Ex-Hab Nilan still bleeds Tricolore
Jan 26, 2008 20:43:34 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2008 20:43:34 GMT -5
www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/story.html?id=e716f068-ca66-48d0-8d98-69aab13693b6
By IAN MACDONALD
Webster's Dictionary defines a goon as 1) a ruffian or thug; 2) a stupid person."
It's a term that has been used often to describe former Canadiens forward Chris Nilan. But the Boston native firmly disagrees with such an assessment of his hockey career, or his character.
"I don't feel too good about it," Nilan, who will turn 50 on Feb. 9, said during a recent telephone interview from his home in Milton, Mass. "I don't like it, actually. I guess you could say my role was to be an enforcer.
"Anyway, people who call you 'goon' are basically idiots themselves."
Nilan earned his "Knuckles" nickname early in his National Hockey League career, which began during the 1979-80 season when he played 15 games with the Canadiens and had 50 penalty minutes, while picking up two assists. He would spend nine seasons with Montreal, winning a Stanley Cup in 1986.
The Habs traded him to the New York Rangers on Jan. 27, 1988, along with a first-round draft pick in 1989 (Steven Rice) in exchange for the Rangers' first-round pick (Lindsay Vallis). The Rangers traded Nilan to the Boston Bruins on June 28, 1990, in exchange for Greg Johnston and cash.
Nilan rejoined the Canadiens on Feb. 12, 1992, when he was claimed on waivers. He retired after the 1991-92 season with 110 goals and 115 assists in 688 career games, to go along with a whopping 3,043 penalty minutes.
A goon? No way, Nilan says.
"I never thought of myself as a goon," he said. "I fought a lot. I did my job that way. I played hard. Sure, I did some crazy things at times. I looked at myself as a tough hockey player. Sometimes things happen. I did things I had to do - not take crap from other people, that's it.
"I also took pride in trying to become a better hockey player - being able to score some goals and being able to play some
offence and defence.
"At one time, I played on a line with Bob Gainey (the Canadiens GM) and Carbo (Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau), which made me a better player."
Nilan led the NHL in penalty minutes in back-to-back seasons (1983-84 and '84-85) with 338 and 358 minutes, respectively. The following season, 1985-86, when the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, Nilan had only 274 penalty minutes. But he made up for it in the playoffs with 141 penalty minutes in 18 games.
It's interesting to note Nilan had his three best offensive seasons during those years, scoring 16 goals in 1983-84, 21 the next season and then 19 en route to the Stanley Cup in 1986.
The Habs selected Nilan 231st overall at the 1978 NHL draft out of Northeastern University, where he never heard the term goon used to describe his play.
"I think I had one fight in three years at college," Nilan said. "That wasn't my role. The Canadiens signed me, and in my first year at Halifax with the Voyageurs (of the American Hockey League), I learned pretty quick that the AHL was tough and you had to fight to survive.
"I'm proud of what I did," he said. "I worked hard to improve and was lucky to be with an organization like the Canadiens. They helped me all the way and had patience with me.
"Scoring goals is fun, and I put myself in the position where I could score some with hard work. There's nothing like scoring a goal in an NHL game."
For many of his nine seasons with the Canadiens, Nilan stayed in Montreal year-round, living downtown at times and on the West Island. His family lived in Kirkland the year the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, and his two oldest daughters - Colleen and Chris - were born at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
After retiring, Nilan coached for several years in the East Coast Hockey League and also did some TV and radio work.
I liked doing that work, but there aren't a lot of opportunities," he said.
Nilan, who earned a degree in criminal law at Northeastern, is a partner with Boston attorney Alan Stone on an Internet project that connects fans with former athletes and coaches in video conferences.
Nilan remains a staunch Canadiens fan, but when asked what he thought about the current NHL, he didn't sound impressed.
"All I know is when I was playing, the guys were worrying that the Russians and the other Europeans were going to take our jobs," he said. "They took our jobs, all right, and they took our game, too.
