The Boucher Plan

[KoZed]

Pretty good SRC interview with Guy Boucher: http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2...i.shtml?ref=rss

I was happily surprised by the emphasis on discipline and professionalism Boucher wants to bring to the Bulldogs. He said Jacques Martin and the top brass of the Habs are being proactive about it. The Habs gave Boucher a list of things players needs to do to conduct themselves professionally.

Boucher also said he would pair every kid with a veteran, and also will give the team's leaders (Glumac, Darche, Henry, etc.) certain kids to mentor.

Looks like after last season's embarrassing off-ice stories and on-ice meltdowns and regression from some young players, the Habs have gotten much more serious about prepping the kid for the major leagues.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Pretty good SRC interview with Guy Boucher: http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2...i.shtml?ref=rss

I was happily surprised by the emphasis on discipline and professionalism Boucher wants to bring to the Bulldogs. He said Jacques Martin and the top brass of the Habs are being proactive about it. The Habs gave Boucher a list of things players needs to do to conduct themselves professionally.

Boucher also said he would pair every kid with a veteran, and also will give the team's leaders (Glumac, Darche, Henry, etc.) certain kids to mentor.

Looks like after last season's embarrassing off-ice stories and on-ice meltdowns and regression from some young players, the Habs have gotten much more serious about prepping the kid for the major leagues.

Good to hear. But it is a fair question to ask why it took so long. The Great Gainey Rebuild was basically sabotaged, partly by bad luck and injury, but also, it seems, by the immaturity and unprofessionalism of a lot of our young players and 'young veterans' (Higgins, Plekanec, etc.). Perhaps if management had taken seriously the question of off-ice mentoring players like Kostitsyn, Price, Pleks, and Higgins would have delivered the goods in a year when we were supposed to be 'going for it.' As our master architect, Bob is supposed to have the expertise to anticipate problems, not just try to put them out. Better late than never...but dammit, it shouldn't have been this way.

Edited September 22, 2009 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[alexstream]

Gainey and Carbo's problems is that they trusted that in 2009, hockey players were mature, responsible, professional, etc.

That was totally obvious particularly in Carbo :

He would say - They know what they have to do, I can't do it for them...

Well no Guy, but you have to spoonfeed them and treat them as school children, like Boucher and Martin will do, cause they are TEACHERS.

That was obvious in Gainey when... when he had to fire Carbo and notice on his own that the kids weren't alright. He hired "Prof Martin" for that very reason.

[saskhab]

Gainey and Carbo's problems is that they trusted that in 2009, hockey players were mature, responsible, professional, etc.

That was totally obvious particularly in Carbo :

He would say - They know what they have to do, I can't do it for them...

Well no Guy, but you have to spoonfeed them and treat them as school children, like Boucher and Martin will do, cause they are TEACHERS.

That was obvious in Gainey when... when he had to fire Carbo and notice on his own that the kids weren't alright. He hired "Prof Martin" for that very reason.

I agree. I also think this is the reason why they aren't letting the players vote on the captaincy, even though Gainey himself had problems getting the respect of the room as a result of his being selected the captain instead of elected. In Martin and Gainey's mind, these guys haven't earned that privelege.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Gainey and Carbo's problems is that they trusted that in 2009, hockey players were mature, responsible, professional, etc.

That was totally obvious particularly in Carbo :

He would say - They know what they have to do, I can't do it for them...

Well no Guy, but you have to spoonfeed them and treat them as school children, like Boucher and Martin will do, cause they are TEACHERS.

That was obvious in Gainey when... when he had to fire Carbo and notice on his own that the kids weren't alright. He hired "Prof Martin" for that very reason.

I suppose, in fairness to both Carbo and Bob, based on 2008 they had reason to think everything was going according to plan, that the kids were coming along just fine. Certainly, I thought so.

Nonetheless, I still think that a really on-the-ball management team would have been more attuned to the fact that Montreal was going to eat these kids up - because success is more dangerous in Habsland than failure. 20-year-olds go from being treated like local heroes (because they're on the Habs) to being treated like gods on the earth (because they had a great season, collectively, and looked like contenders) when in fact they had accomplished exactly zero. It's not like the 70s, when players were making nice coin but still basically lived like ordinary people. Now they're multimillionaires in a massive candy store.

As I say, good that Bob has taken the necessary steps, but there's no escaping the fact that he was forced into a sudden, massive and expensive Instant Rebuild as a direct result of this crucial oversight.

Anyway...spilled milk, water under the bridge, etc. I suppose I'm still feeling betrayed by what happened last season.

[saskhab]

I suppose, in fairness to both Carbo and Bob, based on 2008 they had reason to think everything was going according to plan, that the kids were coming along just fine. Certainly, I thought so.

Nonetheless, I still think that a really on-the-ball management team would have been more attuned to the fact that Montreal was going to eat these kids up - because success is more dangerous in Habsland than failure. 20-year-olds go from being treated like local heroes (because they're on the Habs) to being treated like gods on the earth (because they had a great season, collectively, and looked like contenders) when in fact they had accomplished exactly zero. It's not like the 70s, when players were making nice coin but still basically lived like ordinary people. Now they're multimillionaires in a massive candy store.

As I say, good that Bob has taken the necessary steps, but there's no escaping the fact that he was forced into a sudden, massive and expensive Instant Rebuild as a direct result of this crucial oversight.

Anyway...spilled milk, water under the bridge, etc. I suppose I'm still feeling betrayed by what happened last season.

What I find interesting is that Lapierre and Latendresse never got caught up in it. Perhaps they just had a better understanding of Montreal growing up around it. Also, Latendresse getting married at a young age might have helped him.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

What I find interesting is that Lapierre and Latendresse never got caught up in it. Perhaps they just had a better understanding of Montreal growing up around it. Also, Latendresse getting married at a young age might have helped him.

