They rank among the most storied franchises in sports history, on the same short list as the New York Yankees, Boston Celtics, and Green Bay Packers. The have won 24 championships, second only to the New York Yankees in the annals of pro sports. The names of their best players are forever engraved into the game -- Maurice "Rocket" Richard, Guy Lafleur, Doug Harvey, Jean Beliveau, Jacques Plante. However, the Montreal Canadiens team of today is only a skeleton of those of yesteryear.
As of last night, they are a measly 14-25-4-2 this year, tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets for fourth worst record in the league behind the pathetic New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers. Even the expansion Minnestoa Wild have a better record. Montreal is also dead last in the Northeastern Division. What has happened to hockey's most storied franchise?
Now I must start by saying I am not a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. In fact, I don't like the Canadiens. I am a Bruins fan, and Montreal is our blood rival. Nevertheless, as a diehard hockey fan cognizant of the game's history, I can't help but be a bit saddened by the sorry state of the Canadiens.
Of course this is not an isolated predicament for a team to be in. Just look at the modern-day Boston Celtics, who are as far away from the golden years of the franchise as possible. Of course, severe droughts are a factor even successful franchises have to deal with. Before their victory in 1994, the New York Rangers hadn't won a Stanley Cup victory since 1940. I need not even bring up the sob story of the Boston Red Sox, or even worse, the Chicago Cubs. What makes the Canadiens' story worse is what they represent to the game of hockey.
Unlike any other franchise in sports, Les Habitants are representative of the game itself. In no other sport can one say that about a team. Given the prominence of hockey in Canadian culture, this is saying a lot. While the Cowboys may call themselves "America's Team," that only provokes chuckles. The Yankees may be the most popular team in baseball, but ask a Red Sox or a Mets fan if the Yankees represent them. The same is not true for French-speaking Canada. For them, the Canadiens is their "national team" so to speak. While the rest of Canada may root for teams varying from the Maple Leafs to the Oilers to the Canucks, the Canadiens aren't only an institution, they are a way of life.
Much of this derives from the 92-year history of the franchise. You can't argue with 24 Stanley Cup victories. Neither can you argue with the 40 Hall of Famers who have graced the ice of the Montreal Forum. All this success created a cultural institution that French Canada could be proud of. But no longer is this true. The Canadiens are something of which to be ashamed.
How a team that once sported such cultural icons as Rocket Richard and Guy Lafleur came to be led by Saku Koivu and Martin Rucinsky is another issue. After winning their last Stanley Cup in 1993, the Canadiens have slowly disappeared from the radar field of competitive teams and don't look to be improving. In fact, things have gotten so bad, Molson has had a difficult time finding a buyer for the Canadiens. You know times are bad when the most storied franchise in the NHL does not have anyone interested in buying it.
You may ask why the Habs have slid so far into obscurity in the ranks of NHL teams. The first explanation is simple enough -- they have not made smart transactions to keep their star players. Any team that would trade away John Leclair for Mark Recchi and a third-round draft pick after Leclair had led them to the Stanley Cup the year prior does not deserve to win. The same goes for a team that would trade Patrick Roy, one of the best goalies of his generation, and Mike Keane for three marginal players. One-sided deals are an obvious hindrance to success in the NHL.
The second factor, but one that ties in to the first, is the economic issue. Based on the weakness of the Canadian dollar and the smaller media markets in Canada, the Canadian NHL teams, with the possible exception of Toronto, will never be able to compete with the richer teams below the border on the free agent market. The Canadian teams are thus consigned to a second-rate status. This is another discussion for another column, but is still a major factor in the decline of the Habs.
The question of what the future will bring to the Canadiens is still up in the air. Perhaps a knight in shining armor will come to purchase the team and restore the dignity and success of the franchise. Perhaps the Canadiens can turn things around with smart trades and savvy use of their draft position. But until then, Rocket Richard will be turning over in his grave.
