By Paulo Cerqueira, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
MONTREAL, QC. — Since joining All Habs Hockey Magazine team a few weeks ago, I have been lucky enough to have received a lot of positive feedback over the articles I have written thus far. Readers have all been great — thank you!. Whether it be directly here on the site with your comments, on Twitter with your re-tweets or on Facebook with your “likes”, I am still enjoying the “honeymoon” phase of our relationship.
Figuring all good things must come to an end, I might as well get rid of all this “positivity” and let everyone have at me while I attempt to demonstrate that Pierre Gauthier did a pretty good job as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens…
Now that I have your attention, let me see if I can convince you. This is where it might get a little trickier. If I am able to accomplish my goal, I think I can replace David Copperfield any day in Vegas as the next great magician. For the record, I haven’t purchased any plane tickets just yet but I am pretty confident in my power of illusion.
First things first, I never was a fan of Ghost Gauthier, nor am I one now. As the head of the most prestigious teams in hockey, Gauthier was an awful ambassador. Not living in the city, firing an assistant coach 90 minutes before game-time, trading a star player on the team during the intermission of a game, are all prime examples of what not to do when you are the GM of the Canadiens, or any team for that matter. But especially not “Le Club DU Hockey.”
So are you convinced yet that he did a good job? No huh? Well, I guess I am not off to a good start. Not surprising since I, like most of you, was truly horrified at some of the day-to-day events that were happening to the Habs while Pierre Gauthier was running this team. However, when you step away from the off-ice shenanigans and you look at the on-ice product, that’s where it gets a little hazy in what could be the final judgement of the job done by Gauthier.
After taking over for Bob Gainey in February 2010, Gauthier made a couple of small deals in which he acquired Dominic Moore for a second round pick and Aaron Palushaj for Matt D’Agostini. Neither of these trades had any impact for any team involved, although it might be argued that Moore’s contribution to the playoff run of 2010 was an important one. Regardless of this fact, Gauthier’s legacy will not hinge on these two deals.
Where Gauthier’s player movement really begins to be scrutinized is in June of 2010. Gauthier made three moves that month. A major one that sent shock waves through the NHL and is still having repercussions on the team today and two minor ones. One of which no one really thinks of, but might turn out to be a great trade if isn’t already.
Of the two minor moves done by Gauthier in June, one that doesn’t seem to get much glory is the acquisition of Jarred Tinordi. “Wait, Tinordi was drafted, that doesn’t count as a Gauthier acquisition!”
What many tend to forget is that Gauthier traded his first round pick, number 27 overall (which became Mark Visentin) and a second round pick (Oscar Lindberg) to Phoenix, for their first choice (number 22 overall) and their fourth-rounder. It was with that 22nd pick that Tinordi was drafted. Whenever a GM gives up a first and a second round pick to move up in the first round, it’s clearly because he wants a player in particular. Tinordi was that player and being able to pick him up was a good move by the Ghost. Shall we say plus-2 for Mr. Gauthier? Be careful David Copperfield, I am coming for you…
After trading Sergei Kostitsyn for virtually nothing to the Preds and swapping goalies Cedrick Desjardins for Karri Ramo with the Lightning, Gauthier traded Ryan O’Byrne to Colorado for Michaël Bournival. At the time the O’Byrne trade seemed like a much smaller trade than the Kostitsyn trade had been. But looking at it now, which had the greater impact? While it might be argued that the Habs could have gotten better value for Sergei, he is long gone now to the KHL. So how much more could you have really gotten? Acquiring Bournival on the other hand seems to have been a blessing in disguise. The 21 year old seems to get better with every shift he plays, while O’Byrne has joined Kostitsyn in the KHL. By my count that might make it plus-3. Anyone care to join me in Vegas?
Following the O’Byrne – Bournival trade, there a slew of minor moves made by Gauthier. Not of any impact for anyone involved. The picking up of James Wisniewski, the trading of Maxime Lapierre, the swapping of Ben Maxwell for Brent Sopel and Nigel Dawes. None of those players have really done anything of significance since those deals were made and even the draft picks involved haven’t panned out. There might be on glimmer of hope and that is in the fact that Gauthier traded the Wisniewski’s rights to Columbus just prior to him becoming a UFA for a fifth round pick. That pick turned out to be top prospect Charles Hudon. I won’t gloat and put up a plus-1 for this one but in a few years that is a very big possibility.
During the 2011-2012 season is when Pierre Gauthier made a few more moves that might shape this organization for years to come. Of course there was the horrible trade of Jaroslav Spacek for Tomas Kaberle. Thank God for the immunity buyout clause after the lockout or this one might still be hurting the team. However the other trades are clearly all more positive. First there was the infamous Mike Cammalleri trade. Cammalleri, Karri Ramo and a fifth round pick headed to Calgary for René Bourque, Patrick Holland and a second round pick. Bourque and Cammalleri are pretty much a wash right now with neither living up to the expectations placed on them by their respective teams. Same thing for Holland and Ramo. Both might be offered a shot to show their real value this season. That second pick however turned out to be Zachary Fucale. Of course Gauthier was no longer part of the management team that drafted Fucale, but without his trade there isn’t a pick available to be made.
The last two trades made by Gauthier as GM fall into the same category of the Fucale one. He was no longer there to benefit from the reward but his moves gave Marc Bergevin and company the picks needed to acquire plenty of young talent. These two moves were the trading of Hal Gill and Andrei Kostitsyn both Nashville. Gill fetched a return of the now retired due to injury Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a second round pick who turned into top WHL defenseman Dalton Thrower. Kostitsyn for his part was shipped for a second and a fifth round pick. That second round pick is now a young promising forward by the name of Jacob De La Rose. So many extra points could be given to Gauthier for these trades, but considering the Kaberle blunder and the fact that he didn’t draft any of the kids mentioned, I will just say we call it even.
So to set the record straight, I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination we should conclude that Pierre Gauthier’s tenure as the GM of the Canadiens was a good one mainly due to the off-ice debacle that he brought upon this team. However when looking at his work done acquiring players an argument can be made in his favour. Without giving up that much in terms of impact players around the league today: Halak, Cammalleri, Wisniewski and Lapierre are the only ones still playing regularly. Gauthier was able to get Eller, Bourque, Tinordi and Bournival who are all part of the team this season. Plus the jury is still out on Holland, Hudon, Fucale, Thrower and De La Rose.
I might not be replacing Mr. Copperfield just yet, but as much as it pains me to say it, I have to say “Thank You” Mr. Gauthier. But please, please don’t ever come back…
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