Guy Carbonneau

Montreal Canadiens history is replete with stories of flying frenchmen. The scorers, the skaters, the goaltenders, even the great defensemen get their due.

But there is a role on hockey teams that is often ignored. That is the role of the defensive forward. The checker or shadow is employed not so much to score but to keep the other team’s star from scoring on you. The checking forward often will follow that star around the ice and work to deny him the puck.

As Le Canadien de Montreal prepared to meet their new/old rivals in Ottawa on Dec. 8 , the team found itself once again at a crossroads.

Will this season be one where Le Tricolore find themselves in post-season play, or will the pessimism of some Habs fans manifest itself in the realization of their worst fears?

As the Montreal Canadiens’ famous day of December 4^th is drawing closer; there is one thing that is still missing—yes, apart from a winning team, a Captain.

The General Manager and the head coach want to take their time to assess each possible candidate so they make the right choice. But if we keep the current pace, we might end up days away from the trade deadline still with three As.

Earlier, I discussed the Devils' new coaching vacancy, and put my money (albeit not overwhelmingly) on current assistant John MacLean to replace Brent Sutter. However, I'd like to play Devil's advocate (no pun intended, I promise, it's just a coincidence) and point out what could be working against Johnny Mac.

A few days ago, former Montreal Canadiens' coach Guy Carbonneau gave a press conference.

Sitting at the familiar postgame table, he spoke to reporters about his firing. Without ripping the organization he thanked the Gillet family, the players, the fans and team President Pierre Boivin.

He also thanked his old friend GM and interim head coach Bob Gainey to give him the chance to coach.

Cryptic message

Near the end of the press conference Carbonneau said "one day the truth will come out."

Watching Saturday night's hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils, I caught myself wondering what the fans were chanting in the third period.

"Carbo! Carbo! Carbo!"

Were the fans really chanting his name?

I am sure it was clear that the fans wanted Guy Carbonneau back with the team.

But listening to the French broadcast on RDS or on the French radio, it was impossible to know what was going on because none of the broadcasters mentioned it. Neither did the CBC on-air team.

So, how come nobody mentioned that?

Montreal Canadiens bench boss Guy Carbonneau was fired by GM Bob Gainey on Monday. He was the seventh NHL coach fired this season.

Guy Carbonneau has gone from the promising coach of the Montreal Canadiens and a Jack Adams finalist with a contract extension to getting fired in less than three years time.

During a Monday night press conference, Canadiens general manager and interim head coach Bob Gainey said that of all the decisions that he's made, hiring Carbonneau to coach the Habs was his best.

So what happened in such a short period of time?

Last year, it seemed as if Carbonneau could do no wrong.

It was only a matter of time.

Besides, what do you expect when the Montreal Canadiens have only won three times on the road in the last month and a half?

In the footsteps of other Eastern Conference teams who are massively underachieving such as the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins, Canadians general manager Bob Gainey said goodbye in a somber tone to the former Canadiens captain and head coach Guy Carbonneau.

Now, Gainey takes the bench boss job for the second time in three years.

Can Gainey's presence bring about a world of change?

It was the timing that surprised most Montreal Canadiens fans although, by the end of Monday's supper hour, prognosticators from here to Sept-Iles, Quebec claimed to know that former head coach Guy Carbonneau's days were numbered.

Most believed that General Manager Bob Gainey would tough it out with Carbonneau until the end of the centennial season, but Gainey's trigger finger got itchy Saturday and on Monday, he took out the man who's hiring he once called the best decision he ever made.