NHL '11 - '12 Thread

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

Rare moment when I would help John, but as usual you ignore facts.

Facts only count when they are actual facts

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

Too bad facts get in the way of your version of history. Lets just take one of the Habs greatest who helped them win some of those cups.
http://www.hockeysiteincanada.com/JeanBeliveau.shtml
So exactly how was someone else going to sign him?

Wrong. Beliveau's father refused to sign a C-Form, but Beliveau himself did sign a B-Form which gave the Habs rights to his services if he ever decided to play at the pro level. He actually called up twice and played several games for the Canadien's well before his QSHL team was bought out by the Habs, but wasn't sold on the idea of becoming a pro hockey player as a career choice. The buyout occurred to force him to either choose a career in pro hockey or no hockey. Beliveau signed that initial contract with the Habs of his own choice, they forced his hand to make a choice about a pro career and he went on to become one of the greats of the game.

No other team had the right to sign him because HE had already signed the equivalent of a modern day entry-level contract with Montreal. Given that signing the B-Form for his choice this is not even close to being the same thing as the Canadiens having automatic rights to all french players.

Prior to the existence of the amateur draft the Canadiens were given the right to protect 2 Quebec born players per year, that had not already signed a C form with another NHL team. However given that almost all decent prospects were invariably already under C-Form with one of the 6 teams it was really rather irrelevant. The vast majority of the 20 or 30 odd players thus protected never saw a single NHL game except from the stands. Every NHL team had first rights to players within a 50 mile radius of it's rink (ie. basically first rights to it's home city), all other players were up for grabs by ANY team found them and signed them to C-Forms first. The claim that the Habs had exclusive claim to all French Canadian/Quebec players is and always has been BS. The reality is most French Canadian born players wanted to play on the Habs... there's a big difference between the 2 and it hardly equals an unfair playing field.

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

As for the calls I will go with Grapes who actually has NHL experience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uETR...e_gdata_player
Kind of funny he discussed how it used to work in Montreal jist a few days ago. You can fast forward to the two minute mark. Obviously he must be lying because hes stating something many others have said in the past.

I'm sure you'll pardon me if I don't even bother watching that. Using Don Cherry as a reference to bolster your support for anything other than bad suits, the Supreme and Enduring Greatest of All Things Bruins (tm) or how Scott Stevens-style hockey is the only kind that matters automatically degrades your point.