News Article: Molson's view of his tenure so far

[Darz]

I think Gillette saw the Habs as a money making machine the whole time. He saw it as an undervalued asset, bought low, and sold at what he thought was high.

quote for truth!!

I can't believe anybody doesn't see it that way. George sold his beloved franchise as quickly as possible when he was shown the money. It was a smart and a good investment for him.

If he was some sorta great owner, why did he sell so quickly?? It was a money making venture for him. Period.

 

[Lshap]

Completely disagree...

The GM is hired by the owner. The buck starts and stops there.

MB is responsible for the roster, and inept in the GM role, sure. But his boss is the one responsible for putting him in that position and leaving him there going on 8 yrs.

You can't really fault MB in this. I have no doubt that he is doing his best, and also no doubt that he'd love to build a winner. You don't have the life in sport that he's had without being ultra competitive and motivated. He just lacks the skill and competencies to succeed in that role...
And that is 100% on Molsons shoulders.

Molson's one-and-only hockey hire was Bergevin, so yes, in that respect, you can say the buck stops with Molson.

But from the moment Bergevin was hired until the moment he's fired, the success or failure of the team lies with him. The coaches, the players, the contracts, the day-to-day decision making -- that's Bergevin, not Molson.

 

[Habs]

Written in French so I couldn't read it. But in the 10 years he has owned the Habs their value has shot up. For him to make hundreds of millions in profit and run the Canadiens. No doubt it is beyond awesome.

to be fair, almost all NHL franchises have erupted in value. I'd love to see the numbers, I doubt the merchandising has done jack squat the last 10 years, and remained flat at best. He hasn't done a good job of creating new fans, I mean he traded one of his most popular players for god sakes. Even the Sens have immense value, they could sell that franchise and move it for a ton of cash.

He was handed an original six team, you or I could have just held it, hired some competent people, and had the same result with the off ice factors. On ice, he hasn't had much success, nothing to brag about there.

Did that tool even give credit to the fans, for buying up his hot garbage the last 10 years?

 

[Lshap]

quote for truth!!

I can't believe anybody doesn't see it that way. George sold his beloved franchise as quickly as possible when he was shown the money. It was a smart and a good investment for him.

If he was some sorta great owner, why did he sell so quickly?? It was a money making venture for him. Period.

I'll give Gillette credit for investing in the Brossard practice facility. That's a tangible & decisive action that helped the team and separates him from most owners.

 

[BLONG7]

quote for truth!!

I can't believe anybody doesn't see it that way. George sold his beloved franchise as quickly as possible when he was shown the money. It was a smart and a good investment for him.

If he was some sorta great owner, why did he sell so quickly?? It was a money making venture for him. Period.

For sure, but he also tried to WIN at the same time, by having good people at the helm of the hockey ops. We didn't miss the playoffs all the time, and we actually had a chance to win more often than not...he did not give out extensions to clowns who did not deserve them...

 

[tazsub3]

compare that loser to masai ujiri.
A true winner strive for a championship and acts accordingly.
Dont hide behind language issues.and stupid details. or have stupid goals like making the playoffs, where more then 50pct of teams make it
you just do it . Assume the consequences, and enjoy the reward.
You build a champion but you also behave like a champion
we are very far in this organizational sadly

 

[Miller Time]

Molson's one-and-only hockey hire was Bergevin, so yes, in that respect, you can say the buck stops with Molson.

But from the moment Bergevin was hired until the moment he's fired, the success or failure of the team lies with him. The coaches, the players, the contracts, the day-to-day decision making -- that's Bergevin, not Molson.

Responsibility for Success and failure of an organization, imo, always lies at the top. Execution of various aspects lies with those delivering, but responsibility always falls at the top.

could easily turn around and say that success/failure of the team falls on the coach... and then on the players... but the players are following the coaches orders, the coach is following the GM's orders, and the GM, in our case, is following the owners orders. Therefore, ultimate responsibility falls squarely and solely on the owner.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Molson's one-and-only hockey hire was Bergevin, so yes, in that respect, you can say the buck stops with Molson.

But from the moment Bergevin was hired until the moment he's fired, the success or failure of the team lies with him. The coaches, the players, the contracts, the day-to-day decision making -- that's Bergevin, not Molson.

It's on Molson for letting it continue with Bergevin no matter his failings.

You can keep spinning this, but nothing will change this.

 

[kgboomer]

I can't believe anybody doesn't see it that way. George sold his beloved franchise as quickly as possible when he was shown the money. It was a smart and a good investment for him.

If he was some sorta great owner, why did he sell so quickly?? It was a money making venture for him. Period.

As I remember, he spreads himself too thin with all his assets. He didn't really want to sell the team but needed the cash because of the US recession, that's the reason he sold.

 

[groovejuice]

No way thats Molson........his head wouldnt fit in his ass!!!

The other way to look at it is that anything would fit up Molson's butt, even his own hyperswollen head, because he's one of the biggest AHs imaginable.

 

[groovejuice]

Molson being in Hockey Operation is a huge fail.

