Captain Cammalleri?

Hey all, I know I said my next blog was going to be about Sergei Kostitsyn, but I saw a video yesterday that bumped Sergei down a rung. Sorry Sergei, looks like you'll have to wait one more week!

Ok, so down to business...well, believe it or not, training camp is now less than two months away and it is looking, and sounding more and more like the Montreal Canadiens will skate with three assistant captains this year rather than naming a captain outright. Personally, I think that this is a great idea. The Montreal Canadiens are a prestigious organization and as such, being the captain of this organization is not something to be taken lightly. By that I mean that I, as a fan, would rather...

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Sanford to Montreal...a depth move or something more?

On the surface, the Habs picking up Curtis Sanford, on a two-way contract, appears to be a solid depth move. Sanford has shown that he can be a capable back-up goaltender in the NHL while also being at a level where he is comfortable going up and down between the NHL and AHL. While I'm sure playing in Hamilton is not his first choice, right now that looks like the place that he is destined to play in 2009-2010. Marc Denis is likely gone by way of free agency, Price is the starter in Montreal and Halak is the backup. Right? That seems to be that case. Or is it?

Montreal's current goaltending depth charts look something like this:
1 - Price
2 - Halak
3 - Sanford
4 - Cederick...

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Habs 2009-2010 NHL Schedule: Lots of storylines....

So the 2009-2010 NHL schedule has been released and all the happenings in Montreal, over the last 12 months, mean that there are a ton of games to look forward to and a ton of story lines to follow. All of the games, listed below, are ones where the storyline exists due to the presence of one player. Here is my take on a few games that stand out:

Thurs, Oct. 1, 2009 - Montreal at Toronto - Komisarek.In the opening game of the season for both teams, Mike Komisarek and the Leafs receive the Habs, in Toronto. Not only do we get our first regular season look at the Habs, but we also get our first sickening look at Komisarek, in a Leafs' uniform.

Sat, Oct. 17, 2009 - Montreal vs....

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A Farewell to Kings - Goodbye Koivu and thank you....

The Saku Koivu era, in Montreal, is officially over. Sadly, he went out with a whimper and not a roar. Left unsigned and not tendered an offer by the only organization that he had ever played for, Koivu had no choice but to ride off into the sunset. Not by his choosing, of course, as Saku would still be a part of the Montreal Canadiens organization if it was up to him.

The decision for Koivu to leave the Canadiens started with Bob Gainey and the rest of the Habs braintrust. I just cannot help thinking that the way his era has come to an end is somehow wrong. That there should be at least one more chapter to the Saku Koivu story, in Montreal. It just doesn't feel right. It leaves me,...

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Et tu, Komisarek?

Is that a knife in my back, or are you just happy to leave me? And by me, I mean us...and by us I mean Habs fans.

As much as the loss of Komisarek from the Canadiens lineup is hard to swallow, the way in which it was done makes it all the more painful. Now that the details are coming out, it is looking like Komisarek went to Toronto for a measley 2.5 million more than the Habs were offering. Komisarek got a 5 year 22.5 million dollar deal from Toronto and it looks like Montreal was offering a 5 year 20 million dollar deal. 2.5 million dollars apart? Really? Is that all you left over?

From what Gainey said in his press conference, last night, it seems that he made an offer to...

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