"The rules were changed to help the European guys," he said. "Now it's more of a European style game than the North American brand we used to have and used to enjoy watching."
imacdonald@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008
By IAN MACDONALD
Webster's Dictionary defines a goon as 1) a ruffian or thug; 2) a stupid person."
It's a term that has been used often to describe former Canadiens forward Chris Nilan. But the Boston native firmly disagrees with such an assessment of his hockey career, or his character.
"I don't feel too good about it," Nilan, who will turn 50 on Feb. 9, said during a recent telephone interview from his home in Milton, Mass. "I don't like it, actually. I guess you could say my role was to be an enforcer.
"Anyway, people who call you 'goon' are basically idiots themselves."
Nilan earned his "Knuckles" nickname early in his National Hockey League career, which began during the 1979-80 season when he played 15 games with the Canadiens and had 50 penalty minutes, while picking up two assists. He would spend nine seasons with Montreal, winning a Stanley Cup in 1986.
The Habs traded him to the New York Rangers on Jan. 27, 1988, along with a first-round draft pick in 1989 (Steven Rice) in exchange for the Rangers' first-round pick (Lindsay Vallis). The Rangers traded Nilan to the Boston Bruins on June 28, 1990, in exchange for Greg Johnston and cash.
Nilan rejoined the Canadiens on Feb. 12, 1992, when he was claimed on waivers. He retired after the 1991-92 season with 110 goals and 115 assists in 688 career games, to go along with a whopping 3,043 penalty minutes.
A goon? No way, Nilan says.
"I never thought of myself as a goon," he said. "I fought a lot. I did my job that way. I played hard. Sure, I did some crazy things at times. I looked at myself as a tough hockey player. Sometimes things happen. I did things I had to do - not take crap from other people, that's it.
"I also took pride in trying to become a better hockey player - being able to score some goals and being able to play some
offence and defence.
"At one time, I played on a line with Bob Gainey (the Canadiens GM) and Carbo (Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau), which made me a better player."
Nilan led the NHL in penalty minutes in back-to-back seasons (1983-84 and '84-85) with 338 and 358 minutes, respectively. The following season, 1985-86, when the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, Nilan had only 274 penalty minutes. But he made up for it in the playoffs with 141 penalty minutes in 18 games.
It's interesting to note Nilan had his three best offensive seasons during those years, scoring 16 goals in 1983-84, 21 the next season and then 19 en route to the Stanley Cup in 1986.
The Habs selected Nilan 231st overall at the 1978 NHL draft out of Northeastern University, where he never heard the term goon used to describe his play.
"I think I had one fight in three years at college," Nilan said. "That wasn't my role. The Canadiens signed me, and in my first year at Halifax with the Voyageurs (of the American Hockey League), I learned pretty quick that the AHL was tough and you had to fight to survive.
"I'm proud of what I did," he said. "I worked hard to improve and was lucky to be with an organization like the Canadiens. They helped me all the way and had patience with me.
"Scoring goals is fun, and I put myself in the position where I could score some with hard work. There's nothing like scoring a goal in an NHL game."
For many of his nine seasons with the Canadiens, Nilan stayed in Montreal year-round, living downtown at times and on the West Island. His family lived in Kirkland the year the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, and his two oldest daughters - Colleen and Chris - were born at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
After retiring, Nilan coached for several years in the East Coast Hockey League and also did some TV and radio work.
I liked doing that work, but there aren't a lot of opportunities," he said.
Nilan, who earned a degree in criminal law at Northeastern, is a partner with Boston attorney Alan Stone on an Internet project that connects fans with former athletes and coaches in video conferences.
Nilan remains a staunch Canadiens fan, but when asked what he thought about the current NHL, he didn't sound impressed.
"All I know is when I was playing, the guys were worrying that the Russians and the other Europeans were going to take our jobs," he said. "They took our jobs, all right, and they took our game, too.
"The rules were changed to help the European guys," he said. "Now it's more of a European style game than the North American brand we used to have and used to enjoy watching."
imacdonald@thegazette.canwest.com
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008
