Game 46: Canadiens vs Stars

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (29-13-3) return to action Tuesday night after the All Star break, playing host to the Stars (21-18-7). The game is set to start at 7:30 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the second and final game between the Habs and Stars this season, and the only one in Montreal. The last time these teams met, Dallas skated away with an easy 4-1 victory on home ice. Tyler Seguin had a pair of goals and an assist in the win.

What to Watch

Carey Price and Jiri Sekac return from their All-Star experiences in Columbus and the rest of the Canadiens return from their extended breaks looking to pick up where they left off. The last time the Habs played, Max Pacioretty was held pointless in a 2-1 overtime victory against the Predators, ending his seven game point streak. PK Subban and Alex Galchenyuk each had a goal and an assist in the win over Nashville.

Averaging over three goals per game, the Stars have the league's fourth ranked offense, led by the NHL's top goal-scorer, Tyler Seguin. Seguin is second overall in points with 52, 12 points more than the Stars' next most productive player, Jamie Benn, who currently has 40 points, including 13 goals.

What's at Stake

While the Canadiens are third in points in the Atlantic division, they still hold a lead over the Lightning and Red Wings in terms of points percentage. The Habs are locked into a close race for top spot in the division that's likely to last the rest of the season, so every point matters.

Who's Out

A week off is usually enough to cure what ails you, but P.A. Parenteau (concussion) is still not ready to play on Tuesday. Aside from that, the Habs are healthy as their schedule is about to kick into overdrive.

The Stars will see lots of players returning to action on Tuesday, but former Hab Erik Cole (upper body) is not one of them, he's expected to miss the match. Valeri Nichushkin (hip) is also missing, his November hip surgery has kept him out of the lineup for most of the season.

What Else

For the Habs a long break translates into a cramped schedule in their next stretch of the season. With only 45 games played to this point, only the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers have played less than the Canadiens this season. To compensate, the Habs will play 28 games between January 27 and March 21, a span of 54 days.

The Question Mark

How much of the All-Star Weekend did you watch and what was your favorite moment?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30 to preview the Canadiens and the Stars.

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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.


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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 Paul Chiasson, Canadian Press)

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Will the Montreal Canadiens go Shark fishing?

According to TSN/ESPN insider Pierre Lebrun, the Montreal Canadiens are looking to add size and gritto an already potent line-up before the NHL trade deadline, which is four weeks away.  Currently sitting atop the Eastern Conference rankings with 32 points in 23 games, the Canadiens will most likely be buyers at the trade deadline compared to last season where they were sellers and finished dead last in the conference.

New Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin has already been active this season, trading disgruntled forward Erik Cole and his three-year contract worth $4.5 million annually for impending UFA and former Hab winger Michael Ryder. The transaction freed up much-needed cap space for next season, when the salary cap will drop from $70.2 million to a mere $64.3 million. After four games, Ryder has yet to score his first goal with the Habs, but he has recorded four assists, three of which were on the power play. Bergevin also managed to receive a third-round pick in 2013 in the deal.

The Canadiens now have three 2nd round picks and two 3rd rounders this year which will come in handy when Bergevin is calling the 29 other general managers to improve his already-potent team. With Rene Bourque sidelined by a concussion, the Canadiens are severely lacking size up-front, especially with the soft and lacklustre play of veteran Travis Moen and new acquisition Colby Armstrong. Both players have been invisible for most of the season, and especially last Sunday against the Boston Bruins, recording only a combined 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points in 45 games together.

[Also: The Canadiens Playing With A High Level Of Prust]

[Also: It’s Time to Include the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Conversation]

Brandon Prust, who has been signed to a four-year deal worth $10 million last summer, has been the lone Canadien playing with a physical edge and ready to drop the gloves, even against much bigger opponents like Milan Lucic earlier this week. While Prust is a warrior and great team player, he will need help to keep his inspired play in the playoffs. This is the main reason Bergevin will try to get his team bigger and meaner by adding a power forward and a stay-at-home defenseman who can clear the front of the net and lay big hits.

The problem is that power forwards don’t grow on trees and that when they are made available by their own team, the phone won’t stop ringing. Yet, Sharks’ power forward and impending UFA Ryane Clowe is drawing interest around the NHL, despite his poor play this season. While Clowe plays around 18 minutes every game, he has yet to score a single goal this season, heck Scott Gomez has one more goal than him, and he has recorded only six helpers in 19 games.



Clowe even received a two-game suspension in February for leaving the Sharks bench on a legal line change before initiating an altercation with Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw. After three consecutive seasons with at least 50 points, Clowe’s play regressed last season when he scored 17 goals and added 28 assists for 45 points in 76 games. The 6’2”, 225-lbs, forward is slated to become an UFA at season’s end is making $3.625 million this season.

Clowe would fit perfectly on the Habs’ third line with Lars Eller and rookie Alex Galchenyuk, allowing the youngsters to be creative on the ice and concentrate on scoring goals rather than taking physical abuse in front of the net. Clowe would certainly bring size on the man advantage in front of opposing goalies allowing PK Subban and Andrei Markov to benefit from the increased traffic.

Still, don’t expect the Canadiens to mortgage their future for a rental player unless the price is reasonable, such as a depth player like Yannick Weber and a middle-round draft pick in exchange for Clowe.

Another Sharks player who could interest the Canadiens, is rugged defenseman Douglas Murray. The 6’3”, 245-lbs, rearguard is mostly known for his thunderous bodychecks and his defensive play alongside offensive Dan Boyle. However, this season, Murray has played less and has been mostly paired with young defenseman Justin Braun instead of Boyle. Slated to become an UFA like Clowe, the 32 year-old Swedish blue liner is only making $2.5 million in 2013, which the Bleu Blanc Rouge can easily fit under the salary cap this season, with currently $4,363,433 of room.

