Brett Hull’s path almost bent in a very different direction in 2001, and the twist came down to a phone call, a family dinner and a split-second choice between two iconic franchises.
By then, Hull was already established as one of the NHL’s premier scorers. He had won the Stanley Cup with Dallas in 1999 and was still driving offense when he became a free agent in 2001. Montreal was in the mix, and for a Canadiens team trying to find its way back toward contender status, landing a player like Hull would have been a major swing.
Instead, he ended up in Detroit, a roster already stacked with names like Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Fedorov. The Red Wings didn’t exactly need a savior, but adding a finisher of Hull’s caliber still made plenty of sense. He helped Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2002, adding another championship to his career.
The Canadiens angle, though, is where the story gets interesting. Hull’s own account suggests Montreal was much closer than many realized. He discussed the near-miss on the Gloves Off: The Enforcer Code podcast with Darren McCarthy and Joey Kocur, and he traced it back to Jean Beliveau.
"“I was out with my wife for lunch one day, and my phone rang, and I saw it was a Montreal number. It was Jean Beliveau, my dad’s favourite player.
I’m outside the restaurant, and I’m a pacer when I talk on the phone. So I’m walking up and down the sidewalk, and I can just imagine the people going, ‘What is this guy doing?’
And so, for 45 minutes I talked with Jean Beliveau, and he was selling me on the Montreal Canadiens.”
“I’m like, Montreal Canadiens? Are you kidding?
It’s iconic, like playing for the [New York] Yankees. I hung up, and I said, ‘You know, give me a couple of days to think about it.’
And I talked to my wife, and we were out to dinner, and we were talking, and she goes, ‘I think it’d be real cool. I could learn French, and it’s a beautiful city and the history, and you playing for the Montreal Canadiens would be incredible.’
It certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
“I was actually reaching for my phone to call the Canadiens. And my phone rang right as I was reaching for it,” Hull said.
“And I go, ‘Oh, honey, it’s [Chelios].’ I picked it up, and Chelly goes, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’
I go, ‘Good.’ He goes, ‘You want to come play for the Red Wings?’
And I go, ‘Yes.’ It was just that simple.”"
For Montreal, it’s the kind of what-if that hangs around because of what followed. The Canadiens had difficult years in the early 2000s, and a scorer like Hull could have given them a real jolt. One player doesn’t solve everything, but a shooter who could turn a game with a single blast would have been a welcome weapon for a team that was searching for more consistency.
In Other News...
Dylan Larkin Just Gave Canadiens Fans A Reason To Revisit This Dream
Dylan Larkins name still has a way of lighting up the Bell Centre, and a recent visit by the Red Wings captain only fed that old Canadiens daydream a little more. Montreal fans gave him a notable reception, the kind that reminds everyone how easily a big-name center can become part of the citys ongoing wish list, especially when the organization is always looking for ways to upgrade down the middle.
Larkin didnt exactly pour cold water on the whole scene, either, praising the atmosphere in Montreal and calling it one of hockeys best arenas. Even so, the practical side of the story has not changed much, with Montreal not currently listed among the 10 teams on his reported trade request list and no deal anywhere near confirmed. For now, it is still more reminder than resolution, but it was enough to make Canadiens fans revisit a dream they know well. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Win Exposed A Sabres Problem Fans Have Seen Before
The Sabres have made a habit of flirting with disaster, and the latest example came in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal after Buffalo clawed its way back into the game. There are signs of progress in spots, with Jack Quinn, Josh Doan and Josh Norris all showing better form, but the bigger picture still looks familiar: too much inconsistency, too little clean defensive hockey, and not enough margin for error when the game tightens.
What has made the trend harder to ignore is how often Buffalo has had to lean on late rallies just to collect points. That approach can keep a team afloat for a night, but it is not a recipe for staying competitive over the long haul, especially when the margins are so thin in the standings. The Canadiens exposed that reality again, leaving the Sabres with another reminder that the comeback formula only works so many times before it catches up. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Costly Dylan Larkin Decision With No Easy Answer
Any conversation about Dylan Larkin and Montreal quickly runs into the same hard question: what is the price, and is it worth paying? The discussion centers on a hypothetical framework that would send multiple assets to Detroit, with salary-cap realities looming over the Canadiens side of the equation. No official offer has been made, no deal has been confirmed, and for now it remains exactly what it is - a scenario being weighed more than a negotiation taking shape.
The biggest obstacle in that kind of proposal is Michael Hage, the prospect Detroit would reportedly want first if talks ever moved beyond the speculative stage. That alone makes the exercise delicate for Montreal, which has to decide how much future value it is willing to sacrifice for immediate help. And even before the Canadiens get to that internal debate, there is still another hurdle in the background: Pierre LeBrun has reported that Larkin has not added Montreal to his list of approved destinations. [Read more 🡒]