Montreal Canadiens - The Best Hockey Team Ever

Season Over

2009-04-06T16:26:00.001-07:00

Well it is official. Montreal's dominating win over the Toronto Maple Leafs appears to have been the most costly game of the season with both Markov and Schneider out for long periods of time.

Schneider, who has brought life back to the powerplay is out for the season after a shoulder injury. I believe it was caused in the first period by a hard hit from Brad May behind the Canadien's net. Markov was injured by the hit from the pain in the ass Garbovski who is already hated by the entire team and now will be hated even more. Markov has injured his knee and is expected to be out for 3 weeks.

Markov will be impossible to replace so the team needs to come together and buy into a team defence strategy and Price will have to come up with some unbelievable goal tending.

It is possible that Markov will be back for the second round of the playoffs, if we were to make it that far.

That top line of Kovalev, Koivu, and Tanguay will need to be on fire and maybe the habs should bring up a guy like Weber who should be able to play quarterback for the Canadiens.

Habs Looking Great

2009-04-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I say. I have been embarrased to write anything lately because we were on such a terrible stretch that there was nothing nice to say at all about the Canadiens. Fortunately, they seem to be coming out of the slump and getting into a grove at the optimal time in the season.

With a few games left in the season, it is looking very promissing that they will be playing in the post season again this year and hopefully they do not end up with New Jersey as their opponent. I would prefer the Bruins or the Capitals, just not the Devils.

When Gainey put Kovalev, Tanguay and Koviu together, a spark seemed to turn into a flame and the team just put it in high gear. The best thing about it was that it was the entire team who picked it up. Komisarek was having trouble earlier and seems to have gotten out of his funk. Schenider started being smarter and Markov stepped it up a notch as well. And of course, the most important piece is the goal tending and that seems to be improving as well. I expect Price to be healthy for Monday nights game in which we almost lock up the playoff birth.

What can I say about Kovalev? Well, when Kovalev is hot, he is hot. He scored last night against the Leafs, on the power play, the same way he scored on the powerplay last year. I don't know about the rest of you, but when Kovalev is out of the linup, the offence is horrific. I know some will disagree, but I am really hoping they sign him for next year as he is a piece of the puzzle that will be very difficult to replace.

But don't forget, there are still many who believe a trade is already in place to bring in big Vinny Lecavalier from Tampa before the no trade clause kicks in. I am not keeping my fingers crossed, but, who knows, we will have to wait and see.

I have so much to say right now that I will have to post more later today or tomorrow. This is the best time of year!

I Have Tickets for Saturday Night

2009-03-12T17:35:00.001-07:00

Well, I will be off to Montreal tomorrow afternoon because I have tickets for Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils. It should be good to see Brodeur, I don't know if he is scheduled to break any records if he wins or gets a shut out but I hope the Habs blow him out of the water.

So far I like what I see with Gainey behind the bench. The team is playing harder and they are finishing their checks every time. By the sounds of it, Carbo had trouble communicating properly with the players which could have played a role in the teams lack of motivation and ultimately, the players giving up on the coach.

The potential is there for the Canadiens and when I turn the games on I feel that they are going to play well, I don't get that feeling I had earlier where it seemed like they might not score any goals!

Totally pumped for the U2 music pumping through the speakers at the game and the cheer of the crowd when we score.

And the Next Coach Is...

2009-03-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

So, we all know that it is highly unlikely that Bob Gainey will be coaching the team come next September as he said out right that he was temporarily coaching on an interim basis. That leads us to wonder, who will coach the Canadiens next season.

Some of the names I have heard are Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, the coach of the Bulldogs, Bob Hartley, and why not, Pat Quinn.

Ha, all of those guys have their merits. Patrick Roy is basically a God when it comes to the Canadiens, not to mention he is a fiery guy and is French Canadien. Larry Robinson, also known as Big Bird, is another one of Gainey's friends from the glory days in the 80's. Bob Hartley has had some decent success at the NHL level and his teams tend to play with an edge. And what about Pat Quinn, he loves pressure, he has lots of experience, is burning to coach again, and most importantly has won at just about every level except he is still missing a Stanley Cup ring. Do I think Pat will end up in Montreal, absolutely not, however, his name has been mentioned.

I would expect that Gainey will move pretty quickly in the off season to secure a coach as there could be a number of teams looking for a coach and with so many people left to sign at the end of the year, it would be helpful to have a coach's input.

Carbonneau Fired!!!!!!!!!!

2009-03-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

It is official, Guy Carbonneau has been fired by the Montreal Canadiens and Bob Gainey will be taking control of the coaching duties.

There are a number of theories as to why the firing happened but my guess is that it will never be public knowledge. Some of the rumours stem from the Kovalev situation, the Price situation, and the idea that Gainey needs to make the playoffs or might find himself out of a job in the summer.

I think this move is a shocker and I did like Carbo. However, as I have mentioned before, I did not like the way he managed ice time for players, especially because he had trouble changing his game plan when they were down by a goal with minutes left or something similar to that. Gainey and Carbo were friends and Gainey said earlier this year that the best thing he did as a GM was hire Carbo. Is it possible that something like Kovalev drove a spike between the two and things became too severe to proceed? I do not know. However, I do know that the offence has struggled for most of the year and hopefully this will really get the boys moving and scoring goals. After all, last year they were the highest scoring team in the NHL last year.

One of the issues was possibly that Carey Price was not playing up to his potential and Carbonneau was unable to get him going. There is no question that Price has struggled. Does Price need a different coach to get him going. What about a coach like Patrick Roy? Is Gainey considering St. Patrick as a potential coach? That would be pretty wild, Patrick Roy is my favorite player of all time.

I don't know what to say right now about this decision because I really liked Carbonneau. But as always, I have faith in Bob Gainey so we are going to have to hope that this is a good move.

Habs Show Signs of Life in Dallas

2009-03-08T17:14:00.001-07:00

The third period is halfway over in Dallas and Montreal is getting chances. This game is exciting, Tanguay, Koivu, and Andrei Kostitsyn are clicking well and Kovalev shot the puck (and scored).

The team is playing good defence and they are actually playing a tough but smart game. They are not backing down but not doing anything stupid to end up in the box.

I guess being on the bubble to make the playoffs is starting to sink in and hopefully the team can finish the game strong and build from this.

Only time will tell but hopefully in the next 20 minutes we are celebrating a victory.

Habs Lose a Snoozer

2009-03-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

Montreal's game last night against the Atlanta Thrashers was a boring game to watch and left me with a bad feeling that Montreal can't seem to score goals.

It was nice to see Tanguay back in the line up and he was banging away showing no signs of hesitation which is important after coming back from an injury. He passed the puck very well and made the line with Higgins and Koivu much stronger.

Price was the bright spot on a dismal game because he came up big time after time and kept the game close from beginning to end. The offence really let Price down.

It was nice to see some toughness finally from a team that has always been considered soft and that they tend not to stick up for each other, like when Kovalev got rocked in Buffalo. Ryan O'Byrne laid the beats down on some poor thrasher.

Lets hope the Habs find their offence or else it is going to be a struggle just to get into the playoffs.

Habs Blown out in Buffalo

2009-03-05T16:55:00.000-08:00

After a very promissing start against the Buffalo Sabres and some unlucky bounces, the Habs got lit up by some costly mistakes.

