The late 80's

[MPLABBE]

I need some help from some of the ''veteran'' Habs fans here...I really want to know what the late 80's starting with the 86 cup were like. I want to get a ''feel'' for it. I am really dissapointed that I was only a baby during these years(and obviously couldn't follow the team) and I get stuck with the worst Habs era in modern history..

If it's posible, what were the line combos(and D pairings) most often used in each of these following seasons? what kind of system did we use?


1985-86
1986-87
1987-88
1988-89
1989-90

www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/nhl1927.html can help you guys out !


Thanks

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Marc said:

I need some help from some of the ''veteran'' Habs fans here...I really want to know what the late 80's starting with the 86 cup were like. I want to get a ''feel'' for it. I am really dissapointed that I was only a baby during these years(and obviously couldn't follow the team) and I get stuck with the worst Habs era in modern history..

If it's posible, what were the line combos(and D pairings) most often used in each of these following seasons? what kind of system did we use?


1985-86
1986-87
1987-88
1988-89
1989-90

www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/nhl1927.html can help you guys out !

Thanks

Sorry Marc, but my last clear memories of "decent" Habs teams ends with the 1978-79 club, which just happened to be the team Sam Pollock left after he left.

1975-76: 58-11-11 (regular season), 12-1 (playoffs)
1976-77: 60-8-12 (regular season), 12-2 (playoffs)
1977-78: 59-10-11 (regular season), 12-3 (playoffs)
1978-79: 52-17-11 (regular season), 12-4 (playoffs)

So, you can see why we "old-timers" find it hard to get over-excited about any accomplishments since then. Of course, those who remember the five straight Cups in the 1950s will have yet a higher standard to judge by.

Sorry that I can't answer your question. I thought you should know why. Obviously there were good teams that followed the ones I referred to. In fact any Habs team that brings more fans (such as yourself) into the family, is a good team.

[Ghost-Of-Nyrop]

Ahh, the Habs of the 80's. Not as good as the Habs of the 70's, 60's or 50's, but still an elite team. I'll never forget the Good Friday Massacre in 84 (which I saw live and in person) or the 86 Cup run.

The main cast of the team's 23rd Cup championship were:

Forwards:

Bobby Smith
Mats Naslund
Bob Gainey
Ryan Walter
Mike McPhee
Guy Carbonneau
Chris Nilan
Brian Skrudland
Claude Lemieux
Kjell Dahlin
Stephane Richer

Defence:

Larry Robinson
Rick Green
Craig Ludwig
Gaston Gingras
Mike Lalor
Chris Chelios

Goal:

Patrick Roy
Doug Soetaert
Steve Penney

Spare parts:

Lucien Deblois
Steve Rooney
John Kordic
Serge Boisvert

I'll have to do a little research to give you the exact line combinations but these are the guys that I could think of just off the top of my head.

[BCHab]

One thing about the '86 Cup Team was the number of good young players on the team. Roy, Lemieux, Chelios, Svoboda, Corson, Skrudland, McPhee, Richer, Nilan...led by Gainey, Robinson and Carbonneau. The kids were terrific in the playoffs and made the difference. Most of them had been drafted a year or two earlier. I think Ron Caron ran the draft table at the time. It all came together at the beginning of the playoffs. I think even Serge Savard was surprised. He had talked about a five year plan when he took over. Instead, it took him less than three.

Cheers,

[CentreHice]

BCHab said:

Roy, Lemieux, Chelios, Svoboda, Corson, Skrudland, McPhee, Richer, Nilan...

RE: Corson: I doubt his name is on the Cup....he played only 3 regular season games in 85/86 and 0 in the playoffs. In any event, Shayne had nothing to do with the 86 Cup run.

[BCHab]

You could be right. I do remember him playing that year in a few games but I was under the impression he was on the team roster during the playoffs. Point I was making is that he was one of the many terrific kids picked early in Savard's regime that made a contribution to the team not too long after he was drafted.

Cheers,