After rumors were flying around that Montreal Canadiens’ head coach Michel Therrien stated that Max Pacioretty, the team’s current captain, is the “worst captain in Canadiens’ history,” the coach came forward to try and clear his name.
“First of all, I never said that,” Therrien said Tuesday while present at the Montreal Canadiens’ golf tournament. “Secondly, I don’t pay attention to hearsay. If I start to pay attention to everything that they say, as a coach, I’m going to lose my focus, and I really don’t pay attention to those things.”
Therrien denies making 'worst captain' comments about Pacioretty https://t.co/vCxPHMkoEw pic.twitter.com/waThuXvdsY
— theScore NHL (@theScoreNHL) September 20, 2016
The team has emphatically backed Therrien on this topic, and it all appears to be water under the bridge at this point. According to team owner Geoff Molson, the situation is simply manufactured.
When there’s a rumor in the marketplace like that, you have to address it quickly. Obviously, it’s inaccurate. Max’s players chose him as the captain. He’s a great captain, he’s a leader in the community, he’s respected by the fans and the coach. I’ve talked to Michel and Marc about this and obviously Michel would never say anything like that. – Geoff Molson
These comments came just weeks after the Canadiens’ sent fan-favorite P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators in a deal that brought Shea Weber to the Habs. After one of the busiest offseasons in recent history for the Canadiens, the team is likely looking forward to hockey operation resuming.
