Montreal Canadiens Rumors Round-up

Now that the Stanley Cup final is over and that the Los Angeles Kings have been crowned, it is time to turn our attention to the 2014 NHL Entry Draft that is now only ten days away and to Julys 1st, which marks the beginning of free agency.

For those Habs fans who missed it, Montreal traded their former 1st round pick Louis Leblanc to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a conditional 5th round pick on Saturday. Leblanc, who was an impending UFA, struggled again in the AHL this season, potting only 13 goals and 15 assists for 28 points in 70 contests under the "tutelage" of Sylvain Lefebvre. The organization should have allowed Leblanc to finish his degree at Harvard instead of asking him to play in QMJHL for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. As NBC analyst Pierre McGuire said on TSN 690: "Pulling Louis Leblanc out of Harvard after one year was ridiculous."

Douglas Murray's agent, Anton Thun, confirmed to Richard Labbé of La Presse what we all knew: Crankshaft will not be back with the organization next season after playing only 53 games this season. He recorded two points and posted a mediocre -12 plus/minus differential. Murray participated in only three games during the playoffs. The 34-year-old defenseman was only efficient on the penalty kill this season, being a liability at even strength. It might be the end of Murray's career...

According to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports and JT Utah of 25Stanley.com, the Canadiens are close to announce a contract extension with RFA Dale Weise, a pact that would pay him $2M over the next two years ($1 million AAV). Weise was acquired mid-season from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Raphael Diaz, who ended up playing in the Stanley Cup final with the New York Rangers. After scoring six goals and ten assists for 16 points in 61 regular season games, the 25-year-old Weise scored three goals and added four assists for seven points in 16 games on the Habs' run to the Eastern Conference final. Weise brought speed, size and energy to the Canadiens' fourth line and is already a fan favorite. (UPDATE: the deal is now official.)

According to TSN Bob McKenzie, Andrei Markov's agent, Sergei Berezin, is seeking a three-year contract worth $18 million for his client.

Last I heard, and it is a fluid situation subject to change, Andrei Markov was asking MTL for a 3-year deal worth $6M per year. #TSN
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 16, 2014

Coming off a solid season during which he recorded 7 goals and 36 assists for 43 points in 81 games, the 35-year-old veteran who played his entire career in Montreal is looking for his last big pay-day in the NHL. While the Russian General mentioned that he wants to end his career with the Bleu Blanc Rouge, his demands might prove to be too much for Marc Bergevin and he might elect to let him walk on July 1st. Markov earned $5.75 million a year after signing a three-year pact worth $17.25 million prior to the 2011-12 season.

As for shot-blocking specialist, Mike Weaver, it has been reported that their is a mutual interest in brining back the right-handed defenseman who proved to be the steal of the trade deadline, acquired for a 5th round pick from the Florida Panthers. Weaver was a force to reckon with on the penalty kill and a shot-blocking machine throughout the series. He would make for a cheap veteran presence on the third pairing and he could mentor youngsters Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi. Weaver earned $1.1 million last season and will be looking to sign a two-year deal in the same salary range.

Finally, the Canadiens have yet to start negotiating with all-star defenseman P.K. Subban, which is expected to break the bank after signing a two-year bridge contract worth $5.75 million before the 2012-13 season. Subban, who recorded 10 goals and 43 assists for 53 points in 82 games, will more than likely earn at least $8 million annually over eight years (the maximum number of years allowed under the last CBA).

Which players should the Habs re-sign or let go?

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens at Penguins (Game #50)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (27-17-5) are in Pittsburgh Wednesday night to take on the Eastern leading Penguins (34-13-2). The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and TSN.

This is the second of three meetings between the Habs and Pens, the Canadiens have already picked up a 3-2 victory on home ice. Max Pacioretty had two goals including the game winner. After three straight goals by the Habs, James Neal scored a pair to bring the Penguins back to within one. Evgeni Malkin had assists on both.

What to Watch:

Max Pacioretty is riding a 4-game point streak heading into Wednesday's game, he's up to 21 goals on the year in 40 games played. Lars Eller has been struggling to find his game recently, he's gone 7 games without a point. Eller had 6 points in his first 3 games this season, but only managed to put up 4 points all of December.

With 68 points in 49 games, Sidney Crosby leads the league and is well on his way to his second career Art Ross Trophy. James Neal and Evgeni Malkin both missed significant action this year but are also over a point per game on the season, Malkin has 48 points in 38 games and Neal has 36 in 28. Chris Kunitz has 24 goals and 49 points in 49 games.

