Now That The Contract Is Signed, What's Next For P.K.?

Greetings Habs Addicts!

Well the ink has dried on the enormous 8-year/$72-million dollar contract signed by P.K. Subban this past week. With an average annual value (AAV) of $9-million dollars, P.K officially has the highest cap-hit for a defenseman in the entire league. While he does have a Norris Trophy and Olympic gold medal under his belt, he does lack the Stanley Cups that past Norris Trophy winners Duncan Keith and Zdeno Chara can boast about. And the Stanley Cups that fellow Gold medallist Drew Doughty can boast about.

Is Subban worth $9-million per season? Has he done enough to deserve it? These are some of the questions being tossed around the league right now.

Subban's $9-million cap hit is the highest in terms of average, but this season alone there are several defensemen who are actually making the same if not more money than P.K on the basis of them signing front-loaded contracts prior to the new CBA being signed. They are:

Photo Credit: Sportsnet.ca

1. Shea Weber, Nsh - ($14,000,000)
2. Ryan Suter, Min - ($11,000,000)
3. Dion Phaneuf, Tor - ($8,000,000)
4. Duncan Keith, Chi -($7,600,000)
5. Kris Letang, Pit - ($7,250,000)
6. Brian Campbell, Fla - ($7,142,875)
7. Zdeno Chara, Bos - ($7,000,000)
8. Drew Doughty ($7,000,000)
9. P.K. Subban ($7,000,000)
10. Brooks Orpik ($6,500,000)

In terms of actual dollars being paid this upcoming NHL season, Subban ranks ninth.

Subban is coming off of a season where he put up 10 goals and 53 points, won an Olympic Gold medal and paced the Canadiens with 14 points in 17 playoff games, including an upset of the Boston Bruins and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Yes, he was mostly a spectator at the Olympics, but the way he carried himself showed tremendous growth and maturity as well as an ability to stay humble and put the team's best interests first. When you look at some of the names on this list there is no reason to believe that Subban does not belong with the likes of Brian Campbell, Kris Letang or Dion Phaneuf. Subban is not in the same defensive class as Weber, Suter, Keith or Doughty, but at 25-years old, he has plenty of time to develop that part of his game.

With the NHL having agreed to a massive $5.2 billion dollar cable deal with Rogers Communications, the league is going to be raising the salary cap each year for the foreseeable future. This massive infusion of income has put every team in good position to spend and when players such as Keith, Doughty, Brent Seabrook and Erik Karlsson have their contracts expire, expect them to sign for as much if not more than Subban did. It is hard to compare contracts on a year to year basis. Arguably, if Carey Price was a free-agent this summer, he would be making far more than the $6.5 million average he agreed to a couple of years ago. Each summer is a different market with a different salary cap. This happened to be the year that Subban became a free agent. It is what it is.

Obviously the Habs expect Subban will continue to improve in all aspects of his game. He has a tremendous work ethic which will not change. It's ingrained in his blood. It is part of who he is. Subban handled the Olympic situation and his lack of playing time with tremendous grace and professionalism. If he was upset about it, it did not show. If it was a blow to his ego, he played it off well. Anyone who saw his medal-winning video saw an energetic player who was enjoying the experience in whatever capacity. It was a maturity level that he finished the year with and brought into the playoffs. He stepped up big in the playoffs again, pacing the club and playing big minutes. While he still does not kill penalties, that should change next season as more responsibility is added to his plate. 

There is a leadership void in the locker room, either real or perceived. Brian Gionta and Josh Gorges are both playing for the Buffalo Sabres now. That means there is a vacant captain and assistant captain role that needs to be filled. Andrei Markov is the other assistant and the Russian warrior has turned down the C in the past. Subban is now the team's highest paid player; its star. Carey Price is the other but Roberto Luongo has shown that a goalie cannot be a captain in this modern NHL era. Subban is confident, skilled and vocal. He will address the media and he will step up and lead. Gone is the cocky, arrogant and undisciplined player he was when he broke into the league. If he is not named the captain this year, he will be sporting an A on his chest this season. He's earned it and he deserves it. Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Steven Stamkos and Gabriel Landeskog have earned letters at a young age. It's time for P.K. Subban to get his. 

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

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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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Canadiens' Press Conference, CBA Defined, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

The announcement early Sunday morning by NHL Commissioner and NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr, that brought an end to the 113 day old NHL Lockout, brought both excitement and trepidation to hockey fans around the globe. While both sides had effectively agreed to the framework of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, they both still must vote to ratify the agreement before the process can move forward.

The NHL is expected to ratify the new agreement as early as Wednesday, at a special Board of Governors meeting, while the Players' Association is expected to vote electronically. The process may take as long as Saturday to complete.

The news sent players scrambling to organize their respective returns to North America from all over Europe. Lubomir Visnovsky of the New York Islanders may be the only non-retiring casualty of this lockput,  as he has stated that he will remain in the KHL, as opposed to returning to the NHL. Meanwhile, Tomas Holstrom, the netfront pest of the Detroit Red Wings announced his retirement early on Monday.

As teams began to organize their seasons respectively, the Montreal Canadiens' braintrust of President Geoff Molson, General Manager Marc Bergavin and Head Coach Michel Therrien, held a press conference on Monday afternoon. Some of the subject they covered were the resigning of defenseman P.K. Subban and the plans going into a shortened training camp. The Canadiens plan to invite anywhere between 26-30 players, including the organization's top prospect Alex Galchenyuk.

Geoff Molson assures fans the Canadiens are ready.

Habs and Hockey News And Notes:

- While the entirety of the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement has still not been released, here are few of the important issues, such as the salary cap in Year 2 and the pension plan adjustments, as explained by TSN.ca

- James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail explains the "Luongo" clause. The clause is basically a cap benefit recapture program for those teams who may acquire players with "back diving" contracts.

PHOTO: THE CANADIAN PRESS/PAUL CHIASSON

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Lockout Mediation, Eller Enjoying Hockey In Finland, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

With all the talk about decertification this past weekend, the NHL and NHLPA threw everyone a curveball by agreeing to have U.S. mediators join in the CBA negotiations.