Douglas Murray – Fights and hits

The only physical player on the Canadiens blue line this season is Alexei Emelin, with Francis Bouillon and PK Subban laying the occasional hit. Murray’s presence on the blue line would make the Habs tougher to play against and the addition of both Clowe and Murray for the playoffs, depending on the price, would give a few more inches to every Habs player, especially guys like Gionta, Plekanec, Markov and Desharnais.

Do you think the Habs will go Shark fishing? If so, what should they give for the above players?

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Are Brian Gionta’s Best Days Long Gone?

Despite the Montreal Canadiens’ strong start this season, some players are struggling offensively for the Eastern Conference leaders. One of them is captain Brian Gionta. In 19 contests this season, the diminutive winger has only recorded 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points despite playing on the team’s first line with Tomas Plekanec and Rene Bourque, as well as getting plenty of power play time.

Named the team captain prior to the 2010 season, Gionta brings leadership, an excellent work ethic and valuable experience to a young team. However, the native of Rochester, New York, has seen his offensive statistics decline over the past few seasons. After recording a 60-point season with the New Jersey Devils back in 2008-09, Gionta signed a five-year contract worth $25 million with the Canadiens as an unrestricted free agent.

Since his arrival, Gionta’s production has been on a steady decline, scoring at a .75 pace in 2009-10, at a .65 pace in 2010-11 and a 0.48 pace in an injury-riddled season in 2011-12. As you can see, the 34 year-old Gionta has not been really efficient and he has lost a step in the past two seasons. While some fans would argue that playing with Scott Gomez certainly did not help Gionta, the veteran is not producing more this season, even after Gomez’s departure.

Still, the former 48-goal scorer is a very underrated defensive players who is very adept at shutting down the opponent’s first line on a consistent basis. A very efficient penalty killer, Gionta boasts a very good defensive IQ and is very strong the back-check.

However, the offensive aspect on his game as faltered dramatically this season despite getting 18:43 minutes of ice time per game on average. Currently on a five-game pointless streak, Gionta has been whiffing on easy tap-ins and one-timers, and his shot has lost the power and accuracy that made him so god. Most of time, Gionta is aiming at the goalies’ chest, making it very easy for opposing netminders to freeze the puck and stop the attack.

A proof that Gionta doesn’t take quality shots anymore: he has only scored 3 goals on 51 shots this season, for a mediocre 5.9% of efficiency (good for 375th in the NHL), while recording only one marker at even strength.

Gionta has been losing way too many battles along the boards, especially on the road, and has been holding the Habs’ first offensive line back because of his inability to recover and keep pucks near the slot. Gionta has also been atrocious on the man advantage, despite getting an average of 3:09 minutes of ice time per game.

The truth is that Gionta is no longer a top-six forward in this league and that Michel Therrien should reduce his ice time both at even strength and on the man advantage to give a chance to the more deserving players to produce offensively.

Gionta is second, only to Tomas Plekanec, in ice time per game among forwards, playing six more minutes per match than rookies Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, who both have more points than the team’s captain.

While Gionta is showing a great attitude, excellent work ethic, and commitment to his team and teammates, it is time for Therrien to reduce Gionta’s playing time in order to increase the role of more dynamic players such as Lars Eller and the two Gallys. Moreover, it would be hard for new GM Marc Bergevin to trade Gionta for three reasons:

- he is the team captain

- he has a no-trade clause

- he is still signed at $5 million/year for 2013-14

The best way to handle the situation would be to play Gionta around 15 minutes per game against lesser opposition and give him time on the second power play unit. Then, if his play doesn’t improve, Therrien might have to relegate him only to penalty kill duties and sporadic ice time on the team’s checking line.

With Rene Bourque out of to the line-up for an extended period due to a concussion (no he doesn’t have the flu), what should be the line combinations going forward as a Prust-Plekanec-Gionta line is not the solution offensively?

UPDATE: The Canadiens have traded F Erik Cole to the Dallas Stars in exchange for F Michael Ryder

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Habs/Rangers, CH Lacking Killer Instinct, Winning Culture And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Brendan Gallagher is expected to be back in the line up after
missing three games with a concussion.

After giving up two goal leads twice in Thursday's 4-3 overtime loss against the Islanders, the Habs are hoping to get back to winning tonight as they face the Rangers for the second time in five nights.

The Canadiens came out on top with a 3-1 win against the Blueshirts last Tuesday in what Rangers head coach John Tortorella described as the worst game ever. The Rangers were without star forward Rick Nash in Tuesday's tilt and will be without him again tonight as he is sidelined with what is believed to be a head injury. 

Brendan Gallagher on the other hand is expected to get back into the Habs lineup tonight. Gallagher missed the team's last three games after being hit hard into the boards by Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn last Saturday. 

Gallagher has been cleared for contact and practiced yesterday on a line with David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty has been getting back into his groove, scoring four goals in his last three games after being unable to light the lamp in his first ten contests.

The Canadiens have collected 11 out of a possible 12 points over the last six games and can help solidify the top spot in the east with another win tonight.

Habs And Hockey News

- Our Rosalyn Roy (@TygerLylly) takes aim at the Habs lack of killer instinct.

- Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) takes note of the Habs returning to a winning culture.

- Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) points out the faults of Bouillon's decision to shoot as often as he does

(Photo By Bernard Brault, La Presse)

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Roz's Rant: The Habs Still Lack Some Killer Instinct

T.G.I.F. HabsAddicts!!!

I haven't ranted lately, simply because it's hard to do when the Montreal Canadiens claw their way out of the sewer and back up a long ladder to the top of the Eastern Conference.

They've been playing some good quality hockey, and they've found a lot of team spirit which is translating into solid team work. Throw in a fresh start courtesy of Geoff Molson, Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien and I've been a happy Habs fan for the most part.

But there are still some things that are obviously amiss. That being said, this is still less of a "rant" and more of a "musing online".

Right off the bat I'd have to say my biggest frustration this season is watching Erik Cole. Last year I finally warmed up to Cole because he was a hard worker who used his size and speed to drive to the net. He's got good hands and when he decides to play he's enormously talented and fun to watch.

