A Few Musings From The Hockey World

Hey Habs fans. It's been a couple of weeks since my last post due to school. A lot has happened in hockey and within the Habs organization that I would like to comment on.

Travis Moen Trade

The Habs made a deal this week trading Forward Travis Moen for 40-year-old defenseman Sergei Gonchar. In completing this trade, the Habs gained some valuable veteran leadership. More importantly, the Habs got rid of Moen, who has been subpar and pointless in ten games. The trade allows rookie Jiri Sekac to get into the lineup and the other forwards get to play an extra minute or two. Gonchar won't be playing big minutes, but expect him to get some second unit power play time and also time on the penalty kill. At the end of the season, Gonchar becomes an unrestricted free agent, assuming the Habs don't re-sign him.

Rene Bourque Demotion

The other big news was the demotion of forward Rene Bourque. Bourque is another player who was having a terrible start to the season. Some of the plays he was making made Habs fans cringe. It is relevant to consider the history of Rene Bourque. Initially signed by the Chicago Blackhwaks as an undrafted unrestricted free agent after a solid junior/college career, Bourque was a promising prospect in the NHL. During his first five seasons in the NHL, he produced respectable numbers, including his career high of 58 points. The Habs took a big risk and traded for Bourque midway through the 2011-12 season. At the time Bourque was facing heavy criticism for his play and was suspended twice for illegal hits. What made the risk so great was that Bourque signed a front-loaded six-year deal with the Flames prior to the 2010-11 season and that contract doesn't expire until the end of next season. Bourque is due to make $2.5 million this season and next. That's a lot of money to give to a player playing minimal minutes or in the AHL. As a rule, it is risky to sign a player to a big contract after one or two good seasons. More often than not, the players don't live up to their potential as they have little motivation to perform since the money is guaranteed. This is another move that will allow Sekac to play and other forwards more ice time. It is unlikely we'll see Bourque in the NHL until the playoffs as he will have to clear waivers.

Connor McDavid Injury

Top prospect Connor McDavid was injured in a pointless fight while playing in an OHL game for his junior team the Erie Otters. First of all, I'm against fighting in hockey in general. Just look at the consequences of this fight. Here you have a hockey player with all this raw talent absolutely dominating the OHL with a chance to shatter single-season scoring records set by Ernie Godden (goals) and Bobby Smith (assists and points) and now he's gone for five or six weeks with a fractured right hand. Not only is he risking his career, he's also letting his team and Team Canada down because he can't play. Personally I think too much of a big deal is being made of the potential of McDavid. He has yet to play a game in the NHL and yet people are already comparing him to the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby. The level of play in the junior circuit vs. the NHL is dramatically different. There have been countless players who dominated in Junior hockey but struggled in the NHL or never even played a game in the NHL. Here is just a sample of the big names who were first round busts. Hopefully McDavid recovers from the injury and comes back the same player. He needs to fully heal before attempting to return or the injury might affect him long-term.

Empty Arenas

I wish to respond to this tweet I posted a few weeks ago. It was in response to the number of empty seats. I suggested, sarcastically, that the Anaheim Ducks should move to Seattle. First, the goal of a successful business or team is to sell the product through ticket sales primarily. Second, I personally measure how successful that is by the number of butts in seats as opposed to ticket sales. For the purposes of this rebuttal, I will be referring to the 2013-14 attendance records located here. It should be noted that these numbers may be deceptively high because of HOW the measurement was taken (ticket sales). A couple of general considerations first. There are several factors that determines a teams game-to-game attendance. First and foremost, individual fans might have last minute emergencies that prevent them from attending the game such as illness or a car accident en route to the game. In more extreme circumstances, increment weather might prevent a substantial number from coming to the game but generally the number should be fairly low and thus the arena should look pretty full. Another factor is the popularity of hockey. Take for example the Florida Panthers. They are not a traditional hockey town and have big league teams in football (Miami Dolphins), baseball (Miami Marlins) and basketball (Miami Heat). Hockey in Florida is the 4th or 5th most popular choice. Also, team success does factor in. When Florida went to the Stanley Cup final (they lost to Colorado that year) and the years preceding and following they did okay though still bottom third of the league. What makes this an even bigger issue is every single NHL game is televised and can be watched through various online streams. This means people can see the empty seats worldwide. I encourage those of you on twitter to follow @emptyseatspics you'll see a trend happening with the Sunbelt teams (especially Florida and Carolina). The NHL needs to take a serious look at the future of hockey in Miami and Carolina.

League expansion

On a related note, the NHL is considering expanding the league by a team or two in the near future. Why is the league looking to expand when several teams are struggling to fill their buildings? Also, is there enough viable NHL talent to ensure the new teams will be competitive? To build an early fan base, teams should be somewhat successful in the first year or two. As it stands currently, parity exists in the NHL within conferences but the West is clearly superior to many teams in the East with the exception of Montreal, Tampa Bay and maybe Boston. Frankly, the league should look at relocating a team or two to a more viable location. Also, is Las Vegas the best choice? My concern is they are not a traditional hockey market and many of the people who travel to Las Vegas are supporters of other teams who will likely not switch allegiances. Seattle would be a better option as they have a natural rivalry in Vancouver. Quebec City should also get consideration as they are building an NHL capacity arena and being in Canada they will likely be very successful. In short, I support relocation over expansion

Habs fan blogging from British-Columbia.

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Habs' Bergevin Giving Fans What They Want

Greetings Habs Nation!

Rene Bourque has been sent down to the Hamilton Bulldogs
after clearing Waivers on Monday.

This past week has been quite busy for the Montreal Canadiens GM, Marc Bergevin. Either Bergevin is listening to the Habs faithful or he seems to have at least as much hockey sense as pretty much anyone who can sit through the god awful coverage of Canadiens' games provided by TVA and Sportsnet.

Since taking the reigns as the Habs general manager in May of 2012, he has done nothing but improve the most storied franchise in the NHL and arguably any other professional sport (The Yankees have more championships but... I mean... that's baseball). Bergevin's moves have always been mostly accepted and celebrated in Montreal, but none so far have been quite as popular as the double whammy he pulled off this past week. His moves have people in Montreal so ecstatic that I actually just used the term "double whammy". And for that I apologize.

While this week's dealings may not have been of the blockbuster variety, they saw two players who were at the top of 99% of the fan's hit lists head out of town.

First was the demotion of struggling forward, Rene Bourque. After having quite a successful playoff run with the team last season scoring eight goals and adding three helpers in 17 games, his game has somewhat dropped off in the current campaign. Bourque had registered a mere two assists in 13 contests before coach Michel Therrien decided to have him watch the games from the press box. Nobody could understand what happened to Bourque after his productive playoff run, but to be honest with you I was more curious as to what happened to him during the playoffs after heading into the post season with only 37 points in 128 games as a Canadien.

Bourque spent two games as a healthy scratch before being put on waivers and, not so unexpectedly, clearing them. The snakebitten winger has been assigned to  Hamilton to play for the Habs' AHL affiliate the Bulldogs. I use the term "playing" loosely.

Bourque's spot has since been taken over by 22-year-old Czech rookie, Jiri Sekac. Sekac has registered three points in as many games since re-joining the roster and has provided a spark on the third line alongside Lars Eller and Brandon Prust. Eller, who had also been struggling on Bourque's line has put up three points of his own since Sekac's return, heck even Prust has chalked up two assists.

Bergevin's decision to waive Bourque has forced Sekac into the line-up after sitting out for seven games. In doing that, the Canadiens have scored nine goals in three games, in fact with Sekac in the line-up the team has averaged 3.1 goals a game as opposed the the 1.6 they average without him.

Well played, Bergevin. Well played.

On to move two.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired defensemen
Sergei Gonchar in exchange for forward Travis Moen.