While getting an outside perspective may give some hope to desperate NHL fans around the world, considering that any suggestions from the mediators would be non-binding, will it realty make a bit of difference?

Habs and Hockey News & Notes

- Geoff Molson and Evenko announced today that they will soon begin construction on the long-time arena plan for La Place Bell in Laval, Quebec.

- Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette spoke to Habs' forward Lars Eller about how he is enjoying playing hockey in Finland.

- To get an idea of the effects of the NHL lockout on a small market, the Tennessean's Joshua Cooper at its toll on Nashville-area downtown businesses.

- New York Times writer Jeff Klein takes a look at what it would take for the NHLPA to decertify.

- The Detroit Free Press' Helen St. James gives us Todd Bertuzzi's take on the long-term damages the NHL lockout may cause.

- Adam Herman of nyrangersblog.com examines how the NHL wants to keep NBC from broadcasting Operation Hat Trick. 

(Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press)

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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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Blaming the Agents, NHL Pre-Season Cancelled, Geoff Molson and More

Unfortunate news to start our day, as it appears the NHL has formally cancelled its 60 pre-season games. No great shock there I suppose, but a disappointment nonetheless.

So far, blame for this fiasco has been split between the owners, the league and the players. However, I must say, the agents have not nearly gotten their fair share.

After all, at times it is hard to believe that agents are acting in the best interest of their clients and the game at large. Because, in reality, best interests of their clients are not only related to dollars and years.

How can you possibly recommend a player sign a ten, 12 or 15-year deal that essentially traps you with that team for the rest of your playing days. We have seen it time and again, those contracts are virtually untradeable.

And, really, would you be ready to commit 12 years to one employer without having even worked one year there?

Nor do I understand why you would advise your client to sign a preposterous offer sheet. The money is fantastic, of course, but you also financially cripple the matching team, hence minimizing your ability to win with said team.

Of course, as an agent, you've won simply by cashing in your hefty commission I suppose.

Habs and Hockey News

- Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson is hoping for a quick end to the lockout.

- According to Guy Lafleur, the players are exploiting the owners.

- The NHL has cancelled its September pre-season games. Meanwhile, Stu Hackel is keeping a daily notebook of lockout events.

- If the new CBA is less-than-favorable, Alex Ovechkin threatens to stay in the KHL. Perhaps this is not the exagerrated threat some make it to be, especially since he also feels strongly about playing in Sochi 2014. If Olympics aren't part of the CBA, he may stay in Russia.

- More players head to Europe, this time with Jason Spezza signing in Switzerland and others in Russia. Is it just me, or will the Swiss and Russian Leagues be really good this year?

- Pierre Lebrun discusses the OHL's rule targeting serial fighters.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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VIDEO: Bergevin Introduced as Montreal Canadiens GM

Yesterday, Marc Bergevin was named the 17th General Manager in Canadiens history.

Prior to this appointment, the 46-year-old served as assistant GM for the Chicago Blackhawks under Stan Bowman during the 2011-12 campaign and spent the last seven seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. In that time, he held various other positions with the team, including Director of Player Personnel and assistant coach

The Pointe-Saint-Charles native also played 20 seasons in the NHL, totaling 1191 games and 1090 penalty minutes in the process.

Formally introduced to the media Wednesday afternoon, Bergevin seemed at ease with the media, even cracking the occasional joke. Quite a departure from his two predecessors, to say the least.

For those of you who may have missed the Press Conference, here is a short clip of Geoff Molson introducing his newest hire.

So, what were your first impressions of the new General Manager?


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Louis is an Associate Editor and Senior Writer 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

(Video via CanadiensWebcaster)

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Bergevin named GM, Triple OT, Nashville and More

Good morning Hab fans!

Yesterday was certainly a day rich in stories, both in Montreal and across the league.

As you well know by now, Marc Bergevin was named the Montreal Canadiens' 17th General Manager. Kamal and I also covered the story earlier yesterday, which you can find here.

While many questions are still unanswered, Bergevin quickly made his mark, moving embattled interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth back to his post as assistant coach. He also made it clear that whoever becomes the new head coach will decide whether Cuneyworth remains.
Elsewhere, the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals played the longest game in these playoffs, needing three overtime periods before Marian Gaborik potted the game winning goal for the Blueshirts.

Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators' gamble of sitting top-scorers Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn paid off, as they defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0.

It's never dull at this time of year, is it?

Habs News

HabsAddict - Marc Bergevin Named the Next GM of the Montreal Canadiens

HabsAddict - Habs Press Release - Marc Bergevin appointed General Manager

ESPN - Marc Bergevin can arrest Habs' cultural slide

HabsWorld.net - Marc Bergevin Named GM

La Presse - Marc Bergevin, le gars de Pointe-Saint-Charles

La Presse - Bergevin: le nouveau visage souriant du Canadien

RDS - Enfin de la fraîcheur

The Hockey News - Adam Proteau: Light-hearted Marc Bergevin perfect fit as Canadiens GM

The Hockey News - VIDEO: THN Puck Panel – Montreal Canadiens hire Marc Bergevin as new GM

TSN - Off-Season Game Plan: Montreal Canadiens

TSN - Montreal's Man

Hockey News

ESPN - Radulov, Kostitsyn sitting out Game 4

ESPN - Odds are McLellan will stay with Sharks

The Hockey News - Capitals blow opportunity; will Radulov and Kostitsyn return for Predators in Game 4?

TSN - McKenzie: Could Rangers have won battle but lost war?

TSN - Fraser: Why no slashing call on David Clarkson?

USA Today - Predators beat Coyotes without suspended pair

USA Today - Gaborik lifts Rangers past Capitals in third OT

(Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs GM Search: Are Marc Bergevin and Pierre McGuire the Finalists?

