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Guy Carbonneau returns to the fold:
Named responsible for development
After a forced exile which lasted six years, Guy Carbonneau has returned to the fold by the front door

by Mario Leclerc for le Journal de Montréal, August 4, 2000

Canadiens general manager Réjean Houle has made Guy Carbonneau a key assistant, by naming him to the post of supervisor of player development. He will provide his valuable advice to young players in the organization.

Carbo, who announced his retirement in July after a career of 18 seasons, will work under André Savard, director of hockey personnel.

Carbonneau rejected an offer as a scout with the Dallas Stars, in order to return to the bosom of the Habs.

"My thanks to Bob Gainey of the Stars and especially to Guy’s wife, Line, for having permitted me to discuss matters with Carbo," said Houle. "As soon as I heard the announcement of his retirement, I worked to bring back him with us, because I had a place for him. Guy has experience, energy and expertise which will be able to help us. I am very happy about his return."

"He will work with André Savard in developing our young players and he will be consulted about all the decisions of my department. In bringing him back, we wanted to be sure he was both comfortable and well utilized."

A menace?

Houle refused to say that Carbonneau represented a future menace to him, even though many observers have seen in him a future NHL general manager.

"I try to associate myself with competent people who will advance the Canadiens. All my assistants are made of the sort of stuff that would enable them to become GMs, and Carbo is one of those. If we have a group of strong men, so much the better for the Montréal Canadiens."

«I would like to stay in Montréal for the rest of my life.»
Even if it still remains to define several aspects of his new job, Guy Carbonneau already considers it a privilege to return to the Canadiens.

by Mario Leclerc for le Journal de Montréal, August 4, 2000

"When I retired, Réjean showed me a great deal of respect. I was very happy and astonished at his offer. He didn’t want me to come in by the back door. On a professional level, the decision was easy to make because the Stars offered me a job as a scout for this year without knowing what would happen to me the following year.

"I want to learn my job and I will not hesitate to ask questions. I am also ready to contribute my share. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but it’s clear that I wasn’t invited here for my administrative talents! I played hockey for 20 years, and it is what I know best."

Carbo appeared relaxed in the room where the press conference was held, and he proudly wore the ring from his last Stanley Cup with the Canadiens, in 1993.

"I always had the success of the Canadiens at heart, even when I was in Saint Louis and Dallas. I want to join with Réjean, André Savard, Martin Madden, Pierre Mondou, Alain Vigneault and the others in contributing to getting the Canadiens back on their feet. I would like to stay in Montréal for the rest of my life."

The media: an excuse

Driven out of Montreal in 1994 following a photograph of by our colleague Norman Pichette, (the photo to the right was also taken by Pichette–what irony!) published on the front page of le Journal de Montréal, Carbo does not hold any resentment, even if his famous finger gesture caused dissatisfaction with then president Ronald Corey.

Yesterday, Carbonneau was quickly reminded how closely the Montréal media follows the home team. There were to be forty representatives of the media for a press conference in August!

"I never had a problem with the media here. Besides, the media coverage has become imposing everywhere in the NHL. In Dallas, five years ago, it was only one reporter. Today, they are 20. The difference in Montreal is that there are twice as many reporters, to cover the two languages.

"As for the rest, it’s the same everywhere, and we should stop talking about it and using it as an excuse! This is one of the messages I want to get across to the rookies."

Carbo: A first stage!
For Guy Carbonneau, it's a first stage.

by Yvon Pedneault for le Journal de Montréal, August 4, 2000

Even if he declares that "a career as a coach is not on my mind for the moment," that is the natural reaction of a skater who spent 20 years battling against the best centers in the league. It’s also a completely legitimate reaction for an athlete who wants to change his routine, who wants to experience something other than practices, games and the instructions of a coach. His role with the Canadiens fits him like a glove...for a few years at least.

Because you can’t imagine Guy Carbonneau far from the rink–you can’t imagine Guy Carbonneau far from the bench.

Over the course of the upcoming seasons, it will be his mission to see to the development of the organization’s young players. That will mean frequent visits around Québec, as well as trips across Canada and the United States, in order to draw up a full report on players in the organization. And perhaps an advanced training course for the players drafted during the last few years.

In summary, what he was looking for was a job where he could spend more time at home, and the Canadiens, for their part, furnished that opportunity. One has to believe, as Réjean (Houle) put it to me, "Canadien one day, Canadien forever."

Return to the fold

Carbonneau thus returns to the fold by the front door. "I’m happy, it’s awesome," he confides. He will now make use of the expertise he acquired over the years, in the hopes of better training the players who, in theory, insure the proper functioning of an organization.

