Habs Free Agency Frenzy : Failure or Success?

by Eitan Calmy

Marc Bergevin on fire? I would say so!

After reaching the conference finals in this year’s NHL playoffs, many expected that besides a few tweaks to the line-up Marc Bergevin wouldn’t do anything drastic. RFAs PK Subban and Lars Eller were a lock for extensions and then the general consensus was that unless you can replace Andrei Markov with anything nearly as good as he is, you had to bring him back. One of the bigger question marks was whether or not captain Brian Gionta would re-sign in Montreal.  

For the Montreal Canadiens the frenzy actually started on June 23^rd. After going through the list of available defensemean it became more and more evident that the Montreal Canadiens couldn’t and shouldn’t let Andrei Markov go. He played 81 games, scored 7 goals, had 36 assists, finished with a +12 rating, and was the most used player on the team with an average TOI of 25:14. He was actually the 9^th most used player in the NHL during the 2013-2014 regular season.

On June 23^rd Andrei Markov and the Montreal Canadiens agreed on a three-year deal worth $17.25 million. The AAV on the deal is exactly what it’s been since 2007. In order to stay with the one and only organization he’s played for in the NHL, Markov accepted to sign with a hometown rebate. When Markov signed his previous contracts, the salary cap was much lower. When the cap goes up so do the salaries, therefore if Andrei Markov would have hit the market he would have easily gotten the same term and at least $7 million AAV.

Verdict on the Markov deal: it’s a no brainer. Marc Bergevin did great!

July 1^st of every year is the day that owners of several NHL teams give general managers the keys to their vault. Players become free to offer their services to any team and in exchange teams give them the world. Yesterday was no exception. Next year or any other year won’t be any different!

Within minutes after team were officially allowed to sign players, the Montreal Canadiens make their first move of the day. They announce that they have signed Manny Malhotra.

Malhotra, 34, is 6’2’' and weighs 220 lbs, signed a one-year deal worth $850,000. Without going into too many details, the following stat alone should make Habs fans ecstatic. Manny was 59.8% in the faceoff circle in the 2013-2014, good for 2^nd in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens haven’t had a real faceoff specialist since Guy Carbonneau. Malhotra’s experience and leadership will be an asset to a team that lost their captain Brian Gionta and assistant captain Josh Gorges in the same day.

Verdict on the Malhotra deal: low risk – great at faceoffs and plays on the PK. What more can you ask for from a 4^th liner with his salary?

Shortly after shocking the NHL and the whole Montreal Canadiens fan base with the Josh Gorges to Buffalo trade (see article written by Darrin Harmsworth on habsaddict.com), Habs announced that they signed UFA defenseman Tom Gilbert.

Gilbert, 31, is 6’2’' and weighs 206 lbs, signed a two-year deal worth $5.8 million with an AAV of $2.9 million. He is a right-handed offensive defenseman that makes a very good first pass. For all you analytics experts and I'm not one of them, apparently Gilbert’s CORSI rating is fantastic and that’s why Montreal Canadiens fans will appreciate him.

Verdict on the Gilbert deal: He’s pretty much a bigger Josh Gorges. I hope he has the same determination, but realistically this allows for Tinordi and Beaulieu to jump in, and for Emelin to play on his natural side.

Jiri Sekac. Who? Well let’s be honest here, even most insiders had to go look this guy up. Jiri is a 22-year-old right winger who shoots left. Original sources had him at 6’0'', 174-lb, but today reports are showing that he’s actually 6’2’' weighing in at 195 lbs. He is from the Czech Republic and was a rookie in the KHL this past season. As many as 15 other teams were trying to get Sekac under contract. Marc Bergevin caught most of us off guard with this one. According to TSN, Sekac should be able to play on Montreal Canadiens' top nine.

Jeremy Gregoire drafted 176^th overall in the 6^th round of the 2013 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens signed his first professional contract. It’s a three-year entry level deal.

Joey Mcdonald was signed by the Habs to a one-year, two-way deal to add some depth after losing Devan Dubnyk to free agency and not submitting a qualifying offer to Peter Delmas.

Also Mike Weaver has agreed to a one-year deal with the Canadiens. After the fantastic job that he did for the team since being acquired at the trade deadline of the last NHL regular season, it was evident that the Montreal Canadiens would bring him back as a 6^th/7^th defenseman.

Let’s recap the changes that occurred within the last 72 hours

OUT

Brian Gionta - Forward – 5’7’' 173 lbs

Josh Gorges – Defenseman – 6’1’' 200 lbs

Daniel Briere – Forward – 5’10’' 181 lbs

Ryan White – Forward – 6’0’' 200 lbs

IN

Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau – forward – 6’0’' 193 lbs

Tom Gilbert – defenseman – 6’2’' 206 lbs

Manny Malhotra – Forward – 6’2’' 220 lbs

Jiri Sekac – forward – 6’2’' 195 lbs

So bottom line, the Montreal Canadiens got bigger, stronger, faster, younger for less money, less term and less risk. They now have three right-handed defenseman. Emelin will be able to play on his natural left side. Beaulieu and Tinordi will both get a fair crack at integrating the line-up every single night. Briere was an extra centre that didn’t fit in the team’s depth chart. The return on Daniel Briere was a right winger that’s younger, makes the same salary and has an extra year on his contract.

I don’t think I could find anything negative to say about Bergevin even if I tried to right now. He’s showing that he’s not afraid to right a wrong. He’s definitely starting to put his team together now.

Was July 1^st a failure or a success for the Montreal Canadiens? I strongly believe that Marc Bergevin is doing a phenomenal job and the past few days were a great success!

I have some questions:

Is Marc Bergevin going continue his search for a top-six winger via trade?

Is PK Subban ready to be the next captain?

If Subban isn’t the guy, who is?

I think Alex Galchenyuk should absolutely start playing his natural Centre position. Do you?

In my opinion  Bergevin should trade Plekanec in a package for an established top 6 winger. Do you agree?

You can follow me on Twitter @habsaddict

I am a father of 4, I played, I was an on ice official and I now coach minor hockey. I’m  definitely not an expert but my views and opinions are right. I’m never wrong. Deal with it! Enjoy this beautiful game. The best game!

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Season Review: The Good & The Bad

Greetings Habs Addicts,

Well the NHL season is almost over. The Los Angeles Kings are one win away from taking home their second Stanley Cup in the past three years. Very impressive considering they were one loss away from being swept in the first round by the San Jose Sharks. The New York Rangers have battled, but they are in no way on the same level as the Kings. As great as our Canadiens played this year - especially in the playoffs - it's hard to say we would have given the Kings more of a battle. They are just so strong.

