Montreal Having Priority of French Players...

[Giontatas]

Hey guys, after this emotion raising win, I needed to get back to reality and do some work!

I was trying to think of some provocative topic I could write on for my French class about French, Laws, and Quebec.

I thought of maybe how Montreal was rumoured to have priority over any and all French-speaking players back in the days...

Any fellow fans know if there is any TRUTH to that rumour? Or where one might find something?

If not... any other suggestions

Thanks guys

Click to read more...

 

[Blades of Glory]

I think this was proven as a myth, but this is one issue that I'm not really confident about to give you a straight answer on. I do know, however, that in order to force Jean Beliveau to sign with Montreal instead of any other team, Frank Selke bought out an entire junior league, thus retaining all the players in that league (including Beliveau) as Canadiens' property.

So, I wouldn't say that they had "priority." But being the premiere franchise in hockey, and having the influence and money they did, they certainly found ways to get the top French-Canadian players. And honestly, it was pretty hard to find a kid growing up in Quebec that didn't want to play for the Canadiens, anyways.

 

[Weztex]

There was an article about this on CBC years ago. I'll try to dig it up

Basically that is a myth, or a incredible deformation of a real privilege that Montreal had in the day. To cut short, the Habs had financial problems in the 30's and were on the verge of folding. To bring more fans in the stands, the NHL allowed Montreal to sign out to a C-form contract any local players not already of professional team propriety. The privilege was used, to no success, then somewhat forgot and kept out by the Habs who rarely used it. In fact, most player available were simply not good enough to make it to the NHL. Sam Pollock made use of the privilege in the late 60's to draft Michel Plasse, Marc Tardif and Rejean Houle if i'm not mistaken. Those were two of the only three players drafted under this rule to play in the NHL. Shortly after, the NHL lifted that special right to the Habs.

To this day, many people (including some media ones) are under the impression that Montreal built dynasty teams by having the right to draft the best francophone player each year for many decades. I don't know where or when that thing became so blown out in proportion but the myth is still active to this day.

 

[Weztex]

I found the Liam Macguire article but not the CBC one. One is based on the other anyway. Bonne chance dans ton travail, ton sujet botte des culs.

http://www.liam.ca/ed20040319.html

 

[Crosbyfan]

I think this was proven as a myth, but this is one issue that I'm not really confident about to give you a straight answer on. I do know, however, that in order to force Jean Beliveau to sign with Montreal instead of any other team, Frank Selke bought out an entire junior league, thus retaining all the players in that league (including Beliveau) as Canadiens' property.

So, I wouldn't say that they had "priority." But being the premiere franchise in hockey, and having the influence and money they did, they certainly found ways to get the top French-Canadian players. And honestly, it was pretty hard to find a kid growing up in Quebec that didn't want to play for the Canadiens, anyways.

They bought the Quebec Senior Hockey League and turned it Pro.

They then could force any player in the Quebec League that they had the professional rights to, to play for them.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I think all teams had territorial rights to players within a 50-mile radius of their city at some point. You can imagine how Montreal (and Toronto and Detroit) would benefit from this while it was meaningless to the other three teams. Not sure on the exact details with this.

Montreal didn't technically have first call on the French players. They were free to sign a C-form with any team they wanted. But honestly, if you grew up cheering for the Habs, were you really going to reject their offer in favour of the Blackhawks or Rangers for example? Not likely.

NHL teams also sponsored junior clubs from which they drew players. I think Montreal's Frank Selke was the first to start using this sytem. I'd hazard a guess that Montreal was sponsoring Quebec-based junior teams for the most part.

So Montreal having priority on French players is technically just a myth, but clearly the system in place resulted in most of the best French players ending up with the Habs.

 

[charliolemieux]

I think all teams had territorial rights to players within a 50-mile radius of their city at some point. You can imagine how Montreal (and Toronto and Detroit) would benefit from this while it was meaningless to the other three teams. Not sure on the exact details with this.

Montreal didn't technically have first call on the French players. They were free to sign a C-form with any team they wanted. But honestly, if you grew up cheering for the Habs, were you really going to reject their offer in favour of the Blackhawks or Rangers for example? Not likely.

NHL teams also sponsored junior clubs from which they drew players. I think Montreal's Frank Selke was the first to start using this sytem. I'd hazard a guess that Montreal was sponsoring Quebec-based junior teams for the most part.

So Montreal having priority on French players is technically just a myth, but clearly the system in place resulted in most of the best French players ending up with the Habs.

This is basically how I understand it.

There was a limit though.

