Habs Face Leafs In Crucial Season Finale, Price/PK struggling, Kristo To Represent USA And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Carey Price will need to be on his game tonight if he gets the
start against Toronto.

 The Montreal Canadiens are in Toronto tonight to face the Maple Leafs in the final game of the season for both teams. Toronto has owned the Canadiens this season winning three out of the first four meetings including two blowouts.

Montreal has already clinched home ice in the first round of the playoffs but will need to give all they have tonight regardless to prove to themselves they can keep up with the Leafs. There is a very high probablility that these two teams will meet in the first round of the post season and there is no doubt that Toronto will try to make a statement tonight.

It's no secret that the Leafs are a bigger and tougher team and I would be surprised if they didn't bring their physicality to tonight's tilt to initimidate the Habs. Brendan Gallagher will undoubtedly be a target as he has been a pest against Toronto all season.

If Carey Price starts in goal you can be sure that there will be alot of crease crashing in an attempt to get him off his game. If the Leafs can get inside his head the Habs will have a hard time making it through to the second round.

This is one of the Canadiens most important games of the season. A playoff berth may have been clinched for over a week and home ice may be secured but it is imperative that their offence is buzzing, their defence is strong and their goaltending stellar. I do believe that once the playoffs start the season means nothing and everything resets but when one team has been as dominant as the Leafs have been over the Habs this year the importance of one last win can not be ignored.

If you were Michel Therrien, would you rest guys like Andrei Markov and Francis Bouillon to prepare them for the playoffs. Would you have Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk sit to avoid possible injury?

How about between the Pipes? Should Price sit to avoid further humiliation against a team that has had no problem putting pucks past him or would you give him the chance to prove to the team as well as himself that he is capable of leading this team past Toronto?

Habs And Hockey News

- Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98) points out that the penalty kill also plays a factor into the Habs recent struggles.

- Andrew Berkshire @AndrewBerkshire brings up some good points in questioning whether or not this is Marc Bergevin's team that has brought success back to Montreal.

- Hamilton Bulldogs forward Danny Kristo will represent team U.S.A. in the upcoming World Championships in May.


(Photo by Bryanna Bradley/The Gazette)

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Time for Marc Bergevin to Put His Imprint on the Montreal Canadiens

Although I am usually a pessimistic voice when it come to the Montreal Canadiens, I must admit that when it comes to the work carried out by Marc Bergevin, I find it oddly difficult to complain.

I have been the consummate advocate against the Habs management, or should I say the lack thereof.  For the better part of a decade, the General Manager, whether Bob Gainey or Pierre Gauthier, seemed to live in a world of his own, with a supposed plan which resulted in an apparent lack of direction. Ultimately, this created confusion for the coaching staff and the players.

Draft picks, prospects and rookies alike were mishandled. Players were sometimes rushed to the NHL, others left rotting in the minors while the majority were scratching their heads trying to figure out things on their own.

As hockey fans, we heard stories of players like Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin or Jeff Skinner being nurtured by the organization that drafted them. They were invited to live with key players, taught how to eat, train and live away from the ice. They were given every luxury needed for them to succeed.

In Montreal, however, there was a perception of almost being abandoned. How many stories have we collectively heard of the involvement of the Kostitsyn brothers with the Russian Mob, or Carey Price out late partying up a storm?

Way too many to count.

Insert Marc Bergevin. How can I complain about a man who, despite being hired just a little over two months ago, has completely revamped his coaching, management and player personnel departments.

Bergevin has inserted a team of hard working, character guys throughout all levels of this organization. He has expanded the group of amateur scouts and player development personnel. Now, the team has a complete staff of individuals who, as a collective, will help mold young assets.

And, eventually, these individuals will help turn prospects and picks into character, NHL calibre players. To me, this was a crucial step if the Montreal Canadiens ever wanted to regain their form as an elite NHL franchise.

Despite this, Twitter and Facebook alike are screaming with fans who want more.

To them I say, sure, more could have been done in terms of player movement. The Habs could have traded this player or could have offered $7.5 million per season for Shane Doan. But, in my books, in order to excel on the ice, we need a team that excels off of it.

Having said that, with off ice improvements largely taken care of, it’s now time for Marc Bergevin to make this team his own.

I would have to think that the only thing holding Bergevin back is the uncertainty of not having a season in 2012-13.

Can you imagine the embarrassment of parting ways with a highly touted prospect like Jarred Tinordi in exchange for a player like Ryan Getzlaf only to watch him depart as a UFA at the end of the year because of a lockout?

Maybe I am off my rocker on this one, but you'd have to think that it is the only thing holding Bergevin back right now, because there is simply no chance that the current roster will be the one iced at the start of the season. There are just too many holes.

For me there are five glaring issues: a lack of top end left wingers, a lack of right handed d-man capable of top-four minutes, a lack of physicality on defense, a 24 man roster and, of course, Scott Gomez.

The belief is that the final two issues go together. Scott Gomez will find himself in Hamilton for the start of this season, thereby reducing the roster to the appropriate 23 men, and saving the Habs $7.4 million in cap space.

Personally, I do not see that happening. I firmly believe that Gomez will be part of the opening day roster, thereby making Michael Blunden the odd man out, but that’s a whole other debate, isn’t it?

Instead I want to look at how to address the top three issues: left wingers, right handed D and additional physicality.

Are you an Arm Chair GM?

We all like to play arm chair GM.

It’s the aspect of hockey that I enjoy most. Where most kids dream of one day being an NHL player, for me it was always being an NHL GM.

Personally, I play NHL '12 almost every single day and, at any given time, have about five seasons going on at once.  One season has the actual roster for the year and then four seasons include a complete roster shake up.

I just destroy the team, keeping a handful of players, primarily Subban, Price and Pacioretty. Then, I just completely revamp the team to my liking and include some of my favourite players.

So, as the consummate Arm Chair GM here is my solution to the Canadiens roster for 2012-13:

Trade 1: Montreal trades Brian Gionta to the New jersey Devils in exchange for Anton Volchenkov.

Analysis:  The Devils are looking for a veteran presence with goal scoring ability to fill the void left by Zack Parise's departure. Gionta’s familiarity with the Devils' locker room, on-ice production and leadership qualities would be highly welcome by New Jersey.

Montreal would secure another big physical defensemen with above average shot blocking abilities who, although left handed, has played the majority of his career on the right side. Trading Gionta would also free up a right winger roster spot allowing Rene Bouque to return to his natural position.

Trade 2: Montreal trades Tomas Kaberle and a fourth round draft pick to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Daniel Cleary.

Analysis:. The Detroit Red Wings are in need of a defensemen given the loss of Brad Stuart and Niklas Lidstrom. Although Kaberle is not an elite player, he remains a great puck moving defensemen who will profit from the high octane offense of the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings have a history of rejuvenating the careers of players like Larry Murphy, Chris Chelios, Daniel Cleary, Todd Bertuzzi and others. Tomas Kaberle should be no different.

Montreal would gain the character, grit and leadership that Daniel Cleary brings. He is also an elite penalty killer capable of playing all three forward positions. More importantly, the loss of Kaberle would free up cap space and a roster spot on the blueline.

Trade 3: Montreal trades Rafael Diaz, Danny Kristo and a second round pick obtained from Nashville to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Brendan Morrow.

Analysis:  The cash strapped Dallas Stars would free valuable cap space and add some youth to both the defense and forward units.

Montreal would secure the services of a player they have long coveted and reinforces a position where they desperately need reinforcements.

Overall, Montreal would lose Gionta, Kaberle, Diaz — who make a combined $10.5 million —Kirsto and a couple of draft picks. They would be replaced by Morrow, Volchenkov and Cleary who make a combined $11.35 million.

My team for the start of the 2012-13 season would be:

Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole

Morrow-Plekanec-Bourque

Moen-Eller-Cleary

Prust-White-Armstrong

Nokelainen

Markov-Volchenkov

Gorges-Subban

Bouillon-Emelin

Weber

Price

Budaj

Although the Canadiens would get slightly older, they would add some additional leadership, some grit, and wiggle room by acquiring two contracts expiring at season's end.

Like I said, it's fun to play Arm Chair GM!

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Bryan is a Marketer by day, writer for HabsAddict.com by night and full time fan of the game. Follow me on twitter @BryanWilley78 but don't bother looking for me on Facebook, I'm just too old for that now!

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Remembering Past Glories: Bringing Back Sam Pollock

Before I lead you all in a short salutation on the highs, lows, and legends of General Managers past, and present, I wanted to thank Louis and Kamal on the opportunity to join a great team of Montréal Canadiens fans, and an even greater team of writers that hope to give you, the loyal fans of les glorieux, a voice on all things Habs.

