Pregame Preview: Canadiens at Flyers (Game #45)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (25-14-5) are in Philly Wednesday night to face the Flyers (22-17-4). The game is set to start at 7:30 and can be seen on RDS and TSN.

This is the third and final meeting between the Habs and Flyers this season, each team has won on home ice. Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist and Jakub Voracek had a pair of helpers for the Flyers in their 2-1 win a month ago.

What to Watch:

Carey Price saved 16 of 16 third period shots against the Panthers on Monday to preserve Montreal's 2-1 lead and secure a victory for the Habs. The performance was a welcome turnaround from his recent play, Price had allowed 13 goals in the previous 3 games although the netminder has still managed to earn at least one point in each of his last 6 starts, including Monday's win.

The Flyers are coming off a 3-2 overtime win against the Devils Tuesday night, Brayden Schenn scored the winner and picked up an assist in the victory. Flyers leading scorer, Claude Giroux, has goals in back to back games. Scott Hartnell and Wayne Simmonds may be the hottest Flyer of late, Hartnell extended his point scoring streak to 8 games with a goal against the Devils while Simmonds has 14 points in his last 10 games.

What's at Stake:

The race for top spot in the Atlantic division is heating up, the Bruins, Bolts and Habs are separated by just 3 points with half a season of hockey left to play. Montreal is at the bottom of that pile and both teams hold a game in hand, so every win helps close the gap for the Canadiens.

Who's Out:

Alex Galchenyuk suffered a broken hand in Montreal's win against the Panthers, the early reports have him out until the end of the Olympics. Ryan White (upper body) is out for two weeks but George Parros has been cleared to play and should be in the lineup Wednesday night. Davis Drewiske (shoulder) is still out long term.

For the Flyers, Matt Read has missed the past 3 games with an upper body injury, Erik Gustafsson (knee) could be nearing a return, but did not play against the Devils Tuesday.

What Else:

The Canadiens had 8 players named to their respective national Olympic teams. Max Pacioretty for Team USA, Tomas Plekanec, the slated captain for the Czech Republic, Slovakia's Peter Budaj, Swizterland's Raphael Diaz, Andrei Markov and Alexei Emelin for Russia and Canada's PK Subban and Carey Price.

At the other end of the ice, the Flyers will be sending 5 players to Sochi in February. Kimmo Timonen for Finland, Mark Streit for the Swiss, Michael Raffl for Team Austria, Czech Jakub Voracek and Slovak Andrej Mezaros all received the honor. Missing from that list is Canadian Claude Giroux, who was not named to the team when the roster was announced on Tuesday.

The Question Mark:

We want to hear from you: what was the biggest surprise surrounding the announcement of the Olympic rosters?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

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The NHL Needs To Stop The Violence, Or Expect The Inevitable

By: Tony Padula

Even by UFC standards, the knee to the head by Penguins' forward James Neal on the Bruins' super pest Brad Marchand in the Boston's 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh last Saturday night is considered a viscious and calculated blow. Neal took advantage of Marchand's vulnerability, and it is one of the most cowardly and unmanly cheap shots ever in recent memory. That was followed up by an equally heinous retaliatory slew foot and face pounding by Shawn Thornton on a prone and defenceless Brooks Orpik.

The NHL, and its officials, have allowed this situation to escalate, and has moved one step closer to reporting its first death as a direct result of a violent act since Bill Masterton died in 1968.  Former NHL referee Wally Harris characterized the Masteron hit by saying, "he was checked hard, but I'm sure it wasn't a dirty play." That argument sounds vaguely familiar to some of the asinine explanations we have been provided in recent years by many NHL media outlets and "old school" thinkers.

So long as the discussion of fighting keeps getting bastardized with acts of violence that fall outside a conventional dropping of the gloves, the NHL will never turn the pendulum away from barbarism and towards beautiful skillful artistry.

If violence was a successful strategy to glory, then explain why these acts of violence do not take place in the playoffs? Explain why the Montreal Canadiens have 24 Stanley Cups, and Boston and Philadelphia, teams known for their brutish styles of play, only have a handful?

