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Our Second contestant for “The Next Great Habs Writer” Mike |
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EK’s Note: I have been getting some great submissions from everyone and if you would like to get involved, send me a article on the Canadian season/moving forward to eklund at ockeybuzz.com, and put Habs Writer as the Subject….First Up Ryan Snow… please give your opinions in the comments. And remember to be kind and constructive . It takes guts to put something out among hockey fans…. That said, I really like this piece
Ghostbusters
By Mike.
For those that follow the Montreal Canadiens, or those that have a general love for hockey, you have undoubtedly heard of the Ghosts of the Forum. This of course refers to the legendary players that are so deeply engrained in Montreal Canadiens lore that it was believed their spirits continued to occupy the arena in which they embodied what it meant to wear the bleu blanc et rouge. The arena of course, the iconic Montreal Forum. Players such as Maurice “Rocket” Richard, a player so well remembered in Montreal history they named a trophy after him (and a movie, and even a riot on St. Patrick’s Day for that matter). Players such as Georges Vezina, a goaltender so revered, they named a throphy after him too. Builders, like Frank Selke, the man that became a legend for creating a dynasty in Montreal that hockey historians could talk about forever….oh yeah, there’s a trophy in his name too.
So what does this all mean for current day Habs fan? This is where things get interesting! Yes, this is a franchise rich in history. It is a franchise unrivaled in the sport in terms of success. It is also a franchise that hasn’t played in the Montreal Forum since March 11th, 1996. It was at this time, after a fitting last victory over the Dallas Stars, that the Montreal Canadiens took up residence in their new home at the Molson Centre (now known as the Bell Centre). 29 years ago this month since the Ghosts of the Forum reigned supreme. It’s been few years on top of that since they last hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup. So assuming you have any recollection of that magical Canadiens / Kings final, you are most likely in your 40’s or older as you read this. And this is exactly why things get interesting now.
Yes, we get to hold on to the history. We have remarkable pregame tributes and season openers. We all understand the significance of the passing of the torch. But now, Montreal is finally showing signs of a return to greatness, something a large population of current Habs / hockey fans have never witnessed with any consistancy, certainly with no ultimate success. Sure they have had their moments. The Covid playoff run was fun in 2021, and watching Carey Price win a mantle full of trophies in 2015 was exciting, but each one of those events fell just short of the sports ultimate prize. Did the Ghosts abandon the team? Did they not like the amenities in the new arena? Or maybe, and hear me out on this one, maybe they were just waiting for the right time to resurface?
Just like the Montreal fanbase has never abandon its team, the Ghosts have always been there biding their time. Who could leave the loudest barn in the league, a place where a randon Tuesday night game in February could rival the atmosphere in some buildings during a playoff run? So what have they been waiting for you ask? Well, the answer is something that was long thought to be a curse word in Montreal. Rebuild. A term that was skirted around by many who believed that the Montreal fanbase would reject such a notion, thinking they would not put up with the losing seasons that come with such a word. Well, they did, and now they and the Ghosts are being rewarded.
The Montreal Canadiens are playing meaninful hockey in March for the first time in four years. They are only a few years into the rebuild and are already challenging for a playoff spot. They have a Calder finalist in Lane Hutson, a trophy not mentioned earlier for the rookie of the year, and one not possessed by a Montreal Canadien since Ken Dryden did it in 1972! They have hopes of another Calder candidate next year in Ivan Demidov, the dynamic Russian forward that Montreal managed to draft after beating the odds in Las Vegas. And after announcing his return to the University of Michigan next year, could they possibly go for it three years in a row with the addition of Michael Hage as a Calder candidate the following season - another first round pick from that same Las Vegas draft winning streak. Or could there be a surprise from one of the many other picks and prospects in the highly rated Canadiens system for that matter? All of this while building around the young core of Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky and Guhle has generated legitimate excitement for Habs fans of all ages. Memories of dominate teams of the past for those old enough to remember, and new memories in the making for those too young to have witnessed it. It has brought the team back to relevance, it has paid the fans back for their patience, and it has awoken the Ghosts that oversee their names in the rafters waiting for the next generation of legends to carve out their legacies and enshrine their names into the lore of this beloved franchise. As Ray Parker Jr once said, “I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost”. Clearly neither are these Montreal Canadiens.
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