I want to take a minute of your time to explain something extremely important. Something the Montreal media will never talk about because it would be too relaxing, has no shock value and simply wouldn’t sell enough. Bob Gainey is a great General Manager, probably the best in the business and he is exactly what we need here in Montreal. Forget about Carey Price, Alex Kovalev, Saku or Carbo, the real star on this team is the man upstairs.
Bob Gainey is one of the most respected men in hockey by his peers, his players, coaches and journalists alike. Well, non-Montreal journalists at least. He is patient and effective, every decision he makes is well thought through. Bob McKenzie from TSN joked once that Bob doesn’t even take his coffee in the morning without evaluating the impact on this decision. That’s not to say each and every decisions pan out the way he hoped for (See: Sergei Samsonov or Mike Ribeiro traded for Ninnima) but he always has a solid thought process behind his decisions. And more important than anything else on that front: he doesn’t care what the press says about him. He is not here to in a popularity contest. This is an important quality to have in a city where everybody thinks they’re knowledgeable enough to do his job. How many journalists didn’t write or said at least 5 times since the beginning of the season who they would trade from this team and who they’d get for them? Who didn’t comment on what they would do with Kovalev or what players should be sent to Hamilton? Yet, Bob doesn’t give an inch. He will make the moves he deems necessary, not the ones Yvon Pednault or Dave Stubbs want to make (random names here, you can play fill the blank).
Bob understand that you can’t build a winning team in a building with revolving doors. As much as we all hope, fans, media and even the league, for the Cinderella story of the Habs winning their 25th Stanley Cup in their Centennial season, our General Manager knows that the best for his team is on the long term, not hoping for a single miracle season. Let’s look at last year biggest talked trade: Marian Hossa is sent to Pittsburgh for four players. They made a run at the cup last year but now they are on the outside looking in. Because trading two, three or more players for one big name, no matter how talented, is always a gamble. If the player doesn’t come back, the team can lose on both fronts. And signing one, two or three superstar doesn’t make a team either. Look at Ottawa, with one of the best top line in the league, or Tampa Bay who use to have one of the best offensive trios, and you’ll see two perfect examples of how building a team around some players is not the way to go. In a league as tough and solid as the NHL, especially in the salary cap era, you need to think about each and every position and how you’ll have players fitting certain roles and having depth to survive the possible injuries. Above all else, you need balance and stability, two traits Bob Gainey share with some other general managers.
If there is one team that has been solid and constant through the last decade, it’s the Detroit Red Wings. Actually, since 1997, Ken Holland only made 10 trades on deadline day. And what players are we talking about? The Wings got players like Brad Stuart, Todd Bertuzzi (circa 2007), Cory Cross, Mathieu Schneider, Jiri Slegr, Wendel Clark and other similar players. Notice the absence of any type of superstar player? It’s not about trying to overhaul your team with the addition of one single player; it’s about solidifying a team, adding depth, talent and experience. The Canadiens could use some help at centre to replace Lang during his recovery time but I don’t think it would be to replace Thomas Plekanec or Saku Koivu; it would be to support them and probably bump Kyle Chipchura in the stands. As much as I like Chipper, he doesn’t have NHL playoffs experience yet and neither does Lapierre. Lang provided some needed veteran presence and experience. In that sense, if Gainey decides to make a move, I’m guessing it would be in a player somewhere in a range between Ian Laperrière or as high as a Doug Weight type. Actually you will probably hear those names a lot in the upcoming days.
And yet, there is another side of Bob Gainey that is never mentioned and it’s the respect he has for his players. I’ve already heard and read a lot about the lack of respect toward Steve Begin. I’ve heard about how disrespectful it was to trade him for some minor league defensemen who could get picked up from the waivers in the next hours, like if Begin wasn’t worth more than that to his team. People don’t get it. This trade wasn’t to help the Montreal Canadiens; it was to respect a player who bled red-white-and-blue for the past six years. Despite playing a minor role on a team, he never complained about his coach, his teammates or his ice time. Yes, he admitted being disappointed and taking it hard when he was a healthy scratch but he always understood the nature of the best and practiced harder to earn his spot back in the line-up. He always was and always will be the ultimate team player.
Out of respect for a 30 year old player at the end of his contract who clearly was giving everything he had for his team, Bob Gainey gave him a chance to play. He traded him to a team that could use him and where he could prove he still had a place in this league. That’s huge for Steve Begin. Let’s not forget Martin Lapointe, Yannick Perrault and Brian Smolinski weren’t able to sign a contract this season and are at home watching hockey instead of playing. I can guarantee you Begin would be in the same situation next year if he was in the stands for the rest of the season and the playoffs. Now, at least he stands a chance to prove that he has some value and hope to sign a contract somewhere next year. What we get back isn’t as important as thanking a warrior for leaving blood on the ice and teeth marks on the boards.
And I might be wrong about that, but I think this is the type of move that could help convince a player to sign in Montreal. To know the organization will do what’s best for you, will accommodate you must have some weight in the balance. Especially in an environment with high taxes, a frenzied media and high pressure as Montreal, don’t we need every little bit of positive light?
Mr. Gainey knows what he’s doing. He knows how to build a team and he sees the effects of every move not only this year but for years to come. He already has a pretty good idea what his team will look like next year and probably even the year after that. He knows when to expect David Fisher or P.K. Subban to wear a CH on their chest. Hs know where he’s going. The man has a plan.
I believe in Bob Gainey. Do you?