Who Do You Feel Deserves To Have Their Jersey Retired Next?

[kinot-1]

Just wondering about the number of Habs jerseys that have been retired, and who would/will be the next one.

All told, there have been 15 retired jerseys by the Habs (most in the NHL, and 3rd most in professional sports).

Here is a list of those retired jerseys:

Jacques Plante (1), Doug Harvey (2), Emile 'Butch' Bouchard (3), Jean Beliveau (4), Bernie Geoffrion (5), Howie Morenz (7), Maurice Richard (9), Guy Lafleur (10), Dickie Moore/Yvan Cournoyer (12), Henri Richard/Elmer Lach (16), Serge Savard (18), Larry Robinson (19), Bob Gainey (23), Ken Dryden (29), Patrick Roy (33).

Who do you feel is worthy of having their jersey retired?

[jedimaas]

Honestly, Im not sure any of those guys deserve their jersey's retired. They were all amazing players but to retire a jersey is to say "you were the best player to have worn this jersey and as such no one should wear it again" do any of those names deserve that accolade? Im not sure.

[Guest]

I don't see anybody currently deserving of that honour, but for sentimental reasons, if i had to pick somebody, my heart would go with Saku when he hangs them up.

[FirstStar]

I would maybe consider Chelios, who was a cornerstone on our blueline until he was traded.

If it weren't the habs, his jersey would already be retired imho. But with so many numbers already retired, we have to be a little more selective.

The only 3 I would consider is Richer, carbo and/or Chelios. For me, those guys are some of the names that come up when talking about our last 2 cups (through the 80's and early 90's).

[BigTed3]

I agree with HTL... Saku is the next guy I see being in the discussion to have his jersey retired. Not the most talented guy to throw on the uniform, but his effort and dedication to the team were unparalleled during his stay here and he was essentially the face of the franchise for a decade. If he had been surrounded by a better cast, he would have been a shoe-in, but weak rosters and injuries did him in. To me, he certainly did as much for the Habs as Alfredsson did for the Sens or Sundin did for the Leafs, and I personally believe there's more to choosing retired jerseys and HOFers than just points. When you put Saku in context of the teams he played for and the era he played in, he's deserving to me. I don't feel strongly about selecting any of the players listed in the poll. As for some of the others mentioned, Richer was not enough of a complete player to merit the nomination for me and Chelios played so many years outside of Montreal that I find it somewhat diminishes the success he had as a Canadien. He's a definite HOFer, but I'm not sure he spent enough of his career here to be a retired jersey for the Habs.

[KeepsItReal]

I simply see nothing that separates Koivu from everyone else enough to warrant the number 11 never being used again as a result of him.

Sure if the team had been better he might have had a better career, but they weren't and he didn't.

He was great in the community, and a great all around guy...and if this was the Senators talking about Alfredsson that'd be one thing but 50 years from now will anyone remember anything that makes them say "wow" about Koivu?

10 years?

He was consistently a bright spot in a dark, dark era. I can think of probably a dozen teams who with the career he had would be deserving of having his number retired, but not the Habs.

Besides...in 25 years Gallaghers' number 11 will be retired, Koivu can be an honorary one at that point

[kinot-1]

Well, here's my 2 cents. IMO,,, Georges Vezina gets my vote (mainly because I do like research ).

Here's what I found out:

He played 16 years in the NHA and NHL,,,all with the Habs.

"From when he joined the Canadiens in 1910, until being forced to retire in 1925, Vézina never missed a game nor allowed a substitute, playing in 328 consecutive regular season games and an additional 39 playoff games.

His average of 1.97 goals per game was the first time a goaltender had averaged fewer than two goals against per game.

The Montreal Standard referred to him as the "greatest goaltender of the last two decades" in their obituary.

A lasting legacy of Vézina was the trophy named after him. At the start of the 1926–27 season, Leo Dandurand, Leo Letourneau and Joseph Cattarinich, owners of the Montreal Canadiens, donated the Vezina Trophy to the NHL in honour of Vézina.

In 1998 Vézina was ranked number 75 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players."

[KeepsItReal]

Well, here's my 2 cents. IMO,,, Georges Vezina gets my vote (mainly because I do like research ).

Here's what I found out:

He played 16 years in the NHA and NHL,,,all with the Habs.

"From when he joined the Canadiens in 1910, until being forced to retire in 1925, Vézina never missed a game nor allowed a substitute, playing in 328 consecutive regular season games and an additional 39 playoff games.

His average of 1.97 goals per game was the first time a goaltender had averaged fewer than two goals against per game.

The Montreal Standard referred to him as the "greatest goaltender of the last two decades" in their obituary.

A lasting legacy of Vézina was the trophy named after him. At the start of the 1926–27 season, Leo Dandurand, Leo Letourneau and Joseph Cattarinich, owners of the Montreal Canadiens, donated the Vezina Trophy to the NHL in honour of Vézina.

