It's Playoff Time...Time To Take A Look Back

This is it. Eighty-two games are in the books. Now, it's a two month sprint to 16 wins. Just to make the playoffs this year was a monumental task, whether you played in the Eastern Conference or the Western Conference. The eighth seeded team in the West, the Winnipeg Jets, needed 99 points to make the playoffs. Things weren't any easier in the East, as Pittsburgh needed 98 points to make the playoffs. That is ridiculous. Every year since the '04-'05 lockout the minimum standard to even make the playoffs has been escalating exponentially. The sad thing, in 2 weeks, 8 of the 16 teams who busted their butts to get to 100 points will be eliminated from the playoffs.

As we get ready to plop down on our sofas to watch some playoff hockey, I would like to take a moment to share some thoughts with you on the 2014-15 season that just wrapped up.

Tanking for Connor McDavid

On the flip side, while the majority of the league excelled this season, a handful of teams, not so subtly, tanked. Edmonton, Toronto, Arizona, Colorado and Buffalo all lost a bunch of games in the hopes of being dead last in the league to better their chance of drafting 1st overall. This year's draft is projected to include at least two potential superstars in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. The draft lottery determines who will be pick first and the odds of selecting number one overall are greatest if you finish last in the NHL. Quite frankly, I think it's shameful to reward ineptitude. I think that every team should have a chance at the first overall pick, even the Stanley Cup winner. I don't think the odds should be equal either. Back in 2005, the NHL gave everyone the chance to select Sidney Crosby at number one. That year, every team started with three balls in the lottery barrel. A team lost a ball for every playoff appearance in the past 3 seasons or the number one overall pick the previous four years. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers and Columbus had three balls. Anaheim, Atlanta (now Winnipeg), Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Edmonton, LA, Minnesota, Nashville and Phoenix (now Arizona) each had two balls. And the remaining 16 teams each had one ball in play. I believe a similar draft lottery should be in play every season. Any team that makes the playoffs should get one ball and teams that don't make the playoffs should get an extra ball.

One should be cautious about trying to lose anyway. Edmonton provides a sobering example. The Oilers had 3 1st overall picks in a row from 2010-2012, drafting Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov respectively. Again this season, the Oilers have a solid chance of landing the 1st overall pick. The junior hockey league is significantly easier than the NHL. Numerous players have played well at the junior level only to falter in the NHL. Pat Falloon is perhaps the most notable example. His best year was his rookie year, when he notched 59 points, which is solid. If you want to be successful in the NHL you can't just draft the best players year after year. nor, can you buy a championship team with a salary cap in place. Instead, success arises from a combination of solid drafting, good development and recruiting good free agents. Plus, you need a coach/system that gels with the team you have.

Shootouts

Shootouts have been in place to settle tie games that go beyond five minutes of overtime since 2005. You either love shootouts or you hate them. Skilled teams love them. Teams that miss the playoffs by one or two points hate them. The NHL General Managers discussed the issue during their meetings in March. It was forwarded to the competition committee to play 3-on-3 hockey in OT as a way to reduce the number of games decided in the shootout.

In an attempt to reduce the number of shootouts, teams switched ends and there was a dry scrape of the ice, by the Zamboni for the first month and then the ice crew only for the rest of the season. The effort appeared to have little effect. This season, 291 games went beyond regulation time and of those, 173 or 59.4% went to a shootout.

Admittedly, the shootout is not an ideal way to end games but I would take it over a tie game. It would be nice to see more games end before the shootout so I am in favor of some 3 on 3 hockey. There are two proposed formats in play. In one format, teams would start OT 4 on 4 and move to 3 on 3 at the 1st whistle after the 3rd minute. In the second format, OT would be only 3 on 3. I suspect the former will be more likely to be implemented

Goalie Interference

A third hot button issue that came up this season is goalie interference. This has always been a grey area, as often times goalies will flop at any contact to sell a call. My view is the goalie's space is the blue paint and the goalie must have that space. However, I do not think we should go back to 1999 where the Stanley cup was decided on a Brett Hull goal when he had a toe in the blue paint but was not touching the goalie.

At the same time, goalies are not built to take a body check so they must be treated more delicately. In terms of questionable goals, the call should be allowed to be overturned on the basis of interference vs. no interference. I like the idea proposed during the GM meetings where a coach can challenge a call like interference provided the team has a time out.

