Habs to Retire #19 & #23 this year

[RadioGaGa 162]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=217643&hubname=

Good, deserving choices.

[chakal 0]

Some are arguing about Gainey, but let's look at it this way.

The guy won 5 or 6 Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe and he's a Hall-of-Famer. Plus, the NHL created a trophy just for him, the Frank J. Selke trophy for the best defensive-offensive player. Gainey was so dominating in his time at this role that the NHL was forced to create that award for him and later for players playing that role.

Gainey won that award in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981. The first four years that trophy was awarded.

From wikipedia:

A defensive specialist, Gainey played with the Montreal Canadiens from 1972-73 to 1988-89, winning four consecutive Frank J. Selke Trophies, awarded to the league's best defensive forward and five Stanley Cups (1976-1979, 1986). In 1973, Gainey was drafted into both the WHA and the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens had selected him in the first round, 8th overall in the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft and the Minnesota Fighting Saints had also drafted him in the first round, 7th overall in the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft. Gainey never played in the WHA as he spent his entire career playing for the Canadiens in the NHL. He was team captain of the Canadiens from 1981 until his retirement in 1989.

In total, he played in 1160 regular season games, scored 239 goals, and registered 263 assists. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992. For the majority of his career he was regarded by many in the Soviet Union hockey system as the greatest hockey player ever. Bob Gainey was described as the world's best all-around player by legendary Soviet national team coach Viktor Tikhonov.

In 1998, he was ranked number 86 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.

[D3nZ 0]

Both deserving players, they each made a huge impact on their respective teams and also in the league.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I guess I'll have to go back to ebay and look for mini banners to add to my collection.

If any MSH'ers end up at the Bell Centre on either of those nights...let me know.