Season 10: 1985-86
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Season 10: 1985-86 |
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Carbonneau was now in the phase of his
career where, in terms of physical prowess, he was at the peak
of his powers. Over four years he had worked at perfecting the
art of the defensive forward, becoming a master of forechecking,
penalty killing, faceoffs, shotblocking. And yet when circumstances
required, he could call upon his considerable offensive skill
as well. He had cultivated experience to complement his youthful
strength, there was wisdom in the mind to match the fire in the
legs.
In the regular
season Guy totaled a career high 36 assists, and this "defensive
specialist" was fifth on the Canadiens with 56 points. He
was one of only three Habs to play in all 80 games, and ended
up a superb (especially considering he played the checking line)
+18 for the year. In short, Guy had made his mark as one of Montreal’s
best.
Nevertheless, then as now, Carbonneau was not an NHL star. Hockey in the 80’s was definitely a game of offense, and its stars were flashy scorers in the mold of Gretzky. Guy’s contributions to the game were subtle, and his fellow players and other experts on the game were much more aware of his skill than the fans in the stands. Said The Hockey News, "Carbonneau, Montreal’s fluid-skating center, is as smooth as many offensive players in the game. But the best shot-blocking forward in the game today (ever?) directs most of his energy to defense." Said Montreal sports columnist Tim Burke, "What Wayne Gretzky is to offensive hockey, Carbonneau is to defensive hockey." Ron Francis called him "the best two-way player in the NHL."
Of course
personal glory was never Carbonneau’s goal, and that was
why he thrived in his role. And his highest aspiration, like that
of his teammates, was to restore glory to the city of Montreal.
Their last Cup was seven years in the past, and only once (in
1923) had the Habs gone more than seven years without bringing
Lord Stanley’s trophy home. The team had a new coach (Jean
Perron), eight rookies including goaltender Patrick Roy, and many
injuries—but there was the challenge.
The 1986 playoffs were upon them. And hockey star or not, it was time for Guy Carbonneau to add "champion" to his resumé.
The qualifications for champion include both skill and hard work, and Coach Perron saw that his center had both. About Guy’s work in the playoffs, Perron said, "He might lose a face-off, but then he’d come back and win the next five or six. He’s a very intense individual with a natural talent and cat-like agility."
As his career would
demonstrate again and again, Carbo was at his best when the road
got toughest. In the second round against the Hartford Whalers,
the Habs were sorely tested in a series that went to seven games,
the last of which extended to overtime. Guy contributed 5 of the
Canadiens 16 goals. And by the time the Habs earned their berth
in the Finals, Guy had the most even strength playoff goals in
the league.
The Canadiens stormed after the championship with four victories in five games over the Calgary Flames. On May 24, 1986 they won their 23rd Stanley Cup. And in this, his twentieth year of playing the game, Guy Carbonneau won his first.
He ended up with the top plus/minus on the Habs (+9), scored a career high 7 goals and 12 points, and was Montreal’s 3nd highest goal scorer. Sportswriter Jay Greenberg placed him first in his list of the best playoff performers.
That performance was marked by hard work even more than skill, the kind of effort that is required to be a champion. Guy described his thoughts on his first Cup some ten years later: "There are so many sacrifices that you have to go through to win a Stanley Cup. A lot of people say, the last game you played pretty well and you had to sacrifice, but it’s not just the last game or the last two games. It’s the whole season, and the whole career, and every morning waking up at 6:00 a.m. to practice when you’re seven or eight years old. Those are all sacrifices that are put in perspective when you win and make you realize it was worth it."
Carbonneau lost
the 1986 Selke Trophy to Troy Murray, who that year had 45 goals.
Murray later said if the voting had been held after the playoffs
rather than the regular season, Carbo would have won. Said Guy,
"The fact that I was considered for the Selke Award was an
honor. Wayne Gretzky can let his numbers speak for themselves.
However, a defensive forward has to work twice as hard to be noticed.
Our defensive play was the key to us winning the Cup. I think
the playoffs helped people to get to know me a little better."
So they did. But regardless of whether Guy Carbonneau was a name all hockey fans knew, it was now etched on the Stanley Cup.
Resources:
The Hockey News, June 13, 1986
"Who
is Guy Carbonneau?", by Glenn Cole, Goal, February
1987
1995-96 Official Game Program, The Dallas
Stars
Les Canadiens, May-June 1986
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