Travis Moen was shipped to Dallas in return for 83-year-old defenseman, Sergei Gonchar. Moen was under scrutiny after registering a whopping zero points in nine games this year. Granted, Moen was never really brought to Montreal to score goals, but when your taking up a spot that can be given to players with more offensive upside such as Michael Bournival (who wasn't injured at the time) or the aforementioned Jiri Sekac, fans tend to lose patience quickly.

This trade benefits both sides in a less than drastic way. The Stars make room for their defensemen who could be Gonchar's grandchildren, they drop the $4.6 million cap hit that came with Gonchar (-8% that Dallas will retain... I don't really jump head first into the whole math thing but the numbers are there for you) and they acquire a hard working 3rd/4th liner in Moen.

The Canadiens get a player who can potentially add to the team's man "advantage". Now, one player won't fix this "power"play, but having Gonchar there can't hurt. Until this team starts skating with the extra man and Therrien mixes the lines nothing will change, but that's a whole other story. Finally, while the Habs do have to pay quite a bit for a defenseman whose first defence partner was a triceratops, they drop that next season along with Moen's $1.85 million that was owed on his last year of his contract. This freed up cap space will be crucial in re-signing Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher.

Moen out, Gonchar in. Another fantastic move by Bergevin.

How about your thoughts.

Have we seen the last of Bourque?
Was Bergevin out of line by waiving him just to get Sekac in the line-up (if that was indeed the case)?
What do you feel about the Gonchar signing?

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Moen vs Gonchar Trade Analysis

What a great surprise today! Habs GM Marc Bergevin sure is not fooling around when it comes to building a team, and he has shown us that again today by trading veteran forward Travis Moen to the Dallas Stars in return of veteran defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Not too long ago, I wrote a post where I analyzed Moen's game with the Canadiens where I was saying he needed to go. (for reference, visit: http://www.habsaddict.com/2014/10/why-travis-moen-needs-to-go.html)

For those of you who haven't read my article, I was mostly saying how Moen's intensity dropped down dramatically in the past few years and how he was stealing a spot for a young rookie on a 3rd or 4th line. With Rene Bourque out and Moen traded, now's a great time for Therrien to have rookie Jiri Sekac be part of his main roster as well as trying out players like Drayson Bowman (who just got called back yesterday) for example.

But enough of that, let's analyze Gonchar's play. The veteran defenseman has been out due to an injury since the beginning of the season. He got back in Dallas' line-up on November 4th. In three games this year, he managed to get one assist, a -1 rating, one shot on goal and three hits. Surely it is a pretty slow start, but let's not forget he just started skating about a week or so ago. Let's give him some time.

In his career, Sergei Gonchar managed to notch 219 goals and 579 assists for a total of 798 points in 1,256 games (including 102 powerplay goals and 321 powerplay assists, for a total of 423 powerplay points). At 40 years of age, we aren't expecting him to stay with Montreal for a lot of years. In fact, he will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year. The reason why Bergevin traded for him is mostly to have another defenseman to help Subban and Markov on the powerplay. At first, we got told Tom Gilbert could do the job, but Marc Bergevin is known for acting quickly when things are not working out, and it's not a secret to anyone that Montreal's powerplay was really terrible.

Financially speaking, Gonchar will earn $5 million this year, while the Dallas Stars will retain 8% of his salary ($400,000, which brings the cap hit down to $4.6 million. Moen is earning $1.85 million for the next two seasons. Technically, Gonchar will cost $2.75 million more than Moen, but considering how Moen played this year (0 point in 9 games), I highly doubt Gonchar could do worst, especially with his background. It is also worth noting Bergevin tried to acquire him last summer.

We will have to wait and see if Gonchar's ankle injury, which kept him out of the line-up at the beginning of the season, will truly affect him in the long term. But as a personal opinion, I am really impressed with this trade and I honestly believe Montreal's powerplay will get back in business, especially right on time for the game against Boston Bruins this upcoming Thursday.

Do you like this trade?

Do you think Marc Bergevin will trade a defenseman for a forward now?

Follow me: @Azgarde54

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Jiri Sekac In Michel Therrien's Doghouse

When he signed with the Montreal Canadiens this summer, Jiri Sekac had no idea that things would not go as planned. Making the jump from the KHL, the coveted free agent decided to sign a two-year deal worth $1,350,000 annually with the Habs.

Fast forward one month into the 2014-15 season and the honeymoon is definitely over between the 22-year-old winger from Kladno and his new organization. In six games with the Canadiens this season, Sekac has recorded 1 goal and 0 assist to go with a -4 differential playing alongside two offensive blackholes named Lars Eller and Rene Bourque.

After playing the first six games of the season and scoring his first NHL goal in front of his father at Bell Centre against the Boston Bruins, Sekac was made a healthy scratch against the Detroit Red Wings on October 21st, 2014. What most fans thought was a learning experience that would only last one or two games, turned into a very awkward situation for the fans and journalists alike.

The Canadiens, who have only scored 14 goals in the last seven contests, have elected to play unproductive veterans such as Travis Moen, Rene Bourque, Brandon Prust and Manny Malhotra over youngsters like Michael Bournival and Jiri Sekac.

However, according to a source close to the team, the team management (namely Marc Bergevin) is not happy with the decisions head coach Michael Therrien is making regarding Jiri Sekac, among other things. The management is frustrated with Therrien that he won't give Sekac a chance to show his worth on the ice. The source even said the Therrien doesn't even speak to Sekac to tell him why he keeps making him a healthy scratch...

It appears that Bergevin and Therrien don't see eye to eye right now, but because of the Habs' good start (8-3-1), Bergevin doesn't have much leverage to tell Therrien what to do and we all know that the latter favours veterans over rookies as they are easy to scratch because they don't complain openly in the dressing room.

It looks like unless a trade or an injury happens, Sekac will have to ride the pine and keep eating popcorn in the press box along with Nathan Beaulieu or Jarred Tinordi depending on who wins the coin flip on game day.

Do you agree with the way Therrien is treating Sekac?

And oh, earlier this morning, AK Bars Kazan, the richest team in the KHL has acquired the rights to Jiri Sekac just in case things get worse between the young Czech and the Canadiens...

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No Foolin' Fred Poulin
Follow me on Twitter @FredPoulin98

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Why Travis Moen needs to go

Thursday was a great night to be a Habs fan. Not only have they won against the hated Boston Bruins, we managed to watch a pretty awesome opening game. A great video montage showing all Montreal players and where they came from, as well as presenting them one by one with the now traditional flame holding ceremony. Without any surprise, the crowd has been the loudest for Price, Subban, Galchenyuk, Tokarski, Pacioretty and Desharnais. However, not every player in the team managed to get cheered as loud as their other teammates. The guy who got the worst welcome is without a doubt Travis Moen. In fact, I absolutely understand the fans who did not cheer for him. Here's why:

Travis Moen joined the Montreal Canadiens back in 2009 after winning the Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks. At that time, Moen was a pretty solid third line player; he could get some points in as well as being an enforcer. He even scored the series' winning goal in the 2007 Stanley Cup final. He managed to keep a record of four goals and five assists for nine points in 16 games during these playoffs. He also had a pretty good year in 2006-2007 with 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 82 games, spending 101 minutes in the penalty box. That definitely was his best season overall. Back in the days, he was a little bit like what Brandon Prust is nowadays. Between 2008 and 2011, he spent most of his time being an enforcer, with a record of 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points in 319 games, as well as getting 325 penalty minutes. In 2012, that's when things started going downhill for him; 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points and 124 penalty minutes in 160 games. He basically went from a ratio of 0.18 points/game and 1.02 PIM/game to 0.21 points/game and 0.78 PIM/game. Now, one could say he actually improved in points per game, but Moen hasn't been signed to score goals. The alarming statistics is the straight downward progression of his penalty minutes per game. What it basically means is that whenever the Canadiens signed him, they were expecting a guy who could deliver solid bodychecks as well as dropping the mitts to defend his teammates, and he has been a huge letdown in the last three seasons. Not only is he refusing to scrap, he even starts throwing sucker punches on the back of an opponent's head while keeping his gloves on as we could see earlier this year.

