What a Guy! by Joe Pelletier One of the best things about watching the Dallas Stars capture the Stanley Cup in 1999 was the fact that Guy Carbonneau got a chance to drink from Lord Stanley's mug for the third time in his career. Guy is a rare throwback to the old days - he, much like Wayne Gretzky, plays strictly for the pure love of the game and never let the money overthrow that love. We need more players like Guy.

"Players like him love the game for all the right reasons," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. "I don't care if these games were played in an outdoor rink, it doesn't matter to Guy. He just loves the game. He absolutely loves it. And he never picks his spots. He just plays. He's a competitive person. Money and the amount he gets paid is irrelevant to Guy Carbonneau. That's why he's an older player who can survive in a young man's game."

After all these years, Guy Carbonneau still plays hockey the same way he did as a rookie. He became the standard of defensive excellence in the post Bob Gainey/Doug Jarvis era. The premier defensive shadow in the age of high scoring stars such as Gretzky, Steve Yzerman, and Mario Lemieux, Carbonneau was a masterful faceoff specialist and a superb shot blocker. And he excelled best while his team was shorthanded. An incredible penalty killer, Carbonneau was always out against the other team's power play, especially in the dreaded 5-on-3 penalty kills.

Born in Sept-Iles, Quebec, Guy played junior hockey with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Players from the "Q" were rarely noted for their defensive play. High scoring games were the norm in the "Q" in the 70s and 80s, and Carbonneau sure did his share of scoring. Guy had a mind-boggling 171 goals and 435 points in 273 career games with Chicoutimi. While he was definitely an offensive threat, in his own zone he wasn't exactly the Guy Carbonneau that he would later become. But then again, what 18-year-old is? The Montreal Canadiens did Guy and themselves a big favor when they didn't rush him into the NHL. The 44th overall pick by the Habs in the 1979 Entry Draft, Guy spent two full seasons apprenticing in the AHL, where he scored 88 and 94 points respectively. However, Guy's apprenticeship in the minors wasn't about offense, but defense.

"You didn't play in Montreal until you learned how to play offensively and defensively, not even Guy Lafleur," said Ron Low, a former NHL goalie and coach. "Teams don't teach the right way to play, the way the Canadiens once did."

Montreal brought Guy, along with so many other fine players prior to the late 1980s, in slowly. Under the guidance of such Montreal greats as Bob Gainey, Doug Jarvis, Larry Robinson and Mario Tremblay, Guy was raised in the mystique of the Montreal Canadiens, something he would later pass on to the next generation of Canadiens.

While Guy learned a lot from his coaches and teammates, he also had the help of some special Habs alumni.

"Just to be able to sit around and talk with Maurice and Henri Richard, Jean Beliveau, Toe Blake. . . . When you're a young guy, that means a lot," Carbonneau said. "When they tell you a story, it's from the heart. Those guys, they played for the love of the game."

So does he.

Carbonneau had the instinct and ability to be a better scorer in the National Hockey League. His hockey sense, soft hands and good wheels should have seen him score more than he did. But Guy was so team oriented that he sacrificed his own point totals for the good of the club. Instead of becoming the next Guy Lafleur, he became the next Bob Gainey.

Guy was a consistent offensive contributor, though not prolific. He never scored more than 57 points in a season, but scored at least 50 points five times. He scored at least 18 goals in nine of his seasons, including a career high 26 in 1988-89.

Carbonneau scored 221 goals in 12 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. Guy was in the prime of his career when the Habs won the Stanley Cup in 1986. For Carbonneau it was his first taste of Stanley Cup champagne. He played a huge role in those playoffs too. In addition to his usual defensive work, Guy contributed seven goals and 12 points in 20 postseason games.

Carbonneau won the Frank J. Selke Trophy three times in his career - 1988, 1989, and 1992 - and was the runner-up twice more. Because of his zestful love of the game it came as no surprise that Guy was named as captain of the Montreal Canadiens. In 1989-90 he shared that duty with Chris Chelios and by 1990-91 he assumed the full captaincy role.

After the completion of the regular season in 1992-93, it looked as though Guy Carbonneau's days were numbered. He finished with career lows (at that point) in games (61), goals (four), assists (13) and points (17). It was certainly a season to forget for the aging veteran and speculation was that the 1993 playoffs would be Carbo's last hurrah in a Habs jersey.

However, something funny happened that postseason. Led by the heroics of Patrick Roy and some timely scoring by the Hab forwards, the Canadiens unexpectedly advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals where they faced off against Wayne Gretzky's Los Angeles Kings. Guy's youthful play against the Great One rejuvenated his career. Carbonneau shadowed Gretzky all series long and played an important role in the Habs' 1993 Stanley Cup championship. Carbonneau returned the following season and rebounded with 14 goals and 38 points in 79 games. But Guy's advancing age and salary convinced Montreal management to trade the veteran center to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for prospect Jim Montgomery.

Guy played one season in St. Louis, where he assumed an important role under head coach Mike Keenan, before the Blues moved him to Dallas in exchange for Paul Broten in 1995.

Going to Dallas was like a Montreal Canadiens reunion for Guy. The Dallas GM who traded for him was none other than Bob Gainey, Guy's one time mentor. Behind the bench was Doug Jarvis. On the ice he would eventually was once again team up with some great Montreal defensive players from the past - Brian Skrudland, Mike Keane and Craig Ludwig.

Don't underestimate the importance of the ex-Hab factor in the Stars' 1999 championship.

"There's a lasting effect on people who learned how to play the game for the old Montreal Canadiens. There's the tradition, the winning attitude they had. It carries over wherever they go. It gets in your blood, and it trickles down to everybody around them." says Mike Modano. "The experience, the values they've learned rub off on you. How to be unselfish, to be patient, to play with passion has rubbed off on me."

While many criticized Dallas for acquiring older veterans, the Stars knew exactly what they were doing. They wanted winners to come into their dressing room and teach the team how to win. Winners who would help the Stars claim a championship of their own.

Winners like Guy Carbonneau.

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