If we had a real hockeyman there , Bergevin would already be fired

A rhesus monkey could also do an adequate job with magic 8 ball. It's astonishing to me that people want to believe the Habs will do anything substantial toward the winning of a Cup.

Status quo wins nothing when you're way down the ladder.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

A rhesus monkey could also do an adequate job with magic 8 ball. It's astonishing to me that people want to believe the Habs will do anything substantial toward the winning of a Cup.

Status quo wins nothing when you're way down the ladder.

100% agree with you

 

[Habaneros]

what more needs to be said...Ever hear Mario Lemieux joke about not winning Cups as an Owner? That's our problem here.

READ THIS FULL ARTICLE >Have you heard the one about the Montreal Canadiens?


this quote says it all

As owner Geoff Molson joked at a chamber of commerce event on Friday, the storied franchise might have won 24 Stanley Cups, but “Marc Bergevin and I haven’t won any of them.”

 

[Darz]

As I remember, he spreads himself too thin with all his assets. He didn't really want to sell the team but needed the cash because of the US recession, that's the reason he sold.

That may of been part of it, o thought he sold so he could invest in Liverpool FC.
BTW...,,I dont think he was a horrible owner, I just dont understand “the great owner” posts.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

That may of been part of it, o thought he sold so he could invest in Liverpool FC.
BTW...,,I dont think he was a horrible owner, I just dont understand “the great owner” posts.

It's both. He invested in Liverpool before the crash, and LFC was his dream, he kept it and sold off the Habs instead. If it werent for the crash, he would've probably kept the Habs since it was an appreciating asset.

 

[waffledave]

That may of been part of it, o thought he sold so he could invest in Liverpool FC.
BTW...,,I dont think he was a horrible owner, I just dont understand “the great owner” posts.

Back when he bought the team, the Habs were a joke. Nobody was going to the games, they were a farce, everyone made fun of them in the news. It was an inconvenience to even go to the arena if you were given free tickets.

Maybe Boivin deserves more credit, but by the time he sold the team, the Habs were the hottest show in town. They were cool again, it was impossible to get tickets. I used to have season tickets back then, and at the Habs-Leafs game where Kovalev elbowed tucker, tickets in the reds were selling for $3000 a pair. It was insane. The perception of the team changed completely, and the Bell Center put on an awesome show.

Since Molson took over, we are trending back to where it used to be. Bad team, bad product on the ice, corny as shit and not entertaining. Nobody is willing to pay big prices to go to games anymore.

 

[1909]

Back when he bought the team, the Habs were a joke. Nobody was going to the games, they were a farce, everyone made fun of them in the news. It was an inconvenience to even go to the arena if you were given free tickets.

Maybe Boivin deserves more credit, but by the time he sold the team, the Habs were the hottest show in town. They were cool again, it was impossible to get tickets. I used to have season tickets back then, and at the Habs-Leafs game where Kovalev elbowed tucker, tickets in the reds were selling for $3000 a pair. It was insane. The perception of the team changed completely, and the Bell Center put on an awesome show.

Since Molson took over, we are trending back to where it used to be. Bad team, bad product on the ice, corny as **** and not entertaining. Nobody is willing to pay big prices to go to games anymore.

 

[1909]

Back when he bought the team, the Habs were a joke. Nobody was going to the games, they were a farce, everyone made fun of them in the news. It was an inconvenience to even go to the arena if you were given free tickets.

Maybe Boivin deserves more credit, but by the time he sold the team, the Habs were the hottest show in town. They were cool again, it was impossible to get tickets. I used to have season tickets back then, and at the Habs-Leafs game where Kovalev elbowed tucker, tickets in the reds were selling for $3000 a pair. It was insane. The perception of the team changed completely, and the Bell Center put on an awesome show.

Since Molson took over, we are trending back to where it used to be. Bad team, bad product on the ice, corny as **** and not entertaining. Nobody is willing to pay big prices to go to games anymore.

You are being dishonest here. Last year team was rather entertaining and was becoming a good team.

 

[Kotkaniemi15]

This past year was a fun season. The atmosphere at the Bell Centre was great compared to 17-18. However, that’s not good enough. Barely missing the playoffs isn’t enough for the most storied franchise in hockey. Mediocrity should not be accepted in a hockey town like Montreal. Why do all the small market teams always get top talent and we struggle to have one 70 point scorer in the past decade. It’s embarrassing. Molson is f***ing idiot. That he let Bergevin stay after 17-18 is mind blowing. MB made some good moves last year but we’re still out of the playoffs with no top pick. We need to take a direction or we’re going to stay average.

 

[The Real Timo]

I would not be surprised if Molson paid RDS to arrange for that interview. Including the questions that were spoon fed to him.
It just made me gag.

 

[Lshap]

It's on Molson for letting it continue with Bergevin no matter his failings.

You can keep spinning this, but nothing will change this.

It's not 'spin'. It's a fact. The actual moves and hires that have made this team what it is reflects Bergevin, not Molson. Of course Molson hired him and of course "The buck stops with Molson". That's an obvious cliche. It's also meaningless until Bergevin is fired.