Since that fight against Kevin Miller during which he sustained a concussion and miss some action, Moen has not been the same player.

At the moment, Moen is pretty much taking the spot of a young player who could do better by either bringing speed and points like Michael Bournival, or hitting hard and fighting like Dale Weise. Worst, Moen still has a cap hit of $1.825M for the next two seasons, while Bournival has a salary of only $660,000 and Weise has a cap hit of $1.025M.

The rumors are that Habs GM Marc Bergvin is currently shopping Moen, but that nobody is interested in the grizzled veteran. It is more likely that a contending team comes knocking at the trade deadline to add size and experience to their line-up in prevision of the long playoffs. Still, the best the Canadiens could probably receive in return is a late-round pick.

What would you do with Travis Moen?

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Travis Moen The Odd Man Out?

While former Montreal Canadiens Josh Gorges mentioned him as a potential candidate to become the team's captain because of his experience, character and grit, veteran left winger Travis Moen appears to be on the outside looking in, heading into the 2014-15 season.

Currently playing with youngsters Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher during intra-squad games, Moen looks disinterested and slow, trying to keep up with the speed of the Gallys.

Currently playing the third year of a four-year pact that pays him annually $1.850.000, Moen has been struggling on both ends of the ice since the beginning of the 2012-13 season, during which he played almost every game of the lockout-shortened season, but managed to record a mere 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points to go with only 32 penalty minutes and a -4 rating. That year, Moen often found himself playing on the team's second line with Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta,

Last season, Moen's season was forced to miss 17 games after sustaining facial fractures in late October and a concussion in late March after a fight with defenseman Kevan Miller of the Boston Bruins. In 65 games, the gritty 6'2'', 218-lb, forward managed to pot only 2 goals and 10 assists for 12 points and 49 penalty minutes. As a result of the concussion and his poor overall play, Moen dressed for only five games during the Habs' playoff run that ended in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers.

Previously known for his physical play, Moen only distributed 92 hits last year, compared to 82 in 20 less games during the lockout-shortened season. Add this drop to his lack of pugilistic talent and his diminished offensive skills and you get a 32-year-old player who is becoming less and less important for the Canadiens, especially with the arrival of dynamic winger Dale Weise who plays a similar style of play but with a much better offensive flair and smooth-skating abilities.

The arrival of penalty killing specialist, Manny Malhotra, will also affect Moen's ice time as the team will be able to play him on the second PK unit behind Tomas Plekanec. Also, if the scrimmage combinations are any indication, Malhotra is currently paired with Weise and gritty pest Brandon Prust on the team's fourth line.

Factor in the presence of Michael Bournival who is having a great training camp so far and the emergence of youngsters such as Jiri Sekac and Sven Andrighetto and you can easily imagine Moen spending a few nights in the press box.

Moreover, now that Moen's no-trade clause has expired, Marc Bergevin can now trade him to whichever team he wants looking for veteran leadership and a physical body. However, the likely scenario for this season is too see Moen act as the team's 13th forward and dress against bigger and nastier teams while Michael Bournival plays against faster and softer teams. This way, it would allow Michel Therrien to dress 12 regular forwards, including rookie Jiri Sekac, who is expected to make the team out of training camp.

Finally, we know that every team sustains multiple injuries during the season so a veteran like Moen is always nice to have around in case the Habs suffer injuries to key players and are forced to juggle lines and call-up rookies from their AHL affiliate.

What would you do with Moen?
1. Keep him and play him regularly.
2. Use him as an extra forward and play him sporadically.
3. Bury him in the minors.
4. Trade him for the best offer, whether it's a good draft pick or a bucket of pucks.

No Foolin' Fred Poulin

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Dustin Penner on a Professional Try-out?

On Sunday , the rumors were swirling on the social media that unrestricted free agent Dustin Penner, who is still without a contract, was looking to get a professional try-out from several NHL teams in order to land a gig for the upcoming season, and the Montreal Canadiens would be one of the interested teams.

The hulking left winger scored 14 goals and 21 assists for 35 points in 67 games between the Anaheim Ducks and the Washington Capitals, posting a +25 plus/minus rating in the process along with 30 penalty minutes. Penner had much more success before the trade, posting a 0.65 PPG ratio in Anaheim before recording a putrid 0.16 PPG pace with Washington.

The 31-year-old winger is looking for a last chance to prove he still belongs to the NHL after seeing his offensive numbers decrease over the years, having his best offensive season in 2009-2010 with the Edmonton Oilers when he potted 32 goals and 31 assists for 63 points in 82 games. The 6'4'', 242-lb is exactly what the Habs need in their bottom-six as Penner's former teammate, Travis Moen, is now a shadow of his former self.

Bringing Penner to the Habs' training camp would also be a very inexpensive option to challenge other players vying for a roster stop, especially rookie Jiri Sekac and inconsistent winger Rene Bourque. The native of Winkler, Manitoba would give everything he can to land another professional contract and the worst that could happen for the organization would be a disappointing showing. Should that happen and Penner doesn't live to the expectations, they could simply release him before the season and Ta-dam, no harm's done!

On the other hand, if Penner plays very well and finds chemistry with someone like Lars Eller, then Marc Bergevin would have the option to sign him at an affordable one-year contract and try to trade a more expensive contract such as Travis Moen (owed $1.85M/year over two years) or Rene Bourque (owed $3.33M/year over two years).

Fun fact:
Did you know that Dustin Penner and former Hab winger Richard Zednik have one thing in common? 

They have the same ex-wife, actress Jessica Welch, who is a native of Montreal! Penner and Welch even tied the knot in Montreal during the 2011 All-Star break so Dustin is very familiar with the area.

Penner, who is a pretty colorfoul player on Twitter (@dustinpenner25), would certainly be a fan favorite in Montreal, much like Mike Weaver since his arrival last season.

Do you think Penner will trade the pancakes for the poutine if the Canadiens offer him a contract?

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Habs Take On Bruins, Travis Moen, Subban And Price To Sochi? And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Tomas Plekanec will likely return to the Habs line up tonight
aginst the Bruins.

 The rivalry continues as the Montreal Canadiens will face off against the Boston Bruins tonight for the fourth and final time this season. The Bruins took the first game in due to the stellar play of goaltender Tuuka Rask and the Habs followed with two of their own wins against their rivals.

Each game has been decided by one goal and the home team has yet to win on home ice. Tonight's contest is at the Bell Centre.

Michael Ryder, who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2010 is coming off a three point night and continues his point per game pace since re-joining the Habs earning 16 points in 15 tilts. Raphael Diaz and Rene Bourque are each inching closer to their return to the line-up but will both miss tonights game as they are recovering from concussions. Tomas Plekanec missed Thursday nights game against the Jets and his status for tonight is unknown. He was however on the ice for the morning skate and so he should be good to go.

Patrice Bergeron of the Bruins is also out with a concussion and Chris Kelly is doubtful as he recovers from a fractured tibia. Jaromir Jagr will tak part in his first game against the Habs as a Bruin and is more than likely going to be booed every time he touches the puck. When asked about the Habs/Bruins rivalry Jagr responded by saying " I know something happened when Zee (Zdeno Chara) hit that guy from Montreal, and since then things have turned around". Many Canadiens fans were angered by Jagr referring to Pacioretty as "that guy" especially because of the severity of the hit and will no doubt let Jagr know every time he's on the ice.

Habs And Hockey News

- Travis Moen has not quite lived up to most fans expectations this year. Here are Andrew Berkshire's (@AndrewBerkshire) thoughts in his Travis Moen half season review.

- It's hard to doubt Pat Hickey's (@Zababes1) belief that Carey Price and P.K. Subban will represent Team Canada in Sochi in the 2014 Olympics.

