What the world needs now is love . What the Montreal Canadiens need is passion. Blend the two and what you get is Patrick Roy.
Granted not everyone loves Monsieur Roy yet everyone does not enjoy a trip to the dentist either. Like Roy, a dentist is essential to most Montrealers – like it or not. When Patrick tended goal for the Habs he brought a fierce competitive edge to the dressing room and ice – game in and game out. A desire and a passion not seen in a Canadiens`uniform since a fellow named Richard challenged anyone to try and stop him from leading his team to victory and glory. We all remember `the wink`that was caught on camera during Roy`s and the Habs incredulous overtime – fueled run to the Stanley Cup in 1993. That gesture by Roy toward Sandstrom of the L.A. Kings was a blend of Maurice Richard`s red glare and a cockiness reserved for champions. People who have an inner belief in themselves and that integrity shines through and spreads itself abundantly among those that are around at the time. The current version of the Montreal Canadiens are in dire need of that right now.
Jacques Martin is an outstanding coach. His lifetime record in the NHL of 556 wins and 439 losses along with 119 ties speaks volumes. Jacques is one of the best defensive coaches in the history of the game. His system none more apparent than in last season`s upset of the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Habs shut down two very strong powerhouses. Or did they ?
The Montreal Canadiens allowed forty plus shots a game so many times in last season`s play-off run, the timekeeper asked for a raise as the 2010 -11 got underway . In reality it was Halak`s brilliant performance that allowed for the Habs to advance to the Eastern finals against Philadelphia. Sans Jaroslav`s heroics, the Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks may have had their hands full with a Mr. Ovechkin or Crosby enroute to their first Cup since 1960-61. Offensively, the Montreal Canadiens relied on two players in last season`s play-offs. Mike Cammallerri and Brian Gionta. The rest of the bunch either did not appear at all or showed brief spurts of offensive pride. The Habs this season find themselves in the same situation and there are too many great players on this team for that to happen.
In twelve games of a new season, a season that should have commenced with so much passion after last year`s success, the Habs offense is a lifeless as a date after a night of drinking. The date may appear attractive but the love making leaves something to be desired as you settle in for the night. This is where Patrick Roy and his passion comes in.
Benoit Pouliot, Andrei Kostisyn, Scott Gomez , Lars Eller, Tomas Plekanec and now Brian Gionta have gone for long periods of unproductive shifts under the watchful eyes of Jacques Martin. Somehow, that would not happen with Patrick Roy heading the team as their coach. Imagine Kostisyn returning to the bench after a half – hearted effort only to be greeted by the cold stare that Roy used with former coach Mario Tremblay when Roy was a player. The equally hard nosed Tremblay attempted to stare Patrick  down yet one look at the replay dictates that Mario was nervous after his eye to eye duel with M. Roy in what turned out to be the goaltender ‘ s final game as a Hab. Roy then told former team President Ronald Corey that he had played his last game in Montreal just as Patrick once told his fellow teammates that he will not allow another goal in the third period of a play-off game. The Hall of Famer stayed true to both of his promises and this is why his stare and words are highly respected.
Benoit Pouliot would have added to the Habs offense last season in the play – offs if Patrick was breathing down his neck as he sat listlessly on the bench. Would Lars Eller be scoreless this far into his rookie campaign with the number 33 staring at him from above and behind ? These guys need their heavily padded rear ends kicked and they need it done by someone who they respect. Someone who has been where they are at the moment. Someone who has not just excelled at hockey and won both personal prizes and team trophies at the NHL level – they need someone who has conquered one of the most daunting tasks in hockey. They require someone who has played in Montreal.
Roy has felt the love and the hate that only comes with playing in a hockey mad city. As a French Canadian, he has the same passion as the fans. As an ex – player – he owns the ability to relate to game situations the way that Guy Carbonneau did. The pairing is a marriage made in heaven and the difference between Carbonneau`s failure and Roy`s eventual success is the fact that Roy is learning his craft where as Carbonneau`s job ( s ) were more or less handed to him.
Roy will get himself into trouble as a Montreal head coach. He will also get his team in trouble and cost them valuable points in the standings. Carey Price`s GAA will rise a bit but the team`s goals for will also rise. Will fans care if Price`s average is 2.76 ? Not if their goals for every game is 5.00 and their record in the standings put them in the upper echelon on a consistent basis. Ask any Edmonton fan if they minded a lack of defence when the Oilers were winning Stanley Cups in the late eighties and early nineties. The Habs have many talented forwards on their team, not of the caliber of Gretzky, Messier and Kurri yet enough to make this an exciting team and worth the 250 bucks it costs to watch them up close. Imagine Kostisyn excited ? Pouliot overjoyed ? Eller smiling ? What we would have is a team full of enthusiastic hockey players who can`t wait to get to the rink each night. A bunch of players that have fun playing and not the bunch of robots that we witness so often these days around the NHL. What we would possess is a team filled with P.K. Subbans.
That`s what the world needs now.
In lieu of a non – existant goaltending battle tonight between Price and Miller and considering the theme of the above article , here now are the…
Top Ten Signs You Have a Bad Goalie
10.Ice level microphone picks up sounds of him praying.
9. His crease is constanty being mistaken as the `Red Light District `by visiting `Johns `.
8. Keeps telling the goal judge to `get ready`.
7. Wears Mr. Magoo glasses over his mask.
6. Technique for stopping breakaways…? Fakes seizures.
5. Paints his mask like Malibu Barbie
4. Keeps saying that his stick is annoying.
3. Next to water bottle on top of his net is a box of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
2. Between whistles he lies in fetal position in one corner of the net.
and the number one sign that you have a bad goalie…?
He tries real hard to not get hit by the puck !
The Habs are in Buffalo tonight to play the Sabres. Kostisyn will be on a line with Gionta and Gomez while Lars Eller joins Cammalleri and Plekanec. Gorges will be paired with Markov while P.K Subban will skate alongside Hal Gill. Hamrlik and Spacek remain together. Mike Cammalleri will also see time on the power play for the first time in a couple of years as Martin tries to generate some offence.
The Habs then play against the surging Ottawa Senators tomorrow night at home before facing their first two real tests of the season against Vancouver on Tuesday and Boston on Thursday.