The game started out very well, Montreal had 18 shots in the first 15 minutes of the game and then gave up a quick crapper and then another costly mistake gave the Sabres a 2-0 lead and then the game fell apart.

This game would have gone completely differently if Kovalev would have potted one early on his two good chances or if they would have put one in the net in the early period power plays. However, they couldn't get one and the wheels fell off the tracks quickly after that.

Thank goodness Tanguay should be back soon because Koivu's line has been unproductive as of late. They need to get more lines firing or else there will be very little hope in the playoffs, if they make it.

Trade Deadline Came and Went

2009-03-04T16:11:00.000-08:00

Well another trade deadline has come and gone and Montreal and Bob Gainey specifically has made no changes. Montreal was reportedly linked to a number of players such as Bill Guerin and Olli Jokinen, but these players went else where.

I trust Gainey that he made the decisions based on future and present requirements and that in the long run, it will be best for the team. It would have been nice to see a big center come in and fill the role that Robert Lang had but it didn't happen and I will not cry over it.

Remember last year when Gainey traded Huet and most people were like 'huh'. Well, that worked out just fine. The other thing to keep in mind is that he did improve the team with Schneider, it just didn't happen on trade deadline day.

Tonight Montreal will be playing against a Sabres team that is missing the number one goalie and will be missing another player because of trades so lets hope that the team can rally together and get Price a win and get him rolling.

Look for Price to play with an edge to make sure Carbonneau thinks twice about play Halak when he is healthy.

Trades Deadline

2009-03-03T16:42:00.000-08:00

Hi There!

Unfortunately I have been extremely busy lately and have not had a chance to post anything but I am planning on making more time for this. I have been learning how to be a father, which is a great experience, and also trying to get my new website going which is a free online, movie organizer. You should check it out at http://www.mymovieorganizer.com.

Anyhow, what can I say about the Canadiens. They went through an absolutely horrific slump and seem to have come out of it with 4 wins a row and big reason for these wins is the power play which is ticking along at over 40% since the trade that brought back Schneider. I remember him the first time around and he has got some spunk back and is really turning around a dismal powerplay unit.

As for the insanely talented and streaky Kovalev, I was nervous that he was going to be gone, but he took his break in stride and has come back with fire and is showing why he could potentially be the most talented in the league. With out Kovalev, Montreal is not going any where in the playoffs so it is essential to keep him going or else the season is over.

Carey Price has also been an interesting player this year and I think he needs his confidence back and then he will prove everyone that he is every bit as good as our expectations and that he will bring Montreal a stanley cup. I think that Halak has been a great backup in Price's struggles but unfortunately I do not see a lot of trade market for Halak so I don't expect him to go anywhere, but then again, no one thought that Huet was going to get traded last year.

Andrei Kostitsyn is growing and is really using his quick release wrist shot, which is a canon and can be deadly from anywhere inside the blue line. I think Andrei has 50 goal potential.

One thing this season that I have been dissapointed with is Carbo's line changing. He seems to have difficulty adjusting his lines for different situations. When Kostpolous is out on the ice with 1.5 minutes left to go in a game and we are trailing by 1 goal, I don't like it. We need a goal, put out an offensive unit. Shake things up, throw out a combination of guys to go for it.

Anyhow, things are looking up in Hab land and I still think that they can make a run in the playoffs with the current squad. Don't expect Gainey to sell the farm to pick up a rental player!

Habs Coming out of the Slump?

2008-11-17T05:31:00.000-08:00

It has been a tough couple of games for the Canadiens has they have lost their scoring punch. Coach Guy decided to shake up the lines against the Blues in an attempt to get some more offence. With the line of Tanguay, Koivu, and Kovalev as the top line, they generated some offence but failed to bury the puck when necessary.

The real slump for the Canadiens as of late has been a power play that hasn't scored a goal in a number of games, I think it might even be four games now. It will be interesting to see what happens next game with the lines to see if Guy leaves them in the adjusted format, re-adjusts them again, or goes back to the lines that scored the most goals in the 2007/2008 season.

On a side note, my wife and I have a new baby girl and she will 'hopefully' one day be one of the Montreal faithful. Last night was her first Canadiens win and the goal scored on Saturday night by Tanguay was the first goal she saw. Obviously she wasn't exactly aware of what was going on but I am hoping it will plant some roots for the little one. And don't you worry, she already has a fully stocked closet of Canadien's outfits.

Montreal needs to find it's goal scoring touch if they want to show the world that they are the class of the Eastern Conference and a legitimate contender for the Cup.

This Season is Going to Rock

2008-10-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

Well, after a long long off season, or so it seemed, the NHL season is set to begin again on Saturday. How will the Canadiens do this year? I predict that they will finish in the top 3 in the Eastern Conference and after that, the playoffs will depend on the performance of Carey Price.

We have all seen a goalie win a game or even a series and Price has the skills to do that for the Canadiens. Montreal's offence should be stronger this year with the additions of Tanguay and Lang. It would have been nice to see Sundin as a Canadien but Gainey could not afford to wait any longer on him as this team is full of unrestricted free agents and this year he wants to make a run for it. Look for some minor tinkering through the season if the requirement comes because the Canadiens have a lot of young talent to use as trade bait.

I see big strides for Plekanec and the Kostitsyn brothers. Last year they all came out and showed big promise and I expect this year will be another great leap. Kovalev appears to be at camp quicker and just as determined as last year so we will just have to wait and see which Kovalev takes the ice.

However, with all the additions of players and the advancement of others through maturity, this team will only go as far as Price. Price is a year older, a year more mature, and has experience in the playoffs with all the emotions that go with it. Price went very high in many hockey pools this year which can only mean that most people are expecting great things from Price.

The season is about to begin and Habs fans are in for a ride.

On a different note, I read that the Canadiens will be introducing a new Goal Song this year. Some song by Quebec natives Simple Plan. I am not sure I am on board with this but I have not heard the song yet. More to come later.

Sundin Sets Timeline

2008-07-21T15:24:00.001-07:00

Well, with big Mats setting a time frame for late July or early August, us Habs fans will soon know if we are the Habs, or the HabNots. I am still confident that Sundin will come to his senses and realize that Vancouver isn't going anywhere, the Leafs will suck just like every other year, and that he doesn't need money, so his chances of winning a cup, and playing in the post season, are greatly increased if he decides to play with the Canadiens.

Gainey has assembled a team that has youth, and would benefit tremendously from a seasoned veteran with a strong work ethic. Can you imagine a powerplay with Sundin, Kovalev, and one of the Kostitsyn's? Talk about talent and power. When was the last time Sundin had a guy like Kovalev to play with on the wing?

The Habs and Sundin are a perfect fit and if he does sign, Montreal will definitely be battling it out for top in the Eastern Conference again. Lets all hope and pray, and wait, till Magical Mats makes up his mind.

Gainey on his to Swedem - Sundin on his way to Montreal?

2008-06-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

Well, Bob Gainey is on his way to Sweden to see if he can convince the talented Mats Sundin to join the Montreal Canadiens. He has until the July 1st deadline to make the signing before the other NHL clubs can make offers to Sundin.