The Habs had a tremendous playoff run and showed a lot of growth as a team as they went along. After miserable regular seasons, Lars Eller and Rene Bourque came on strong in the post-season. Eller was the top point-getter up front with 5 goals and 13 points in 17 playoff games. Bourque led the club with 8 goals after scoring just 9 in the regular season. P.K. Subban elevated his play back to his Norris Trophy winning form in the playoffs, leading the team with 14 points in 17 games, including 5 goals. He was a terror against the Boston Bruins, with 4 goals and 7 points in that series alone. Carey Price stood on his head and continued his tremendous season until it was abruptly cut short in the Eastern Finals after a collision with the Rangers' Chris Kreider injured his knee. Unheralded Dustin Tokarski stepped in for Price and held his own with Henrik Lundqvist, but ultimately the Habs fell to the Rangers in six games.

Photo Credit: AWinningHabit.com

But now the off-season approaches. The NHL draft is just over two weeks away on June 27-28 in Philadelphia. Free Agency begins July 1st - three weeks away. The Canadiens have a glut of free agents, including both key contributors and some spare parts. Captain Brian Gionta is unrestricted, as is defensive stalwart Andrei Markov. Trade-deadline acquisition Thomas Vanek is the biggest name available and has made his intentions known all season long that he is looking to test the waters. After a very disappointing post-season, where he failed to make an impact on offense and was playing on the fourth line by the end, it's hard to determine exactly what Vanek's value will be. Vanek claimed he was healthy but could not find chemistry with Tomas Plekanec after being removed from the Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais pairing. Most pundits have him heading home to Minnesota. Depth defenders Mike Weaver, Francis Bouillon and Douglas Murray are all unrestricted. Only one of those is expected back and for the teams' sake it better be Mike Weaver. Weaver was a tremendous pick-up at the deadline, bringing veteran leadership and a shot-blocking prowess to the line-up as well as a right-handed shot. Paired with a youngster like Nathan Beaulieu, they could make a very effective 3rd pairing next season. The biggest contract of the off-season will undoubtedly be going to P.K. Subban, whose two-year bridge contract expires. Subban will be a restricted free agent, but Marc Bergevin should be quick to sign arguably the team's best player before another NHL team submits an offer sheet to the 24-year old all-star.

It will be an interesting summer to say the least. But before all that excitement begins, lets take a look at the good and the bad that happened during the 2013/14 season.

Forwards

Good: Max Pacioretty was without a doubt the best forward for the Canadiens this season. Scoring a career high 39 goals, he finished one goal shy of being the first Habs player to reach 40 goals since the 1993/94 season (Vincent Damphousse had 40). Pacioretty finished with a team-leading 60 points in 73 games... After starting the season in a horrible funk where he had just one assist in the first 21 games and even had the mayor of Montreal calling for his demotion to Hamilton, David Desharnais responded after he was reunited with Pacioretty and finished the year with 16 goals and 52 points in 79 game... Tomas Plekanec scored 20 goals and 43 points in 81 games and finished +11 in a shutdown role for the Canadiens. Plekanec made an strong argument for a Selke nomination as one of the best defensive forwards in hockey. Paired up with Brian Gionta, they were a formidable penalty-killing duo. Captain Gionta finished the year with 18 goals and 40 points in 81 games... Brendan Gallagher saw his scoring pace slow down from his rookie year, but brought tremendous energy and drive to the net all season long. He was a presence on the powerplay with 8 of his 19 goals coming on the man-advantage. For the season, Gallagher contributed 19 goals and 41 points while appearing in 81 games... Trade-deadline acquisition Thomas Vanek found chemistry with Desharnais and Pacioretty and the trio paced the Canadiens down the stretch and into the playoffs. Vanek had 6 goals and 15 points in 18 regular season games as a Canadien... Michael Bournival made the team out of training camp and the youngster got his feet wet at the NHL level. Spending most of the season on the checking line, Bournival provided 7 goals and 14 points in 60 games, but missed time after suffering a concussion. Bournival has tremendous speed and upside and should take another step forward as a sophomore next season.

Bad: Lars Eller started the season strong as he was paired up with Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk. The "EGG line" was the team's top offensive trio for the first 18 games but Eller fell off tremendously after that line was broken up and after putting up 12 points through the first 18 games, Eller only added 14 more over the next 49. Eller was also a team-worst -15 on the year... Alex Galchenyuk started the year strong but while he showed flashes of brilliance and potential, he did not improve on his rookie season. Injuries limited the sophomore to only 65 games, and he contributed 13 goals and 31 points but was a -12 on the year. A revolving door of linemates did not aid his development either... Brandon Prust missed time due to injuries again and did not provide a similar offensive contribution as last year. He was an effective penalty killer and dropped the gloves frequently. Shoulder injuries limited his effectiveness and he was prone to taking dumb penalties at crucial times in the game. Prust finished with 6 goals and 13 points along with 121 penalty minutes in 52 games... Daniel Briere was signed by Marc Bergevin to provide scoring and did so in limited minutes. However, his minutes were limited because he never managed to earn the trust of Michel Therrien and the coaching staff nor could they seem to find a fit for him on the roster. He came up with some big goals but after signing a two-year/$8 million dollar deal, Briere provided the club with only 13 goals and 25 points in 69 games played... George Parros was a non-factor. Brought in to provide toughness, Parros suffered a horrible concussion during the season opener in a fight with the Toronto Maple Leafs' Colton Orr. This was the first of two concussions suffered on the year. Overall, Parros looked tentative and slow and was a -6 with one assist in 22 games played. He racked up 81 penalty minutes while averaging only 4:33 of ice time per game. A waste of a roster spot, essentially... Travis Moen played in 65 games and finished with 2 goals and 12 points. He played a more inspired game physically compared to last season but still contributed very little overall. A revolving door of Moen, Prust, Bournival, Parros along with Ryan White and Dale Weise comprised the fourth line all season long. They provided various degrees of toughness and the odd point here and there but were relatively interchangeable when healthy. Having six fourth liners on a 23 man roster is not a good thing in today's NHL... Lastly, Rene Bourque was acquired in a trade for Mike Cammalleri. Since that deal, he as provided nothing to the lineup except for a $3.3-million cap hit. Beyond disappointing sums up Bourque's uninspired effort this regular season. No physical presence and often a healthy scratch. Bourque went from 27 goals in Calgary to 9 this year, finishing with 16 points in 63 games. If not for his playoff performance, this year would have been a complete wash for Bourque.

Defense

Good: P.K. Subban followed up his Norris Trophy winning season by contributing a career high 53 points while playing a full 82-game season. His shooting percentage was down this season and he only managed to score ten goals with four of them coming with the man advantage. Subban was a member of the Canadian Olympic team as an alternate and won a gold medal in Sochi. While his lack of playing time may have irked him, he was the ultimate professional in how he handled the situation and certainly learned from the experience which served him well in the playoffs this year. Subban is one of the most electrifying players in the NHL and easily one of the most dynamic skaters of any blueliner... Andrei Markov had another solid yet unspectacular season. The veteran workhorse logged an average of 25:14 minutes per game, playing both power-play and penalty kill and contributed 7 goals and 43 points in 81 games. Markov has certainly lost a step in terms of speed at his age, but proper positioning has allowed him to continue to play at a high level, as evidenced by his +12 rating on the year... Josh Gorges provided leadership and shot-blocking while providing next to nothing offensively. Another typical Gorges season... Mike Weaver was a solid addition at the trade deadline, blocking shots and adding a valuable right-handed shot on the 3rd pairing.

