The Montreal Canadiens might have found their next Stéphane Robidas
Twenty years ago, the Canadiens were at a similar place, with a ton of players in the infirmary. That year, the organization thanked Alain Vigneault to replace him with his friend Michel Therrien.
It was also that year that we discovered guys like Sheldon Souray and Stéphane Robidas, two guys who worked extremely hard. Robidas took a lot of ice time when he first came on stage at the age of 23.
The Quebecers were quickly charmed by Robidas, which may have put pressure on the young defenseman, who ended up leaving Montreal, but who also played 937 NHL games, he who was a seventh-round pick... as was a certain Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.
«It was a bit surreal. People were starting to say that they were going to build the defence around me In Montreal, things go crazy fast sometimes! But it was going well. Guy Carbonneau was an assistant coach and he was at the world championship, so I was invited by Canada. It was a big progression! The next year, I lost my job, but Carbo became assistant CEO in Dallas, he spoke for me, and the Stars came after me. When you get into the gear, the scouts see you and people from the organization can then pick up somewhere else,» said Robidas.
All this hubbub to indicate that Rafaël Harvey-Pinard could become the next Stéphane Robidas of the Canadiens, but without leaving the organization. A Quebecer who leaves his guts and his heart on the ice during every shift.
