100 Anniversary

[Topgun19]

Very interesting article.... I wonder who the 3 will be.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story.asp?ID=138636&hubName=nhl

[Edited on 2005/10/3 by High&Inside]

[revvvrob]

I'm guessing 19, 29, 33 - and if 29 shouldn't be there, then I'd have to pick between 18, 23. would Bob do 23???

[BTH]

A couple of years ago I heard we'd host the Draft and All-Star game in 2008 thanks to the anniversary.

I say

#05 Bernie Geoffrion

#12 Yvan Cournoyer

#19 Larry Robinson

Honourable Mention:

#06 Toe Blake

#20 Pete Mahovlich

#22 Steve Shutt

#23 Bob Gainey

#29 Ken Dryden

#33 Patrick Roy

[Edited on 2005/10/3 by Bulis_the_Habbie]

[revvvrob]

I say

#19Larry Robinson

#12Yvan Cournoyer

#5 Bernie Geoffrion

Honourable Mention:

#20 Pete Mahovlich

#22 Steve Shutt

I could see 12 and 5 happening, but 5 is sooooo much the past, i doubt it. And 12 is possible as the C of the great habs run in the late 70s - although he would be more of a sentimental choice than deserving.

But i definitely disagree with 22 and 20 - no way Mahovlich gets in - not even close - and i'm still not sure why 22 is even in the Hall of Fame! Shutt was a very good player, but i wish the Hall only had the best, not the very good.

I still say Dryden & Roy have a better chance than Shutt, Geoffrion & Cournoyer - heck even Savard & Gainey have more of a shot than Mahovlich!

It's time to honor the teams of the 70s - it will be done.

[Edited on 2005/10/3 by revvvrob]

[BTH]

I edited my post before yours.

Anyway, Steve Shutt had a 60 goal season in 1976-77. That was the record for a LW until Luc Robitaille came along and potted 63. He won 5 Stanley Cups with Montreal. Retired with 424 goals and 817 points in 930 games. Scored 50 playoff goals including 9G, 17P in one year. 9 35+ goal seasons. 4 45+ goal seasons.

Mahovlich set a record for a Center with 117 points in a season while playing on a line with Lafleur and (guess who!?) Steve Shutt. Holds Canadiens records for Most Assists and Most Assists by a Center. 773 points in 884 games. 5 35+ goal seasons. 9 35+ assist seasons including one with 82. 2 100+ point seasons. I consider Pete better than Frank.

These are some of their feats. It's true that there are guys who deserve it more and that's why they are only honourable mentions.

EDIT: And what's wrong with Larry Robinson?

[Edited on 2005/10/3 by Bulis_the_Habbie]

[Brett38]

My pick would be #19...Larry Robinson

and # 12...Yvon Cournoyer and...I think Elmer Lach???

There are others with strong cosideration...#5(Geoffrion), #22(Shutt), #33(Roy), #20(P Mahovolich), #23(none other then Bob himself)...and about a dozen others...ha!

[Roo-AH! Roo-AH!]

The Habs must have higher standards than other teams. Think on the numbers they've already retired...Lafleur, Beliveau, Richard, Harvey...these are *all time greats* in the history of the game. Neither Roadrunner nor Shutt are such transcendent hockey greats as to warrant their numbers' retirement by this franchise. The same could be said of Gainey, Mahovlich, and perhaps even Savard (although anywhere else, of course, these guys'd be no-brainers).

#19 is a shoo-in, though.

Elmer Lach should be there, too. A Hart Trophy, scoring titles, Cups...this guy was a major, major force in Habs history. (Except that I can't remember his number!!

That leaves one more opening. It should be #33---not only was Roy perhaps the greatest goalie of his era, and and a true giant in Habs history, but bringing him back would represent final forgiveness and closure on the terrible Houle era, the greatest sin of which was Roy's unceremonious expulsion.

But something tells me it'll be #29. And that'd be OK too.

[Edited on 2005/10/3 by Roo-AH! Roo-AH!]

[shortcat1]

Originally posted by Roo-AH! Roo-AH!

Elmer Lach should be there, too. A Hart Trophy, scoring titles, Cups...this guy was a major, major force in Habs history. (Except that I can't remember his number!!

[Edited on 2005/10/3 by Roo-AH! Roo-AH!]

# 16.

[BTH]

If we're only going for the elite it would be Roy, Dryden (not a fan of his) and then there are Toe Blake and Elmer Lach. I think Blake has the edge over Lach since he was a renowned captain and was THE player before The Rocket came along, even above Lach. Although they did play together on the Punch Line.

[simonus]

dryden will have difficulty getting his number retired because of the whole maple leafs thing, but he is one of the more impressive men to wear the CH, both on and off the ice.

[BTH]

Originally posted by simonus

dryden will have difficulty getting his number retired because of the whole maple leafs thing, but he is one of the more impressive men to wear the CH, both on and off the ice.

Also he didn't play with the Habs for that long. But guys like Plante and Lafleur also played a couple of seasons on other teams.

By the way, I think on some NHL teams Koivu might even have a shot at being retired. Not because of pure talent and goals but because of his long Captaincy, overcoming cancer, bill masterton, charity donations and the McDonalds Foundation and the Saku Koivu FOundation among other things like great dedication and sportsmanship. Some managements would think these count more then goals and assists. And besides, he's a good player too. If he can put up an 80 point season or two, I think he could have done it with another team. But like it has been said, the Habs are legendary and only take the elite. Even Shutt, Mahovlich, Gainey and Savard aren't at that level. Like I said, on the right team he could make it. Assuming his stats improve just slightly for his final seasons. After all, he is in his prime.

[GOHABSGO22]

Robinson, cournoyer/moore, and Roy this year but I think the three others since they will retire one number a year until the 100th year in 2009 will be Gainey, Dryden, and Shutt. Geoffrion will never have his number retired because he took the scoring title away from Richard.

[Colin]

Not in this order, but these are the numbers I see hitting the roof over the next few years, among others:

12, 18, 19, 23, 29

[GOHABSGO22]

Who is #18?

[Colin]

18 is Serge Savard. And while some might consider that an odd choice, particularly with his after-NHL exploits, the simple fact remains that, with Robinson and Lapointe, he made up the best defensive trio to ever play the game - and he was stellar.

Oh, and he invented the Savardian-spin-o-rama... Though few realize that, attributing it instead to Denis.