Players over the years have sometimes fraternized with fierce rivals, even John Ferguson. Here, Ferguson and Ralph Backstrom reminisce with an unidentified Boston Bruin player about that time when the Bruins thought they were almost as classy as Montreal. Hilarity ensued for several minutes until Fergy had had enough and punched the Bruin player’s lights [...]

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone. On this day you’re an Irishman no matter what your roots are, and that’s a good thing. Except for the hangover you might have tomorrow morning. I’ve talked many times about the Richard Riot that took place on March 17, 1955, and today, instead of going on about what [...]

(Originally posted August 19, 2008) I should’ve been a Forum maintenance man. I remember going to the Forum years ago and noticing a small apartment building a block away. I’ve thought about this apartment building, because it would’ve been the key. I should’ve saved enough for a year’s rent, went to Montreal as a teenager, and rented an apartment [...]

Gordie Howe was in Montreal for an Eaton’s appearance tour in the 1970′s, and while there he did a T.V. taping session with singer Anne Murray. The taping was at the Forum, and Anne wore Howe’s sweater while Howe wore John Ferguson’s. Murray was quoted in Gerry Patterson’s book “Behind The Superstars” as saying to [...]

There was a strong contingent of Montreal Canadiens on Team Canada ’72 - Ken Dryden, Serge Savard, Guy Lapointe, Frank and Pete Mahovlich, and Yvan Cournoyer, and all, in their own way, contributed mightily to the cause, including Dryden who struggled at times but showed enough to coaches Harry Sinden and John Ferguson to be called [...]

Immediately following their stunning game-eight victory, Team Canada had to hit the road to Prague to play the Czechoslovakian national team the next night. This should have been better thought out by Hockey Canada, with an escape clause written into the contract. The team was both emotionally and physically spent, and it was unfair to [...]

And win they did, 3-2, with no help from German officials Franz Baader and Josef Kompalla , who seemed to love the idea of sending a parade of Canadians to the sin bin and were living proof that when it came to refereeing hockey games, Germany made great cars. No matter. Team Canada allowed a Soviet goal, then [...]

The Hockey News says Montreal will finish 13th in the East this season. How can that be? Don’t they realize Scott Gomez is on the team? It’s just so much bullshit anyway. Anything can happen to any team, whether they’re predicted to finish 1st or 15th. Players we least suspect can catch fire. Key guys [...]

The fantasy draft is over, the skills competition has wrapped up, we just have to get through what passes for a game, and All-Star weekend will draw to a close. My prediction for today’s game? Hmm. I’d say Team Chara over Team Alfredsson. Maybe a low-scoring affair - 31 to 24. And later on, Botox salesmen [...]

To help take your mind off the wacky world of this year’s Habs, at least for a few minutes, I thought I’d mention a couple of tidbits about good old number 22, John Ferguson, that I found while re-reading my book Breakaway by Charles Wilkins. First, an autograph I got from him in the mid-60′s. Fergy was sitting in a restaurant [...]