Bossy Could Have Been a Hab
Dec 6, 2004 1:27:14 GMT -5
Post by CentreHice on Dec 6, 2004 1:27:14 GMT -5
I didn't know this...most of you probably did.
From Dick Irvin's book, "The Habs", Scotty Bowman is quoted:
My phone rang at midnight one night and it was Claude Ruel. He was all excited and said, "Scotty, I've just seen a junior player who lifted me out of my seat. First one since Guy Lafleur. Michael Bossy. We gotta get him."
I had never seen Bossy play but I did later on and liked him right away. He was eligible for the draft that year, 1977, so Claude and I started to promote him to Sam. But our scouts didn't like him.
In those days Sherbrooke had a junior team that was full of goons. Games there had fights all the time. When we'd talk about Bossy, Ron Caron and the scouts would say, "Wait til you see him play in Sherbrooke." They questioned Bossy's courage.
Sam went with the scouts. At the draft Bossy was still available when it was our turn. Sam picked Mark Napier.
DOH!
Could you imagine Mike Bossy developing in Montreal as he did in New York....he would have been hitting his prime just as the Habs were winning their 4th consecutive Cup. With the retirement of Lemaire and Cournoyer in 79....Bossy would have been right there to fill the holes...and the net.
Ah...but the chemistry may not have been the same....but conjecture is fun. I think our chances in the early 80's would have been a lot better with Bossy than without him....and I dare say the Islanders would NOT have won 4 straight if Bossy had been a Hab. He had to be the biggest threat on that team...he scored so many huge goals.
From Dick Irvin's book, "The Habs", Scotty Bowman is quoted:
My phone rang at midnight one night and it was Claude Ruel. He was all excited and said, "Scotty, I've just seen a junior player who lifted me out of my seat. First one since Guy Lafleur. Michael Bossy. We gotta get him."
I had never seen Bossy play but I did later on and liked him right away. He was eligible for the draft that year, 1977, so Claude and I started to promote him to Sam. But our scouts didn't like him.
In those days Sherbrooke had a junior team that was full of goons. Games there had fights all the time. When we'd talk about Bossy, Ron Caron and the scouts would say, "Wait til you see him play in Sherbrooke." They questioned Bossy's courage.
Sam went with the scouts. At the draft Bossy was still available when it was our turn. Sam picked Mark Napier.
DOH!
Could you imagine Mike Bossy developing in Montreal as he did in New York....he would have been hitting his prime just as the Habs were winning their 4th consecutive Cup. With the retirement of Lemaire and Cournoyer in 79....Bossy would have been right there to fill the holes...and the net.
Ah...but the chemistry may not have been the same....but conjecture is fun. I think our chances in the early 80's would have been a lot better with Bossy than without him....and I dare say the Islanders would NOT have won 4 straight if Bossy had been a Hab. He had to be the biggest threat on that team...he scored so many huge goals.