Quintessence

In a city that talks hockey 12 months a year, much of the summer chatter dealt with one sentence from Saku Koivu.

The team captain told a reporter the Canadiens definitely have a team to make the NHL playoffs, but not to win a Stanley Cup.

It was a fair assessment, but not the message some felt the captain should be passing on to a young team that missed the post-season last spring.

But it made general manager Bob Gainey smile and say Tuesday that, "Saku spoke one line too many. Instead of the 40-second clip, he should have gone with the 20-second clip, because if we are in the playoffs six or seven months from now, we will have a chance to win the Stanley Cup and we can evaluate that question at that time."

TSN : NHL - Canada's Sports Leader

What?! Habs aren't Cup favorites?!? All I have to say is, what was your first clue Saku? I think we all figured that out LAST season.

halifas

It's the captain's duty to be a representative of the players, to speak to the media, and to express his comments and concerns about his team regardless of the effect it might have. Koivu felt it necessary to make his comment, and the fact that Gainey backed him proves to me that he made the right decision. By making that comment, he told his teammates that they will have to work extra hard in his eyes for them to haev a chance to succeed.

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New Jersey: More trap than you or your grandmother can handle, oh, and 3 Stanley Cups.
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