Bad: P.K Subban clearly regressed defensively compared to last season. This is one of the reasons why Team Canada coach Mike Babcock did not trust him with regular minutes at the Olympics. Habs coach Michel Therrien benched him on various occasions throughout the year due to poor play hurting the team. Subban did not see very much time killing penalties and this hurt him in the Norris voting this season as his offensive numbers ranked right up there with the league leaders... Alexei Emelin returned from a serious knee injury suffered last season and was a shell of his former self. He was a liability on the right side when paired with Markov and turned the puck over far to often. He was still a ferocious hitter but jeopardized positioning on order to do so... Douglas Murray proved to be one of the worst defensemen in the NHL this past season. After not being re-signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins, 'Crankshaft' signed a one-year deal late in training camp with the Canadiens. Corsi and Fenwick ratings proved his ineptness but were not needed as the naked eye could see that Murray cannot skate and was a tremendous liability at even strength. While he remained a skilled penalty killer and at-times ferocious hitter (just like Steven Segal, if you came right at Murray he would hit you hard but cannot hit a moving target) he provided 2 assists offensively and was a -12 in 52 regular season games. Highly unlikely he returns to Montreal or any other NHL team next season... Francis Bouillon played big minutes on big pairings for Michel Therrien, much to the chagrin of pundits everywhere. Bouillon, 38, should have been nothing more than a reserve defenseman this season but in turn saw the ice in 52 games while providing the club with 2 goals and 8 points while finishing at a -5 rating. His high water mark was the overtime winner in the huge late-season comeback win against the Ottawa Senators that sparked the Habs torrid pace entering the playoffs... Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu each enjoyed a cup of coffee at the NHL level while excelling for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. Tinordi and Beaulieu each contributed 2 assists in 22 and 17 games, respectively. The Canadiens would have been better served having these two rookies play bigger minutes and gain valuable expereince over the time given to ageing veterans Murray and Bouillon but that was Therrien's decision... Raphael Diaz had 11 assists in 46 games with Montreal but was most often a healthy scratch before he was finally traded to the Vancouver Canucks during the season for forward Dale Weise. Diaz was a Corsi standout, often ranking as the Habs best defender according to the metric. To show that advanced stats do not always tell the story, Diaz was subsequently dealt to the New York Rangers for a 5th round pick at the deadline by Vancouver and has been a healthy scratch for most of the playoffs. His lack of physical game and turnover prowess earned him a spot in coach Michel Therrien's doghouse right from the beginning.

Goaltending

Good: Carey Price. Olympic gold medalist. All-World goaltender. Price appeared in 59 games this season, and did miss some time directly after Sochi to heal an injury suffered at the Olympics. Price had a record of 34-20-5 with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. Price also notched 6 shutouts and kept the Canadiens in many games they had no business participating in. Price took the necessary steps this season to cement his status amongst the elite at the position. His calmness and leadership took over. This was the player the Canadiens drafted 5th overall... Peter Budaj had another solid year in a backup role. Great in the locker room and a good mentor for Price. Statistically, Budaj was average with a 10-8-3 record and a 2.59 goals-against and a mediocre .909 save percentage. Budaj had one shutout... Dustin Tokarski appeared in three games for the Canadiens before his breakout playoff performance. Tokarski had an impressive start against the Anaheim Ducks, which he stood tall and made 39 saves in a 4-3 overtime win. Tokarski also had a surprise start against the Buffalo Sabres, where he notched a shutout in a 2-0 win. Overall, Tokarski had a 1.84 goals-against and a .946 save percentage while going 2-0 on the year. Tokarski should battle Peter Budaj for the job of backup to Carey Price, provided the club does not trade Budaj this off-season.

Bad: Peter Budaj showed in the post-Sochi stretch that he cannot handle the bulk of the work load if Price is injured and is better suited as an occasional starter. The goal-tending was consistently solid all year long and without the goal-tending being what it was, this club would not have had the season it did.

Front Office/Coaching Staff

Good: Marc Bergevin is in the running for General Manager of the year and for all the right reasons. His off-season moves did not pan out as expected. George Parros' days as an NHLer are over. Douglas Murray no longer has the speed to play at the NHL level without being extremely sheltered by the coaching staff in terms of usage. Daniel Briere produced when given the opportunity but did not mesh with his line-mates nor did he seem to gain the trust of the coaching staff. Briere did as much as he could with his limited minutes and limited line-mates, but when the team is investing $4-million per season in you, your coaches better get maximum value out of that deal and Michel Therrien certainly did not. While his off-season acquisitions did not pan out well, his in-season moves did. Trading future free-agent Rafael Diaz, who had fallen out of favour with the coaching staff for speedy grinder Dale Weise was brilliant. Weise was a force in the playoffs and turned into a fan favorite for his tenacity. He reminds a lot of fans of Steve Begin. Landing Thomas Vanek for Sebastian Collberg was fantastic work at the trade deadline and to top things off, he also brought in Mike Weaver for future considerations. Bergevin also signed future backup goaltender Dustin Tokarsi to a contract extension before his playoff experience could have upped the cost of signing him... Stephane Waite was brought in as the goaltending coach and his work showed immediate dividends as Carey Price had a breakout season and both Peter Budaj and Dustin Tokarski were solid. A change was needed and bringing in the guy who mentored Antti Niemi and Corey Crawford to Stanley Cup wins wasted no time getting the best out of Carey Price... Michel Therrien took some risks in the playoffs, inserting Nathan Beaulieu into the lineup for Game 6 and 7 against the Boston Bruins and the rookie responded with an assist in both games. He also made the decision to start Dustin Tokarski over Peter Budaj after Carey Price went down and the rookie did all he could as the Habs fell in the playoffs.

Bad: Michel Therrien was a tale of two coaches this year. His dump and chase preference proceeded to hamper the offensive output of his team, as the squad was built around speed puck possession and not large grinders who can win corner battles. He was often outmatched by opposing coaches in terms of line match-ups and his preference to play ageing vets Francis Bouillon and Douglas Murray over the youth of Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu was mind-boggling at times. Young forwards Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk did not show many signs of development and P.K Subban seemed to regress after his Norris Trophy season. For a coach who was brought in because of his ability to work with young players having coached Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh, his reliance on ageing veterans was frustrating. At times it seemed the Canadiens were winning despite Therrien and not because of Therrien. He stepped up his game in the playoffs and had the team firing on all cylinders against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Boston Bruins however could not seem to adjust his style of play against the New York Rangers. His insistence of using a point-shot strategy against the NHL's best shot-blocking team was like hammering a square peg into a round hole. Or P.K Subban hammering a puck into the shin guards of Ryan McDonagh. His inability to adapt against the Rangers cost his team in the series. Overall, Michel Therrien has the trust of his players and never lost his locker room. The comeback win against Ottawa proved that and this team came back to win a bunch of games in the third period this year. Michel Therrien had this team playing hard for him, which is a credit to him despite all the questionable decisions he makes.