It took me a while to warm up to Cole after he signed with the Habs just because I used to hate him killing them when he was with the Carolina Hurricanes. But the things that helped me to appreciate him more have gone baby gone and I just don't understand it.

I know he was upset about the lockout, running his mouth and frankly pissing me off. I'd have overlooked that had he come back to the team with a fresh attitude and some hard work. But neither is apparent this season.

If he's indeed thinking of retiring I truly hope he does it sooner rather than later. He's either disinterested in the play or else he's gotten arthritic. I don't know and I honestly don't care anymore. His lack of offensive contributions aside, he's oftentimes a defensive liability. Sure the text to his teammates was nice, and he did step it up for a game or two after that, and that's about as much good as I can say about Erik Cole this season.

How sad.

This team could really use his size and speed and leadership right now, and instead the line of Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Cole - which led the team last year and was expected to contribute most of the offensive production this year - has become its worse. Pacioretty is finally kicking into gear again after and Desharnais is looking more like last year's version, but Cole remains an enigma.

One player the Habs did sorely miss last season and now have back and working hard is Andrei Markov. I adore Markov. He's a funny guy and his coach calls him The General for good reason. Markov can calm down a play and has some of the best "hockey sense" on the team.

But he's also the wrong side of 30 and after two major rehabs he's lost a few steps. His communication with Alexei Emelin is nice, but they're often times put up against top lines when frankly Josh Gorges and PK Subban would be a safer choice. While I'm talking about the defense corps, I have to admit Raphael Diaz surprised me pleasantly this year. I didn't see him coming.

Other things I don't currently get / like / understand about the Montreal Canadiens and the NHL in general:

- constantly icing the puck. If they're going to keep doing it at least bring out a cake onto the ice to justify it.

- the power play. Can we fix this please? Five on five play rocks, but the Habs are missing too many opportunities that are constantly coming back to bite them in the patootie.

- the penalty kill. Note to PKers: you're not allowed to take the night off. No excuses, remember?

- the TV commentators constantly saying that the NHL refs are the best in professional sports. Just because you say it doesn't make it true. Make up calls are obvious to even the casual hockey fan. If my 90 year old non-hockey watching grandmother can see it, it does in fact mean you suck as a ref.

- three games in hand for the Boston Bruins. Whoever draws up the NHL schedule, do they use an app for that or go the old fashioned way and use a dartboard while blindfolded?

Lastly, I still completely resent my many years of waiting for the Canadiens to develop some sort of killer instinct when facing bottom dwelling teams, especially if they have a rookie learning to get his first NHL goal ever. The Habs will always roll over for these guys and the rookie always gets his first goal against them.

It's so tiresome. Really.

Team spirit and unity is all well and good, but why is it so seemingly impossible to develop a bit of the opportunistic bastard? Isn't this team supposed to be going back to a winning mentality? Why does it always go AWOL against the craptastic teams? I realize that the players are very nice guys, but they might want to use PK's "I hate everybody and I want to hit everybody" mantra once the puck drops.

Yes they're still atop the Eastern Conference, but there's only a couple of points separating them from their divisional rivals with whom they've already struggled against this season. The top of the ladder is always a precarious position.

I've never seen a Cup winner that doesn't possess the ability to beat down a vulnerable team when the opportunity arises. The Habs might want to take note.

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5 In A Row For The Habs, A Lump Of "Cole", More...

Happy HumpDay Addicts!!!!

The Canadiens made it five in a row yesterday, with a 3-1 victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Alex Galchenyuk scored the game-winner at 1:48 of the third period on a three-on-one with Brandan Prust and Lars Eller. Suffice it to say that the trio has looked pretty good together since Montreal's head coach, Michel Therrien put them together.

That said, the Habs welcomed Ryan White back in the lineup, and Coach Therrien called upon the much-maligned tough guy late in the third period, as the Canadiens were killing off a late penalty to Tomas Plekanec. With all the faceoff problems the Habs have had so far this season, it was nice to see White get a confidence boost from Therrien after his early season braincramps.

White won that particular draw in the defensive zone cleanly, and it eventually led to an empty net shorthanded goal by Swiss d-man Raphael Diaz on a clearing attempt from his own zone that found the back of the Rangers' net 200 feet away.

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The Rangers only goal came in the second period while there was a delayed penalty being called on P.K. Subban for holding. The Rangers maintained possession of the puck, as Subban momentarily complained to the official, which led to Anton Stralman scoring on a mice feed from Derrick Stepan.

The biggest issue with that play was the half-hearted backcheck by Canadiens' veteran winger Erik Cole. Carey Price made a brilliant initial save on Stralman, but because Cole had his feet in cement, the Rangers' forward had ample time to score on his own rebound. That lack of secondary effort by Cole landed him on the bench for the better part of the third period, with only 3:59 TOI.

Since the beginning of the season, Erik Cole has been scrutinized by everyone surrounding the Canadiens. Some question his heart, while others maintain he has a health issue. Some even reference his propensity for starting each season slower than most.

There have been instances were Cole has indeed looked like the player he was last season, when he led the Canadiens in goals with 35, and was a major reason why his linemates, David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty were so effective.

With 33% of the season in the books, and the Canadiens leading the Eastern Conference with 23 points, Cole remains an enigma among an otherwise outstanding group of players. The combination of character and talent has Habs' fans believing that this team can do major damage in the playoffs moving forward. As ineffective as last year's best line has been so far, Pacioretty and Desharnais are beginning to find their groove, while Cole remains behind.

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Last night's edition of Montreal Hockey Talk was a hoot. With the likes of Simon Tsalikis, Mitch Gallo, Jay Ferrar and Nick Murdocco joining host Corey Collard, the laughs just kept on coming.

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Face-Off Woes, Time To Deal With Cole...

Good Morning Addicts!!!

Three straights losses, the latest being a lackluster effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Habs' fans are beginning to wonder if the wheels have already fallen off the bus for this season. There are certainly things that can be improved, but there are too many issues facing this team to expect a quick turnaround.