With that said, despite my age — 22 — my passion for the Canadiens began with the cup win in 1993, and was cemented by former Habs Captain, and current Anaheim Duck, Saku Koivu. Despite the muddy atmosphere of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, Saku’s dedication to the game, his battle with cancer and his return to the ice on April 9th, 2002, epitomizes the spirit and history of the Canadiens: winning, respect, determination and dedication. It is these four qualities that I hope to elaborate on, using the history of franchise to demonstrate a definitive winning culture in Montréal.

Considering the way Pierre Gauthier finished his tenure as the General Manager of the Montréal Canadiens, it seemed fairly easy for new hire Marc Bergevin to outshine his ill-equipped predecessor. It’s easy to retrospectively analyze Gauthier’s oft-criticized regime, yet when Habs fans were taken on a whirlwind tour of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, Bob Gainey and his then Assistant General Manager and Director of Professional Scouting were mildly heralded for bringing in a ‘wealth’ of undersized offensive talent in Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta and Michael Cammalleri.

These acquisitions, as well as the heroic netminding of Jaroslav Halak, enabled Gainey and Gauthier’s creation to exceed expectations and battle through the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in a David vs. Goliath fashion.

However, despite the magic of the 2010 playoff run, their lack of size and strength down the middle proved vital in their demise; the same, of course, could be said of their heartbreaking game seven loss to the Boston Bruins the following Spring. Nevertheless, both Gainey and Gauthier  only momentarily adjusted the fate of Québec’s storied institution.

Gauthier and Gainey were the masters of the quick-fix: ‘improvements’ that would allow their club to venture into the post-season and collect the extra revenue that forever accompanies playoff home games at the Bell Centre. And, though a fair share of their acquisitions allowed the Canadiens to temporarily avoid the basement of the Eastern Conference, the 2011-2012 season proved to finally reveal the deteriorating state of the Canadiens’ upper management team. In no particular order of ridiculousness, the Kaberle trade, the Cammalleri situation, the coaching firings and the ‘apology’ by Geoff Molson. Each separate event demonstrated how disorganized and out-of-sync the once perceived “classiest organization in the NHL” actually was.

On March 29, 2012, Molson made an announcement that shook Montréal.

Though Canadiens fans fathomed a release of Pierre Gauthier, when Molson officially announced the decision — pardon my eloquent wordiness — he sparked a cosmic and euphoric eruption in Montréal. The boo-birds were back in their nests, and hopeful sentiments began to resurface outside the Bell Centre. In the weeks following, rumours of the next Canadiens GM ran rampant: names like Patrick Roy, Jim Nill, Claude Loiselle, Pierre Mcguire, and even Scotty Bowman were making rounds. Yet, in the end, it was a former Chicago Blackhawk and Montréal native that outshined the other candidates, and on May 2, 2012, Bergevin was named General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Montréal Canadiens.

This decision alone began a new era of the Canadiens. Not only did Bergevin bring a certain aura of respectability and swagger to Montréal, but he also brought a breath of fresh air that settled the stench of Gauthier’s previous regime.

Communication. Communication. Communication.

That’s the main difference between Montréal’s former and current General Manager. It is this sense of communication with the media and fans that allowed the franchise’s loyal followers to sigh a sense of relief that the rebuilding management team would put enormous stock in player development and pro scouting.

And it’s at this time that my drawn out analysis of the Bergevin hire turns to a Canadiens legend, a regime that culminated in a dynastic and heroic representation of the NHL’s most storied franchise. Before the dark days of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, and before rookie Patrick Roy took the Canadiens on his back for a momentous Stanley Cup Victory in 1986, Sam Pollock was appointed General Manager of the Montréal Canadiens, effortlessly succeeding the late and great, Frank J. Selke.

Before I get into the first of a three part series on Pollock, my interest in the Hall of Famer was sparked by reading D’arcy Jenish’s The Montréal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory. Ironically, though including an introduction by former Canadiens Captain and General Manager Bob Gainey, the book delves into a myriad of issues that have both plagued and glorified the franchise. In respect to Pollock, Jenish’s notes on the former GM paved way for a mildly seamless association with Bergevin.

Though it’s premature to anoint Bergevin as the saviour of Les Glorieux, it’s easy to estimate where he’ll excel with the Canadiens: communication and player development. The latter of which is only further solidified through head amateur scout Trevor Timmins, who, if you haven’t already realized, took the NHL by storm on June 23rd with his selections in the 2012 NHL Draft. Though the Bergevin and Timmins selections were great, for this first article I want to introduce the partial similarities that Bergevin and the late Sam Pollock share regarding communication and loyalty.

In Jenish’s book, Jacques Lapperiere describes the extent at which Pollock initiated a sense of team unity and full-disclosure: “[He] demanded of each of one us that we always give the best of ourselves. But he was at the same time a man who knew how to be understanding and fatherly. When it wasn’t going well, he would come and see us in our rooms or sit beside us on the bus or train and give us advice and encouragement” (180). It seems, then, that permeating from Pollock’s management techniques is an affable quality of communication; a sense of team unity that not only encompasses the players on the ice, but also reflects the way management interacts.

Sound familiar?

“It takes everything to make a winning team. It takes a team effort, a team identity, everyone has to contribute and put everything on the table. You have a lot of little pieces working together to make a winning team.”—Marc Bergevin (May 2, 2012)

It is that sense of unity and communication that allowed Pollock — as well as his monumental trading techniques — to reach such a high level of success in Montréal. For Pollock, he had only one objective: victory. For Bergevin, building a foundation of a winning culture starts at the top; it not only seeps into the mindset of the players and fans, but it also helps establish a certain swagger that’s been lacking since Pollock took charge in ’63.

“My vision is to put the right people in place. The goal is winning, we will do the best we can for the fans.”—Bergevin (May 2, 2012)

There will never be another Sam Pollock, but if Bergevin can resurrect parts of the Hall of Famer’s philosophy to reinstate a winning culture in Montréal, then his and Molson’s effort to restore the class and respectability of the Canadiens will be in full motion.

Next up: Player development and maintaining young assets


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Derek is a Queen’s University student, and contributing writer for OTwinner, and HabsAddict.com. His passion for the Canadiens was solidified on April 9, 2002, when Saku Koivu returned from Burkitt’s lymphoma and became an emblem of perseverance and strength.

Follow Derek on Twitter
Sources:

Jenish, D’Arcy. The Montréal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory. Canada: Anchor Canada, 2009. Print.

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Patrice Brisebois and the Habs Player Development

For the first time in years, the Montreal Canadiens have rolled into the offseason with a (seemingly) clear plan and direction.

By now you've certainly heard about the successful haul Montreal had at last weekend's draft.

However leading up to draft weekend, new GM, Marc Bergevin, made several strong moves to bolster his management team.

One gets to know a GM's philosophy through their actions whether that is through trades, contracts they hand out, or people they hire.

For me, the thing I appreciate most about Bergevin's still young tenure, is his approach to player development. Or rather, the fact that so much emphasis is being put on that facet of the organization.

I still find it stunning how little of a focus Bob Gainey then Pierre Gauthier put on this pivotal area of any successful team. I mean, all of the shenanigans that Carey Price, Mike Komisarek, Chris Higgins and the brothers Kostitsyn went through in this city were the result of not being properly insulated.

These were young millionaires playing in a market where you are idolized as a God off the ice for what you do on it.

Yet management saw no reason to put in place any checks and balances. Worse yet, there was no one whose job it was to guide these young players, to show them the ropes and let them know how to maintain an even keel.

It was just "Here you go Mr. Nineteen-year-old...have a million dollars and go have fun at the strip clubs."

Umm, ya. Brilliant.

Enter Stage Left

If Gainey and Gauthier's failing was providing the proper framework for young players to develop in, then so far, it is looking like Bergevin is their antithesis.

By his actions and decisions, everything shows how much importance he places on drafting and properly developing young players.

Let's face it, this is the salary cap era and you can't continually buy players in order to win. No. You need a mix of veterans and young, supremely skilled, and cap friendly players on your team.

Under Gainey and Gauthier, we saw player after player show promise but eventually fizzle under the bright Montreal lights, only to find success elsewhere.

I have a feeling this will change under Bergevin.

Reading Dave Stubbs' excellent feature on Brisebois this morning, it is clear that Bergevin wants his young guns to know what they are getting into.

While Montreal can be the best place to play (when the crowd is behind you), it can also crush the strongest of souls when things are not going well (and the crowd turns).

What Brisebois will bring to the Habs plentiful array of young, stud defenseman, is not only an understanding of what it takes to be a winner on the ice, but also off it.