Overall, this was a very satisfying season for Habs fans. The bitterness of the playoff loss to Ottawa subsided as the team came out and developed into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference despite many media types predicting a non-playoff season for the squad. This will be a pivotal off-season for Marc Bergevin but should be an exciting one as well. There is lot of promise on this roster and the 2014-15 season should show our young players take more strides towards greatness.

Have a great off-season, Habs Addicts!

Thanks for reading and following the team all year long!

---

Nick Malofy is a transplanted Montrealer, currently living in evil LeafLand. He is a contributor here at HabsAddict.com and give him a follow, as he can often be found rambling on Twitter.

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Round One: Western Picks

The Western Conference has been exceptionally good this season. California teams have dominated, and every team was nervous going into their California road trips. Chicago has shown no signs of having a Stanley Cup hangover. Colorado has had a huge turnaround season under Patrick Roy. St. Louis, Minnesota, and Dallas all had exceptional years. So there is no wonder why the West holds several favourites for the Cup this year. It could literally go anywhere.

WEST Match-ups

Anaheim VS. Dallas

Anaheim finished the season with 114 points, second in the race for the Presidents Trophy. They have had stellar goaltending, and their offense has been nothing short of excellent with 266 goals for on the season. They have proven to be a dominating force, and will continue this image through the playoffs.

Dallas squeaked into the playoffs with 91 points (one of two western teams under 100), the lowest of all teams in the playoffs. I don’t think they are a true competitor or threat for the cup this season, especially considering who they have to get through. 

I am taking Anaheim in five. They are just all-around a better team, and I don’t see Dallas being a threat to them this season. But, Dallas has potential in the upcoming years.

San Jose VS. Los Angeles

Both of teams are truly superb. It’s a shame they play in the first round as it would certainly be an entertaining conference final. They both have the talent and the ability to make a deep run, but in this scenario only one will prevail. Both have the depth, elite calibre goaltending, speed, scoring, and defense to be cup contenders. 

On gut feeling I am taking San Jose in seven, because I can’t logically pick one or the other based on statistics/line-up. This could go either way. Watch this series for probably some of the best hockey these playoffs have to offer.

Colorado VS. Minnesota

Colorado has had a huge year when looking at where they were last year. With Patrick Roy (my Jack Adams nominee, hands down) at the helm, this team is as determined as ever, and are confident this is their year. They have everything it takes to win a cup.

Minnesota is the second western team to make the playoffs under 100 points. They have a good line-up, and their goaltending has been playing well. With guys like Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, it’s hard to argue that they don’t deserve to move on. They are a good team, but Colorado is simply better.

I am taking Colorado in six. They have a good team, and a great coach. They are convinced that they have what it takes, and this confidence will help carry them to the next level.

St. Louis VS. Chicago

St. Louis has a good team, and managed to bring in a great goaltender in Ryan Miller to prepare for the playoffs. They believe they have a team capable of winning a cup. Top-end talent such as TJ Oshie, and Alex Pietrangelo can carry a team very far. They are certainly going to give the defending champs a run for their money.

Chicago has not slowed down at all coming off of their Stanley Cup championship one year ago.  They have continued their winning ways this season and proved they are ready to take it again. They are looking to continue their trend by winning a third cup in a span of four years which is quite remarkable.

I am taking Chicago in seven. St. Louis will leave everything on the ice and this one will go right down to the wire. Chicago will ultimately take it as they have the experience and knowledge on what it takes to win a cup in today’s NHL.

Summary

The West is just as wide open as the East in the sense that there are so many elite hockey teams in this bunch. Any team that is determined enough, and showcases their talent can go all the way this year. There are some excellent match-ups on this side of the league, so get ready for some great hockey, and some surprises en route to a Stanley cup final.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to give your input below.

Follow me @darrinharmy

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Round One: Eastern Picks

The playoffs are right around the corner, and there are sure to be some pretty great series to watch. The first round match-ups will see some pretty great teams take an early exit in a battle to the finish. The west has been arguably the better of the two conferences throughout the regular season, but at this point, that goes out the window. It’s all about who can win 16 high pressure games.

The Boston Bruins being the Presidents Trophy winner with 117 points is the odds on favourite to go all the way this year. The western conference however boasts six (yes, SIX) teams finishing the regular season with 100 points or more. That includes Anaheim, San Jose, Los Angeles, Colorado, St. Louis, and Chicago. The east only has four with Montreal and Tampa Bay just squeaking in with 100 and 101 respectively, Pittsburgh has a solid 108, and then Boston at 117. Looking at this and this alone, clearly the ice is tilted toward the Western teams in the amount of contenders they have.

After looking at a number stats and comparing them to the biggest factor, my gut feeling, I’m going to do my best to predict how these playoffs are going to go, and who will be drinking from Lord Stanley’s cup.

­EAST Matchups

Boston VS. Detroit

This match-up will be an interesting one. The Boston Bruins have been a dominating force all season with an ability to run through all four lines and get offense. They have a good combination of scoring talent and grit, and are backstopped by one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. They have a mix of young guys, and veterans with lots of playoff experience. They don’t necessarily have a glaring weakness that any team can truly exploit.

Detroit has been battling through injuries to key players all season long, and have still managed to put up wins. They had an astonishing man-games-lost ranking at 417. Not only did they lose players, but they lost key players in their line-up. They managed to get wins by leaning on young guys like Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist. Now that they have some players back, they could be a tough opponent against the rough Boston Bruins.

I am going to take the Bruins in six. They have the advantage in goaltending and I think they are going to overwhelm and smother Detroit.

Tampa Bay VS. Montreal

Tampa Bay is a team that made the playoffs when nobody expected they would. Normally, they are a solid team, with Stamkos leading the team to victories, but when the now team captain was injured, and injured badly everybody thought they were done for. The Lightning had some young players step up their game, and Ben Bishop continued to make the big saves and help win games.  Montreal and Tampa Bay have been neck and neck the whole way down the stretch battling for home ice advantage, with Tampa Bay edging out the Habs by one point in the final game of the season. Every game has been tight, having three of four go into extra time. Montreal has the advantage in net, but both teams are relatively even in scoring power, and defence with a slight edge to the Bolts. This series will be all about who wants it more, and which goalie steals games. 

I am taking Montreal in seven. They are coming into these playoffs with confidence and a solid line-up all around. Get ready for a great series of hockey.

Pittsburgh VS. Columbus

Pittsburgh has been badly beaten up over the course of the year leading the league by a crazy margin in man-games-lost at 527. They lost guys like Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. They finished second in the east despite the setbacks, and played as though they were a full roster.  Sidney Crosby is obviously a huge piece for Pittsburgh and could carry his team, but if Marc-Andre Fleury plays anything like he did last playoffs, don’t expect the Penguins to go very far.