When five year old children register to play hockey for the first time, do we teach them to skate, stop, and pivot turn, or do we teach them boxing and wrestling moves?

The day is coming when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman will have to look the NHL's Chairman of the Board of Govornors, and Bruins' owner Jeremy Jacobs in the eye and tell him that violence needs to be reduced for the sake of the game, and that a cultural shift needs to start happening in cities like Boston and Philadelphia. 

This is exactly what it is...a cultural gap that exists between our two countries. 

In Canada, we see spots of societal devastation that involve mass murder. It hits the nation’s citizens hard, and we reject it as being tolerable. 

In the USA, they hide behind the constitution and learn to accept the almost daily occurrence of such inexplicable destruction of human life, and it is only inevitable, and somewhat expected, that such inner feelings carry over into the field of sports.

Fighting in hockey was nothing more than a policing measure to make up for the pathetically inept and biased officiating that existed in the game today. And now, we find ourselves one step closer to a ferocious beating, an unexpected clubbing or a senseless kneeing of a hockey player when in a defenseless position that will not only knock a player out or end his career, but will no doubt kill him. 

 

Mr. Bettman, I hope you have a R.I.P. message ready, because it will be needed sooner rather than later unless you put an end to this garbage goon mentality pushed by a few, but powerful owners.

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Laviolette relieved from Head Coaching duties

The Philadelphia Flyers etched themselves into the NHL record books this morning. The quickest coach firing in league history.

A mere 3 games into the 2013-2014 season the Philadelphia Flyers have made the first bench shake-up in the league. Peter Laviolette has been fired and taking his place as interim head coach will be assistant coach, Craig Berube

This is just another move in the long line of  decisions General Manager Paul Holmgren has made. This should not come as a surprise to those who are aware of his tendency to make rather significant moves in what he deems is best for the franchise. The Richards and Carter trades, the Bryzgalov signing, the Weber offer sheet, Briere buy-out and Lecavalier signing are some of the more notable transactions he has been at the forefront of.

This has to be the "writing on the wall" for Holmgren who is surely feeling the pressure from ownership to produce a playoff contender.

(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)


Flyers Fire Head Coach

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Habs/Flyers post game October 5th 2013

The Philadelphia flyers came and left Saturday night at the Bell Center with their heads down.

A final score of 4-1 in favor of the home team did in small part make up for the loss in the home opener.

Winning this game was an important step in the right direction for the Canadiens who start their west coast trip having gotten their first win out of the way.

Showing up in a big way was the (unofficially named) EGG line. Eller proved he's here to play. He put up another 2 points with one goal and setting up Gallagher for his marker. Each member of the line got 2 points and this could easily become the premier line by year's end.

Captain Brian Gionta posted a multi point game(1G/1A) and it means much more for the captain that he does it in front of the home crowd. Gionta, having suffered injury setbacks in recent memory, was able to remind the fans why he's the captain and still a valuable piece to the puzzle.

Defensively, the Canadiens played a very sound game. The Flyers were unable to generate any kind of momentum and that was in large part to the success of the Habs penalty killing. Standing out for the penalty kill were Jared Tinordi. He lead all Habs in shorthanded TOI. Also making his appearance was Ryan White. He logged in some shorthanded minutes and was noticeably effective. Although they accorded one late goal in the game, that goal was more about pride for Philadelphia than it was about making a late game push.

On a similar note, while the power play did score twice, anyone watching will argue their club should have had more success.  Had they been able to set up any kind of regular possession in the Flyers zone, they likely would have put the game away much earlier in the game.

For Carey Price, while he did not need to make any highlight reel saves, he made the saves he needed to make. Being up 1-0 for nearly two periods puts stress on the goaltender to maintain that lead. He held himself together and provided the support the team needed to seal the deal in the third.

