News Article: Interesting Q&A with Guy Lafleur

[WhiskeySeven*]

http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news...s-legend-says-team-doesnt-need-a-french-coach

On whether the Canadiens must have a French-speaking head coach:

“To me it’s not a question of language. Scotty (Bowman) never spoke to me in French when he was coaching. All the meetings were in English and today it’s a mix. There’s not too many French-Canadians playing on the team and it doesn’t matter where you play, which team you’re playing for, it’s all English. To me it’s not the question of French, English, Russian or whatever. If you’re behind the bench, you have to do the job and you have to do it right and make sure the players are playing at their potential and at their best.”

Do you see a bit of yourself in P.K. Subban?

“No. I was not loud like that. I was outgoing. I was right beside the dressing room one night with Yvan Cournoyer and P.K. was outside screaming and dangling and Yvan looks at me and says: “It wouldn’t have worked out in our days. Somebody would have smacked him with a stick.’

“I don’t know P.K. personally, but I’m sure that Kirk’s going to help him a lot.”

On Subban being left off Team Canada for the World Cup of Hockey:

“I was surprised because he’s got so much talent. I don’t know why? Is it because he’s too loud? I don’t know.”

On captain Max Pacioretty:
“Max, when he wants to play, he’s the best on the ice when he’s at it.

“I’m sure (Muller’s) going to help him a lot because I think Kirk was a great captain for the Montreal Canadiens. He went through a lot. He had some good times, some bad times. He’s got a lot of experience, so he’s going to really help out Max. Max I think had a tough year this year. Forget the scoring points … the team was not going well and he had all kinds of pressure and he’s not the type of guy that you have to put pressure on him. You can’t put pressure on this guy. If he’s got pressure, he needs somebody on the side he’s going to be able to talk to, to help him out, to take some decisions. Because he’s representing all the players.”

emphasis mine

On what he likes and/or dislikes about today’s style of play:

“The only think I don’t like about today’s game is get to the red line, you dump it in. It’s a chasing game. That’s the only thing I don’t like. You look at the teams that have a lot of success in the NHL and that’s the teams that are going to hold onto the puck. Pittsburgh, Dallas this year … you had Chicago. They don’t dump the puck in for nothing … get rid of it for nothing. That’s the only thing I don’t like. If you have the puck, make sure you make the right play. Why get rid of it?”

I really enjoyed the interview, he's a legend and he's been entirely accurate.

Click to read more...

 

[417]

No offense to what he represents for Habs fans....

But his opinion today to me, matters little....its outdated and filled with nostalgia.

Nothing worse than hearing/reading old legends of the game talk about the state of the game today

When you start with "in my day" ...thats where I tune out

 

[Stjonnypopo]

No offense to what he represents for Habs fans....

But his opinion today to me, matters little....its outdated and filled with nostalgia.

Nothing worse than hearing/reading old legends of the game talk about the state of the game today

When you start with "in my day" ...thats where I tune out

All he talks about is how things were in his day. The game is different and his experience is outdated.

 

[Video Coach]

No offense to what he represents for Habs fans....

But his opinion today to me, matters little....its outdated and filled with nostalgia.

Nothing worse than hearing/reading old legends of the game talk about the state of the game today

When you start with "in my day" ...thats where I tune out

You just have to take it with a grain of salt. But don't reject everything he says. He's a 5 time cup winner, 3 time Ross winner, 2 time Hart, 1 time Conn Smythe winning HOF'er...I think his opinion can still be relevant. You just have to take it with a grain of salt.

 

[hototogisu]

Meh, I don't care much for Lafleur either, but his views on the coaching stuff were surprisingly "progressive", or at least not the tired lines about tradition we're used to hearing.

Similarly, with P.K., it's absolutely true that back in his day you wouldn't have a P.K. Subban. You wouldn't have a Brent Burns or an Ovechkin either. It was different. To me it doesn't seem like he's condemning Subban, just stating that's it's different now.