Moreover, he can prepare these 18 and 19-year-olds for life in Montreal and what that means (on and off the ice).

A Bright Future

Think back to, say, Carey Price.

Can you imagine him having had the luxury of speaking with Patrick Roy before joining the big club? Now imagine him working with Roy on a regular basis over the course of a few seasons, before being called up.

Picking his brain to learning about Montreal, about living with the weight of history, about the raucous party life, and about what it means to be a star in this city.

But, almost more importantly, learning about how fickle the Montreal crowd can be, and how they can rip you apart when things go bad.

Don't you think that advice and experience would have helped him through his second (brutal) year with the team? That was the year that ended with Price giving a Roy-like two-hands-up salute to the braying crowd.

This is exactly the kind of experience that Brisebois—a boo-bird favorite for several years in Montreal—will impart to young players like Nathan Beaulieu, Jarred Tinordi, Morgan Ellis, Darren Deitz and others.

And that experience will make them that much more prepared for life in Montreal. Moreover, it can only help them to be more successful.

While we have yet to see how Brisebois' player development role unfolds, it's safe to say that Bergevin understands how to build a modern team.

Your prospects are your wealth, and without them you have nothing and are nothing. So protect them, take care of them, guide them and, ultimately, do everything in your power to make sure they are ready for the big stage, whenever they finally get there.

There's still lots of things to happen this summer on the Habs front but, so far, the new management team is giving Hab fans a reason to smile.

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Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, and Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com. Kamal is also an on-air contributor on TSN 990, CJAD, and LiveSport New Zealand.

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Robinson, Gainey, Flyers and More

Morning Hab fans!

Based on recent reports of Marc Bergevin approaching Rick Dudley and, potentially, Larry Robinson, it is clear the rookie GM is not afraid of surrounding himself with competent, accomplished individuals.

An executive with well over 20 years of managerial and coaching experience. Check.

A legendary NHL blueliner with Stanley Cups to his name both as a coach and player. Check.

Adding such individuals can be intimidating, especially when they are more experienced and decorated individuals than the boss himself. Decidedly, Bergevin is not flustered by that dynamic. He wants the best.

Habs News

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HabsAddict - Panesar and Moustakas: Marc Bergevin's First Priority?

RDS - Hartley «n'est pas dans les publi-sacs»

TSN - Agent: Robinson would be open to return to Montreal

TSN - Gainey returns to Stars as senior advisor in front office

Hockey News

Sports Illustrated - Plenty of blame to go around for Flyers' latest collapse

TSN - McKenzie: Capitals buying into Hunter's system

USA Today - CBC's Ron MacLean clarifies 9/11 comparison

USA Today - Capitals-Rangers Game 7 preview

USA Today - Ilya Bryzgalov: Wouldn't wish this season on an enemy

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Geoff Molson: 12 Steps to Recovery

Hello fellow Hab addicts, my name is Bryan Willey and it has been almost 2 months since my last confession... errrrr blog.

I apologize for the delay. Quite frankly though, this season has been a complete write-off for me.

I am fan through and through just like the rest of you. But my complete and utter lack of confidence in Pierre Gauthier — and especially Bob Gainey — made me nauseous to the point where I found myself hating the game and the team that I grew up loving.

100 years of class and pride was almost completely erased because of a complete mismanagement of assets, a complete lack of respect for the fan base and, especially, a complete lack of respect for the CH itself.

I, like many of you out there, have been preaching for change for many, many years but those wishes often went by the wayside. Ownership simply did not want to hear, nor admit, that there was a problem.

As such, the organization continued to spiral out of control, seeing only occasional periods of success — namely the 2010 playoff run. The arena was full, sweaters were selling and the coffers were full of the hard earned money of the average fan. But then it happened. President and owner Geoff Molson stepped from the shadows and did the unthinkable.

A confession was made. A confession of guilt and wrong doing. A confession that something was in fact wrong with the management of the team and that change was needed.

Shhhhhhhh, be quiet for a second and listen hard. Can you hear that?

“My name is Geoff Molson, and I have a problem.”

And, just like that, Molson begun his much needed 12 step journey to recovery.

I apologize if I offend anyone because addiction is no laughing matter. Frankly, I have nothing but respect towards anyone who takes the leap to battle their demons. However, if you know me well enough, then you certainly know that I try to find humour in everything.

It's my coping mechanism for an otherwise sheltered and difficult life. O.K, not really.

Think about this for a second though. Do you not see the correlation between the 12 steps of enlightenment for AA and the path to enlightenment that Geoff Molson now embarks on?

Right off the top, before one can even begin the journey to recovery one must find a mentor.  A person to serve as a guide through the difficult times. A person who has been there and has succeeded.

Enter Serge Savard.

Once that mentor has been found, it is time to cleanse.

Step 1: Admit to being powerless over the situation. Essentially admitting there is a problem.

Mr. Molson not only acknowledged there was a problem but sought immediate means to part with that problem by firing Pierre Gauthier and Bob Gainey.

Step 2: Come to belief that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Remember the words of Mr. Molson himself who publicly cited that he is not a hockey man and, as such, will leave the hockey decisions in the hands of someone more qualified.

Step 3: Make a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of someone who understands.

Although that person has not yet been determined, Mr. Molson vows to have someone in place in the very near future. This person will be a qualified hockey mind who’ll reform the current image of the Bleu Blanc Rouge. I've recently heard that the search has been narrowed to Marc Bergevin, Claude Loiselle, Julien Brisebois and Pierre McGuire.

Step 4: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of the situation.

Although the moral inventory started with Pierre Gauthier, it is widely admitted that this team is small, the coaching is questionable, the farm team lacks the depth to compete and the organization has gone more than 10 years in search of the proverbial big powerful center. Now it is a matter of ending the discussion and acting.

Step 5: Admit to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs.

Exact nature of our wrongs? Are you kidding me? The nature of our wrongs became the entire Gainey Era. If it was not for the superb work of Trevor Timmins to fill this roster with NHL calibre players then we would be a heck of a lot worse off. This organization has continued to be set back by poor personnel and pro scouting errors.

Step 6: We are entirely ready to remove all these defects of character.

Straight from the horses mouth, Mr. Molson is prepared to do whatever it takes. Whether that means burying a $7.4 million per season mistake in the AHL or hiring the most expensive Manager-Coach tandem in the NHL. All errors will be remedied in order to achieve betterment.

Step 7: Humbly asked to remove our shortcomings.

Do you not remember the year in review press conference? A public apology and a formal printed apology in the newspaper for the 2011-12 fiasco ensued.

Step 8: Make a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

To the 21,273 fans in the Bell Centre every game and the millions at home watching. To Mike Cammalleri for parting ways with like a piece of yesterdays trash. Without having the testicular fortitude to treat him with respect when he was traded from this organization. To Saku Koivu who gave all that he could to a city and to a franchise but who in reciprocation did not even get a phone call to tell him his services were no longer required.

Step 9: Make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

What can be done to remedy all the wrongs that have been made. We have been stripped of Blue Chip prospects like Ryan McDonaugh and of strong players like Matt D’Agostini, Guillaume Latendresse, Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder, Sheldon Souray, Jaroslav Halak, Matt Carkner, Sergei Kostitsyn, Mikhail Grabovski, Mark Streit, Maxim Lapierre, Chris Higgins and Ron Hainsey.

So much wrong. So much pain.

Step 10: Continued to take inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.

Yes, Mr. Gainey and Mr. Gauthier, you were wrong in trading for Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle. Yes you were wrong signing Mike Cammalleri and a bunch of other “more durable” players. Yes you were wrong in drafting David Fischer ahead of, say, Claude Giroux. You were wrong in letting Alex Kovalev, Saku Koivu and the remainder of that team depart via Free Agency without getting any assets in return.

Step 11: Sought through a long withstanding search under every rock and cranny to improve our conscious contact with the hockey world, praying only for knowledge of whom to hire with the power and ability to make us succeed.

No, a replacement to Gauthier has not been found, but there have been close to ten phone interviews and at least four face-to-face interviews to date. Geoff Molson and Serge Savard, at least in the public forum, appear to be searching for the most qualified individual to fill the void. Every rock and cranny — you know, with French speaking ability — will be analysed.

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to Habs fans, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The wheels are in motion, the promises have been made. It is now time to turn all Habs fans into believers.

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Bryan is a Marketer by day, writer for HabsAddict.com by night and full time fan of the game. Follow me on twitter @BryanWilley78 but don't bother looking for me on Facebook, I'm just too old for that now!

(Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

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Top Candidates for the Montreal Canadiens GM Position

Now that the dust has settled after owner Geoff Molson finally decided to fire general manager Pierre Gauthier, it's now time to look at the potential candidates for one of the most important position in the NHL.

