Calling Out Carbonneau

Begin Rant 

As I look back on the season that was for the Montreal Canadiens, I can’t help but wonder what was running through the mind of Guy Carbonneau.

From some questionable calls with public relations and media management to some downright horrendous roster moves, Carbonneau left a lot of Canadiens fans wondering exactly what was going on with the team this season.

I know, who am I to question one of the greatest defensive forwards in the history of the NHL, but there were times when I just had to shake my head. 
As written by Mike Boone, here is a classic example from back in January:

In Pat Hickey’s story on The Embarrassment, Canadiens’ coach Guy Carbonneau says:

“We weren’t willing to make sacrifices. We knew they were going to pressure us and our veteran guys who should know how to handle that situation didn’t do the job. If you can’t handle the pressure now, how can you expect to handle it in April or June?”

Hands up everyone in Habs Nation who thinks this team will be playing anything but golf and softball in June.

Low and behold, the Habs are out of the playoffs once again…

Back in September of 2000 when the Dallas Stars were courting Carbonneau as an assistant coach, the Edmonton Journal printed the following quote from Ken Hitchcock on Guy’s decision to go back to Montreal.

“They came at him really hard. That’s a heckuva opportunity right out of playing. He’s close to the junior teams (in Montreal). Close to his family home. Everything is right there,” said Hitchcock. “And he’s like Kevin (Lowe). He has a brilliant hockey mind.” 

As a Habs fan from the time I was old enough to skate, it sickens me to think that “my team” is actually getting worse and worse under the guidance of one of my childhood heroes and a proclaimed “brilliant hockey mind”. Just when I think that things can’t get any worse, they inevitably do and I feel one more kick to the groin as the Canadiens fail to make the playoffs in 2007.

I can understand Carbonneau wanting to put his stamp on the team and let the players know who the boss is, but I do question some of his decisions to take issues to the media.  In my humble opinion, there was no need to drag the Samsonov issue out in the media.

Sure Samsonov sucked big time this year, but that is the chance you take when you sign a semi-star in the off season.  Even after a lackluster performance, Samsonov would have been a lot more valuable to another team coming down to the deadline if he hadn’t been slaughtered in the media.

That brings me to my final point.

How does Craig Rivet go from being a healthy scratch in Montreal under the guidance of Guy Carbonneau to quarterbacking the power play and delivering what has been a superior overall playoff performance for the Sharks thus far? 

At least I can take refuge in the fact that the Leafs choked as well, failing to make the post season.  I wonder what CBC Television will do without Leaf games to show? 

Anyone else think that CBC should take their Leaf-loving programming bias and shove it?

End rant.