The absence of Max Paccioretty was not an issue on this night. The team scored 4 without him but his linemates did feel the pinch in their ice time. David Desharnais went from leading all forwards last game to a more suitable, middle of the pack role, finishing with 13 minutes. Ultimately, if he wants to become an important participant on the team he will need to find a way to up his game because he is already an early candidate for the doghouse player of the year.

On a brighter note it would seem as though coach Therrien did listen to the fans when they asked that PK Subban be given more ice time. He lead the team with 28 minutes played and can even be credited for the goal judge's tic to jump the gun early when he ripped one that got lost in the mesh. More importantly he showed why he is a Norris winner. Offensively he posted an assist but it wasn't just about the offense. He was calm and cool under pressure and made the rest of the D feel the same way.

The Canadiens are west coast bound taking on the Canadian teams before heading home again. This 4 game road trip would normally be a big concern. This trip should be a little different though. The teams they face are not the cream of the Western crop and while Vancouver still has a legitimate team, an argument can be made that the glass is less full than it was in years past.

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NHL 2013-2014 Conference Previews - Metropolitan

Paolo Migarelli comes east, and takes a look at the not-so-well named Metropolitan Conference.

The old Atlantic has been renamed and re-tooled. Add the Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes and one of the 2 newcomers in the East, the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Renowned as one of the premier divisions boasting its representation by as much as 4 playoff teams before the merger, they will again be one of the tougher divisions to play in and will make for great fireworks down the stretch.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

NEW YORK RANGERS

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

CAROLINA HURRICANES

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

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Habs/Sabres Preview, Should The Canadiens Target Max Talbot? Lars Eller And More...

Good Afternoon Addicts!



Ryan White will miss tonight's game after suffering a lower
body injury in Thurday's 5-2 win over the Islanders.

 The Montreal Canadiens are back at it tonight gettting another crack at the Buffalo Sabres in Montreal. It is the final of four meetings between the two teams with the Sabres winning two of them including a 3-2 overtime win over the Habs just four nights back.

Both teams are coming off of victories since their last meeting with the Sabres edging the Maple Leafs 5-4 in shoot outs and the Habs finally solving the Islanders with a convincing 5-2 win on Thursday night.

Ryan White will be out of the line up with a lower body injury and while Rene Bourque and Brandon Prust are nearing their return, neither are expected to play tonight. Michael Blunden has been called up from Hamilton to replace White.


Habs And Hockey News

- We are ten days away from the April 3rd trade deadline and Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98) would like to see the Habs go after Philadelphia Flyers forward Max Talbot.

- Former Caadien Alex Kovalev retired this week putting an end to his career that saw him play 1,316 NHL games and win the cup with the New York Rangers in 1994.

- Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) breaks down Lars Eller's performance in the first half of the season.


(Photo by Bernard Brault, La Presse)

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Habs Win Third Straight Over Philly, Bournival's Hat-Trick And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Habs' Brendan Gallagher battles with Flyers' defenseman
Luke Schenn in last night's 4-1 win.

 The Canadiens outplayed a tired Flyers team for 60 minutes on their way to a 4-1 win. And with that win, the Habs have indeed balanced out their three game skid earlier in the month and leap frogged over the Bruins to sit atop the Northeast Division. Sure, Boston may have two games in hand but that's no reason to ignore the fact that Habs have come to play in this shortened 2013 season.

Peter Budaj earned his first win of the season playing in his first home game after losing his first two starts on the road. The win could prove to have been costly as Brendan Gallagher and Max Pacioretty each left the game with upper body injuries.

Gallagher, who earned the game's first star with a goal and an assist, was hit hard from behind by Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn. Pacioretty, who is still in search of his first goal, was hauled down by Philly defender Kimmo Timonen and crashed into the post.

More information on the extent of the injuries is expected after the team practices at noon today.


Habs and Hockey News

- Michael Bournival earned a hat-trick for the Hamilton Bulldogs last night scoring all three goals in the third period in the Bulldog's 4-2 win over the Houston Aeros.

- Here's Andrew Berkshire's fifth edition of the Canadiens Prospect Roundup.

