Habs Declaw Panthers, Kovy Returns, More...

Happy Hump Day HabsAddicts!!!

Our beloved Habs, fresh off a lacklustre performance on Saturday against the Leafs, brought their A game last night, beating the Florida Panthers 4-1. The Canadiens were led by Andrei Markov, who scored two power play goals, his first tallies in over two years.

Rookie centre Alex Galchenyuk, who centered the Habs' third line alongside Brandon Prust and Brendan Gallagher, scored his first career NHL goal. Gallagher tallied his first career point on the play.

Many were questioning the removal of Lars Eller from the lineup, but Galchenyuk's performance, which earned him the first star of the game, brought the capacity crowd to its feet and quickly silenced the naysayers. It was obvious through his performance that the Canadiens' 2012 third-round pick was right at home playing the centre position.

The team's character was also in evidence when Ryan White threw a couple of punches at the Panthers' Thomas Fleischman after he hit Josh Gorges from behind. While the altercation earned White an instigator penalty and ejection, no one criticized that fourth liners for coming to the defence of one of his teammates.

Kevin Dineen, the head coach of the Panthers, started Scott Clemmenson in goal versus the Canadiens. Coming into the game, Clemmenson boast a flawless 6-0 career record versus "Les Glorieux."

The Canadiens are next in action on Thursday night, as they travel to Washington to take on Alex Ovechkin and the still winless Capitals.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Tune in to the podcast of the post-game show on MontrealHockeyTalk.com, as host Corey Collard, Matt Casavant, Jay Ferrar and our own Kamal Panesar analyze the Canadiens' victory, and it possible implications in the P.K. Subban negociations.

- Dave Stubbs visits with former Hab and current Florida Panthers' winger Alex Kovalev to discuss his return to Montreal. 

- With Vancouver GM Mike Gillis' comments yesterday about a possible deal being close for trading goaltender Roberto Luongo, rumbling out of Toronto suggest that the "additional player" in the deal may be either Joffrey Lupul, who just signed a five-year extension with the Leafs, or Phil Kessel, who has lost favour with head coach Randy Carlyle.

- While we already knew sports merchandise sales were down during the NHL lockout, SportsPosterWarehouse.com posted some interesting stats in regards to how overall poster sales were affected. Hopefully, business is about to pick up.

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Subban Saga Continues, Prust' 1st Taste,More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

Everyone at HabsAddict.com was saddened by the passing of broadcasting legend Richard Garneau this weekend. A veteran of 23 Olympics and former host of La Soirée du Hockey, Mr. Garneau was considered the Jean Beliveau of broadcasting.

With the Canadiens' loss to the hated Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night, the calls to sign P.K. Subban have intensified. The lack of offensive push by the Habs has fans worried, even if it's only just one game.

Original reports suggested the Canadiens were unwilling to give Subban a long term deal, and the dollar amounts he was asking for. The Habs were willing to give him a 3-year, $10.5 Million ($3.5 Million AAV) contract, while indications were that Subban's agent was looking for a 5-year, $27.5 Million ($5.5 Million AAV).

Now, reports indicate that Canadiens' GM Marc Bergavin is willing to give the Subban camp a 6-year deal, worth $24 Million ($4 Million AAV). Others are saying that Subban is willing to sign for less term, but more money annually.

Coming of a four month work stoppage, and the posturing from both sides associated to it, HabsNation isn't in the mood to hear the back and forth between the Habs and Subban. They just want a deal to get done and move on. There was enough greed to go around during the lockout, we don't need anymore.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Brendan Prust, one of the newest members of the Canadiens, sat down with the Gazette's Dave Stubbs to discuss his first weekend with the Habs, and the experiences that came with it.

-Rob Elbaz of Montreal Hockey Talk.com takes a look at tonight's tilt between the Habs and Alex Kovalev and the Florida Panthers.

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Habs Drop Opener To Leafs, Gomez A Shark?, Schneider/Luongo Controversy And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Carey Price was one of the few bright spots in last night's loss

 Well hockey is back but it seem the Habs didn't get the memo. In losing 2-1 in their home opener against the Maple Leafs it seemed quite evident that it will take some time to adapt to Therrien's system.

There was a lot of negativity online following the game but it's important for everyone to remember that it was just one game. Understandably each game carries a ton of importance due to the shortened season but if it makes anybody feel better the Red Wings got trounced, the Blue Jackets won and the defending champion Kings looked nothing like they did when they lost only four games while on their way to winning the cup.

The Canadiens had a handful of players play overseas during the lockout but as ESPN's Pierre LeBrun points out, it was the Toronto Marlies graduates who appeared more fresh while leading their team to their first two points.