Starting with the face-off efficiency issue, the 45.6% percentage boasted by the Canadiens ranks them only ahead of Edmonton and Buffalo, 28th in the 30 team NHL. When evaluating a team's ability to win, puck possession always starts at the face-off dot. Vertically-challenged first line centre David Desharnais has a measly average of 43.9%, while his linemate Erik Cole has a secondary average of 22.2%.

Even the team's best centre, Tomas Plekanec, is just a couple of percentage points higher that Desharnais, at 46.6%.

One could argue that Cole is not, and never has been, a natural centre, but in order to implement the system Head Coach Michel Therrien is trying to use, gaining control of the face-off is paramount.

A major part of the problem is, as has been discussed ad-nausium, the below-average size of the centres on this team. Bigger centremen always have more leverage, thus winning the draws more consistently, and furthermore causing Habs' centres to cheat and getting thrown out of the face-off way too often.

While percentages are unavailable to substantiate my claim, simply watch a couple of games, and it is easy to see that our drawtakers get thrown out much more often than other NHL teams.

Whether it is their size, or perhaps a lack of technique, this is one problem Therrien must address immediately, if he has any desire to move this team forward.

The other major issue is accountability. From the beginning of the season, we've seen Michel Therrien lay the law down when it came to the undisciplined play of sophomores Ryan White and Lars Eller. While his reason's cannot be denied, why does Therrien not do the same with some of his veteran players.

If you look at the contributions made by Erik Cole so far this season, it's clear his heart is no longer into the game of hockey. Beginning with his claim that he contemplated retirement due to the differences he had in the CBA negocaitions and their subsequent resolution, Cole just hasn't been the same player thus far this season. And after Saturday's effort, it's clear than Cole's issues have little to do with his propensity to start the season slowly, and more to do with his advanced age, his battered physical state, and his lack of desire.

If there is truly a "No Excuses" policy in the locker room, then Cole is due to have his keister nailed to the bench, and if he continues to be a thorn in the side of the Canadiens from a media perspective, perhaps the Habs' brass should consider Cole on the list of possibilities for their second compliance buyout.

Sure, the idea is a bit extreme, as far as the buyout is concerned, but unless Cole shows a desire to tow the company line, then maybe keeping Tomas Kaberle is indeed to lesser of two evils.

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Sens Trounce Habs, P.K. Meets With Therrien, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

In a less than stellar effort last night, the Montreal Canadiens went into ScotiaBank Place in Ottawa and were thoroughly trounced by the Senators by a score of 5-1, ending the team's four-game winning streak.

Although the Sens were without Jason Spezza and Sergei Gonchar, they managed to take advantage of the Canadiens' lack of discipline, and had an edge in blocked shots, hits and faceoffs. Backup goaltender Peter Budaj got his first game action of the season and stopped 27 of 32 shots he faced.

Once again, David Desharnais and Erik Cole seemed a step behind everyone else, showing an inability to get off shots in quality scoring situations and making any kind of offensive contribution. The lack of offense from Desharnais in the first six games of the season has prompted many to ask that he be given a wake-up call, and sat in the press box for at least a game this weekend.

Super Bowl weekend has the Habs playing back-to-back afternoon games against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, and a rematch against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. These two game hold particular importance, since the Canadiens are 0-2 versus the Northeast division so far this year.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- After last night's loss, Montreal Hockey Talk was as energetic as ever, as host Corey Collard discussed the night's action with Steven Hindle of HockeyBuzz and the incomparable JD, as he made his return to WSMN's airwaves.

- P.K. Subban met with head coach Michel Therrien early Wednesday morning, after the Canadiens arrived in the Nation's capital for the tail end of a back-to-back against the Ottawa Senators. He also met the media for the first since signing his new two-year, $5.75 Million contract on Monday.

- Brian Wilde gives us his opinion of the new look and attitude of Michel Therrien in his latest installment of Habs Fever for CTV Montreal.

Photo:  Wayne Cuddington , Postmedia News

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Cole's Attitude, Gomez Sent Packing and A Hypothetical Kovalev Return

Montreal Back In Hockey Mode

Scott Gomez has been told he's no longer in the Canadiens plans

The NHL has returned, Brian Burke has been fired and Scott Gomez was told by Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin to stay home. What a week to be a Habs fan. Okay fine, the Burke thing doesn't really have anything to do with the Habs, but when a Toronto GM or coach - or anyone in any position really - loses their job, you can't help but give them a ribbing.

To be honest, Habs' fans shouldn't even be too happy about ol'Burkie being given the boot. Burke failed to make the Leafs a playoff team throughout his tenure and made a number of questionable moves. Signing Komisarek for four years at $4.5 million didn't pan out so well. Jeff Finger was signed to four years as well for $3.5 million with only 94 NHL games under his belt. Signing Mikhail Grabovski for $27.5 million over the course of five years seems a little excessive, and of course there's the infamous Kessel deal.

So in hindsight, the Leafs can really only improve with Burke no longer at the helm, so that bit of news can be put in the negative column, along with Erik Cole's current fit over the new CBA.

I won't spend too much time on the Cole topic, but I will quickly touch on it. The Habs can't afford to lose Cole to retirement just yet, but, at the same time, they could do without his current behaviour. Sure, you may not get the full amount you signed for, but you still get millions. NHL fans around the league had to miss out on half of a season because of a monetary dispute between billionares and millionires. Now that it's been settled, nobody has any patience to hear any more whining.

Now onto Gomez.

During his time in Montreal, I haven't been as hard on him as the majority of fans have been. Why not? It's simple. Nobody would turn down the money he's been earning. If you yourself would say no to that contract, then you can complain all you want, but you wouldn't, so don't kid yourself.

His contract has handcuffed Canadiens' management over the years, and that's a fact. His play last season left much to be desired. For those two reasons alone, the Habs will be better off without him. He will be paid this season and count against the cap, but let's be honest, this season hardly even counts.