What's at Stake:

After an extended streak of trading wins and losses, the Habs tied with the Leafs for third spot in the Atlantic heading into Wednesday’s game. They're still comfortably holding down a playoff spot, but the Canadiens have gone from looking ahead at teams like the Lightning and Bruins to looking over their shoulders.

Who's Out:

The Canadiens are missing Alex Galchenyuk (hand) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder). Ryan White (upper body) is nearing a return but there's no indication he'll play Wednesday. With Joonas Nattinen returning to the Bulldogs after Saturday's game, Louis Leblanc was called up to the big team.

The Pens are missing Pascal Dupuis (knee), Joe Vitale (wrist), Beau Bennett (wrist), Brian Gibbons (lower body), Andrew Ebbett (ankle), Chris Conner (hand) and back up goalie Tomas Vokoun (hip).

What Else:

The Canadiens are in the midst of an identity crisis, the team hasn't put together back-to-back wins or losses since the Christmas break. The good news is, the Habs have scored power play goals in two straight games, against the Leafs Saturday and the Sens on Thursday, but they've also given up 14 goals in their last three games. The penalty kill is still a strong point for the Canadiens, but the way they've been running, it seems only a matter of time before that falters as well.

The Question Mark:

We want to hear from you, aside from the Penguins, which team do you expect to see representing the East in the Stanley Cup Finals?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.
Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

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Impressions on the Montreal Canadiens’ Training Camp Thus Far

BY: SHAWN LAVOIE (@SLavoie54)

First off, I was as surprised as anyone when I learned that Leblanc was cut by the Montreal Canadiens. I thought that he was having a decent camp, but as Therrien mentioned, Leblanc was going down early no matter what. Could he have been able to force the team’s hand by having an amazing camp? Maybe, but the team’s idea was already made. Some people are starting to write off Leblanc, but I still believe in the Pointe-Claire native to eventually develop in a decent third liner. To give himself better chances, the forward will need to develop some kind of specialty, like a PK specialist for example.

As for the other cuts, I was at first to see the likes of Reway and Hudon among the cuts, since they were impressive with their talent level. However, it’s logical that they were cut early since they would have never made the team.

Now, about the players that are still here, I had the chance to see the inter-squad scrimmage, see Monday’s game against Buffalo, and Wednesday’s practice. I can tell you that I would make room for Jarred Tinordi on the team. The kid has improved tremendously since last season. He is a much better skater, enough to keep up with most forwards, and is obviously stronger. So far, in my opinion, he looks much better than Murray and Drewiske, who are slated ahead of him in the depth chart.

Speaking of Murray, he is slow, reeeeeeally slow. I don’t know if he really has a lower body injury­­ – which could explain his turtle like pace – but I get the feeling that this is just a cover up because he is in the middle of trade talks since Tinordi has been outperforming him.

That or it’s Drewiske leaving, once he comes back from that injury he suffered in a weird accident with Bouillon.

Watch out for Galchenyuk. The 19 year old phenom is obviously bigger, stronger, and faster. His talent level is completely insane and he looks confident. Forget the sophomore jinx for him; he will have a great season.

Gallagher also won’t suffer from the sophomore jinx. He’s too much of a hard worker to see a decrease in his production.  Gallagher, Eller, and Galchenyuk could become the team’s top offensive line.

Andrei Markov looks much more comfortable on the ice now compared to last season. Having a full summer to work-out without rehabbing an injury has obviously helped him. He looks quicker and more agile, which can only be good news for the Habs. He still shouldn’t see more than 23 minutes of ice time per game, nor heavy penalty killing minutes, but he should still be the team’s best point producing defenseman after Subban.

Speaking of which, P.K. is a bull! During Wednesday’s practice, Subban and Galchenyuk would battler along the boards, and it was quite the thing to see. You could see their talent level on display, and I can tell you that both of these young franchise players won’t disappoint this season. Subban looks as quick as last year and stronger.

Michaël Bournival is very impressive this year so far. Scoring two goals against the Sabres is good way to impress, but it’s his work ethic and awareness that impresses. He always seems to know where to position himself and he isn’t shy to play the physical game. He may very well have taken Louis Leblanc’s spot on the depth chart and earn himself the right of being the first injury call-up this season.

Even though lots of people compliment McCarron’s game, and with good reason, he still has ways to go before being an NHL player. Yes he skates well for his massive frame, but he still kind of looks awkward on his skates. He doesn’t seem to have a fluid stride like Tinordi has, or his agility. He still has lots of work to do on his skating and his puck skills. However, he does seem to have good instincts on the ice and he uses his large body effectively. I’m looking forward to see how he fares when he goes back in the CHL.

