The Montreal Canadiens' glory days created a special bond between the team and fans that continues to live on despite the team's lack of success in recent years.
Kings coach Todd McLellan and Ducks coach Dallas Eakins have cut back on morning skates, as athletes are better conditioned and more cautiously cared for., the Canadiens have inspired poetic elegies, scholarly monographs — and athletic awe, in contemporary time as in past years. The most potent testimony comes less from their players than from their opponents. They loved to play in Montreal, even though they seldom won in Montreal.
Now listen to Eddie Johnston, who played in the NHL for 22 years and was the winning goalie for the Boston Bruins’ Stanley Cup championships in 1970 and 1972. “Playing in Montreal was like playing in Yankee Stadium,” he says. “When there were only six teams in the NHL, everybody — all the great players — seemed to belong to the Canadiens. And their fans were so used to winning that they expected it. It was hard playing against them for one reason: They had the best team, always.
That mystique developed because the Canadiens are intimately linked with the French language and with French heroes. The old Montreal Forum, where the Habs played until 1996 and where the rafters were crowded with Stanley Cup banners, was where Francophones could compete and excel in a place dominated by Anglophones.
This loyalty travels, the way Dodgers loyalty moved from Brooklyn to Chavez Ravine and the way Steelers loyalty moved to Charlotte and Houston when Pittsburgh’s steel industry collapsed and its workers sought jobs in cities in America’s South. You can see those yellow Terrible Towels in the stands at Bank of America Stadium and NRG Stadium when the Steelers play there.
“You can’t replicate Montreal hockey anywhere,” says David Morehouse, president of the Pittsburgh Penguins. “You shouldn’t even try. Hockey is what made a French-Canadian city in Quebec a major international sports city not just known but revered for excellence.”
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
https://people.comGet the latest news about celebrities, royals, music, TV, and real people. Find exclusive content, including photos and videos, on PEOPLE.com.
Read more »
Ed Sheeran Surprises Fans at Japanese Band ONE OK ROCK's Tokyo ShowEd Sheeran surprised fans at ONE OK ROCK's concert Wednesday (Nov. 6) at Yokohama Arena in Tokyo, coming out as a special guest.
Read more »
Holly Willoughby impresses fans with clever school bag hack!This Morning star Holly Willoughby impresses fans with clever school bag hack, as she promotes special anti-bullying campaign by Smiggle
Read more »
Prada and Adidas Are Fashion's Newest Power CoupleThe rumors are true: Adidas is launching a special collaboration with Prada.
Read more »
Shay Mitchell's Baby Name Proves She's Still A Pretty Little LiarShay Mitchell shared her baby's name and its special meaning.
Read more »
Shondaland Favorites Join Rhimes' 'Inventing Anna' at Netflix'Scandal' and GreysAnatomy alums are joining the cast of shondarhimes's 10-episode Netflix series about con queen Anna Delvey
Read more »