Gomez has been a class act during his three seasons with Montreal. Although he has bundles of cash to keep him company at home, I can't help but feel a little bad for the guy. It's never good for anyone's self esteem to be told that you're not in your team's plans anymore. A tough blow to one's pride for sure.

One thing's for sure, Bergevin is just a P.K. Subban signing away from being the most loved man in Montreal.

Could Gomez's absence be a sign that there's a spot for Galchenyuk on the roster?

With David Desharnais, Tomas Plekanec and Lars Eller down the middle it's hard to imagine Galchenyuk playing center. No point in bringing him up for fourth line minutes, but it wouldn't hurt to put him on a wing alongside Plekanec and....

(Bear with me here for a moment. This next bit is strictly meant for conversational purposes. I am not starting a rumor I am just throwing out a "What if?" type of scenario)

Alex Kovalev

Ever since leaving Montreal, Kovalev has made it clear that he regrets leaving and would love to return. I haven't been much of a fan of the concept of his possible return either.

There is no doubt that Kovy was the most exciting player to don the CH since Guy Lafleur. The problem with AK27 was his presence, or lack thereof. Kovalev showed up for half a season.

Half a season, eh? Seeing as we find ourselves with only half a season to play would it be so bad to have Kovalev back?

The obvious upside would be having him play with Andrei Markov on the team's top power play unit, but that's not what got me to start thinking about this whole idea. Can you imagine having Plekanec play in between Kovalev and Galchenyuk?

Kovalev and Pleky have played together before and enjoyed great success. Kovy finished the season with 82 points and Plekanec finished with 69 points, his second higest point total in his career. The other member of that line was Andrei Kostitsyn, who finished with 26 goals and 27 assists for 53 points. He has yet to top any of those stats.

I'm not saying Galchenyuk would get Kostistyn type totals, however it would be at least interesting to see him play top line minutes with two linemates with as much talent as Plekanec and Kovalev. And to be fair, isn't it about time Plekanec is given some support?

Again let me reiterate that this is strictly hypothetical. Kovalev has been invited to the Florida Panthers' camp for a tryout and Rene Bourque will be given a fair chance to prove his worth. Besides those points, Kovalev doesn't strike me as the type of player that Bergevin is after.

So while it isn't exactly a possibility I still think it would make for an exciting combination on the ice for the Habs.

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Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to <a href="http://www.HabsAddict.com" target="_blank">HabsAddict.com</a>. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at <a href="http://www.MontrealHockeyTalk.com" target="_blank">MontrealHockeyTalk.com</a> 

You can follow Sean on <a href="http://twitter.com/SeanLloyd93" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.

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Cole To Retire? Galchenyuk At Habs Camp And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Will this be Erik Cole's last season in the NHL?

While the lockout may be over, the drama still lingers. Montreal Canadiens forward Erik Cole made it clear in the early stages of the lockout how he felt about the whole ordeal. Whether it was ripping into Roman Hamrlik or wearing a "Puck Gary" hat, Cole made no attempt in hiding his displeasure.

When Cole first mentioned the possibility of retiring a month or two into the lockout it was hard to gauge how serious he was. Cole brought up that he didn't want to play in a league that was so unstable and suggested he would either retire or look into playing overseas if the lockout continued.

Cole may not have played in Europe but he has once again brought up the possibility of hanging up his skates. After notching 35 goals and 61 points for the Canadiens last season, calling it a career would leave a massive void in the Habs lineup.

Max Pacioretty has only been getting better and will no doubt remain in Montreal for years after Cole's departure but with the majority of the Habs prospects still a ways away from earning permanent spots on the roster, the Canadiens can in no way afford to have Cole end his career prematurely due to his anger over the lockout.

Hopefully for the Habs, Cole is just speaking out of anger and is not serious about calling it quits. Maybe if the Canadiens have more success this season than they had last year - a feat that will not be hard to accomplish - Cole will change his mind and stick with hockey at least until the end of his contract which expires at the end of the 2014-15 season.

Habs And Hockey News

- Here is a look at the Habs 2013 schedule.

- Alex Galchenyuk will join Brendan Gallagher and a few choice Bulldogs at the Habs training camp.

- There are a lot of questions surrounding the Habs heading into the (half) season, and Eric Engels answers a few of them over at hockeybuzz.com.

- It comes as no surprise that P.K Subban made The Fourth Period's Top 5 Unsigned RFA's.

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Decertification, Plekanec on Cole/Hamrlik Feud, Galchenyuk Dominating And More...

Good Morning Addicts!


Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres
supports decertification.

 As of yesterday, the NHL cancelled all games through December 14th as well as the 2013 All Star game. While nobody really cares about the All Star game, it's quite discouraging to see yet another two weeks be erased from the season.
With the latest block of cancelled games the new talk of the lockout has become decertification. It seems that the term "decertification" has been popping up just about everywhere over the past few days.

Basically what decertification means - or at least from what I understand - is that the NHLPA would disband and the players would no longer be unionized. In doing so the players would be able to file an anti-trust lawsuit claiming the lockout as an "illegal group boycott".

By doing this however, the players would be losing anything that is awarded to them through a CBA such as guaranteed contracts, health benefits, pensions etc... Despite the potential drawbacks, Buffalo Sabres netminder, Ryan Miller has publicly endorsed the idea.

This tactic is said to be feared by the owners but is also an all or nothing type of move. If the players were to go through with decertification and have it not work, they would lose any leverage at the bargaining table and be completely at the mercy of the owners.

For better understanding of decertification, here is a link to a decertification Q&A by Elliotte Friedman.

With a possible cancellation of the entire season seeming closer with each passing day, do you think the players should go through with the decertification process?

Habs And Hockey News

- Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette spoke with Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec about the Hamrlik/Cole feud and more importantly, Plekanec's dwindling supply of turtlenecks.

- Alex Galchenyuk continues to dominate in the OHL and Charles Hudon is climbing the QMJHL scoring chart as Andrew Berkshire points out in his week 9 Overseas Habs and Prospects Report.

