My trade from Montreal to Phoenix took my by surprise. I found out at 6pm on the Friday before Super Bowl weekend. We had an afternoon game Saturday and Sunday i Montreal because of the football game. I was having Koivu and Rivet over for dinner when I got the call from GM Savard. I had to pack my bag and be on our owner Gilletts private plane at the airport by 7pm. Your life turns upside down in one phone call. I was out the door in 30 mins, said goodbye to the wife and son and the boys and off to the Molson Centre to get my equipment and sticks. Met Phoenix in Detroit and flew to Columbus were I played the next day. It was very weird putting on another jersey!!
I was in Montreal that weekend, and was down at the Bell Centre and the place was a buzz,RDS and TSN people were all over the place, my dad and I had just gotten in to Montreal, up from Nova Scotia... wasn't a fan of the trade, but Berezin did score the Habs 10,000th goal that sunday...
Welcome to the board Brian, hopefully we don't drive you insane while you are here...the Habs fans on this board are some of the most passionate and knowledge-able fans around...
No sure why you would hide or be undercover! It's your opinion on certain subjects. I have mine and you have yours. Doesn't mean we are right or wrong.
It's more of the fact that since you're here, you keep answering questions. I'd be bothered if I was you hehe! You should set a "questions deadline".
Really cool to see you answering questions. Favorite player is Saku and I really liked you on his wing, any cool story you can share about you and him?
I hope you're going to join other discussions instead of only answering questions in this topic. Really looking forward for your opinion about the team and the prospects on a regular basis.
I remember growing up and first started watching the Canadiens...I only knew two players,Saku Koivu and Brian Savage. It's really cool to know that you probably read that
I don't have any questions for you Mr.Savage but I do want you to do me a favor.
Please tell Saku Koivu this week-end to come back here one last time. Please,please,please I said please! I never accepted how my childhood hero left this team and want to see him have one last run with us before he retires.
Thanks for reading Mr.Savage and hopefully you can pass him this message
Hi Savey! After watching you play for years it's nice to meet you in cyberspace. It's also great to hear you've settled nicely into a post pro hockey life.
I'd like to get your feel on the hockey culture in the southern U.S. I know it ranks low in the grand scheme of things down there, but if hockey is to catch on and reap the lucrative U.S. television contract(s) Bettman and the owners so crave it has to be cultivated through a generation or two of hockey playing and watching fans. Do you get the sense if some of these teams moved those areas would suffer collapsed minor hockey associations? On that note, do smaller market U.S. teams participate in cultivating and aiding local minor hockey programs?
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Kirk Muller and I are both from Kingston. A classier gentleman you could not find. I imagine he made a hell of a team mate. Craig Rivet also played junior here. I'd love to hear what he's up to these days.
I hope you're going to join other discussions instead of only answering questions in this topic. Really looking forward for your opinion about the team and the prospects on a regular basis.
welcome aboard.
Youth hockey is getting stronger here in Southwest. Lots of former players are getting involved in coaching. long ways to go though.
The Coyotes are heavily involved here with youth hockey which is great. Our issue is lots of young athletes have many choices on which sports they can play year round! Football and baseball usually grab lots of young kids first and many don't get involved in hockey. Totally different then kids up in Canada who live and die watching and playing our countries sport.
Quote:
Originally Posted by puckeater
Hi Savey! After watching you play for years it's nice to meet you in cyberspace. It's also great to hear you've settled nicely into a post pro hockey life.
I'd like to get your feel on the hockey culture in the southern U.S. I know it ranks low in the grand scheme of things down there, but if hockey is to catch on and reap the lucrative U.S. television contract(s) Bettman and the owners so crave it has to be cultivated through a generation or two of hockey playing and watching fans. Do you get the sense if some of these teams moved those areas would suffer collapsed minor hockey associations? On that note, do smaller market U.S. teams participate in cultivating and aiding local minor hockey programs?
Thanks in advance.
P.S. Kirk Muller and I are both from Kingston. A classier gentleman you could not find. I imagine he made a hell of a team mate. Craig Rivet also played junior here. I'd love to hear what he's up to these days.
Always ate pasta and chicken for pre game. I was always one of the first guys at the rink before the game. I liked to make up 3 sticks before each game and read over the opponents stats and key players to focus on. Goalies were always weird game day. Jeff Hacket you couldn't talk to before game. He was so focus on his job so we left him along!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kenny Powders
Hey Brian!
As a player, what was the meal you ate before the game?
Also, we're you superstitious? Do you had any pre-game rituals? any teammates of you that had weird things going before games?
# 49 lives on!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by AHF
One of my favorite players growing up. I wear #49 in beer league hockey.
Welcome aboard Brian. Being from northern ontario (Hearst) and being a franco-Ontarien, I have always admire you for doing your interviews in french for RDS. I remember like it was yesterday , you did a french interview and you said " Je sent fort sur la patinoire". I remember french media and some franco-quebecois made it as a joke. I know u meant to say "I felt strong on the Ice".
I know Saku can speak french but he never wanted to speak it to the media because he was once laugh at by a journalist.
Did you felt the pressure to always talk in french? how do you feel about the language issue in Montreal.
No not at all. Just tried to communicate the best I could. It wasn't pretty but gave it my best.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thewall
Welcome aboard Brian. Being from northern ontario (Hearst) and being a franco-Ontarien, I have always admire you for doing your interviews in french for RDS. I remember like it was yesterday , you did a french interview and you said " Je sent fort sur la patinoire". I remember french media and some franco-quebecois made it as a joke. I know u meant to say "I felt strong on the Ice".
I know Saku can speak french but he never wanted to speak it to the media because he was once laugh at by a journalist.
Did you felt the pressure to always talk in french? how do you feel about the language issue in Montreal.
Brian, can you name 5 NHL players in order, that you played against, that were the strongest and their strength literally striked fear into your heart..
I was never scared to play anyone but these guys you always had to know that they were on the ice.
1. Scott Stevens- Best open ice hitter in my time
2. Kasperatis- Hit you whenever he could- took me out many times
3. Rob Blake- Best flying ass in the league
4. Legion of doom- Lindros, Leclaear and Renberg in Philly- scary line
5. Chara- Strongest and biggest player I played against
5. QUOTE=BobbyFischer;55588913]Brian, can you name 5 NHL players in order, that you played against, that were the strongest and their strength literally striked fear into your heart..
Really appreciate this Brian, very cool of you to do by the way, fans appreciate this sort of thing
i wont lie, there were some players i was never really crazy about, brian bellows and doug gilmour even come to mind, but i always loved you on our team and always followed you when you left to see how you was doing on other teams, had plenty of hockey cards of you and there still in the box in the attic lol (dont worry, theres a couple of gretzky's in it too)
Hey Brian if you need a break from answering all these questions feel free to be a regular poster like all of us and contribute on any one of our threads, on our board.
Hi Brian, nice of you to take time to answer questions.
Speaking of questions, I have one which I'm not sure you'll want to answer but I am very curious to know.
Is it your impression, based on interactions you have with ex-players and current ones, that if they were to hold a secret vote with all NHLPA members (as opposed to only the representatives) asking them if they are willing to accept the current NHL offer, that we would be watching our Habs right now instead of this side-show? Or do you believe that the majority of players are 100% on board with Donald Fehr?
Hey Brian, like most people here I have very fond memories of your time in Montreal, is there a story behind #49 such an odd hockey #. Thanks man all the best in your future endeavours. If you happen to come to Montreal and gather with some folks on here, first beers on me.
j/k
