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Québec rivalry


ch_nl

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I was surfing TSN and the history of some players when I came up with Eric Lindros and that horrible trade for the Flyers that sent Ron Hextall, Peter Forsberg, Steve Duchesne, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, Jocelyn Thibault and Nolan Baumgartner to Quebec.

That trade maybe won the Avalanche their Cups later...

Anyway. Mats Sundin and Wendel Clark has both played for the Nordiques. And both are recognized as huge Leafs profiles. And as a Canadiens fan I don't much over for the Leafs (even if my personal hero is Leafs legend Börje Salming).

But the Nords left the NHL before the Internet-boom and I have never really tought about the Quebec rivalry. What was it like? Like two brothers? Was the Nordiques never a threat? Is Mats Sundin a more respected player in Quebec because of his time with the Nordiques?

What was it like?

Edit: Qubec = Québec:que:

[Edited on 2005-10-29 by sakiqc]

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I'm from Quebec City, but I'm a Habs fan. I was in Elementary school in the 80's at the height of the Habs-Nords rivalry.

How was it? I'd get pick on at school and into fights about every week. I had "friends" in my street who would turn on me for months if the Habs beat the Nords. I remember in the late 80's, I was about 10 or 11 yrs old and I went to a game at the Colisee de Quebec for a Habs-Nords game and during the intermission grown men (Nords fans) would try to intimidate me and I got beer poured on me.

Habs fan hated Dale Hunter and Nords fans hated Mario Tremblay worse than we hate Domi & Tucker now. There was a real rivalry between Carbo & Statsny, both guys would spend games in each other's shadow.

If you want to compare it to something, look outside any North-American sports. It was such a rivalry and there was so much hatred that I would compare it to some soccer rivalries in UK or Europe.

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Originally posted by ap79

I'm from Quebec City, but I'm a Habs fan. I was in Elementary school in the 80's at the height of the Habs-Nords rivalry.

How was it? I'd get pick on at school and into fights about every week. I had "friends" in my street who would turn on me for months if the Habs beat the Nords. I remember in the late 80's, I was about 10 or 11 yrs old and I went to a game at the Colisee de Quebec for a Habs-Nords game and during the intermission grown men (Nords fans) would try to intimidate me and I got beer poured on me.

Habs fan hated Dale Hunter and Nords fans hated Mario Tremblay worse than we hate Domi & Tucker now. There was a real rivalry between Carbo & Statsny, both guys would spend games in each other's shadow.

If you want to compare it to something, look outside any North-American sports. It was such a rivalry and there was so much hatred that I would compare it to some soccer rivalries in UK or Europe.

You've got it bang on, ap, bang on! :clap::clap::clap:

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Definitely the most physical rivalry in the NHL. Lots of fighting.

Where I grew up we had a couple of french schools, and we did not get along with them very well. I'm sure they were all nordique fans.

We need to pick you a new hero. How about Mats Naslund? :)

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The rivalry was very intense, as much as any in the league. To answer one part of your question... the Nordiques were a valid threat, particularly in the early/mid 80s. They ousted the Habs from the playoffs once or twice, if I'm not mistaken. Even when they declined, they were always up for the games against the Habs, and were tough to handle.

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http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_...32/ai_110458303

It should be noted that the rivalry had political connotations that most other rivalries in North America simply do not have. In this sense, Montreal-Quebec was, as noted above, more like a European soccer rivalry than the typical NHL rivalry.

There was also an economic side to the rivalry, as rival breweries owned the teams. Molson owned Montreal, Carling O'Keefe owned Quebec; then in 1987, Molson bought out Carling O'Keefe, which I'm sure went over very well in Quebec City (I was 5 at the time, I don't actually remember).

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDCC-1-41-1639-1135...orts/nhlexodus/

(Listen to "The Battle of Quebec")

By far the most intense rivalry in the history of North American sports.

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We should not forget the incident known as the "Good friday massacre", when the ice turned into a war zone during a bench clearing brawl during a Nords-Habs game in the mid-80s. God, I hated those Nordiques:)

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Originally posted by ch_nl

Then it's quite sad that they're not around anymore.

Indeed it is. It was the best hockey rivalry I have ever known. Habs-Bruins or Habs-Leafs doesn't really come close.

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Habs-Leafs hasn't been a proper rivalry since the 1960s. They couldn't touch us in the 1970s (late 70s Leafs = THE most overrated team in NHL history), and then we weren't even in the same conference for like 20 years. Maybe it heats up again now.

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Originally posted by option+

Habs-Leafs hasn't been a proper rivalry since the 1960s. They couldn't touch us in the 1970s (late 70s Leafs = THE most overrated team in NHL history), and then we weren't even in the same conference for like 20 years. Maybe it heats up again now.

I think so -- it was Habs/Bruins when I was a kid in the 70s, then Habs/Nordique, but now the Habs/Leaf rivalry seems to be getting much more intense!

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Originally posted by JeanLucPilon
Originally posted by option+

Habs-Leafs hasn't been a proper rivalry since the 1960s. They couldn't touch us in the 1970s (late 70s Leafs = THE most overrated team in NHL history), and then we weren't even in the same conference for like 20 years. Maybe it heats up again now.

