Montreal Canadiens 2011-2012 Thread

[skeeter14 0]

Gill is always singing the Canadian National anthem which I find disturbing, he thinks hes a Canadian so I don't think they have an issue with him.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that. It's not that "he thinks hes a Canadian". It's more that he's embraced the city and culture he lives in. I don't see how you can find fault with that. Isn't that what fans of any team want from their players?

Me, my family and my friends all speak french and none of us have any problem with the fact that our captain is American and our coach doesn't speak french.

This. Even though I'm not from Montreal, I can see where there is strong ethnic pride, and why there is. As with anything there are people who can co-exist while having that strong ethnic pride, and then there are the extremists. I found it silly that CBC covered this subject on the Hot Stove during the second intermission of Saturday nights game .

Cunneyworth is being brought in to win hockey games, not run the Province. Not to mention the guy hadn't been head coach for all of 24 hours or even a full game, and the pot was already being stirred by CBC (and many others I'm sure). If you read between the lines this reeks of a typical media firestorm to make headlines.

[Chadd 916]

IT'S A MINORITY, AS IN NOT EVERYONE. The media makes a big deal out of it because there is nothing else to talk about. Please don't think we're all separatists/anglo-haters or whatever. This whole story is starting to piss me off. Me, my family and my friends all speak french and none of us have any problem with the fact that our captain is American and our coach doesn't speak french.

It was not my intent to slander the entire province, I apologize to you and all of the "normal" people in the province. Much like Quebec, it isn't everyone in the south that gives that portion of the US a black eye (in regards to race relations) either.

[wrangler 157]

Thanks for chiming in on this. You're not the ones making the noise, which is what we hear.

Seems like there are some good haters there.

[chippa13 1844]

Some hockey folks are starting to echo the sentiments of the vocal few. Savard and Carbonneau weigh in.

[

Canadiens legend and former general manager Serge Savard blasted the move, saying the team "belongs to the people." Team owner Geoff Molson was moved to issue a statement that underlined the job is "interim" and that next season there will be a French-speaking coach, whether it is Cunneyworth or someone else.

"Its one thing to say he's willing to learn it and another to actually learn it," said Carbonneau. "The job he has now is really demanding. You have to prepare the team. You have to eat and sleep. I don't know where learning French is going to fit in his schedule."/]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=383211

[17D1998 1]

Instead of focusing on putting a decent team on the ice all they think about is hiring a french coach. WTF seriously this is so pointless and embarrassing. I really hope a well known and respected french player (Roy or Damphousse, for example) steps in and address this irrelevant issue. As if a bilingual owner and a french GM isn't enough already. Welcome back to the 1950's!

[ibeck 38]

[ Team owner Geoff Molson was moved to issue a statement that underlined the job is "interim" and that next season there will be a French-speaking coach, whether it is Cunneyworth or someone else."/]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=383211

I can't believe he said that. Now the players won't have to worry about playing hard if this coach won't be there next season.

[jbss71 1]

Sorry, I'm really bad at picking up internet sarcasm.

I found these two articles this morning in The Montreal Gazette. This is how serious these people are.

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Opinion+Anglo+coach+gesture+contempt/5884550/story.html

http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorials/Habs+make+exception+interim+coach/5884881/story.html

wanting to lock Chara up makes more sense now.

[Steve_v3 289]

I can't believe he said that. Now the players won't have to worry about playing hard if this coach won't be there next season.

If I were Cunneyworth I would step down now. If the team that just hired you throws you under the bus as soon as his inability to speak french comes up, why would you want to stay.

You can't tell me the Canadiens didn't think this would come up when they decided to hire him.

[wrangler 157]

I can't believe he said that. Now the players won't have to worry about playing hard if this coach won't be there next season.

Seems like a really weak statement from Molson.