Gainey is going to be convincing Mats why Montreal is a good fit Sundin and why Sundin is a good fit for Montreal. I am sure the fact of a spring Playoff run is something that Sundin would like to enjoy as it seems like ages ago the last time Mats laced up the laces in the post-season.

I give it a 50/50 chance for Sundin to join the Habs. I suspect it to happen by the end of the week if in fact it is ever going to happen. Until then, lets all sit back and cross our fingers, hands, arms, legs, toes, eyes, and anything else that is crossable.

Tanguay a Hab, Sundin on the Way?

2008-06-22T05:57:00.001-07:00

Well, I guess we all know that Alex Tanguay is now officially a Montreal Canadien, with all the rumours around the trade deadline that he was on the way here, I guess he is finally here. For a guy that has produced top notch numbers consistently in the NHL, he should be a much needed forward for adding some punch, especially in even strength situations.

The other thing that is heating up is the Sundin talk. Bob Gainey has officially been granted exclusive rights to talk to Sundin before the July 1st deadline and is using it to pursuade him to join the red, white, and blue. Sundin would be a fantastic player to add up front to our line up because he can use his strength and size to compensate for some of our smaller forwards. I am salivating just thinking about him and Kovalev moving the puck around on the PP. We will have to wait and pray, but expect this to happen pretty quickly if it is going to happen.

Free Agent News

2008-06-19T17:03:00.001-07:00

So, with the season over now, and my grieving completed, we must wonder what is in the cards for changes to the team for next season. Some rumours just will not go away.

One of those rumours is that Mats Sundin is interested in coming to Montreal. I am not sure how much stock I would put into this rumour, but there is no doubt, adding a guy who has put up a point per game for 15 years and is big and strong would be a big help to our team. Not to mention, all those Leaf fans that don't like Sundin would finally get a feeling for how good he actually is.

Streit will likely be able to command a decent salary on the market but he also seems like the kind of guy who would consider giving Montreal a 'home team' discount. It is hard to justify big bucks for a guy who can't even play defence everyday but then again, he is a great asset on the point during the powerplay.

Ryder has likely played his last game in Montreal and will likely leave town for half the money he was hoping to command. I suspect that where ever he ends up, he will put the puck in the net and show that last season was just a bad year. But that is my predictions.

We will have to keep our ears to the ground to see if Sir Gainey makes any draft day deals to move up, likely not, but you never know.

Is it September yet?

Do or Die!

2008-05-03T09:21:00.001-07:00

Well it is game 5 and Montreal was not expecting to be down 3-1 in a series against the sixth seed Phillidephia Flyers. The Canadiens have both out shot and out chanced the Flyers by more than a hair but we don't have many goals to show for it.

Price has not been 'himself' in this series but he has been given the start tonight, which was a must make decision by the coach. Price has the potential to walk in to Montreal tonight and steal the game.

I expect Montreal will come out flying. They need to, and if they don't then they can throw a gem of a season away. Biron seems to be the only thing in the way in the series. They also have been playing from behind, every game. A quick start or even a goal in the first period would go a long way to letting Price settle down and relax.

Rumour has it that Brunnstrom will be in Montreal examining the city/team. A big win here with a nice loud crowd should go a long way in giving him a good reason to consider Montreal further as a potential destination.

Game 5 tonight, Montreal needs a big win to get their confidence up, we will just have to wait and see...

Game 3 - Monday Night

2008-04-28T06:09:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to admit, playing the Phillidelphia Flyer's is not as scary to watch as the Boston Bruins. Although the series is tied 1-1, they don't create a lot of chances that make you twist in your seat and think, wow, that was close. There was never a moment in either game, until the fourth goal in game 2, where I thought we wouldn't be able to score.

The forwards are fast and Phillidelphia is relatively slow, especially with big ogre's like Hatcher. We generated lots of chances on Biron but Biron won that game for the Flyers.

With game 3 going tonight in Philly, you can expect a really hard fought game. The corners are going to be well patrolled and expect to see some big hits. Montreal has really stepped up in the toughness category and has really impressed me with their ability to finish off checks. We have come to expect that from guys like Boullion and Komisarek but the whole team is now in on the action. Hamrlik, the Kostitsyn brothers, even Streit, are trying to punish the opposition.

Kovalev has been hot and cold. Game 2 I thought he dominated most of his shifts but had a couple shaky ones. I expect to see Carbonneau putting him on both the first and second line to switch things up and try and throw off Stevens and the Flyers. For the most part, he generated a number of chances when changing things up with Kovalev.

Plekanec needs to play better. He hasn't played poorly, but this is the NHL playoffs and he needs to generate more offense. Price has been uncharacteristically inconsistent and I expect him to improve on his game...

Well, enough of the mumbo jumbo, it's playoff time and game time is 7:00pm est.

Achievers???

2008-04-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

Well, with a 3-1 lead on the Boston Bruins, it is safe to say that we are looking good and in a good position to move on to the next round. However, the team needs to play better as they are not playing up to the potential of the Canadiens.

The Smolinski line is playing great, and even better than they should. Carey Price is playing better than anyone could expect. He made some stops in game 4 that were unreal. Not to mention, he still hasn't appeared to ever have to regain his confidence and composure because he never seems to lose it. There is no doubt that Price is one of the reasons, if not the main reason, that we are up in the series.

The Plekanec and Kovalev line however is really not playing that well. It is true that they are playing against the top defensive unit of the Bruins but they need to find ways to be better, quicker, and smarter. They need to contribute on the scoreboard or else this playoff run is not going to last. Lets hope that tomorrow nights game puts this line back on the scoreboard and gives them something to build off for the upcoming games.

Game 2 - Amazing

2008-04-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I am back from Montreal after seeing game 2 of the series. The game was a habs fans dream, an overtime winning goal in the playoffs.

Kovalev, after taking a dumb penalty that resulted in a goal, came through as the hero with a rocket upstairs that beat Thomas.

The crowd and the atmosphere were electric. They were painting faces, free of charge, outside the rink before the game, which is where I picked up this sweet habs look. The Canadian anthem was louder than any other national anthem I have ever heard because 90% of the fans were singing away. After each Habs goal, the rink erupted into a constant roar with the rally rags swinging madly. It was a moment that you felt in your heart, and in your lungs after the game as your throat hurt from all the yelling.

After the game, the downtown in Montreal was chaos. Every car was honking the horn, windows down, people screaming, the rally rags still swinging in the air. It was a site to see. I had a 25 minute walk back to the hotel and the entire walk was filled with horns and screaming. If you ever get a chance to see a Montreal game, especially a playoff game, go. You will not regret it. I know I will never forget this experience.

You Voted Correct

2008-04-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

90% of you who voted on my blog that the Habs would finish in first place in the conference and they did. Therefore, you are smart readers!

The next pole is how far will they go in the playoffs... Good Luck!

I Have Tickets for Game 2

2008-04-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I got tickets for game two in Montreal on Saturday night. Unfortunately they are the noise bleeds in the corner but thats ok, I am going to the game.

I guess the thing I am looking forward to most is the roar of the crowd and the enthusiasm of the city. It is going to be electric. I went to a game against Washington back in January and the game was amazing when the Habs scored so I am sure a playoff game is going to be that much louder.

I will let you know how it goes, but I am sure it is going to be out of this world.

1st in the Eastern Conference!