- And with Rene Bourque's great start to the season, I thought I would pull a little something I wrote out of the MontrealhockeyTalk.com archives from last January.

(Photo by Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

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Habs/Flyers, Bourque's Resurgence And More...

Good Morning Addicts!




Carey Price, who's coming off his first shutout of the season, will
miss tonight's matchup against the Flyers with the flu.

 After collecting four points in the Sunshine State, the Habs are back home tonight to face the Flyers. The Broad Street Bullies are coming off of a 5-3 loss against the Devils in New Jersey last night in which they squandered a 3-1 lead. The Flyers have struggled on the road putting up a dismal 2-7 record.
The Habs have had relative success on Bell Center ice so far with a 5-3 record. The Canadiens have too often in the past helped teams put an end to slumps, but if they can make it a game focusing on special teams then they should have the advantage.

The Habs rank 10th in the league on the powerplay and 15th on the penalty kill while the Flyers have struggled with the extra man sitting in 15th and are 19th while short a man.

Carey Price is coming off his first shutout of the season but will miss tonight's match-up due to the stomach flu. Peter Budaj will look to earn his first win of the season in his third start. 

A win tonight would balance out the three games they lost prior to their four point sweep in Florida and will have a huge effect in convincing fans - and themselves - that their three game skid was nothing more than a slight bump in the road rather than a taste of what's to come over the course of the shortened season.

More importantly, a win tonight would put the Canadiens atop the Northeast Division after the Sabres defeated the Bruins 4-2 last night. The Bruins however will still hhave two games in hand.


Habs And Hockey News

- Rene Bourque's OT winner in Tampa was his fourth goal and eighth point in his 13th games this year. As Arpon Basu pointed out on twitter yesterday, that's as many points as he collected in 38 games with the Habs last year. Bourque's play 13 games in is quickly erasing the bad impression he made upon joining the team last season.

- In case you missed it, the Canadiens traded goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to the Tampa Bay Lightning, again, in exchange for 23 year old netminder Dustin Tokarski.

- This may not be Habs related but I've always been a fan of ageless wonder Teemu Selanne.


(Photo from http://www.habsnews.ca/montreal-canadiens-players/carey-price.html)

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No Excuses For Bourque, Cole Happy To Be Back, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

Canadiens' forward Rene Bourque, who was acquired last season in a trade with the Calgary Flames for Michael Cammalleri, has been the ire of many since his arrival in Montreal. Coming with a reputation of being short in the heart department, he did nothing to dissuade fans with his play last season.

Bourque, who is coming off abdominal surgery over the summer, skated with some of his Habs' teammates in Brossard on Wednesday, and, according to Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette, is ready to convince fans that there is more to him than those rumours would suggest.

Eric Cole, who during the NHL Lockout was quite outspoken about the labour dispute, spoke to Dave Stubbs of the Gazette, and explained how he had mixed emotions when he found out a deal was struck. From relief that it was over, to disgust that it took so long to figure out, Cole is definitely excited to hit the ice.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Most of the hockey world was stunned when Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment announced that Maple Leafs' General Manager Brian Burke was relieved of his duties and replaced by his second in command, former Vancouver Canucks GM Dave Nonis. Speculation is that MLSE President Tom Anselmi and the new members of the BCE/Rogers ownership group did not believe Burke and his arrogant demeanour were how they wanted to be represented. With Nonis taking over at the helm, it's expected that the team will continue with the same philosophy, as far as hockey operations are concerned.

Some have suggested that the rift between Burke and MLSE is rooted around the possible acquisition of Vancouver Canucks' goaltender Roberto Luongo. It's believed that MLSE Thinks that the recent moves made by Alex Anthopoulos and the Toronto Blue Jays have taken the attention away from the Leafs, when they should be front and Center in the Toronto sports scene, and trading for Luongo would change that.

- Yesterday, the NHL Board of Governors unanimously ratified the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Katie Strang of ESPN.com explains that all that is required, for the lockout to officially be over, is for the players to vote for ratification. The NHLPA's 700+ membership is expected to vote electronically, and expected to conclude late Friday or Saturday.

