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Position: Centre |
Draft Year: 1996 |
Strengths A gritty player who loves to throw his body around.
He
has an emerging strong defensive game.
Weaknesses Has limited offensive abilities, but his 10 goals last
season were a career high.
Projected Role 2005 4th line centre.
You can always tell when Steve Begin is on the ice, and it’s not because of his offensive abilities, just look at any corner of the rink when he’s on and you’ll understand what is being said here. In 1996, the Flames drafted Begin with high expectations at both ends of the rink, but their plans didn’t come to fruition. So, after a few seasons going between the AHL and the NHL, the Flames shipped him to Buffalo as part of the Chris Drury deal, but he didn’t last very long there; in fact, he stayed there for about 6 weeks. That’s where Bob Gainey came in, stealing him off waivers from the Sabres, where he has quickly became a fan favourite because of his high-intensity play.
If people thought Gainey was going to take his time to stamp his image on the team they were wrong. When he plucked Begin off waivers before the season started, he pulled in an absolute sparkplug with more potential than any realized. Where can you start talking about him other than his absolutely incredible work ethic. Every shift of every game he's out there giving his all and for Hab fans, it's a complete treat to see. He consistently finishes his checks, and often with strong results. He's always on his opponent, harrying them consistently and causing turnovers and mistakes. Simply, he's a gnat - but this gnat has talent!
In a surprising move when Juneau was injured, Begin was given the third line and he did a remarkable job with it. Not only was he in the face of the opponents best, but he was positionally sound, and played the defensive game at a very high level. Best of all, his buzz-saw play rubbed off on his linemates and in particular woke up Sundstrom from a season-long slumber. Sadly, a shoulder injury has him out, but when he returns, Julien will have a most happy problem.
Begin is a team player, he's a hard worker (understatement!), and he's a guy other teams hate to face. Is he in the future of the Habs? Not only is he there, but he's probably worked his way from a fringe role-player to something closer to an integral part. At least for a year or so before some of the younger talent develops, Begin will be a key in the Montreal offence.
He’s a sparkplug and the kind of player you love to have. He’s also a player
everyone else hates playing against and when the Calgary Flames drafted him 40th
overall in 1996, that’s probably exactly what they saw. At 5’11 and 185, he’s
not exactly the size that would strike fear into any opponents, but when that
compact frame hits you like a freight train, you start to take notice.
At the beginning of the season, a scant few weeks after Bob Gainey had
officially taken over the club, after indicating that one thing the Canadiens
needed was size and grit, the GM plucked Begin off the waiver wire from the
Buffalo Sabres. Rumours abounded in Buffalo later on about why the feisty player
had even been on the waiver wire, as in his short time, he’d already become a
popular figure.
After being drafted by the Flames, Begin shuttled back and forth between the
main squad and their AHL affiliate, for much of his time there. Ostensibly
making the team in 2001-02, he still only managed 51 and 50 games in the
following two seasons. Obviously, the Flames didn’t feel he was a legitimate
part of their future and bundled him up with Chris Drury, receiving Steve
Reinprecht and Rhett Warriner in exchange.
Fortunately for the Habs, the Sabres didn’t recognize what they had either, and
Montreal’s gain was Buffalo’s significant loss.
Coming off a shoulder injury early this year, it would have been understandable
had Begin been somewhat reluctant to make hits or to play the physical style
that brought him to the NHL in the first place. However, from his first shift on
the ice he served notice that he was ready to play at the highest intensity
level, flattening everyone in his path.
As an occasional player in Calgary, Begin had been a fourth and checking line
player – more significantly the former. However when Joe Juneau went down with
injury, Canadiens coach Claude Julien made the call to give Begin the centre
position on the Habs third line. In his short stint there before going down with
an aggravation to his shoulder, he brought an all-new energy to the Habs
checking role, and in the process woke Niklas Sundstrom up from his early season
doldrums. The new third line played with grit and emotion and lost none of its
defensive prowess.
In 26 games played with the Canadiens this year, Begin has managed only a single
goal and four points, but his statistics are not nearly the measure of this
player. Each night he leaves everything he’s got on the ice; he’s never taken a
shift off. When he came to the Canadiens, he mentioned the pleasure at playing
for his home-province club (he was born in Trois-Rivieres, QC, in 1978), and the
satisfaction he got from finally being given a full chance. There’s no doubt
he’s taken that opportunity and run with it.
When he does make it back in a few weeks time, Julien is going to have a
pleasant problem to deal with: where to put this firecracker in the lineup. He’s
gone from being a waiver wire acquisition to a player that’s counted on each
night and one that must sleep with a smile on his face at night knowing how far
he’s come since the days in Calgary where he wasn’t given much of a chance.
One other who must sleep with some satisfaction is Bob Gainey. Begin from
waivers was quite a coup.
(HW) Colin Prichett (January 8, 2003)
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