For those optimists out there, there were a few positives you could pick out of las night's loss if you tried. For one, it didn't seem too obvious that goaltender Carey Price hasn't played since last year. Price played well enough to give his team a chance to win had they provided any offense at all.

Andrei Markov finished the game healthy. Not only that but he lead the team in minutes with 24:08 minutes. Not one player on the Habs finished with a faceoff percentage lower than 50%. That is an area that has hurt the Habs since Yannick Perreault left the team and will play a huge part in their success or lack thereof.

The Canadiens play next on Tuesday when they host Alex Kovalev and the Florida Panthers. Kovalev enjoyed his debut with the Panthers scoring his first goal of the season and adding two assists.

Habs And Hockey News

- It seems Scott Gomez may be a Shark sooner rather than later. Gomez is set to meet with the Sharks this week. I'm not going to lie, I wish him the best!

- Keep your eyes on Vancouver if you enjoy a good goalie controversy. In his first game as the Canuck's starter, Corey Schneider lasted only 26:37 before being replaced by Roberto Luongo.

- Richard Garneau who hosted La Soiree du Hockey as well as covered the Olympics for Radio Canada passed away this morning at the age of 82.

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Game day, Galchenyuk's Debut, Markov's Return, Northeast Preview And More...

Good Morning Habs Addicts!



Habs' P.K Subban will watch tonight's opener from
his home in Toronto.

Happy game day!
It may be three months late but the day we've been waiting for since the end of the disaster that was the 2011-12 season has come.

What better way to put an end to fans' NHL withdrawal than with a game against the Leafs? Although honestly the Habs could be up against the Blue Jackets and the city would still be counting down every last second leading up to the drop of the puck.

Tonight marks the first time Habs fans will have the chance to see top prospect Alex Galchenyuk in action. Gally looked good in Thursday night's scrimmage the team put on for the Habs and will now have the  oppurtunity to impress where it counts.

Coach Therrien had said that he wasn't originally expecting to have Gally on the opening night roster but the young Russ... American earned his spot in training camp. There is some debate on whether or not he will return to Sarnia after his five game trial but it's best for him and everyone involved to just take it game by game.

Joining Galchenyuk on the opening night roster is his roommate Brendan Gallagher whose path to the NHL hasn't been as straight forward as the number one pick in the 2012 draft.

Tomas Plekanec is expected to lace up after missing training camp due to a rib injury he suffered while playing in the Czech Republic. Lining up on either side of Plekanec will be Galchenyuk and captain Brian Gionta.

The center of attention leading up to this game however - and to nobody's surprise - is defenseman P.K. Subban. Still without a contract, the dynamic and animated Subban is said to want a longer term deal than GM Marc Bergevin is willing to dole out just yet.

Until he is signed, Subban has just become the latest distraction after the departure of Scott Gomez.

All that aside, the Habs will start their season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 pm, enjoy the Game!, and don't forget to tune into the post game show at www.montrealhockeytalk.com five minutes after the final siren!

Go Habs Go!

Habs And Hockey News

- Jacob Saltiel (@JacobSaltiel) breaks down the Northeast Division heading into this shortened season.

- Andrei Markov's return will be focused on nearly as much as Galchenyuk's debut.

- With Canucks' blue liner Alex Edler inking a six year $30 million contract, what effect do you think that makes in the Subban/Bergevin talks?


(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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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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Gally Impresses, Gomez Issue Lingers, More...

Marie-France Coallier , GAZETTE

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!!

Day 2 of the Montreal Canadiens camp was a showcase of rookie forward Alex Galchenyuk's skills. Not only did he beat Carey Price with a wrist shot that the goaltender is still looking for, but he absolutely undressed both Habs' goalies during a shootout contest.

In the press conference that followed, Canadiens' head coach Michel Therrien said he continues to be impressed by Galchenyuk's talent. Therrien explained that not only does the OHL's leading scorer have incredible skills, but he also has above-average vision on the ice, and a maturity beyond his years.

The Canadiens' open scrimmage on Thursday, January17th at the Bell Centre, which is open to the public on a first come, first serve basis, will be Galchenyuk's chance to prove his worth. While it is an inter-squad game, it will be his only chance to show Therrien what he is capable of in a game situation.

Therrien also showed some love to left-winger Rene Bourque, telling the media present that he was impressed by his work ethic so far. The coach reiterated that while he appreciates the effort so far, it will be up to him to make sure Bourque continue to work equitably night in, night out.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

Pierre-Paul Poulin/QMI Agency

- It seems the Scott Gomez saga isn't over just yet. The NHLPA has been in contact with the league in regards to the Habs' decision to send Gomez home with pay for the entire season. NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the Canadiens consulted the league prior to making any sort of decision.

