They Still Have Their Memories

The Montreal Forum played an important role in the lives of three members of the Kings’ organization. But Coach Larry Robinson, who played there the longest but chose not to attend Monday’s final game, is the least mournful about the fabled building’s passing.

“I’m not big on sentiment,” said Robinson, who played on six Stanley Cup-winning teams in 17 seasons with the Canadiens. “It’s the people you think about. We had such a great group of guys. Pressure comes more from within, rather than from plaques and banners. Pressure also comes from the crowd. You can look at walls all you want.”

To King President Rogie Vachon, the walls were sacred.

“This is a shrine,” he said. “It’s almost unthinkable they would close the building and tear it down and take all the history away. Unfortunately, it’s a business.”

Vachon, who played for Montreal from 1966-67 until 1971-72, was just off the farm in Rouyn-Noranda, 400 miles distant, when he first saw the Forum.

“Every young French-Canadian dreams of playing for the Canadiens,” he said. “In those days, you were not drafted. You signed a form. I came to camp with the Montreal Junior Canadiens. We were actually at the Forum. I was totally green.”

Dave Taylor, an assistant to General Manager Sam McMaster, never played for Montreal. But as a King for 17 seasons, he met the legendary Forum ghosts, the spirits of past players said to inhabit the Forum and give their successors occasional supernatural help.

“It was an intimidating place to play.” Taylor said. “It started when you walked in there and you’d see all the banners. Growing up in Canada and watching ‘Hockey Night in Canada,’ I always dreamed of playing there. The visitors’ dressing room was a little wee room, but there was such history and tradition in the place--and all the ghosts.

“We had them on the ropes in ’93 [the Kings led the 1993 Stanley Cup finals, 1-0, and led Game 2 until Marty McSorley’s illegal stick changed the momentum] and I don’t know how many overtime games they won in a row that year. It had to be a record. [Goalie Patrick] Roy had something to do with that, but maybe the ghosts did too.”

Robinson’s favorite moments didn’t involve scoring a goal or lifting the Cup.

“You don’t play 17 years and have one memory,” he said. “Just the building is beautiful, but you don’t really feel that until you’re alone in there. I was usually the last one to leave. A lot of times I’d sit there and look around at all the banners. It’s a beautiful place to watch a game.”