2008-04-06T16:12:00.001-07:00

Well, it is official, the Montreal Canadiens have clinched first place in the Eastern Conference. Not many people would have predicted that the Habs would accomplish this feat.

Better yet, we are going to be playing the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. A team that we seem to be able to destroy. This is great news. You guys who are going to try and get tickets for the playoffs will be fighting it out with me because I will be trying to get tickets for one of the games. Just to hear the rumble of the crowd, in the playoffs, is worth the money.

Can't wait till Thursday.

First Round Matchup

2008-04-05T11:37:00.000-07:00

With the final game of the season tonight against the Maple Leafs, the Canadiens will be playing to see who they will play in the first round of playoffs. I was hoping that Ottawa would finally get a couple of wins so that Montreal would not have to play them early in the playoffs but now that Alfredsson and Fisher hurt, the high scoring (not as of late) Senators should not have the same bite that they could with both of those guys in the lineup.

Boston would be a good matchup, with an 8-0 record this year. Price versus Huet could be a pretty intense matchup as well.

But tonight we play the Maple Leafs. The Leafs will be gunning to hold the Canadiens back from claiming the Eastern conference so the game is not to be taken lightly even though the best player, Mats Sundin, is not in the lineup. On that note, rumour has it Sundin might sign with Montreal in the off season. We can all hope...but don't bank on it!

Komisarek Ready for Playoffs?

2008-04-02T17:04:00.000-07:00

With the season winding down and Koivu looking like he is going to be injured for a month or more, we turn our attention to our shot blocking, hard hitting, work horse Mike Komisarek. It appears that he is skating again with the team and is expected to be playing come playoff time.

This is critical for the Habs to make a good run into the playoffs because they need his grit and power to ensure no one walks over Price. We also Markov fight Spezza last night and I think we all know that Markov is a far better puck mover than a fighter.

The playoffs are almost here...the excitement is almost more than we can take, two more games decides if we finish our best season since the 80's.

Koivu and Streit Hurt?

2008-03-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

It seems like yesterday's amazing victory came at the expense of two of their core players in Koivu and Streit. Koivu is out after blocking a shot and Streit is out because of a sprained ankle. Hopefully there is no broken bones for either and that they are just taking some precautionary time off by skipping the game against the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, we all know that the Leafs are not going to let the Habs roll all over them because they always seem to step up their game when it comes to playing the Habs. We will just have to wait and see but the destiny of the Canadiens is up to them, they hold the cards if they want to finish in first. And we do, that way we can play a team like Philly or if were lucky, Boston.

Playoff Place...Locked In

2008-03-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well it is official, the Montreal Canadiens have successfully clinched a playoff spot for the spring show down. This really doesn't come as much of a surprise as the Habs are in first place in the Eastern Conference and are taking a commanding lead over the Ottawa Senators for first place in the North East Division.

This first place business is pretty important as they will want to play a team like Boston or the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. Especially because they will be with out Komisarek for the first round, at least as it is expected.

It should also be noted that the high scoring Canadiens have shown all those non believers and forecasters who predicted them to finish at the bottom of the East. Wow, don't underestimate youth and speed and great goaltending.

Komi out for 3 Weeks

2008-03-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

The Canadiens are going to be in tight with the recent injury of Mike Komisarek. Komisarek is listed as injured with a lower body injury and is expected to miss 3 weeks. This could be very bad timing for the Canadiens as Komisarek plays on the top Defence line and is leading the team in both hits and blocked shots.

Komi was also one of those guys who kept the other team in line physically because if you rubbed a guy the the wrong way, Komi would be the one who ensured that didn't happen again. Any Habs fan who watches many games will notice that Komi's presence will be missed.

Hopefully he will be back for the end of the first round of the playoffs and at the very latest, back for the second round.

Here's hoping!

Kovalev puts on a Clinic

2008-03-21T05:27:00.000-07:00

Well, if there was any doubt that Alex Kovalev was not a top notch player in the NHL, he sure showed last night that those doubts are unwarranted. Not only did he get two goals and an assist, he made Chara look foolish on both of his goals. Chara, the 8 foot ogre, was virtually useless on both plays as Kovalev's quickness and speed exploited Chara's size and slowness.

The other thing that we need to look at when considering Kovalev's season is his impact on the other players. Look at Plekanec, look at Kostitsyn, both of those guys are talented, but Kovalev makes them better.

Alex is playing with fire in his eyes this season and he is being rewarded for it. Not to mention, those of you who remember Kovalev in the playoffs two years ago. When he was dominant at times. How is he going to step it up for the playoffs this year? He is already dominating most games. All I can say is, watch out, he is going to light some fireworks come playoff time.

Price Out Plays Brodeur

2008-03-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

With yesterdays 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils, the Canadiens have labelled themselves as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They easily beat the second place team in the East and have tallied the most goals in the NHL so far.

Price remained calm and collected as he collected a shutout while Plekanec battled the flu and was not as effective as normal. Fortunately, Ryder seams to be slowly breaking out of his horrific season collecting his 13th or so goal of the season. As I have said before, to compete for the cup, you need balanced scoring, and getting Ryder going is essential if they want to go anywhere.

As the team to beat, the Canadiens will be up to their ears in energy so lets hope they can turn that energy around and destroy everyone in their way!

Ottawa is Sucking

2008-03-07T16:45:00.001-08:00

The Canadiens have really taken advantage of the fact that the Senators are pretty much the worst team in the conference since the new year. Montreal has played strong all year and has not shown any signs of slowing down.

The thing that I see the team doing much better this year is coming back when down. This year they have showed that no matter what the score is, they are planning on coming back. This is essential if winning the cup is your goal.

And while Ottawa struggles, and Montreal plays well, first place in the East becomes more and more attainable.

The Price is Right....Again

2008-03-02T07:04:00.000-08:00

I think most Habs fans were thinking that the Huet trade seemed like a little bit of an odd trade but if the last games since the trade are any indication of the outcome, we are in for a real treat.

My personal opinion was that Bob was trading Huet to free up room to make a splash in the trade market for possibly two talented players. However, we ended up with none. That is ok because I would not want to see any of our youngsters leave, especially Higgins or the Kostitsyn brothers. After seeing what Pittsburgh had to give up for Hossa, I am happy with the team today.

I will miss Huet because he was a comforting feeling after dealing with the unpredicatable play of Jose Theodore and wish him well in Washington. There wasn't going to be room on the team next year for him as the Price era has begun.

Get ready fans, the cool, collective, and consistent goaltender has now solidified his spot as the starter and only has things to prove. Come playoff time, he is going to be poised to go for the cup, and he has played in some big games so he should be able to handle it.

First place in the Eastern Conference this morning. The predictions at the beginning of the season were 12-13 place in the East, totally missing the playoffs. I hope those analysts got fired!

Trade Deadline is Approaching...

2008-02-20T18:34:00.000-08:00

With the trade deadline approaching and the team fighting for 1st place in the Eastern conference, it is no surprise that Canadiens appear to be the team looking to improve for a cup run.

Gainey seems to be the kind of guy who doesn't like to let the cat out of the bag early and doesn't really like to let anyone know what exactly he is working on. However, when asked, Gainey does not deny that he could be looking around the league for a new offensive threat.