- Speaking of Luongo, Enrico Ciccone, an analyst for TVA Sports, tweeted that the Philadelphia Flyers may be interested in getting Luongo. With their ill-advised long term signing of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, could the Flyers really afford to get Bobby Lou?

(photo: Gazette File Photo/ Dave Sidaway)

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Daly/Fehr Talk, Politics in Sports, Kane Leaves KHL And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Just days after league commissioner Gary Bettman suggested the two sides take a two week break from negotiations, it seems the two sides have resumed talking. While there were no negotiations Deputy commissioner Bill Daly spoke over the phone with special councel Steve Fehr.

The two were expected to speak more over the weekend about further steps in bargaining talks.

With every article I read on this topic I can't help but notice words like "optimistic", "progress" and "positive results". And each time I see these terms I can help but wonder, who is buying this?

When you have one side that seems to have made it's best offer by giving up a billion dollars worth of concessions and another that would prefer to take a break rather than continue to work towards common ground, how can you see an end in sight?

After going over that last paragraph I realize it looks like I'm taking the players side. I'm not. I don't back the players and I in no way back the owners. In fact, I'm not even on the fans side.

At this point how can I feel bad for fans? If it's been this long and you haven't found anything in life to keep you busy Saturday nights then perhaps the lockout isn't your biggest problem. Go to dinner, catch up with friends, spend time with your family...

I refuse to feel pity for anybody who follows this lockout too closely. Both sides are trying to win sympathy and too many fans are falling for it. Just sit back and let the billionairs argue with the millionairs and when they finally agree on what to do with your money then turn the game on. Or don't.

Personally, I will. I love the game. If they take another season to figure this whole mess out I will still return when hockey does. I just refuse to make my non hockey life about waiting for it's return and falling for every line I'm fed by either side.

And with that said I apologize for the bitterness. I don't mean to start your Saturday morning with negativity, I have just become fed up with how too many (not all) fans have fallen victim to false hope. I don't blame anybody for being opinionated, I just feel bad for anybody who thinks that what they think about this mess matters. It doesn't. Your money matters, the owners and players can whisper all the sweet nothings into your ears to win you over but the bottom line is they don't care. Whether or not we forgive and forget doesn't mean anything to them as long as they get paid. And they will.

Habs And Hockey News

- Avi Goldberg (@avigoldberg) featured writer over at Allhabs.com takes an interesting look on politics, sports and the lockout.

- It seems the KHL was too much for Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane.

- TSN reports that Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider may be getting tired of the lockout.

- Habs prospect Brendan Gallagher's two goals lead the Bulldogs to a 6-3 win over the Toronto Marlies last night.

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Max Pacioretty's New Deal, Hartnell Signs, Danton Denied and More

Hello Hab fans!

It was reported yesterday that the Philadelphia Flyers signed Scott Hartnell to a six-year, $28.5 million contract extension. Said extension will have an average cap hit of $4.75 million and will take the hard-nosed winger to his 37th birthday.

As Mike Obrand, aka Habs Laughs, pointed out on Twitter, it sure makes Max Pacioretty's extension look like gold.

After all, it is doubtful Hartnell will be as effective in the final couple of years of his deal, especially considering his rather rough style of play. And, while he had 37 goals last year, that seems more like an anomaly than the norm.

Pacioretty, who has a similar deal in his back pocket, is much younger and possesses a much higher ceiling.

Habs and Hockey News

- Did you know it was Toe Blake's 100th birthday today? Hockey Inside/Out has a story on the legendary Canadien.

- Mike Boone of the Gazette looks at Habs' fans ever hopeful nature.

- Even if you only follow RDS occasionally, I suspect you know that Patrick Roy is joining their nightly debate show l'Antichambre. After all, they have been promoting the heck out of it.

- Mike Danton was denied an entry visa into England. He was heading over there to play with the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL, Great Britain's top ice hockey circuit.

