Lovett's Magnatones Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/10/saku-koivu-has-retired/ A great Captain who stuck it out with the Habs through thick and (mostly) thin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Hope we invite him to opening night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsfan84 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Would of loved the Habs to sign him to a one day contract so he could retire a Hab. His comeback story is one that will always be remembered. Good luck in the future with whatever you do Saku. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 A true hero. My hero. If others played with his intensity and showed his class, the NHL would be worth watching all the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 A true hero. My hero. If others played with his intensity and showed his class, the NHL would be worth watching all the time. Although he never won a Cup, there are still plenty of great memories from his time as a Hab. I don't have too many favourite players - when most move on from the Habs, I don't room for them too hard - but Koivu was the exception. Here's hoping he stays involved in hockey in some capacity...better still, here's hoping he one day returns to Montreal to work for the Canadiens. Koivu's full statement: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazy26 Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Saku will always have a special place in my heart. He exemplified heart, class, dedication and perseverance. I regret that he never got to hoist the Cup or retire as a Canadien. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoRP Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 A truly incredible story is Saku's, and a great hockey player and man he is as well, I would have to echo Colin... one of my all time hero's in any sport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLassister Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted September 10, 2014 Author Share Posted September 10, 2014 Nobody will remember him as an Anaheim Duck. I was watching a replay of "Vintage Koivu" on the NHL Network, and I was taken aback by how good he was pre-knee injury. He was everywhere at once, almost like a Gallagher/Galchenyuk combined. I'll never forget him shutting down Joe Thornton in the '03-'04 playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Was a fine captain, not a huge fan (never watched him much), but think he was solid player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Nobody will remember him as an Anaheim Duck. I was watching a replay of "Vintage Koivu" on the NHL Network, and I was taken aback by how good he was pre-knee injury. He was everywhere at once, almost like a Gallagher/Galchenyuk combined. I'll never forget him shutting down Joe Thornton in the '03-'04 playoffs. Yep, Koivu without the knee injury would have been a superstar. Top-5 in the NHL. He was leading the league in scoring before that blow-out. It's really just a crying shame, but he made himself a damned good player regardless of that injury and all the other injuries - to say nothing of his return from cancer, of course, surely one of the most moving Habs moments ever. In any other organization, he'd be a candidate for jersey retirement. I've always felt bad that Koivu was so let down by the organization over his career. We never did put him in a position to contend. I used to image him raising the Cup with us, what a mind-bending moment that would have been. Obviously it was never in the cards. As it is, I think the Habs should organize something special - Saku Koivu Night - to recognize the special contribution of an outstanding player who gave Montreal everything he had for 15 years and was one of the only bright spots in a dark decade. EDIT: what a classy retirement statement, by the way. Heartfelt, generous and open. The man's a class act all the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Classy right to the end. He should have retired a hab - thank you Bob Gainey for the wonderful Gomez chemistry experiment that prevented that from happening AND giving away a top prospect to boot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwihab Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Agree with all your comments, great player and great person unfortunately robbed of being a superstar by injury. I wonder if there is a place for him within the habs organisation? Surely a classy guy like that would make an excellent player development guy (didnt bresbois have a role like that?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Agree with all your comments, great player and great person unfortunately robbed of being a superstar by injury. I wonder if there is a place for him within the habs organisation? Surely a classy guy like that would make an excellent player development guy (didnt bresbois have a role like that?) I'd love to see it, but I suspect he'll end up back in Finland. Maybe doing work for their national program. I remember one time - I guess I had more free time back then - really crunching Koivu's seasonal production for us. He had an interesting recurring pattern: he would be close to a point-per-game player every season EXCEPT for these long droughts of something like 15-25 games per season when he would hardly put any points on the board at all. Those annual slumps depressed his overall numbers; if it hadn't been for them, he'd have been about an 80-point guy, even with the ruined knee. I'm not sure what caused the slumps, though. One thing's for sure, he was a hell of a playoff performer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 I'd love to see it, but I suspect he'll end up back in Finland. Maybe doing work for their national program. Finland tried to have him come over for a tournament featuring Selanne and some other Finn veterans and he turned it down because he didn't care to go back. The whole reason he said he retired was because he didn't want to pack up and leave to somewhere else. He'll likely live the rest of his days in California, or at least until his kids are grown up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs rule Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Finland tried to have him come over for a tournament featuring Selanne and some other Finn veterans and he turned it down because he didn't care to go back. The whole reason he said he retired was because he didn't want to pack up and leave to somewhere else. He'll likely live the rest of his days in California, or at least until his kids are grown up. His house (mansion?) is up for sale in california so that may not be the plan. Can you call it a house when it is worth 6 million? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 His house (mansion?) is up for sale in california so that may not be the plan. Can you call it a house when it is worth 6 million? In Vancouver the dumpsters are worth $6 million Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 In Vancouver the dumpsters are worth $6 million http://www.crackshackormansion.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habs rule Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 http://www.crackshackormansion.com/ I see what you mean . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLassister Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Maybe we should not retire his jersey, but maybe we could do something else in addition to the Ceremony night. Maybe rename the section where Dr. Mulder and Dr. Lacroix sit in the stands the "Saku Section". I could see the seats being painted in baby blue, just like hospital clothing colors... No ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 Maybe we should not retire his jersey, but maybe we could do something else in addition to the Ceremony night. Maybe rename the section where Dr. Mulder and Dr. Lacroix sit in the stands the "Saku Section". I could see the seats being painted in baby blue, just like hospital clothing colors... No ? I agree should not retire his jersey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted September 16, 2014 Share Posted September 16, 2014 A great hockey life. Thank you Saku and may God bless you and yours in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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