Columbus has an excellent goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky, and what I would consider an average line-up. What they lack in super star players they certainly make up for in depth. Almost everyone in the line-up has the ability to chip in offensively.

I am taking Pittsburgh in six. Pittsburgh can match Columbus in depth, but they have more high-end talent and game changers. If Fleury is on point, and can make some big saves like he can in the regular season, Pittsburgh shouldn’t have to many problems winning the series.

New York VS. Philadelphia

New York has solid talent in their top six, and some pretty good depth. They have extremely good goaltending in “King” Henrik Lundquist. He can make huge saves, and is good in high pressure situations. If Martin St.Louis can get his scoring touch going again, New York can definitely do well against Philadelphia.

Philly has a good mix in their line-up. Their goaltending has done well this year with Steve Mason on the back. My concern for Philly is that the Rangers will be able to exploit them, and Philly simply won’t be able to beat Lundquist. I don’t see Philadelphia being a real threat to the Rangers.

I am taking New York in five. New York has better scoring and goaltending. They will just take over Philly and swiftly kick them out.

Summary

These are my picks for the first round in the East. Some of these series' will certainly have some surprises and some upsets, but that is what is so great about the playoffs. You never know what player will step-up his game, and what team will completely collapse. Now, all that matters is winning four of seven.

Thank you for reading! I will have my Western playoff preview up later on today.

Be sure to follow @darrinharmy

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Canadiens Worries in the Playoffs

While most Montreal Canadiens fans are ecstatic for the upcoming playoffs and are getting ready for a nice long run by their beloved Habs, there are some pretty glaring issues that should be addressed. I don't want to rain on anybody's parade here, but I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. Possession is bad, scoring chances are bad, system is consistently in question, and certain players are not being used appropriately.

Is it good that Montreal finished with 100 points? Absolutely. Is it good that Carey Price finished with a career best save percentage? No question about it. So why all the doubt? because there are certain things in the NHL that are unsustainable and Montreal's ability to win games the way they do, might be one of those.

Montreal is a bottom five possession team in the league with a mere Corsi for percentage of 47.2%. The only teams below the Canadiens are Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Buffalo. None of whom are playoff teams. Not even close. This is definitely not a good sign, and if it continues down this road, well, take a look at Toronto. A team who went from a comfortable playoff spot to kicked out in a matter of weeks. Montreal's possession numbers are about 5% better, which should be alarming. Can Montreal be a dominant possession team? yes. In fact, they recently had a 60% Corsi for against the Chicago Blackhawks, a western powerhouse and a serious Cup contender. Prior to that, they held an excellent 63.6% against Anaheim, who nearly won the President's Trophy. This should tell you that Montreal's real problem is consistency. They have far too many games where they simply don't try, or give up. That needs to end, and quickly.

A lot of people have been questioning Michel Therrien's system and placing a lot of blame on him in regards to Montreal's poor play, in particular their poor possession numbers. I can't say that it is all the coach. Therrien did not take a successful possession team and run them into the ground (like what Randy Carlyle is becoming notorious for). Montreal's possession numbers have stayed relatively consistent dating back to 2011-12 with Martin/Cunneyworth at the helm. So, Therrien haters can relax a little bit. What Therrien has tried to do is create a dump and chase team, who battles in the corners, and grinds out some not-always-pretty type of goals. This team is not built for that, and it is seriously hindering the players abilities on the ice.

Montreal has some very creative players, who can hold the zone, put pressure on, and create scoring chances when they use that talent. Subban has been on a tight leash all season and if Montreal wants to succeed, Therrien needs to let him loose and reign havoc from the blue line. Benching (arguably) your best defenseman, will not help this team win. Douglas Murray is not a top-six defenseman on this Canadiens team and it is hard to justify giving him so many important minutes against players who will blow his doors off. Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi are better options than Francis Boullion, and Douglas Murray and should be utilized to their strengths. All I'm saying is, Michel, sometimes you've got to risk it to get the biscuit.

On Twitter this morning, I saw a good friend of mine post a chart he made on scoring chance percentages for teams in the playoffs. What I saw was less than impressive.

Graph via @toddcordell

Clearly, Montreal is far behind in this category. Scoring chances are extremely important especially for a team who is currently having some serious struggles on the power play, and who has poor possession numbers. Having now gone eight games without a power play goal, Montreal is relying solely on their 5v5 scoring. Even if Montreal's power play starts to heat up again, their scoring chances at even strength still needs improving.

What is even more alarming in the previous graph is that Tampa Bay, Montreal's first round opponent, is sitting at 51%, and have defeated the Habs in three of four match ups this season. This will be one hell of a series however early on, advantage Tampa Bay.

Montreal is capable of winning games, and at times, can be a serious contender coming out of a wide open Eastern Conference. The frustrating part is that the Canadiens consistency will always be in question, no matter how well they are playing. This, above all, is their biggest problem contributing to all of the negative statistics looming over this club right now. If Montreal comes into these playoffs playing their highest level of hockey and proving they are a force to reckon with, I can certainly see them shocking a lot of opposing teams.

Thank you for the read, and feel free to leave a comment!
follow me on twitter @Darrinharmy

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We Got Vanek: Now What?

Therrien will have to find the right lines after the arrival of Thomas Vanek

When Montreal managed to steal Thomas Vanek during Wednesday's trade deadline all Habs fans were ecstatic with the deal. Everyone believed that most of the Montreal Canadiens problems were solved. What the Habs needed was someone with offensive capabilities while playing 5 on 5 as well as a guy who can play on their power play units. Vanek is exactly that.

Thomas Vanek has never scored less than 20 goals in all of his nine seasons (including this season). That's a pretty impressive feat. He is able to be a play maker occasionally, and is certainly not afraid to get in front of the net. If Thomas Vanek is used correctly with Montreal, it would not surprise me to see a solid offensive explosion throughout the lineup. I have an offensive lineup in mind that could help spark more than the line Vanek is on, but that would have a nice trickle-down effect to struggling players.

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Brendan Gallagher
Thomas Vanek - Lars Eller - Alex Galchenyuk
Daniel Briere - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta
Travis Moen - Ryan White - Dale Weise

The top line has been together for a while now, and there is no real sense to break it up. They have been producing extremely well together, and area a big part of Montreals offense. They all have pretty apparent chemistry, and are willing to fight for every inch alongside one another. Therrien would be mad to break them up.

The second line would be considered a secondary offensive threat. All three of these players have shown at one point or another their ability to put up points. A struggling Lars Eller has been buried on a line with players who do not suit his playing style, and those who have not been producing either. Flashback to the beginning of the year, where Montreal had the "EGG" line. This was the most dominant line on the team, no questions about it. It was unfortunately broken up to help a struggling David Desharnais. Where was that help for the now stagnant Lars Eller? This is it my friends. Galchenyuk is a good sized body that will battle along the boards, and has a great shot to mix in with a nice pair of mitts. Vanek has clear upside on this line with his career-proven ability to net pucks. All three will go to the net hard, forecheck hard, and make the opposition pay.