When thinking about the upcoming announcement (who knows when!) that the Montreal Canadiens have hired a new General Manager, my mind drifts to AC/DC's "For Those About To Rock..."

If you don't know the song, here's the Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKhTk0IynHM

More than just the song, it makes me think about the 21 gun salute they do near the end.

For those about to rock, we salute you...BANG, BANG, BANG (21 times).

I saw them play that song live many moons ago, and to say the cannons firing was deafening would be the understatement of the millennium! The drama of the gun blasts, however, can in a lot of ways, be compared to the potential (probable?) backlash that is sure to come no matter who the Canadiens hire to run this team.

For those about to rock, we salute you...cue the series of fan heads exploding.

Let's wait and see

According to TSN (and several other sources), the Canadiens have interviewed Pierre McGuire and Marc Bergevin (among others). But what is salient is that these two seem to be the two finalists. At least unofficially they do.

Click here to read the TSN piece.

I wrote about the virtues of Bergevin a few weeks ago, and there is no question that he is widely considered to be a prime candidate for this or any potential GM job. When it comes to McGuire, on the other hand, I haven't seen or heard of another candidate who is such a polarizing figure.

Many are staunch McGuire supporters (mostly on TSN radio 990) and feel he is the best man for the job, while others, (mostly in the Twitterverse) feel he would be the worst thing to happen to the Habs since Rejean Houle.

While it remains to be seen who will ultimately be chosen, my money says it will be McGuire. Why? Well, to be honest, I just get a feel that he'll be the guy, and for no other reason. I also happen to think that he is an excellent candidate—a statement that is sure to open the flame-flood gates!

Personal preferences aside, my Hockeybuzz colleague, Eric Engels, wrote a brilliant piece on the matter this morning.

If you haven't yet read it, now's the time to check it out. Not only does Eric clearly lay out the many challenges and decisions that any incoming GM will have to make, but he makes an even more important point.

And that is that regardless of who is chosen, it is important that fans do not rush to judgement.

Most people know nothing of the inner workings of these GM interviews and, more importantly, don't know what either Bergervin or McGuire's plans would be upon being named GM. The assessments of Bergevin and McGuire, from the public, are mostly based on liking or disliking their personalities and/or their existing bodies of work.

Make no mistake, however, that Geoff Molson and Serge Savard are no idiots. They are not going to put someone in the GM's chair unless they truly feel he is the best man available for the job. So whoever they chose, we have to believe that the two-headed GM selection committee feels they have the best plan to get this team to the promised land.

And, so far, Molson has been a man of his word and seems like he is doing whatever is in his power to make this team a winner.

So, to Engels' point, let's wait and see what the incoming GM plans to do and how their plan unfolds before deciding that they are a good or bad choice for the job.

Or, in other words, for those about to rock...breath through the nose first.

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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 on-air contributor on TSN 990, CJAD, and LiveSport New Zealand.

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(photo Canadian Press - Paul Chiasson)

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Molson's 12 Steps, McGuire Interviewed, Bergevin, Coyotes, Flyers and More

Good morning Hab fans!

After weeks of speculation, it seems that Pierre McGuire indeed a contender for the vacant General Manager position. Reports surfaced yesterday that the NBC analyst was interviewed by Serge Savard over the last few days.

It remains unclear if that interview was by phone or in person.

Even more interestingly, Rick Moffat reported via Twitter that Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber confirmed that both Marc Bergevin and Pierre McGuire have had follow-up interviews.

In fact, they may even be two of the organization's final candidates.

If they truly are the final two, how do you feel about that?

Habs News

HabsAddict - Geoff Molson: 12 Steps to Recovery

La Presse - Subban: «On aurait pu causer la surprise...»

La Presse - David Desharnais ou le doute des autres

TSN - Report: Canadiens interview McGuire for vacant GM job

TSN - Subban injured in pre-Worlds game; not expected to be serious

Hockey News

HabsAddict - Quick Picks: NHL Conference Semifinals

ESPN - Melrose: Flyers just too much

Sports Illustrated - Unpredictable playoffs a concussion lottery

Sports Illustrated - The keys to each series of the conference semifinals

The Hockey News - NHL's most clutch player gives Flyers Game 1 win; Phoenix forwards figure out Nashville

TSN - Cullen: Briere leads Flyers, Coyotes go up 2-0

USA Today - Coyotes beat Predators to go up 2-0 in series

USA Today - Briere nets winner, Flyers edge Devils in OT

(Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Geoff Molson: 12 Steps to Recovery

Hello fellow Hab addicts, my name is Bryan Willey and it has been almost 2 months since my last confession... errrrr blog.

I apologize for the delay. Quite frankly though, this season has been a complete write-off for me.

I am fan through and through just like the rest of you. But my complete and utter lack of confidence in Pierre Gauthier — and especially Bob Gainey — made me nauseous to the point where I found myself hating the game and the team that I grew up loving.

100 years of class and pride was almost completely erased because of a complete mismanagement of assets, a complete lack of respect for the fan base and, especially, a complete lack of respect for the CH itself.

I, like many of you out there, have been preaching for change for many, many years but those wishes often went by the wayside. Ownership simply did not want to hear, nor admit, that there was a problem.

As such, the organization continued to spiral out of control, seeing only occasional periods of success — namely the 2010 playoff run. The arena was full, sweaters were selling and the coffers were full of the hard earned money of the average fan. But then it happened. President and owner Geoff Molson stepped from the shadows and did the unthinkable.

A confession was made. A confession of guilt and wrong doing. A confession that something was in fact wrong with the management of the team and that change was needed.

Shhhhhhhh, be quiet for a second and listen hard. Can you hear that?

“My name is Geoff Molson, and I have a problem.”

And, just like that, Molson begun his much needed 12 step journey to recovery.

I apologize if I offend anyone because addiction is no laughing matter. Frankly, I have nothing but respect towards anyone who takes the leap to battle their demons. However, if you know me well enough, then you certainly know that I try to find humour in everything.

It's my coping mechanism for an otherwise sheltered and difficult life. O.K, not really.