- Steven Ellis (StevenEllisNHL) of the hockeyhouse.net weighs in on Finland's goaltending situation in his 2014 Olympic Preview


(Photo From http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2009/7/6/939295/tomas-plekanec-one-of-20-nhl)

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Montreal Canadiens At The Halfway Mark

24 Down, 24 To go

Alex Galchenyuk (left) and Brendan Gallagher are tied for third
among rookie scoring with 13 points each.

The Montreal Canadiens have reached the halfway mark of the shortened 2013 season and they can't be disappointed in what they've accomplished thus far.

With only 24 games remaining in their season, the Habs currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 15-5-4 record.

Predictions are always sketchy and even more so when it comes to this specific squad as they headed into the 2013 campaign. With Markov's knee always in question, a coach who didn't work the first time and a team who failed to produce any offense outside of  their top line it was hard to imagine they would find any more success than in 2011-12.

However, how could it get worse than 15th? The days of Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin are over, the entire organization had been re-structured and character players such as Colby Armstrong, Francis Bouillon and Brandon Prust were added to the roster. How could they not improve?

Pleasant Surprises

Why not start with Brandon Prust? Prust is coming off of a career high three point game in Thursday night's 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Prust has shown his willingness to stand up for his teammates by dropping the gloves seven times in the first half of the season. Along with his toughness, Prust has added nine points (4G-5A) and a very impressive +13 rating, good for 11th in the league.

I'm not sure why I'm putting Carey Price's success as a surprise. I  guess it's because most of the blame for the team's failure is usually put on him and this could be the season that he put's an end to that. In 19 games played Price has posted a 12-4-3 record with a 2.33 GAA, .912 sv% and two SO's.

His 12 wins put him first in that category and has had only two outings in which he played below expectations. He followed those performance up with a 41 save win in Carolina Thursday night including 19 saves in the second frame when Carolina came at Montreal with everything they had.

Rene Bourque was enjoying a bounce back season notching five goals and adding five helpers and playing with determination in the 17 games leading up to a concussion he was believed to have suffered after an altercation with Toronto's Colton Orr in February's 6-0 pounding at the hands of the Maple Leafs.

Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher have been as equally productive as they've been entertaining. With 13 points each, they are tied for third in rookie scoring. Gallagher's two game winning goals are tied for first and he is alone atop rookie skaters with a +10 rating.

Galchenyuk's +7 puts him in third and each of them has done this despite having top line minutes. Neither player ranks among the top 50 rookies when it comes to ice time.

And finally, Michel Therrien has them playing like a team.  It's been a long time since the Habs have bought into their coach's system and it's showing in the standings. Therrien has them playing more aggressively and each night his players are agressive on the puck at both ends of the ice and are winning more battles along the boards than they are losing.

Disappointments

Erik Cole got off to one of his usual slow starts and was subsequently shipped to Dallas for former Hab Michael Ryder. Cole's production was one thing but the lockout left a sour taste in his mouth and after making comments about possibly retiring at seasons end, Marc Bergevin decided it was better to go ahead without him.

Ryder has yet to score in his second stint as a Hab but has earned four assists. The beauty of the deal is in the cap. Cole has two more years on his deal at $4.5 million while Ryder is on the last year of his contract which pays him $3.5 million.

If Ryder can pick up his game Bergevin may decide to re-sign him, if not the Montreal GM has given himself some much needed cap space for a season that will see the cap limit decrease by roughly seven million dollars. Did I mention Bergevin managed to squeeze a 3rd round pick out of Dallas?

Colby Armstrong and Travis Moen have both been less than impressive. While I won't be as hard on Armstrong as most, I can't say he's been the player I was hoping  he would be when he signed as a free agent. Armstrong is far from sniper material but he's going to have to start cashing in on some of the chances he's been getting. His grit factor also seems to have disappeared from his game.

Speaking of lost grit, what has happened to Moen? His play is less physical, his intimidation factor is non existant and his four points in 23 games speaks volumes about his offensive contribution, or lack thereof.

Final Notes

David Desharnais almost made the list of disappointments after starting slow following a stellar 2011-12 campaign. However, in his last 11 games he has recorded ten points and a +5 rating indicating that he may have found his groove.

Peter Budaj is doing exactly what he needs to by posting a 3-1-1 record and giving the team a chance to win when he's called upon.

The Canadiens special teams have been above average as they currently sit in ninth place with the extra man posting a 19.8% success rate. Their rating of  82.1% while down a man puts them at 14th.

The Team's defensive play in their own zone has left a lot to be desired and too often goals are given up due to breakdowns in their own end. Many question why Markov is still getting top pairng minutes at his age and why it took an injury to Raphael Diaz for P.K. Subban to start getting top four ice time.

Subban has 15 points in 18 games and is tied for first among defenseman with six goals. It's not quite clear why he spent his first 14 games hovering around 20 minutes a game.

Looking Ahead

while there is nothing wrong with taking a minute to enjoy the fact that the Canadiens reacherd the halfway mark of the season atop the Eastern Conference, it's only fair to be realistic as we look ahead.

It's not impossible for the Habs to keep the top spot but the Boston Bruins have been absolutely amazing and still hols games in hand on the Canadiens.

The good guys keep finding ways to win without the likes of Rene Bourque and Raphael Diaz but there is a long way to go and they will have to find a way to continue rolling four lines successfully for another 24 games if they expect to finish on top heading into May.


---

Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com

You can follow Sean on Twitter.


(Photo by Paul Chiasson, Canadian Press)

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Alexei Emelin, Alex Galchenyuk, Travis Moen, Habs Prospects and More

Happy Friday Hab fans!

Fun times for me this morning, as I get to hop on CKCU's Red Zone program in about half an hour. 

As always, chatting with the gang RE: Hockey and Habs is something I quite looking forward too. 

Can't say I'm excited that the word "lockout" will be part of the discussion though. 

In any case, before I surf the airwaves, let's get to the daily news roundup. 

Habs and Hockey News

- Alexei Emelin signs with AK Bars Kazan in the KHL. I feel like the acronym 'KHL' is coming up a bit too much in these news roundups lately. 

- Alex Galchenyuk has been named captain of the OHL's Sarnia Sting. 

- On the prospect front, HabsWorld continues its countdown with Montreal's 31 to 35th best prospects. Elsewhere, TSN reveals their pre-draft rankings for 2013. 

- Hockey Inside/Out has a video chat with Travis Moen. 

- Tyler Seguin is bound for EHC Biel in Switzerland. 'Swtizerland' ... there is another word coming up a lot lately. 

- As for players not looking overseas, some are trying to organize a caravan-style circuit. 

- Adam Proteau looks at David Branch and the OHL's progressive stand on fighting. 

- In international news, Croatia has advanced to the next stage of Olympic qualifying for 2014. 'Croatia' — now that is a word that does not come up often!


(Photo Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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The Montreal Canadiens Are Just Not Tough Enough

For the better part of a decade, Montreal Canadiens fans have been begging management to make our favorite team better, tougher and meaner.

The Habs have been way too soft for way too long. Moreover, in recent years, they rarely forechecked or dropped the gloves on questionable hits.

Images of Gregory Campbell hammering away on Tom Pyatt, Zdeno Chara slamming the head of Max Pacioretty into the glass or even Andrew Ference flipping off the fans because of a "problematic glove equipment malfunction", perpetually fill my mind.

The Montreal Canadiens, lacked character, cohesion and toughness and that is where Marc Bergevin comes into play.

In a short amount of time, Bergevin has begun addressing this issue with the signings of Brandon Prust, Colby Armstrong, Travis Moen, Ryan White and Francis Bouillon. On paper, we will likely never have to see a line-up which features the likes of Yannick Weber or Rafael Diaz playing on the fourth line again.

A huge step in the right direction right? Surely, the team has a chance at the playoffs now?

I hate to play devil’s advocate here but the answer is no!

You can argue that the team has better depth, but there is no way that I am buying into the notion that the Habs got tougher.

Travis Moen and Ryan White were already part of this team last season. Only Prust, Armstrong and Bouillon have actually been added to the squad.