The names being tossed around most recently are Mats Sundin, Marian Hossa, Ollie Jokinen, and Alex Tanguay. The names that are not being said as much are Brad Richards and why not, Vinny, the Montreal boy. The first three players would add an instant boost to an offence that is already the top power play team in the league.

The question is, what would we have to give up? It seems as though the rent a player technique is not as rewarding and as glowing as it once was. This hopefully will keep the cost down. That being said, it is likely that winger Michael Ryder would have to be included in a trade and then some top draft picks.

I am sure Bob knows what is going on so he isn't going to sell the farm to get a player for the playoff run but is willing to put some assets in a trade to give them a better chance to do well in the playoffs.

Michael Ryder's two goals on Tuesday night is probably throwing a stick in the spokes because it leaves everyone wondering if the back to back 30 goal scorer is back on track.

Only time will tell but what ever happens, it should be interesting to see what happens. Even if no roster changes happen, the Habs should put a team that could contend in the Eastern conference.

Price Recalled....Back in the Bigs

2008-02-04T15:30:00.001-08:00

Carey Price was recalled today by Gainey and was replaced on the Hamilton roster by Halak. Could this be to get Halak some playing time in the AHL to encourage a trade?

I don't see Price being the number one goalie in Montreal with Huet so it doesn't really make sense that they would be bringing price up to play too many games.

Who knows, maybe the Leafs will trade Sundin for Halak? (remember Kordic for Courtnall?)

Where Are All these Goals Coming From?

2008-01-29T18:10:00.000-08:00

It is halfway through the game tonight and Montreal is winning 3-0. The thing that I can't seem to figure out is where are all these goals coming from? Previous versions of the Canadiens have always lacked offence and have gotten by on strong defence, not strong offence.

I think most of it is coming from the system. Draft picks such as Higgins, Plekanec, the Kostitsyns, and Markov are delivering on a regular basis. Veterans such as Koivu, Kovalev, and Hamrlik are also showing why they deserve to be leaders for this young team.

When I look at the goals for in the conference stats, you can see that Montreal is not having too much trouble putting the puck in the net although if you look at the point leaders, you don't see any Canadiens near the top. This is directly related to the fact that the Habs put out a balance offence game in and game out which makes it difficult for any team to shut down the first line becase the second line is just as dangerous.

If this scoring keeps up, watch out for the playoffs because these boys mean business.

Habs Looking at Sundin....

2008-01-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

There was a rumour I heard that the Canadiens were looking at Leafs center Mats Sundin. This rumour is the most bogus thing I have ever heard. Lets not say that I don't think Sundin would be unwanted in Montreal but it isn't happening.

Mats has been a consistent point per game player for his entire career. This would be a much added bonus for the Habs but what would a team have to give up for that type of talent? You can start with a minimum of one or two first round draft picks. After that, you will need to add either a proven youngster such as Komisarek, Higgins, or Kostitsyn. The only other player that could meet the requirements would be a born to be type player such as Price. There is no way the Habs would trade their franchise player in a package for Sundin.

Why else is this not going to happen? They are in the same conference, and even more, they are in the same division. If you are going to play eight games a year against a team, you don't want to making any big trades with each other.

For all you Toronto Maple Leafs fans out there, your franchise needs to rebuild by trading Sundin, but don't come knocking on our door because we are not interested unless you are going to give him to us for a bag of pucks. Then again, you have done this in the past. John Kordic for Russ Courtnall....oops!

Competing in the Spring?

2008-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

While the Canadiens head into the All Star break, it seems like they might escape their typical collapse after the new year. The team is playing as well as ever and Michael Ryder, the highly unproductive goal scorer, is playing better and bounces are starting to go his way.

The other things that are really great to see is the play of Plekanec, Kovalev, and Kostitsyn. This line is putting pucks in the net left, right, and center. Kovalev is playing with the talent he has, Plekanec is scoring and showing real potential, while the young Kostitsyn seems to be finding some real goal scoring prowess and some excellent offensive skills.

Huet is going to be able to play comfortably in the net with Price back in Hamilton. The pressure is off and he can focus on playing hockey and winning games.

Points wise, they are close to second place in the east, which if they can continue on the same pace, will give them a decent seeding in the playoffs and allow for a good match up.

However, we can talk all we want, but there is still half a season to go and the east is as close as ever, so they need to focus on each game and hopefully come playoffs, we will get some magic.

Ovechkin...Going....Going...Gone

2008-01-12T06:07:00.000-08:00

Well Hab fans, what was once a dream is basically gone now that Alex Ovechkin has signed a mega 13 year deal with the Capitals. Good friend Markov was unable to sway his opinion to come to Montreal.

This is really dissapointing for Habs fans as anyone who has seen him play knows the fire power he brings every game and the intensity in which he plays each shift with. However, it is good for Washington as an organization because they have very little other than Ovechkin to keep people in the seats. And that only appears to be about half of the seats at best.

Habs fans, we don't have to worry yet, as there is still Vinny Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby who has told multiple people that he wants to play for Montreal at some point in his career.

And after all, it could be worse, we could be the Toronto Maple Leafs...

Kovalev, Short Side Top Corner

2008-01-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

Well, the Habs/Bruins game is entering the third period tonight and Kovalev has scored one of his patented goals. How many times this season have we seen Kovalev pick up the puck along the boards and fire the puck into the top of the net? It seems as though the other NHL teams have no way to defend against it.

This season has been a big improvement for Kovy. He is playing with much more energy and generating chances everytime he is on the ice. Furthermore, his energy and enthusiasm seems to be contageous and the whole team is playing harder than in the past. Lets hope we can keep this play up and end up in the playoffs because we all know that Alex can really step up his game come the big show.

Well, it is 3-2 now so this third period should be a treat...

Ovechkin in Montreal...

2007-12-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

The latest rumour on the street is that Alexander Ovechkin could possibly be interested in joing the Canadiens in the next few years. He becomes a restricted free agent next season and is good friends with our best defenceman, Markov.

Is there any truth to this rumour? Potentially. Is Ovechkin interested in joining a team that sells out every game? Considering he has top 3 in the league potential, it would be a shame to see his talent go unnoticed in Washington where they only get a lousy half full rink on a regular basis.

So where do we stand on the Ovechkin line? Well, lets just hope Markov talks to his friend frequently in the near future and is able to sell him on the city. After that, its up to the big guy, Gainey, to come up with an offer that is in the $10 Million range.

But lets not hold our breath, after all, wasn't Koivu suppose to lure Selanne?

Hamrlik or Souray?

2007-11-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

With the season close to 1/4 of the way through, I feel confident to say that Hamrlik was a better choice for a top two defenceman than was Souray. This statement has nothing to do with the fact that Souray has only played a handful of games.

I enjoyed Souray on the Habs. One of my favorite things about Souray was his mean streak and his strength for protecting himself and his teammates. There was the fight against Darrin McCarty in which Souray absolutely demolished him. McCarty left bloodier than any fight I could remember. Souray's shot was also something to dream of. However, Montreal tried too much to get Souray the puck on the point.

This years powerplay seems much more balanced. They are using Markov more effectively, who is leading the NHL in goals for a defenceman, Streit, and all the forwards. It makes it much harder for a team to defend against because they have multiple weapons.