Five Canadian teams in the Playoffs

Canadian teams overall had great success with five of the seven teams making the playoffs. Toronto and Edmonton were the only teams to miss the playoffs and boy, did they ever. Edmonton's collapse was less surprising given their recent history. Toronto was actually in a playoff position heading into the new year,  then they fired coach Randy Carlyle and the team just gave up. The Leafs won just 5 times after the new year.

Ottawa and Winnipeg snuck in as wildcard seeds and both have potential to do some damage in the playoffs. Their goalies Andrei Pavelec and Andrew Hammond are both on ridiculous hot streaks.

Vancouver is having a bounce back year after missing the playoffs last season. Clearly John Torterella was a bad hire that tried to implement/force upon the Canucks a system that wasn't ideal for their players. They had many injuries last season and their stars, Sedins, Edler and Burrows especially had career low stats and looked awful.

Calgary is a team that is up and coming. They were not expected to make the playoffs and that alone means they should not be taken lightly. Every time the Canucks and Flames have met in round one, the winner has gone on to the cup final.

Will the trend continue? Will we see a Habs-Canucks or Habs-Flames final. Personally, I would love to see the former  match-up as the Canucks and Habs are the two teams I follow most. It's very possible it could happen as the league is wide open this year and every team has weaknesses.


The Habs Season That Was

Montreal had a strong season this year. As mentioned, the bar to even secure a playoff berth was exceptionally high, so it was a massive accomplishment to secure home ice advantage. Do the Habs have concerns heading into the playoffs? Absolutely, but so does virtually every team this year.

Look at Ottawa. Sure, they are riding a hot goalie but Hammond is bound to cool off sometime and the Senators are inexperienced in the playoffs and bound to make mistakes. I thought GM Marc Bergevin made some solid trades this season, getting depth on defense in  Sergei Gonchar and getting rid of bad contracts like Rene Bourque.

Dustin Tokarski held his own as a backup. Carey Price was Carey Price and carried the team on his shoulders numerous times. The Habs must give him more goal support in the post-season or it could be an early exit. I think Montreal will prevail in the opening round but it won't be easy

Buckle up Habs fans. Get your beer and popcorn ready and #GoHabsGo

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Hockey Day in Canada

Yesterday was special day for two reasons, it was Valentine's day and it was Hockey Day in Canada. This is the day where Canadians come together to watch hockey and to participate in the many activities involving our national sport across our great nation. Yesterday, all seven Canadian NHL teams were in action with six of those teams facing each other. The exception this year is the Winnipeg Jets, who are in Detroit to face the Red Wings. In other games, Ottawa hosted Edmonton, Toronto visited Montreal and in the night game Vancouver was in Calgary to face the Flames. For Canadians, watching hockey on Saturday night is synonymous with Americans watching NFL football on Sundays. It's tradition.

My favorite part of hockey day in Canada, besides watching my three favorite Canadian NHL teams, Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver, is hearing some of the wonderful stories CBC produces to broadcast. These stories profile the exceptional people in hockey who have sacrificed so much to play the game of hockey or to help make it happen for others. Here is an example

As a side note, I was born and raised in the Lower Mainland in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver. We don't get enough snow or sustained freezing temperatures so I never experienced skating on an outdoor rink. However, I did attend the 2014 Heritage classic at BC Place stadium where the Canucks hosted the Senators. It was  OK, but BC Place is a football and soccer stadium. It is not built to host hockey games. As such, I was forced to watch the action on the jumbo-tron

The State of the Canadian NHL teams

Despite the Canadian dollar being weak at the moment, Canadian franchises are thriving. Even in Edmonton and Vancouver, where tickets can be bought dirt cheap, fans continue to fill the stadiums. The situation is not nearly as dire as it was in the mid 90's when Quebec City and Winnipeg were relocated to Colorado and Phoenix (Arizona now) respectfully.

In terms of being competitive, the Canadian franchises are doing well as a whole. Four of the seven Canadian teams have a very good chance of making the playoffs in April (Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Calgary). Edmonton and Ottawa will definitely be on the outside looking in and Toronto requires a strong finish to nab one of the two wildcard spots in the East, but they just started clearing house.