Now let’s hope the Habs start winning some games.

(Photo by Clause Anderson/Getty Images North America)

Follow me on Twitter at SLavoie54

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Habs' Scrimmage Fun For All, Final Cuts Made, More..

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

On Thursday night, the Montreal Canadiens held an open scrimmage at the Bell Centre for fans to watch for free. The Habs also gave fans a complementary hot-dog, bag of chips and a soft drink.

Although many expected a capacity crowd and people to be turned away, the brisk January weather left 4000+ seats empty. Some say it's a way for the fans to show their displeasure because of the lockout, but that's just hogwash.

As the Canadiens got on the ice for a ten minute pre-game warmup, the fans stood and cheered their heroes. As the game began, there was renewed excitement in the air because NHL hockey was back, and this was the first, of what some assume to be many, promotions the Habs have in store for their faithful partisanship.

The game wasn't anything to write home about. After two 2- minute periods, the twine only bulged six times, as Max Pacioretty, Michael Bournival and Brendan Gallagher scored for Team White, while Rene Bourque scored on a beautiful backhand, and Tomas Kaberle wristed out on the power play for Team Red.

The 20-rounds shootout saw goals two goals aside but ended when Brandon Prust showed the fans how tired he was, by flipping the puck into goaltender Peter Budaj's mid-section and then pushing him into the net. Prust, a newcomer to the Habs, scored brownie points with the fans and his teammates with his antics.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Seven players were sent back to Hamilton this morning by the Canadiens, as they trim the fat to get to the league maximum 23-man roster for the beginning of the season. The players sent down were:
Louis Leblanc, Brendan Gallagher, Mike Commodore, Frederic St-Denis, Jarred Tinordi, Gabriel Dumont and Patrick Holland.

- Scott Gomez was officially bought out by the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, making him an unrestricted free agent. Some believe there won't be much interest in the 2-time Stanley Cup champ, but ESPN jumped the gun when they added Gomez's name to the New Jersey Devils roster on their website. Wishful thinking or stupidity? You decide.

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Hamilton Bulldogs Split Two, Wheeling Nailers, NHL and NHLPA talks, More

Good AM!

Although the NHL is still without players on the ice, the AHL schedule has gotten well underway.

The Hamilton Bulldogs played two games over the weekend against their cross-province rivals, the Toronto Marlies.

While the Habs' farm team took the first game 4-1, they fell harshly in the second contest, losing 0-5.

Louis Leblanc and Aaron Palushaj currently lead the team in scoring with two goals a piece.

Habs and Hockey News

- The ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, the Wheeling Nailers, have not fared very well. They are goaless this season and lost their weekend games against Reading and Elmira.

- HabsWorld has a full report on the last week of action for the Hamilton Bulldogs and Wheeling Nailers.

- The NHL and NHLPA are still talking, but not necessarily negotiating. Apparently, representatives on both sides of the lockout had telephone conversations on Sunday but those talks have yet to translate into concrete negotiations

- After a thirty-day stint in Germany's 2nd division, Wayne Simmonds and Chris Stewart are moving to the top league in the Czech Republic.

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Junior NHL Players, Hamilton Bulldogs, Olympics and More

Good AM!

So, the NFL settled its dispute with its referees at midnight last night after a few days of intense bargaining sessions.

In fact, mere days earlier one session lasted until 2 am.

Never mind ending this lockout — at least the NHL and NHLPA could stay up late.

Habs and Hockey News

- Forty-two players have reported to the Hamilton Bulldogs' training camp, including a few who saw significant NHL time last season, namely Michael Blunden, Aaron Palushaj, Louis Leblanc and Blake Geoffrion. Also worthy of note is the presence of Michel Ouellet, a winger with 190 games NHL experience with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks.

- Speaking of the Bulldogs, Brian La Rose points out some invitees to watch at training camp.

- Bob McKenzie looks at how the current lockout could be a silver-lining for Canada's World Junior squad. Speaking of Junior players, when the NHL lockout ends, teams will have a chance to bring up a pre-arranged number of CHL junior players. For Montreal, this includes the highly touted Alex Galchennyuk.

- ESPN's Scott Burnside looks at Brian Burke's appointment as Team USA manager for Sochi 2014.

- In player abroad news, Erik Karlsson has signed in Finland while Nail Yakupov is being prevented from suiting up in the KHL.