Think about this for a second though. Do you not see the correlation between the 12 steps of enlightenment for AA and the path to enlightenment that Geoff Molson now embarks on?

Right off the top, before one can even begin the journey to recovery one must find a mentor.  A person to serve as a guide through the difficult times. A person who has been there and has succeeded.

Enter Serge Savard.

Once that mentor has been found, it is time to cleanse.

Step 1: Admit to being powerless over the situation. Essentially admitting there is a problem.

Mr. Molson not only acknowledged there was a problem but sought immediate means to part with that problem by firing Pierre Gauthier and Bob Gainey.

Step 2: Come to belief that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Remember the words of Mr. Molson himself who publicly cited that he is not a hockey man and, as such, will leave the hockey decisions in the hands of someone more qualified.

Step 3: Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of someone who understands.

Although that person has not yet been determined, Mr. Molson vows to have someone in place in the very near future. This person will be a qualified hockey mind who’ll reform the current image of the Bleu Blanc Rouge. I've recently heard that the search has been narrowed to Marc Bergevin, Claude Loiselle, Julien Brisebois and Pierre McGuire.

Step 4: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of the situation.

Although the moral inventory started with Pierre Gauthier, it is widely admitted that this team is small, the coaching is questionable, the farm team lacks the depth to compete and the organization has gone more than 10 years in search of the proverbial big powerful center. Now it is a matter of ending the discussion and acting.

Step 5: Admit to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.

Exact nature of our wrongs? Are you kidding me? The nature of our wrongs became the entire Gainey Era. If it was not for the superb work of Trevor Timmins to fill this roster with NHL calibre players then we would be a heck of a lot worse off. This organization has continued to be set back by poor personnel and pro scouting errors.

Step 6: We are entirely ready to remove all these defects of character.

Straight from the horses mouth, Mr. Molson is prepared to do whatever it takes. Whether that means burying a $7.4 million per season mistake in the AHL or hiring the most expensive Manager-Coach tandem in the NHL. All errors will be remedied in order to achieve betterment.

Step 7: Humbly asked to remove our shortcomings.

Do you not remember the year in review press conference? A public apology and a formal printed apology in the newspaper for the 2011-12 fiasco ensued.

Step 8: Make a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

To the 21,273 fans in the Bell Centre every game and the millions at home watching. To Mike Cammalleri for parting ways with like a piece of yesterdays trash. Without having the testicular fortitude to treat him with respect when he was traded from this organization. To Saku Koivu who gave all that he could to a city and to a franchise but who in reciprocation did not even get a phone call to tell him his services were no longer required.

Step 9: Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

What can be done to remedy all the wrongs that have been made. We have been stripped of Blue Chip prospects like Ryan McDonaugh and of strong players like Matt D’Agostini, Guillaume Latendresse, Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder, Sheldon Souray, Jaroslav Halak, Matt Carkner, Sergei Kostitsyn, Mikhail Grabovski, Mark Streit, Maxim Lapierre, Chris Higgins and Ron Hainsey.

So much wrong. So much pain.

Step 10: Continued to take inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

Yes, Mr. Gainey and Mr. Gauthier, you were wrong in trading for Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle. Yes you were wrong signing Mike Cammalleri and a bunch of other “more durable” players. Yes you were wrong in drafting David Fischer ahead of, say, Claude Giroux. You were wrong in letting Alex Kovalev, Saku Koivu and the remainder of that team depart via Free Agency without getting any assets in return.

Step 11: Sought through a long withstanding search under every rock and cranny to improve our conscious contact with the hockey world, praying only for knowledge of whom to hire with the power and ability to make us succeed.

No, a replacement to Gauthier has not been found, but there have been close to ten phone interviews and at least four face-to-face interviews to date. Geoff Molson and Serge Savard, at least in the public forum, appear to be searching for the most qualified individual to fill the void. Every rock and cranny — you know, with French speaking ability — will be analysed.

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to Habs fans, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The wheels are in motion, the promises have been made. It is now time to turn all Habs fans into believers.

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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 THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

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Detroit's Jim Nill Says 'No' to Montreal Canadiens GM Position

According to an article posted on RDS this morning, it appears that Detroit Red Wings Assistant GM, Jim Nill, has said 'No' to taking over the reigns as the Habs GM.

Here's the article.

If you read the piece, it states that both Nill and the Habs were interested but an illness in the family is preventing Nill from making the move at this point in time.
Wow, is that ever sad for the Habs.

When all of the talk about a possible GM replacement for Pierre Gauthier surfaced, many, myself included, felt that the best Assistant GM in the league was Detroit's Jim Nill. Moreover, given how abusively over qualified he is as an assistant, not to mention his 14 year tenure at Detroit GM Ken Holland's side, Nill was the best qualified candidate.

Nill's experience as right-hand man to Holland, the architect of the perennially contending Red Wings, easily made Nill the number one choice, but I thought that there was no chance he would come to Montreal—given how well paid he was in Detroit.

So to read that he was interested and that the Habs reached out to him says two things to me.

First, it shows that no matter how well paid you are, as an NHL executive, and no matter how successful the program is that you work under, everyone worth their weight in gold would love a chance to run, or be a part of, the management team in Montreal.

Secondly, it says that the Habs really are leaving no stone unturned in their search for a new GM. Moreover, it says that they will not hesitate to hire a uni-lingual, Anglophone General Manager if that person is the best for the job.

And good for them, if that is the case.

The only way this team and this organization will once again rise to the elite level in the league is by hiring the best. Period.

That said, it is surely easier to hire an Anglo GM than it would be to hire an Anglo coach. I don't agree with that thinking, but there is a political reality at work that shrouds and handcuffs the Habs, as an organization.

But now, with Molson at the helm, we'll soon get to see just how much he let's the language debate enter into his decisions.

The last point on Nill, is that he did state that he is clearly interested in becoming an NHL GM. Perhaps this whole process with the Habs will open to door to him eventually (sooner than later) being hired to do just that.

