'I could write a book on this': Pierre Turgeon talks about the infamous Patrick Roy trade on podcast

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In a new episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets hockey podcast, former Montreal Canadiens captain Pierre Turgeon re-opened an old wound for many Habs fans by discussing the lead up to the infamous 11-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in 1995 that ended Patrick Roy’s tenure in Montreal.

“I knew right away,” the Hockey Hall of Famer said of the inevitability of a trade when Mario Tremblay came on as coach. “It’s a matter of time and when. Don’t know (when), but it’s going to happen.”

Turgeon had a unique vantage point, since he and Roy were neighbours and drove to the rink together every day.

“I told him, ‘I think I could write a book on this,’” Turgeon said.

Turgeon reminded the hosts that Tremblay was hired after Jacques Demers was let go following an 0-6 start. He affirmed Keith Yandle’s question about whether the new coach was trying to assert dominance over the team’s biggest star.

“I remember sitting in the locker room, the first meeting we had. Mario comes in and there’s an argument right off the bat. Mario wanted to say, ‘I’m the boss,’ and that didn’t work,” Turgeon said.

“Because Patrick had a lot of power. If (Wayne Gretzky) comes to the coach and says we should have a day off today, you get it. Patrick was one of those guys.”

Turgeon also recalled that Roy and Tremblay might’ve been roommates when they both played on the team together. Tremblay had been on radio at the time he was hired to coach the Habs, and was often critical of Roy on the air.

After the loss to Detroit, Roy was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche along with Mike Keane for Martin Rucinsky, Andrei Kovalenko and Jocelyn Thibault in one of the most lopsided trades in Habs history, with the Montreal club on the losing end. Roy would go on to win two Stanley Cups in Denver.

The trade of Keane also allowed Turgeon to take over as captain, a role he held until getting dealt to the St. Louis Blues less than a year later.

On the podcast, Turgeon also talked about the rivalry between English and French players in minor league hockey, getting traded for Pat LaFontaine and learning one-timers from Brett Hull.

Roy and Tremblay eventually quashed their longstanding beef.