Brett Hull revealed that he nearly joined the Montreal Canadiens after a conversation with Jean Beliveau. Hull noted that the Canadiens icon had a great sales pitch that he seriously considered.
Hull was an unrestricted free agent in 2001 after a strong stint with the Dallas Stars. During his time with the Stars, he reached two consecutive Stanley Cup Finals. One of those finals was 1999, when Hull famously scored the game-winning goal to win the Stanley Cup.
By 2001, Hull was nearing the end of his career but still had plenty to offer a contending team. He recalled the Canadiens enlisting the help of Beliveau in an effort to convince him to join the team.
Hull appreciated the gesture and nearly signed with the Habs.
Brett Hull Recalls conversation with Montreal Canadiens Icon Jean Beliveau
Brett Hull also recalled his conversation with Montreal Canadiens icon Jean Beliveau, who was widely respected.
Hull revealed that Beliveau was his father’s favorite player, which made the conversation more special. The Hall of Famer said both he and his wife were convinced that signing with the Canadiens was a great idea.
“I was out with my wide for lunch one day and my phone rang and I saw it was a Montreal number. It was Jean Beliveau, my dad’s favorite player. And 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, 45 minutes I talked with Jean Beliveau, and he was selling me on the Montreal Canadiens,” Hull told Gloves Off: The Enforcer Code.
“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.”
Ultimately, Hull decided to sign with the Red Wings instead after Chris Chelios recruited him.
“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.”
Hull Reveals What Free Agency Was Like for Him in 2001
Hull also revealed that free agency was different for him than what others may have experienced in 2001. He was about to turn 37 years old. As a result, he was not highly sought-after when free agency opened.
“It was a little different. You know, you have an ego, right? And July 1st, you’re expecting at 12:01 a.m. the phone to ring and have your agent go, ‘Well, this team and this team, and they’ve all called,’ and it really wasn’t that way,” Hull told Gloves Off: The Enforcer Code.
Brett Hull Reveals How a Canadiens Icon Nearly Convinced Him to Sign with Montreal