Last Monday, the Canadiens retired Ken Dryden’s number 29. A goaltender that made his short career mean something. Dryden by his poise, thinking and play, made one of the biggest upsets in hockey history legendary. Even today, that story has made and still makes Harry Sinden believe that they were really ghost in the Forum at the time. Now, that his famous number 29 will hang from the rafters of the Bell Center on a permanent basis, it will be a constant reminder of that spring in 1971, and many others for that matter.
Those of us lucky enough to have seen him play that series against the Bruins that spring and many others after that, and saw and listened to Dryden’s address to the Canadiens fans last Monday, heard him say ‘’How do I thank you ? ‘’ on many occasions, and that reminded us of those great saves he made, that helped win those many Stanley cups during his short but very prominent career. I think the only thing we can do, is return that very question to him. To Dryden it needed no answer, he got it moments before when he got a standing ovation, he had anticipated the question, the same way he had made those scintalating saves, that the late great Danny Gallivan would often describe, watching Hockey Night in Canada on cold Saturday evenings in January as a youngster. Those of you lucky enough to have read his first book, ‘’The Game.’’ Know that it was written from scribbled notes, often written on pieces of napkins in hotel restaurants during team meals on the road, or sometimes on off days when just resting at home, a mental note was made, to remind him of either a bad home game or one on the road. So using that, hopefully I will be able to return his question to us back to him, which most likely, he will decline.
On many evenings, driving home, the radio blasting, the window of your car wide open, your arm out the window as you drove and thought of that bad goal you let in, and the fans giving you the bronx cheer. As you usualy did, upon a stoppage of play, you drew your stick in a position to lean and think, analyse what had just gone on. You did it and got better everytime, the bronx cheers went to ovations, more times that one. Having the knowledge to admit that you not only you let yourself down, you knew you also, you had let your team, fans, city, province and country down, but always knew, you could come back. How do we thank you ? You lifted us more than you let us down. Again, How do we thank you ? You made a team, an organization, fans, a city, province and country proud. How do we thank you ? A thank you, will never be enough, either it be from you and your family to us, or from us to them, we shall meet half way and shake hands. It answers your question, How can I ever thank you ? You did and we did, but, Merci Ken !
Yes the marketing of up and coming stars as Crosby and Ovechkin are good, but the NHL braintrust has yet to address the most important one, the constant questionning and critisizing of the on ice officials. They are part of the product you are trying to sell, if you are putting down your product in a way, why should as major network want to put that on ? You don’t the leaders of the other sports going to knocking on the doors of the major networks across the United States begging to have their product shown nationaly. They found ways to not belittle their product and it’s the major networks that are falling over each other to get that product on their time slots. I’m not saying that we don’t see bad calls made in the NFL, MLB or the NBA, but they are so few that they go unoticed most of time, but espacially we don’t hear a coach or manager critisizing on a constant basis the officiating. How do we fix it and make it more attractive to the major networks to have them broadcast them ? One step would be to include officials on the competition committee, i’m not sure it has one. The second could be to have officials travel as a unit all thru the season and create some kind of chemistry and hopefully consistancy in their calls. Giving more power to the line judges, not call penalties, but to bring one to the attention of one of the referees, a bit like they do in the NFL. Should the NHL adopt the challenge system also ? I say yes, but first address the question and see if it could work. I’m not saying the NHL should become the NFL on blades, but look at what is working for that league that could help better the product we are trying to sell. It’s a start, it won’t hurt, and it if helps the game in the long run, it will grow and for the good. In my opinion, Gary Bettman looks like a shoe salesman trying to sell used shoes. Gary, some advice, we can get them for free at the local salvation army, go back to the drawing board and find a way to make them look new.
I hope that Forsberg will make up his mind and decide to or not waive his no trade clause and put an end to the speculation once and for all. I figure that we could have alot of activity about 2 weeks before trade deadline. So this week may determine how it goes within that 2 week period. It will be interesting to see. We may get a surprise trade that throws a monkey wrench in the hole process.
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