Brandon Prust

Prust's best asset is the fact that he has developed into an elite penalty killer. He was a key component of the Rangers PK, which sat near the top of the league in every year that Prust was part of the team.

On the physical side, Prust is one tough SOB. Though relatively small at a little over 6’0, he is a pit bull on the ice. Prust backs down from no one, sticks up for teammates and, despite his diminutive frame, led the league in fighting majors last season.

Colby Armstrong

Then there is Armstrong.

Here is a guy I have wanted in the Habs uniform for the better part of the last five years. When Colby is on top of his game, he is a skating torpedo. An agitator who absolutely lays people out with his vicious hits and then backs it up with his unwillingness to fight. 

Like P.K. Subban and White, Armstrong gets under the skin of alot of players in this league.

Francis Bouillon

Finally, little Franky Bouillon, a player the Habs should never have let go. I cannot think of a single player who plays with more heart and determination than Soupy. 

He is a good bottom pairing blueliner who will give his all and will serve as an excellent guide for those unfamiliar with Therrien's ways.


Still Not a Contender

All in all, the above three are players who play big and add depth to the organization. A group of players, who for some reason, most fans seem to think will help turn the team back towards playoff contention.

The problem is that their gain comes at the loss of Brad Staubitz, Mathieu Darche and Hal Gill.

Brad Staubitz

Staubitz is easily a better fighter than any of the players named above. He is bigger than Prust, meaner than Prust and led both the Habs and Wild in fighting majors last season. Like Prust, he backs down from no one, the only difference is that he usually comes out on top.

Hal Gill

Gill, although not ill-tempered, still represented a 6’7 frame capable of tying up some of the bigger bodies in this league. He was a beast on the PK, a great leader and, when called upon, was not shy to drop the gloves. Most fans were sour to see him arrive in a Habs uniform but he grew on many of them and will surely be missed.

Mathieu Darche

Darche was by no stretch a mean player, but he was a dependable role player on a 6’2 frame who still finished ninth on the team in hits despite playing just 61 games. I cannot say I am sad to see him go, yet he was an extremely serviceable player who provided grit to the bottom line.

What does this mean? 

For the sake of argument, let’s remove Darche from this equation. 

Anyone who even tries to argue that the Habs are tougher with Darche in the line-up has been smokin' a bit too much of the wacky tabacky.

So, what does this mean?

The team is younger — and you can perhaps argue more talented — and has a better group of fourth line players. However, the squad has definitely not become tougher and, in the process, somehow actually lost a full collective foot in height.

What is even more confusing is the fact that, despite finishing dead last in the Eastern Conference—due to a lackluster powerplay and limited goal production—the only positions addressed were the fourth line and bottom defencemen.

Where to go from here?

I firmly believe that Marc Bergevin is nowhere near finished tinkering with this line-up. Between Scott Gomez, Yannick Weber, Rafael Diaz and Tomas Kaberle, I would be shocked to see more than two of them return next season.  

The organization must acquire a big, gritty, mean winger to compliment the skilled players. A power forward who can play 20 minutes a game, drive to the net, crash the boards, create turnovers and drop the gloves when called upon to do so.

The question is who and at what cost?

---
Bryan is a Marketer by day, writer for HabsAddict.com by night and full time fan of the game. Follow me on twitter @BryanWilley78 but don't bother looking for me on Facebook, I'm just too old for that now!


(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

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Habs Offseason Player Profile: Travis Moen

Travis Moen Signed to Four Year Extension

Travis Moen - LW - 6'2" 215 lbs
2011-12 Stats: 48GP - 9G - 7A - 16Pts - -3 - 41 PIM

The Cost

The Montreal Canadiens came to terms with Travis Moen Friday afternoon, inking the gritty winger to a four year $1.85 million extension. Moen will recieve a $350,000 raise as well as an extra year compared to his previous three-year contract.

The length of the deal came as somewhat of a shock to many as there were rumors in the days leading up to the signing that Moen was close to signing a two-year extension.

Performance

Before being sidelined for the remainder of the year with an upper body injury in February, Moen was on pace for a career season.

His nine goals were just two shy of his career high 11 in '06-'07 and his seven assists just four short from matching the 11 he posted in '09-'10, his first year as a Hab.

Moen's highest total was 21 points as an Anaheim Duck in '06-'07.

With 34 games remaining in the season at the time of his injury, it's hard to believe he wouldn't have posted career numbers had he stayed healthy.

The Fit

Moen could be used on the team's fourth line alongside Ryan White. Renaud Lavoie of RDS reported via Twitter that the Canadiens will take a pass on Brad Staubitz's services and so the third party on this potential line has yet to be signed.

What is also possible is a third line of Moen playing on Lars Eller's wing with Louis Leblanc on the right. However, it may do Leblanc well to spend more time in Hamilton—assuming he signs in Montreal.

While the line combinations may still be up in the air, what's sure is that Moen will play a huge part on the team's PK unit. He played an average of 2:22 minutes per game shorthanded last season, and had fantastic chemistry with Tomas Plekanec generating multiple scoring chances while down a man.

All things said, is four years too long for a player who fits that role? Who would you like to see playing alongside the nine year veteran?


Check out other player profiles:

Ryan White

---
Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com

You can follow Sean on Twitter.

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

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Ryan White profile, Moen signed, Brodeur goes UFA, Flames, signings and more

Morning puck addicts and happy Canada Day weekend to all of our Canadian readers!

Lots going on in the world of NHL hockey this morning. The biggest story has got to be Martin Brodeur's intention to test the free agency waters tomorrow—if he doesn't have a deal in place with the Devils by then.

Could there have been a bigger bombshell dropped?

Seriously? After so many years in the league, all with the Devils, the 40-year-old, who maybe has a year or so left, is ready to go to another team?

Strange, to be sure, but totally within his rights. I mean, it's not like he owes the Devils anything.

In Habs news, our own Sean Lloyd has started a series of player profiles, beginning with Ryan White.

Good reading to be sure!

Also, GM Marc Bergevin continued to round things into form, signing 30-year-old rugged winger Travis Moen to a four year pact. The deal comes with a $1.85 million cap hit.

I like this signing, even though it's a little on the expensive side. Moen brings grit, leadership and Stanley Cup winning experience to the table. He's the type of player Montreal needs more of in the bottom-six.

The Habs also rounded out their coaching staff with the addition of former Habs, Jean-Jacques Daigneault, as an assistant coach.

Yes, a former defenseman to run the D!

So my question to you this morning is as follows: IF Brodeur does go to market, which team would be the best fit for him?

Habs News

HabsAddict - Habs Offseason Player Profile: Ryan White

RDS - CH : J.-J. Daigneault entraîneur adjoint

Habsworld.net - Travis Moen re-signs for 4 years

Hockey Inside/Out - Newly signed Moen true to his Saskatchewan roots

Hockey News

TSN - DEVILS' BRODEUR HIRES AGENT BRISSON; COULD TEST OPEN MARKET

TSN - FLAMES SIGN STEMPNIAK, SARICH TO TWO-YEAR DEALS

TSN - GILLIS IN NO RUSH TO TRADE LUONGO DESPITE NEW SCHNEIDER DEAL

TSN - NHL, PLAYERS' UNION OPEN LABOUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH MEETING

TSN - FLAMES SIGN C JONES TO TWO-YEAR, $1.3 MILLION CONTRACT

TSN - FLYERS NAME TERRY MURRAY HEAD COACH OF AHL PHANTOMS

TSN - BIRON, RANGERS AGREE TO TWO-YEAR DEAL WORTH $2.6 MILLION

THN - Last chance for long-term contracts

ESPN - Rumblings: Don't forget about Parenteau

ESPN - Rumblings: Where else could Brodeur play?

(Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images North America)

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Habs Offseason Player Profile: Ryan White

A Look at the Habs

Hello Habs nation!

This piece will be the first of a new segment I'll be writing, on HabsAddict.com, that will take a look at the Canadiens roster heading into the 2012-13 season.

