Quote:
Originally Posted by Killion
^^^ Guess the interesting thing here in addition to several player moves is Doug Harvey, and how the reports dont really address why it is that Montreal let him go (or really showed him the door) to lowly New York. Doug had been one of the organizers of the Players Association & had earned the enmity of Selke, still had a lot of life in him, winning the Norris I believe in New York in his first season there. Was an Assistant Captain & listed as a Playing Coach, a role he also played after leaving the Rangers a few years later... interestingly as well, he played for the Montreal Jr Canadiens along with Red Berenson & Gump Worsley in an Exhibition match against the Soviets in 1964, playing 50min's in a 3-2 losing effort. Wasnt until 1985 that the Habs acknowledged one of the games greatest ever Defencemen & Hab retiring his jersey.... Cesare Maniago meanwhile, who Montreal protected in 61 leaving Charlie Hodge exposed only played 14 games for Montreal, bouncing around the Minors until finally winding up in New York, then Minnesota of course where he performed brilliantly at times, finishing up his career in Vancouver. Has or had a Sports Equipment Wholesale business out here thereafter.
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There are various theories floating around.
Going back to the 1960 training camp, the Canadiens had the two oldest NHL skaters - Maurice Richard and Doug Harvey.Johnny Bower was app six weeks older than Doug Harvey(36). Maurice Richard retired voluntarily or was pushed in September of 1960.
Doug Harvey missed 12 games during the 1960-61 season due to nagging injuries. During this time neither Al Langlois or Bob Turner stepped-up. Turner had played well during the 1958-59 season when Harvey was hurt. So both Turner and Langlois were moved.
During the O6 era until Imlach started collecting "veterans", once a player reached the age of 33, the teams would start looking for a replacement. 1961 Rangers gave away an aging Bill Gadsby to Detroit. Bill Mosienko left at age 33 in 1955 before the PA yet his WHL seasons afterwards showed that he could still play.
The mechanics and details of the Harvey / Fontinato trade are complicated. Basically Doug Harvey was traded to the Rangers before the meetings for a player to be named later - Lou Fontinato.
This allowed the Canadiens to protect an extra player in the 1961 NHL Draft yet assured that Fontinato who the Rangers had to protect would come their way. Effectively it was Fontinato + a 1961-62 Canadiens roster skater for Doug Harvey.
If you look at the 1962 NHL June meetings reports, Doug Harvey's resignation from the Rangers was a central element.
There are a number of unknown elements that we may only speculate about. Key question centers around Doug Harvey's return to the Canadiens organization in the fall of 1963 with the Quebec Aces in the AHL. Harvey played two seasons with Quebec, second with Bernie Geoffrion as coach. Why Harvey moved on after two years in Quebec and neither Harvey nor Geoffrion made it to the O6/post 1967 expansion Canadiens in some coaching capacity has never been answered satisfactorily.