The Players' Association, while not accusing the Canadiens of any wrong doing, would like to find a more favourable solution to the situation, that would allow the former Calder Trophy winner to continue his career. The union is also discussing the same situation in regards to New York Rangers' defenseman Wade Redden.

Redden was playing in the AHL over the past two seasons, but with his salary counting against the cap because of changes to the new CBA, he is the same situation now as Gomez. The NHLPA is arguing that sitting out the players for an entire season would hinder their ability to secure employment with another NHL team next season, once they are bought out by their respective teams.

- Carey Price has an new way of looking at himself. Canadiens' goaltending coach Pierre Groulx has resorted to placing an iPad in the corner of the rink focusing on Price, allowing the Habs' #1 to take a quick look at himself to see what he can improve on. Price welcomes the idea, saying that as the position evolves, so do the teaching methods.

- For you fans who are so starved for hockey, the NHL announced today that the are selling their online GameCenter package for $49.99 for the entire season. For further details, go to NHL.com.

Photos:

Marie-France Coallier , GAZETTE

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What Is P.K. Subban Really Worth?

By Coach K and Francois Dumais

Since the announcement of an agreement in principle between the NHL and the Players’ Association, Habs’ fans have had one thing on their minds:

How long before the Canadiens sign RFA defenseman P.K. Subban?

With the recent signing by the New York Rangers of Michael Del Zotto, who is represented by the same agent as Subban, Don Meehan, the comparables game has once again come front and centre. Del Zotto signed a two-year, $5.1 Million contract on January 13^th, 2013.

There are many in the media who claim that Subban is using L.A. Kings’ defensive stalwart Drew Doughty, and his eight-year, $56 Million contract as a viable comparable. 

That leaves a huge gap between those comparables alone ($4,450,000 per season). However, numbers can’t define the importance of P.K. Subban alone.

With the announcement by Habs’ GM Marc Bergavin that he has no intention of trading P.K. Subban, it concretizes his importance in the future plans of the Canadiens. After all, Subban was on the ice an average of 39.7% of the time last season.

The Stats Don’t Lie

If you want to talk about comparables, you need only look at four of the NHL’s youngest defensemen. For the purposes of this article, we added John Carlson of the Washington Capitals to the mix, along with Del Zotto, Doughty and Subban.

Strictly from an offensive perspective, Subban finished behind our other examples in goals with seven, although he had 29 assists, giving him second behind Del Zotto. If he and his agent want to use Drew Doughty as a primary comparable, it doesn’t bode well for P.K. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 20 points less than the Kings’ D-man. That said, his points-per-game is mere 0.03 behind Doughty, due to Subban’s limited use in his first NHL season.

In overall ice-time, Subban (24:17 per game) is a mere 36 seconds on average behind Doughty (24:53 per game). Subban is second among our four defensemen in terms of TOI on the power play and penalty killing. Michael Del Zotto (PP) and John Carlson (PK) lead those respective categories.

Last 20 Games May Be Subban’s Best Case

Using a smaller sample size from last season, that being the last 20 games of their respective seasons, Subban takes the lead over our four other defensemen in goals, assists and points (4-9-13). Doughty and Del Zotto were behind him with three goals, six assists and nine points respectively.

While Del Zotto led our group on the power play with an average of 4:35 TOI (Time On Ice) per game, P.K. was right behind him in second with 3:39 TOI per game. On the penalty kill, while Doughty had a TOI per game of 2:00, Subban had a whopping 3:39 TOI per game. Overall, Subban led everyone in overall TOI per game with an average of almost 26 minutes.

Top 10 Among His Peers

If you look at Subban’s overall ranking among his NHL peers, he is ranked sixth from the top 50 defensemen in the league from an offensive perspective, with an overall score of 723. Only Zdeno Chara (BOS), Shea Weber (NSH), Kevin Shattenkirk (STL), Dan Boyle (SJS) and Alex Pietrangelo (STL) are ranked ahead of him. Doughty ranked 26^th, while Del Zotto ranked 14^th.

So What Does He Deserve To Be Paid?

If you look at our comparibles, there are solid arguments from both sides of the coin. The Rangers have a much stronger supporting cast on defense for Del Zotto than the Canadiens have for Subban. P.K.’s importance is just as high to the Habs as that of Doughty to the Kings.

If Subban and Don Meehan want to be fair to everyone, including themselves, then an average salary of $4.5 Million is a reasonable number, in our opinion, to ask for. As far as length of term is concerned, with the wealth of defensive prospects in the Canadiens’ organization, signing Subban for more than three years would be a colossal mistake.

Ultimately, it’s a question of organizational importance…for Subban. Does he want to be part of the refit of the league’s most storied franchise, or does he want to think of himself first? Compare what you will, only time will really tell.

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