So if/when Leafs' GM, Brian Burke, gets fired next season, will Toronto be the lucky benefactors?

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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 on-air contributor on TSN 990, CJAD, LiveSport New Zealand, and other radio networks.

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Devils Force Game Seven, Luongo Out? and More

Good morning Hab fans!

It's been a while, but there was actually a fair bit of Montreal Canadiens related news yesterday, namely concerning Max Pacioretty, Danny Kristo and Jim Nill. Details can be found here.

Elsewhere, it increasingly looks like Roberto Luongo's days in Vancouver are numbered. In the final day of media availability yesterday, he said in no uncertain terms that he would waive his no-trade clause.

However, with teams succeeding with far cheaper and younger netminders — Mike Smith, Jonathan Quick, Jaroslav Halak, Brian Elliot and Braden Holtby immediately come to mind — who will want Luongo's expensive contract?

Good luck with that.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs Roundup: Pacioretty, Nill and Kristo

La Presse - Les défis du futur DG du CH

TSN - Alfredsson, Lupul, Pacioretty finalists for Masterton Trophy

TSN - Habs GM candidate Nill says he's staying with Red Wings

Hockey News

ESPN - End of the road for Luongo in Vancouver?

The Hockey News - The series hockey forgot heads to Game 7

The Hockey News - Rory Boylen: Coaching, goaltending and discipline carry the West

TSN - McKenzie: A healthy Zajac makes the Devils a better team

TSN - Armstrong, Poile and Tallon nominated for NHL GM award

TSN - Crosby, Toews decline invitations to World Championship

USA Today - Devils top Panthers, force Game 7

(Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images North America)

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Habs Front Office, Mackasey, Subban, Playoffs and More

Morning Hab fans!

Our very own Sean Lloyd offers up a nice overview of the current search for a new General Manager and Coach.

Meanwhile, TSN is reporting the the Montreal Canadiens have recently asked permission to speak to Blair Mackasey of the Minnesota Wild.

This, about a week after contacting both Luc Robitaille and Ron Hextall in Los Angeles.

Let's be honest, how many of us had Mackasey or Hextall on our preliminary list of candidates? Not many, I would guess.

By approaching some unexpected or unconventional names, it is clear Geoff Molson is leaving very few rocks unturned. And that should be a welcome sight for most Hab fans.

Don't you think?

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Montreal Canadiens Moving Forward - Part 1, The Front Office Shakeup

TSN - Subban jumps to 10th in Button's latest draft ranking

TSN - Report: Wild grant permission to Habs to talk to Mackasey

Hockey News

HabsAddict.com - NHL By the Numbers: Playoff Fighting

ESPN - Flyers enjoyed fight-filled Game 3

Sports Illustrated - Mayhem reigns in Stanley Cup playoffs

The Hockey News - Henrik Lundqvist holding off feisty Senators; Braden Holtby crashes to earth; PK bites Sharks

TSN - McKenzie: Lundqvist is the key to Rangers shutdown game

TSN - NHL upholds suspension to Penguins' Adams; Bylsma fined

USA Today - Blues hold off Sharks to take 2-1 series lead

USA Today - Lundqvist makes 39 saves as Rangers blank Senators

USA Today - Chara scores game winner as Bruins eclipse Capitals

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Montreal Canadiens Moving Forward - Part 1 - The Front Office Shakeup

Habs Need to Regroup After Disappointing Season

Hello Habs nation, It's been a while since my last appearance and while part of it is because I've been away, it's also partly because I've had trouble coming to terms with the dismal season the Habs delivered.

I've decided to skip my usual recap of their last two weeks of the season, and instead focus on their needs as they move forward.

While it's clear the Canadiens have some work to do in order to find success, I do believe they are closer than this season's results would have many believe.

Over the next few weeks I will be going over some changes that need to be made in order for the Habs to avoid any further embarrassment.

In this first installment, I will focus on the first thing the Canadiens need to do: fill the void left by Pierre Gauthier's departure and appoint a head coach.

Front Office Shake-Up

It's safe to say that whoever comes in to replace Gauthier will be an improvement. While I personally would like to see the job handed to Pierre McGuire, it's reassuring to see Habs owner, Geoff Molson, exploring all of his options before making his choice.

Current assistant GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning Julien Brisebois is an apparent front runner. Chicago Blackhawks' assistant GM Marc Bergevin has also been approached and RDS has reported that while the Canadiens were interested in Red Wings' assistant GM Jim Nill, Nill has no intention of leaving the Detroit organization

Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reported last week that the Habs have reached out to the Los Angeles Kings with regards to Luc Robitaille, who is currently the Kings' President of Business operations, and Ron Hextall who serves as Vice President and Assistant GM with the team.

Kypreos' report went on to say that the Kings have confirmed the Canadiens interest in certain members of their organization but would prefer if things were dealt with after the playoffs.

Molson will more than likely make his choice before the June 22nd draft, but they would surely like to have their man in place sooner rather than later.

The draft would be a perfect time to bring in somebody like McGuire.

McGuire knows just about everything about anybody who has ever played hockey and his knowledge would be useful when choosing future prospects.

Whether or not it's McGuire who's appointed the team's next GM, there is no question that finding someone to replace Gauthier is the first step to improving this team.

The second step would then be finding a new bench boss.

Head Coach

Generally speaking, it's the GM who brings in his coaching staff, so it's possible Montreal will not have a new man for the job until the GM position is filled.

Although there are reports to the contrary, with rumors swirling that there is already a verbal agreement that would have Patrick Roy behind the bench next year. The idea is loved and hated throughout Montreal, as Roy's fiery temperament and controversial past is viewed as passion by some and immaturity by others.

The language issue does limit the Canadiens when trying to employ a new coach, but it's hard to believe there isn't a bilingual answer for the Habs somewhere in the hockey world. Bob Hartley and Marc Crawford are names that have bounced around along with Roy's.

Another name that will more than likely come up more often than not is Alain Vigneault. With his Vancouver Canucks down 3-0 against the Los Angeles Kings it is widely believed that he could be on his way out.

