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2025 Draft

Ironically enough Gainey was trying to sell the farm to get 1OA to draft MA Fleury…

In hindsight it should’ve not even been a surprise when they went with a G in 2005 draft - Gainey was a firm believer in build from G out

Habs org strategic turning points:

- naming bowling alley manager as GM in 1978 screwed the 80s teams

- Savard forgoes former Soviets in late 80s screwed the org for next 15-yrs

- 2003 draft screwed the org for next 15-yrs

- 2005 Price selection saved the org from present Sabres conundrum

Last 47yrs in a nutshell

Grundman was bad for sure but he did draft Naslund, our last 100 point man, and one could argue not taking Bossy in 1977 was as big a mistake as naming Grundman

Savard while true, was at least a successful GM and won our last two cups, without him, we are at 46 years and counting. We overreacted by firing him 4 games into the 1995 season.

2003, yes for sure, taking the Belarussian with epilepsy and a bad back over Carter/Getzlaf was mentally ridiculous.

2005 Price, yes although Rolex will go to his grave wearing his Ulysse Nardin watch claiming we should have taken the Slovenian.
 
Grundman was bad for sure but he did draft Naslund, our last 100 point man, and one could argue not taking Bossy in 1977 was as big a mistake as naming Grundman

Savard while true, was at least a successful GM and won our last two cups, without him, we are at 46 years and counting. We overreacted by firing him 4 games into the 1995 season.

2003, yes for sure, taking the Belarussian with epilepsy and a bad back over Carter/Getzlaf was mentally ridiculous.

2005 Price, yes although Rolex will go to his grave wearing his Ulysse Nardin watch claiming we should have taken the Slovenian.
And he might be right. Great no. 1 centers are harder to find than good goalies. Sure we wouldn’t have had Price but we might have had a better team overall. At least we passed on Gilbert Brule that draft.
 
And he might be right. Great no. 1 centers are harder to find than good goalies. Sure we wouldn’t have had Price but we might have had a better team overall. At least we passed on Gilbert Brule that draft.
it is at least an argument to which I will listen
 
And he might be right. Great no. 1 centers are harder to find than good goalies. Sure we wouldn’t have had Price but we might have had a better team overall. At least we passed on Gilbert Brule that draft.
Even Doug MacLean on our weekly show said he fucked up with Brule and had him rated over Kopitar
 
Grundman was bad for sure but he did draft Naslund, our last 100 point man, and one could argue not taking Bossy in 1977 was as big a mistake as naming Grundman

Savard while true, was at least a successful GM and won our last two cups, without him, we are at 46 years and counting. We overreacted by firing him 4 games into the 1995 season.

2003, yes for sure, taking the Belarussian with epilepsy and a bad back over Carter/Getzlaf was mentally ridiculous.

2005 Price, yes although Rolex will go to his grave wearing his Ulysse Nardin watch claiming we should have taken the Slovenian.
Savard might have missed on the fall on Soviet Union, and had a terrible track record on 1st round picks, but the pipeline was generally solid, and he had a solid track record for trades, and wasn't afraid to make a splash, except for 2 big ones. Overall the team was in good shape when he left.
 
But then we would have been deprived of Baldy's most politically incorrect statement ever. If he said that today, he'd 100% be fired from all mainstream media within a couple of days, even though it was very mildly offensive, if at all.
2 days? hell today he would be gone by the time the next pick was announced
 
For the benefit of those who don't recall, Baldy "infamously" said at the time that the Habs' drafting of Price was "off the reservation." Price is a native-Canadian. He apparently called Price the day after to apologize. Price didn't give a crap about it apparently (the statement, not the apology).
 
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Savard might have missed on the fall on Soviet Union, and had a terrible track record on 1st round picks, but the pipeline was generally solid, and he had a solid track record for trades, and wasn't afraid to make a splash, except for 2 big ones. Overall the team was in good shape when he left.
Needs to factor in Savard operated in an era where players had zero autonomy and 30% of the teams were bottom dwellers after game 1 of the season and still couldn’t draft / trade for a single top-20 point producer
 
Grundman was bad for sure but he did draft Naslund, our last 100 point man, and one could argue not taking Bossy in 1977 was as big a mistake as naming Grundman

Savard while true, was at least a successful GM and won our last two cups, without him, we are at 46 years and counting. We overreacted by firing him 4 games into the 1995 season.

2003, yes for sure, taking the Belarussian with epilepsy and a bad back over Carter/Getzlaf was mentally ridiculous.

2005 Price, yes although Rolex will go to his grave wearing his Ulysse Nardin watch claiming we should have taken the Slovenian.
And Chelios… but he & Pollock told Messier’s old man his son would never make it as an NHLer
 
For the benefit of those who don't recall, Baldy "infamously" said at the time that the Habs' drafting of Price was "off the reservation." Price is a native-Canadian. He apparently called Price the day after to apologize. Price didn't give a crap about it apparently (the statement, not the apology).

Subban doesn't play the white way is still worse
 
For the benefit of those who don't recall, Baldy "infamously" said at the time that the Habs' drafting of Price was "off the reservation." Price is a native-Canadian. He apparently called Price the day after to apologize. Price didn't give a crap about it apparently (the statement, not the apology).
McGuire stated right after his initial “off reservation” Price wasn’t the Habs need as a “1C (Kopitar) or top pairing D (Marc Staal)” was..
 
Needs to factor in Savard operated in an era where players had zero autonomy and 30% of the teams were bottom dwellers after game 1 of the season and still couldn’t draft / trade for a single top-20 point producer
He operated in the era he was active in, players had to be acquired by draft or trades and there was strong dynasties to compete against.

Acquiring top 20 points producers was never part of the team philosophy, especially with Lemaire as a strong influence. Team had to be defensively strong and tough. Pretty much all players were defensively responsible. But the team was generally top 10 in offense, and had a strong center line. He had some big keys trades to get guys like Smith, Muller, Damphousse, Bellows, Turgeon.
 
For the benefit of those who don't recall, Baldy "infamously" said at the time that the Habs' drafting of Price was "off the reservation." Price is a native-Canadian. He apparently called Price the day after to apologize. Price didn't give a crap about it apparently (the statement, not the apology).
Baldy's even bigger gaffe that day wasn't the reservation bit, it was the fact that he contradicted himself.

Before the drafting started, Gord Miller asked if teams should be drafting for positional need or just taking the BPA. Baldy said that you should always take the BPA because aside from Crosby the player you draft probably won't be in the NHL for 2 or 3 years at least and in that time positional needs can change.

Then, when the Habs took Price, Baldy was incredulous. "Why are they drafting a goalie? They already have Theodore! They NEED a defenseman!"
 
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Baldy's even bigger gaffe that day wasn't the reservation bit, it was the fact that he contradicted himself.

Before the drafting started, Gord Miller asked if teams should be drafting for positional need or just taking the BPA. Baldy said that you should always take the BPA because aside from Crosby the player you draft probably won't be in the NHL for 2 or 3 years at least and in that time positional needs can change.

Then, when the Habs took Price, Baldy was incredulous. "Why are they drafting a goalie? They already have Theodore! The NEED a defenseman!"
And ppl thought this guy was gonna be Habs GM
 
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