John Ferguson one of the original Power Forwards

[S Bah]

This thread for those that remember the 60's dynasty, led by the Beliveau(C) - Ferguson(LW) - Yvan Cournoyer(RW) line. Ferguson commanded respect for the illustrious Jean Beliveau, while scoring 20 goals or more almost every season, when 20 goals was considered a very big accomplishment, before and after the Great Expansion to 12 teams.

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[Dick Duff]

I seem to recollect, one season in the mid-sixties, when a line of Ralph Backstrom, John Ferguson and Claude Provost was one of the best trios in the league… Think that may have been the year Fergie scored 29 goals….

 

[S Bah]

I seem to recollect, one season in the mid-sixties, when a line of Ralph Backstrom, John Ferguson and Claude Provost was one of the best trios in the league… Think that may have been the year Fergie scored 29 goals….

Quite so, Provost was quite a playmaker along with Ralph the Calder Trophy winner that always had Beliveau & Henri to earn center ice minutes from, and Dickie Duff was also an integral piece if I remember correctly. No real superstars on that team just hard working team players, Jean Beliveau being the ultimate team player IMHO!

 

[Dick Duff]

Good memories. Backstrom was one of the best/fastest/smoothiest skaters in the league. I can still remember how he circled in the neutral zone, picking up speed. And how Provost - who wasn’t the fastest skater - but was such a tenacious, hard-working forward, that his legs would churn like eggbeaters as he headed into the corner for the puck.
When Courneyor made the team, he didn’t get much ice time at first, and was used primarily as a powerplay specialist. It took a while for him to earn his spot in regular play.
And I remember Bobby Rouseau, who - lol - was almost always falling after unleashing a hard slap shot it seemed, playing a LOT with Beliveau.
And don’t even get me started on the puck wizardry of J.C. Tremblay!

 

[S Bah]

Good memories. Backstrom was one of the best/fastest/smoothiest skaters in the league. I can still remember how he circled in the neutral zone, picking up speed. And how Provost - who wasn’t the fastest skater - but was such a tenacious, hard-working forward, that his legs would churn like eggbeaters as he headed into the corner for the puck.
When Courneyor made the team, he didn’t get much ice time at first, and was used primarily as a powerplay specialist. It took a while for him to earn his spot in regular play.
And I remember Bobby Rouseau, who - lol - was almost always falling after unleashing a hard slap shot it seemed, playing a LOT with Beliveau.
And don’t even get me started on the puck wizardry of J.C. Tremblay!

JC "Superstar" Tremblay and Gilles Tremblay, Beliveau's RW that had to retire early, I still recall being so elated when the Habs got Duff #8, he had been a sore in the Habs behind when with Toronto and played great hockey for the Habs. So many really talented players, the Habs depth in those days was incredible. I see the same type of depth being accrued by Bergevin, and Rick Dudley as his right hand, not to slight any of the great people in every category of the front office staff.

With all of the character type former NHLers, in each aspect the Habs development as another great team seems assured, it's been a long while since I've felt so positive about the direction of our team. Actually not since Sammy Pollock was GM and Scotty Bowman was head coach, did I feel so confident in the future of the Habs. Once again the team seems destined to be an Elite Contender for the SC as it should be. A little over the top as usual, truly a Hab fanatic.

 

[Mr Jackpot]

JC "Superstar" Tremblay and Gilles Tremblay, Beliveau's RW that had to retire early, I still recall being so elated when the Habs got Duff #8, he had been a sore in the Habs behind when with Toronto and played great hockey for the Habs. So many really talented players, the Habs depth in those days was incredible. I see the same type of depth being accrued by Bergevin, and Rick Dudley as his right hand, not to slight any of the great people in every category of the front office staff.

Amazing talent we had back then. Gilles Tremblay got sick too early in his career, we never saw his full potential. At that time he was considered one of the best wingers in the league.

 

[S Bah]

Amazing talent we had back then. Gilles Tremblay got sick too early in his career, we never saw his full potential. At that time he was considered one of the best wingers in the league.

Quite so, the Habs 1st line was in control of the puck most of the time they played.

 

[Team_Spirit]

He taped his sticks like Sherbak, clearly a great shooter!

 

[groovejuice]

He taped his sticks like Sherbak, clearly a great shooter!

Loved watching big John. He had this aura he carried that was all confidence. Plus he had the rep.

He was the singularly best fighter I ever saw. Not even close.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

Good memories. Backstrom was one of the best/fastest/smoothiest skaters in the league. I can still remember how he circled in the neutral zone, picking up speed. And how Provost - who wasn’t the fastest skater - but was such a tenacious, hard-working forward, that his legs would churn like eggbeaters as he headed into the corner for the puck.
When Courneyor made the team, he didn’t get much ice time at first, and was used primarily as a powerplay specialist. It took a while for him to earn his spot in regular play.
And I remember Bobby Rouseau, who - lol - was almost always falling after unleashing a hard slap shot it seemed, playing a LOT with Beliveau.
And don’t even get me started on the puck wizardry of J.C. Tremblay!

Rousseau was effective on a line with Gilles Tremblay and Henri Richard. I can't recall him ever playing with Béliveau, who had Geoffrion as his right wing. After Geoffrion was traded He centered Provost and Tremblay

 

[BaseballCoach]

Rousseau was effective on a line with Gilles Tremblay and Henri Richard. I can't recall him ever playing with Béliveau, who had Geoffrion as his right wing. After Geoffrion was traded He centered Provost and Tremblay

Over the years of the 60s, there were many different combinations, depending on what year you are thinking of.

However, for the benefit of the readers who are a bit less "age-ful", Gilles Tremblay was a LW, and not RW.

For a couple of years, Beliveau played with Rousseau on his RW and Tremblay on his LW.

Before expansion, say 1965-66, these were the line combinations (you could dress 18 skaters, not 20 like today):

G Tremblay-Beliveau-Rousseau
Duff- H Richard-Larose
Ferguson-Backstrom-Provost
Cournoyer (PP specialist)
Roberts (PK specialist and also 6th D if needed)

Harris- JC Tremblay
Laperriere-Harper
Talbot

 

[BaseballCoach]

This thread for those that remember the 60's dynasty, led by the Beliveau(C) - Ferguson(LW) - Yvan Cournoyer(RW) line. Ferguson commanded respect for the illustrious Jean Beliveau, while scoring 20 goals or more almost every season, when 20 goals was considered a very big accomplishment, before and after the Great Expansion to 12 teams.

A bit exaggerated on the goal-scoring.

Ferguson played 8 seasons in the NHL, and scored 29 once (after expansion) and 20 once. Seven of his eight years he had at least 15 goals.

 

[S Bah]

A bit exaggerated on the goal-scoring.

Ferguson played 8 seasons in the NHL, and scored 29 once (after expansion) and 20 once. Seven of his eight years he had at least 15 goals.

Just going by memory, I probably should have looked it up, but Fergie was quite a PWF none the less. Those types of numbers in the Original six was pretty good for most players hitting the 20 goal mark meant a raise usually. Hard to believe after the expansion how many players hit the 20 goal mark, getting 29 goals made players star recognition, not bad for an enforcer. Very few other than Orland Kurtenbach could do both, fight and produce offence. Nothing has really changed much in that regard, even in the 30 team NHL, enforcers rarely score anywhere near 20 goals let alone 29goals and a + 30 rating while amassing over 100 penalty minutes each season. Imagine Brandon Prust having such a season and being the top enforcer in the NHL, every team in the NHL would be trying to trade for him.