By J.D. Lagrange, Senior Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
When a player is acquired by trade or signing as a free agent, everyone has an opinion on the value of that player and the acquisition. Much is said, and then often forgotten, just like water under the bridge, as the player’s novelty with the team wears out.
PENTICTON, BC. – It took the Canadiens one whole season without a captain to evaluate who would be the best candidate to replace Saku Koivu. He was not re-signed when his contract ended, with the organization deciding that a change in the core leadership was needed. It took one season with rotating alternate captains in order to determine the new leadership, much like we will be given to see in this upcoming 2014-2015 season.
Just like we’ve been reading since Canadiens’ General Manager Marc Bergevin and head coach Michel Therrien announced that the team would be going without a captain this upcoming season, fans and media were surprised and somewhat offended that such a storied franchise, guided by some of the best captains in NHL history, would forgo an entire season without an ultimate leader with a “C” on his jersey. Just like we’re reading and hearing now, people questioned the organization and read too much into the decision into thinking that management felt like there was no leadership in the room. Whether it was back then or like it is now, it’s far from being the case.
It takes a special quality to be the Montreal Canadiens’ captain and whether some want to admit it or not, the captaincy is not without coming with much added pressure not only to perform, but to live to be an example, both on and off the ice. Just like the Canadiens have some very good candidates today, they did back then as well. Brian Gionta was one of them. He had won the Stanley Cup, he was known as a leader in New Jersey, he was a relentless worker with excellent work ethic. Married with children, he was working with charities and was very well respected in the NHL and in New Jersey. But could he handle the pressure of being captain in Montreal, after signing a five-year, $25 million deal with the club?
It did not take long for the diminutive winger to play a big role on the team, to adapt to Montreal and to show that the pressure did not affect him, tallying 28 goals in 61 games in his first regular season with the Canadiens. Gionta helped take the team on a deep playoff run, contributing another nine goals in 19 games in the process.
In five seasons in Montreal, Gionta has played 303 regular season games. His 97 regular season goals place him third on the team for that five year span, just behind Max Pacioretty (104, including 39 last year) and one behind Tomas Plekanec (98). He has also played 45 playoff games in a Habs’ uniform, adding another 13 goals (best on the team) and 28 points, leading the Canadiens to two Stanley Cup Semi-Finals and missing the playoffs only once in five years.
Known as a solid leader, Gionta is a character player, in line with what Marc Bergevin sees in his team. Rest assured that both Bergevin and Gionta wanted to get a deal done this past summer. Gionta was even willing to accept a diminished role and salary in order to stay, but the Buffalo Sabres were very high on him, a local product, and they made him an offer both in dollars and term that the Canadiens chose not to match. That’s why he’s gone, and don’t listen to anyone claiming otherwise. Don’t be shocked if Brian Gionta is named the Sabres team captain in the next few days, as he is one of the league’s best leaders. Quiet, but a leader none the less.
Now what?
In a recent interview, Gionta was asked whom he would see as his successor as team captain for the Canadiens. The teams former number 21 surprised many by naming rugged winger Travis Moen, who, recovering from a concussion, was a healthy scratch a few times in last year’s playoffs. It would be a huge mistake to underestimate Gionta’s opinion on the matter as he was in the room and he knows almost everyone there. He knows what it takes to wear the “C” in Montreal and he did it with pride.
It only goes to show that those in the media and among the fan base claiming that management doesn’t see any leadership in the room are way off base. The fact is that there is a lot of leadership in that room. Some older leadership with guys like Moen, Andrei Markov, Brandon Prust and Plekanec, and also some younger, newer leadership blossoming into their own in Carey Price, Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban and Brendan Gallagher.
Some like to make fun of Marc Bergevin and his quest to get character players but when you look at this line-up, you quickly realize that many of those players were leaders on their respective teams at one point or another in their career. Remember back in 2012 when we showed that Trevor Timmins was on a mission to find character? Gallagher, Michael Bournival, Jarred Tinordi and Alex Galchenyuk were all captain of their junior team while Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn were alternates (Pateryn in the NCAA.)
Bergevin not only signed an excellent faceoff man in Manny Malhotra, but he is a guy known for his leadership. How much more character do you want than a guy who was told by Vancouver GM Mike Gillis, to go home, that he would never play hockey again? Guess what Mike? He proved you wrong!
As we can see, there is plenty of leadership on this team and rest assured that while Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges will be missed as great individuals, the Canadiens had the luxury to be able to let them go because they have quality in the wings, waiting to show what they can do.
Go Habs Go!