This third line would be the shutdown line. Lines two and three would be interchangeable in TOI depending on who their up against or what the need is at that moment. Think of having the ability to have two lines worthy of being the second, for different circumstances. Kind of nice, eh? As an added bonus, this third line has the ability to show some offensive flare, and Plekanec and Gionta have the speed and chemistry for great breakouts, and a speedy playmaker like Briere would only add to the secret lethal abilities this line carries.

Finally, this fourth line is just full of grinders who do not give up an inch to the opposition. You have two great penalty killers in Ryan White and Travis Moen, and another big body willing to hit everything, and not let a team get chances. All three are proven battlers. Willing to stick up for teammates, and take a bruise (or stitch) or two to help win every night. Do they have any true offensive fire power? no. But they are capable of burying a team in behind their net, get them frustrated, and force mistakes.

Brandon Prust is currently injured, however he could easily slot into that fourth line. Once healthy I would see him slotted in for Weise, and all four of these players would be able to interchange every few games. It's a hard position and having all four of these guys to play that tough, gritty, fourth line role is essential in this last stretch, and playoffs. Parros would obviously still be available, but with teams getting quicker in these final few games, I would not recommend it.

Jarred Tinordi - PK Subban
Andrei Markov - Alexei Emelin
Douglas Murray - Josh Gorges

Our defence has been merely okay for the majority of the season. Subban has played great, however seems to be getting snubbed by Michel Therrien while players like Douglas Murray and Alexei Emelin are eating up the Norris Trophy Winner's ice time. Therrien needs to get his defence lineup straight now more than ever. I liked what I saw when Subban and Tinordi were playing together even strength. Murray NEEDS someone mobile to play alongside him because far too many times he is caught flat footed, and gets his proverbial "doors blown off". Josh Gorges is the most defensively sound Canadien, so I would like to see those two slotted in together, and then have the Russian duo suit up alongside each other. These lines are balanced enough to create some offense at the blue line, while being able to defend their own zone.

With these lines I can certainly see Montreal being a force to reckon with in the eastern conference. Whether or not Therrien decides to change up his lines, is an entirely different story. Over the course of the season we have seen Therrien hold grudges against certain players, even though they are some of, if not the best on the team. If Therrien can get over his little grudges, it will certainly help benefit the team.

The Habs are heading into the home stretch. Marc Bergevin traded for Vanek for a reason, and that is because he truly believes in this Canadiens team. They have the skill in the lineup. What they need is two things. First, they need the opportunity to be the best that they can be. This can only be achieved by maximizing every individuals strengths on the ice, and that involves moving players around. Get this team ready for playoff hockey. Second, they need the desire to win, at all costs. Habs fans have seen too many times this squad come into a game looking lazy, and disengaged. When they come in fired up, and battling for every puck and every chance, they are a dominant team.

Your move, Michel Therrien

Thank you for reading, please leave comments below, or tweet me @darrinharmy on twitter. Thanks for the read.

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Seasons Greetings: A Time for Reflection on the First Half of the Season

Seasons Greetings, Habs Addicts! I hope everyone had wonderful holidays as we gear up for the New Year.   

Currently the Habs have a 23-14-3 record, good for 4^th in the Eastern conference. Not too shabby at all. Scoring has been down this year, as the offense has been held to 3 goals or less in 28 of 40 games played this year and has only potted 5+ goals in a game twice this season, naturally both wins.  Carey Price and Peter Budaj have been stellar in goal and the overall defensive effort has been solid, but if we had the average goaltending we did last year, it’s easy to argue that our record could be 14-23-3.

Photo Credit: Allhabs.net

Going into 2014, the future is still looking bright. Our prospects have performed well thus far at the World Junior Hockey Championships (WJHC). On Team Canada, Zach Fucale got his first start between the pipes on Monday (December 30) against the Slovakian team and won, earning a New Years Eve start against Team USA.  Charles Hudon has played himself onto the top line with Jonathan Drouin and Anthony Mantha. Elsewhere, Sebastian Collberg has played well for Team Sweden and Jacob de la Rose has meshed well with Filip Forsberg and has 3 points through 2 games.  Finland’s Artturi Lehkonen has played a dominant physical game on the top line, while Martin Reway has starred for the Slovakian squad, with 3 goals and 6 points through the first 2 games of the tournament. 

In Hamilton, the squad has been a mixed-bag of results this year, playing average hockey with a 15-14-4 record.  Martin St. Pierre leads the team with 25 points in 30 games, but the career AHLer is not considered a prospect.  Louis Leblanc continues to sputter with 9 goals/18 points in 30 games.  Blueliner Magnus Nygren left the squad to go back to Sweden earlier this season.  With no real opportunity to make the Habs this season, he opted to return to the Swedish Elite league where he could make more money than his $70,000 AHL salary.  Dustin Tokarski has received the bulk of the starts, with 22 appearances and has provided solid goaltending with an 11-7-2 record, with a 2.30 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.  While the organization has depth, not too many of these players are truly NHL ready.  Jarred Tinordi, Nathan Beaulieu and Greg Pateryn continue to develop and can ably fill in for the Habs when Marc Bergevin decides its time to move on from the Douglas Murray experiment or retire Francis Bouillon to the press box.

There is still just over half a season left for the Canadiens.  Back in November, I provided Habs Addict with a reflection of the first 20 games.  If you haven't read it, or you want to refresh your memory, I have linked the article here: At The Quarter Mile: Analysis of the First 20 Games.  Since that time, the Habs have played another 20 games and this quarter of the season has seen them post a 13-6-1 record (10-8-2 in the first 20).  While the record has improved, there has been only a few changes to the overall positives and negatives that I listed back in November.  Here's the latest update: 

Positive: The Kids.   

After starting off the season strong and creating the much hyped 'EGG Line'.  As is the trend with Michel Therrien this year, the line has since been disbanded and both Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk have had a revolving group of linemates. While Galchenyuk has continued to find success on the scoresheet, Eller has had games where he has largely been invisible.  Brendan Gallagher has found comfortable spot with the rejuvenated Max Pacioretty (team leading 15 goals) and David Desharnais (14 points in last 19 games; 1 point in first 21 games) and continues to bring a strong, gritty presence in each game, even though his stick has gone cold in the scoring department. 

Negative: Veteran Performance.  

Pacioretty and Desharnais have sparked each other and have since started to roll. Tomas Plekanec continues to be a steady contributor.  However, Rene Bourque, Brian Gionta, Rafael Diaz and Francis Bouillon continue to disappoint while collecting rather handsome paycheques. 

Positive: Subban Continues to Shine.  

His shooting percentage is down by half this year (4.5% this year; 8.7% last season), as such his goal output is lower this season. His point total of 27 in 40 games leads the team and his average time on the ice of 25:09/game is second only to Andrei Markov (25:32/game).   He will be in the running for the Norris Trophy at the end of the season at this pace. 