The top candidates will need to have some experience in a managerial position or have worked in the NHL, whether in the media or for the NHLPA, to be seriously considered for the position. A renowned and storied franchise, the Montreal Canadiens will need to select the right man for the job. Despite the unexpected playoff run in 2009-10 that saw the Canadiens reach the Eastern Conference Final, Gauthier and his predecessor Bob Gainey failed to build a Stanley Cup contender over the last few years.  

This season the Canadiens are dead last in the Eastern Conference following a series of bad decisions and a rash of long-term injuries to key players such as Brian Gionta and Andrei Markov.

Below you will find a list of potential candidates in alphabetical order:

Marc Bergevin

A former rearguard who played 1,191 games in the NHL with the Blues, Penguins, Lightning and Blackhawks, amongst others, Bergevin, a Montreal native, also speaks French.. After his retirement, Bergevin was named as a pro scout with the Blackhawks' organization. Three years later, in 2008, Bergevin was named an assistant coach with the organization before accepting a job as director of player personnel in 2009. 

Last summer, Bergevin was promoted to the position of assistant general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks replacing Kevin Cheveldayoff, who had accepted the General Manager position with the new Winnipeg Jets team. While Bergevin certainly has some knowledge how to manage an NHL team, he doesn't boast a lot of experience, having worked only one season as assistant to Hawks' GM Stan Bowman.

Julien BriseBois

A lawyer by trade, Brisebois has been working with the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant general manager to Steve Yzerman since 2010. Very good with numbers, BriseBois, a native of Greenfield Park near Montreal, knows all aspects of contract preparation and negotiation, salary arbitration and player transaction. 

Another bilingual candidate, BriseBois worked for the Canadiens for nine years before joining the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Norforlk Admirals in 2010. During his tenure with the Habs, he worked as Director of Legal Affairs, Director of Hockey Operations and eventually as Vice-President of Hockey operations. 

In 2007, BriseBois was named the General Manager of Montreal's top AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. Well regarded in hockey circles, BriseBois earned a Master's degree in business administration from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University and definitely understands the financial aspects of hockey. However, BriseBois has never played hockey in the NHL or at any high level of competition, which is certainly a disadvantage when it comes to being named as the Habs' next general manager.

Pat Brisson

The über agent — who represents the likes of Sidney Crosby, Daniel Briere, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews — is a native Quebecois and a very close friend of former Los Angeles Kings sniper Luc Robitaille. Brisson is a long shot to become the Habs' next GM because he has never acted as a GM and is currently based in Los Angeles. While Brisson played junior hockey in QMJHL, he has never seen time in the NHL. 

Brisson is also currently the agent of Habs' center Louis Leblanc.

Vincent Damphousse

A former Canadiens player, Damphousse played more than 1,378 games in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, Oilers, Sharks and Habs. Damphousse was a member of the last Canadian team that won a Stanley Cup back in 1993 when Montreal won its 24th Stanley Cup. 

Currently working as an hockey analyst for RDS, the official French language broadcaster of the Bleu Blanc Rouge, Damphousse has never occupied a managerial position for an NHL team, but was a member of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) executive committee, serving as Vice President under Trevor Linden. 

Damphousse is a proven winner and was part of the Canadiens when Serge Savard was the general manager. We all know that Molson has appointed Savard as a senior consultant to help him nominate the team's next GM. This relationship with Savard could very well be a serious advantage for Damphousse as the two men have known each other for decades now.

Francois Giguere

A native of Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Giguere is currently unemployed after serving as the Colorado Avalanche's  General Manager and Executive Vice-President until 2009. He was replaced by Greg Sherman, who is still acting as the Avalanche's GM. 

Giguere is a dark-horse candidate as he's been out of the NHL for three years. He also worked in the Quebec Nordiques organization between 1990 and 1995 before the team moved to Denver. I would believe Giguere would be a more serious candidate if and when another NHL team moves to Quebec City in the near future as he was born in the area.

Claude Loiselle

A former center who played 616 games in the NHL for the Red Wings, Devils, Nordiques, Maple Leafs and Islanders, Loiselle has been working as Assistant General Manager under Brian Burke of the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

Loiselle currently negotiates NHL contracts with the team, but has never played for the Canadiens and doesn't have a very good track record with the Leafs over the past few seasons. A native of Ottawa, Loiselle also speaks French, but he is not considered a favorite to land the prestigious job in Montreal.

Pierre McGuire

The well-known television analyst —  and former NHL assistant coach and head coach — has been working for NBC and TSN for the past few years. However, he has interviewed for general manager positions in the past without much success. Born in New Jersey, McGuire grew up in Montreal and also worked as a pro scout back in the 1990s. 

He knows the league inside out, especially since he popularized the "Inside the Glass" broadcasting position with TSN. Another advantage is that he's also bilingual, but his lack of experience as in a managerial position will most likely eliminate him as a serious candidate for the job.

Patrick Roy

The former NHL goaltender won the Stanley Cup four times with the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche. A close friend of Serge Savard, Roy is currently managing and coaching the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. 

Also a native of Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Roy is obviously bilingual and has played for a decade with the Canadiens before asking to be traded following an incident with head coach Mario Tremblay in the 1995-96 season. A very hot-headed and vocal head coach, Roy doesn't have any experience at the NHL level as a head coach or a general manager. While some experts believe Roy is a serious candidate to replace Gauthier, I believe Roy would prefer to accept a position as the Habs' head coach replacing Randy Cunneyworth.

Other potential candidates: Jim Nill, Doug Risebrough, Andre Savard

A combo of former teammates Patrick Roy as Head Coach and Vincent Damphousse as GM would seem to be the perfect duo as both players were well-respected and liked when they donned the Habs jersey in the early 1990s.

Damphousse, who is a poised and calm person, would perfectly balance Roy's hot-blooded temper.

Who would you like as the Canadiens' next General Manager?

---
Follow me on Twitter to get updates on the Canadiens and the NHL in general.

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Panesar and Moustakas: Gauthier Gone, Now What?

With the recent dismissal of Pierre Gauthier, your new favorite debate duo, Kamal Panesar and Louis Moustakas, return to dissect the latest move in the ongoing saga known as the 2011-12 Montreal Canadiens' season.

Moustakas: Good morning my friend! The shoe finally dropped last week as Geoff Molson relieved Pierre Gauthier of his managerial duties, while Bob Gainey was also released as special advisor.

While I have defended some of Gauthier's hockey moves, his ineptitude at communicating with the fan base and the poor salary structure he bestowed on the team made his dismissal well deserved.

Although the firing itself is unsurprising, the timing is, at least a little a bit. Why now, with so little time in the season left? One has to wonder — as Francois Gagnon has speculated — if the Canadiens want to have a new General Manager in place for the April 10th Draft Lottery.

And showing that new face of the franchise is of capital importance. Not only has the team plummeted in the standings, but the organization's image is at arguably an all-time low.

Panesar: Yes, yes…your defenses of Gauthier as a GM don’t look so good now do they?

Jokes aside, it was high time the Habs parted ways with Gauthier. The fact that Molson also took it upon himself to have Gainey move aside shows, to me, that he truly understands that it is time for new blood. My fear was that he would fire Gauthier but keep Gainey on as an advisor.

I suppose reaching back into the past for Serge Savard to now advise his decisions, at least when it comes to hiring a new GM, is slightly dubious. Not that Savard isn’t a brilliant businessman and was once a great GM. But the game has changed significantly over the last 20 years and he has not been involved in hockey, on any level, over that time.

Still, he is a trusted figure to the Molson family, so I fully understand the decision.

As for the timing, well, if you watched Molson’s press conference, he said they wanted to wait till the Habs were mathematically eliminated. In addition, he said that now they have 10 extra days to find a GM.

But, to be honest, that is largely window dressing, since it is pretty well known that the search for a new GM was started, in earnest, over a month ago. To that point, there has even been speculation that the “new” GM, is already in place and that they would wait until the end of the season to announce him.

Whether that ends up being true or not, we’ll never know. But, what is clear to me, is that Molson truly does care and does want to bring this organization back to respectability. So the question is, who is the best man for the job?

Moustakas: Pierre Gauthier is a lot of things, but he is not an utterly incapable hockey man. I stand by my defenses. What can I say? Great minds think for themselves.

Geoff Molson's demeanor at the press conference was a welcome sight. After essentially hiding behind releases following the Pacioretty and Cunneyworth incidents, it was refreshing to watch Molson take ownership of the situation. Which is his role since he is, after all, the owner. See how I did that? Owner, ownership.