- Former Ottawa Senator Mike Fisher signed a two-year extension with the Nashville Predators.

- Amidst all of the CBA talk, the NHL is also holding a rules summit this week. Namely, the standard for interference, holding and hooking penalties will be looked at.

(Photo by Mike Ridewood/Getty Images North America)

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Luca Ciampini invited to Habs Camp, Wayne Simmonds Extension, Wide Gap and More

Good AM Hockey fans!

I was reading about the NHLPA's latest CBA proposal and one element really struck me: capping front office and coaching spending.

Not the worst idea in the world. After all, if the owners are to cry foul, then everyone should share in the burden, not just the players.

What about you? Do you like the idea?

Habs and Hockey News

- The Montreal Canadiens have invited Halifax Moosehead forward Luca Ciampini to training camp next month.

- The Philadelphia Flyers have reportedly signed Wayne Simmonds to a six-year extension.

- Rick Nash and Joe Thornton will reportedly play for HC Davos if the NHL season does not begin on time. Both played there ins 2004-2005, helping the Swiss squad to both a league and Spengler Cup championship.

- Gary Bettman feels a wide gap remains between the NHL's and the NHLPA's position. Stu Hackel at Sports Illustrated offers an excellent dissection of the situation. Meanwhile, at The Hockey News, Adam Proteau looks at Donald Fehr's attempt to frame these negotiations as an owner versus owner battle.

- THN continues its projections, working their way to the number nine spot in each conference.

(Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images North America)

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Worried about Subban, Ken Dryden's Birthday, Markham and More

Good AM Hockey Fans!

I don't mean to hammer away at the P.K Subban contract situation. I really don't.

But in fairness to me and my daily task of writing this roundup, nothing else is going on. Nada. Rien. Nichts.

Eric Engels, over at HockeyBuzz, feels like patience is required and that the situation will resolve itself, most likely before the beginning of camp.

Generally, I share his view. But, I must admit, the fact this has stretched so long has me somewhat concerned. I feel that Subban his now more of an offer sheet or trade candidate that at any previous point.

In any case, I want to know, are you getting worried?

Habs and Hockey News

- Ken Dryden turns 65 today.

- TSN has been reporting that Graham Roustan submitted his plans for an NHL-sized arena to the city of Markham. If this is successful, the area could easily compete with Quebec City or Seattle for any relocated franchise.

- Given the recent injury news regarding Andrej Meszaros, the Philadelphia Flyers have signed Marc-Andre Bourdon to a multi-year extension. Ryan Kennedy, over at The Hockey News, believes the organization's eye for talent will help them weather the recent news.

- THN continues unveiling its predictions, this time looking at no. 14 in each conference. The good news? Montreal is not there.

- Adam Davis, of WRVM in Nashville, is suing the Predators because of an injury sustained will practicing to be a human puck. Let me get this straight. Davis agreed to the stunt, which sounds insanely dumb to begin with, and then gets injured practicing for it. And now, as if he could not foresee any potential risks in this stupid endeavor, is suing the Preds.

(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images North America)

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Desharnais and Plekanec's Potential, Breakout Player, Meszaros and More

Good AM Hab fans!

Over at my previous writing haunt, HabsWorld, the guys have begun again rolling out their Fantasy Focus series — an attempt at projecting the statistics of the Montreal Canadiens' top players.

So far, they have touched on Tomas Plekanec and David Desharnais.

All this notion of predictions leads me to a question: who do you think is poised for a breakout this year in Montreal?

Habs and Hockey News

- TSN reports that Philadelphia Flyers' defenseman Andrej Meszaros is out indefinitely with a torn achilles tendon. Given that the Flyers already have Chris Pronger sidelined and lost Matt Carle to free agency, this is certainly a hard blow to the team's blueline. Who knows, they might even target P.K Subban with an offer sheet given their holes in the backend.... just kidding. Sort of.

- Donald Fehr says he feels there is still plenty of time for the NHL and NHLPA to reach a deal on a new CBA.