- With more on Galchenyuk, Neate Sager of Yahoo Sports writes how the Sarnia Sting captain is having an MVP type season. The video evidence is quite reassuring.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Five Habs Questions, Scott Gomez, Mike Commodore, More

Good AM hockey fans.

Unusually for a lockout Friday, we have quite a bit of Habs related content and news to share this morning.

Our Kamal Panesar looks at how the lockout might impact Scott Gomez and the rest of the team, while Sean Lloyd looks at five questions left unanswered by the lockout.

To boot, we actually even have a signing to speak of, with former NHL defenseman Mike Commodore signing a tryout with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

What do you think of that move?

Habs and Hockey News

- Roman Hamrlik and Erik Cole got into a bit of a long-distance verbal exchange over the lockout this week. Hamrlik recently expressed concern over the lingering lockout as well as the time and money lost.

- Geoff Molson spoke out about recent events this week.

- Blake Geoffrion has been cleared to return home.

- Former Habs netminder Jaroslav Halak is headed for Germany.

- Adam Proteau and Stu Hackel both look at how NHL-NHLPA talks are headed nowhere yet again. Meanwhile, TSN's Bob McKenzie contemplates the possibility of union decertification. What you say? Yeah, he explains it.

(Photo Source: Victor Decolongon/Getty Images North America)

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Fehr/Daly Meet, Cole Retiring?, Oilers Trade Looming? And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

After two weeks without talking, Bill Daly and Steve Fehr met last night in an attempt to save any of the season that can be salvaged. Although there have been phone conversations between the two sides, there have been no formal meeting since October 18th.

Forgive me if this news doesn't excite me. Sure, it can't be bad that the two sides met. In fact it's even better that they plan on meeting again early this week, but util anything concrete happens I remain of the belief that this season is toast.

With over 300 games already canceled including the Winter Classic it's hard to imagine the two sides comnig to an agreement on time for any hockey to be played. Although a December agreement was what saved the 1993-94 season it still left a mark on that year.

If the NHL resumes this year, I'll watch. Even with the bitterness and pessimism taking over the hope I tried to hold onto I never adopted the "I'm done with hockey, when it comes back I'm through with it!" attitude that so many people resorted to. I'm quite certain the majority of those people will be in the same bars I'm in cheering on their team when and if this labor strife ends.

However, it's hard for me to take any hockey that is played this year seriously. Without a full season played there will be an asterix in my mind next to the Stanley Cup champion, just like there is nect to the '94 Rangers.

I'm not going to sit here and pretend that if the league resumes and the Habs win I won't celebrate. I don't see that happening. But to be completely honest with you I wouldn't want them to win this year if there is NHL action. It's been too long since the Habs won ad when they do it again I want it to be earned after a full hard fought 82 game schedule where nobody can take anything away from them.

Habs And Hockey News

- Erik Cole is obviously not impressed with the lockout. Cole recently stated that he is considering heading towards Europe or even retiring if the whole season is lost.

- Greg Wyshynski asks if the "make whole" makeover will lead to the lockout's end?

- Edmonton Oilers president Kevin Lowe hinted a few days back that some trades could be made sooner rather than later to improve his club.

- USA Today Sports asked fans with tickets to the Winter Calssic for their reactions.

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Cole Nursing Injury, Kristo Gets Another Game, Winter Classic Canceled? And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

It seems the the current lockout isn't all bad for Canadiens fans. Okay fine, trying to find any posistives that come from a shortened - if not canceled - season is kind of reaching but at this point we can use some optimism.

In an interview with Dave Stubbs, Erik Cole talks about an injury he suffered either at the end of the season or during an April workout. Suffering a "lower body" injury, Cole may not have been ready for the beginning of training camp or even the pre-season.

That's right, the prospect of starting the season without one of the team's top producers last season is the possible silver lining to the delayed start of the 2012-13 season. This lockout has officially begun to have me desperate to find any good news on the NHL front.

Habs And Hockey News

- A report out of the Toronto Star claims that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman plans on canceling the Winter Classic if an agreement isn't reached by November.

- The Los Angeles Kings will have 52 names engraved on the Stanley Cup, look here to find out who will be left off.

- Habs prospect Danny Kristo received an additional game suspension following a team party on September 15th

- TMZ reported friday night that the family of the late Derek Boogaard is suing the NHLPA for money remaining on his contract. Sportsnet however has reported that the NHLPA has yet to be served.

(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images North America)

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Jeff Skinner Extension, Rene Bourque Profile, Erik Cole and More

Good AM Habs fans!

Well, it sure seems that the Carolina Hurricanes are not messing around this summer.

After trading for Jordan Staal, signing Marc-André Gragnani, Joe Corvo and Alex Semin, Jim Rutherford is now apparently close to inking Jeff Skinner to a long-term extension.

Bob McKenzie reports that the deal is for six years at around $5.75 million per season.

Given their similar ages and importance to their teams, one has to wonder if this deal will somehow impact the contract P.K Subban eventually receives. And, yes, I know one is a forward and another a defenseman.

Habs and Hockey News

- Sean Lloyd continues his excellent profile series, this time looking at the much maligned Rene Bourque.

- Over at HabsWorld, their Fantasy Focus series keeps trucking on with Erik Cole getting the spotlight today.

- Hockey Inside/Out looks back at last summer's deaths of three NHL enforcers.

- The Hockey News has begun rolling out its annual predictions, starting with No. 15 in each conference. Take a wild guess.

- Stu Hackel looks at the New Jersey Devils' dire financial situation and wonders if any Phoenix-like scenario is possible.


(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Habs Top Six, Alfredsson Returns, Leblanc, History and More

Good AM!

Our Sean Lloyd argues that the Montreal Canadiens top-six is set as it is.

In other words, Rene Bourque will slide in on the second unit and Shane Doan is but a foolish pipe dream. Oh, and be sure to watch for an amazing pun during the article.

