Montreal Canadiens: 5 castoffs of the 1970s dynasty
By Scott Cowan
The 1970s in the NHL saw the Montreal Canadiens establish themselves as a true NHL dynasty. Today, I’ll be taking a look at the castoffs from this dynasty.
Being a prospect or minor leaguer for the Montreal Canadiens in the 1970s must’ve been difficult. With a stacked roster that achieved consistent success year after year, including a run of 4 straight Stanley Cups from 1975 to 1979, it was hard for players to consistently crack the team’s roster, with most remaining stuck in the AHL, or, transferring to other teams.
This little group of Canadiens history is one I’ve always found fascinating, and one I’d like to take a look at today. Here are five prospects or depth players from the 70s dynasty who had interesting career paths after their stint with the Montreal Canadiens.
Glenn Goldup
The son of former Ranger and Maple Leaf Hank Goldup, Glenn Goldup, was a 2nd round of the Canadiens in the 1973 entry draft, and the 2nd overall pick in the WHA’s 1973 draft. After finishing his junior career with the Toronto Marlboros, Goldup spent the next three years as an injury fill-in for the Habs, before being traded to the LA Kings in June of 1976 for a first-round pick, which the Habs wasted on Dan Geoffrion.
He would serve as a solid two way forward for a .500 at best Kings team for the next five years, recording a career-high 37 points in 1978-79. After the 1980-81 season, however, Goldup would spend the rest of his time with the Kings AHL team in New Haven, retiring in 1983-84 after one year with the Barrie Broncos of the OHAsr league.
Chuck Arnason
A victim of the rotating expansion carousel that was the 1970s, Chuck Arnason, was a 7th overall pick of the Canadiens in 1971 having put up an impressive 163 points with the Flin Flon Bombers of the WCHL, alongside future 50 goal scorer Blaine Stoughton. After two years with the team, where Arnason struggled offensively over brief call-ups, the Habs traded him to the Atlanta flames in exchange for a 1st round pick, which was used on defensive stalwart Rick Chartraw.
Despite his best efforts, Arnason never really found a home in the NHL, playing for six more NHL teams after a 1-year stint in Atlanta. His longest was with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he spent three years, recording a career-high 58 points in 1974-75. Possessing a blistering shot and solid speed, Arnason drifted from basement dweller to basement dweller. Despite putting together another 40 point season in 1977-78, he always struggled with consistency issues and retired after the 1979-80 season.
Ron Andruff
In this case, Ron Andruff actually had some hype surrounding him, with the 6’00 tall winger, who was a 2nd round pick of the team in 1973, putting together an impressive 88-point season with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in 1975-76. This earned him a brief six-game audition with the Habs over two years, before he was dealt to the Colorado Rockies for cash at the beginning of the 1976-77 season.
Possessing great speed and shooting abilities, Andruff thrived on unlimited ice time, yet butted heads with Rockies head coach Don Cherry, who was less than impressed by his lacklustre defensive abilities. He was given two years to prove himself with the team, recording 15 goals and 33 points in 1977-78, but was quickly demoted to the AHL, before finishing his career as a star forward in Germany. Putting together back to back 70-point seasons, Andruff retired after the 1981-82 season.
Phil Roberto
Developing a reputation as an enforcer with goal-scoring abilities in his career with the Niagra Falls Flyers of the OHA, Phil Roberto was signed by the Canadiens as an undrafted free agent in 1969. After two years with the Voyageurs, Roberto cracked the Canadiens lineup as a checking winger for two years, winning a Stanley Cup with them in 1970-71. Before the start of the later dynasty, however, he was traded to the Atlanta Flames for former Hab Jim Roberts.
Despite showing immense promise at times, recording a 40 point season with the St Louis Blues in 1972-73, and 40 points in 46 games showing with the Red Wings 3 years later, Roberto struggled with injuries, and, much like Arnason, never found his game consistently. After splitting the 1976-77 season with the Rockies and Cleveland Barons, Roberto finished his career in the WHA, spending one year with the Birmingham Bulls.
John Van Boxmeer
Arguably the most successful out of the five players shown here, John Van Boxmeer was a 14th overall pick of the Habs in 1972 yet struggled to find ice time on a stacked defensive lineup over the next five seasons. Midway through the 1976-77 season, the team dealt him to the Colorado Rockies for cash, where he was given a top-line role, and finally turned into the offensive defenseman the Canadiens expected.
Recording back to back 40-point seasons with the team, Van Boxmeer moved to Buffalo after the Rockies folded. From there, he would only improve further, recording back to back 60-point season in 1981 and 1982, establishing himself as one of the better offensive defensemen in the league.
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After an underwhelming season the next year, however, Boxmeer was dealt to Quebec and eventually sent down to the AHL, where he finished his career back with Buffalo’s AHL team in 1984-85.