MOLSON TALKS HABS
Focus on player development
For some time, one of the recurring criticisms of the Montreal Canadiens is that the team doesn’t do a good job of developing its players, and team president Geoff Molson admitted it’s a problem area.
“It’s a part of the organization that’s very important for us, particularly right now, given that we have so many picks in the draft this year,” Molson said during an interview Thursday after a news conference announcing that Bell was inking a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Francos de Montréal.
The French-language festival is run by L’Équipe Spectra, which is owned by the Canadiens.
“So we have to make sure we have a system of development that’s solid,” said Molson. “We’re looking all over the organization and that’s one department (development) that we identified as a place that could be improved.”
The Canadiens’ development team has undergone significant changes since the end of the season. Laval Rocket coach Sylvain Lefebvre was fired and, on Thursday, the Canadiens announced that Joël Bouchard will replace Lefebvre as coach of the team’s American Hockey League affiliate. Bouchard was head coach, president, general manager and part owner of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, a team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. In addition, Larry Carrière was relieved of his duties as GM of the Laval Rocket and named head of player personnel for the AHL team.
“(Bouchard) has worked a lot with young hockey players and he has lots of experience in junior hockey,” said Molson. “He also has a reputation as a winner. So I hope he can bring a lot to the team in Laval.”
Another of the new faces to join the Canadiens’ organization in recent weeks is Dominique Ducharme, who was named assistant coach of the Habs.
“Once again, it’s someone with a new way of thinking,” said Molson. “He’s a coach who comes in with a different perspective and I think that’s something we needed. To bring people who come with other kinds of ideas that can help us on the ice.”
Molson said the team is happy to promote Québécois coaching talent, underlining that the province has always had plenty of strong coaches.
“Their good luck is merited,” said Molson. “We’re lucky to have coaches in Quebec who are ready for the National Hockey League . ... If you look back in the past, we’ve had some excellent coaches from Montreal and this province. If we think of Pat Burns, (Michel) Therrien, (Claude) Julien, (Alain) Vigneault. There are lots. They started here and then had good careers in the National Hockey League.”
Following a disappointing season, Molson had promised that there would be big changes coming for the team, on and off the ice, and that’s exactly what’s happening. He also hinted there will probably be more moves in the coming weeks.
“It’s (Canadiens GM) Marc (Bergevin) who decides, but I work alongside him on all these decisions,” said Molson. “We talk about how we can improve the team and up until now, I’ve supported all his choices and there will probably be more changes coming this spring.”
He noted that there are hirings coming, in Montreal and in Laval. He said things are finally moving in the right direction.
“I think slowly but surely we’re bringing back some hope to our fans,” said Molson. “Because that’s the most important thing and they’re the people that keep us motivated. We’re making changes. The next step is the (NHL entry) draft and this is a big draft for us because we have five choices in the first two rounds.”
Molson also weighed in on the controversy surrounding the Habs’ Twitter account. Last week, the Canadiens posted a tweet making fun of Boston Bruins star forward Brad Marchand and his propensity for licking his opponents. Marchand fired back an angry tweet and the whole affair turned into an embarrassment for the Canadiens’ social-media team.
Molson said one of his messages at the end of the season was that they had to improve their communications strategy.
“(Social media) is just one part of our communications strategy,” said Molson. “For sure on social media, we want to be a little edgier, a little younger, and sometimes we are going to step over the limits (of good taste). And I think we had a situation where we went over the limits in terms of respect. So we have to look in the mirror and make sure we respect the limits when we work on social-media networks.”
He said he didn’t find the Marchand tweet funny.
“I’m not someone who likes criticizing a player from another team,” said Molson. “That’s not our style. With hindsight, I don’t think we should’ve done that.”
On Wednesday, Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs threw cold water on the notion of an NHL team in Quebec City, saying “Quebec is challenged, OK, I’m going to put it nicely. They’re challenged. Look at the income base and the population base, and there probably isn’t a smaller market, so they’re going to really have to distinguish themselves in some other way.”
Molson doesn’t share Jacobs’ view.
“I’ve always said that if the National Hockey League comes with a presentation that recommends that Quebec have a team, I’ll support that,” said Molson. “I won’t stop saying that.”
I think slowly but surely we’re bringing back some hope to our fans. Because that’s the most important thing and they’re the people that keep us motivated. GEOFF MOLSON, Montreal Canadiens president