion all that the Québécor empire does. Better show all together. Except for the freaking 'poches de sable' game, which was very reminiscent of the Canal 10 games.

Frappier was right last week: RDS is in a make or break era. And if they continue to have lazy commentators like Therrien, they will break. Simple as that. I was reading most of the RDS comments under Therrien's column last night, and the majority were laughing at him. He's just not credible. And RDS needs to get rid of his ilk, or else the station will be labelled as a sloppy second.

 

[lou4gehrig]

Love everything about this off.

 

[Jigger77]

I'm not bashing him. Besides, who cares, he's not part of my life, and I could care less to be honest. I'm not there to bash, I'm there to say that he shouldn't have been there in the first place. And you're absolutely right about what you think! You ARE entitled to your opinion. I'M not the one who was attacking you, bud. You were the one who attacked my comments.

Correct. I don't feel attacked. Never accused you of attacking my comments. But you did say that you think Bouillon called a press conference because he thinks he's better than he is.

First I don't think HE called the press conference. Since when do players call press conferences. Second I don't think he thinks that at all. So yes I believe you were bashing him.

 

[SAKS AVENUE]

Bottom line is Bouillon is 38 years old, Small, and has always battled the odds stacked against him. Clearly he has done something right. I don't doubt in my mind for a second he still has a couple of good years playing on an nhl team. That alone says a lot about the man.

Kudos on a great career!! I have always enjoyed your your timely goals, hits and fights.

Thank-you

 

[deandebean]

Correct. I don't feel attacked. Never accused you of attacking my comments. But you did say that you think Bouillon called a press conference because he thinks he's better than he is.

First I don't think HE called the press conference. Since when do players call press conferences. Second I don't think he thinks that at all. So yes I believe you were bashing him.

Players and their agents do call press conferences.

 

[Kimota]

Was hilarious to see the RDS guys backpedal on the decision, saying Bergie made the right choice.

Brunet still didn't like it, though.

BTW it must be a dream come true for him working with his Gros Bonhomme, Guillaume.

 

[Habs13]

Merci Francis!

It was turn to let go, though, and go with the youth movement. I'm happier with Tinordi and Tokarski than with Budaj and Boullion. #55 was a good player for the Habs in his prime but he looks out of place now.

 

[TRG]

 

[SOLR]

I see the media billing this as the kids battling for the 6th spot.
While Beaulieu may sit here & there.. I think the long-game is with Tinordi playing RD and replacing Weaver.

If they wait for Tinordi to have room on the left side.. that would be 3 years from now when Markov's deal expires (Emelin is another 4 yrs, and Beaulieu is just starting).
So Tinordi is going to end up on RD, for a few years anyway.

I think they will trade Emelin at some point, opening the slot completely for Tinordi. We have 4 guys in Hamilton that could probably play in the NHL, one of them can be 7th.

 

[Grant McCagg]

Players and their agents do call press conferences.

Yes..but you just finished telling us you know how the media works...you don't think RDS wanted Bouillon to speak? It's been a headline story for them for the past few days whether he stays or goes.

From all reports he's a stand up guy..and I disagree with your assessment that he was always mediocre...there were far too many times that Frankie was one of the Habs' four best dman in his decade of service. He wasn't always out of position and making stupid decisions as has been suggested on here, especially during his prime. He also wasn't just an afterthought in Nashville..he played an important role on a very competitive western team that had excellent defensive depth.

If you may recall Nashville went through a period where they drafted dmen in the first round pretty much every year...Ellis, Blum, Parent...and Frank would beat them out for spots in training camp every season when they were supposed to be ready. He defied the odds for 15 years..hell 20+ if you include junior and minor pro...and almost did it again.

An underappreciated warrior who stuck around a season or three too long..through no fault of his own.

 

[deandebean]

Yes..but you just finished telling us you know how the media works...you don't think RDS wanted Bouillon to speak? It's been a headline story for them for the past few days whether he stays or goes.