Vigneault has lead the Canucks to five playoff appearances in his six years in Vancouver, including the Stanley Cup finals last year losing in seven games against the Boston Bruins.

The Canucks have also won two Presidents Trophy's under Vigneault, who claimed the Jack Adams award as the NHL's top coach in 2007.

While language is important—mostly for the media's sake—there are other factors that need to be considered.

In my opinion the team needs somebody who can get the best out of his players, and who has the guts to hold top players accountable when necessary.

Sounds cliche I know, but both qualities are imperative for a coach to be successful.

Once these two positions are filled, the organization can start deciding what they want their team to look like, and start putting the pieces together.

How do you feel about the lack of a GM and coach right now? Do you think filling these voids should be done as soon as possible so progress can be made or do you have trust in Molson's patience?

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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

Follow Sean on Twitter

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America)

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Will Marc Bergevin be the Next GM of the Montreal Canadiens?

So the Stanley Cup playoffs have started, and your Montreal Canadiens are not a part of them.

Does that make you sad? Or, after the season of misery that was, are you just happy to have a reprieve, free to watch hockey without really caring who wins or loses?

There was lots of great hockey last night, as there is sure to be for the next few months. But the big story, on the Habs front, was Nick Kypreos saying the Habs are interested in talking with Luc Robitaille about the GM vacancy.

The move is a little surprising to me but, at the very least, it shows that no stone is being left unturned.

Robitaille aside, it is sounding like Marc Bergevin is the current front runner in the GM race, and he is certainly an interesting candidate.

Here is a look at his bio, from the Blackhawks' site:
http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=47739

Bergevin's experience running amateur and pro scouting in Chicago and overseeing their player development program, would be a huge asset. Also, as Toronto's Assistant GM, Rick Dudley, said yesterday on TSN 990, he considers Bergevin to be in the top one percent of talent evaluators.

The top one percent.

Now that is one man's opinion, but Dudley is no slouch himself.

Oh and in case you were wondering, yes, Bervegin is fluently bilingual.

Still, Bergevin's experience in hockey ops is limited, having just finished his first year as Assistant GM in Chicago. Also, as Hawks GM, Stan Bowman, said last year, by his own admission, Bergevin is no expert on the cap. He's mostly learning on the job.

Not that this would be the end of the world, since GM's can always hire cap experts. But still, it's something to keep in mind for a guy with aspirations of running the whole show.

Whatever happens, things are sure to get interesting for the Habs between now and the draft. If I was a betting man, I'd say they'll have a GM in place by Mid-May, latest.

This should be an interested few months leading up to the draft for the Habs, to say the least!

---
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 Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Habs/Lightning, Price Examined, Mayer, Dumont, Candidates and More

Good A.M Hab fans!

As has been widely reported, Carey Price is being examined today by team doctors. It is feared that he may be suffering from a concussion. He will likely not play again this season.

As a result, the team called up netminder Robert Mayer from the AHL and also brought centre Gabriel Dumont to fill in for one of the team's many injured forwards.

Signed to an entry level contract in 2008, Mayer is an undrafted Czech prospect. He won the ECHL MVP award in 2009-10 and has played in 35 AHL contests this year, going 12-16-1 with a .906 save percentage.

Drafted 139th overall in 2009, Dumont — a native of Degelis, Quebec — has skated in 55 games with the Bulldogs, posting 13 goals and nine assists.

Should he suit up for the Canadiens, he will be the fifth Quebec-born player to lineup with the Habs this season.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Top Candidates for the Montreal Canadiens GM Position

HabsWorld.net - Writers Weigh In: Gauthier's Gone, Part One

Hockey Inside/Out - The playoff scramble … elsewhere

La Presse - Directeur général: le Canadien met ses lignes à l’eau

RDS - DG du CH : des candidats contactés

RDS - C. Price en saura davantage mercredi

TSN - Price to be examined by team doctor after headaches

Hockey News

ESPN - C'mon Teemu, give us one more year

Sports Illustrated - Season's final week promises wild finishes out West

The Hockey News - Boylen: Jonathan Quick for the Vezina Trophy

TSN - Fraser: Let the referee in the right position make the call

USA Today - Roundup: Crosby scores twice in win; Panthers can't clinch

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Top Candidates for the Montreal Canadiens GM Position

Now that the dust has settled after owner Geoff Molson finally decided to fire general manager Pierre Gauthier, it's now time to look at the potential candidates for one of the most important position in the NHL.

The top candidates will need to have some experience in a managerial position or have worked in the NHL, whether in the media or for the NHLPA, to be seriously considered for the position. A renowned and storied franchise, the Montreal Canadiens will need to select the right man for the job. Despite the unexpected playoff run in 2009-10 that saw the Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference Final, Gauthier and his predecessor Bob Gainey failed to build a Stanley Cup contender over the last few years.  

This season the Canadiens are dead last in the Eastern Conference following a series of bad decisions and a rash of long-term injuries to key players such as Brian Gionta and Andrei Markov.

Below you will find a list of potential candidates in alphabetical order:

Marc Bergevin

A former rearguard who played 1,191 games in the NHL with the Blues, Penguins, Lightning and Blackhawks, amongst others, Bergevin, a Montreal native, also speaks French.. After his retirement, Bergevin was named as a pro scout with the Blackhawks' organization. Three years later, in 2008, Bergevin was named an assistant coach with the organization before accepting a job as director of player personnel in 2009. 

Last summer, Bergevin was promoted to the position of assistant general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks replacing Kevin Cheveldayoff, who had accepted the General Manager position with the new Winnipeg Jets team. While Bergevin certainly has some knowledge how to manage an NHL team, he doesn't boast a lot of experience, having worked only one season as assistant to Hawks' GM Stan Bowman.

Julien BriseBois

A lawyer by trade, Brisebois has been working with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant general manager to Steve Yzerman since 2010. Very good with numbers, BriseBois, a native of Greenfield Park near Montreal, knows all aspects of contract preparation and negotiation, salary arbitration and player transaction. 