I will be including a brief look back at what each player brought to the team in the 2011-2012 season, as well as what to expect moving forward.

With some roster players yet to be re-signed and the free agent season just about to open, I will only focus on players who are currently inked with the Canadiens.

While Carey Price is rumored to be close to a deal somewhere in the $6.5 million range—for six to seven years—you can expect to have a piece focusing on him shortly.

But alas, the Habs netminder of the future—or so we can hope—has yet to sign and so I will start with another fan favorite whose ink has yet to dry on his newly signed deal: Ryan White.

Ryan White - C - 6'0'' - 193 lbs
2010-11 stats: 20GP - 0G - 3A - minus-7 - 61 PIM

The Cost

Ryan White will receive $687,500 for the upcoming season, a $62,500 raise from his previous contract, over a one-year term.

As a fan favorite, many fans had hoped that the Canadiens would commit to a longer deal with the rugged center. It would seem Marc Bergevin was weary of White's last campaign—being limited to 20 games due to a sports hernia suffered in training camp.

Performance

While White's three assists are hardly going to help the Canadiens in the win column, points are not what White was brought on board for.

In the 20 games he played last season, White managed to find a fisticuffs dance partner seven times. In fact, in a game against the Minnesota Wild on March 1st, Stephane Veilleux dropped the gloves twice with White.

Hockeyfights.com credited White with one win, one draw—both of these against Veilleux—and five losses in his seven bouts.

Hardly impressive but in hockey, winning the fight is not always the point. White is well liked by fans as well as his colleagues due to his willingness to stand up for teammates.

The Fit

New (old?) coach Michel Therrien's reputation as a guy who likes his team tough, should bode well for White. When Therrien inherited the Habs I'm sure the team's lack of physical play was something he felt needed to be addressed.

The fact that White was the first of the team's pending RFA's to be brought back supports my belief that together, Bergevin and Therrien want to add toughness to a team that has been pushed around for too long.

White averaged 14:31 minutes of ice time per game in his 20 contests last year, and will likely see similar minutes on the fourth line in the coming season. As for his linemates, well, it's likely that they are yet to be signed.

A projected line of White alongside Travis Moen and Brad Staubitz, would bring plenty of toughness to the team's fourth line. Staubitz is set to become a UFA and Moen is unsure whether he will re-up with the Habs or test the market on July 1st.

Brandon Prust is another player the fans would love to see on White's wing, but will only be approachable when the free agency period begins on Canada Day.


How does White's contract bode with you? And where do you see him fitting in on the roster?

---
Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com

You can follow Sean on Twitter.

(Photo by Mike Ridewood/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Eastern Battle, Western Trip, Moen and more

Morning Hab fans!

Well, turns out Carlyle's hiring paid immediate dividends for the Leafs this weekend. Remains to be seen if that can keep up for the rest of the season.

Even if they do, it may be difficult to distance themselves from the others teams in the conference.

The Leafs recent fall and the snails pace of other teams in the East have made the battle for the final playoff spot an interesting one.

Between Winnipeg, who hold that final berth, and the 13th ranked Islanders, there is only a five point difference.

Too bad the Habs aren't part of this conversation. Montreal is 15th, in case you forgot.

And, given how poorly Montreal usually does out west, one suspects that won't change anytime soon.


Habs News

HabsWorld.net - HW Recap: 15th and holding steady

Hockey Inside / Out - Jean Béliveau continues encouraging comeback

La Presse - Leçon de communication 101

RDS - Le Tricolore à la conquête de l'Ouest

RDS - Travis Moen prend du mieux

Hockey News

ESPN - Case of the Mondays: March 3-4

IIHF - Unlikely Rebound?

SportsNet - Beware Salvaged Seasons

USA Today - Roundup: Panthers comeback to beat Senators



(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs Roundup: Playoffs, Trades, Gomez, Kostitsyn, Moen, Geoffrion and more

So how are you feeling about your Montreal Canadiens this morning, Hab addicts?

It's a bit rough, isn't it?

Montreal dropped a disappointing decision to the Dallas Stars last night. It was a game in which the Habs simply didn't show up. Sure they had a few flashes but were, overall, flat.

A lot of fans are scratching their heads this morning, wondering how a team fighting for their playoff lives can come play so poorly with so much on the line.

The answer is pretty simple: they're not very good.

There are a lot of positives going on with the team such as Erik Cole's play, Lars Eller, David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty on a 30-goal pace, Carey Price playing like a star most nights, P.K. Subban starting to look more settled and more.

But, ultimately, this team has too many holes that need to be filled and too much dead weight pulling them down.

With only 21 more games to play and 58 points in the standings, the Habs would need upward of 16 more wins to qualify for the post-season.

As such, I think it's fair to say that, as I've been saying since December, the Habs will not make the playoffs.

Time to sell

We had some discussions on the Sunday Shinny this past weekend, as to whether the Habs were officially sellers or not. There were arguments as to the meaning of the word "seller" but to me, that is all semantics.

Trading pending UFA defenseman, Hal Gill, signals (at least to me) in no uncertain terms that the Habs are sellers.

Gill is the first piece to fall but players like Andrei Kostitsyn, Mathieu Darche, Travis Moen and Chris Campoli, among others, could still be shipped out of town.

Kostitsyn is a player whose name has been circulating a lot in recent days. And, while nothing is confirmed, there is talk that he is actively being shopped. I recently wrote an article explaining why I think the Habs should re-sign him, but I can't say I'd be surprised to see him moved.

Moen is another player who is attracting a lot of interest, from teams such as the Detroit Red Wings, among others. However there are whispers that Montreal might not want to trade him.

In fact, it seems there is a chance they want to try to re-sign him in the off-season.

If the Habs do indeed want to retain Moen they should be trying to sign him now, and not in the summer. If this proves to be the Habs intention then it shows that Pierre Gauthier et al still do not know how to run a team under the salary cap.

To properly run a team under the cap, you must know if you are going to be able to sign upcoming UFA's before the trade deadline. And if you can't, they must be traded for picks and prospects.

That is how you run a team under the cap.

Holding players whose contracts are expiring, until the off-season, is a recipe for wasting assets. For more on this see Koivu, Saku or Komisarek, Mike or Souray, Sheldon or Kovalev, Alex or Tanguay, Alex.

I could go on, but you get my point.

The second issue here is that I believe trying to re-sign Moen is a mistake.

Don't get me wrong because he's a good player, but Montreal is not a team on the cusp of contending. They need to restock the cupboard, shed salary and gather picks and prospects.

As good as Moen is, he is making too much money ($1.5 million) for a third liner. He can be replaced by younger, cheaper options and, considering the Habs cap mess with contracts like Scott Gomez's and Tomas Kaberle's, getting cheaper should be a prime goal.

Going, going, Gomez...

I've had a lot of people asking me about trade scenarios on Twitter, Facebook and the like, recently. But I have to say that out of all of the conversations, I still can't believe some feel that Gomez is tradeable right now.

I've even heard people say that Chicago is desperate for a center, and could make a play for him. Come on people!

If it was at all unclear, Gomez isn't going anywhere. At least not this season.

He has a grand total of nine points (2G, 7A) and is a minus-5 though 31 games played. And he carries a $7.35 million cap hit for the next two seasons (after this year).

Untradeable.

No one is going to be even remotely interested in taking him off the Habs hands. Moreover, the only two people foolish enough to actually trade for Gomez already work in the Habs upper management.

So there will be no takers.

The best bet, and what the Habs are certainly hoping for, is that there is a new buyout clause put in place for the upcoming CBA. Players like Wade Redden and Sheldon Souray getting demoted to the minors, have shown teams and players alike that having an albatross of a contract on the books can kill your team.

Moreover, players don't want to be demoted to the AHL and the teams don't want to buyout a contract but still have a cap hit to worry about.

What they want is amnesty for taking on or signing a player to a stupid contract.