I think so -- it was Habs/Bruins when I was a kid in the 70s, then Habs/Nordique, but now the Habs/Leaf rivalry seems to be getting much more intense!

don't you have to be in the same league (not NHL, but level of competition) to have a rivalry? back in '93 the laff fans were all eager to get at the habs. that would have made a great final, eh?

who wants to watch a sweep? honestly.

even now, (i know they're "ahead" in the "ratings" and all), but do you really find that they can match us?

koivu or sundin? belfour or théodore? sorry, ran out of crappy laff names to compare against our superstars.

if you want to see a rivalry, bring back quebec. that would be so friggin' nasty!

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Originally posted by option+

Habs-Leafs hasn't been a proper rivalry since the 1960s. They couldn't touch us in the 1970s (late 70s Leafs = THE most overrated team in NHL history), and then we weren't even in the same conference for like 20 years. Maybe it heats up again now.

Makes me wonder, if the TSN was around back then, late 70's, how would they have rated Sittler and his inept bunch vs the all mighty Habs?

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Originally posted by johnnyhasbeen
Originally posted by option+

Habs-Leafs hasn't been a proper rivalry since the 1960s. They couldn't touch us in the 1970s (late 70s Leafs = THE most overrated team in NHL history), and then we weren't even in the same conference for like 20 years. Maybe it heats up again now.

Makes me wonder, if the TSN was around back then, late 70's, how would they have rated Sittler and his inept bunch vs the all mighty Habs?

From TSN.ca (1978)

"Palmeteer makes Dryden look like just another fat lawyer"

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It is such a shame that the Nordiques have moved. The Battle of Quebec in the 80's was intense. All kinds of fights and the occasional bench-clearing brawl;ahh...the good old days. I despise Dale Hunter to this day, even though the Hunters are hockey royalty in this part of Ontario. In spite of this, I must say that for me and I believe most habs fans in thier 30's or 40's, our most hated rival is the Boston Bruins. All those playoff battles in the 70's and 80's were absolute blood-sport action. Now that the goofy Leafs are in our division, this rivalry is heating up. But until we meet in the playoffs a couple of times, I don't feel it will really match the intensity of the habs/Bruin hatred, for me anyway. I'm not sure if the younger fella's on this site realize that the Habs vs Bruins was a rite of spring normally, in the old Adams division.:hlogo:

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Originally posted by Rooster

We should not forget the incident known as the "Good friday massacre", when the ice turned into a war zone during a bench clearing brawl during a Nords-Habs game in the mid-80s. God, I hated those Nordiques:)

Louie #$@?!!& Sleigher....I remember when he played for the F'ton Express, which was the Nords farm team at the time (formerly coached by Jacques Demers BTW). I had season tickets and cheered for the Express, but as soon as they went to Quebec they were part of the enemy.

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Originally posted by GuyRock70

It is such a shame that the Nordiques have moved. The Battle of Quebec in the 80's was intense. All kinds of fights and the occasional bench-clearing brawl;ahh...the good old days. I despise Dale Hunter to this day, even though the Hunters are hockey royalty in this part of Ontario. In spite of this, I must say that for me and I believe most Habs fans in thier 30's or 40's, our most hated rival is the Boston Bruins. All those playoff battles in the 70's and 80's were absolute blood-sport action. Now that the goofy Leafs are in our division, this rivalry is heating up. But until we meet in the playoffs a couple of times, I don't feel it will really match the intensity of the habs/Bruin hatred, for me anyway. I'm not sure if the younger fella's on this site realize that the Habs vs Bruins was a rite of spring normally, in the old Adams division.:hlogo:

You said it...the leafs were like a doormat until the 90's. I don't remember meeting a leaf fan (at least one who would admit it) until I went to university.

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My first memory of Habs-Bruins was in 1988, when Boston finally beat us once and they acted like they won the Stanley Cup.

Even now, I think our best rivalry is with Boston (I think Kyle MacLaren took care of that). I know I can't stand 'em - especially "Big Overrated" Joe Thornton, considering all the cheap shots he's taken on our guys over the past 3 years. I have a lot of friends from New England and I can tell you that they aren't too fond of us, either, especially one Mike Ribeiro. :)

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Originally posted by johnnyhasbeen
Originally posted by option+

Habs-Leafs hasn't been a proper rivalry since the 1960s. They couldn't touch us in the 1970s (late 70s Leafs = THE most overrated team in NHL history), and then we weren't even in the same conference for like 20 years. Maybe it heats up again now.

Makes me wonder, if the TSN was around back then, late 70's, how would they have rated Sittler and his inept bunch vs the all mighty Habs?

Well, look at ESPN classic. It swear that they show that Game 7 vs. the Islanders in '78 when Lanny MacDonald scored in OT at least once a week. They even use it on their ads!

And you guys laugh, but I know Leafs fans who to this day claim that Palmateer was better than Dryden. "Palmateer would have won all those Cups if he has that D in front of him." I kid you not, people actually believe this (are we really surprised?).

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Originally posted by option+

And you guys laugh, but I know Leafs fans who to this day claim that Palmateer was better than Dryden. "Palmateer would have won all those Cups if he has that D in front of him." I kid you not, people actually believe this (are we really surprised?).

:mad:You lads better stop with repeating all this funny talk... People say all sorts of stupid things.

Sure, Palmateer probably could have won a cup in the seventies playing for the habs, but it wouldn't have been six and he'd have been playing backup to Bunny. The only way you can really compare Palmateer to Dryden is by how you feel: the stats are just too overwhelming.

Bruins by a long shot for current rival. You can walk around Toronto and get some respect from laff fans because they don't remember the last time we spanked them in the playoffs.

For the bruins fans, though, getting spanked is a steadily recurring reality. :lol:

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