[Chadd 916]

Instead of focusing on putting a decent team on the ice all they think about is hiring a french coach. WTF seriously this is so pointless and embarrassing. I really hope a well known and respected french player (Roy or Damphousse, for example) steps in and address this irrelevant issue. As if a bilingual owner and a french GM isn't enough already. Welcome back to the 1950's!

Roy wants the job and has said so for years, he's just going to put gas on the fire.

[greech 4]

Frankly, I'm put off by the whole language situation. I understand how it is in Quebec, I have many, many friends from up there and have spent a fair amount of time visiting also. To me, Habs fans must be delusional if they believe this is the biggest issue plaguing their team. I think the Canadiens have a huge talent issue right now and that is not helped when you have key guys hurt and others just not performing. The media's handling of this is borderline criminal and does no favor to Cunnyworth; and this situation makes southern college football (the kind of place where mentioning coming together whether one is "black or white" is needed on a stadium intro video) look almost normal.

[BenderHockey 127]

Roy wants the job and has said so for years, he's just going to put gas on the fire.

So when something doesn't go his way, is he going to take his ball and go home again? Just walk off the bench?

[chippa13 1844]

"I have coached my last game for the Montreal Canadiens." Yeah, I could see Roy uttering that phrase.

[Chadd 916]

So when something doesn't go his way, is he going to take his ball and go home again? Just walk off the bench?

No, he'll just demand the GMs job at that point.

[chippa13 1844]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=383342

"We will give fans Quebec flags and, by waving them during the game, they can make their opinions felt," the groups said in a statement.

If I'm Cunneyworth then I wear a Canadian flag pin just to rub these nationalist jackasses nose in it.

[Larry54 243]

Instead of focusing on putting a decent team on the ice all they think about is hiring a french coach. WTF seriously this is so pointless and embarrassing. I really hope a well known and respected french player (Roy or Damphousse, for example) steps in and address this irrelevant issue. As if a bilingual owner and a french GM isn't enough already. Welcome back to the 1950's!

Damphousse did say on english and french tv shows that the Canadiens should choose the best coach whether he speaks english or french.

[wrangler 157]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=383342

"We will give fans Quebec flags and, by waving them during the game, they can make their opinions felt," the groups said in a statement.

If I'm Cunneyworth then I wear a Canadian flag pin just to rub these nationalist jackasses nose in it.

It's not clear to me why they're referred to as "Quebec nationalists" unless they're actually a separatist movement. "Provincial" might be a better term in more than one sense of the word. "Cultural militants" also comes to mind.

It seems to me that those who wish to preserve their culture will do so, while others may choose not to do so. And, in a free society, neither group has the moral right to impose its will on private enterprise. BWTFDIK.

[17D1998 1]

Good news, finally.

http://canadiens.nhl...vid=DL|MTL|home

[BenderHockey 127]

So MTL fans, what's the back story between Subban and Plekanec throwing fists in practice? Any documented animosity there, or has Subban's attitude finally caught up to him?

[Steve_v3 289]

With the team struggling for wins & a fight at practice there apoligizing to there fans about the coach?

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=384029

[wrangler 157]

Nothing like making a coach feel welcome.

[17D1998 1]

So MTL fans, what's the back story between Subban and Plekanec throwing fists in practice? Any documented animosity there, or has Subban's attitude finally caught up to him?

It's the third time I think. He's never been very popular in the locker room ahah.

[ktang 34]

And they let both players in the fight (Plekanec and Subban) continue with practice. Something doesn't feel right.

[ibeck 38]

And they let both players in the fight (Plekanec and Subban) continue with practice. Something doesn't feel right.

When you've lost 5 out of your last 6, what's wrong with letting some emotion show?

[BenderHockey 127]

When you've lost 5 out of your last 6, what's wrong with letting some emotion show?

I don't think he questioned the fight, moreso the response to it. I would advocate sending them both home, cool off for the afternoon, and come back with cooler heads ready to play. Leaving them both in practice might get one of them hurt, as tempers would still be very high.