From all reports he's a stand up guy..and I disagree with your assessment that he was always mediocre...there were far too many times that Frankie was one of the Habs' four best dman in his decade of service. He wasn't always out of position and making stupid decisions as has been suggested on here, especially during his prime. He also wasn't just an afterthought in Nashville..he played an important role on a very competitive western team that had excellent defensive depth.

If you may recall Nashville went through a period where they drafted dmen in the first round pretty much every year...Ellis, Blum, Parent...and Frank would beat them out for spots in training camp every season when they were supposed to be ready. He defied the odds for 15 years..hell 20+ if you include junior and minor pro...and almost did it again.

An underappreciated warrior who stuck around a season or three too long..through no fault of his own.

I did write that I liked the guy in his first tenure, Grant. His last one was unecessary.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

You guys are confounding the difficulties of making it to the NHL, which is a topic in and of itself, with the "he was a warrior" hype and the topic at hand...

Mike Ribeiro was roundly mocked on this board for his marital problems and (alleged, supposed) substance issues this very summer. He's made it to the NHL despite being undersized too. At his best he's performed at a higher level than any of our centres ever had to boot. Where's the respect he's owed?

Andrei Kostitsyn battled his epilepsy issues to make it to the NHL as a first round pick. He carved out a career for himself and was unceremoniously let go. Where's his press conference? Why don't we pencil him in as a warrior? Didn't he deliver big checks?

Mike Komisarek just ended his NHL career, wasn't he our future captain? Wasn't he a former first round pick and a shoe-in as the next Habs captain? What about his press conference??

Look, I'm clearly exaggerating here but you guys are calling Bouillon a warrior?? Really? Josh Gorges was a warrior and most of this board applauded his exit and a portion even complained when he didn't lift his NTC and another portion made fun of him for speaking to the news when asked about the situation. Josh Gorges put his body on the line for the team and has the scars to prove it. He did it for a longer period, at a higher level and as a leader for the team (for which he was mocked, too). His last move as as Hab was to shaft the Leafs one last time. Not a peep on RDS, not a peep on this board.

You guys claim you don't abide by the media but it's clear you do. As the media goes, so sways HFHabs. Now Francis 6th-dman Bouillon is a warrior whose first stint with Montreal was GOOD. The same undersized clown who would routinely fish pucks out of our net after a terrible PK goal against, the same clown who would lose his man every time he was on the ice, that same undersized clown now, supposedly, had a good tenure with the Habs. Good enough that he ought to be an ambassador for the organization, sit him right next to Pocket Rocket why don't ya!

He should be our next coach, he's a bottom-pairing dman afterall. All smurf, bottom-pairing scrub dmen could be good coaches, so why not Franky Boo??

Ludicrous.

The above references are all lifted from this very thread, I'm not making this nonsense up.

Now go back to erecting that fifth statue...

 

[ECWHSWI]

You guys are confounding the difficulties of making it to the NHL, which is a topic in and of itself, with the "he was a warrior" hype and the topic at hand...

Mike Ribeiro was roundly mocked on this board for his marital problems and (alleged, supposed) substance issues this very summer. He's made it to the NHL despite being undersized too. At his best he's performed at a higher level than any of our centres ever had to boot. Where's the respect he's owed?

Andrei Kostitsyn battled his epilepsy issues to make it to the NHL as a first round pick. He carved out a career for himself and was unceremoniously let go. Where's his press conference? Why don't we pencil him in as a warrior? Didn't he deliver big checks?

Mike Komisarek just ended his NHL career, wasn't he our future captain? Wasn't he a former first round pick and a shoe-in as the next Habs captain? What about his press conference??

Look, I'm clearly exaggerating here but you guys are calling Bouillon a warrior?? Really? Josh Gorges was a warrior and most of this board applauded his exit and a portion even complained when he didn't lift his NTC and another portion made fun of him for speaking to the news when asked about the situation. Josh Gorges put his body on the line for the team and has the scars to prove it. He did it for a longer period, at a higher level and as a leader for the team (for which he was mocked, too). His last move as as Hab was to shaft the Leafs one last time. Not a peep on RDS, not a peep on this board.