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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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Habs/Panthers Post-Game, Nordiques, East Race and More

Morning puck fans!

Unsurprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens gave up a late lead to eventually lose 3-2 in a shootout to the Florida Panthers.

And it really is unsurprising, as Montreal owns the fourth worst win percentage when leading after two periods. Overall, when ahead after the middle frame, their record is 22-3-6.

Regardless, with the Leafs plummeting and making serious play for "Fail For Nail", I reckon most fans are not terribly shattered by the loss at this point.

On an unrelated note, Frederic St-Denis' pass to Louis Leblanc, great. Just amazing.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs by the Numbers: P.K Subban's Accuracy

Hockey Inside/Out - About last night …

La Presse - Bec-O-Cam!

TSN - Panthers boost playoff hopes with victory over Canadiens

Hockey News

ESPN - In a battle of will, Sabres trounce Capitals

La Presse - Le retour des Nordiques? Possible!

Sports Illustrated - Flawed playoff format causes inequities

The Hockey News - Boylen: Power plays, not goal scoring, down in NHL

USA Today - Roundup: Isles win in Pittsburgh for first time in 4 years

(Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Habs/Canucks preview, Leblanc, Leafs, Crosby, Top NHL players and more

Morning puck addicts!

A quiet night on the Habs front yesterday. That is except for the Habs recalling Louis Leblanc from the Hamilton Bulldogs, again.

This kid is really racking up the Air Miles!

That said, this time things are a little different as Habs center, David Desharnais, is out of the lineup indefinitely with some kind of lower body injury.

With no word yet on the extent of DD's injury, nor the length of his absence from the lineup, this could be a great opportunity for Leblanc. The Habs are going nowhere fast and I believe they should be playing the young players as much as possible.

Will we get to see Leblanc tryout at center? We'll find out as early as tonight when the Habs take on the Canucks in Vancouver.

So with the 10 PM EST start for tonight's game, the real question is, will you be staying up to watch?

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs Press Release: Canadiens recalled Louis Leblanc from the Hamilton Bulldogs

Hockey Inside/Out - Habs visit flat Canucks

RDS - La belle histoire de Max Pacioretty

RDS - Duel CH-Canucks à saveur particulière

TSN - CANADIENS FORWARD COLE FINED $2,500 FOR SLEW-FOOT

ESPN - Canadiens-Canucks Preview

Hockey News

TSN - CAPITALS D GREEN SUSPENDED THREE GAMES FOR ILLEGAL HIT

TSN - CROSBY PRACTICES AGAIN, REMAINS NONCOMMITTAL ON RETURN

TSN - SIEGEL: LEAFS' KOMISAREK RELISHING FRESH START

PSH - Where Did All the Goal Scorers Go?

THN - THN's Top 50 NHLers as voted by the players: 15-11

Spector's Hockey - Updates on the Maple Leafs and Flames – March 9, 2012

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Habs Press Release: Canadiens recalled Louis Leblanc from the Hamilton Bulldogs

MONTREAL (March 9, 2012) – The Montreal Canadiens announced today that forward Louis Leblanc has been recalled from the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. He will join the team in Vancouver and will be available for the Saturday, March 10 game against the Canucks.

Assigned to the Bulldogs on March 7, Leblanc posted 19 points (9 goals and 10 assists) in 27 games thus far with Hamilton this season. The 6’ and 184 lbs centre scored two of his goals on the powerplay. He added 99 shots on goal.

The 21-year old Pointe-Claire, Quebec native played 28 games with the Canadiens this season, including his first NHL game on November 30 against the Ducks in Anaheim. Leblanc recorded seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) including his first career NHL goal on December 15 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He registered 37 shots on goal and 46 hits, while playing an average of 10 minutes and 36 seconds per game. The Canadiens’ first round selection, 18th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Leblanc signed a 3-year contract with the Club on July 30, 2010.

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Habs/Leafs preview, Leblanc recalled, Wilson fired, Top players and more

Morning puck addicts!

Lots of news from yesterday, isn't there? On the Habs front, Montreal once again called up Louis Leblanc and Andreas Engqvist from the Bulldogs late last night.

And so the yo-yo treatment continues for these two, especially Leblanc who was just sent down. Leblanc's case is a little different, however, as he was sent down on a technicality. i.e. Leblanc had to be on the AHL roster the day he was sent down, in order to be eligible to play in the AHL playoffs.

After that, the Habs were able to call him up any time they wanted.

Here's hoping he stays till the end of the season.