As for Serge Savard's appointment, it accomplishes a couple of things. It adds credibility to the hiring process and, more importantly, promotes the notion that the team will intensify its focus on Francophone talent, both on and off the ice. After the Randy Cunneyworth PR fiasco, that is key.

If a GM is already in place, though, why add Savard to the process? I would find that mighty curious.

Regardless, I am not sure I have a flat-out favorite for the position. After the combined disaster of the Gainey-Gauthier eras, any of the proposed names sound enticing. Having said that, I am not exactly keen on Patrick Roy. As we discussed last time, his lack of professional experience and fiery, imposing temper are of grave concern to me.

Forced to choose, though, I might opt for someone like Pierre McGuire. Having worked extensively in the media, he would obviously not be afflicted with the communication-related issues that plagued the previous two GMs and could build good relations with the press. Beyond that, he has also demonstrated a deep knowledge of hockey at all levels and has previous NHL experience. One could do worse.

Towards whom are you leaning?

Panesar: I think Roy is more a candidate for coaching rather than the GM position. At least I certainly hope he is! Listening to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, he said that he feeling is that Roy would be interested in a coaching position but not the GM job in Montreal.

Aside from Roy, Pierre McGuire is a name that comes up a lot, as does Tampa Bay Assistant Julien Brisebois and former Colorado GM Francois Giguere, among others. The bottom line is that there will be no shortage of interested parties, especially if they loosen the language requirements a tad.

An interesting, out-of-the-box idea that was espoused by McKenzie, was for the Habs to make a call to the Florida Panthers to find out if they would release GM Dave Tallon from his contract. They likely wouldn’t, but as the guy who built the Stanley Cup winning Blackhawks and the man who has turned the lowly Panthers into a playoff team in one season, he would be a good prospect.

Plus, he is the only bilingual GM currently working in the NHL. A long shot, to be sure, but a damn good idea.

For me, Detroit’s Assistant GM, Jim Nil, is a ridiculously over-qualified Assistant. He would be gold in Montreal, save for his lack of French speaking abilities and the fact that he is paid a king’s ransom to remain with the Wings.

Ultimately, for me, I have Pierre McGuire as my top choice after Nil. He is a Montrealer, born and raised, is a Habs fan deep down and wants nothing more than for this team to win. In addition, his encyclopedic knowledge of teams, leagues and players around the world is staggering. He has also spent the last 15 or so years very close to NHL organizations, GMs, coaches and the like, in an analyst role. I think that experience would be invaluable in learning how to build a successful program.

On the McGuire front though, I am amazed at how many people, mostly on Twitter, are so adamantly against him as a candidate. Chatting with a few of them, their explanation is largely due to his seeming anti-Hab slant as an analyst.

I’m not exactly sure what the has to do with his qualification level as a potential GM, but maybe that’s just me.

Moustakas: You are right about the level of popular opposition to McGuire. He seems to rub some people the wrong way and others will certainly object to his non-francophone roots. You know, if you are an Anglophone Quebecois, you are not really Quebecois, right? But I digress.

His passion and knowledge would make him a boon to the struggling franchise. Hopefully, he gets his due consideration.

Wow. Look at us agreeing. Clearly, we have all the solutions. Geoff Molson should hire us. On parle français en plus!

Until next time my friend!


---Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and featured columnist on PowerScoutHockey.com. Kamal is also a regular contributor to the Sunday Shinny segment of The Franchise weekend morning show, on TSN Radio 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 9 - 10 AM. Listen live at http://www.tsn.ca/montreal/

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

Louis is an Associate Editor at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz)

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Habs Fire Gauthier, Fallout, Candidates and More

Good morning Hab fans!

It finally happened.

General Manager Pierre Gauthier was fired yesterday.

Although the man has made some good hockey moves, a point which I have argued before, he also proved to be an utterly inept communicator and leaves the team behind with a dubious salary structure.

Perhaps more importantly, Bob Gainey was also released from his role as special advisor. As you will recall, Gainey was the main architect of the 2009 rebuild that saw high-priced contracts such as Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri and, of course, Scott Gomez brought in.

In his stead, Serge Savard has been brought in to consult on the hiring of the next GM.

Its a first step. What do you think will happen next?

Habs News


HabsAddict.com - Patrick Roy's Return?

HabsAddict.com - Geoff Molson Comments Pierre Gauthier Firing - Press Conference Notes

ESPN - Debate: What now for Habs?

ESPN - 5 Things: Habs are a mess Patrick Roy?

ESPN - Rumblings: Who will be next Habs' GM?

La Presse - Sondage CROP - La Presse: les Québécois réclament Patrick Roy

La Presse - Qui sera le prochain DG du CH?

RDS - On a payé pour une reconstruction ratée

Sports Illustrated - Handicapping the candidates for next Canadiens GM

The Hockey News - Proteau: With Gauthier out as GM, Canadiens need new image

TSN - TSN scout Button looks back at Gauthier's draft record

TSN - Canadiens' Cunneyworth on thin ice after GM Gauthier fired

USA Today - Roundup: Devils, Caps stay in playoff hunt with wins


(Photo by Andre Pichette/La Presse)

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Habs by the Numbers: Why is Scott Gomez Still Playing?

 

Greetings HabsAddicts!

I have decided to tackle a dangerous task today.

That task is trying to explain the logic of the Montreal Canadiens' coaching staff regarding Scott Gomez's presence in the lineup.

As best as I can remember, since Gomez arrived in Montreal, he has never once been a healthy scratch.

Naturally, this has infuriated more than a few fans. After all, the one better known as "Gomer" has a mere two goals in his last 67 regular season games, and a total of only 20 assists in the same time frame!

The only Canadiens in history to come close to such poor numbers — in terms of goal production — were Darren Langdon's zero goals in 64 games in 2003-04, and Tom Pyatt's two goals in 61 games last year. This isn't the kind of company Gomez was expected to be among.
So, then, why on earth are they playing Gomez every single game? Is it because he's everyone's friend in the room?

The answer

The answer, I believe, lies in some rather simple stats. Simple enough that, if you're the coach or General Manager of this team, you cannot logically afford to NOT dress everyone's favorite Alaskan centerman.

The first and most shocking stat goes as follows: in the last 20 in which Gomez has collected at least one point, the Canadiens record is an astonishing 19-0-1 (.975).

I now hear the question from here: that's all fine and dandy, but about the other games besides those last 20? It does get a bit worse. But does it, really?

When Gomez scores at least one point, the Habs' record is 38-14-4 (.714). That's the equivalent of a 117 point season. Not too shabby.

Finally, when the Mexican-Alaskan forward collects one or more powerplay point, Montreal's record is 27-8-7 (.726).

What was Gainey thinking?

I often hear people complain, reasonably enough, about the Gomez trade. After all, Montreal gave up, in Ryan McDonagh alone, a solid 2 way defensman who gives plays over 20 minutes per game and is currently second in the league — right behind Josh Gorges — in blocked shots.

In that deal, the Rangers also acquired Pavel Valentenko, who should be with the Rangers next year, Chris Higgins and Doug Janik That's a hefty price to pay for Gomez.

But, to Gainey's defense, when he acquired Gomez, he was the seventh centermen with  the most points in the ten previous seasons:



Back in the summer of 2009, this was a pretty nice list of names to be mentionned with. And I remember that most columnists and reporters were asking Gomez if he was willing to learn French, in order to validate the potential they saw in him of possibly being the next Hab captain.

What to do now?

This is where I stop. I'll leave this to people who can assess talent much better than I.

But hopefully, this short analysis will have helped answer the "why are they always playing this guy" question.

Are you surprised by these numbers? What's your take?

---
Frank Dumais is a freelance writer, currently contributing to HabsAddict.com “Habs By the numbers” weekly column. He writes on current Habs topics, but with a “numbers twist”.

Follow Frank on Twitter

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Roz's Rant: The Montreal Canadiens' Double Edged Sword

There is a double edged sword that goes along with being a fan of the Montreal Canadiens lately.

On one hand, it totally sucks. It is maddening and unacceptable that the team I fully expect to at least scrape its way into a playoff berth will not manage it this year. On the other hand, if they start winning now they'll blow out my wishes for them to pick high in this year's entry draft.

I'm unaccustomed to wanting my team to lose.

It feels all wrong and it seems I'm not going to get used to it. Also, the Habs are hell bent on making me crazy, mounting near comebacks that have me yelling at my TV for them to simultaneously win and lose the game.

I can't have it both ways but I accept that for the near future I'm going to be walking this fine line of hockey madness.

What I find more concerning is what will happen after this nightmare of a season is finally finished — not a moment too soon.

Will Geoff Molson finally oust Bob Gainey and his cohorts once and for all, preventing them from continuing to make a hash of this organization? Your guess is as good as mine.

