Who would you pick as a long term coach?

[Willey101]

I was born and raised in Montreal, an anglophone who has been a Habs fan for 50 years and have lived in Ontario for the past 20 years and subscribed to RDS the whole time, only so I could watch my team. In light of all that has gone over the past 30 years in Quebec I think it was a foolish, not well thought out plan to fire Martin and replace him with an english only coach. It's not Randy Cunneyworth's fault, he is who he is. But Gauthier has put himself, his coach and the team in a very difficult, controversial place, and one that I think has little chance of success unless a miracle occurs and the team starts to turn around it's so far disappointing season. Pierre Gauthier should have known better.

In my opinion, anyone who has any history of the Canadiens and Quebec, knowing the ever-present and up till now seeminly weakening separatist movement with it's concern over the french language being diminished, and knowing the possibility of another NHL team relocating in Quebec city, should have known that this city needs, must have, a coach who is fluent in both english and french. The Toronto media would never accept a coach of the Leafs they couldn't interview and get quotes from. It just wouldn't happen. It's common sense.

Solution: 3 options.

1. Pierre Gauthier and Geoff Molson put up with this growing angry backlash against a foolish decision till the end of the season which means being willing, and forcing others to be willing, to put up with a ton of scrutiny and criticism. Bad choice.

2. In order to quell the storm they put Cunneyworth [as much for his sake as well] back as an assistant and bring in an interim french/english speaking coach.

3. They not wait till the end of the season, but appoint a new head coach sooner rather than later.

My choices in order of preference:

1. Alain Vigneault [under contract-not available. Would it be worth a call to see if he or Boucher

could be freed up?? Trade??].

2. Guy Boucher [under contract-not available].

3. Guy Carbonneau. If I remember our team finished in first place with him as coach and he was a

finalist for coach of the year. When he was fired he had won the previous 5 of 7??

4. Final three choices which to me are not the best for different reasons: Bob Harley, Marc Crawford, Patrick

Roy.

I also believe that Alain Vigneault's contract is up at the end of the year.

[illWill]

Does anyone know if Gerard Gallant (an Acadien from PEI) can speak French?

That's a good question. He is from Summerside which is a town of like 12,000 people and english is the predominant language spoken. The Acadien communities are a little bit further west. The last name Gallant is all over the island and I know like 20 of them and none speak french. If I were to guess, I would say no he doesn't but I have no idea.

[BCHabnut]

Jaques Martin is a pretty good candidate. He took a mediocre team with a few good players and had them play together supporting their goalie. They always had achance to win. Very few blowouts. Not too many odd man rushes. All the stuff I have been saying for a while. It wasn't the coach this time. For the first time in a long time, this team had a solid coach and he was run out. I expect it to get worse before it get's better. 09 meltdown anyone?

[JMMR]

Jaques Martin is a pretty good candidate. He took a mediocre team with a few good players and had them play together supporting their goalie. They always had achance to win. Very few blowouts. Not too many odd man rushes. All the stuff I have been saying for a while. It wasn't the coach this time. For the first time in a long time, this team had a solid coach and he was run out. I expect it to get worse before it get's better. 09 meltdown anyone?

I told everyone to be careful what they wished for.

I underrated people thought his shtick had expired but clearly it had not.

[Colin]

I told everyone to be careful what they wished for.

I underrated people thought his shtick had expired but clearly it had not.

The players had given up on him. They all but admitted it themselves. Like it or not, it's the way it is. We could have kept him for the remainder of the season and I doubt highly things would be any different today.

[Mullerhab]

I don't need to pick because as far as I'm concerned Mr.Randy Cunnyworth is a valuable asset for this team. I'm so disgusted regarding this treatment he is receiving from the french press. They should embrace this man and back him up and give him full suppert. Mark my words Randy will have an NHL coaching job next season. As for all you who have not supported Mr. Randy Cunnyworth I say SHAME ON YOU !

[Commandant]

The players had given up on him. They all but admitted it themselves. Like it or not, it's the way it is. We could have kept him for the remainder of the season and I doubt highly things would be any different today.

