Bob McKenzie appeared on Montreal’s TSN 690 on Monday morning to talk about the Canadiens controversial summer, and just how long of a leash GM Marc Bergevin and coach Michel Therrien have.
McKenzie believes that Bergevin and Therrien aren’t as perilously close to unemployment as some fans think. However, it all depends on how things go to start the season. If the Canadiens are below .500 around American Thanksgiving, then “that’s one [situation] where any coaching staff would have to look over their shoulders a little bit”.
The 2015-16 season started off wonderfully for the Canadiens, who were 12-3 at the start of November when Carey Price got hurt. It was all downhill from there, as backup goalies Mike Condon and Ben Scrivens couldn’t match the elite level of Price. The Canadiens finished 38-38-6. The team came apart from the inside, which lead to some drastic changes in the summer. McKenzie speculated that the organization wants to write off last year’s struggles as “the Carey Price issue. He was injured; we didn’t overcome that.”
Both coach and GM were kept around, and allowed to influence major decisions.
“When you push for something, and I have to assume that Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien pushed for this – this was something they felt the hockey club needed, and it’s a total different direction to go from P.K. Subban to Shea Weber – then you’ve got to get some results.”
When asked whether or not Bergevin and Therrien’s fates are tied together, McKenzie said even though Bergevin is still behind Therrien after the “horrific” year they had, there will come a point where “the GM will have to make the hard call on his coach… most coaches don’t survive forever.” Based on public comments, it would take a really tough start for Bergevin to axe Therrien, as the pair appear to be close in philosophy, but no coach is safe forever.
Ultimately, McKenzie believes the situation is fluid, depending “on how are they playing, what are the reasons for the losses”, but doesn’t believe the leash is “so short that there’s a chance [Bergevin]’s going to be gone by Christmas.”
Positive and tangible results will have to show very early at the start of the season else both Therrien and Bergevin are going to feel the pressure of the hanging rope on their respective neck.
The Montreal fans are ruthless for much less than what both Therrien and Bergevin have done in the Weber/Suddan trade. If they fail to deliver the merchandise… they’re gone !
Mr. Molson’s is very much aware of the consequences if the team does not perform as well as they have promised the fans. In my own carreer as a leader of a group of men, team spirit was a prime objective in order to attain success. Not only I had to have full knowledge of my business operating procedures but more importantly was to know how to approach each individual that worked for me and personnally remind each one of the team approach. One for all and all for one ultimate mission.
Therrien knows is hockey very well, no doubt about that aspect, but his knowledge of what Leadership is all about, is very very poor. His mentality is : If you can’t fix it, trow it away !
From what I’ve seen on team canada weber and char on team Europe are the two slowest defence an I’ve seen for a long time
Thing best get off to a fast start in Montreal. You got rid off the NHL biggest crowd pleaser in PK. Things will turn ugly fast if they don’t show you results
Things are already ugly in Montreal for Therrien and Bergevin. Trading PK basically has put Bergevin in the fans crosshairs. Therrien was already there
No cups since93 I at least was entertained and enjoyed Subban. Can’t say the same for most on the team. Simple. Price stays healthy Habs will look good.
I think they both doing a great job!
Canadians walked themselves into their own fate last year by counting on Price to carry the team. They seem headed in the same direction again and may very well repeat history. Tough city to play a sport in – especially hockey.
Get rid of coach Therrien,and bring in Patrick Roy
That could be the best suggestion ever… but… how will the courtship with Bergevin be ?
Two roosters in the same coop means disaster !
So… get rid of Bergevin as well !
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Sad situation. T think the problem is Therrien but Bergevin is not strong enough to pull the plug. A lot of young good young players but Therrien does not have the patience needed to give them a chance. He is old school. Get a new up to date coach with today’s offensive hockey. please!
They need to give McCarron a shot at center on second line with shaw and radaluv
first line patch galynchuk and gally
third line is carr pleks and andergetteo planks not worth 6 million trade if you can at dead line with deshienais
fourth line deshjenjais danault mattiue
you got Flynn Mitchell, Byron as spares del la rose
trade bait with desharnais see who wants to play someone does not try put spare in leave in till you quit working
defense
beauleu weber
emelin petry
markov and the sergachev
barberio patneryn samuelson Redmond
try for yakupov to play with patch ad galynchuk more gally to pleks line don’t give up mucj in proven
trade beaulieu desharmais and carr or andrigettio or a goalie for Edmonton
yakapuv and rnh
yakapov in proven rnh is the trade
Can’t stand a loser
I’m already concerned about Therrien and the upcoming season. Earlier in the week MT announced that he had figured out the Top 6 for this year’s team. It appears he did so without any consensus from Muller his Associate Coach. I think this is the first in a series of acts by MT to undermine any authority Muller may have on the lineup. This is going to be interesting to watch to see who blinks first.
Trades in the top management i.e. Gen.Manager / Coach would be too late to make a difference as it would admit in a way that Mr.Molson had made the worst mistake in his life concerning the Subban trade.
But………. later in the season (like in a month’s time) if the team’s performance is again on the decline, I strongly believe that Mr.G.Molson would not hesitate to fire both Therrien and Bergevin to take the heat off his shoulders or should I say not the heat but the discontent of the fans and the empty seats in the Bell Center that would ensue.
I have some reservations though from what I have seen during the World Cup series of this year.
Subban’s replacement S.Weber has performed remarkably well and may force all of us to rethink our position on the trade. So, let’s wait a little while and see what happens.