A Canadian-based team has not won a Stanley cup since 1993 when your Montreal Canadiens hoisted the trophy. At the moment, Montreal likely represents Canada's best hope of winning the Stanley cup, but by no means will it be an easy task

Canada internationally

Every year Canada participates in international hockey tournaments, including the World Junior hockey tournament, which brings together the best 19 and under hockey players in the world and the Spengler Cup, which is comprised of players playing in the European leagues. Canada always has and always will be able to put together teams that are medal favorites. This is a testament to the fantastic coaches we have and the wonderful hockey programs kids can enroll in. A medal is less of a guarantee on the larger international ice surfaces as, other than the Spengler Cup, players that play in these tournaments played in the smaller rinks of North America the entire hockey season. Still, one can never count a Canadian hockey team out.

The women's game has a little less parity. The two North American teams, Canada and USA dominate the tournaments and the European franchises get routed when they play Canada or USA. It is to the point where the IOC is considering removing women's hockey as an Olympic sport because only Canada and USA have ever competed for a gold medal. No other country has ever come close.

I would like to give a shout-out to all hockey parents reading this blog. Thank you for putting in the countless hours to allow your son or daughter to play hockey.

So enjoy the games this weekend Habs fans and Go Habs Go

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Looking ahead to the Habs final 35 games and beyond

Starting this Saturday, the Montreal Canadiens have 35 games left to play. After tonight's 1-0 win over the NY Rangers, the Habs are in 2nd place in the Atlantic division, a point behind the TB Lightning. Fittingly, the Habs are scheduled to play Tampa Bay three times in the month of March. If the playoffs started tomorrow, the Canadiens would face hated rivals Boston Bruins, who they defeated in a hard-fought seven game series last season.

The Month of February

The schedule makers have thrown the Canadiens a bit of a bone this month as the Habs play a bunch of teams currently out of the playoffs. In fact, 11 of the 14 teams Montreal plays in February are currently on the outside looking in. Toronto visits the Bell Center twice, on Valentine's day and two weeks later on the 28th. The Leafs fired coach Randy Carlyle January 6th and the team is in turmoil. The stiffest test will likely be February 24th vs. St. Louis. The Blues are a fast team and have players who can hit the net. One game the Habs will need to be wary of is on February 3rd against Buffalo. I say this because the Sabres are currently on a lengthy losing streak spanning 13 games and teams like this that desperately want to win a game to save face can be the most dangerous to play. Also, earlier this season, the Sabres swept a home-and-home series that was closer than it should have been thanks to the goaltending. Montreal has two back-to-backs in February, so expect Dustin Tokarski to get a couple of starts this month. It is essential that Montreal win most of the games this month. Most of the games are versus teams that have zero chance of making the playoffs. As you will see below the schedule for March is much more difficult

The Month of March

Habs fans, brace yourselves, the month of March is going to be a difficult mountain to climb. In the first week of March, Montreal goes on a California road trip where they will meet the top team in the NHL (Anaheim Ducks) March 4th and the defending Stanley Cup champs (LA Kings) the next night. Oh yeah, and March 2nd Montreal visits San Jose to start the trip. It might be a challenge not to look past this game for the players. When the Habs return home from that California adventure, they face Tampa Bay in the first of three meetings over twenty days. A quick note about Tampa Bay. I think Montreal was fortunate to sweep the Lightning. I still think they would have won last year's playoff round with a fully healthy Steven Stamkos in the line-up. However, Stamkos was barely back from his broken leg last year. This season, Stamkos has been lighting it up and he burned the Habs a few times this season. This month will be a good chance to prepare to playoff-style competition. The teams Montreal faces are the top teams in the league and Montreal needs to figure out how to beat these teams now as they will be facing teams very similar to them in terms of difficulty level a few weeks later

The month of April

At this point, Montreal should have locked down a playoff spot if they win the games they are supposed to win in February and March. If that is the case, some of the veterans such as Subban, Pacioretty and Markov may sit out a game or so to rest for the playoffs. Also, Carey Price will likely back-up Tokarski a couple of games. Three of the five games this month are against non-playoff teams (Florida, Toronto and NJ). The Habs also play Washington and Detroit. There is one back-to-back scheduled April 2-3.