If they had given up on Martin.... what have they done the last three games?

The only game they were competitive in for Cunneyworth was the Jersey game. Boston wiped the floor with us, even if it was a 1 goal game.

For Martin, we had points in 6 of his last 7 games.

There has been a lot more quit now; than there was then.

[hab29RETIRED]

Those were extremely ugly points. This team had given up on Martin, he needed to go. The problem was with the way the reaction to Cunneyworth's promotion was handled.

If they had given up on Martin.... what have they done the last three games?

The only game they were competitive in for Cunneyworth was the Jersey game. Boston wiped the floor with us, even if it was a 1 goal game.

For Martin, we had points in 6 of his last 7 games.

There has been a lot more quit now; than there was then.

[BlueKross]

Those were extremely ugly points. This team had given up on Martin, he needed to go. The problem was with the way the reaction to Cunneyworth's promotion was handled.

The french media is an embarrassment to the Montreal Canadien and all of Canada. Have you any idea how much damage they have caused? You can kiss any free agents possibly coming this way good-bye. You can pretty well assure yourself that you will have a real short list of coaching candidates what ever roll you want to fill. When you treat people the way Cunneyworth has been treated you shall be justly rewarded in kind.

[KamalPanesar]

Honestly people, the focus should be on a new GM and not a coach. I think the chances of PG still being around at the end of the year are slim to none. Moreover, I think there's a chance he might not even be around for trade deadline day.

That said, if/when he is jettisoned, finding the right GM becomes the priority. You can't worry about hiring a coach and then a GM after. That is ass-backward. You need a new GM in place and he has to pick his targets.

[Habsy]

Martin had to go, I'm surprised some are still debating it. He's gone, and it's not because he's a bad coach. It's just the way it works in North American pro sports. I suppose be careful what you wished for comments will continue for a few weeks. I never wished it, but have no problem with it.

[Commandant]

Those were extremely ugly points. This team had given up on Martin, he needed to go. The problem was with the way the reaction to Cunneyworth's promotion was handled.

Compared to what we've seen this week? Those were downright beautiful.

Some People in the french media are an embarrassment to the Montreal Canadiens and all of Canada. Have you any idea how much damage they have caused? You can kiss any free agents possibly coming this way good-bye. You can pretty well assure yourself that you will have a real short list of coaching candidates what ever roll you want to fill. When you treat people the way Cunneyworth has been treated you shall be justly rewarded in kind.

Fixed that for you.

There are extremists in the media. The problem is the extremists rise above the crowd and shout the loudest, so they are all the outside world hears.

Unfortunately for us... the perception becomes that the entire population holds the views of the extremists, and yes... it hurts for bringing in new people.

[Willey101]

Honestly people, the focus should be on a new GM and not a coach. I think the chances of PG still being around at the end of the year are slim to none. Moreover, I think there's a chance he might not even be around for trade deadline day.

That said, if/when he is jettisoned, finding the right GM becomes the priority. You can't worry about hiring a coach and then a GM after. That is ass-backward. You need a new GM in place and he has to pick his targets.

A new GM has to be in the cards because there is no way a new coach is appointed until we know the GM position is stable. Each GM has their go to go. But what is wrong with people clamoring for Serge savard? This guy has not been in hockey since when?

[hab29RETIRED]

Points from Blowing leads to depleted teams or bottom feeders is hardly a sign of better performances. Cunneywoth lost to the hottest team in hockey that is firing on all cylinders and an improving devils team, a clearly superior hawks team before last nights fiasco. He also was kicked in the balls by the owner.

Martin had to go, the team was really not responding and the way they were getting points did not look like a team that had any business being in the playoffs.

bottom

Compared to what we've seen this week? Those were downright beautiful.

Fixed that for you.

There are extremists in the media. The problem is the extremists rise above the crowd and shout the loudest, so they are all the outside world hears.

Unfortunately for us... the perception becomes that the entire population holds the views of the extremists, and yes... it hurts for bringing in new people.