Now lets look at Hamrlik. He is not as offensive as Souray, but he is a good quarterback with the puck. He moves the puck out of the zone and logs big time minutes. His under rated strength is his defensive ability. We all remember the Spezza around Souray goal. I don't expect to see any of those with Hamrlik. He is strong 1 on 1 and knows where to be.

So, I wish the best of luck to Sheldon, but must admit, Hammer time is a good replacement.

Habs Win a Big one Against Boston

2007-11-17T18:50:00.000-08:00

In a fight filled, high scoring game, the Canadiens beat the Bruins 7-4. There was some pretty tense moments in the game like when Assistant Coach Kirk Muller wanted to fight ex-coach Julien but the team stuck together and stood up for each other and destroyed them scoring 7 goals.

The scoring was pretty balanced and it was nice to see Ryder get two assists coming off a goal in a terrible game for the team against Buffalo. Montreal will be much stronger if they can get Ryder going.

This was an important game for the Canadiens because they needed to shake the attitude and effort that went into the game on Friday night against the Sabres where they came out flat and never really got going. This Habs team continues to surprise people as people are waiting for this team to fold like they have in past seasons. The one thing that they have going for them that they don't have last year is that they have two very good goalies and they are both healthy so far.

We shall see but I looking for a top 6 finish in the east.

Habs Win!!! Komisarek Scores in OT

2007-11-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

The Habs beat the Leafs tonight 4-3. My prediction was 4-2 but 4-3 is pretty close. Komisarek had a great game and finished off with an overtime break away goal to win the game.

Kovalev had an outstanding game along with Kosty and Pleks. Price played a great game with 40 shots although the top line with Koivu, Higgins, and Ryder was mostly ineffective. The Canadiens will need productivity from this line going into the all star break to ensure that the playoffs are reached.

Time to make fun of all those Leaf fans you know!!

Leafs Tonight...Price vs. Raycroft

2007-11-13T14:51:00.000-08:00

The Habs face the Leafs tonight in the most storied rivalry in all of sports. For Montreal, they have young hot shot Carey Price in net while the Maple Leafs counter with under achieving Andrew Raycroft.

I would look for the Canadiens to use their speed to over power the slow moving Leafs. With Kubina injured, expect McCabe and Kaberle to get over worked and likely run out of gas. Montreal will look to lay a spank down early after the weekends collapse to the Senators. I expect Kovalev will have a great game as he was mostly ineffective in the game with the Senators. I would look for one of his patented wrist shots from the outside hash marks in the top of the net.

Ryder is also due and if he can get some shots quick and one scores, expect the flood gates to open right up and the Habs to ride that momentum. Ryder is getting chances, he just needs to put the puck in the net and give the Canadiens another dangerous weapon up front.

The Habs will have to rely heavily on Komi and Markov to contain Mats Sundin, the Leafs only real threat. If Sundin is contained, Price could pull out some good numbers.

My prediction is a 4-2 win for the Habs.

Vinny Lecavalier to the Habs?

2007-11-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

Higgins Scores 40 Goals This Year?

2007-11-07T16:24:00.001-08:00

I recently read an interview with Chris Higgins and he stated that he was capable of scoring 40 goals this year. I have no reason not to doubt him as he is showing that he has the potential.

In his first campaign as a rookie he showed lots of potential and lit the light 23 times. In his second season he was able to put the puck in the net 22 times, although it should be known that he missed a quarter of the season due to injury. This year, Higgins is looking healthy and is playing the best hockey I have ever seen him play.

His play seems to be elevated by confidence which could stem from greater respect from the organization, which can be demonstrated by his 'A' on his sweater. Higgins seems to be playing a stronger, more physical game which is leading to more scoring chances and more shots. His energy level has been raised and he is showing more comfort in his stick handling abilities. He is getting more and more shots which can only translate into goals.

We can only hope for a full season of Higgins and I think that he is being groomed to be the next Captain on the Montreal Canadiens. As for 40 goals, we will just have to wait and see.

Another Divisional Game

2007-11-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

After a dissapointing loss to the Leafs in a game where they really didn't show a lot of energy or enthusiasm, the Habs seem to be doing a good job versus the Sabres. Huet was looking much better after a less than good game on Saturday night.

The score is currently 1-0 Canadiens and they seem to be getting lots of chances to score. The goal that they did score was a perfect pass from Kosty and a nice play by Pleks to squeek it under the goalie.

This is a very important game for the Canadiens as it is another divisional game which seems to mean that it is another must win game. Besides from the Senators, the conference is going to be a nail biter.

Here's hoping for a great third period....

Be Glad We are not the Leafs

2007-11-03T04:59:00.000-07:00

This morning I think we should be happy that we are not the Leafs and that we are not being managed by JFJ. When we look at the Leafs minor league team, the Marlies, you don't see many players who look like they will ever make it up to the big leagues and have productive careers. The one guy who might do something is Justin Pogge, but his hype has dropped off since his world junior accolaides.

When we look at the Bulldogs, and I live in Kitchener so I have seen a number of Bulldog games, we have lots of good young talent. Look at our lineup on Thursday night, we had five of our home grown First round picks in the line up.

When we look at our potential stars in the making, we can include the likes of Sergie K., who likes like he will likely be better than his older brother Andrei. Who else do we have?

Ryan O'Byrne
JP Cote
Pavel Valentenko
Corey Locke
Janne Lahti
Maxim Lapierre
Matt D'Agostini
Jonathan Ferland
Duncan Milroy

I am not saying that all these guys are going to make it big in the NHL, but what if 1 out of 3 make it to have successful NHL careers? That gives the Habs a wealth of talent to pull from and a lot of opportunities to trade some of there young talent to pick up that final piece of the puzzle.

The Leafs have traded away all of their draft picks in the past so that they now have for the most part, and team of old men, and a farm system that has been depleted from years of abuse, and no cups to show for it.

Times are looking good for the Canadiens, but the Leafs appear to be heading into another 40 years of cuplessness.

Stanley Cup Underdog?

2007-11-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

After watching last nights game against the Flyers, I went to bed with a feeling that the Habs could possibly be one of the most under rated teams in the NHL. The game against the flyers, who are doing pretty well, was domination. The game was not even close.

Kovalev scored on of his famous goals. He scored the exact same goal against the Thrashers. He is hot, he is playing well, and he is playing well defensively. Hopefully Ryder finds his stride because Koivu and Higgins are playing great and generating tons of offence.

There are not too many people who predict a team like the Canadiens to make any noise in the playoffs but who gave Edmonton a chance two years ago? The Habs are built for speed and smart defence. They try hard and they are playing with confidence. Those are most important when the playoffs come around.

They simply need to keep trying hard and don't let there great start end up like last season where they fell apart after Christmas. But this team is different than last year, they are older, more responsible, and are being led by a coach who has a little bit more experience.

Next spring should be exciting.

Ryder Writing His Own Ticket Out of Town?

2007-11-01T16:16:00.001-07:00

Coach Guy called out Ryder today stating that Ryder is a shooter and getting one shot a game is unacceptable. Ryder currently has 2 goals this year and is clearly off to a bad start. Being the Habs highest goal scorer the last two years, Montreal's offence would be much more potent with an effective Ryder.

In my last post I mentioned that the Canucks were looking for a top six forward. Could they possibly looking for a guy like Michael Ryder? I believe it is possible. However, what would Vancouver be able to offer? Montreal needs goal scoring and you don't get scoring by trading a goal scorer.

