Josh Gorges embodied what it meant to be a Montreal Canadiens player during his time with the organization. He was not the biggest or fastest player, and he did not put up a crazy amount of points, but he always left everything he had on the ice. Gorges broke into the league with the San Jose Sharks, but after two seasons split between the NHL and AHL, he was traded to the Canadiens along with a first-round pick (Max Pacioretty) for Craig Rivet and a fifth-round pick. Gorges played 457 games as a member of the Canadiens and built a role for himself as the team’s shot-blocking specialist. His role is partly why he became a fan favourite in Montreal, as he put himself in dangerous positions just to ensure a Canadiens victory. Gorges sat down with Jeff Marek and reflected on his time in Montreal and what it meant to wear the Canadiens sweater.
Gorges, now retired, is the assistant coach for the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL, and in his interview with Marek, he talks about how the franchise he now works for was the first team to give him a shot. Gorges, a Kelowna native, went undrafted in the WHL before receiving a call from the Rockets. Gorges spent four seasons in Kelowna, captaining them in his final season, but even after putting up some impressive numbers, 152 points in 245 games, he never got to hear his name called at the NHL Draft. Just like in the WHL, a team gave Gorges a chance to show he had what it takes to play in the NHL, and while he started his career in San Jose, he will always be remembered as a Canadien.
Marek asked Gorges if there was a team that he had always wanted to play for, but never got a chance to. Gorges spoke about how, as a kid, he grew up a Chicago Blackhawks fan, but, thinking about it after the fact, he could never see himself playing for any team besides the Canadiens. “There was just something about being there representing that team, that city, that organization, the history, everything that comes with Montreal Canadiens that it was like I don't even know if I want to play for another team,” said Gorges. He did not grow up a fan, but fell in love with the team during his time in Montreal, and the fans felt the exact same way, especially when he declined to waive his no-trade clause because he did not want to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Gorges and Marek begin to discuss how hockey in Montreal is just different, with the latter saying how watching a game at the Bell Centre is almost like a religious experience. They go on to talk about how it is not just the crowd, but having franchise legends around all the time makes it an extremely special place to play. Gorges tells a quick story of the late great Jean Beliveau that stuck with him. They were walking up the stairs together at the Bell Centre, and an employee asked for an autograph. Gorges did not know what to do. “Jean Beliveau opens up a suit jacket, pulls out a Sharpie, signs, gives it to me. I signed and then when she walked away, he gave me a Sharpie and he goes, ‘You play for the Montreal Canadians. No matter where you go, you need to keep a Sharpie on you because people want your autograph and you need to be able to sign for them,’” said Gorges. It just goes to show how there is a different level of expectation when you put on that bleu, blanc, et rouge sweater.
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