That said, I can very easily see a new clause put in place, allowing teams to buyout a player's contract while also freeing up cap space. Currently, if you buy a player out you have to pay him two-thirds his remaining salary over twice the remaining term.

But I think a new clause will mean the player would get paid, no matter what, but the team could rid themselves of the "mistake" and get cap relief in the process.

Sounds like a win-win to me.

I think that this is exactly what the Habs are hoping to see in the new CBA this summer and, in a lot of ways, they're banking on such a clause.

TSN 990's Tony Marinaro tweeted this morning "Disappointed Habs fans do not worry. I have been told that everything will play itself out this summer. Everything."

Vague, but, to me, that speaks to the Gomez situation, the Gauthier situation, Cunneyworth, Markov and any other questions marks currently plaguing this team.

For now, though, don't expect miracles and don't expect Gomez to go anywhere.

New Sunday Shinny and Blake Geoffrion interview

I know I'm a little late in posting it, but here is the latest Sunday Shinny podcast for last Sunday.

The best part about it? We did an interview of newest Hab, Blake Geoffrion. The interview is about 20 minutes in and is worth a listen.

He talks about being traded to Montreal, the pressure, the legacy of his family. He even tells some awesome stories about sitting around the table with his Grandfather, Boom-boom, talking about the Rocket and Guy Lafleur.

It's pretty compelling stuff!

And the best part? You can hear the pride and excitement in his voice.

Click play below to listen in:


Check it out and enjoy the rest of your week. Oh, and try not to get down about the Habs. It's February and it's 10 degrees outside.

That should be enough to put a smile on anyone's face!

---
Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and featured columnist on PowerScoutHockey.com. Kamal is also a regular contributor to the Sunday Shinny segment of The Franchise weekend morning show, on TSN Radio 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 9 - 10 AM. Listen live at http://www.tsn.ca/montreal/

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images North America)

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Habs Roundup: Is Montreal a seller, Randy Cunneyworth, NHL Trade deadline and more

The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching—approximately two weeks away—and the buying teams are starting to separate themselves from the sellers.

For the Montreal Canadiens, currently sitting in 12th overall in the East, the question is which category they will fall into.

Logic would dictate that this team should be selling, since squeaking into the playoffs hardly makes you a contending team. That being said, no one really seems to have a handle on what GM Pierre Gauthier plans on doing.

He's been seen scouting games across the league so it seems like a deal is in the works.

But is he looking to sell or add to his roster in an attempt to make the playoffs?

That is the real question.

Targets

If you listen to RDS' Norman Flynn, he thinks it's a joke that anyone would believe Montreal will make the playoffs. He goes on to say that this team didn't play .500 hockey over the first 50 games, yet everyone expects them to solve everything over that last 32.

Amen brother.

That said, his stance is that Gauthier should be selling and selling fast.

If the Canadiens do decide to sell, by most accounts the three most tradeable assets in their lineup are Travis Moen, Hal Gill and Andrei Kostitsyn.

Gill and Moen both have Stanley Cup rings and boatloads of experience. Kostitsyn, on the other hand, is a player who has scored 20 or more goals in three out of the last four seasons.

He could surely be a solid addition on a contending team looking for a little offense with size.

As for Gill, he is a slow skater but his leadership skills and ridiculous penalty killing prowess make him a desirable acquisition to any team with Cup aspirations.

Moen, on the other hand, is a player whose secondary scoring ability, toughness and ability to win in the playoffs make him a hot commodity. The problem is that he is currently injured with a mysterious upper body injury.

Word around the campfire is that it could actually be an injury to his head. Ummm, concussion anyone?

If that were to be the case there could not be a more disastrous scenario for the Habs. Because if Moen has anything seriously wrong with his head, including a concussion, he could become untradeable.

As a player who will be a free agent this off-season, and one who I don't believe the Habs should re-sign, Montreal could end up losing him for nothing.

But they are not there yet. Officially, he has an upper body injury, and was supposed to play against the Leafs last Saturday but suffered some kind of setback.

This will be a situation to keep an eye on.

Outside looking in

I've taken a lot of flak lately for seeming to come off on a very negative tilt, when talking about the Habs playoff chances.

I, generally speaking, am a pretty optimistic person. But in the case of the Habs, I think I'm just being realistic.

As much as their four-game winning streak got fans excited with dreams of first round playoff exits dancing in their heads, the reality is that Montreal didn't make up any ground in the standings.

None.

In fact, despite going 6-4-0 in their last ten games, the Habs are closer to the 15th overall spot than they are to eighth place. Carolina, last place in the East, is only two points behind Montreal while Toronto, currently in eighth, is seven points ahead.

As of this morning, the Habs chances of making the playoffs sit at 13.4 percent, according to Sports Stats Club.

Not exactly something you'd bet the bank on.

Dust-up

So it seems that the much maligned Scott Gomez is in headlines again this morning. This time, however, it is not because of his lack of scoring ability or his ridiculously high salary. No, this time it is because of a verbal yelling match he had with Assistant Coach, Randy Ladouceur, at practice yesterday.

Most media in attendance said they have never seen anything like that before, with the two yelling at each other in front of the other players. Eventually, they took the argument into a corner of the rink to continue in private.

But it lasted a long time.

And this on the heels of Gomez seeing a meager 7:49 of ice against the Canes.

Gomez brushed off the incident as something that happens all the time. A coach giving heck to a player for messing up a drill. And that may be the case, but the timing of it is definitely curious.

Love him or hate him—and I personally love what he's doing with the team—you've got to hand it to Randy Cunneyworth and co. They simply do not take crap from their players.

Moreover, and unlike under the veteran-loving Jacques Martin, Cunneyworth couldn't care less the name on the back of the sweater or the price tag that comes with it. He plays the players who he feels will give him the best chance of winning. Period.

And that, ladies and gentleman, is the way you should run a bench. Favoritism, coddling veterans, and constantly punishing young guns is a recipe for the unemployment line.

Just ask Jacques Martin.

Habs top-10s

My HabsAddict.com colleague, Fred Poulin, recently wrote an excellent piece on the top-10 worst players in recent Habs history. If you haven't read it, check it out. Man is that an ugly list.

I have two words for you: Juha Lind.

Ugh.

That list aside, I found this great video of the top-10 Canadiens hits for this season (so far). I thought you'd all get a kick out of it so take a look below and enjoy the calm before the Bruins storm tonight.

No.1 is awesome...I'll let you guess which hit it is...

Enjoy!



---
Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and featured columnist on PowerScoutHockey.com. Kamal is also a weekly contributor to the Sunday Shinny segment of The Franchise weekend morning show, on TSN Radio 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 9 - 10 AM. Listen live at http://www.tsn.ca/montreal/

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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NHL Trade Deadline Bait: Montreal Canadiens' Travis Moen

There is a definite scent of wheeling and dealing in the air. The Trade Deadline looms as pundits and fans contemplate the different options that present themselves to the Montreal Canadiens.

At HabsAddict, we will also take the time to muse over the various possible maneuvers the Habs may make. In a multi-part series, we will look at both potential trade bait as well as possible targets for the Tricolore. 

Today, we start with Travis Moen, who appears to be one of the team's most likely trade candidates. 

Why he could be traded - Travis Moen is an impending unrestricted free agent on a team that is clearly going into sell mode. On top of that, his spot can be easily replaced internally - and more cheaply - by the returning Ryan White.

Nonetheless, as far as rentals go, he is probably one the Habs' best assets. He was a defensive force in Anaheim's run to a Stanley Cup in 2007, completing a formidable checking line with Rob Niedermayer and Samuel Pahlson. 

This season, he is posting his best offensive campaign and is on pace to break his previous career high of 21 points. Plus, at 6-2, 215 pounds, the winger is also a physical presence who is unafraid to engage in fisticuffs if necessary. 

His experience, size and secondary scoring make him an excellent depth acquisition for a team wanting to make a post-season run. 