- Stu Hackel reports on the possibility of advertisements appearing on NHL jerseys.

- Former Hab Hal Gill says he is happy to see Shea Weber return to the Nashville Predators.

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images North America)

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Subban's contract, Laviolette extension, Leafs, Wings, Bruins and more

Morning puck addicts!

I'll make this entry brief as I'm running out the door.

Nothing but tumbleweed this morning on the Habs front, as the reverberations of P.K. Subban turning down a two-year offer are still in the air.

Subban aside, there were a bunch of minor signings around the league yesterday.

For my part, and on a non-hockey front, I went to St. Sauveur last night to check out the Momix dance group. Wow, wow, wow. Stunning and VERY trippy. If you're into that kinda thing, I highly recommend checking them out.

Here's a Youtube vid summing up the show I saw:



Ok, on to hockey...!

Hockey News

-A flurry of first-round pick signings as the Leafs have signed first round pick, Morgan Reilly, while the Flyers signed Tanner Pederson.

The Canucks also signed a second-round pick, Alexandre Mallet.

-The Red Wings added four Russians to their Winter Classic squad.

-The Flyers also gave a nice contract extenstion to the head coach, Peter Laviolette. And why not? He got the team within two wins of the Stanley Cup championship.

-The Bruins, and more specifically Tuukka Rask, prepare for life without Tim Thomas.

-Highly touted prospect, Nathan MacKinnon, gets ready to show his stuff at the Ivan Hlinka Tourney.

-THN's Ken Campbell does a little NHL roundup looking at the return of Rick DiPietro as well as Subban's contract.

-And lastly, Spector's does his usual rumour roundup, this time focusing on the Leafs and Flyers.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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P.K Subban's Contract, Most Improved Team, Laviolette, CBA and More

Good AM Hab fans!

Usually, even square in the middle of summer, it's pretty easy to fill this brief segment and corresponding links.

But, today, today is a slow day. 

So, let me ask you a question: which team do you feel has most improved this off-season? 

Personally, I would have to give a very strong nod to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Habs and Hockey News

- Don't forget to check out Sean Lloyd's analysis of the Montreal Canadiens' top forwards. 

- Over at Hockeybuzz, Eric Engels discusses the lingering negotiations with P.K Subban. 

- The Philadelphia Flyers have extended head coach Peter Laviolette.

- Daniel Tkaczuk writes about the things to look for in a hockey camp.  

- CBA negotiations continue as the league proposes an expanded revenue sharing scheme. Meanwhile, Daniel Cleary expects things to heat up in the near future.


(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images North America)

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Canes not done yet, Kings add Payne, Flyers sign Voracek and more

Morning puck addicts!

More tumbleweed this morning on the NHL news front. I bet you can't wait for P.K. Subban to finally sign with the Habs so all media, new and old, can descend on the story!

Um, ya.

At least the Olympics are on, so they provide for some distraction. I'm not sure about you, but I've always been a fan of the Olympics.

It is the one event that I can just turn on first thing in the morning and lose an entire day watching.

On a personal level, I'm jumping on TSN 990 this morning with the kind old folk from the weekend morning show. If you're up, tune in live from 9 - 10 AM as we discuss Rick Nash, Shea Weber, Alexander Semin and much more!

Hockey News

-Apparently the Carolina Hurricanes are not done yet. Having already added Jordan Staal and Alex Semin, it seems they want to add more.

Any why not? It's not like they had the 25th worst goals-against in the league last season. Oh wait, they did.

-The Los Angeles Kings added former Blues coach, David Payne, as an assistant.

-A bunch of teams re-signed existing roster players, starting with the Rangers who reup with Anton Stralman.

The Flyers were the other team in action, re-signing Jakub Voracek.

-Finally, ESPN did a little Q and A with Hall of Famer Eddie Olcyk.

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images North America)

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David Desharnais Profile, Tim Thomas on Facebook, Semin, Voracek and More

Good morning Hab fans!

What a delight.