Gainey has made a hash of things for years now, and his disciple hasn't fared much better. I'll grant that Pierre Gauthier has made a few nice moves, but he's made some questionable ones as well. Often, his main goal appears to be not getting fired.

If Gauthier has a detailed plan, an actual strategy, to fix what is arguably one of the worst incarnations ever of the Montreal Canadiens then I'll gladly eat some crow. But this guy's big focus seems to be almost exclusively on "fixing leaky roofs".

The acquisition of Tomas Kaberle to aid the power play is his latest patch job and not a particularly good one at that. Chris Campoli was another patch that didn't hold out the water.

Then there's his sacrificial lambs of Perry Pearn, Jacques Martin and the mid-game trade of Michael Cammalleri to the Calgary Flames.

Regardless of what good Gauthier may have thought he was doing for the team with these moves, how he executed them hardly instills faith in the man. His actions do not leave the impression that he knows what he is doing or fully appreciates the legacy of this organization or the high standards to which its fans hold this club off the ice.

A rudderless ship will always run aground.

While I may have a modicum of faith in Trevor Timmins and his scouting abilities, I lack faith that this team will not pick another David Fischer or a defensive prospect when they've been needing a true number one center for far too long.

I lack faith that any desirable unrestricted free agent will actually want to sign here because of the language laws that impact their children, the higher tax bracket and the intense public scrutiny.

Erik Cole signed here despite all that, partly because of how the Habs routinely make the playoffs, and less than a year into his contract that hasn't worked out so well. That makes Montreal an even harder sell for other UFAs now.

I lack faith that Geoff Molson will keep his word and make this team great again, or tamper with it in any meaningful way while he's still turning a substantial profit. It would take years of tanking before the Habs losses would have to be addressed.

Then there's his boyhood connection to Canadiens legends like Gainey whom he no doubt reveres and defers to regardless of the his actual track record in hockey management. If Molson's a loyal fan like me, as he has claimed to be, then Gainey and the pack of underlings he has compiled to run the Canadiens are more untouchable than Carey Price.

So while I watch the players continue their attempts to thwart my wishes for a top five draft pick, I'll exercise some more of my sorely tested patience. I'll try to enjoy watching the kids play, and enjoy the online interactions of my social networks.

Just don't expect me to have much faith that this is all going to get magically fixed in the summer.


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Rosalyn used to frequent the old Forum during her early childhood when her father was a corporate season ticket holder, where she fell in love with Larry Robinson, so her lifelong obsession with the Habs is entirely his fault.

(Photo by Getty Images North America)

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Build your own team of former Montreal Canadiens players

Now that we've reached the yearly Christmas break hiatus, it's an appropriate time to look at the Montreal Canadiens situation and wonder why things have turned out so badly for a team that was supposed to battle for a least a playoff spot in 2011-12.

Following their worst performance of the season yesterday night in Winnipeg, a 4-0 loss, the Canadiens are now mired in a season-long five consecutive losses, their longest since Jacques Martin became the team's head coach in October 2009.

The club looks bored, hapless and flat, especially since Jacques Martin's firing that occurred last Saturday only a few hours before the team lost 5-3 against the New Jersey Devils. Martin's assistant, Randy Cunneyworth, took over as the team's interim head coach without much success so far.

Under Cunneyworth, the Habs have scored a mere 6 goals in 4 games (1.5 GPG average) while allowing a dismal 17 goals (4.25 GAG average). Some veterans, such as Michael Cammalleri, Tomas Plekanec and Hal Gill, look lost, disinterested on the ice and like they don't want to work hard and give their 100 percent for their new coach.

Several moves made by general manager Pierre Gauthier and previous GM Bob Gainey, have proven to be costly financially and unproductive on the ice—for example Scott Gomez and Andrei Markov).

Let's have a look at what the Habs' line-up could look like if it was only filled with former players. Below you will find a list of all players who played for the Canadiens since the 2004-05 lock-out, whether they were traded or let go via free agency by the organization.

Your roster must include 2 goalies, 6 defensemen and 12 forwards, and fit under the NHL salary cap of $64.3MM.

Goaltenders

Jaroslav Halak - 6 wins ($3.75M)

Jose Theodore - 13 wins ($1.5M)

Alex Auld - 1 win ($1M)

Curtis Sanford - 5 wins ($600,000)


Defensemen

James Wisniewski - 16 points ($5.5MM)

Mark Streit - 18 points ($4.1MM)

Mike Komisarek - 4 points ($4.5MM)

Francois Beauchemin - 11 points ($3.8MM)

Roman Hamrlik - 2 points ($ 3.5MM)

Ryan O'Byrne - 5 points ($1.8M)

Sheldon Souray - 15 points ($1.65M)

Francis Bouillon - 4 points ($1.35M)

Ryan McDonagh - 14 points (1.3M)

Marc-Andre Bergeron - 22 points ($1M)

Jeff Woywitka - 5 points ($650,000)


Forwards

Mike Ribeiro - 24 points ($5MM)

Alex Tanguay - 22 ponts ($3.5MM)

Michael Ryder - 21 points ($3.5MM)

Mikhail Grabovski -15 points ($2.9MM)

Sergei Kostitsyn - 15 points ($2.5MM)

Saku Koivu - 15 points ($2.5MM)

Guillaume Latendresse - 9 points ($2.5MM)

Chris Higgins - 22 points ($1.9M)

Matt D'Agostini - 12 points ($1.65M)

Benoit Pouliot - 8 points ($1.1M)

Dominic Moore - 11 points ($1.1M)

Maxim Lapierre - 9 points ($1M)

Tom Kostopoulos - 7 points ($916,667)

Jeff Halpern - 9 points ($825,000)

Kyle Chipchura - 4 points ($550,000)

Tom Pyatt - 4 points ($525,000)

My potential roster:

Goalies:

Halak-Theodore

Defensive pairings:

Beauchemin-Wisniewski

Streit-McDonagh

Bouillon-Bergeron

Offensive lines:

Tanguay-Ribeiro-Ryder

Higgins-Koivu-Kostitsyn

Pouliot-Moore-D'Agostini

Lapierre-Halpern-Kostopoulos

Total cap hit: $47.85MM

So who would you choose? Which former player(s) would you really want back in Montreal?

---
Fred is a freelance sports writer and translator, as well as a Montreal Canadiens blogger on http://thehockeywriters.com and a baseball columnist on http://www.dobberbaseball.com/. Fred also joined HabsAddict.com in time for the 2011-12 season.

Follow Fred on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images North America)

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Montreal Canadiens in Chaos, Need Leadership at the Top

As I sit looking out the window at the ice covered winter scene, I am reminded of the Montreal Canadiens.

The washed out, grey sky and the glistening frozen-tundra-look of the trees is akin to the frozen wasteland the Canadiens have become. And just like the weather that announces snow over the next day or so, the immediate future looks decidedly frosty for the Habs.

I can honestly say that, in the 35-plus years of watching this team, I have never seen the organization in more turmoil.

Sure they've had their share of drama like when Patrick Roy was traded, the Mike Milbury-like Rejean Houle years and even the Bob Gainey rebuild of 2009.

But none provoked as much angst and frustration from the Habs fanbase as their current situation.

Politics not sport

So this morning, as I read about a protest of the Canadiens being organized by the Quebec and Montreal French Movements, and I hear politicians getting up on their soapboxes to slay the evil anglo demon known as Randy Cunneyworth, I can't help but feel sick to my stomach.

This is not hockey. This is not the Montreal Canadiens. This is politics, pure and simple.

It's an opportunity for some in the media to advance their personal agendas. It's an opportunity for politicians to jump on a bandwagon in order to gain votes and trumpet a dead and dying cause.

But more importantly, it's an opportunity for the strong xenophobic current that lies dormant in Quebec culture to rear it's ugly head.

Maybe it's just fear, as my HabsAddict.com colleague, Louis Moustakas wrote (en Français).

Whatever it is, I won't get into the details of the language debate. Enough people have already hashed and rehashed them. But I will say that as a born and raised Montreal Allophone who used to be married to a French-Canadian woman, I truly understand both sides of the debate.

And my one wish would be that there was a little more moderation on both sides. If each took one step toward the other, perhaps a reasonable understanding could be reached.

For those who say that it should be the best coach, no matter what, and that language has no bearing on anything, I ask, do you have no knowledge of Quebec history?

Do you not understand the roots of this team and the repression French-Canadians used to suffer in this province?

And for those who say it must be a French or French-speaking coach, no matter what. That winning is secondary to protecting the French language, I say, do you not want another Stanley Cup in Montreal? Would you not be happy with a championship team, regardless of who is running the ship?