Negative: New Additions. 

Daniel Briere has 10 points in 29 games. He's been a healthy scratch and is showing diminished skills and speed.  Douglas Murray has no points and a team-worst -11 rating in 21 games.  He is showing clearly diminished speed.  George Parros has missed time with two separate concussions and has no-points and a -5 rating in 9 games.  Needless to say, no positive impact has been made by any of them. 

Positive: Elite Goaltending.

Carey Price and Peter Budaj have continued to excel under the tutelage of Stephane Waite.  Price is playing his way into a starting role on the Canadian Olympic team and both goaltenders have consistently played at an elite level all season long.  This has not changed since the first 20 games.  Without this tandem playing at the level they have been, there is no way this club is in the playoffs.

Negative: Decision Making. 

After all of last season and half of this season, there has still been no impact trade made by Marc Bergevin. Coach Michel Therrien cannot find consistent line pairings outside of Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher and as such, there has been a lack of secondary scoring on a consistent basis.  How you can coach a team for a season and a half and still have no idea who can play well with each other is beyond me. The team plays well enough in its own end, but without the goalies playing at a high level, Therrien could easily be fighting for his job rather than a home ice playoff spot.

The New Year generally brings new hope and optimism for all. Out with the old and in with the new.

2014 could be a great year for the Canadiens and the fans. With half a season remaining, there is still plenty of hockey to be played and a full off-season for the roster to be improved by the front office through the draft and free agency. 

Until next time, Habs Addicts, have a happy New Years!!

Nick M. is a transplanted Montrealer, currently living in evil LeafLand. He is a contributor here at HabsAddict.com and give him a follow, as he can often be found rambling on Twitter.

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The Montreal Canadiens Getting Ready for Season Opener... With a Few Questionable Calls

By: SHAWN LAVOIE (@SLavoie54)

Opening night is finally right around the corner, and the Montreal Canadiens are in the final stages of preparation to kick off the season at home against the hated Toronto Maple Leafs.

Here is how the lines look like:

Max Pacioretty	David Desharnais	Daniel Briere
Rene Bourque	Tomas Plekanec	Brian Gionta
Alex Galchenyuk	Lars Eller	Brendan Gallagher
Travis Moen	Brandon Prust	George Parros
Michael Bournival	Ryan White

Josh Gorges	P.K. Subban
Andrei Markov	Raphael Diaz
Jarred Tinordi	Francis Bouillon

Carey Price

Peter Budaj

If the lineup doesn’t change for tomorrow’s game, the team will feature a very balanced top-9 forward group and an extremely physical fourth line. The Pacioretty, Desharnais, and Briere line will be the line who will be most counted on to contribute offensively, with the EGG line as a secondary offensive line. Plekanec’s line will receive most of the defensive assignments while the bottom line will act as a support line. Obviously, Moen, Parros, and Prust will be counted on to swing momentum in the Habs’ favor with their physical play.

The defensive unit has a few question marks however. Gorges and Subban is a solid top pair. They can play in all situations, and should eat up a ton of minutes. Things look shaky after them though. Markov and Diaz isn’t the most reliable pairing. Markov isn’t a top level skater anymore, and Diaz isn’t the ideal partner for him. Diaz hasn’t had a great camp, and hasn’t shown that he can play top-four minutes yet. Tinordi and Bouillon are two defenders who usually play on the left side, so one of them will play on his off-wing. Therrien faces are real puzzle with his defensive corps early on this season with Emelin, Drewiske, and Murray now on the injured reserve list.

Moen-Prust-Parros as a Line, and Markov on Penalty Killing.... Really?

It is understandable that Therrien wants to have a line that can stand up against Toronto’s tough guys, but at the expense of using an actual center on the fourth line? Prust is not a natural center. Yes, he’s already been used their a few times, but he can’t win face-offs as regularly as White or Bournival, who are both natural centers.

If the coaching staff wants to have a physical bottom line so badly, why not us Ryan White at center? He’s an extremely physical player, and he will fight anybody, like he showed by fighting Chris Neil twice against the Senators during pre-season. It is okay to use Parros as he can take care of the fisticuffs if need be, and Prust is indispensible. So why not scratch Moen and dress an actual center? Only the Habs’ coaching staff knows.

Another questionable decision is having Andrei Markov on the penalty killing team instead of Subban. Honestly, why? Why not use the Norris trophy winner on the penalty killing? Why not use the player who was one of the team’s best penalty killers two seasons ago instead of the player who obviously has lost a step and ran out of gas at the end of last season? Again, only the coaching staff knows.

If Therrien wants to maximize his assets and give himself the best chance to win, he will need to use a natural center on his fourth line and use Subban on the penalty killing instead of Markov. The Russian rearguard should now be used as a power play specialist from now on. He shouldn’t see more than 20 minutes a night, while Subban should see 25+ minutes per game, like other elite defensemen. Not using Subban in every situation is a complete lack of logic and hurts the team.

As for the lack of natural center on the fourth line, this is the perfect example of a coaching staff concentrating more on gooning up rather than putting the best team on the ice. It is okay to use an enforcer like Parros when you’re facing a big physical team with a few fighters in their lineup, but you can’t sit down your natural centers and use three wingers to have a tougher team. Even worse, Moen was used at center during a few exercises during practice. This defies any sense of logic and reason. Moen has never played center during his career. Would you seriously want to have Moen take a faceoff? Even if Therrien is smart enough to not use Moen at center, who would you rather have take a faceoff, Prust or White?

Despite all this, the Montreal Canadiens will show up tomorrow with good chances to win. They have the better offense and the better goaltender heading into the game. The Leafs have a better defense, but in the end the Canadiens’ balanced attack should be able to win the game, as long as the team stays disciplined. 

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NHL 2013-2014 Conference Previews – Central

Paolo Mingarelli dives into the next conference out West, the Central, home of the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The Central division, as it stands, could be the host of the Western Conference Final. The Blackhawks and Blues are expected to make post-season appearances and will do so while making the seasons challenging for their division rivals. Much progress is being made by teams who have recently finished in the bottom tier of the NHL standings, of which 3 teams are located in the Central.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

ST. LOUIS BLUES

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

DALLAS STARS

MINNESOTA WILD

COLORADO AVALANCHE

WINNIPEG JETS

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Analysing Habs’ Depth Chart

BY: SHAWN LAVOIE (@SLavoie54)

With training camp now just around the corner, let’s take a look at the Montreal Canadiens’ depth chart.