The real big NHL news yesterday, was the Leafs firing head-coach Ron Wilson. GM Brian Burke being a man of action, wasted no time appointing Randy Carlyle as Wilson's replacement.

That is an excellent hire by the Leafs. Carlyle is a Stanley Cup winner and was thought of, in most circles, to be the best available coach on the market.

To bad he doesn't speak French because he would have been tops on my list of Habs coaching candidates.

Habs News

HabsAddict - Press Release - Habs Recall Engqvist and Leblanc

Hockey Inside/Out - Visiting Leafs hog the headlines

Hockey Inside/Out - Leafs turf coach, face Habs

RDS - Quelques éléments positifs chez le CH

Habsworld.net - Vote for February's 3 Stars!

THN - Campbell: Maple Leafs, Canadiens in need of major makeover

ESPN - Habs-Leafs Preview

Hockey News

TSN - LEAFS FIRE HEAD COACH WILSON, NAME CARLYLE REPLACEMENT

TSN - STARS STIFLE OILERS, REMAIN 8TH IN WEST

TSN - SIEGEL: LEAFS LOOKING IN THE MIRROR AFTER WILSON FIRING

TSN - FRASER: THE BREAKDOWN ON CLUTTERBUCK AND PACIORETTY

PSH - Evaluating the Winner and Losers of NHL's Trade Deadline 2012

ESPN - THN's Top 50 NHLers as voted by the players: 40-36

Spector's Hockey - NHL Free Agent Updates – March 2, 2012

(Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images North America)

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Press Release - Habs Recall Engqvist and Leblanc

Canadiens recall Andreas Engqvist and Louis Leblanc from the Hamilton Bulldogs

MONTREAL (March 2, 2012) – The Montreal Canadiens announced tonight that forwards Andreas Engqvist and Louis Leblanc have been recalled from the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. Both players will be available for Saturday, March 3 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre.

Assigned to the Bulldogs on February 1, the 6’01’’ and 201 lbs centre ranks first on the Bulldogs in scoring with 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 43 games this season. Eight of his goals were scored on the powerplay.

Engqvist registered 100 shots on goal and 26 penalty minutes.

In 10 games with the Canadiens this season, Engqvist, 24, recorded four blocked shots and eight hits, while averaging 6:35 of ice time per game.

The Stockholm-born forward Engqvist signed with the Canadiens as a free agent on July 13, 2009. Assigned to the Bulldogs on February 27, Leblanc posted 19 points (9 goals and 10 assists) in 27 games thus far with the Bulldogs this season. The 6’ and 184 lbs centre scored two of his goals on the powerplay. He added 96 shots on goal.

The 20-year old Pointe-Claire, Quebec native played 26 games with the Canadiens this season, including his first NHL game on November 30 against the Ducks in Anaheim. Leblanc recorded seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) including his first career NHL goal on December 15 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He registered 33 shots on goal, 42 hits and displayed a +2 plus/minus differential, while playing an average of 10 minutes and 26 seconds per game.

The Canadiens’ first round selection, 18th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Leblanc signed a 3-year contract with the Club on July 30, 2010.

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Kostitsyn to Nashville, Staubitz Claimed, Geoffrion Up and More

Morning puck fans!

I reckon that yesterday was a quieter Trade Deadline than many were hoping for.

Certainly, it is easy to justify that feeling. In Montreal, many players rumored to be on their way out - Chris Campoli, Mathieu Darche, Travis Moen and Yannick Weber - did not move for various reasons.

Nonetheless, Andrei Kostitsyn did find his way to Nashville in exchange for a second round pick in 2013 and Brad Staubitz was claimed off waivers by the Canadiens.

League wide, the day also proved tranquil, with prized acquisitions like Steve Ott and Lubomir Vishnovsky also staying put. Rick Nash, somehwat predictably, remains a Blue Jacket.

Still, teams like Vancouver and Nashville found a way to make some noise.

Along with AK46, the Predators also pried Paul Gaustad away from the Sabres in return for a first round pick.

 The Cancuks bolstered their lineup, acquiring Samuel Pahlson, Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gargani. These moves where not without their cost, as Vancouver was forced to give up Cody Hodgson, Alex Sulzer and a couple of picks.

So, what did you think or Deadline day? How did Montreal do? Who are your winners or losers?


Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Press Release - Habs Recall Blake Geffrion, Send Louis Leblanc to AHL

HabsAddict.com - NHL Trade Deadline: Montreal Canadiens and Other Interesting Moves

HabsWorld.net - Habsworld Podcast - Episode 8

Montreal Gazette - Red Fisher: Canadiens become irrelevant on NHL trade deadline day

RDS - Reconstruction? Non!