 

[Thebeastoftheeast]

He is dead on with criticizing the dump and chase borefest a lot of teams play.

 

[MXD]

Meh, I don't care much for Lafleur either, but his views on the coaching stuff were surprisingly "progressive", or at least not the tired lines about tradition we're used to hearing.

Similarly, with P.K., it's absolutely true that back in his day you wouldn't have a P.K. Subban. You wouldn't have a Brent Burns or an Ovechkin either. It was different. To me it doesn't seem like he's condemning Subban, just stating that's it's different now.

The most surprising thing in this is that Lafleur was one of the most flamboyant/ubiquitous players of his days.

 

[Uber Coca]

I agree with some of the things he says but most of the time he just represents all the stereotypes I hate about hockey. Things haven't changed that much in the NHL and let's be honest, Subban is a pioneer. He shouldn't change who he is to please others or old players that had sticks up their *****.

The reason he's not playing for Team Canada is because he's taking too much risks and TC don't need that. They wan't to play it safe. I am good with it... I will root for an other team though.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I have a lot of respect for the player he was but he strikes me as such a grumpy old man now. It seems every time he makes a comment it's to be negative about something the organization did, or how thing aren't like they used to, etc. It doesn't help that local media always rushes to put a mike in front of him about every little subject, like he's some sort of hockey savant. There's a reason why he never got a coaching/managing job after his career was over. Him and PK actually have a lot in common personality wise, more that he seems to realize.

 

[Chfan]

Don't get how people can respect this guy but not a class act like Koivu.

 

[lamp9post]

I have a lot of respect for the player he was but he strikes me as such a grumpy old man now. It seems every time he makes a comment it's to be negative about something the organization did, or how thing aren't like they used to, etc. It doesn't help that local media always rushes to put a mike in front of him about every little subject, like he's some sort of hockey savant. There's a reason why he never got a coaching/managing job after his career was over. Him and PK actually have a lot in common personality wise, more that he seems to realize.

That's the thing. He's just answering the questions that he's asked. I don't think Lafleur really cares to exert his influence over anyone or have his opinions taken too seriously.

 

[lamp9post]

Don't get how people can respect this guy but not a class act like Koivu.

Who doesn't respect Koivu?

 

[Toene]

Don't get how people can respect this guy but not a class act like Koivu.

Being a legendary player who was the best on a team that brought 5 cups helps his cause. Saku won nothing in the NHL. On a hockey point of view, I must say that I respect le Démon blond's opinion a tad more than Koivu's.

 

[Rapala]

No offense to what he represents for Habs fans....

But his opinion today to me, matters little....its outdated and filled with nostalgia.

Nothing worse than hearing/reading old legends of the game talk about the state of the game today

When you start with "in my day" ...thats where I tune out

particularly when we can read you?

 

[vokiel]

Why get rid of the puck?? Because our players, no matter how talented they may be with the puck, can not guarantee they'll still be holding it with 1 to 2 players on their backs.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

Don't get how people can respect this guy but not a class act like Koivu.

I love Lafleur and I never even watched him play. He's a legend here for a reason, even in brief snippets and high-lights he stands out as a unique and iconic player. Dude won FIVE Stanley Cups for the Habs - let's hope he's never forgotten.

I respect Koivu a lot, but he's rather pedestrian as a hockey player.

Who doesn't respect Koivu?

Strawmen.

No offense to what he represents for Habs fans....

But his opinion today to me, matters little....its outdated and filled with nostalgia.

Nothing worse than hearing/reading old legends of the game talk about the state of the game today

When you start with "in my day" ...thats where I tune out

If you read the Q&A, you'd notice that he's been rather progressive and on-point with nearly everything he's said.

Especially about PK - he grates against hockey culture and then some are here, loudly wondering why he's not on Team Conservative Canada.

Otherwise he's right about Patches, about the coaches, about language, about puck-possession systems...