Another bilingual candidate, BriseBois worked for the Canadiens for nine years before joining the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Norforlk Admirals in 2010. During his tenure with the Habs, he worked as Director of Legal Affairs, Director of Hockey Operations and eventually as Vice-President of Hockey operations. 

In 2007, BriseBois was named the General Manager of Montreal's top AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Well regarded in hockey circles, BriseBois earned a Master's degree in business administration from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and definitely understands the financial aspects of hockey. However, BriseBois has never played hockey in the NHL or at any high level of competition, which is certainly a disadvantage when it comes to being named as the Habs' next general manager.

Pat Brisson

The über agent — who represents the likes of Sidney Crosby, Daniel Briere, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews — is a native Quebecois and a very close friend of former Los Angeles Kings sniper Luc Robitaille. Brisson is a long shot to become the Habs' next GM because he has never acted as a GM and is currently based in Los Angeles. While Brisson played junior hockey in QMJHL, he has never seen time in the NHL. 

Brisson is also currently the agent of Habs' center Louis Leblanc.

Vincent Damphousse

A former Canadiens player, Damphousse played more than 1,378 games in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, Oilers, Sharks and Habs. Damphousse was a member of the last Canadian team that won a Stanley Cup back in 1993 when Montreal won its 24th Stanley Cup. 

Currently working as an hockey analyst for RDS, the official French language broadcaster of the Bleu Blanc Rouge, Damphousse has never occupied a managerial position for an NHL team, but was a member of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) executive committee, serving as Vice President under Trevor Linden. 

Damphousse is a proven winner and was part of the Canadiens when Serge Savard was the general manager. We all know that Molson has appointed Savard as a senior consultant to help him nominate the team's next GM. This relationship with Savard could very well be a serious advantage for Damphousse as the two men have known each other for decades now.

Francois Giguere

A native of Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Giguere is currently unemployed after serving as the Colorado Avalanche's  General Manager and Executive Vice-President until 2009. He was replaced by Greg Sherman, who is still acting as the Avalanche's GM. 

Giguere is a dark-horse candidate as he's been out of the NHL for three years. He also worked in the Quebec Nordiques organization between 1990 and 1995 before the team moved to Denver. I would believe Giguere would be a more serious candidate if and when another NHL team moves to Quebec City in the near future as he was born in the area.

Claude Loiselle

A former center who played 616 games in the NHL for the Red Wings, Devils, Nordiques, Maple Leafs and Islanders, Loiselle has been working as Assistant General Manager under Brian Burke of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Loiselle currently negotiates NHL contracts with the team, but has never played for the Canadiens and doesn't have a very good track record with the Leafs over the past few seasons. A native of Ottawa, Loiselle also speaks French, but he is not considered a favorite to land the prestigious job in Montreal.

Pierre McGuire

The well-known television analyst —  and former NHL assistant coach and head coach — has been working for NBC and TSN for the past few years. However, he has interviewed for general manager positions in the past without much success. Born in New Jersey, McGuire grew up in Montreal and also worked as a pro scout back in the 1990s. 

He knows the league inside out, especially since he popularized the "Inside the Glass" broadcasting position with TSN. Another advantage is that he's also bilingual, but his lack of experience as in a managerial position will most likely eliminate him as a serious candidate for the job.

Patrick Roy

The former NHL goaltender won the Stanley Cup four times with the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche. A close friend of Serge Savard, Roy is currently managing and coaching the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. 

Also a native of Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Roy is obviously bilingual and has played for a decade with the Canadiens before asking to be traded following an incident with head coach Mario Tremblay in the 1995-96 season. A very hot-headed and vocal head coach, Roy doesn't have any experience at the NHL level as a head coach or a general manager. While some experts believe Roy is a serious candidate to replace Gauthier, I believe Roy would prefer to accept a position as the Habs' head coach replacing Randy Cunneyworth.

Other potential candidates: Jim Nill, Doug Risebrough, Andre Savard

A combo of former teammates Patrick Roy as Head Coach and Vincent Damphousse as GM would seem to be the perfect duo as both players were well-respected and liked when they donned the Habs jersey in the early 1990s.

Damphousse, who is a poised and calm person, would perfectly balance Roy's hot-blooded temper.

Who would you like as the Canadiens' next General Manager?

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Follow me on Twitter to get updates on the Canadiens and the NHL in general.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Panesar and Moustakas: Gauthier Gone, Now What?

With the recent dismissal of Pierre Gauthier, your new favorite debate duo, Kamal Panesar and Louis Moustakas, return to dissect the latest move in the ongoing saga known as the 2011-12 Montreal Canadiens' season.

Moustakas: Good morning my friend! The shoe finally dropped last week as Geoff Molson relieved Pierre Gauthier of his managerial duties, while Bob Gainey was also released as special advisor.

While I have defended some of Gauthier's hockey moves, his ineptitude at communicating with the fan base and the poor salary structure he bestowed on the team made his dismissal well deserved.

Although the firing itself is unsurprising, the timing is, at least a little a bit. Why now, with so little time in the season left? One has to wonder — as Francois Gagnon has speculated — if the Canadiens want to have a new General Manager in place for the April 10th Draft Lottery.

And showing that new face of the franchise is of capital importance. Not only has the team plummeted in the standings, but the organization's image is at arguably an all-time low.

Panesar: Yes, yes…your defenses of Gauthier as a GM don’t look so good now do they?

Jokes aside, it was high time the Habs parted ways with Gauthier. The fact that Molson also took it upon himself to have Gainey move aside shows, to me, that he truly understands that it is time for new blood. My fear was that he would fire Gauthier but keep Gainey on as an advisor.

I suppose reaching back into the past for Serge Savard to now advise his decisions, at least when it comes to hiring a new GM, is slightly dubious. Not that Savard isn’t a brilliant businessman and was once a great GM. But the game has changed significantly over the last 20 years and he has not been involved in hockey, on any level, over that time.