After making controversial comments on Facebook before and skipping out on his team's visit to the White House, Tim Thomas has now chimed in on the gay marriage debate.

Once again, via Facebook... you know, because he wants to protect his private life and be grumpy with reporters.

Thomas' story of perseverance and success was something to behold at first, but it now seems like his accomplishments have gone to his head wee bit, no?

Habs and Hockey News

- Our newest Addict, Amos Legault, recently asked if David Desharnais' line should be split up. It is now Sean Lloyd's turn to chime in, contemplating the future of the young center in his latest player profile.

- Much maligned Alex Semin signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. Say what you will about the salary and the player, it is a short contract that could provide significant rewards for the Canes.

- Jakub Voracek signed a four-year, $17 million extension with the Philadelphia Flyers. As our Fred Poulin alluded to on Twitter, that sure seems like a lot of dough for forward who has only hit the 50 point plateau once. Meanwhile, over at Sports Illustrated, Stu Haeckel contemplates the Flyers' next move after missing out the big names this summer.

- At The Hockey News, Adam Proteau muses over the decline of the Colorado Avalanche.

(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images North America)

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Shea Weber fallout, Nash happy in New York, Hasek a Hab? Rumours and more...

Morning puck addicts!

With Mr. Moustakas in Quebec City this morning, I'm taking over the news posting duties.

The dog days of summer are certainly well upon us, but that doesn't mean there isn't a bevy of NHL news this morning! Well, a bevy is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration. Unless, of course, you are talking about the Shea Weber offer sheet and subsequent offer match by the Preds.

Lots, and lots, and lots of fallout from that one.

It's funny how many think the Flyers will now turn their attention to P.K. Subban, extending an offer sheet and stealing him from the Habs.

While anything is possible, I don't see if happening.

Why? Because the Habs could, and would, match any offer the Flyers would make. So unless Philly is willing to grossly overpay Subban there's really no point making an offer.

And they know it. Wouldn't you agree?

Hockey News

-HabsAddict.com's own Fred Poulin takes a look at the Habs signing of Alex Galchenyuk.

-Speaking of HabsAddict, we welcome Amos Legault to the team and he examines whether or not the Habs should breakup their top line.

-Our good friends at Habsworld.net have gone a little off the rails this morning. They feel the Habs should sign Dominik Hasek. I know, I know...but read the article first! They actually lay out some interesting logic!

-As I said, there is a lot of news/fallout on the Weber deal this morning starting with Flyers GM, Paul Holmgren, saying he's happy with his lineup.

For Nashville, they are a happy bunch with the signing of Weber while The Hockey News says that it was a shrewd move by the Preds GM.

-in other big signing news, Rick Nash says he's excited to be playing in New York this season. And why not? A perennial playoff team who should once again contend for the Stanley Cup?

-ESPN takes an interesting look at what they'd do if they were in Gary Bettman's shoes. It's an interesting piece which includes rule changes and scuttling a few franchises!

-Lastly, Spector brings you his daily rumour roundup.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America)

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Nashville Retains Shea Weber, Doan to Montreal?, Nash, Wilson and More

Good AM!

After many days of waiting, the Nashville Predators matched the Philadelphia Flyers 14-year, $110 million offer for Shea Weber.

While the offer forces the Predators to ante up $26 million in signing bonuses in the next 11 months, it would have been quite surprising for the Tennessee club not to match.

After all, do you really think Weber is worth only four late first round picks?

Habs and Hockey News

- According to TVA Sports, Shane Doan is currently considering an offer from the Montreal Canadiens.

- Scott Burnside considers the pressure put on Shea Weber now that the Predators have decided to retain him. Allan Muir of SI also offers his insights on the topic.

- The Nashville Predators have been busy. Not only have they matched the Shea Weber offer, but they have also re-signed Colin Wilson to a three-year deal.

- Rory Boylen of The Hockey News dissects the Rick Nash deal.

- It seems the NHLPA is close to tabling a counter-proposal to the league's initial CBA offer.



(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America)

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