TSN Montreal - Interview with GM Matt Gough
Jan 23, 2017 16:43:54 GMT -5
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Post by brob89 (NSH) on Jan 23, 2017 16:43:54 GMT -5
- TSN Montreal
It perhaps goes without saying that it’s been a tough few years for Montreal Canadiens fans. The most successful franchise in hockey history is in the midst of a serious lull, and attitudes in the city towards the team and particularly towards management have been somewhat antagonistic of late to say the least. But leading up to the 2019 draft, the dour feelings in the city were starting to get a bit sunnier. This is a city with a long hockey history filled with experienced hockey fans, so when they saw their struggling team stocking up on high round picks in this year’s draft excitement started to grow.
With the 2019 draft now in the rearview mirror, it’s hard to see how the draft could have gone any better for Canadiens fans. Not only did the Canadiens select 9 times in the first 60 picks, but they were also able to bring the two most exciting French Canadian prospects in this year’s draft crop to Montreal in Parent and Poulin. Team perception in the city is transformed, radio shows are all abuzz with predictions and prognostications, and even the calls for GM Matt Gough to be fire have quieted down. Time will tell if this lasts.
TSN’s Pierre McGuire, today, sat down with the mercurial General Manager Gough to discuss the recently finished draft, how he’s handled team struggles, and what his designs are for the future.
PM: Hey, Matt. Thanks for sitting down with me.
MG: Thanks for having me, Pierre.
PM: So, in December of this year, on TSN 690 in Montreal, there was an online poll which asked fans if they’d rather have one more season with the present management remaining in charge or a gunshot to the face. Did you hear about that?
MG: Alright we’re done here…*laughs*
PM: Obviously that was tongue-in-cheek, but still, how have you dealt with the negative perception in the city, and did you ever fear for your job?
MG: We’ve got such a passionate fan base, with high expectations, I don't blame them for being frustrated. When things aren't going your way it's easy to let the thoughts creep in, but I try not to think about it too much. Today I'm the GM of the Montreal Canadiens, and I'll do my best to get them back on the winning side.
PM: So, moving on to draft day, many people had Xavier Parent as the second best prospect in this draft, some perhaps even preferring him as the top player in the draft. Were you at all surprised to have the opportunity to pick him at 4th overall?
MG: I'd be lying if I didn't say I was surprised. Xavier is an elite talent in the making, a franchise player to build around, and we were thrilled to seem him available with the 4th pick. But this is how the draft goes sometimes, you don't always pick the best player available, sometimes it's a positional need in the organization, and we were happy to see that benefit us this year.
PM: Perhaps one of the bigger surprises of the 1st round was the fact that you were able to pick the consensus 5th best player in the draft at 12th overall. What do you see in Robert Mastrosimone, and why do you think he dropped to the middle of the 1st round?
MG: Robert is a very all around talented player, great at carrying the puck up the ice and playing the cycle. He's got that natural scoring ability, kind of puts defenders on their heels a bit, because he can beat you to the net if you don't play him tight, but he's got the vision to make a great pass for the shooter as well.
I can't say for certain why Robert dropped In the draft. There was certainly a log jam of talent from picks 5-12, and I suppose teams had a player in mind outside of him. We're thrilled we were able to pick him, and we think he's going to do great things for this organization.
PM: What’s your perception of the future for this club? Canadiens fans are clearly very excited by the moves that have been made and the great young talents that have been brought in, but how far away do you think this club is from competing again? 5 years? 10 years? And what are the areas that the team still needs to focus on improving as you put your plan into action.
MG: Initially I would say a couple years. We need to get the kids used to playing at this level, and help them to get where they need to be development wise. It could be sooner than that, it could be later. We won't rush things, we'll stay the course and will expect to have a very good team in a few years.
Our biggest need now is defensively. We've got a bounty of young forwards, but very little defensive depth. That's something we'll address with both free agency and next year's draft.
PM: Okay. Thanks so much for sitting down with me.
MG: Thanks, Pierre
- END -
It perhaps goes without saying that it’s been a tough few years for Montreal Canadiens fans. The most successful franchise in hockey history is in the midst of a serious lull, and attitudes in the city towards the team and particularly towards management have been somewhat antagonistic of late to say the least. But leading up to the 2019 draft, the dour feelings in the city were starting to get a bit sunnier. This is a city with a long hockey history filled with experienced hockey fans, so when they saw their struggling team stocking up on high round picks in this year’s draft excitement started to grow.
With the 2019 draft now in the rearview mirror, it’s hard to see how the draft could have gone any better for Canadiens fans. Not only did the Canadiens select 9 times in the first 60 picks, but they were also able to bring the two most exciting French Canadian prospects in this year’s draft crop to Montreal in Parent and Poulin. Team perception in the city is transformed, radio shows are all abuzz with predictions and prognostications, and even the calls for GM Matt Gough to be fire have quieted down. Time will tell if this lasts.
TSN’s Pierre McGuire, today, sat down with the mercurial General Manager Gough to discuss the recently finished draft, how he’s handled team struggles, and what his designs are for the future.
PM: Hey, Matt. Thanks for sitting down with me.
MG: Thanks for having me, Pierre.
PM: So, in December of this year, on TSN 690 in Montreal, there was an online poll which asked fans if they’d rather have one more season with the present management remaining in charge or a gunshot to the face. Did you hear about that?
MG: Alright we’re done here…*laughs*
PM: Obviously that was tongue-in-cheek, but still, how have you dealt with the negative perception in the city, and did you ever fear for your job?
MG: We’ve got such a passionate fan base, with high expectations, I don't blame them for being frustrated. When things aren't going your way it's easy to let the thoughts creep in, but I try not to think about it too much. Today I'm the GM of the Montreal Canadiens, and I'll do my best to get them back on the winning side.
PM: So, moving on to draft day, many people had Xavier Parent as the second best prospect in this draft, some perhaps even preferring him as the top player in the draft. Were you at all surprised to have the opportunity to pick him at 4th overall?
MG: I'd be lying if I didn't say I was surprised. Xavier is an elite talent in the making, a franchise player to build around, and we were thrilled to seem him available with the 4th pick. But this is how the draft goes sometimes, you don't always pick the best player available, sometimes it's a positional need in the organization, and we were happy to see that benefit us this year.
PM: Perhaps one of the bigger surprises of the 1st round was the fact that you were able to pick the consensus 5th best player in the draft at 12th overall. What do you see in Robert Mastrosimone, and why do you think he dropped to the middle of the 1st round?
MG: Robert is a very all around talented player, great at carrying the puck up the ice and playing the cycle. He's got that natural scoring ability, kind of puts defenders on their heels a bit, because he can beat you to the net if you don't play him tight, but he's got the vision to make a great pass for the shooter as well.
I can't say for certain why Robert dropped In the draft. There was certainly a log jam of talent from picks 5-12, and I suppose teams had a player in mind outside of him. We're thrilled we were able to pick him, and we think he's going to do great things for this organization.
PM: What’s your perception of the future for this club? Canadiens fans are clearly very excited by the moves that have been made and the great young talents that have been brought in, but how far away do you think this club is from competing again? 5 years? 10 years? And what are the areas that the team still needs to focus on improving as you put your plan into action.
MG: Initially I would say a couple years. We need to get the kids used to playing at this level, and help them to get where they need to be development wise. It could be sooner than that, it could be later. We won't rush things, we'll stay the course and will expect to have a very good team in a few years.
Our biggest need now is defensively. We've got a bounty of young forwards, but very little defensive depth. That's something we'll address with both free agency and next year's draft.
PM: Okay. Thanks so much for sitting down with me.
MG: Thanks, Pierre
- END -