So much for outdated.

 

[peate]

Guy, Guy, Guy...I guess you had to be there. He's not always right with his opinions but he has every right to state them; and he's bang on in this article. Very few players could get the fans excited merely by skating out of his zone with the puck the way he did. PK comes pretty close but he's about the only one.

 

[vokiel]

Guy, Guy, Guy...I guess you had to be there. He's not always right with his opinions but he has every right to state them; and he's bang on in this article. Very few players could get the fans excited merely by skating out of his zone with the puck the way he did. PK comes pretty close but he's about the only one.

He's always short-sighted. His argument on the language issue for instance only revolves around coaches talking to players. We're not in the 70s anymore, coaches need to speak to fans, media, sick children, etc.. etc...

 

[Flyinghab]

I respect Guy as a player but PK doesn't smoke, drink or party the way Guy did. PK trains much harder than Guy ever did. Also, PK doesn't have a team nearly as talented as some of those 70's cup winners. Times have changed and athletes are much more vocal. Another poster said it right, he's just a grumpy old man!

 

[417]

I love Lafleur and I never even watched him play. He's a legend here for a reason, even in brief snippets and high-lights he stands out as a unique and iconic player. Dude won FIVE Stanley Cups for the Habs - let's hope he's never forgotten.

I respect Koivu a lot, but he's rather pedestrian as a hockey player.


Strawmen.


If you read the Q&A, you'd notice that he's been rather progressive and on-point with nearly everything he's said.

Especially about PK - he grates against hockey culture and then some are here, loudly wondering why he's not on Team Conservative Canada.

Otherwise he's right about Patches, about the coaches, about language, about puck-possession systems...

So much for outdated.

Yes...because he's never ever said anything else that was outdated

Again, I hate it when former players chime in with "in my day" ....I despised it when Oscar Robertson made comments about the way the Golden State Warriors play.

I'm just not of that particular line of thinking, his comments about PK Subban IMO, we're out of line, saying he needs ritalin....this guy is a team ambassador

And if you know anything about Guy Lafleur, his comments are extremely hypocritical.

In his day the players would of smacked Subban across the head?

Hell...in HIS day, they might of done more than that to be honest

 

[xDirtyxSkunkx]

a lot of people don't like loud people, i don't like them doesn't mean i can't be friends or tolerate them, Subban brings a lot to the team, so they probably accept him like he is, at the end of the days, what we think or the legends , media thinks about him doesn't matters. I'm sure his teammates appreciate what he brings to the team, sometimes it can be difficult to tolerate , when it doesn't go well personally or with the team, and that's the time when he need to calm down a little, Kirk will help him a lot. Nobody want him to change his personality , just to help him reach another level, be better for his teammates and himself.

 

[SB164]

Don't get how people can respect this guy but not a class act like Koivu.

Because while captaining the dumpster fire Habs teams of the late 90's and then fighting cancer, Koivu apparently didn't learn and speak enough French.

The amount of **** he used to get for not speaking French was embarrassing.

 

[CHwest]

Canada is bilingual, English coach should suffice. This language BS is just that BS. Every locker room in the league communicates in English. Why should a European be expected to learn two additional languages. English is the one they need to concentrate on so they can communicate within the team. Get a translator for the coach, most of what they say are platitudes to soothe the masses anyways. How many French cup winning coaches has Montreal had, not many.

 

[Toene]

Canada is bilingual, English coach should suffice. This language BS is just that BS. Every locker room in the league communicates in English. Why should a European be expected to learn two additional languages. English is the one they need to concentrate on so they can communicate within the team. Get a translator for the coach, most of what they say are platitudes to soothe the masses anyways. How many French cup winning coaches has Montreal had, not many.

Bowman, Perron, Ruel, Demers... 8 stanley cups right there...

 

[CHwest]

Bowman, Perron, Ruel, Demers... 8 stanley cups right there...

Bowman wasn't French, he spoke it.