What he could be worth - Between a second round draft pick (or equivalent prospect) and a third round draft pick (or equivalent prospect)

The Canadiens have the advantage in a market that appears to benefit sellers. While a second round pick may seem high, it is not unrealistic. 

In recent trade deadlines, similar depth players such as Eric Belanger and Dominic Moore were acquired for second round draft picks.

Others, such as Jeff Halpern, Chris Higgins and Daniel Carcillo were even obtained in exchange for multiple picks and players.

Based on previous history, it is even plausible to see the Canadiens obtain a lower draft pick and a roster player in return, but that may be hoping for a bit too much. 

Who could be interested - Chicago, Vancouver, Detroit, Pittsburgh

Most contending teams look to add players of Travis Moen's type. However, the above four have been rumored to be interested in his services for some time.

Chicago has lost Daniel Carcillo for the season, so it is logical that they would be looking to replace his physical presence.

The same logic applies in Pittsburgh, who currently have Aaron Asham and Tyler Kennedy on their injured list.

As for Detroit and Vancouver, they have their minor bumps as well, but they are mostly believed to be looking to add a physical presence to their bottom-six.


What do you think? Where will Moen go? And for what price?


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Louis is an Associate Editor at HabsAddict.com and an Editor at HabsWorld.net. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval.

He currently resides in Ottawa and works for the Coaching Association of Canada. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America)

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With Playoff Hopes Fading, Habs Need to Sell Assets

With the NHL's February 27th trade deadline just under three weeks away and the Canadiens sitting in 13th place in the Eastern Division - and 25th overall - the only things the Habs should be buying are golf clubs.

Let's face it, with many games to be played between against direct rivals and the extra points being awarded in overtime, it is hard for even the more optimistic Habs fans to expect post-season play.

With that being said, how is it that the Canadiens are still being categorized as a team that is "on the bubble" as the trade deadline looms closer?

Any fan with the least bit of hockey knowledge has already cast this season among things to be forgotten, much like the macarena and parachute pants.

When dealing with an underachieving Habs roster at the deadline, it's incredibly important for Pierre Gauthier to indentify the "untouchables" who currently wear the CH.

Can't Touch This

Carey Price - The Habs netminder is a staple in this city and has single-handedly won games in which his team had no business winning.

At 24 years old, Price has endured failure in Montreal, losing the #1 spot to Jaroslav Halak, only to bounce back with phenomonal play that has lead the Habs faithful to forget the magical playoff run that Halak was responsible for in 2009

Max Pacioretty - On a team that has been deemed too small to succeed for years, Pacioretty has brought a level of size and skill that has not been present since John LeClair. 

Many were worried that the dreadful hit delivered by the Bruins hulking defenseman Zdeno Chara would impede Pacioretty's development. Pacioretty, however, returned at the beginning of the 2011-12 season to deliver what, so far, has been a career year in every major statistical category.

Erik Cole - The acquisition of the Stanley Cup winning power forward is one of very few positive moves made by Pierre Gauthier. Cole has shown no sign of quit through the first 53 games as he leads the team with 39 points. 

Cole's perseverence on every shift is something that this team will need as it moves forward. Cole's blue-collar work ethic has also seemed to rub off on linemate Max Pacioretty.

This type of leadership is something that will have a positive effect for years to come.

David Desharnais - Many followers of Nos Glorieux, myself included, wrote Desharnais off early in his career due to his size. Don't get me wrong, I'm well aware that there are plenty of smaller type guys that have found success in the NHL, it just seemed that the Habs had too many roster players playing with hearts that out weighed their physique. 

Desharnais, however, has had no problem silencing critics with his play. The 5'7", 177lb center has shown a willingness to battle alomg the boards and his 26 assists in 53 games year demonstrate his above-average playmaking ability.

His dedication and hockey sense are things that a rebuilding team cannot afford to trade away.

P.K. Subban - All of this "trade Subban" nonsense that has been circulating the web proves that too many Montrealers have too much time on their hands. 

P.K. has certainly struggled this year, that is no secret. Maybe it's due to Andrei Markov's absence, maybe it's due to the pressure put on Subban by a fanbase that has not seen a Stanley Cup in 19 years. 

Most probably it's the pressure that a highly skilled, over-confident young man puts on himself to succeed in a hockey market that expects nothing but the best from players, even at an early age. Subban makes plenty of mistakes and is not bolstering his reputation with some of his antics, but he is a 22-year old that has plenty of time to mature. 

And, when he does, you will have a tough time finding anybody spewing this trade Subban garbage. 

Josh Gorges - Heart and soul. That should be enough to explain why the future captain of this team should be labeled as untouchable. 

If not, consider this: through 53 games Gorges leads the league with 147 blocked shots.

Gorges has consistently thrown his body in front of rubber for a team that is far behind in the playoff race. In addition, the rearguard has never failed to face Montreal's blood sucking media after an embarassing loss. And you will never find a clip in which Gorges throws a member of the Canadiens under the bus. 

When you come across a player of his caliber who displays the leadership qualities worthy of any professional sports club, you keep him. Period.

Once you get past the mentioned players, it's go time for Pierre Gauthier. When considering that the above mentioned players are off the market it's time to take a look at who's left.

On the Bubble

Lars Eller and Rafael Diaz - While these young NHL players have not yet reached the status of "untouchable", they are the closest thing to off that market after the original list.

Eller, the main piece in the infamous Halak trade, has been improving consistently since his acquisition and would have to bring back a significant piece to that Habs roster in order to be shipped off.

Diaz has had ups and downs during his rookie season but his 15 points and minus-3 rating on a struggling team makes him difficult to move. The Swiss blueliner has shown some offensive prowess as well as defensive acumen. On a team facing the uncertainty over Markov's future as well as the impending movement of veterans Hal Gill and Chris Campoli, Diaz's presence is most welcome.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Andrei Kostitsyn - The rugged Belarussian forward is possibly the toughest player to gauge on the Habs availability meter. 

Many feel it's time to ship the inconsistent winger off to the highest bidder while others argue the recent chemistry found with Eller and Travis Moen is reason enough to give him yet another chance. The bulky winger has surpassed the 20 goal mark three times and, when he shows up, can be an invaluable asset. 

The problem is he doesn't always bring his "A" game and many have become fed up with his frequent, prolonged absences.

Thank You and Goodnight

Hal Gill, Travis Moen, Chris Campoli, Yannick Weber - It's no secret that these four players top the list of potential ex-Habs. Gill in an incredible penalty killer who will bring leadership and a Stanley Cup ring to a contending team.

Moen is a hard working, third-line player whose grit, alongside Samuel Pahlsson and Rob Niedermayer, played a huge role in Anaheim's 2006-07 Stanley Cup run.

Campoli and Weber don't exaclty stand out as elite NHL defenseman, but a league of 30 teams will never run short on clubs in need of rearguards.

Campoli at least has over 400 games of experience on his resume while Weber brings youth as well a a decent shot from the point. Look for these two to potentially move oin exchange for later round draft picks.

Damaged Goods

Brian Gionta - It's tough to see the Habs current captain sit out for so long. However, you can't help but think the vertically challenged winger would be shopped were he not be sidelined with an upper body injury.

Gionta has heart, there's no doubt about that. But Montreal has recently been addressing their problem with size up front - as illustrated by Cammalleri for Bourque - and you can't help but think that a healthy Gionta would be dangled as trade bait.

Stuck with You

Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle - Gomez is an established playmaker who appears to be a likable individual. You can't help but feel for anyone who's gone through a calendar year without a goal. Kaberle has a keen vision on the ice and a Stanley cup ring to boot.

Despite this, Gomez' cap hit of $7,357,143 million through 2013-14 and Kaberle's hit of 4,250,000 per year through the same time frame make it almost impossible to fathom any GM acquiring either of Montreal's burdens.

How do you feel as the trade dealine approaches? Should the Habs sell whatever assets they have- and if so at what price- or should they be buyers and push for a playoff spot? In which case, which players should they have in their sights?


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Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com You can follow Sean on Twitter.


(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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