Habs Mid-Season Report Card

The Habs 4-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators, on Monday, marked the official mid-point of their season. Having now played 41 games and with ALMOST the entire team healthy, I thought it was a good time to review the 1st half of the season. I have provided an overall review, a look at special teams and grades for each player CURRENTLY on the roster broken down by position. Finally, I have listed the biggest surprises and the biggest disappointments so for. So here goes...


OVERALL, C:
From a team perspective, we know where we stand. The Habs are a .500 hockey team (19-19-3) and have 41 points in the standing. Repeating this same performance over the next 41 games...

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 2 - Sens 4

In an interesting turn of events, the Ottawa Senators pulled a 'Montreal Canadiens' move on the Habs by being outshot and outplayed but ultimately winning the game 4-2. Full marks to the Sens who were a team decimated by injurying and were missing Daniel Alfredsonn, Jason Spezza and Nick Foligno. On paper, this game should have been a walk in the park for the Habs and for the first 20 to 40 minutes, it was. Montreal roared out to a 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes of the game on goals by Cammalleri - his goal made it 1-0 and was the 20,000th goal in Habs franchise history - and Pouliot - his 1st in a Habs uniform - and continued to apply the pressure and outshoot the Sens. The problem is...

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 5 - Canes 1

After waiting for 64 years the Habs finally won a December 23rd road game. I always find little stats like that pretty useless but as human beings we seem to track even the minutest of details. And as such, it is good to know that "the curse" has been broken. Ummm....ya.

In demolishing the Canes 5 to 1, the Habs extended their winning streak to three games and are now 4 and 0 with Markov in the lineup this season. Aside from Markov, there are a ton of things to be happy about, with this team, as we approach the 41-game halfway point of the season. Unfortunately, there a lot of bad signs that do not bode well going forward. Despite the ups and down of the season so far, the Habs...

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 4 - Thrashers 3 (OT)

Habs win! Habs win! Long live the streak! A two-game streak that is. But, after losing 5 in a row, we'll take it. Last night in Atlanta, the Canadiens once again played the role of thieves, stealing two points from the suddenly within reach, Thrashers. Before last night's game, Montreal (35 points) were four points back of Atlanta (39). With the overtime win, the Habs gained one point on the Thrashers in the standings and now sit in 10th with 37 points to Atlanta's 40. The Thrashers still have three games in hand, and a regulation win would have been much better for the Habs, but two points is two points and the Habs desperately need wins before they fall completely out of playoff contention....

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 3 - Isles 0

The return of Andrei Markov was the storyline of the night and the game - a 3-0 win by the Habs - could be summed up as great goaltending, great special teams and a very special player. While Markov's two-goal performance warmed the cockles of Habs fans everywhere, the real hero this evening was Jaroslav Halak who in turning in a 40 save shutout performance continues to raise his trade value and his value to the Habs.

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POLL: Who should be the next captain of the Habs?

Now that Andrei Markov is recovered from his injuries and will be playing his first game since October 1st, it brings up the question of whether the Habs will name a captain this year. If they do name one, who is the best candidate to be captain, right now? While there are potentially a couple of dark horse picks like Josh Gorges and maybe Maxim Lapierre - although I don't see that - I think the front runners are Cammalleri, Markov and Gionta. Who would you pick?

VOTE NOW to the right of the screen. Poll closes during the third period of tonights game.

Andrei Markov

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 1 - Wild 3

Another day, another loss. It seems that us Habs fans are getting used to the idea. We're not happy about it, mind you, but we are definitely getting used to the heart break. You could tell, in the third period last night, how unhappy the fans were as their boos changed focus from Latendresse to their beloved Habs. The booing started with about three minutes left in the game and ushered the Habs off of the ice. While the 3-1 loss to the Wild was bad the worst part is that it is now glaringly obvious that this team just does not have the horses to get it done in this league.

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 1 - Devils 2

Who knew, when Brodeur was selected 20th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the...

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 3 - Sabres 4

Today is the 15th of December and as we hit the official half-way point of the month we also hit the half-way mark of the Habs' 17 games in 28 nights. And how have our beloved Habs fared so far? Hmmmm, looks like a win one/lose one trend, much like the rest of the year has been for them. Sadly, this team could have a lot more points that it currently has (33 in 34 games) if not for tripping over themselves. In losing last night's game, 4-3, to the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal let another winnable two points slip away. Why? Because of stupid, undisciplined penalties late in the game. Two minutes after Cammalleri tied the game at three, with less than 8 minutes remaining in the game, Montreal...

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 2 - Pens 3

Wow, not THAT was an interesting game to watch. As I sit looking outside at this cold, windy Friday morning I am basking in the afterglow of last night's Habs game vs. the Pens. Not basking in a win, mind you, but rather in a 3-2 regulation loss, one in which the Habs probably deserved a better fate. While on the one hand, Montreal got what the deserved, again being outshot badly - 41 to 21 - and again taking way too many penalties - handing the pens 5 powerplay - on the other hand, the skated with the pens for a full 60 minutes. Ok, maybe not a full 60 minutes, as the Habs seem to have developed a specific M.O. which is to be M.I.A. in the first 20 minutes and to count, heavily, on their...

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