Mike Keenan (!?!)

[fleemur12]

He was the one behind the bench who helped guide, push and kick the Rags to The Cup in '94, so I had to get them. I've yet to see the HG Glossy Gold /5 version come up for sale.

04-05 UD Canadian Exclusives /25



04-05 UD HG Glossy Silver /10

[87sluggo]

Oh yeah, THAT guy.............he was the one behind the bench who, along with his pal Mark Messier, took the C off of Trevor Linden's chest and then shipped him off to the Islanders (which got us Todd Bertuzzi, so ok then) and then went out and sank the Canucks to the point were they were actually in danger of being sold and relocated, until Brian Burke of all people was hired to rescue and rebuild the team.

They're great cards, I loooove the Canadian exclusives, but you can keep em sir :)

[fleemur12]

Oh yeah, THAT guy.............he was the one behind the bench who, along with his pal Mark Messier, took the C off of Trevor Linden's chest and then shipped him off to the Islanders (which got us Todd Bertuzzi, so ok then) and then went out and sank the Canucks to the point were they were actually in danger of being sold and relocated, until Brian Burke of all people was hired to rescue and rebuild the team.

They're great cards, I loooove the Canadian exclusives, but you can keep em sir :)

So you're saying you admire the man?... Yeah, it was a deal with the Devil having him as coach. He was just what that year's team needed as a coach, but he had seriously erratic personality issues, was a mercurial man to deal with and coached by reign of terror. He also eventually helped sink the '94 Rangers organization, although he was only one player in that. He left one month after winning The Cup b/c the GM Neil Smith despised Keenan, probably stemming from the time Keenan went over Smith's head to president Dave Checketts in order to obtain Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan. He then concocted a story that he was leaving due to a "breach of contract" in which he claimed his bonus payment was 1 day late. Turns out he was negotiating with Detroit throughout the playoffs for the job of coach and GM of the Wings. Then he signed a contract with St. Louis to be coach and general manager while still under contract with New York, which earned him a 60 day suspension. So yeah, he was an @sh*le, but he followed his convictions with unwavering zeal with little concern for others' feelings. Yet could the Rags have won The Cup without his contribution to building the team's personnel (Matteau & Noonan) and ability to push his players? I bet most fans would be willing to sacrifice the long term success of the team for one Stanley Cup.