The simple fact still remains, Ryder has signed to one year contracts in a row so I don't see Ryder having any more years in Montreal after this one. But if this season continues as it started for Ryder, he is going to have trouble signing a big contract.

Trade Looming with the Canucks?

2007-10-31T16:59:00.000-07:00

It was recently reported that a number of Vancouver scouts and the assistant GM were in attendance for the Atlanta game on Tuesday night. It is believed that the Canucks are looking for a top six forward to improve upon their pitiful offense.

I can't see Montreal trading away a top six forward to improve on their team because they are stacked in net, and their young defence is coming along quite well. I can't see Montreal even considering a trade with the Canucks at this point but maybe Gainey has a plan that no one can figure out.

This sounds like nothing more than a rumour, but only time will tell.

Price Starting at Home for the first Time

2007-10-30T16:46:00.000-07:00

Well Carey Price has officially started his first game in the NHL at home in Montreal. It seems as though he will continue to play with his cool, calm, and collected nerves. It ensures consistency.

There is no doubt that Gainey and Carbo are grooming Price for the starters position. The question is, when will this 'Change of the Guard' begin? Is Huet going to get traded before the trade deadline?

I would argue that if Huet and Price continue to play they both are now and no injuries plague either players, I predict that Huet will complete the year in Montreal. However, if Price gets hot, and starts a number of games in a row, watch out, you might see Huet dealt to a team that has an injury or a team that is lacking goaltending....possibly the leafs?

The bottom line is that Price is going to be the future of the Habs and Price is going to be good enough to take the Habs to the big dance during his career.

Habs Tickets....

2007-09-16T15:02:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting since last September to get Habs tickets as I was late last year to logging into the ticket site and they were all gone for the games I tried. This year, I was not going to be left out again.

I live in Kitchener, Ontario so the game needed to be on a Saturday, and it needed to be after Christmas as I have too many obligations before Christmas. I narrowed it down to a games against Washington, Pittsburgh, and Toronto. Pittsburgh was my first choice as I would love to see Crosby and Malkin skate up and down the rink with my own eyes. Unfortunately, the tickets for Pittsburgh were all gone in a matter of minutes. I had three computers refreshing when 12:00 hit to login and I still couldn't get the tickets I wanted.

I had to settle for the Washington game on January 5th. It was my third choice, but I am still super excited. I look forward to seeing Ovechkin and Semin, but mostly, to see Montreal light up the Caps.

I will be in the white seats and can hardly wait and will post all about the game.

Cheers!

Samsonov Shipped Out and Other Notes

2007-06-18T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Habs have finally relieved themselves of the expensive underachieving veteran Sergei Samsonov. The trade was made on Saturday June 16th with the Chicago Blackhawks. The deal sent Samsonov to the Hawks for 6'5, 244 lb defencmen Jason Cullimore and for smallish forward and former Hamilton Bulldogs Tony Salmelainen. Not long after the trade Gainey bought out the remainder of Cullimore's contract to make him a UFA. The deal frees up roughly 3 million in cap space for the Habs to put towards a bid for big name free agents like Briere and Drury. The 34 year old Cullimore collected 7 points least year while playing 65 games. Salmelainen is 25 and recorded 17 points in his rookie campaign with the Hawks.

Its been well known that Samsonov was on his way out. As early as November of 2006 he was already complaining about ice time and shortly there after asked for a trade out of Montreal. Bob tried to accommodate the disgruntled winger but there were few teams lining up to acquire the services of a small forward making over 3.4 million and producing very little. He was even put on waivers for any team to pick up for FREE and still there were no takers. When all was set and done he finished the year with 9 goals and 26 assists and was a healthy scratch for a total of 19 games. Not the production and ice time you expect from a player being paid that much and who was your big off season free agent signing.

Valentenko Signed: The hulking Russian defencmen who was predicted to sign this year has done just that. He signed a 3 year entry level contract with Montreal and will most likely start the season in the AHL to hone his skills. Things were also starting to look up for a fellow Russian defencmen Alexei Emelin. It had been reported that he had agree in principal to a contract with Montreal and all he had to do was commit to coming to North America and sign the dotted line. Not so fast. Then this past weekend there was a report the Emelin had signed a new 2 year contract with AK Bars Kazan of the RSL. The report appears to be true although he was supposed to be under contract with Lada for one more year. Either way it looks like Habs fans will have to wait a little longer to see the young defencmen in action.

Komisarek and Higgins Re-sign: 24 year old Chris Higgins and 25 year old Mike Komisarek have both signed new 2 year contract with the Habs. They are 2 of the 4 young players that are RFA who were starting to make big contributions to the team. The other two, Plekanec and Perezhogin have yet to re-sign. Although Perezhogin did sign a contract in the RSL and will not be back with Montreal. Higgins started last year off the way he ended his rookie year posting 13 points in as many game. Then in a game against New Jersey he was hit into the boards awkwardly and sprained his ankle which put him out of the lineup for an extended period of time and was never really able to pick up were he left off. He finished the year off with 38 points in 61 games. Komisarek had a career year and played on the teams top defensive duo with Andrei Markov. He recorded 4 goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 82 games. They will both make 1.5 million this coming year and 1.9 the following year.

Yashin a Hab???

2007-06-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

The latest word coming out of the speculators is that Alexei Yashin is interested in playing in Montreal along side fellow Russian Alex Kovalev. I am not sure what to make of this. I have despised Yashin ever since the whole fiasco that occurred in Ottawa.

However, I sat and thought about this one. What I have realized is that Yashin could be an asset to the Canadiens if the money is right. The right price for the Canadiens is no more than 2-3 million a season for no more than two years. The key is that Gainey can not get locked into a contract for a player who has had a history of being trouble in the locker room and being lazy on the ice. If it doesn't work out, Gainey would have to find someone to take him off his hands which will be much easier if he has a manageable contract.

Will Yashin take a much smaller salary than he is used to? Well I guess that depends on how much he wants to play in Montreal.

Whether you agree or disagree that Gainey should consider Yashin as that big center to support Kovalev you can't deny that his potential point production is attractive for a guy who puts up just under a point per game and could be part of a dynamic punch with the other big Russian.

Samsonov, Going, Going.....

2007-06-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

The word on the street is that Gainey is about to continue his offseason tune up by buying out the contract of unhappy, non-productive Sergei Samsonov. This should cost the Canadiens 1.2million for the next two seasons.

The most important part of this buyout should be to remove the bad attitude which can be contageous. The other thing it does is ensures an open roster spot for some of those up and coming Bulldogs like Kostitsyn, Chipchura, or possibly Grabovski.

I am really looking forward to seeing who is going to move up from the Bulldogs to replace some of the open roster spots.

Bulldogs Take Home The Calder Cup

2007-06-09T10:38:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, The Hamilton Bulldogs are the first pro hockey team in Ontario to take home a championship since the Toronto Maple Leafs did it in 1967. Wow must really suck to be a leaf fan :). Anyways the Bulldogs ended up taking the series 4-1 with the 2-1 victory on Thursday night over the Hershey Bears. The same Hershey Bears that defeated the Bulldogs in 1997. This is the first championship in Bulldogs history which has been around for 11 years.

