MONTREAL, QC. — With the trade to bring defenseman Sergei Gonchar to the Canadiens from the Dallas Stars, the 40-year-old defenceman and Michel Therrien are once again reunited. Gonchar played for the coach in Pittsburgh on the team that Therrien described as the “worst defensive squad in the league.”
“That defensive squad, I’m really starting to believe their goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league. They’re doing such a great job to be the worst defensive squad in the league. They turn the puck over, they have no vision. They’re soft like I’ve never seen a bunch of defensemen soft like this.” – Michel Therrien
The coach finished his post-game presser by saying, “I tried to have a good ambiance with the team yesterday. I guess we’re going to have to come back with the old recipe. They make my job miserable, so it’s give and take. What can I do?”
The Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle, wrote on his blog, “Therrien has a reputation as a hothead, a disciplinarian, but I can’t see how a public lambasting like this is going to help the club. ‘Soft’ defencemen Rick Jackman, Sergei Gonchar and Dick Tarnstrom bring far too many of the same elements to a club in need of far more sandpaper.”
Therrien went on his infamous rant after the Penguins lost to the Edmonton Oilers on January 10, 2006. Pittsburgh lost the game 3-1. Gonchar was on the ice for 23:01 and recorded four minutes in penalties. The night following Therrien’s tirade, the Penguins lost 6-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