Potential Playoff Match-ups

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, the Habs would face rival Boston if the playoffs started tomorrow. However, this matchup is far from certain as there is still a lot of hockey to be played. I think the current eight playoff teams will end up being the eight that eventually make the playoffs as eighth place New York Rangers have an eight-point cushion over 9th place Florida at the moment. Other potential playoff opponents are the Rangers and the Capitals. I think Montreal has the best chance against Boston, followed by Washington and then NY. Montreal faced two of the three in last year's playoffs, losing to NY in the 3rd round and defeating Boston in 7 in the 2nd round. The last time Montreal and Washington met in the playoffs was in the 1st round of the 09-10 season when the then 8th seeded Habs defeated the top seeded Capitals in seven entertaining games. One cannot make any comparisons between the teams as both Montreal and Washington have undergone significant personnel changes in the past five years, especially Washington who has a completely different coach in Barry Trotz. Anyway, Montreal should be able to beat any of these teams on any given night. Of course the challenge is to do it four times in seven games or less. I think doing so will be toughest against NY, who has pretty much the same line-up as last year and has proven to be a tough match-up this season, including a 5-0 spanking by NY back in November, but Carey Price was not in goal for that one-sided lost. Price is the X factor!

The next 35 games should be fun to watch. Go Habs Go!

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The Flaw in Picking the All-Star Teams

How does one decide who is worthy of playing in the NHL All-star game. Do you go by individual stats, popularity, or the strength of teams?

Popularity rules when it comes to picking the starting line-ups, as the starters are determined by fan votes. Largely, you see the same players year after year, such as Sidney Crosby or Patrick Kane. Occasionally, you will see a less popular player get voted in if they are having a stellar season

For the rest of the line-ups, GM's and other NHL executives pick the players. Of course, a big challenge is representing all 30 NHL teams. A lot of times, players that should make the team due to individual stats are left off the roster because of the need to pick players from other teams. For example, PK Subban was not picked for the 2015 all-star game. In my hometown of Vancouver, the Sedin Twins were left off the roster. Looking at this issue from a team performance standpoint, 1st place Montreal has only goalie Carey Price going to the all-star game. On the other hand, Columbus, currently in 12th place has three players playing in the all-star game. Yes, I recognize that Columbus is hosting the all-star game this year. However, that should not be reason enough to send three players to the all-star game. I think individual stats and position of team in the standings should carry more weight than merely hosting the game.

There is still a chance Subban could be added to the roster if a player (defenseman) pulls out of the game due to injury, personal reasons, or simply needing to recharge the batteries. Congratulations to Carey Price for making the all-star team. He is a great choice to represent the Habs based on another outstanding start to the season. Price has been the MVP of the team, allowing the Habs to win games they should have lost.

#GoHabsGo

A Habs Fan blogging from BC

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A Bag of Pucks: Thoughts from the Hockey World

Hey Habs fans, it's been a couple of weeks since my last post and a lot has been happening in Habs Nation and the hockey world. Here are my two cents on some of the major events

Rene Bourque Trade

On November 20th Rene Bourque was traded to Anaheim in exchange for 6'5" defenseman Bryan Allen. This was a win-win trade. Bourque gets a fresh start in Anaheim after falling out of favor in Montreal after some indifferent play. On November 9th Bourque was waived by the Canadiens and sent to Hamilton the next day. This trade will free up significant cap space and will allow forwards like Jiri Sekac to see more ice time. Meanwhile, Montreal gets added insurance on defense in case of injury. Allen won't be contributing much to the offense, but he's a solid veteran who can perform in a top-four pairing. Expect to see him on the 3rd pairing with time on the PK unit.

Mr. Hockey takes a turn for the worst

Hockey Legend Gordie Howe is in ill health after suffering a massive stroke October 26th. On November 16th, Howe took a turn for the worse suffering some minor strokes and also feeling the effects of a previous back injury that was worsening his dementia. Howe is a living legend in hockey having played through parts of five decades. He really opened the game up for youth who followed and idolized him. Habs fans raise your sticks to Mr. Hockey and pray for the best for him.

Legendary coach Pat Quinn dies

Pat Quinn sadly passed away on Sunday November 23rd passed away after a lengthy illness. While he never coached the Montreal Canadiens, defenseman PK Subban was on the 2009 World Junior team coached by Quinn. Pat Quinn was instrumental in resurrecting the Vancouver Canucks. He served as GM and President of the Canucks from 1987-1997. He was head coach from 1991-1994 after a ban was lifted preventing him from coaching after selecting Pavel Bure a year before his draft eligibility. Quinn held the GM/head coach positions for the Toronto Maple Leafs 1998-2005. I had the privilege of meeting the legendary coach at a Canucks fan appreciation event in 1995. The hockey world truly lost a legend in Pat Quinn. Rest in peace coach.

