The Boo-Birds Are Drooling

The legion of beer-swilling boo-birds that roost from October through April (at least) in the upper reaches of the Bell Centre in Montreal have already begun circling the air in fearful anticipation of the arrival of their most despised prey. Over-eager voices are being trained to emit a sound not heard in such resonating tones in Montreal for the last two seasons. Yes, the 'yellow' and the 'gutless' are worriedly preparing for the potential arrival of arch-nemesis Patrice Brisebois.

In perhaps one of the most poignant displays of why hockey players tend to shun Montreal, Brisebois left two seasons ago after being booed off the ice (game after game) - the relief etched across his face. Signing in Denver, he seemed a player with a weight lifted off his shoulders.

Now Bob Gainey has tendered an offer to the unrestricted free agent which could bring Brisebois back to the town that hated him most. The surprise of it all is that the defender is actually considering the contract - perhaps indicating that he's not nearly as unworthy as some might make him out to be.

It's a shame, in reality, that Brisebois was ever the recipient of such hatred from the Bell Centre faithful. While he'd become known for his defensive lapses and for occasionally being the Canadiens' highlight reel defender for all the wrong reasons, his game wasn't nearly as awful as the reactions he received. In fact, on many nights Breezer was best on a deficient Habs blueline and he was a heart-and-soul player through some very dismal seasons.

Overlooked by those who were not willing to see was a guy who worked very hard to continually improve his game, and while he'd never be considered a strong defender, he was far better than what he was made out to be. As a puck mover, he was the only Canadien who could consistently make an effective first pass to start a rush during those lean years, and as a result, whether right or wrong, he became the defensive leader on the club.

This, unfortunately, is where the real problem lies. Brisebois never had the talent to be a top defender on any team; his true role lay in the #3,4 positions at best. His defensive brain cramps required that he be paired with a true stay-at-home defender and that's something the Canadiens were sorely lacking during the latter years of his tenure with the club. That said, he ended up being the Canadiens #1 guy and when it came time to sign a contract, management decided to pay him as such.

And that, as they say, was that. From then on, the boo-birds intensified an already well established chorus and caused the defender so much stress he was actually put on leave. On the one hand, it was absolutely understandable that the flock of carrion in the stands boo, but they directed it at the wrong person - why not instead redirect that negative energy towards management who obviously made this ghastly error?

That was then, however, and this is now. Gainey has decided to offer the former Canadien a single season contract for $700 thousand. One could well ask why on Earth the GM would even consider such an idea - and even moreso why Brisebois wouldn't just laugh him in the face and run out of town as fast as he could.

The reasoning is simple: Brisebois is a solid enough player who could fill out a #5,6 spot with correspondingly short ice time. He's still a strong skater and his abilities with the puck make him somewhat more useful, in controlled circumstances, in the "new NHL." Moreover, he has the ability to run a powerplay and that's something Montreal needs after the departure of Sheldon Souray (who gives Breezer a run for his money at highlight-reel-horrid defending). Add to that his right handed shot and the former Colorado player could be just what the Habs need in terms of depth.

Perhaps best of all, though, is that, with such a small salary, Gainey wouldn't mind in the least if one of the young and talented defenders made the team and left Brisebois watching from the press box to be a replacement when needed. At less than double the basic NHL salary, Brisebois' leadership and occasional help on the ice would be a coup for the Canadiens.

Unfortunately, there's still the issue of the boo-birds, blinded by a past that's no longer relevant and only eager to impart their less-than-stellar knowledge through irritating boos at a player who should deserve only respect for his past contributions and for signing at such a reasonable fee. One has to seriously wonder what is going through the mind of a player even considering returning to such a hostile environment.

The answer, of course, is that he loves Montreal and the Canadiens; always has and probably always will. No matter the fools swaying drunkenly from the rafters, Brisebois has always intimated that he was a Canadien at heart.

And if he signs, I'll be first in line to cheer and welcome him back.

- A Concerned Fan