By Bob Trask – Nothing has created a greater rift among Habs fans than the upcoming NHL Draft. Those advocating for Shane Wright and those advocating for choosing someone other than him have drawn their battle lines and neither will budge.

Civil discussion has been tossed out the window and social media has provided that partially anonymous forum where insults are tossed back and forth. The behaviour has been child-like, or worse, at times.

As Habs fans we all want the team to succeed. It doesn’t have to be with your personally favourite players or with mine. At the end of the day we should all be on the same side. But, at the moment, it seems we aren’t.

The need to be right is superseding logical discussion. Dissenting opinions are dismissed and those making them are disparaged. Proclamations like “higher upside” and “greater risk” are often made on the back of flimsy research, selective quotes taken from “experts” or statistics designed to put one player or another in a better light.

Some of those offering up their opinions are often the same ones who said Ben Chiarot wouldn’t bring any more than a second round pick in a trade, nor would Artturi Lehkonen. Then suddenly, in a move worthy of any politician, some in that same group have said that Colorado stole Lekhonen. They were wrong then and there is a good chance they could be wrong again. Ahh… but the beauty of social media is that it allows one to shift seamlessly from one side of the argument to the other.

I don’t understand the motives behind all the inflammatory comments. Maybe it isn’t the need to be right as I suggested; maybe it is just clickbait. Maybe it’s the need for attention. Whatever the motive, the behaviour is becoming intolerable.

The comments start innocently enough and it is easy to get drawn into the debate. But gradually the conversation gets amped up and degrades into something we are unlikely to say to anyone in a face to face conversation.

Unfortunately this has led me to use the mute function on Twitter more than I would have liked. Many posters that I follow and who have consistently provided good commentary have developed an irrational intolerance for the opinions of others. For my own personal sanity, I have chosen to avoid those whose MO is hurling personal insults. And it comes from both sides.

C’mon people, as Habs fans we all have the same ultimate desire… the desire to see the Habs win the Cup. We’re better than what we have shown so far and hopefully a little more respect to one another can be given going forward. Let’s pull together on this, cheer for the Habs, tone down the rhetoric and keep the debate civil.

Editor’s note: We, at Cheering The Logo, fully support what our contributor is saying here. The sooner people understand that they have no say on whom the Canadiens select, that the constant battles contributes absolutely nothing positive and that you won’t change the other party’s mind, the better it will be for all. Let’s be fans, civil fans, and we’ll see where the choice lands on July 7th.

More reading…

• LeBrun: Habs Open To Dealing With The Devils in Rumour Mill
• A Summer Wish List by Bob Trask
• Number One Consensus No More by JD Lagrange