I would also ask why do we have to be stuck in the past? Why do a people need to be stuck in the mentality of a movement whose roots took ground 60 years ago?

It is not better to move forward towards the future rather than living in the past?

But I'm not here to discuss this current sports battle turned politics. I am here to show how when a team is falling apart, as the Canadiens certainly are, the vultures come out in full force.

And that is exactly what is happening right now.

We've heard the refrain "winning cures all" this week and, when it comes to the Habs, that has never been more true.

And I'm not talking about short term winning, since this year looks like a write-off, but winning on a perennial basis. Becoming a Stanley Cup contender again. Having an on-ice product that is both entertaining and successful.

Those are the key ingredients that have been missing from this team since they last won the Cup in 1993.

It starts at the top

If you haven't yet read Bertrand Raymond's brilliant piece about Gauthier and the current language problem, do yourself a favour and check it out.

Sorry my anglo readers, it's in French. :-)

In short, Raymond explains how the seeds for the Canadiens current mess were sown when then Habs President, Ronald Corey, fired GM Serge Savard and brought in Rejean Houle.

He says that the organization has had poor drafting, terrible trades and a coaching carrousel since then.

Hard to argue with any of that and Mr. Raymond basically nails the descent of this once proud organization. He also discusses the shortcomings of Bob Gainey and his successor, Pierre Gauthier, and goes on to talk about how Gauthier is finished in Montreal.

And I tend to agree.

When Gainey took over this organization, he was a ray of light. He was the man who was supposed to shepard the Habs back to glory and out of the dark times of the 90s.

Instead, since he took over in 2003, the Canadiens are perennially one of the highest spending but lowest achieving teams in the league. Moreover, Gainey and Gauthier have shown that they simply do not know how to manage a team in the salary cap world.

They run the team like it's still 1994.

With long term, high paying contracts to Michael Cammalleri, Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez, in addition to rich extensions to Andrei Markov—who for all we know will never play again—and now Tomas Kaberle, the Habs are a team who will continue to be up against the cap for the forseeable future.

And the kicker? Most of these are second-tier players being forced into top-tier roles and being paid accordingly.

What an absolute mess.

To me, there is no doubt in my mind that Gauthier will be let go by or before the end of the season.

Heck, if Habs owner, Geoff Molson, is smart he's probably already looking for his replacement.

Who he ultimately hires for the job will determine whether this team will get back on track or remain a rudderless ship.

Taking a step back, this year, in order to take two or three steps forward in the future is not a bad thing. It's the "we must make the playoffs at all costs" mentality that has kept the Canadiens in a one step forward, one step back dance for the last 15 years.

Here's hoping Molson brings in someone who understands the modern game, is creative, innovative and knows how to build a winner. Anything short of that will unfortunately bring more of the same.

As Hockey Inside/Out's Mike Boone pointed out in his post-game piece, the Habs need 60 points in their remaining 47 games to end the season with 93, and make the playoffs.

That's 30 wins out of 47 or a 63.8 winning percentage from here to the end of the season.

Can you say early tee-time?

---
Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and featured columnist on PowerScoutHockey.com. Kamal is also a weekly contributor to the Sunday Shinny on TSN Radio 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 9 - 10 AM. Listen live at http://www.tsn.ca/montreal/

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Habs Shakeup: Are Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin about to be Fired?

If you haven't heard by now, there is a story on The Fourth Period magazine's website stating that a clean sweep of the Montreal Canadiens management team could be imminent.

Here's the link:
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/mtl111207.html

The story cites "...three separate sources close to the team...", going on to say that Bob Gainey has been speaking with owner, Geoff Molson, about making some significant changes.

They also intimate that Habs ownership is seriously considering a shakeup that could affect both General Manager Pierre Gauthier and coach Jacques Martin.

So, in short, they are saying that Gainey and Molson are talking about firing both Gauthier and Martin.

Interestingly, they even name a few possible replacements:

"It's unclear, at this point, whom the Habs are seriously considering to replace Martin, or Gauthier, despite speculation suggesting the likes of Patrick Roy, Gerard Gallant and Randy Carlyle could come in behind the bench, while Red Wings VP and assistant GM Jim Nill could become a candidate to replace Gauthier."

For those of you unfamiliar with The Fourth Period and David Pagnotta (founder and the guy who broke the story on TSN 990 today), both have solid reputations. They are not a rumour mongering magazine or site and tend to be pretty plugged-in to the NHL scene.

That being said, I am a little leery of a story coming from the Fourth Period that somehow escaped all the eminently capable and connected media-types that follow this team on a daily basis.

That doesn't mean the story is false, mind you, just that it's surprising to see a magazine that tends not to be a source on the Habs, having the info first.

So, veracity of the information aside, this piece brings up several interesting tidbits.

Molson's Call

La Presse's Francois Gagnon had a conversation with Geoff Molson just this week, in which Molson gave a vote of confidence to Gauthier, Martin and even Scott Gomez! Now, if the shakeup goes through, it wouldn't be the first time an owner has publicly given a vote of confidence only to turn around and fire everyone.

That being said, when speaking with a journalist who is asking him about his coach and GM, what do you expect him to say? That he thinks the GM isn't creative and that the coach is old-school and doesn't understand the modern game?

Hardly.

Molson said what he had to say and now all that's left is to find out if he meant it or not.

What I find most interesting about the story is that they are saying the Bob Gainey is involved in the process, and working with Molson. I find that interesting since Gainey is the one who brought in both Gauthier and Martin.

Not to mention he was the one who fired Claude Julien, hired guy Carbonneau and then fired him too—before bringing on the current regime.

So, at least in my books, Gainey is as big a part of the problem as Gauthier and Martin. Let's not forget that Gainey is the one who was sitting in the driver's seat when Gomez became part of this team.

So what's really happening?

The Fourth Period's Pagnotta took to twitter shortly after his on-air interview with Tony Marinaro, stating that "To clarify folks, as I told @TonyMarinaro on @TSN990Radio, doesn't mean something's happening today. MTL's simply weighing options right now."

Makes sense to me.

What is surprising, again, is that this info is out there at all, since the Habs tend to have a lockdown on the media. Information just doesn't get leaked with the Canadiens unless something is imminent.

But I guess there's a first time for everything!

The bottom line is that, as owner of the team, Molson would be a fool not to be exploring options right now. That doesn't mean that he will or even has to act on them. But to sit back and watch the team floundering without covering all his bases would be negligent.

Molson claimed, when he came on board, to be a fan of the team and to want to bring the glory back. I, for one, believed him and still do.

That being said, Molson's relatively new tenure as owner is being tested right now. Does he actually care? Will he do whatever needs to be done to make this team a winner? Or, like many are saying, does he only care about the dollars and cents?

If the latter is true, then the Canadiens have never been on a truer path to becoming Harold Ballard's Leafs.

If not, however, and Molson is a man of his word, then there is nothing but a world of options for him and the team. All that's needed is a little house cleaning to start things off.

---
Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and featured columnist on PowerScoutHockey.com. Kamal is also a weekly contributor to the Sunday Shinny on TSN Radio 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 9 - 10 AM. Listen live at http://www.tsn.ca/montreal/

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Habs/Flames preview, Price, Cammalleri, Gill, Gainey and tons of trade rumours...

Pregame: Habs @ Flames

HabsAddict.com - Canadiens-Flames: Fire And Ice, The Heritage Classic Is Upon Us
http://www.habsaddict.com/2011/02/canadiens-flames-fire-and-ice-heritage.html

Habs Inside/Out - Red hot Flames turn season around
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/46690

RDS - Tout le monde dehors
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/315349.html

Le CH s'adapte à la froideur de Calgary
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/315306.html

TSN - Gameday
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/scores/gameday/?hubname=nhl-flames

ESPN.com - Canadiens-Flames Preview
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=310220003


News
Habs Inside/Out - Video: Habs alumni beat Flames 5-3
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/46689

P.K. critics: Shut up, play against him – Gainey
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/46688

Bob Gainey ne regrette pas sa décision
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/315351.html

Nash retourne dans la Ligue américaine
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/315327.html

TSN - GAINEY DEFENDS SUBBAN; HAS NO REGRETS ON LEAVING GM JOB
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=354614

PRICE INTRODUCES NEW MASK FOR HERITAGE CLASIC
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=354599

FLAMES, CANADIENS PREPARE FOR HERITAGE CLASSIC
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=354608

ESPN.com - Weekend wrap: Kovalev draws interest, Leafs look for defense, concussion talks
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/4793/weekend-wrap-kovalev-draws-interest-leafs-look-for-defense-concussion-talks

THN.com Blog: Scoring defensemen having an historic season
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/38519-THNcom-Blog-Scoring-defensemen-having-an-historic-season.html

Spector's Hockey - Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – February 20, 2010
http://spectorshockey.net/2011/02/sunday-nhl-rumor-roundup-february-20-2010/

Latest Souray News – February 20, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/2011/02/latest-souray-news-february-20-2011/

NHL Rumors for Sunday, February 20, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/2011/02/nhl-rumors-for-sunday-february-20-2011/

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The Top-10 Montreal Canadiens Captains of All Time

by Kamal Panesar

The Montreal Canadiens are the oldest and most storied franchise in hockey history. With so much history and tradition behind this great organization, the person who is chosen as captain of the team must take on more responsibility than any other captain in the league.