In fact, Sean has recently defended the oft criticized Bourque.

Personally, his halfhearted play last season greatly soured me on Bourque, even though, as Sean points out, he was traded mid-season from one bad team to an even worse one.

Habs and Hockey News

- Derek Lachine draws a line between Marc Bergevin and Sam Pollock.

- Over at HabsWorld, the boys contemplate Louis Leblanc's potential.

- Finally, in Habs-related reading, Travis Yost argues that the Habs have the potential to shake up the Northeast Division. Considering he is HockeyBuzz's Ottawa Senators blogger — and hence unbiased towards the Habs — I find his take to be extra interesting.

- Speaking of the Ottawa Senators, Daniel Alfredsson has confirmed that he will play a 17th season in the NHL in 2012-13. Other than the six times his Sens will meet the Habs, I think most would agree this is good news for the game.

- The Hockey News' Ken Campbell wonders if Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry will return to superstar form.

- Swedish blueliner Douglas Murray — yes, Swedish — has been linked to Tiger Woods' ex Elin Nordegren. Must resist... making... joke about... "scoring"...



(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Montreal Canadiens Top Priorities Part 3: Max Pacioretty

Mad Max brings size and skill to Habs

Once Habs GM Marc Bergevin deals inks goalie Carey Price and defenseman P.K.Subban, he should waste no time before focusing on the Canadiens front lines.

When looking at Montreal's roster of forwards, there is little or no debate that Max Pacioretty is the closest thing the team has to an untouchable. Pacioretty promised the media and the team's fan base that he would return from his career, as well as, life threatening injury, stronger and better than ever.

It was one thing to hear those words from a player who most people believed was done, but seeing it happen was another.

In his retuning season, Pacioretty adopted a style similar to Erik Cole. Cole, who was signed in the off season after Patches' injury, must have given the young power forward some advice on how to use his body on the ice.

And the results were remarkable.

Pacioretty posted career highs in goals with 33, assists with 32 and points with 65. What's just as impressive—if not more—than those numbers, was his unwillingness to let what had happened to him limit his abilities.

It would be hard to blame him if he showed hesitation when it came to playing with some edge. But Pacioretty refused to let that slow him down, clearly showing that he is well on his way to being a top power-forward in the game's best league.

No Time Like The Present

While Pacioretty is not an RFA until the end of the season, I see no reason why Bergevin should wait to extend his contract. With a new CBA coming up—hopefully—there is no guarantee that Bergevin will get the chance to sign Pacioretty long term.

What do I mean by that? Well, it remains to be seen whether long term deals will remain a part of the game (with the new agreement), and so this may be the team's last chance to commit to Mighty Max.

Waiting until his current contract expires wouldn't be the end of the world as five year contracts will more than likey exist past the new CBA. But signing Pacioretty sooner rather than later would show fans as well as the players, that management is set on identifying the tools needed to win and locking them down.

The Terms

It's always tricky coming down to finding the right amount of money to commit to a promising player so early in his career. With only one full season under his belt—minus a three-game suspension served for a hit on Penguins defenseman Kris Letang—it would be foolish to throw too much money at him.

It's because of this that Bergevin may wait before signing him—so he has more of an idea of Pacioretty's worth. This could also work to the player's advantage as another strong season will no doubt result in a higher payday.

If you were in Bergevin's position do you extend Pacioretty's contract right away or wait another year with the chance of his value rising? If you go the route of extension, what's your offer?

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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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Montreal Canadiens Moving Forward - Part 3 - Offence

Help Up Front

Over the past few weeks I've been taking a look at what it may take in each department to help the Canadiens find success as they move forward.

After taking a look at their need to find a new GM and coach — a task in which they are halfway finished — and some options at this June's draft, it's time to tackle their on ice needs starting with offence.

When it comes to the Canadiens forwards it is quite clear that although there are a few positives, they are still lacking the depth it will take to bring them to the post season and beyond. Let's start with a few names that I would consider as close to untouchable as you can find on the Habs roster.

Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole

It should go without saying that the Canadiens need to keep these big bodies on their top line. Cole is coming off his highest scoring season and Pacioretty enjoyed career highs in goals, assists and points. The Connecticut native left no reason to believe he can't top those numbers in 2012-13.

Ryan White and Brad Staubitz

When White returned from a surgery that kept him out of the line up for 62 games and Staubitz was picked up off of waivers there was a noticeable difference in the way the Canadiens played.

White and Staubitz instill a confidence in the team that allows them to play their game knowing that anybody who tries anything rough will have to answer for it.

Tomas Plekanec

There are many people in Montreal who feel that Plekanec is expendable while David Desharnais has earned his keep. I, however, fell that Plekanec's all around game makes him the more valuable player. Plekanec's point total (17-35-52) was impressive despite the lack of support on his wings and his two-way play is unmatched on the team.

With the above mentioned players being the only must haves on the roster next year, there is much to be done in order to fill up the roster.

Time To Go

As soon as a coach is in place and the duo of Carey Price and P.K. Subban are resigned, the Scott Gomez issue needs to be addressed.

It's time for the Canadiens to stop worrying about hurt feelings and send Gomez to Hamilton (Laval?). Buying out Gomez's contract is not the cap friendly solution and, unless Marc Bergevin can find a trading partner, Scott Gomez needs to be playing in the AHL.

Mathieu Darche will not be offered a contract by the Canadiens. I have no sources feeding me this info but what I do have is common sense. Darche served a purpose two seasons ago with his hard work and determination. Last year was a different story. Darche basically used up ice time that could have and should have been given to players who were producing or younger players who could've used the time to develop.

On The Fence

Brian Gionta played in only 31 games registering 15 points and a -7 rating. If the Habs are to keep Desharnais — and keep him between Cole and Pacioretty — then Gionta is the clear cut choice to play alongside Plekanec on the second line.

The Habs captain has had two 25+ goal seasons with the Canadiens — 28 in 2009-10 and 29 in 2010-11 — but missed 51 games in 2011 due to surgery on his torn biceps.