In 1998 Vézina was ranked number 75 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players."

When it comes to Vezina, you almost have to think if he was going to have his number retired it would have happened by now...

Seems odd that he hasn't

[kinot-1]

When it comes to Vezina, you almost have to think if he was going to have his number retired it would have happened by now...

Seems odd that he hasn't

He's been in the HOF since 1945. It does seem odd that he hasn't had his jersey retired. Howie Morenz was the 1st to have his number retired, and that was in 1937.

[hatethosebruins]

I would say we might as well do Toe blake and some guy whos worn #8 to get them out of the way.

Blake could work, I can see Vezina as well. Personally I feel Gaineys shouldn't have been retired. Great player and leader, and I would support it except for that he was GM and President of the team at the time, and now he has kind of left a black mark on this team as an executive.

I do feel Saku's should be up there, not because of how many stanley cups hes not won with us, but he was a great leader and true class. The classiest player we have had since Beliveau IMO.

[newton-mtl]

Saku deserves all the praise & love in the world and seeing him lift a Cup in a Habs jersey would allow me to happily die on the spot - but I wouldn't retire his jersey. That privilege should belong strictly to players who towered among others and led the team to glory. Saku was the light in a long stretch of darkness and would deserve to have his jersey retired in most NHL franchises.. but with the Habs, the bar for greatness is set on a higher level.

[FirstStar]

I agree with HTL... Saku is the next guy I see being in the discussion to have his jersey retired. Not the most talented guy to throw on the uniform, but his effort and dedication to the team were unparalleled during his stay here and he was essentially the face of the franchise for a decade. If he had been surrounded by a better cast, he would have been a shoe-in, but weak rosters and injuries did him in. To me, he certainly did as much for the Habs as Alfredsson did for the Sens or Sundin did for the Leafs, and I personally believe there's more to choosing retired jerseys and HOFers than just points. When you put Saku in context of the teams he played for and the era he played in, he's deserving to me. I don't feel strongly about selecting any of the players listed in the poll. As for some of the others mentioned, Richer was not enough of a complete player to merit the nomination for me and Chelios played so many years outside of Montreal that I find it somewhat diminishes the success he had as a Canadien. He's a definite HOFer, but I'm not sure he spent enough of his career here to be a retired jersey for the Habs.

i don't see them retiring his jersey, when you compare him to others who have been retired he doesn't have the numbers. But for his dedication to the team, the community, the heart of a lion, I can see them (sometime down the road after he retires from hockey) adding him to the ring of honour.

i agree concerning Chelios and Richer, I only mentioned their names cos they are the only 2 (outside of those who have already had their jersey's retired) with star status. But as you pointed out, they played the majority of their careers outside of Montreal. Chelios is better known for his time in Chicago and Richer is known for his time split between Montreal and Jersey.

If it were any other team, i think that carbo would have a chance of having his number retired. Unfortunately in Montreal, I don't see it happening.

Saku deserves all the praise & love in the world and seeing him lift a Cup in a Habs jersey would allow me to happily die on the spot - but I wouldn't retire his jersey. That privilege should belong strictly to players who towered among others and led the team to glory. Saku was the light in a long stretch of darkness and would deserve to have his jersey retired in most NHL franchises.. but with the Habs, the bar for greatness is set on a higher level.

That's the issue, the fact the bar has been set so high due to past greats and the fact we already have so many retired jerseys, sadly I don't see it happening. But as previously mentioned, i can see him being added to the ring of honour.

[BigTed3]

Personally (and I understand the disagreement on this), I think there's too much focus on pure numbers when it comes to choosing players whose jerseys should be retired. I think numbers hold more merit when it comes to selecting players for the HOF. But when it comes to a team recognizing its own players, I think you have to give weight to how much that guy meant to the team. Saku was the face of the franchise for a decade and one of the longest-serving captains in team history. He always faced the music, he always gave 100%, and he was a source of inspiration for many fans when he battled back from serious injuries to his knee and eye, not to mention cancer. Let's also not forget he was leading the league in scoring when he was knocked out by a knee on knee hit. I'll fully admit the teams he captained didn't have as much success as we did in decades prior to this, but frankly, it was much easier for the Habs to dominate the NHL in those years: there were fewer teams to compete with, the Habs had their pick of the litter when it came to Quebec-born players, and they rode momentum as one of the best teams in the league. Was it more impressive for players playing with the likes of Lafleur, Robinson, Savard, Lapointe, and Cournoyer to put up points or was it more impressive for Koivu to be doing it playing most of his career here on lines with the likes of Valeri Bure, Chris Higgins, and Michael Ryder? Despite that, Koivu ranks 10th all time on the team in points and his PPG totals (despite playing on worse teams) were in the same range as guys like Henri Richard and Cournoyer and Shutt. To me, despite all the adversity he faced, those are impressive enough numbers that when you combine it with everything else he did for this team and city, he deserves to have his jersey retired.