Edmonton Oilers fire goalie coach

On November 11, the Edmonton Oilers fired goalie coach Frederic Chabot. I choose to write about this topic because it exemplifies how NOT to run a hockey team. The Edmonton Oilers were once a feared franchise, winning five Stanley Cups in the 80's. However, since that time, the weak Canadian dollar affected the Oilers ability to sign and keep top players. From 2010-2012 the Oilers had the first overall pick in the entry draft and selected Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov respectively. Clearly, the Oilers have issues having given up the most goals in the league. However, it is easy to make a coach the scapegoat for poor play, but at the end of the day it is on the players. Also, the coach can only work with what he is given. GM Craig McTavish also has to take some blame for poor drafting decisions and not getting the right players in free agency. No, the Oilers will not make the playoffs this season.

Current Playoff Standings 

If the playoffs started tomorrow, five of the seven Canadian teams would make the playoffs (your Montreal Canadiens, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Winnpeg). Only Edmonton and Ottawa would be on the outside looking in.With just over a quarter of the season in the books, the Habs are in a six way tie for 1st in the league. By virtue of having played an extra game, the Habs are officially 4th in the East. I love that they have beat the hated Bruins thrice and Detroit twice. Goalie Carey Price has been spectacular. Jiri Sekac has been effective in the Habs bottom six. GM Marc Bergevin's moves have all paid off thus far. Hopefully the team continues to thrive as the season goes forward. I hope all five of the teams make it to the playoffs because I want to see a Canadian team win the cup. Although realistically, Montreal and Vancouver are the two most likely teams to make it all the way to the cup finals.

Brandon Gallagher extended six seasons

Finally on November 30, the Habs extended forward Brandon Gallagher to a six-year deal that will expire after the 2020-21 season. While Gallagher is a good player signing, such a lengthy deal is always risky. First, one can't predict the health of a player. Hockey is a violent sport and there is always the risk of injury. Another factor is by signing a lengthy deal, the motivation to perform at a high level might be down. Gallagher has a guaranteed contract the next six years. He doesn't have to worry about earning his next contract for a few years. I like Gallagher as a player so I think he will likely provide scoring and grit for the Habs.

Go Habs go

Habs fan blogging from BC

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Eller Needs To Go So Galchenyuk Can…

By Eitan Calmy (@habsaddict)

Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America

ELLER NEEDS TO GO SO “GALCHENYUK CAN PLAY CENTRE”

Lars Eller is a third line centre. He will never be anything more than that. If the organization and Lars himself don’t make that clear to each other, Eller will be another one of those players that everyone will always wonder about. What if this? What if that?

Some will say that I’m being hard, but I’m not. He has had his chances. He’s going to be a very good shut down guy with some offensive upside. As long as Eller does not accept that role he will always be playing musical chairs, on the wrong line and with the wrong teammates. He has consistency issues. When expected to produce, it's as if he cracks under pressure. He fits the third-line centre role perfectly. When on his game, extremely reliable defensively and can surprise you with speed and strength which will create some offense. 

David Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec aren’t going anywhere as long as they have contracts. Desharnais has no trade value due in part to what I write below. Plekanec is one of the best two-way players in the game. He is a good second-line centre and in a perfect world probably the best third-line centre in the game. I would hesitate to move him.

Desharnais is untouchable. For some strange reason Montreal Canadiens management and coaching refuse to entertain the possibility of playing Max Pacioretty with anybody else. It is undeniable that they have chemistry. Desharnais is a very good playmaker. But if he’s that good, then why not try different line combinations? Why not test Plekanec with Pacioretty or Galchenyuk with Pacioretty?

To be very clear, if I thought that there was any chance the organization would even consider trading Desharnais, the title of this article would be: “Desharnais needs to go so... “

Why fix or toy with something that’s not broken? Because your number one centre is undersized, because your number one centre can’t play shorthanded. Because your number one centre can’t play in crucial defensive missions; whether it’s to preserve a lead or play against other teams top

lines. David Desharnais is and always will be a one-dimensional player. In my opinion, and please know that as a fan that bleeds Blue/White/Red, it hurts to say this, but “the Montreal Canadiens will not win a Stanley Cup as long as David Desharnais is the number one centre.”