Yeah, I've thought about that too. In Lapierre's case, he experienced mortifying personal failure a year earlier than the rest of the team (having been demoted in 2007-08), so he may have just been ahead of that curve. Hopefully the Kostitsyns in particular learn from his example.

What's really impressive, when you think about it, is Latendresse. I know a lot of people are frustrated by his slow progression. But here's a kid who arrived in Montreal as the Anointed One. French-Canadian kid. Had the whole city at his feet. It's the classic Pierre Larouche recipe for brattiness, immaturity, and career self-destruction. But instead he has quietly put his head down, worked hard, accepted his role, never thought he was more than he was, and has gradually developed into a solid third-liner with hope for more. He seems committed to learning and never seemed to expect to be handed anything.

I was also really impressed with his comments last year, when he said that players who don't live in Montreal year-round don't understand what it is to miss the playoffs, and what a disaster that is for the player's own private life. He's showing signs of developing into the Conscience of the Team, a Quebecois who really and truly understands the responsibilities involved in wearing the :hlogo:

For all that we'd envisaged Higgins and Komisarek as the core of the rebuild, these two players may yet turn out to be the real heart and soul of the Gainey era.

[JoeLassister]

What I find interesting is that Lapierre and Latendresse never got caught up in it. Perhaps they just had a better understanding of Montreal growing up around it. Also, Latendresse getting married at a young age might have helped him.

Having a child at 21 might help more than getting married...

[Lammy]

Boucher also said he would pair every kid with a veteran, and also will give the team's leaders (Glumac, Darche, Henry, etc.) certain kids to mentor.

Looks like after last season's embarrassing off-ice stories and on-ice meltdowns and regression from some young players, the Habs have gotten much more serious about prepping the kid for the major leagues.

That's good news.

[KoZed]

What I find interesting is that Lapierre and Latendresse never got caught up in it. Perhaps they just had a better understanding of Montreal growing up around it. Also, Latendresse getting married at a young age might have helped him.

I think having family (and good family, not Theodore & Ribeiro's families) close by helped alot to keep them grounded.

[BCHabnut]

I just found this threaad. I hope this helps develop a better culture on hte team.

[Zowpeb]

What's really impressive, when you think about it, is Latendresse. I know a lot of people are frustrated by his slow progression. But here's a kid who arrived in Montreal as the Anointed One. French-Canadian kid. Had the whole city at his feet. It's the classic Pierre Larouche recipe for brattiness, immaturity, and career self-destruction. But instead he has quietly put his head down, worked hard, accepted his role, never thought he was more than he was, and has gradually developed into a solid third-liner with hope for more. He seems committed to learning and never seemed to expect to be handed anything.

I was also really impressed with his comments last year, when he said that players who don't live in Montreal year-round don't understand what it is to miss the playoffs, and what a disaster that is for the player's own private life. He's showing signs of developing into the Conscience of the Team, a Quebecois who really and truly understands the responsibilities involved in wearing the :hlogo:

I'm not sure I agree...I think Latendresse would be further along if he learned to dominate in the AHL...he could play 1st line minutes and practice his offense outside of the pressure/spotlight. He'd also learn to gel with some of his future team-mates.

I also find his (your paraphrasing perhaps?) comments on "players who don't live in Montreal year-round blah blah blah" as comical and immature. As though it's only a local who can have a passion and work ethic...it's amusing that this is an issue ONLY in Montreal. Let's not mince words...it's a francophone FAN issue. Don't get me wrong, it's great that he finds his motivation and that this drives him. All the better for the team.

You call him the "Conscience of the Team" and "a Quebecois"...do you think his teammates care that he's Quebecois?? Sure, it's relevant to the media and a large part of the fanbase, but I don't think Gomez, Cammy, Gionta, Markov, Price, Hamrlik, Plekanec really care that he's a "local"...nor do I think that they understand their "responsibilities" any less because they aren't "Quebecois".

I love the Habs. I just can't get around this media/fan philosophy that many local fans have for local/francophone players being raised onto pedestals....

[KoZed]

I'm not sure I agree...I think Latendresse would be further along if he learned to dominate in the AHL...he could play 1st line minutes and practice his offense outside of the pressure/spotlight. He'd also learn to gel with some of his future team-mates.

I also find his (your paraphrasing perhaps?) comments on "players who don't live in Montreal year-round blah blah blah" as comical and immature. As though it's only a local who can have a passion and work ethic...it's amusing that this is an issue ONLY in Montreal. Let's not mince words...it's a francophone FAN issue. Don't get me wrong, it's great that he finds his motivation and that this drives him. All the better for the team.

You call him the "Conscience of the Team" and "a Quebecois"...do you think his teammates care that he's Quebecois?? Sure, it's relevant to the media and a large part of the fanbase, but I don't think Gomez, Cammy, Gionta, Markov, Price, Hamrlik, Plekanec really care that he's a "local"...nor do I think that they understand their "responsibilities" any less because they aren't "Quebecois".

I love the Habs. I just can't get around this media/fan philosophy that many local fans have for local/francophone players being raised onto pedestals....

Zow, Latendresse himself said last season (after that awful Saturday night beating to the Leafs in Montreal late in the season) that some players who dont live in Montreal year-round care less about the team's successes because they dont have to fans bitch to them all summer long. It came from the mouth of Latendresse himself, a player on the team. It's not just a "media/fan philosophy", it's a reality. A very natural one at that. Having to face the fan's malcontentedness every day for about 4-5 months is a pretty big motivator I'd say. Inversely, getting to disappear after you've choked kinda takes the pressure off.