[KeepsItReal]

Celebrating mediocrity is a path I hope the Canadiens never go down.

There is some sort of ring of honour, no? He can maybe have one of those someday.

I was born in 1986. I've watched old footage of Rocket Richard, I revere him as a great hockey player even though I never saw him actually play.

When people think back in 30-40 years will they recall fondly and with pride Koivu? Maybe, maybe not...doubt he even really registers much in peoples' minds.

It was easier to win back in the day, and it is unfortunate that Koivu's career was both marred with injuries and ailments and spent on a pretty consistently underwhelming Habs squad...but it is what it is.

Never got past the 2nd round of the playoffs, one of the all time longest serving captains...but when they didn't win, or even come very close to winning...how much will that be celebrated?

Ranks 10th all time for points, but that is because most of the Habs' greatest players were around in an era where careers were far shorter.

Also---the Habs didn't have any pick of the litter with French players if you're referring to that notion that there were rules giving them claim to Quebec players over other teams, they only ever got a handful of players due to that clause and none were record breaking superstars either.

The habs had the pick of the litter on Quebec players no more or less than Toronto had the pick of the litter on Ontario born players. Guys like Maurice Richard were available to any team who wanted them back then.

There was no unfair advantage given to them over other teams.

[BeanCountingHab]

It's hard to take this poll seriously with the obvious ommission of Radek Bonk.

[kinot-1]

It's hard to take this poll seriously with the obvious ommission of Radek Bonk.

Mea Culpa

[East_Coast_Juggalo_13]

Andre Racicot

[hatethosebruins]

I dont see why we haven't retired Blakes number. We retired both other members of the punch line, I understand he was probably better as a coach and is in our ring of honour but still, I always figured hed be the next in line for a long time.

Maybe its just a thing that bugs me but if we can retire Gaineys we can retire Blake. I know Bob was a very important player for us, and a great leader, but I feel like retiring your own number is just a bit arrogant.

[powerplay2009]

For my generation, Koivu has been just about the only bright spot in a pretty dark era. Not sure his number should be retired, but he should at least be recognized. He represented the organization better than anyone I can think of in the past many years, and he was still a great player.

Did Gainey choose to retire his own number, or is there someone else or a different group making the choices?

[jedimaas]

For my generation, Koivu has been just about the only bright spot in a pretty dark era. Not sure his number should be retired, but he should at least be recognized. He represented the organization better than anyone I can think of in the past many years, and he was still a great player.

Again though, its the problem with the rich history of this team. On another squad, Koivu's number may well have been considered to be hung up but on this squad... i just dont think he had enough of an impact to warrant it.

Did Gainey choose to retire his own number, or is there someone else or a different group making the choices?

He had no say in it being retired but im sure that him being GM probably made the committee want to retire it sooner rather than later, too. For this reason i always thought he should have been ineligible - at least while he was actively a part of the team. Too easy to point at favouritism. That said, he's a very special case though - a guy without huge numbers but virtually re-wrote the idea of the "defensive forward." He was so good that there were many who considered him the best "all-round player" in the league for a stretch.

[kinot-1]

He had no say in it being retired but im sure that him being GM probably made the committee want to retire it sooner rather than later, too. For this reason i always thought he should have been ineligible - at least while he was actively a part of the team. Too easy to point at favouritism. That said, he's a very special case though - a guy without huge numbers but virtually re-wrote the idea of the "defensive forward." He was so good that there were many who considered him the best "all-round player" in the league for a stretch.

' I consider [bob] gainey the world's best all-around player' - soviet national team coach viktor tikhonov ( coach of the U.S.S.R team) in 1981.

i agree with you jed, it does seem tainted tho.

[31Careyprice]

Saku Koivu had so much heart and class to be considered a retired number but I don't think we should retire his number. Where's the option to vote for nobody???

[kinot-1]

Saku Koivu had so much heart and class to be considered a retired number but I don't think we should retire his number. Where's the option to vote for nobody???

You could vote for "other".

[KovalevFan18]

Saku Koivu, no doubt about it. That man will always be one of the best habs to put on the jersey.

[FirstStar]

Saku Koivu, no doubt about it. That man will always be one of the best habs to put on the jersey.

i agree he should be honoured in one way or another, but simply doesn't have the numbers that our other retired jersey's have to justify retiring his #11.

Definitely deserves to be in the ring of honour. Not only for his work on the ice, but all his humanitarian work off the ice, for the heart and determination he showed while with our habs. Coming back from cancer and waving to the crowd with his shaved head is an image that I'll never forget.

Koivu was our one bright spot during the dark, post Roy era.