It’s becoming more and more evident that Alex Galchenyuk is a special player. He has more natural skills than anybody on the current line-up. His passes are divine and his puck control is comparable to the elite players in the league. Michel Therrien has to let him express himself. The coach needs to, has to free Galchenyuk from Plekanec. He needs to let him spread his wings and fly. Galchenyuk is ready. Game after game he shows his creativity, his passion and skill. Other than Max Pacioretty’s scoring ability, Alex Galchenyuk is the next best thing, maybe better. With all due respect to Plekanec and Gallagher, they are simply not skilled enough to play with the future star. I’d even say that there’s probably no forward on this team that’s talented enough to play at Galchenyuk’s level or simply follow his lead. One of the only players that has been able to finish what he has started was PK Subban.  

If the Montreal Canadiens won’t move Desharnais from that top line, then they have to find a way to make a trade and add a "Power Forward" to the team that can play at the level that Galchenyuk is capable of. That being said I am not saying it’s easy because every single team in the league wants those big forwards that can’t score.

Montreal will have to make the right offer, they will probably have to overpay. I am not a GM but it’s obvious that it will at the very least cost one or two established guys from your line-up + either Jarred Tinordi or Nathan Beaulieu and probably a first-round draft pick. In order to get you have to give. Those of you that think it’s too much, well it’s never going to happen.  

I have complete confidence in Marc Bergevin and I strongly believe that we are in good hands for many years to come. The Montreal Canadiens have a 14-5-1 record. The team has had a great stretch as of late; however, just as Bergevin has done so far, you can always improve and I strongly believe that the big step forward will occur when Galchenyuk becomes that #1 centre.

1.       Who do you think should be moved in order for Galchenyuk to play centre?

2.       Does Michel Therrien have what it takes to bring Subban, Galchenyuk and others to the next level or just like in Pittsburgh, the Canadiens will have to bring somebody else to finish the job?

3.        Do you think Bergevin will pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade?

4.       Will the #Habs maintain their position for the rest of the season or is this just an illusion?

Eitan Calmy ( @habsaddict  )

I’m a fan just like all you other wackos out there. These are my opinions and if you do or don’t like them tweet me or comment on the post. I often comment on referees as I was an official for over 15 years. Hockey is more than just a sport, it’s a way of life!

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Eight thoughts after eight games

Hey Habs fans. It's been a while since I lasted posted here and I have a few thoughts on the Habs and NHL I wish to share with you. Please feel free to weigh in and comment.

The Schedule. The schedule makers did Montreal no early favors starting them off with a tough four games in six night road trip. Then, immediately after the first home-stand which ended last night vs. the NY Rangers, the Canadiens pack their bags and head out on a Western Canada road trip through Alberta and BC. In fact, the Habs play virtually either every night or every other night right through December 5th. The following week they play just twice. It will be interesting to see how the fatigue factor comes into effect with so much hockey to be played the next six weeks or so.

Goaltending Just prior to the start of the regular season on October 5th, GM Marc Bergevin traded veteran goaltender Peter Budaj to the Winnipeg Jets for forward Eric Tangradi. The move effectively made rookie Dustin Tokarski the new backup to starter Carey Price. There was some concern heading into the season about the health of Price, whose playoff run ended early on this dirty play by Rangers pest Chris Krieder. Price has proven that he is back and better than ever. Through his first seven starts, he has allowed 18 goals on 190 shots for a .913 save %and a 2.67 goals against average. Those numbers are improving every game and are bound to improve as the season progresses. Meanwhile, Tokarski has made two appearances, starting in Washington and performing mop-up duty in TB. I'm not worried about the goaltending. This tandem of Price and Tokarski will give the Habs a chance to win on most nights.

Canada's Team? Although it is a brief sample, after eight games, Montreal looks like Canada's best hope to win a Stanley Cup. Toronto has its usual goaltending problems, Ottawa is also off to a good start, but they are a young team and will not be able to sustain the effort all season. In the west, the Canucks have a older team and are atrocious in the faceoff circle. Winnipeg's Evander Kane has demanded a trade and anytime you have an unhappy player in the locker room it creates division. Also, the team still very much resembles the one it inherited when Atlanta relocated to Winnipeg three seasons ago. Edmonton has a comical way of defending and Calgary is very much in a rebuilding stage, likely in the running for Connor McDavid. Montreal currently has a great mix of players who are just entering their prime at the same time, from defenseman PK Subban to Price. The Habs resemble the 2011 Vancouver Canucks squad who dominated the league and nearly brought the Stanley Cup back to Canada.