[Commandant]

Martin got a point against the Stanley Cup finalists and lost by one goal to what was then the hottest team in Hockey in Philadelphia, who was first in the East and had won 7 in a row at the time.

At no point was Martin ever blown out by 4 goals, never mind back to back nights.

And the only time his team went 0-5-0 was in October 2009

There is no way you can tell me we haven't played worse this week than we have all season.

[Colin]

Martin got a point against the Stanley Cup finalists and lost by one goal to what was then the hottest team in Hockey in Philadelphia, who was first in the East and had won 7 in a row at the time.

At no point was Martin ever blown out by 4 goals, never mind back to back nights.

And the only time his team went 0-5-0 was in October 2009

There is no way you can tell me we haven't played worse this week than we have all season.

Their play was trending in this direction. They would have got here under Martin sooner rather than later.

[Habsy]

Martin got a point against the Stanley Cup finalists and lost by one goal to what was then the hottest team in Hockey in Philadelphia, who was first in the East and had won 7 in a row at the time.

At no point was Martin ever blown out by 4 goals, never mind back to back nights.

And the only time his team went 0-5-0 was in October 2009

There is no way you can tell me we haven't played worse this week than we have all season.

And this week, we lost by 1 goal to the Champs, and were in the Chicago game through 2 periods. Cunneyworth needs time. Seems we might have even more problems anyway.

[Chris]

I was actually thinking thinking od maybe Crawford as head coach, maybe Roy and someone else as assistance.

I like Crawfords style, he is a little more traditional with a gritty tough 4th line, a checking line and 2 scoring lines.

From what i remeber of him he was pretty fiery and demading.

[Commandant]

crawford made the single worst coaching decision in the history of sports, and i'll never forgive him for it.

Their play was trending in this direction. They would have got here under Martin sooner rather than later.

Revisionist history at best.

The team started off 1-5-2 and was still above 500 when Martin was fired.... I'd say the trend was going the other way.

[hab29RETIRED]

Getting loser points after blowing 3-0 leads is trending more towards Columbus then a playoff team. Even the players said a change was needed.

The big difference was Martin was fired rather then bring kicked in the nuts by the owner AND expected to continue coaching.

crawford made the single worst coaching decision in the history of sports, and i'll never forgive him for it.

Revisionist history at best.

The team started off 1-5-2 and was still above 500 when Martin was fired.... I'd say the trend was going the other way.

[Commandant]

The players can pay lip service to the change all they want... it clearly isn't working.

And 9 pts in his last 7 games isn't trending towards columbus... quite the opposite.

[Habsy]

If Martin is a good coach, and I believe he is, he'll get another chance. And his couple of fans can cheer for him then. Sadly, the players seen to have decided. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

[Trizzak]

Their play was trending in this direction. They would have got here under Martin sooner rather than later.

Horsefeathers.

This is a team reacting to having a lame duck coach, a halfway out the door GM and a meddlesome owner. It was the exact opposite of what management wanted from Martin being fired, because up until the moment Martin was fired, the organization had at least a semblance of stability.

Now it's a shitstorm, and the on-ice product is mirroring that.

[brobin]

The solution to our woes is very simple. Move the Yotes to Quebec. The french media will instantly hate the Habs and since they won't like them anyway, the Habs can move forward as a team and give the "we need french coaches and players" type the finger.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I think the Martin firing was probably inevitable given Gorges's claim that half the guys weren't buying in. That being said, the team was hanging in there and the timing seemed premature to me. The sensible thing to do would have been to give him a few games with the veteran offensive defenceman (Kaberle) he'd been clamouring for since October. That and the fact that they chose to install Cunneyworth on a game day at home, denying him any time to prep the team - plus Gauthier's pained press conference - tends to support the theory that this was an ownership move.

Anyway, it's spilled milk and as I say, Martin was likely on a deathwatch one way or the other. What the disasters of the past week arguably show is that JM was NOT the evil demon at the root of all the habs' problems, which was the delusion that the JM haters had worked themselves into. But like I say - spilled milk.