History is rich in Montreal when it comes to hockey. Think of the 24 Stanley Cup conquests, Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur, Jean Béliveau, Patrik Roy, Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson etc…
However, over the years, some players have gained attention for the wrong reasons.
Whether by their performances on the ice or stories off the ice here is a top 5 of the most criticized players in the history of the Canadian
1 – Patrice Brisebois
Brisebois was, and probably still is, the king of boos in Montreal. No player suffered the type of abuse that Brisebois suffered during his first stint with the Canadiens. Fans nicknamed him ‘Breeze By’ due to his defensive shortcomings and he probably felt like he was playing for the other team due to the avalanche of boos that fell on him from the stands on a regular basis. Brisebois, to his credit, had the courage to return to the CH for a second spell, and although he was treated better than the first time, he was reminded of his “glory days” more than once.
2 – Scott Gomez
Gomez started his career in Montreal with 2 strikes against him. First, he was going to have to play up to the contract he had signed in New York, ie 7 years with a salary impact of 7.3 million per season. Then he was always going to be reminded of the player who had been sacrificed to get it, Ryan McDonagh. If Gomez played a key role in attracting great free agents in the summer of 2009 (Cammalleri and Gionta), his time in Montreal will be remembered above all for the ire he aroused among fans and for his interminable period. goalless that spanned two seasons.
3 – Doug Wickenheiser
Doug Wickenheiser was doomed from the start. It’s hard enough to be the first draft pick and arrive in a city like Montreal in the years following three separate dynasties in three different decades. Wickenheiser was expected to pick up where those before him left off, but the center player was unable to fill the big shoes of Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur and countless other players of the time.
4 – André Racicot
Nicknamed “Red Light Racicot” for his penchant for letting the light go on behind him, Racicot did something few could accomplish: anger a team’s supporters while spending most of his career as a substitute. Racicot had a tough life for most of his time in Montreal, playing in the shadow of the legendary Patrick Roy while trying to appease demanding fans every time he played.
5 – David Desharnais
Desharnais rendered invaluable services to the Canadiens, especially at a time when the team was desperately looking for a #1 center player. However, for much of his time in Montreal, he was the whipping boy of the fans. The fact that Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre tweeted that the Canadiens should send Desharnais to Hamiton on a one-way flight added fuel to the fire and while many were defending Desharnais, the majority of the city stood up. row on the side of the new mayor.