Hockey News

ESPN - Deadline deals: Stock up, stock down

SportsNet - Deadline Dud

The Hockey News - Campbell: Trade deadline winners and losers

TSN - TradeCentre: Winners and Losers of Deadline Day

USA Today - Roundup: Rangers hold off Devils

(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images North America)

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Press Release - Habs Recall Blake Geffrion, Send Louis Leblanc to AHL

Canadiens recalled Blake Geoffrion from the Hamilton Bulldogs - Louis Leblanc assigned to Hamilton

MONTREAL (February 27, 2012) – The Montreal Canadiens announced today that forward Blake Geoffrion has been recalled from the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs. Geoffrion will join the team in Tampa Bay and will be available for the game against the Lightning on Tuesday, February 28. The Club announced that forward Louis Leblanc has been assigned to Hamilton.

The 24-year old Geoffrion took part in five games with the Bulldogs since being acquired from the Nashville Predators on February 17. He collected eight points (2 goals, 6 assists), with a +1 plus/minus differential and 20 shots on goal. One of his goals was tallied on the power play.

The 6’01’’, 190 lbs left winger played 22 games with the Predators this season. He registered three assists, 29 hits and 17 penalty minutes, playing an average of 10 minutes and 20 seconds per game. In his second year in professional hockey this season, Geoffrion also played with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals recording nine points, including two goals, in 20 games.

A native of Plantation, Florida, Geoffrion was drafted in the second round, 56th overall by the Predators at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He was awarded the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, as the Top U.S. Collegiate Player in 2010.

Recalled from the Bulldogs on February 1, the 6’ and 184 lbs centre played 26 games with the Canadiens this season, including his first NHL game on November 30 against the Ducks in Anaheim. Leblanc recorded seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) including his first career NHL goal on December 15 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He registered 33 shots on goal, 42 hits and displayed a +2 plus/minus differential, while playing an average of 10 minutes and 26 seconds per game.

The 21-year old Pointe-Claire, Quebec native posted 17 points (9 goals and 8 assists) in 25 games thus far with the Bulldogs this season. Leblanc scored two of his goals on the powerplay. He added 92 shots on goal.

The Canadiens’ first round selection, 18th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Leblanc signed a 3-year contract with the Club on July 30, 2010.

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Habs/Isles, Trade Bait, Rumors, Nordiques and More

Good A.M Hab fans.

Well, looking at the standings, you would think tonight's game is pretty much a battle of basement dwellers.

But beware, for the Islanders are an impressive 6-2-2 in their past ten games.

Thanks to this winning spell, have a notion that they could sneak into the playoffs.

Doubtful they will succeed, but stranger things have happened.

Meanwhile, further in the basement, the Canadiens still sit in 26th overall.

However, the Habs saw their "grip" on that position slip as Anaheim and Carolina - 27th and 28th respectively - played each other last night in a three-point contest, which Anaheim won 3-2 in OT.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Trade Deadline Bait: Travis Moen

HabsAddict.com - With Playoff Hopes Fading, Habs Need to Sell Assets

Hockey Inside / Out - Idle Canadiens slip a notch

RDS - Leblanc : un jeune Antoine Vermette?

RDS - Bain da sang financier

TSN - Price prefers to smile through Canadiens on-ice troubles

Hockey News

ESPN - Daily Debate: Caps take over division lead

Hockey Inside / Out - Isles winning despite injuries

Sports Illustrated - Stats the NHL ought to keep

SportsNet - Quebec Ready For Nordiques Return

TSN - Fraser: Explaining calls involving Brodeur, Gustavsson

TSN - NHL on TSN Quiz: Should teams pursue veteran goalie Nabokov?

USA Today - Toronto, Detroit to play Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium

( Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images North America)

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Canadiens-Penguins: Habs Win Battle of Battered Teams

Recently, Stu Hackel pointed out that Pittsburgh and Montreal sit respectively first and third in man games lost to injury this year.

With the skill and compete level on display Tuesday night, one would have never guessed each team was missing so many key pieces.

An exciting, back-and-forth affair, the Canadiens would eventually win the game thanks to a Tomas Plekanec goal in the eighth round of a shootout.

Rene Bourque and Lars Eller also scored in the tie-breaker.

It was only the Habs' second win this season in the skills competition and undoubtedly a much needed boost to the team's collective confidence.