The Refereeing. So far, the refereeing hasn't been stellar. Case in point, opening night Toronto scored a goal that should have been blown dead due to an obvious offside. The following night vs. Washington, the Habs had two goals called back in the 3rd period. This season, the referees are conferencing on controversial calls. I'm still an advocate for increased video review, especially on goals that should or should not be counted. I think penalty calls should continue to be discretionary with the exception of too many men on the ice calls. That penalty is not called often enough in my opinion. I also think coaches challenges are worth trying in the AHL or junior league or a preseason game next year.

Shootouts. The shootout has been a controversial addition to NHL games. Introduced after the 2003-04 lockout in an effort to make sure there are no ties in hockey, many games that have gone beyond 60 minutes have been decided in the shootout. There are many fans who argue that the shootout is not a fair way to decide a game. There are some teams that just aren't good at a shootout. The Vancouver Canucks have been traditionally bad at it. Also, you might have a game where one side plays awful but manages to get to a shootout and because they are good at the skill game they win. In an effort to cut down on the number of games decided by the shootout, the NHL implemented a few changes. First, at the end of regulation there is a dry scrape of the ice. Second teams switch ends, thus making line changes harder when tired. Finally, the spin-o-rama has been eliminated as a legal move in the shootout. Have the changes worked? Of the 27 games that have gone beyond regulation time, 15 of them have required a shootout. I think the switching of sides is a good idea but perhaps the dry scrape has the opposite effect. By dry scraping the ice, the puck sticks  to the surface. Teams need more incentive to win in regulation or OT. I propose that teams get three points for winning in regaulation, two for overtime and just a single point for winning in a shootout. The losing team gets nothing at all.

Expansion/Relocation. There has been much debate of expanding the league by a couple of teams. Las Vegas, Seattle and Quebec City. Before considering expansion, one has to ask whether there is enough viable NHL talent that an expansion team would win consistently? Currently the Carolina Hurricanes are winless and there are several teams that have won just twice in their 7 or 8 games. There is an imbalance of talent between conferences with the West generally dominating and the Eastern conference having a few teams doing well, including your Habs. If the NHL wants to go the relocation route, Florida would be a prime candidate to move. Their attendance has been abysmal the last few seasons, especially this one. Part of the problem is the Panthers aren't winning despite having to spend tons of money on high-end talent just to make the cap floor. Also, the Panthers are having to compete with the MLB (Miami Marlins), NFL (Miami Dolphins), college football, and NBA (Miami Heat). In my opinion, the league should not consider expansion but should definitely consider relocating teams like Florida and Carolina. I highly doubt the league would simply fold a team like Florida due to loss of revenue. Instead, I can see the league relocating to a more viable location.

Ottawa Tragedy I would like to give a shoutout to the fallen Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who was gunned down Wednesday in a terrorist attack that could have ended so much worse if not for the quick action of Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers who killed the lone gunman. Like many of you I was moved by the actions of bystanders who tried in vain to save the fallen Cirillo. Kudos to every NHL team who played the Canadian anthem and honored our fallen soldier, I wish MLB had followed suit instead of simply releasing a statement on behalf of the Toronto Blue Jays. I do not wish to turn this blog into a political debate. However, we must not condone the actions of extremists. In times like this week, we are not Habs fans, we are Canadian citizens who stand together as one united voice that terrorists will not win. Please hug your loved ones tonight and keep in your thoughts and prayers those currently fighting overseas and/or enrolled in the military. #OttawaStrong.

Playoff Rematch. Montreal faced Tampa Bay, Boston and NY Rangers respectively in their lengthy playoff run last season. Already they have had one game against each this season. One has to wonder if the Habs would have beaten Tampa Bay if a healthy Steven Stamakos was available. When the Habs faced the Lightning, Stamakos had only recently returned from a bad break in his leg on this play. Based on the start he has had this season, if he was healthy last season, the Habs would have had a tougher fight on their hands at the very least. The Habs defeated the Bruins in an entertaining battle that featured 10 goals. Finally tonight, they exacted their revenge in a clinical 3-1 victory over the Rangers. Not surprisingly, Chris Kreider was booed mercifully after he took out Carey Price in last year's playoffs. All in all, it's great to see the start Montreal has had to their season

Go Habs Go

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The Battle of Quebec: Canadiens vs. Nordiques

Last Friday night the Montreal Canadiens played the Colorado Avalanche in a preseason tilt in Quebec City. Habs fans, you may recall that the Colorado Avalanche were once the Quebec Nordiques until 1995. Citing lack of fans and a weak Canadian dollar, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman moved the team to Colorado following the lockout shortened 1994-95 season

History of the Quebec Nordiques

The Nordiques were initially part of the World Hockey Association commencing in 1972 and ending in 1979, when they joined the NHL. Interesting fact: the first head coach of the Quebec Nordiques was Canadiens legend Maurice "Rocket" Richard. Maurice only lasted two games before deciding that coaching wasn't for him.