Still, he is a trusted figure to the Molson family, so I fully understand the decision.

As for the timing, well, if you watched Molson’s press conference, he said they wanted to wait till the Habs were mathematically eliminated. In addition, he said that now they have 10 extra days to find a GM.

But, to be honest, that is largely window dressing, since it is pretty well known that the search for a new GM was started, in earnest, over a month ago. To that point, there has even been speculation that the “new” GM, is already in place and that they would wait until the end of the season to announce him.

Whether that ends up being true or not, we’ll never know. But, what is clear to me, is that Molson truly does care and does want to bring this organization back to respectability. So the question is, who is the best man for the job?

Moustakas: Pierre Gauthier is a lot of things, but he is not an utterly incapable hockey man. I stand by my defenses. What can I say? Great minds think for themselves.

Geoff Molson's demeanor at the press conference was a welcome sight. After essentially hiding behind releases following the Pacioretty and Cunneyworth incidents, it was refreshing to watch Molson take ownership of the situation. Which is his role since he is, after all, the owner. See how I did that? Owner, ownership.

As for Serge Savard's appointment, it accomplishes a couple of things. It adds credibility to the hiring process and, more importantly, promotes the notion that the team will intensify its focus on Francophone talent, both on and off the ice. After the Randy Cunneyworth PR fiasco, that is key.

If a GM is already in place, though, why add Savard to the process? I would find that mighty curious.

Regardless, I am not sure I have a flat-out favorite for the position. After the combined disaster of the Gainey-Gauthier eras, any of the proposed names sound enticing. Having said that, I am not exactly keen on Patrick Roy. As we discussed last time, his lack of professional experience and fiery, imposing temper are of grave concern to me.

Forced to choose, though, I might opt for someone like Pierre McGuire. Having worked extensively in the media, he would obviously not be afflicted with the communication-related issues that plagued the previous two GMs and could build good relations with the press. Beyond that, he has also demonstrated a deep knowledge of hockey at all levels and has previous NHL experience. One could do worse.

Towards whom are you leaning?

Panesar: I think Roy is more a candidate for coaching rather than the GM position. At least I certainly hope he is! Listening to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, he said that he feeling is that Roy would be interested in a coaching position but not the GM job in Montreal.

Aside from Roy, Pierre McGuire is a name that comes up a lot, as does Tampa Bay Assistant Julien Brisebois and former Colorado GM Francois Giguere, among others. The bottom line is that there will be no shortage of interested parties, especially if they loosen the language requirements a tad.

An interesting, out-of-the-box idea that was espoused by McKenzie, was for the Habs to make a call to the Florida Panthers to find out if they would release GM Dave Tallon from his contract. They likely wouldn’t, but as the guy who built the Stanley Cup winning Blackhawks and the man who has turned the lowly Panthers into a playoff team in one season, he would be a good prospect.

Plus, he is the only bilingual GM currently working in the NHL. A long shot, to be sure, but a damn good idea.

For me, Detroit’s Assistant GM, Jim Nil, is a ridiculously over-qualified Assistant. He would be gold in Montreal, save for his lack of French speaking abilities and the fact that he is paid a king’s ransom to remain with the Wings.

Ultimately, for me, I have Pierre McGuire as my top choice after Nil. He is a Montrealer, born and raised, is a Habs fan deep down and wants nothing more than for this team to win. In addition, his encyclopedic knowledge of teams, leagues and players around the world is staggering. He has also spent the last 15 or so years very close to NHL organizations, GMs, coaches and the like, in an analyst role. I think that experience would be invaluable in learning how to build a successful program.

On the McGuire front though, I am amazed at how many people, mostly on Twitter, are so adamantly against him as a candidate. Chatting with a few of them, their explanation is largely due to his seeming anti-Hab slant as an analyst.

I’m not exactly sure what the has to do with his qualification level as a potential GM, but maybe that’s just me.

Moustakas: You are right about the level of popular opposition to McGuire. He seems to rub some people the wrong way and others will certainly object to his non-francophone roots. You know, if you are an Anglophone Quebecois, you are not really Quebecois, right? But I digress.

His passion and knowledge would make him a boon to the struggling franchise. Hopefully, he gets his due consideration.

Wow. Look at us agreeing. Clearly, we have all the solutions. Geoff Molson should hire us. On parle français en plus!

Until next time my friend!


---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

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 The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz)

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Habs Fire Gauthier, Fallout, Candidates and More

Good morning Hab fans!

It finally happened.

General Manager Pierre Gauthier was fired yesterday.

Although the man has made some good hockey moves, a point which I have argued before, he also proved to be an utterly inept communicator and leaves the team behind with a dubious salary structure.

Perhaps more importantly, Bob Gainey was also released from his role as special advisor. As you will recall, Gainey was the main architect of the 2009 rebuild that saw high-priced contracts such as Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri and, of course, Scott Gomez brought in.

In his stead, Serge Savard has been brought in to consult on the hiring of the next GM.

Its a first step. What do you think will happen next?

Habs News


HabsAddict.com - Patrick Roy's Return?

HabsAddict.com - Geoff Molson Comments Pierre Gauthier Firing - Press Conference Notes

ESPN - Debate: What now for Habs?

ESPN - 5 Things: Habs are a mess Patrick Roy?

ESPN - Rumblings: Who will be next Habs' GM?

La Presse - Sondage CROP - La Presse: les Québécois réclament Patrick Roy

La Presse - Qui sera le prochain DG du CH?

RDS - On a payé pour une reconstruction ratée

Sports Illustrated - Handicapping the candidates for next Canadiens GM

The Hockey News - Proteau: With Gauthier out as GM, Canadiens need new image

TSN - TSN scout Button looks back at Gauthier's draft record

TSN - Canadiens' Cunneyworth on thin ice after GM Gauthier fired

USA Today - Roundup: Devils, Caps stay in playoff hunt with wins


(Photo by Andre Pichette/La Presse)

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