A general manager’s job is never easy but it is even less so when you hold that very important role for the Montreal Canadiens. Much like in every Canadian market, the fans, media and players are watching your every move. Oftentimes, you’re only as good as your latest move. Serge Savard held the position for 12 years, leading the Habs to two Stanley Cups, but he wasn’t without reproach.
Chris Chelios was the Canadiens’ second-round pick at the 1981 Draft and he became everything Montreal had hoped he would. After playing only 12 games in the NHL in 1983-1984, the blueliner played a nearly complete season in 1984-1985. That year, he featured in 74 games and scored 64 points whilst racking up 87 penalty minutes. Wondering why he didn’t win the Calder Trophy? Two words: Mario Lemieux.
It became clear quite early on that Chelios was the kind of defenseman who could be a difference maker. He was very mobile, had a nose for the attack, wasn’t a liability in his own zone and had a mean streak to him. The defender soon became an integral part of Montreal’s blue line and was promised a great future.
The future came at full speed for Chelios, he won the Stanley Cup in 1986 and the James Norris Trophy in 1988-1989. He was also quite a leader and in September 1989, after three rounds of player voting, he was elected co-captain of the team with Guy Carbonneau. Unfortunately, the defenseman would go on to miss 27 games in the season because of a knee injury as Savard reports in his book Serge Savard: Canadien jusqu’au bout.