Final Score: Canadiens 3 - Penguins 2 (SO)

Game Notes

Louis Louis - Between his NCAA and QMJHL career, Louis Leblanc accumulated 81 points in 82 games. Good numbers, but not earth shattering, especially considering the offensive nature of the Quebec League.

Yet, watching him compete at the NHL level, you would expect him to have produced twice that over his junior career. 

His effort is relentless, he is physical and knows how to get into prime scoring areas, as illustrated by his goal tonight.

So far, he is definitely living up to his billing as a first round pick.

Hot Play - It was nice to see Tomas Plekanec and Carey Price's hot play carry over from Sunday's game.

Too often this season, players have disappeared after putting up excellent showings the previous game.

This time, though, the Czech centre was clearly the team's best forward. Plekanec obtained innumerable chances shorthanded and sealed the game with a clever shootout goal.

Meanwhile, Carey Price was again sensational, stopping 32 of 34 Penguins shots and finally getting a much needed win in the shootout.

Mind you, he had help from his posts and from P.K Subban, who dove to block a shot after Price was caught out of his net.

But, as the saying goes, you have to be good to be lucky. And Price is good.

Oops! - Lars Eller scored one of the oddest goals of the season.

Coming along the near boards, he faked a dump in and instead shot the puck on net. His shot then hit the post, went off Marc-Andre Fleury's back and into the goal.

Fleury has proven he can win big games, but boy does he have a rich history of goofy goals, dating all the way back to his infamous World Juniors poke check.

Pittsburgh Needs Wingers - The Penguins are clearly an excellent team. The fact they have survived, even thrived, in spite of injuries to key players such as Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal and Kris Letang is testament to that.

But this team is starved for wingers.

James Neal is a stud, but after that there is a rather precipitous drop in quality.

Chris Kunitz, Steve Sullivan and Pascal Dupuis are all on track for over 50 points, but a quick look at their playoff numbers demonstrates that neither of them are post-season stars.

Matt Cooke, Tyler Kennedy and Richard Park are certainly not going to provide the bulk of the scoring come spring time.

As good as Pittsburgh is up the middle, their wingers are a weakness that could lead to their demise. Two years ago, Montreal proved that even a group of the world's most talented centres could be contained and defeated. 

Without a significant upgrade on the wings, another team may prove it again this year.

Darche in OT? - Clearly, Randy Cunnneyworth can do no wrong in the eyes of many in the blogosphere.

Many appreciate his more aggressive style and his more extensive use of youngsters. A lot of people are willing to forgive his less than stellar record since taking over, especially since he was clearly put in a no-win situation.

Regardless, I still don't much care for his dismal win-loss record.

Nor do I particularly love three-goal scorer Mathieu Darche playing 2:21 in overtime.

I understand he brings a consistent level of energy and effort, but when the game hangs on the result of a single shot, perhaps he is not the wisest choice.

This is the kind of thing that bloggers and the Twitter-verse would certainly hammer Jacques Martin about.

Randy Cunneyworth should be called out too. 

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

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

(Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Habs/Devils, Leblanc recalled, Standings, Rumors and More

Morning puck fans.

The Eastern conference picture continued to get muddier last night.

With wins by Florida and Toronto, it is now the Canadiens' next opponent, the New Jersey Devils, who occupy the eighth and final seed.

The Devils are a full ten points ahead of 14th place Montreal and have a game in hand.

The Devils' nearest rival, the Washington Capitals, are but a point behind both them and the Southeast-leading Florida Panthers.

In the West, all but three points separate the eighth seeded Minnesota Wild from the 12th seeded Phoenix Coyotoes.

Say what you will about three-point games (beurk), there are exciting times ahead, no?

As for tonight's contest involving nos Glorieux, if nothing else it will once again be a chance to see what Louis Leblanc, who was called up yesterday, can do.

Habs News

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HabsWorld.net - Vote for January's 3 Stars!

Hockey Inside/Out - No help for the Habs

RDS - Au tour des Sabres de devancer le CH

TSN - Marinaro: Habs can't build on big win over Red Wings

Hockey News

ESPN - Daily Debate: Wild, Leafs and Senators collapse under pressure

La Presse - Où joueront les Coyotes?

Sports Illustrated - The Brooklyn Islanders? Not likely.

The Hockey News - Kennedy: Expect CHL-NCAA rivalry to heat up

The Hockey News - THN.com Top 10: Most bizarre owners

TSN - TradeCentre: Wednesday's rumours from around the NHL

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs/Jets post-game, New Song, Eller, Leblanc, Suspensions and More

Well, after many dismal performances at home, the Bell Centre faithful certainly heard a different tune to start 2012.

