Mike Keane speaks candidly about Canadiens' franchise-altering trade

Former Canadiens captain Mike Keane was awakened on the morning of Dec. 6, 1995, believing it might have come from an intoxicated teammate, inviting him for a nightcap. Instead, it was general manager Réjean Houle, informing Keane he had been traded to Colorado with franchise goaltender Patrick Roy.

“My wife and I looked at a map to find out where Colorado was,” Keane told the Montreal Gazette in an exclusive interview Sunday night, having returned to Montreal as one of the honorary captains for the AHL All-Star Classic at Place Bell in Laval. “Things happened quickly, as trades do. You don’t realize it until it happens to you. We went down to the rink, had the press conference, talked, said goodbye and were on a plane that night.”

While there’s no doubt Roy was the centrepiece of what many regard as the worst trade in franchise history — the Canadiens received goalie Jocelyn Thibault along with forwards Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko in return — it also had a profound effect on Keane’s life and career.

Keane and his wife, Tammy, had just purchased a condo after renting for years. On the other hand, he won the second Stanley Cup of his career — following the Canadiens’ improbable 1993 title — that season with the Avalanche.

Keane, who would capture one more title, with Dallas in 1999, talked candidly about the surreal chain of events that led to their departure from Montreal — four nights after Canadiens head coach Mario Tremblay embarrassed the iconic Roy by leaving him in for nine goals against Detroit.

“It’s so bizarre, looking back,” said Keane, 55, the player development coordinator for the Winnipeg Jets. “You would never leave a goalie — young or old — in there for (that many) goals. Yet it happened. Was there a sidebar to whatever happened between him and Mario? That’s stuff I don’t know. But we were on the bench, literally going … what the f–k is going on. The next goal … the next goal … it never ends. Then it happened and the whole trade played out.

“I’m happy I went with Patrick,” Keane added. “Trades happen. Things happen. I was going to play hockey, so it didn’t matter where. The sticker shock was more for him. Within 48 hours, we were in a different place. He was a Montreal icon. Everyone thought he was going to play 20 years for the Montreal Canadiens. Then we’re playing for a different team, 48 hours later.”

During the private jet ride to Denver with Roy, the two experienced a gamut of emotions, Keane noted. There was talk of what had transpired. There were long breaks of silence as they contemplated their immediate future. For Keane, he was joining the former Nordiques team that had a long and bitter rivalry with the Canadiens.

“Hate’s a powerful word, but you hated a lot of guys on that team,” Keane said, his feelings eventually changed once bonds were forged with his new Avalanche teammates.

Keane, who spent eight seasons with Montreal, also will be remembered for what seemed like an unlikely selection as the 24th captain in Canadiens history in April 1995. Keane succeeded the traded Kirk Muller at a time when the honour eventually correlated to an exodus for the player.

“To this day, it’s kind of mind-boggling,” Keane admitted. “When you look and see Mr. Béliveau, Mr. Cournoyer, Mr. Gainey … it just doesn’t make sense and it’s not really the way the pecking order should have happened. I don’t think there was anyone left.”

Keane became the subject of media scrutiny when he was quoted in La Presse, claiming he had no intention — after being named captain — of learning French, becoming a polarizing figure by saying he didn’t believe it was necessary because English was the predominant language in the dressing room. Keane said his comments were misinterpreted.

“I never said I wouldn’t learn French, that’s the biggest discrepancy,” he stated. “The next day, the (headline was) Keane refuses to learn French. That’s not exactly the word I said but, obviously, it snowballed from there. Why would I say that? I’m not a smart guy, but I’m not dumb. It wasn’t a fun time.”

Keane might have been collateral damage to the Roy trade, but believes the organization had no choice but to include him in the deal as his remarks led to an untenable situation.

“Me being a non-francophone captain didn’t go over too well,” he said.

Nonetheless, life has been good for Keane, a Winnipeg native working in his hometown. Despite going undrafted, and being a modest 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, he spent 16 seasons in the NHL, played more than 1,100 games and had 168 goals and 470 points. He capped his career by playing five seasons for the Manitoba Moose, becoming the first player to see his number retired by the franchise.

“I was born to play hockey,” Keane said. “That’s all I ever wanted to do. I learned how to win in Montreal … and, as much as I was a long shot to play, I was lucky enough to play with, arguably, some of the best.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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