Ajay Baines scored the winning goal almost at the midway point of the 3rd period. It was a shorthanded marker (his second in as many nights) and was a beautiful set up by Maxim Lapierre who also had the opening goal of the game. The Baines - Chipchura - Ferland line has been the most consistent for the Bulldogs in the 2007 playoffs. While the line is the so called checking line for the team, they also chipped in with timely goals when needed.

Carey Price was once again solid in net for the Bulldogs and took home the playoff MVP award. He became the 3rd player in AHL history to have played junior hockey the same year as starting for a AHL team and winning the MVP award. You all may know this already but the last goalie to accomplish this feat was the one and only Patrick Roy in 1985. Of course the year after he did that the Montreal Canadians won the Stanley cup. It has been a very impressive year for Price. To go along with this MVP award of the AHL playoffs and winning a Calder cup championship, he also won the award for the most outstanding goaltender in the entire CHL this year AND won gold for team Canada at the World Junior Championships where he was named top goaltender and MVP of the tournament. All this being accomplished before the tender age of 20 is pretty darn impressive and has all habs fans like myself and the habs brass drooling over what he will be able to do for the habs in the coming years.

The Price is Right Bob!

2007-06-07T04:29:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of going to the Bulldogs game in which they took a commanding lead on the Calder Cup finals with a 3 games to 1 advantage. The entire team impressed me. However, there was one player inparticular that really caught my attention.

Carey Price the 19 year old who still played in the WHL this season looked like a seasoned veteran. The amount of confidence this guy shows reminded me of the good old days with Patrick Roy guarding the net. Price also showed how calm he was and had to do very little acrobatic saves because his positioning was sound and he as always right in the right place to make the stop.

I do not suggest that Carbo and crew should be rushing this kid up to the NHL but Habs fans you can be certain that this guy is the real deal. Hopefully he gets another year or two to mature in the AHL before he gets bumped up to the big club. We would not want to rush him and cause a similar fate for him as Marc Andre Fleury faced. However, when the time is right, you can be sure that Price is for real and that he is going to be an elite goaltender in the NHL.

Expect to see Price bringing home the playoff MVP when the Bulldogs bring home the Calder.

As for Bob Gainey and his decision to draft this guy, well done, and we can't wait to see the full potential of Price.

Valentenko Hamilton Bound??

2007-06-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

Reports out of Russia are saying that Montreal 2006 5th round draft pick Pavel Valentenko with be leaving his team, Neftekhimik from the RSL (Russian Super League) to join the Montreal Canadians. Pavel's stock rose considerable last year with his play in the RSL and also with his all-star performance at the 2006 World Junior Championship for team Russia. In the tournament he scored 2 goals and chipped in with 1 assist while posting a solid +3 rating. He was also a final cut from the Russians mens World Hockey Championship which says a lot for the 6'2, 202lbs, 19 year old. If he had made the team he would have played alongside present Hab Allstar Andrei Markov and another Hab draft pick Alexei Emelin. Valentenko will most likely start the year in the AHL with Montreal's top pro affiliate The Hamilton Bulldogs.

On a side note the Habs effort to get Alexei Emelin over to North America looks like it has failed. There was optimism that he would be joining Valentenko over in NA because his team, Lada, was unable to pay the contracts of its players for the last few months. Emelin tried to take the team to court to get his contract voided, which has 1 year left on it. His team ended up paying him the money he was owed and therefore was unable to void his contract. With the chances of Russia signed the recent player transfer agreement not looking good look to see Emelin skate along side his Russian counterpart in early 2008 with the Bulldogs.

Kovalev and Carbonneau Make Amends??

2007-06-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

It was reported on SportsNet that Alex Kovalev and Coach Carbonneau have had a discussion and worked out there differences. Is this to promote Kovalev's trade value for the off season so Bob can get as much as possible? Or is this an attempt to promote a healthy atmosphere for next season?

No one will deny that Kovalev had an off year last year, not even Kovalev himself. However, this does not mean that Kovalev's better days are behind him and that he can't contribute to the Habs next season. Anyone who watches any games in which Kovalev plays has likely seen both sides of him. One side being seen as lazy, and the other side being the most talented player on the ice. It seems to be a mystery as to why some shifts/games he is playing with all his talent while other games he seems to be 3rd line material at best.

The simple fact that the Habs need more scoring should ensure that Kovalev stays in Montreal for next season. The Habs need to take the chance on him because for the 4.5 million dollars his contract is worth per year, it is unlikely that they can fill his *potential* with another forward for that kind of money. Do you recall the playoffs last year when Kovalev was playing with a fire under his ass? The guy is sometimes touted as the most highly talented guy in the NHL. I think this is a fair gamble for the Habs to take and I think that Carbo has accepted some of the blame for the problems that Kovalev had.

Put him on the top two lines and Kovalev will put up points this year. If he stays healthy and is playing on the top two lines, I expect Kovalev to put up 70 points next year.

Only time will tell...

Habs Offseason So Far

2007-06-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

Bob Gainey and company have been rather busy since the Montreal Canadians season was ended by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After deciding to let Jaroslav Halak go play in the World Championships for team Slovakia he immediately signed 19 year old goaltender out of the WHL's Tri-City Americans Carey Price to play for the Hamilton Bulldogs.

He then went on to sign Andrei Kostitsyn's younger brother Sergei from the OHL's London Knights and Matheiu Carle out of the QMJHL. Price, Kostitsyn and Carle have all been with the surprising Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL who are currently beating the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup finals with a 2-1 series lead.

After that Gainey moved on to probably the 2 most important issues, trying to resign both Andrei Markov and Sheldon Souray. Souray coming off a 26 goal 64 point campaign where he also broke the NHL record for PPG scored by a defencemen in one season with 19. With all these good stats Souray had there was also some bad ones. He was a team worst -28 and made his way on the highlight of the night a few times but for the wrong reason. It is believed he could make more then 6 million over 4 years on the open market but the Habs will likely be looking to sign him for something much less. Reports are that he was offered a 4 year deal worth anywhere from $4.25-$5.25 per year. Markov on the other hand had another solid season with 49 points and a +2 rating. He was given a 4 year deal worth $5.75 million a year which was more than I personally thought he would get but then again Montreal NEEDS him more then they need Souray.

Some smaller moves by Gainey was trading for the twin brother of WJC stand out Kris Russel, forward Ryan Russel from the New York Rangers and went on to sign him to a 3 year pro contract. NYR were unable to come to terms on a conract with Russel so they accepted a 7th round pick in this years draft instead of losing him for nothing. Last year he played for The Kootney Ice of the WHL and was on a line with current Montreal draft pick Ben Maxwell. He is a good offensive player with good vision but is small which is his weak spot.

The Habs also signed Finish Elite League player Janne Lahti to a 1 year contract. The 25 year old had a solid season for HPK last year netting 20 goals and 14 helpers. He is a big (200lbs, 6'2) winger who also has a scoring touch. Both players are expected to start in the AHL next year with Lahti maybe cracking the big clubs roster.

It is said that Montreal will try to be active in the free agent market. If they can get rid of underachieving winger Sergei Samsonov's salary that will free up some valuable cap room to help them sign players like Chris Drury or Daniel Briere. If they are unable to sign Souray look for the Habs to turn they're attention to Nashville's defencemen Kimmo Timonen or San Jose's Scott Hannan.