Not only do they have to lead in the dressing room, but they have to be an ambassador to the city and the community, and must exemplify the kind of character and intestinal fortitude that blends them seamlessly into the fabric of Canadiens lore.

Over the 100 years that this organization has been in existence, there have been 27 different individuals to wear the C, and the captaincy has changed hands on 31 separate occasions—if you include the year that Guy Carbonneau and Chris Chelios shared the captaincy in 1989/90, as one occurrence.

With the announcement that Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin will appoint the team's next captain this fall, I thought it was a good time to take a look at the top 10 Montreal Canadiens captains of all-time.

The following is not my top ten list, however, as I conducted a survey of readers on Hockeybuzz.com and HabsAddict.com to find out who their consensus top 10 picks were.

Once the comments were in, I summed up the number of votes—per first through tenth position—for each player, and assigned a point value to each—ten points for number one overall and one point for number ten overall.

The following is the list of winners in descending order.


10. Saku Koivu - Captain Courageous

Captain from 1999 - 2009
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 13

Regular season:
GP: 792
Points: 641

Playoffs:
GP: 54
Points: 48


The Skinny:
Despite his smallish stature, Koivu was never one to shy away from a battle on or off the ice. The man whose heart was as big as the city lifted the torch and carried to through the dark years of the 90’s and early 2000’s.

Unlike most of the other Canadiens' captains, Koivu did not have the fortune to be working for a team of competent managers and, instead, played for too many squads that were average at best.

Despite the team’s lack of success during his years, Koivu maintained the link to the organization's rich history by playing with a winner’s determination year in and year out. But nothing exemplified his character more than his battle with cancer in 2001.

Known as Captain Courageous, Koivu inspired those around him by his sheer will, determination, and unwillingness to quit.

Koivu won the Masterton trophy–for the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey–in 2002 and the Clancy trophy–for the player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice–in 2007.


9. Serge Savard - The Senator

Captain from 1979 - 1981
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 15

Regular season:
GP: 917
Points: 412

Playoffs:
GP: 123
Points: 68


The Skinny:
One of the key members of “The Big Three”–including Guy Lapointe and Larry Robinson–Savard displayed on-ice poise and vision. Known for his spin-o-rama move as much as for his strength of character, Savard was a natural choice to succeed Yvan Cournoyer as the team’s captain in 1979.

Whereas Savard's offensive prowess was on during his first few seasons, a series of leg injuries caused him to become more of a defensive-defenseman only a few years into his playing career.

Savard won eight Stanley Cups, including four-straight from 1976 to 1979, one Conn Smythe trophy in 1969, and the Masterton trophy in 1979.


8. Guy Carbonneau - Guy, Guy, Guy!

Captain from 1989 - 1994
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 13

Regular season:
GP: 912
Points: 547

Playoffs:
GP: 161
Points: 73


The Skinny:
Crafted in the mold of his NHL mentor, Bob Gainey, Carbonneau picked up the mantle of defensive specialist and ran with it. Learning from and winning the Stanley Cup alongside Gainey, Carbonneau learned how to lead while shutting down the opposition's best offensive players.

Much more outspoken than Gainey, Carbo did not hesitate to let a teammate know how he felt and used that fiery style on the ice to help the Canadiens with their 23rd and 24th Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993, respectively.

Carbonneau has two Stanley Cup rings and three Selke Trophies (1988, 1989, 1992).


7. Henri Richard - The Pocket Rocket

Captain from 1971 – 1975
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 20

Regular season:
GP: 1256
Points: 1046

Playoffs:
GP: 180
Points: 129


The Skinny:
Fearless. That is the best word to describe Henri Richard. Originally known as just Maurice Richard’s younger brother, the diminutive 5'7" “Pocket Rocket” had to fight most of the enforcers around the league to show what he was made of. Even though he was smaller, Richard gave just as good as he got and earned the respect of players around the league.

It was Richard’s fearless attitude that made him a key contributor in his 11 Stanley Cup victories, as he crashed the net and won battles in the corners.

Richard’s 11 Stanley Cup rings give him more championships than any other athlete in North American team sports history.


6. Bob Gainey - The Defensive Specialist

Captain from 1981 – 1989
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 16

Regular season:
GP: 1160
Points: 501

Playoffs:
GP: 182
                                                       Points: 73

The Skinny:
Known as being one of the best defensive forwards to ever play the game, Gainey created a new role within the forward ranks of the NHL. Gainey’s style was so revolutionary that the NHL created a new end-of-season trophy to honor it–the Selke Trophy–that he won the first four years it was awarded (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981).

Gainey’s warrior mentality inspired those around him, and they fed off of his “never quit” attitude exemplified by his insistence on playing through pain and injuries. Gainey delivered an inspirational speech during the 1986 season that teammates credit for turning the team around. The result was the team's 23rd Stanley Cup victory at season’s end.


5. Yvan Cournoyer - The Roadrunner

Captain from 1975 – 1979
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 16

Regular season:
GP: 968
Points: 863

Playoffs:
GP: 147
Points: 127


The Skinny:
Speed, speed, speed: That is what Yvan Cournoyer was all about.

Nicknamed “The Roadrunner”, Cournoyer played a mostly limited role in his first few years with the Canadiens as they were winning the cup in ’65 and ’66.
However, “The Roadrunner” would become a key cog in the Canadiens lineup, as he won 10 Stanley Cups in 16 seasons.

Named as captain of the Canadiens in 1975-76, Cournoyer led the team to four straight Stanley Cup victories from 1976 through 1979.

Cournoyer also won the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, in 1973.


4. Maurice Richard - The Rocket

Captain from 1956 – 1960
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 18

Regular season:
GP: 978
Points: 965

Playoffs:
GP: 133
Points: 126


The Skinny:
Known as much for the fiery look in his eyes as his prolific goal-scoring abilities, Richard’s career with the Canadiens anchored a period where the team won eight Stanley Cups spanning three decades.

Elected as captain of the Habs in 1956, Richard used his considerable abilities to lead the team to four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1956 to 1960.

Richard won a total of eight Stanley Cups over the course of his playing career (1944, 1946, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960), as well as the Hart Trophy in 1947.


3. Émile Bouchard - Butch

Captain from 1948 – 1956
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 15

Regular season:
GP: 785
Points: 193

Playoffs:
GP: 113
                                                       Points: 32

The Skinny:
One of the best defensive defensemen to play the game during the 40’s and 50’s, Bouchard was as imposing on the ice–he was 6'2" and 205 lbs–as he was calm and jovial off of it.

Bouchard wore the ‘C’ for eight seasons and helped lead the Canadiens four Stanley cup wins (1944, 1946, 1953, and 1956) over 12 years.


2. Hector Blake - Toe

Captain from 1940 - 1948
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 13

Regular season:
GP: 569
Points: 527

Playoffs:
GP: 57
Points: 62


The Skinny:
While many know Blake as the coach who led the Canadiens to eight Stanley cups in 13 years, Hector “Toe” Blake was a key component of “The Punch Line” with Elmer Lach and Maurice Richard, and helped lead the Canadiens to Stanley Cup wins in 1944 and 1946.

Blake was known for his gritty character and fiery determination and always led by example on the ice scoring the Stanley Cup winning goals in both ’44 and ’46. Blake won the 1939 Hart Trophy and the 1946 Lady Bing Trophy.


1. Jean Beliveau - Le Gros Bill

Captain from 1961 - 1971
Number of seasons with the Canadiens: 20

Regular season:
GP: 1125
Points: 1219

Playoffs:
GP: 162
Points: 176

The Skinny:
Winner of the Art Ross Trophy (1956), two Hart Memorial Trophies (1956, 1964), one Conn Smythe Trophy (1965), and ten Stanley Cups, “Le Gros Bill” embodies the class and character that has always graced the Montreal Canadiens organization.

A true gentlemen, Beliveau always carried himself with dignity on and off the ice and has become the standard that all captains since him are held to.


So tell me what you think about this consensus list. Do you agree? Who would you add/remove from this list? Who are your top-10?

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