With no limit Lafleur and Dionne would have been teammates. Imagine that!!:O

 

[justsomeguy]

They bought the Quebec Senior Hockey League and turned it Pro.

They then could force any player in the Quebec League that they had the professional rights to, to play for them.

The Habs did not buy the QSHL. They did provide incentives for the then-owners of teams in the league to vote to abandon their (sh)amateur status turning it into a professional league.

If I remember what I read a few months ago a few of the teams that voted to go pro did not survive the transition.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

This is basically how I understand it.

There was a limit though.

With no limit Lafleur and Dionne would have been teammates. Imagine that!!:O

By the time of Lafleur/Dionne, there was a draft. The NHL was instituted in 1963. Before then, teams signed whatever prospects they could, and basically owned their rights forever after. Needless to say, this was more than a slight advantage for Montreal (and Toronto).

The territorial rights thing was just for the leftovers who were not already locked up. Needless to say, the talent pool of this group was not the greatest.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Sponsorship

I think all teams had territorial rights to players within a 50-mile radius of their city at some point. You can imagine how Montreal (and Toronto and Detroit) would benefit from this while it was meaningless to the other three teams. Not sure on the exact details with this.

Montreal didn't technically have first call on the French players. They were free to sign a C-form with any team they wanted. But honestly, if you grew up cheering for the Habs, were you really going to reject their offer in favour of the Blackhawks or Rangers for example? Not likely.

NHL teams also sponsored junior clubs from which they drew players. I think Montreal's Frank Selke was the first to start using this sytem. I'd hazard a guess that Montreal was sponsoring Quebec-based junior teams for the most part.

So Montreal having priority on French players is technically just a myth, but clearly the system in place resulted in most of the best French players ending up with the Habs.

Canadiens sponsored teams out west - notably Regina that sent numerous players to the NHL via Montreal - Lorne Davis, Bill Hicke, Terry Harper, Red Berenson, Murray Balfour, Bill Hay, amongst others. They also had an arrangement with one of the Winnipeg based junior clubs.

In Ontario, Peterborough preceded by Kitchener produced the likes of Jim Roberts, Claude Larose and others.

At the same time Boston and New York managed to find excellent players in Quebec. Boston - Jean Pronovost, Bernie Parent, Don Marcotte, Gilles Marotte while New York landed Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle, Phil Watsion, Camille Henry to name a few. Leafs got Dave Keon, Hawks and Red Wings managed a few as well.

 

[BostonAJ]

Montreal didn't technically have first call on the French players. They were free to sign a C-form with any team they wanted. But honestly, if you grew up cheering for the Habs, were you really going to reject their offer in favour of the Blackhawks or Rangers for example? Not likely.

So Montreal having priority on French players is technically just a myth, but clearly the system in place resulted in most of the best French players ending up with the Habs.

Exactly. Montreal would've had a greater cultural influence over Quebecois players than even Toronto had with their local boys. Because of this, and Montreal's ridiculous level of success, I don't understand why it took the NHL so long to institute the draft. It was a terrible system.

I heard the Bruins signed Bobby Orr to a C Form when he was something like 13 years old.

 

[Hoser]

I heard the Bruins signed Bobby Orr to a C Form when he was something like 13 years old.

14. They started pursuing him as young as 12.

 

[MXD]

NHL teams also sponsored junior clubs from which they drew players. I think Montreal's Frank Selke was the first to start using this sytem. I'd hazard a guess that Montreal was sponsoring Quebec-based junior teams for the most part.

Don't quote me on that, but I think that would be Tom Gorman.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I think this was proven as a myth, but this is one issue that I'm not really confident about to give you a straight answer on. I do know, however, that in order to force Jean Beliveau to sign with Montreal instead of any other team, Frank Selke bought out an entire junior league, thus retaining all the players in that league (including Beliveau) as Canadiens' property.

So, I wouldn't say that they had "priority." But being the premiere franchise in hockey, and having the influence and money they did, they certainly found ways to get the top French-Canadian players. And honestly, it was pretty hard to find a kid growing up in Quebec that didn't want to play for the Canadiens, anyways.

not a myth--but confused with territorial rights of teams--montreal had the right to like 80% of quebec and it was proven that younger players "moved" to be within montreal territorial rights

I think it was Dick Irvin in one of his books mentioned that one the players the habs gained through territorial rights---in fact lived in another teams area--but was listed at his aunts place(who lived in the montreal territorial rights)

 

[greatgazoo]

The Leafs and Habs were both dynasty franchises in the pre-expansion era because of the 50-mile territory rule.

They had 1st right of refusal on any prospect in their area.

Does that sound like a level playing field? I think not!