The Nordiques had several great players from Burnaby Joe Sakic to Peter Stastny. However, the most controversial draft pick was Eric Lindros. Lindros was picked first overall in the 1991 NHL draft. Leading up to the big day, Lindros was very clear about not wanting Quebec to pick him. After the Nordiques chose him, Lindros refused to sign and eventually the team was forced to trade Lindros to the Philadelphia Flyers for several players, including Peter Forsberg. This will forever go down as the beginning of the end for the Nordiques. Lindros's refusal to sign surely didn't help the Nordiques with future signings. Thus, they had to ice an inferior line-up.

Quebec made the playoffs nine times in their 16 season existence. Their two best showings were in 1982 when they made it to the Wales Conference Finals before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, the New York Islanders. In 1985, they also lost in the Wales Conference finals, this time to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games. What will forever burn in Quebec Nordiques hockey fans craw is that Colorado won the Stanley Cup in their first year in the league. In fact, the Avalanche absolutely dominated the NHL that season.

Montreal vs. Quebec Memorable Moments

The playoffs is where rivalries are made. Montreal and Quebec met five times with your Montreal Canadiens prevailing in three of those series. There were some great battles to be had, both in the playoffs and in the regular season. I will highlight a few here.

Perhaps the most famous incident occurred during the second round of the 1984 NHL Playoffs. It was April 20, 1984, Good Friday and game 6 of the series. Montreal was leading the series 3 games to 2 and there was a faceoff just outside the Nordiques blueline with seven seconds left in the 2nd Period. The Canadiens won it and were pressuring Quebec late in the period. As the final horn sounded, Habs center Guy Carbonneau bumped Quebec goalie Dan Bouchard. Nordiques defenseman Dale Hunter took exception and tackled Carbonneau to the ice. Then both teams benches emptied and pretty well every player on the ice started fighting. The brawl continued when the two teams came back on the ice for the 3rd period. In total, ten players were ejected and evidently the brawl sparked the Habs as they went on to score five time in the final frame to eliminate Quebec from the playoffs.

Game 7 of the 1985 Adams Conference quarter-finals was another memorable game. Game sevens are generally a battle till you die competition. Oftentimes, the games can bring out the best in the two sides leading to an entertaining match that gives fans their money's worth. This one was no exception. Montreal and Quebec played an exciting game which was eventually won in overtime by Quebec. Habs fans, I highly recommend that you click on the link and check out this classic battle of Quebec.

Finally, April 26th, 1995 is the last time the Montreal Canadiens faced the Quebec Nordiques before they relocated to Colorado. This game might not have been an epic classic (the game ended in a 1-1 tie) but this date signifies the end of a solid hockey rivalry. Looking at the regular season, the Habs and Nordiques met 114 times with Montreal winning 62 times, Quebec winning 41 games and 12 games ending in a draw.

Should the NHL return to Quebec City?

Absolutely. Canada has a rich history with hockey and there is no question that Quebec can support a second NHL team. Winnipeg is proof of that. The Jets returned to the NHL after a 15-year hiatus. They were also relocated, to Phoenix, a year after the Nordiques moved to Colorado. I think having a second team in Quebec would increase the number of young French Canadians who take up hockey. Plus it would give Montreal a natural rivalry. I truly believe there are enough hockey fans to support two NHL teams in Quebec. Many of the Nordique fans became Habs fans and I am certain that if Quebec City were to get their team back so too would they get their original fans and more. There is much talk of expanding the league in the future. However, for Quebec City to be considered, there will be many hurdles to jump over. First and foremost, Quebec City needs to build a new arena that meets NHL standards (which they are doing right now). Second, the city will have to prove that it has the fan base to support an NHL franchise. Similar to what happened in Winnipeg, Quebec City would have to sell a certain number of tickets in a short time frame. I truly believe that one day hockey should and will return to Quebec City because the NHL needs Canada and Winnipeg is proof that a smaller market in Canada can absolutely support an NHL franchise.

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