Should Habs retire Guy Lapointe #5?
- Thread starter Scintillating10
- Start date
Lucky Luke
Registered User
- Jun 17, 2006
- 2,029
- 874
Savard and Robinson had each other. Lapointe would play with Awrey, Bouchard, Nyrop or Langway and definitely carried them all. That to me is the true test of the coach's esteem. As for Lapointe's defensive abilities, they are being greatly under-rated here. It was about 1978 before Robinson became a first-pairing D on the PK. Until then, the first pairing was Lapointe-Savard, and they would play about 1min30 of each PK. Then we would get Robinson and Nyrop or Robinson and Engblom.
Lapointe was also not a ballerina out there. He could fight, and almost never lost.
The only think against Lapointe, the ONLY thing, is that injuries slowed him down faster than the other two in the Big Three, age-wise. But from 22 years old to 31 years old, he was as worthy of jersey retirement as anyone else on the list from his era, and better than many of them.
Scintillating10
Registered User
I thought for sure when they retired Geoffrion's number it would be some kind of double ceremony. Embarrassment to Lapointe for his #5 not to be up there. Where the other members of the big 3 are
S Bah
Registered User
They should be offering him the Defensive duties he has with Minnesota, I guess breaking in their defence must be fun with the crew of prospects they have. Brodin & Dumba will certainly help Suter bring Minny a Championship soon.
Evil Chris
Registered User
Blind Gardien
nexus of the crisis
I wouldn't be against it. But I'm also ok with there being different criteria for different eras. Lapointe played in a time of greats, and great expectations, and great success. He was amazing, but sometimes overshadowed.
Today when a player like Koivu or Markov comes along, I wouldn't hold them up against past generations or standards, more like against their contemporaries. In that sense, Lapointe came up a tad short of some of his contemporaries. Whereas Koivu and Markov are kind of the standards for the modern generation. Koivu probably left just a few seasons short of being a slam dunk. Markov would still have a few to go. But may well get there. There's a clear void in the post-Roy era, but the fans were still packing the arenas and Markov and Koivu have been the "legends" of that era, however dimly lit it was in terms of team success. I'd have felt fine with retiring their jerseys if they stretched their days as Habs just a bit more, even if you can't point to Cup rings or individual league-wide awards, or even if other overlooked past luminaries like Lapointe didn't get their jerseys retired. I wouldn't put it on a fixed scale.
Today when a player like Koivu or Markov comes along, I wouldn't hold them up against past generations or standards, more like against their contemporaries. In that sense, Lapointe came up a tad short of some of his contemporaries. Whereas Koivu and Markov are kind of the standards for the modern generation. Koivu probably left just a few seasons short of being a slam dunk. Markov would still have a few to go. But may well get there. There's a clear void in the post-Roy era, but the fans were still packing the arenas and Markov and Koivu have been the "legends" of that era, however dimly lit it was in terms of team success. I'd have felt fine with retiring their jerseys if they stretched their days as Habs just a bit more, even if you can't point to Cup rings or individual league-wide awards, or even if other overlooked past luminaries like Lapointe didn't get their jerseys retired. I wouldn't put it on a fixed scale.
Evil Chris
Registered User
and those were some serious contemporaries. If not for Bobby Orr, I wonder how many Norris trophies he would have?
Interesting article here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...atest-defensemen-to-never-win-a-norris-trophy
Great article! Brad Park was the one who suffered most by Orr's presence. The big three tended to split the vote. Had to chuckle at Al Iafrates inclusion in the article under honorable mentions. He was a talented, but very uneven player.
IMO Lapointe was an excellent player and should have his number retired but I strongly disagree with your opinion that he was every bit as good as Ray Bourque.
I saw saw each of the players you mentioned many times. You should understand that players are honored for their contributions during the era in which they played. Bouchard would have been no more than a third pairing Dman in today's game but he stood out for his character. Similarly, Lach wouldn't be remarkable if he played today. However, he was one of the better centers in the six-team NHL of the 1940s. Shutt was an outstanding goal scorer but he was fortunate to play on a line with Lafleur and Lemaire.
Scintillating10
Registered User
Yeah, Park was better than he's given credit for. A little like Lapointe in that way. For the '70s had exception amount of good defensemen. Bobby Orr, Montreal's Big Three, Denis Potvin, Park, Salming, Bourque and Langway at end of decade. Where as in '40s, '50s and '60s only one equal to them would be Harvey. I often say '76 Team Canada best team ever to play. How would you beat them with that defense and Scotty Bowman coaching.
Evil Chris
Registered User
Anyone else see the interview with Geoff Molson last week in Journal de Montreal?
The interview closes with him being asked about Lapointe and if his jersey would be retired based on the website and petition that is encouraging it. He gives a very typical political answer, not directly answering anything. pff.
The interview closes with him being asked about Lapointe and if his jersey would be retired based on the website and petition that is encouraging it. He gives a very typical political answer, not directly answering anything. pff.
otto bond
Registered User
- Jan 8, 2007
- 5,599
- 121
I don't know about you guys but i would love to see #10 flying down the wing, or 9. Those numbers are majic to me. At the same time, they where pretty special hockey players.
What Im really saying is that it seems more like a marketing tools now more then anything.
What Im really saying is that it seems more like a marketing tools now more then anything.
AntonCH
Registered User
- Jul 6, 2009
- 2,213
- 12
Been to the Bell Centre lately?
Its already there and I believe that lemaire and shutt are already up there.
here's the complete list:
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=489939
Whitesnake
If you rebuild, they will come.
- Jan 5, 2003
- 89,389
- 36,646
Yes they should have. And still do. The big three was a unit. And Lapointe has all the merit to have been "stuck" with the #4. But it's one or the other. You only retire Robinson's number and put Savard and Lapointe on the ring of honor...or you retire all 3.
roy munson
...
Always wondered why Lapointe and Shutt didn't have their jersey up there. I very rarely disagree with your posts W7 but this is sadly one of those rare times
I've been a HUGE fan of Shutt during his career (which shows my age...) along with Robinson, Lapointe and Bill Baber ('72-'84 Flyers).
Steve Shutt
- 5 Stanley Cups
- 1st All Star team (1977)
- 2nd All Star team (1978-1980)
74-75 77gp 30g 35a 65pts (0.84 ppg)
75-76 80gp 45g 34a 79pts (0.99 ppg)
76-77 80gp 60g 45a 105pts (1.31 ppg)
77-78 80gp 49g 37a 86pts (1.08 ppg)
78-79 72gp 37g 40a 77pts (1.07 ppg)
79-80 77gp 47g 42a 89pts (1.16 ppg)
80-81 77gp 35g 38a 73pts (0.95 ppg)
81-82 57gp 31g 24a 55pts (0.96 ppg)
Hackett
BAKAMAN
It's really hard to fathom that the 2nd leading scorer in the history of the most storied and successful hockey franchise does not have his jersey up in the rafters.
It would be interesting if we can figure out the 2nd leading scorer for defensman all time for each of the original 6 teams and whether their jerseys are retired.
It would be interesting if we can figure out the 2nd leading scorer for defensman all time for each of the original 6 teams and whether their jerseys are retired.
DigitalSea
Thank you Landon
Scintillating10
Registered User
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