Are the Montreal Canadiens handi-capped by language?

[kelownabomberfan]

A few weeks ago while in Montreal I did a tour of the Bell Center with Mrs. KBF.  Impressive building!  We even were given access to the dressing room, which I actually found kind of under-whelming.  Hard wooden seats and no stalls.  Not sure if that's the new NHL style.  Anyway, I got into a couple of arguments with our guide over the course of the tour, one being over Pacioretty - I said that he wasn't happy and was soon going to be traded and the guide claimed that everyone dreams of playing for Montreal so of course he was happy and wouldn't be traded (I won that one!!).

The big argument we got into though was about the French language issue in Montreal.  I said that because the coaches, and management apparently, have to be fluent in French, and apparently also Francophone, that this was a huge handicap as the Canadiens are really limited in who they can hire for their coaches and management team.  The guide gave me this look and then said "there's lots of French Canadian coaches" to which I said "Fine, name four".  Working together, we were able to come up with Guy Boucher, Alain Vigneault, Claude Julien and Michel Terrien (wherever he is now).  This is a pretty limited selection.  Should the Quebec Nordiques ever come back, they'd be handi-capped by the same issue, as the press and fans would demand the same thing.  The guide was not happy about my hypothesis.  But it is something I think that bears discussion.  

If Montreal can't hire the best people available for coaching and management, but only the best people who can speak French, is this an issue that will seriously hurt Montreal's chances of winning a Cup ever again?  Discuss.  

Edited September 11, 2018 by kelownabomberfan

[Brandon]

Quebec City is much more francophone /  xenophobic / anti-English then Montreal.     I think Montreal could hire a non French coach without everyone rioting...  Nordiques on the other hand it would definitely sour the fans to a point where they would boycott. 

[Rich]

I think the issue in Montreal is also media driven.   There would be reporters who only want to ask their questions in French.   And if not, may not be kind to the club because of it  

Get a Translator?

Or is media not as important and don’t have the impact they once did.  

[JCon]

I think it comes down to who's available. Julien was a pretty highly rated "free agent" coach when they got him. 

I believe if they hired someone, who was as highly touted as Julien but was an anglophone, the Hab fans would let it slide. 

If they hired an anglophone, who was not a known coach, they might give them a harder time.

Winning fixes everything, though. 

[Goalie]

Habs problems are simple.. They like Vancouver are unwilling to properly rebuild. Julien is an excellent coach.. Believe he has a ring or 2... French or not hes a great hire... Their owner isnt French.. 

The media there is a huge problem tho.

[JCon]

7 minutes ago, Goalie said:

Habs problems are simple.. They like Vancouver are unwilling to properly rebuild. Julien is an excellent coach.. Believe he has a ring or 2... French or not hes a great hire... Their owner isnt French.. 

The media there is a huge problem tho.

Geoff Molson isn't French? I suppose but the family has been in Montreal since 18th century. I would say he has some roots in the community. 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Oldie but a goodie

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/habs-owner-geoff-molson-says-speaking-french-very-important-1.998863

Quebec has a lot of language nuts/laws.

 

Edited September 12, 2018 by FrostyWinnipeg

[HardCoreBlue]

As well, there's always the option of learning the language if your best candidates don't know the language. I think its been done before.                                                   

[kelownabomberfan]

2 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

As well, there's always the option of learning the language if your best candidates don't know the language. I think its been done before.                                                   

Scotty Bowman was born in Quebec so even though he didn't have a French-sounding name, he could speak French and he won cups, so no one cared.  The last coach the Canadiens had who couldn't speak French was Randy Cunneyworth, and he was run out of town by the media.

https://nationalpost.com/sports/hockey/nhl/canadiens-doing-randy-cunneyworth-no-favours-in-language-scuffle

 

[HardCoreBlue]

1 minute ago, kelownabomberfan said:

Scotty Bowman was born in Quebec so even though he didn't have a French-sounding name, he could speak French and he won cups, so no one cared.  The last coach the Canadiens had who couldn't speak French was Randy Cunneyworth, and he was run out of town by the media.

https://nationalpost.com/sports/hockey/nhl/canadiens-doing-randy-cunneyworth-no-favours-in-language-scuffle

 

Figures ex Jet :)