You guys claim you don't abide by the media but it's clear you do. As the media goes, so sways HFHabs. Now Francis 6th-dman Bouillon is a warrior whose first stint with Montreal was GOOD. The same undersized clown who would routinely fish pucks out of our net after a terrible PK goal against, the same clown who would lose his man every time he was on the ice, that same undersized clown now, supposedly, had a good tenure with the Habs. Good enough that he ought to be an ambassador for the organization, sit him right next to Pocket Rocket why don't ya!

Ludicrous.

The above references are all lifted from this very thread, I'm not making this nonsense up.

Now go back to erecting that fifth statue...

so, your "solution" to the idiotic comments on Gorges and others is to make idiotic comments about BouBou ?

great thinking

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

so, your "solution" to the idiotic comments on Gorges and others is to make idiotic comments about BouBou ?

great thinking

The difference is that I like and rate Gorges. Gorges is ten times the hockey player Bouillon ever was (yes, even during his Messiah-like "first stint") but the reality is that people move on and not every former player has to be revered, that's what I'm saying now. If he wasn't signed to a PTO and didn't call a press conference no one would hear a peep from me, or anybody, about Francis Bouillon in the month of September and certainly not in October.

But if he's gonna stick around, he's gonna get flak he rightfully deserves on HF

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You guys are confounding the difficulties of making it to the NHL, which is a topic in and of itself, with the "he was a warrior" hype and the topic at hand...

Mike Ribeiro was roundly mocked on this board for his marital problems and (alleged, supposed) substance issues this very summer. He's made it to the NHL despite being undersized too. At his best he's performed at a higher level than any of our centres ever had to boot. Where's the respect he's owed?

Andrei Kostitsyn battled his epilepsy issues to make it to the NHL as a first round pick. He carved out a career for himself and was unceremoniously let go. Where's his press conference? Why don't we pencil him in as a warrior? Didn't he deliver big checks?

Mike Komisarek just ended his NHL career, wasn't he our future captain? Wasn't he a former first round pick and a shoe-in as the next Habs captain? What about his press conference??

Look, I'm clearly exaggerating here but you guys are calling Bouillon a warrior?? Really? Josh Gorges was a warrior and most of this board applauded his exit and a portion even complained when he didn't lift his NTC and another portion made fun of him for speaking to the news when asked about the situation. Josh Gorges put his body on the line for the team and has the scars to prove it. He did it for a longer period, at a higher level and as a leader for the team (for which he was mocked, too). His last move as as Hab was to shaft the Leafs one last time. Not a peep on RDS, not a peep on this board.

You guys claim you don't abide by the media but it's clear you do. As the media goes, so sways HFHabs. Now Francis 6th-dman Bouillon is a warrior whose first stint with Montreal was GOOD. The same undersized clown who would routinely fish pucks out of our net after a terrible PK goal against, the same clown who would lose his man every time he was on the ice, that same undersized clown now, supposedly, had a good tenure with the Habs. Good enough that he ought to be an ambassador for the organization, sit him right next to Pocket Rocket why don't ya!

He should be our next coach, he's a bottom-pairing dman afterall. All smurf, bottom-pairing scrub dmen could be good coaches, so why not Franky Boo??

Ludicrous.

The above references are all lifted from this very thread, I'm not making this nonsense up.

Now go back to erecting that fifth statue...

There's no doubt he was here longer than he should've been. But again, you can blame the coach for that.

Bouillion was a good soldier for us. Always did what he was asked. Fought above his weight class and was a solid bottom pairing blueliner. I liked him.

But he shouldn't have been anywhere near this team over the past two seasons. Him being brought back was the doing of an out of touch coach who's stubborn and overly loyal to veterans no matter how effective they are.

Some players are able to see when it's time to go on their own and others need to be shown the door. With Cube, I can't blame him for wanting to hang on as long as he could. Hell, the money alone would be worth it. We should've let him go a long time ago but I don't think we should blame him for that.

He's welcome at any of the old timer games that we have. I'll remember his first tour with us fondly and forget the rest. I think he's earned that from us.