See, get the pun? Retired after the 2004-05 lockout, the Canadiens brought back the goal song which animated celebrations at the turn of the millennium.

Clearly, Lars Eller enjoyed the song, as he made it play four times in the evening, capping off his performance with an otherworldly move in the shootout.

In spite of this healthy win, however, the Canadiens are still miles away from being in the playoff discussion, let alone a playoff spot. Sitting seven points out of 8th place and having played more games than most of their rivals,  their work is cut out for them.

At this point, it is not unreasonable to suggest a playoff spot is almost completely out of reach.

But, if the Canadiens are to pull off the improbable feat of qualifying for the post-season, they will have to make sure to play that new song a lot.

Discussion

HW/HA Forum - Winnipeg vs Montreal, 7:30 PM, Jan. 4

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Press Release - Habs Assign Louis Leblanc to Hamilton

HabsAddict.com - He Said / She Said: The Canadiens' New Conference

HabsWorld.net - A cup of coffee with your Danish?

Louis' Note: I am so proud of my pun. That is all.

Hockey Inside / Out - The year begins with a W

Hockey Inside / Out - About last night...

La Presse - Jets-Canadien: le bulletin de Pierre Ladouceur

Hockey News

IIHF - Another candidate for Sochi?

Sports Illustrated - Time to move the Winter Classic out west

Louis' Note: No kidding. It would be wonderful if, as a whole, the league put a bit more focus on the Western based teams. Especially for us out east, perhaps we would not always be forced to stay up way past our bedtimes just to catch up on the happenings of the left coast.

TSN - Beyak: Quick momentum shift put Jets behind for good

TSN - Blackhawks' Carcillo suspended seven games for Gilbert hit

TSN - Flames' Bourque suspended five games for elbow on Backstrom

TSN - Tortorella fined $30,000 for post-Winter Classic comments

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Press Release - Habs Assign Louis Leblanc to Hamilton

Canadiens assign Louis Leblanc to the Hamilton Bulldogs

MONTREAL (January 4, 2012) – The Montreal Canadiens announced Wednesday night that forward Louis Leblanc has been assigned to the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs.

Recalled from the Bulldogs on November 28, the 6’0'' and 184 lbs centre played 14 games with the Canadiens since being called up, including his first NHL game on November 30 against the Ducks in Anaheim. Leblanc recorded five points (2 goals, 3 assists) including his first career NHL goal on December 15 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He registered 16 shots on goal, 17 hits and displayed a +2 plus/minus differential, while playing an average of 9 minutes and 54 seconds per game.

The 20-year old Pointe-Claire, Quebec native posted 10 points (4 goals and 6 assists) in 14 games thus far with the Bulldogs this season. Leblanc scored two of his goals on the powerplay. He added 48 shots on goal.

The Canadiens’ first round selection, 18th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Leblanc signed a 3-year contract with the Club on July 30, 2010.

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Habs/Panthers preview, Martin speaks, Leafs, Jets, Lindros, Concussions and more

Good new year's eve day folks!

I hope you've had a much better year than the sad-sack Montreal Canadiens have. But what a year it has been for the Habs.

Looking back, we saw an exciting but ultimately disappointing first round loss to the Bruins last spring. We saw P.K. Subban finish last season as one of the most prolific scoring defenseman in Habs history, and we entered the summer with promise.

All of this, of course, while the calls for Jacques Martin's head were in full effect.

Since the start of this year, things have gone from bad to worse. It seems that every player has had more downs than ups, the assistant coach and then head coach were fired, and Tomas Kaberle was brought it.

All of the moves by GM Pierre Gauthier seems like the actions of a man without a plan. And, in the salary cap world, that is never a good thing.

But hockey aside, on behalf of everyone here at HabsAddict.com, I want to wish you all a happy new year and tons of health, happiness and good fortune for 2012! Enjoy your new year and be safe!

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs Roundup: Louis Leblanc, Carey Price, Randy Cunneyworth and more

Hockey Inside/Out - Paper hats or paper bags?

RDS - Finir l'année en beauté

Jacques Martin sort de son mutisme

ESPN.com - Canadiens-Panthers Preview

Habsworld.net - 2012 Habs WJHC StatTracker

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TSN - SIEGEL: MAPLE LEAFS MELT DOWN IN CAROLINA

BEYAK: KANE DELIVERS AGAIN FOR JETS

ESPN.com - Eric Lindros discusses concussions

Campbell: THN's 2011 player of the year

PowerScout Hockey - Ranking Canada's Teams at New Years

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