Serge Savard criticizes Marc Bergevin and the Quebec draft (again)

Serge Savard likes to criticize Marc Bergevin. It’s nothing new.

It’s understandable that he’s angry about having recommended to Geoff Molson the hiring of the Quebecer in 2012 (Serge Savard was an advisor in the search for the club’s next GM) and seeing that the former Blackhawks man hasn’t fulfilled his promises, but…

But at some point, we know his point of view. He’s said it many times.

While the former defenseman and Habs GM is optimistic about the Habs’ future, he still blames Marc Bergevin for the way he’s drafted in recent years.

In Bergevin’s last year, we looked at the roster and I think there was one player from the last seven years of the draft.

If we can’t produce our third- and fourth-line guys, we’ve got a problem. – Serge Savard

In his opinion, to be able to continue renewing itself, you need three to four new players a year – which was the case last year, in fact.

That’s what he hasn’t seen under Bergevin.

Serge Savard likes what he sees from the CH https://t.co/vnYTo7hI0g

– Le Journal de Montréal (@JdeMontreal) August 15, 2023

Without wanting to defend Marc Bergevin at all costs, who really didn’t always draft well from 2012 to 2021, there were still several regulars in 2021-2022 who were drafted between 2015 and 2021, the last seven drafts Mr. Savard was talking about.

Cole Caufield, Alexander Romanov, Ryan Poehling and Michael Pezzetta were all regulars, and while that’s not a huge number, it’s more than one. We can add Jake Evans and Artturi Lehkonen, drafted before 2015 by Marc Bergevin.

It’s more towards the end that he had a good batting average. After all, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Jesse Ylönen, Cayden Primeau and Sean Farrell all got their chance in the NHL in 2022-2023.

There are still guys in the minors (a la Joshua Roy, Riley Kidney, Jakub Dobes or Jayden Struble) and Bergevin has also acquired young talent in other ways. Nick Suzuki and Arber Xhekaj spring to mind.

It’s not just the draft, after all.

So I understand that Bergevin’s record isn’t perfect and that his management of former players wasn’t the right thing to do, but hearing the same comments over and over again is a little redundant.

But that’s not the only thing the Habs have been criticized for.

Whether it’s Marc Bergevin or the other general managers, not drafting Quebec talent was once again one of Serge Savard’s topics on the sidelines of his golf tournament.

I had four full-time scouts in the QMJHL. After I left, we were down to one.

A guy like Patrice Bergeron, we wouldn’t have missed him. – Serge Savard

It’s true that the Habs don’t have the best draft record in general(many people agree) and that missing out on Quebecers hurts the club.

But then again, that’s a comment that comes up a lot.

🔵⚪️🔴ENTREVUE WITH SERGE SAVARD | Fourth Edition of the Serge Savard Invitation

“I had 4 full-time scouts in the QMJHL […] Guys like Bergeron going in the 2nd or 3rd round, we wouldn’t have missed it.”

Listen here with @ybouchardRDS ➡️ https://t.co/nYmmONfSqu

– 98,5 Sports (@985Sports) August 16, 2023

While the message is important (when the CH trusted the QMJHL in 2021, it made for a great crop), I know a lot of people are tired of hearing the same tape over and over again.

I can already predict that comments asking us to “stop writing the same stuff” will be posted under this article, as many people are tired of seeing the same nail being hammered over and over again. These comments and texts have a similar effect on CH fans.