We're discussing this because people dislike the answers Molson gave in an interview. And yet what he said is totally, utterly, completely irrelevant to how this team performs on the ice. Molson is a businessman who gave businessman answers. He could've given hockey answers, gotten down on one knee and pledged his undying devotion to bringing a Cup back to Montreal, but it would count for absolutely nothing as long as a GM is in place.

 

[Habs Icing]

From most owners's POV, it costs as much to build a good team as it does a bad team. I doubt Molson is preventing Bergevin from making moves and hiring personnel. Bergevin negotiates the contracts, Molson signs the cheques. For better and worse, our roster reflects the GM, not the owner. Very, very few owners are actively involved in the actual hockey moves. Nothing suggests Molson is; in fact, he's clearly said he's not qualified and leaves the hockey side to his GM. So I don't see how Molson has personally hurt the Habs' roster anymore than he's helped. Unless you guys are waiting for him to spout meaningless cliches like, "We're 100% committed to winning!!", and, "We'll spare no expense!!", his (and most owners') impact on the on-ice product has been almost entirely passive.

My only issue with Molson is his not appointing a qualified President. I wouldn't define that as not caring about winning; it looks more like hubris. Nevertheless, it's the one decision he's made that you can say compromised the team.

I'm pretty much in agreement with most of your post. The only thing I have reservations about is the president part. How did Davidson being president stop the Blue Jackets from flushing down the toilette the next 5-6 years? Where are the guarantees that you won't hire a president as dumb or dumber than MB. Also, if you need a president to babysit your GM, you might as well just fire the GM and get a competent one. I don't think you need a president to oversee a GM. Who is going to over see the President?

 

[OldCraig71]

This thread gives me such joy. I am glad that many of you are opening your eyes and are at least willing to acknowledge what a small group of us have been saying for years! Nobody in that organisation actually cares about winning a cup because they do not need to win a cup! The team is insanely wealthy and this article finally confirms that it is only about the money and nothing else! Why else would Bergevin be allowed to have run this team into the ground along with all of his inept buddies right by his side? It is a joke but no one in the media can say so because guess what? Molson owns the media as well !

I want this thread to be kept alive and well for everyone that is still willing to defend this owner and his employees, the whole hot dog/fan experience was nothing more than a rich guy having a laugh at the expense of his rabid and somewhat naive fan base(hf fans respectfully omitted from that list). It's all a joke to him because the money is coming in by the truckload! It's the same reason why we are fed excuse after excuse by our GM and why he still has a job even though he has basically sucked for 90% of the time he has been employed! We don't want Erik Karlsson or Matt Duchene or Artemi Panarin! Why don't some of you understand that? What will it take for some of you to wake up? Does he need to actually spell it out that he is making a mockery of the institution that is the Montreal Canadiens because he basically just did!

 

[waffledave]

You are being dishonest here. Last year team was rather entertaining and was becoming a good team.

We are still far away from erasing 5+ years of trending in the wrong direction.

It's so weird to see people assume everything is fixed because of one good season. I'm not even totally convinced Bergevin knew what he was doing when he went out and got Domi, which was the catalyst for this good season. If he knew Domi was going to step in and be the center we were missing, you'd think he would have signed him to a better contract. He gave Drouin a long term deal before he proved anything because he was SO SURE Drouin would work out like he intended.

 

[The Real Timo]

This thread gives me such joy. I am glad that many of you are opening your eyes and are at least willing to acknowledge what a small group of us have been saying for years! Nobody in that organisation actually cares about winning a cup because they do not need to win a cup! The team is insanely wealthy and this article finally confirms that it is only about the money and nothing else! Why else would Bergevin be allowed to have run this team into the ground along with all of his inept buddies right by his side? It is a joke but no one in the media can say so because guess what? Molson owns the media as well !

I want this thread to be kept alive and well for everyone that is still willing to defend this owner and his employees, the whole hot dog/fan experience was nothing more than a rich guy having a laugh at the expense of his rabid and somewhat naive fan base(hf fans respectfully omitted from that list). It's all a joke to him because the money is coming in by the truckload! It's the same reason why we are fed excuse after excuse by our GM and why he still has a job even though he has basically sucked for 90% of the time he has been employed! We don't want Erik Karlsson or Matt Duchene or Artemi Panarin! Why don't some of you understand that? What will it take for some of you to wake up? Does he need to actually spell it out that he is making a mockery of the institution that is the Montreal Canadiens because he basically just did!

What I never understood is this... Of course, hockey is business first and foremost and I think 99.9% of people get it and agree with it. So naturally the primary focus for the owner is to make $$$. But... but... wouldn't building a winning team AS WELL AS make money make even more money? Imagine the ticket prices, the condos, the memorabilia crap, the jerseys, the caps, the key chains whatever other consumable garbage you can think of. Niemi's jersey would be selling for over $350 if Habs were a true contender. So why are Habs NOT focusing on winning along with raking in the cash?