But–and Réjean Houle will never say it openly–Carbonneau is needed to serve as a sort of safety shield for the team. Especially since the organization seems to be in period of crisis every year. Carbonneau experienced all kinds of situations during the course of his career at the Forum. He was a captain of the team and an uncontested and undeniable leader.

He worked under the command of several coaches... now, he will be able to perfect his knowledge in a totally appropriate role. Not only will learn he get better acquainted with the various players who arrive in Montréal over the next few years, but he will be able to provide to Réjean Houle a complete evaluation of players in the NHL.

"After such an accomplished career," said Houle yesterday, "I imagine that he well knows the majority of the players in the league. When we discuss a team, we’ll ask him his opinion, we’ll send him on the scene to observe the best players."

A well-considered decision

Carbo made a well-considered decision. When he says that the position of coach doesn’t interest him for the moment, you can understand that.

"I said to myself at the time I announced my retirement that I wanted to take a break. I mean that I wanted to remove myself from the routine of a hockey player. What are my plans for the future? I really don’t know. Let’s just say the first step to be made was to get my foot in the door. I’m here now, with the kind of responsibilities which I enjoy. Réjean helped me a lot with making this decision and I am convinced that it will work out well."

Well said. But the Canadiens also gave themselves depth at the administrative level, which an organization constantly in periods of crisis sorely needs.

In the space of a few weeks, the famous "country club" formed by Ronald Corey has almost entirely changed. Only Houle is still at his post, more confident than ever.

He will undertake the last year of his contract with a new personnel manager, André Savard, a man appreciated throughout the NHL... and has just added to his new administrative body an ex-player who made his mark on the history of the Canadiens.

An ex-captain who can deal well with challenge.

This development marks the first stage. Teaching, strategy, and a game plan should follow...

Madden: «A priceless contribution»
For newcomer Martin Madden, the arrival of Guy Carbonneau to the Canadiens constitutes a priceless acquisition, and for a precise reason.

by François Foisy for le Journal de Montréal, August 4, 2000

"What he brings especially is credibility to the kids with which he will work," stated the former general manager of the Nordiques, now the Canadiens’ amateur and professional recruiter.

"This acquisition is priceless, when you think about it. Whether they wanted to or not, all the organization’s young players know Guy Carbonneau, have seen him play and know his experience in the NHL. And that, you simply can’t buy.

"Now we ourselves could give the rookies advice. But him, he can probably sell them the same idea in half the time," continued Madden. "With him, I don’t think the information will go in one ear and out the other.

"With his kind of imposing presence, it’s sure Carbo will make them listen."

A turning point?

For Madden, who will move soon to the Windsor-Detroit area to carry out his job as recruiter, the addition of personalities like those of Guy Carbonneau and André Savard to the organization could, one never knows, allow a team in difficulty to quickly get back on its feet.

"I don’t know what will happen," he said yesterday. But there are sometimes individuals who can turn around an organization in very little time. Look at the Toronto Maples Leafs. Since the entrance on the scene by Pat Quinn and some others, they became competitive.

"I don’t see why that couldn’t happen here as well. Meanwhile, it’s not every year that so many problems hinder you as happened last season."

"He will be able to transmit his qualities to the young players" –André Savard
"With Carbo, a guy like Mike Ribeiro will not only get the message more quickly, he will understand what it takes to succeed."

by François Foisy for le Journal de Montréal, August 4, 2000

The Canadiens’ new hockey personnel manager, André Savard, seems to clearly see what Guy Carbonneau will be able to bring to the young hopes of the organization.

"The first challenge of the Canadian teams, in the future, is the recruitment and development of their own players," insisted Savard yesterday.

"In Ottawa (where he previously worked as chief recruiter and associate instructor with Jacques Martin), in spite of the departure of certain players, there were always new ones ready to make their place and help the team to be competitive," he explained.

"When you think of Guy, the words courage and determination immediately come to mind. These are all qualities which he demonstrated during his years as player and which surely he will be able to transmit to the young players."

"A heartbreaking decision" –Line Carbonneau
Guy Carbonneau would have made known his decision much sooner if he had not had to deal with the possibility of dividing his family.

by Mario Leclerc for la Journal de Montréal, August 4, 2000

"We made the decision just Wednesday evening," says Line Carbonneau. "We wanted to return to Montreal, but in order to do so, it was necessary to leave one of our two daughters in Dallas. From that point of view, it was a heartbreaking decision, but in every other respect it was easy to return home."

"Bottom line, we told ourselves she was 18 years old and that, one day, she would have to live her own life."

Anne-Marie Carbonneau is dating Guy's former teammate on the Stars, Brenden Morrow. She is registered at a university in Dallas for next year.

As for the youngest Carbonneau, Kristina, she has returned to live in Québec after having attended American schools for six years.

Says Line, "That will require take a certain period of adjustment for her."