Marc Bergevin may have trouble finding a trading partner for Gionta and so it wouldn't be a shock to see him playing alongside Plekanec and the next "on the fence" player, Rene Bourque.

Bourque failed to impress the fans in Montreal due to his inconsistent play and lack of effort. However not every player can jump straight onto a team during a disastrous season and find their groove.

I'm sure it didn't help that he reaplced a fan favorite who was traded during the second intermission of a game. Either way, Bourque may or may not have a productive season in his first full stint as a Habs but I don't foresee any major complaints coming from Montreal if he were to be replaced.

Lars Eller and David Desharnais are both young and talented centers who could have successful careers in the NHL. Although having both of them as well as Plekanec doesn't provide the Canadiens with the biggest, strongest line down the middle.

Desharnais is loved in Montreal but may be more valuable to the team as trade bait. It's important to remember that the Habs need to add depth to their team in a year where the free agent pool is quite shallow.

Throwing Desharnais name out there may not make me very popular but don't throw his stats back at me as an argument to keep him. I recognize that he had an impressive season chalking up 16 goals and 44 helpers. I also recognize that Plekanec had only eight points less than DD without the luxury of talented - let alone consistent - wingers.

Travis Moen and Michael Blunden

Moen was on pace for his best season in 2011-12 until his season was cut short 48 games in with an upper body injury. Moen brings a gritty element to the Habs line up but is not exactly irreplaceable.

Michael Blunden has yet to make a huge impact in the NHL but at 6'4" 218 lbs, he could be developed into a Moen type player and would cost the Habs less than the nine year veteran.

Petteri Nokelainen is an effective fourth line center whose future won't have too much of an impact on the team.

I won't go into Louis Leblanc or Aaron Palushaj as I feel they both need another year in the AHL.

Where Do We Go From Here

It's clear that the current line up won't get the job done. Marc Bergevin will need to do some tinkering to make things work. The problem lies in the lack of talent in the free agency pool, so Bergevin will need to look to the draft and trades for improvement.

The draft, if successful, may provide help in the future. In the short term, trades or minor UFA splashes will be necessary to improve the roster.

Steve Sullivan could provide some speed and skill to the Habs second line if he were to be brought in.

Zenon Konopka is a key face-off man whose signing would help the Habs efforts to become a bigger tougher team.

Speaking of toughness, Jordin Tootoo would be an ideal replacement for Travis Moen and, coming from the Western Conference, the new GM is familiar with the 5'9" 199lb winger.

Jaromir Jagr has announced that he'll be playing another season in the NHL and while his playoff performance this year has been less than impressive, I will never lose interest in seeing him play alongside fellow Czech Tomas Plekanec.

Another seasoned veteran who would look good wearing the bleu-blanc-rouge would be Carey Price's cousin Shane Doan.

While signing all of these players is surely not plausible, just imagine a lineup that looked like this:

Cole-Desharnais-Pacioretty
Sullivan-Plekanec-Jagr (Doan)
Blunden-Eller-Tootoo
White-Nokelainen-Staubitz

Still some work would need to be done but the above forward roster has more talent and size than the current Habs roster and would be much tougher to play against.

If the Habs were to acquire Filip Forsberg in the draft and add him to the roster, he might find himself alongside Plekanec and any hypothetical free agent signing.


Which UFA's would you go after to improve the team's offence? Or would you try to bolster the lineup via trades?

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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 Grant Halverson/Getty Images North America)

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Canadiens-Leafs: Habs End Miserable Season on High Note

After a campaign marked by difficulties, struggles and oddities, the Montreal Canadiens wrapped up their miserable 2011-12 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

At the very least, they concluded the season on a high note, defeating their Ontarian rivals 4-1.

Tomas Plekanec scored a shorthanded goal – at 5-on-3 no less – to open the scoring, while usual suspects Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole also padded their goal totals.

Even Brad Staubitz obtained his first point of the season, capitalizing on an empty net.

Peter Budaj made 30 saves in the win.

Plekanec Deserves Credit

With a final tally of 51 points on the season, Tomas Plekanec has seen his numbers decrease for a second consecutive season. Last year he produced 57 points and two campaigns ago posted a career-high 70 points.

Obviously, this drop in production is worrisome.

Yet, in the circumstances, just attaining the 50 point plateau this season is most commendable. Often tasked with significant defensive responsibilities and paired with offensively limited wingers, Plekanec’s performance has been nothing short of admirable.

To put it into perspective, frequent linemates Travis Moen, Mathieu Darche and Rene Bourque – combined – do not even match the Czech centre’s production.

Price Gets Molson Cup

Goaltender Carey Price is the Montreal Canadiens Molson Cup Player of the Year for the 2011-12 season, while forward Erik Cole is the Molson Cup recipient for the March-April segment.

Not only did Price obtain the Molson Cup for the year, but he claimed it in style, sporting an amazing Cowboy style outfit and hat.

Price concluded the year with a 26-28 record, a .916 save percentage and a 2.43 goals against average.

Without him, the Habs could have easily plummeted to Columbus-like depths.

Budaj’s Performance

Peter Budaj also wrapped up the year on a high note, going 2-0-2 in his final four starts and finishing the campaign with a .913 save percentage.

Some, including RDS' Benoit Brunet, have critiqued his performance as Price’s backup this season.

Looking at his play down the stretch and overall numbers, there is no question he has done an adequate job behind Carey Price. Plus, historically, he has shown he can handle heavier workloads, having played over 30 games in a season five times in his career.

Or would we rather go back to Alex Auld and his .884 save percentage?

Turning the Page

With the end of the 82 game regular season, the Canadiens can now fully turn their attention to the off-season and to rebuilding their team – both on and off the ice.

It all begins this Tuesday when the NHL holds the Draft Lottery where the Habs have approximately 14% chance of obtaining the first overall pick.


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Louis is an Associate Editor at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

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