FORWARDS

LEFT WING	CENTER	RIGHT WING
Max Pacioretty     (6’2” 219)	Tomas Plekanec    (5’11” 196)	Brian Gionta            (5’7” 173)
Alex Galchenyuk  (6’1” 196)	Lars Eller                 (6’2” 209)	Brendan Gallagher (5’9” 178)
Rene Bourque      (6’2” 213)	David Desharnais  (5’7” 177)	Daniel Briere           (5’10” 179)
Brandon Prust      (6’2” 195)	Ryan White            (6’0” 193)	George Parros         (6’5” 228)
Travis Moen          (6’2” 218)	Gabriel Dumont    (5’10” 186)	Mike Blunden         (6’4” 214)
Christian Thomas (5’9” 170)	Louis Leblanc         (6’0” 190)	Patrick Holland       (6’0” 175)
Nick Tarnasky       (6’2” 230)	Martin St-Pierre    (5’9” 188)	Steve Quailer          (6’4” 209
	Joonas Nattinen    (6’2” 187)	Stefan Fournier      (6’3” 210)
	Michael Bournival (5’11” 191)	Sven Andrighetto   (5’10” 180)

DEFENSEMEN

Josh Gorges          (6’1” 203)	P.K. Subban        (6’0” 216)
Andrei Markov    (6’0” 204)	Alexei Emelin     (6’2” 219)
Francis Bouillon   (5’8” 197)	Raphael Diaz      (5’11 197)
Douglas Murray  (6’3” 245)	Davis Drewiske  (6’2” 220)
Nathan Beaulieu (6’2” 194)	Greg Pateryn      (6’2” 219)
Jarred Tinordi      (6’6” 218)	Morgan Ellis       (6’1” 202)
	Magnus Nygren (6’1” 192)
	Darren Dietz       (6’1” 205)

GOALIES

Carey Price         (6’3” 209)

Peter Budaj        (6’1” 195)

Dustin Tokarski (5’11” 198)

Robert Mayer    (6’1” 199)

Peter Delmas     (6’3” 188)

*All players’ heights and weights taken from where they played last season.

I have placed the top five forward lines and the top four defensive pairings in the order I believe they should look once the season starts. Michel Therrien may very well have different lines in mind, but I think these lines maximises the Habs’ assets. As for the bottom of the depth chart, I placed the players in the order of the ones I think are the closest to the NHL to the ones we might not see for a while. I won’t write about much about the goaltending position, as there is not much to say. Now let’s look at the team’s strength and weaknesses.

Strengths

The Habs have a talented top-nine forward group and a good physical bottom line. The top-six features a group of players who are effective at both ends of the ice. The second line can potentially be a lethal scoring threat, with both Gallys and Eller. The Habs’ third line could be a very effective exploitation line that can take advantage of the opposition’s weaker players. As for the fourth line, it will get under the opponent’s skin and shift the momentum of the game.

The Canadiens’ biggest strength among their forward group is its speed. The team features a bunch of very fast skaters and they will have to use this to win games, since they don’t have the most physical team. We can also see that the team is extremely strong on the left wing as Bourque, Galchenyuk, and Pacioretty are all big players who are very strong skaters who can score goals in bunches. The team also has the luxury of having skilled as well as physical players in the AHL, with guys like St-Pierre and Thomas bringing skill, while Blunden and Leblanc are more physical and defensive minded. Dumont is eligible for waivers so he will probably stick with the big club.

Even though I’m still not too thrilled about Briere’s addition, he still brings some solid offensive support to the team. He and fellow French Canadian David Desharnais have the talent to create havoc against the enemy’s third pairing defensemen. With Bourque creating space for the diminutive forwards, the Montreal Canadiens have one of the most talented third lines we’ve seen in a while.

As for the defensive corps, Les Glorieux have a good mix of offensive and defensive defensemen, with the top six featuring an even split. Diaz, Markov, and Subban will bring some strong offensive support and puck moving skills while Bouillon, Emelin (when he returns from his injury), Gorges, and Murray will take care of the physical defensive play.

Having the reigning Norris trophy winner is obviously a luxury every team would like to have, and the Habs are fortunate enough to have him with P.K. Subban. The superstar defender will hope to repeat last season’s success and be a dominant force on the Habs’ back end and help in every aspect of the game.

Andrei Markov is another player who will hope to have a great season. Even though he seemed to run out of gas at the end of last season, he showed that he can still be a force on the power play. He and Subban should continue terrorizing the opponent’s penalty killing team.

The Canadiens also have the luxury of having a good selection of rearguards in Hamilton with different skill sets. Drewiske, Pateryn, and Tinordi are good defensive-minded defenders while Beaulieu and Nygren are both offensive-minded defensemen who can help on the power play. Ellis and Dietz are good all-round players, but they still need some seasoning before earning a call-up.

Weaknesses

Like I mentioned a bit earlier, Les Habitants are not a physical team. With Dumont as their 14^th forward, six of the team’s 14 forwards are below six feet tall (I would actually say seven, as Prust once said he is 5’11”, but for some reason he is listed at a generous 6’2”), and eight of them weigh less than 200 pounds as of now, with five of them playing on the first three lines. I would like to see Marc Bergevin trade maybe a small body or two and replace them with bigger bodies.

Another weakness is the lack of true power forwards. As of right now, only Bourque seems like the closest to match that definition. Some say that Pacioretty is a true power forward, but I think he’s more of a big bodied sniper rather than a power forward, as he causes more damage from the face-off circles and high slot with his lethal wrist-shot in my opinion. Power forwards, for me, are players who are strong in the corners and thrive in front of the net with their big bodies. The Habs don’t really have a player like this and I think they need one.

The last weakness I will point out about the team’s forward group is the lack of a top-line right winger. I have nothing against Brian Gionta, as he is a fantastic leader and has the heart of a lion, but he’s not a first line player anymore. He’s more of a 2^nd/3^rd line forward now. Gallagher looks to be his successor, but he’s not ready to see first line minutes yet. Gionta has been slowed down by injuries and isn’t the scoring threat he used to be.

As much as the Habs’ defence is well balanced, it still lacks nastiness and isn’t as strong as it should be. Yes, Montreal has the latest Norris trophy winner, but after him there is a significant drop in talent. Markov has obviously lost more than a step in his game, Gorges is a second pairing defenseman playing top pairing minutes, and Emelin is injured and still hasn’t established himself as a top-four defender. Bergevin signed Douglas Murray, a huge physical rearguard, but he is a depth defenseman with cement feet.

Montreal would have needed a mobile two-way defender to play along Markov. As much as Markov still has elite on-ice vision and puck skills, he is now a below-average skater and can’t play over 22 minutes a game anymore.

As for the lack of nastiness I mentioned, except the Douglas Murray (still having trouble believing this guy is Swedish with that name), none of the Habs’ defensemen are 6’2” or more and below 220 lbs. Only Emelin and Murray are real physical threats, and one of them is injured till Christmas. Tinordi will come in next year to help in that department, but that will likely come with Murray’s departure. Bergevin will need to bring in at least another physical presence on his blue line.

The Montreal Canadiens are obviously a team that will make the playoffs, but they lack the physicality and defensive corpse I believe is required to aspire for the Stanley Cup. They will get better as the team’s top young players improve, and with a few tweaks, will be big contenders for Lord Stanley’s hardware. As of right now however, I don’t think they have what it takes to win it all, but they are getting there. 

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