Habs/Blue Jackets Post Game October 17th, 2013

The west coast trip was a success for the Habs. Rather than rest on their laurels they came back on home ice and came out strong for the 21,000 plus in attendance.

 At times it looked like the Jackets would mount a comeback after they tied the game up at 3. But a late marker from Tomas Plekanec in the final 2 minutes paired with the eventual empty netter would seal the deal for the Bleu Blanc Rouge.

They opened up the scoring early on. A power-play goal by Bourque set up by a gorgeous cross ice pass from P.K. Subban. It's becoming a habit to mention Subban and the score-sheet, he now has 10 points in 7 games this season which is tied for 2nd in the league.

Along with P.K.,Andrei Markov managed to jump start the offense tonight. Markov scored a shorthanded goal when the Blue Jackets received a power-play on a questionable elbowing call issued to Subban. During this penalty-kill the fore-check made the Jackets cough up the puck in their zone and end up right on the stick of Markov who ripped a shot by Bobvroski.

Bobrovski, the current Vezina holder stopped 31 of the 35 shots he faced and was the reason that the game didn't get out of hand much earlier as the Habs did create many difficult chances early on.

In nets for the Canadiens was Carey Price. Coming off a shutout in his last outing he put together a respectable performance and stopped 30 of 33. He was saved early on by a great defensive play by Josh Gorges, the puck was free in front of the net while the Jackets were scrambling towards the goal he cleared it away with his stick. Gorges also contributed offensively with a helper.

The Blue Jackets managed to get a stand out performance from Boone Jenner, the youngster put up a pair of goals and led the team with 6 shots on goal.

Scoring his first goal as a Canadien was Michael Bournival. He ripped a one timer fed to him from Markov. The moment,scored on home ice, will forever be remembered by the youngster who is solidifying his place on the roster as the games go by. His mix of grinding play combined with some offensive punch are quickly making him a viable option to fill in for the injuries that are quickly piling up.

On the injury front it was announced that Pacioretty would be missing at least the next 3 weeks. His natural ability to find the back of the net will be missed, this will force the team to pull together with scoring from other sources. It was a good time for Bourque to make his presence felt, as well as Plekanec.

One observation this evening, was the distribution of ice-time between the top 2 defense pairings. While Diaz led all defencemen with 23:41, Markov was a close second 23:35 and Gorges and Subban came in with 22 minutes each. The ability to provide some time to rest his stars is a not just a testament to the performance of his third and forth defenders but also help prevent any further injuries to the already decimated blue-line.

Tthe Canadiens will have much to prove being on home ice for the next few games. They are making a statement: They intend to compete for top spot in their division rather than simply fight for a playoff spot this season.

(Photo: Courtesy of SB Nation)

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Canada Beats Sweden In SO, Disclaimer Of Interest A Go? And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Team Canada's Boone Jenner may face supplementary discipline
after his late hit on Swedish defenseman Jesper Pettersson.

After falling 3-2 to Finland in pre-tournament action on Thursday, Team Canada bounced back with a 2-1 shoot out win against Sweden yesterday morning.

Jonathan Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads scored Canada's only goal in regulation tying the game in the third period. Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs scored a beauty in the shoot out before captain Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Edmonton Oilers netted the winner.

Habs prospect Sebastian Collberg assisted on Sweden's goal scored by Alexander Wennberg. Collberg was impressive on many of Sweden's power plays setting up chances and showing impressive puck control with nifty stick work.

Canada will begin the tournament on Boxing Day against Germany. Wednesday's game should be used by Canada to work on their discipline. Their constant trips to the penalty box could cause the Canadians problems further in the tournament if they spend too much time on the p.k. against stronger teams in do or die situations.

As if Canada's on ice penalties aren't trouble enough, Boone Jenner may face suspension after his late hit on Jesper Pettersson left the Swedish defenseman with a dislocated shoulder and a fractured wrist.

Alex Galchenyuk, the Habs only other prospect in the tournament was also on the losing end of pre-tournament play as Finland defeated Team U.S.A. 5-1.

Habs And Hockey News

- Back on the lockout front, the players have voted in favor of filing a disclaimer of interest. The NHLPA has until January 2nd to file the disclaimer if they choose to do so.

- Patrick Kearns (@PatrickKearns) of TheFourthPeriod.com provides a fun lockout free article delivering 25 Christmas gifts to players and personnel around the NHL.

- Team U.S.A. will finalize their roster today, making three last cuts before kicking off their tournament debut against Germany on Thursday.


 (Photo by Darren Makowichuk/QMI Agency) 

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2011 NHL Draft: Why the Montreal Canadiens Need to Trade Down

by Willey

Guess who’s back? Back again. Willey’s back. Tell your friends. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back?

Sorry, got carried away there.

I know, I know, it has truly been a while and I apologize but life has thrown me a few curve balls of late. It’s tough to sit down and contemplate the hockey season when your 8-month-old son faces health problems which give you a scare. But fortunately we appear to finally have things under control.

So with that enormous weight lifted off my shoulders I sit back, put my feet up and get back to one of those true passions in my life; Le Bleu Blanc Rouge.

I realize that the timing of this is horrific. A passion restored despite the Habs being eliminated at the hands of our arch rival Boston Bruins—who eventually went on to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Yes the pain is there, and yes there is a lot of bitterness and anger towards some of the players on this roster. But despite the hostility, my thoughts are focused on a simple question; what next?


The Draft

"Le Club de Hockey Canadiens est fier de selectionner..."

With the elimination of the Habs in the first round of the playoffs Montreal will sit in the 17th spot come this week's draft.

The 17th spot is never a bad position to be in. Although right in the middle of the pack, there have been some true impact players chosen in later spots from guys like Ryan Getzlaf to Claude Giroux. The key is to do your due diligence and determine what player will ultimately fit the best.

Like any fan I'd love to see GM Pierre Gauthier pull a rabbit out of his hat by trading up to secure a top-10 pick, drafting a potential franchise player. But the Habs are simply not in a position to move up.

With the loss of Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges in the 2010-11 season, Gauthier was obliged to part ways with a second round pick for James Wizniewski, a third round pick for Brent Sopel and a fifth round pick for Paul Mara. With a team already thin in organizational depth there is a major need to hang onto every pick that we have.

So what will Gauthier do? Oh the questions I have!

Will the team ultimately decide to stay put and take the best player on the board with the 17th choice? Will Gauthier part ways with one or more players currently on the roster to secure some of these lost picks? Is this the year we finally watch our scouting staff acquire that perpetually elusive big center?

So many questions and so many possibilities, it makes for great television and much debate until a name is ultimately called at the drafting podium.

So I ask you a simple question: are you more interested in what happens at the draft table on June 24th or are you nervous with anticipation wondering what I would do?

I think I know the answer.


GM for a day

Forget about the draft and forget about the pending RFA and UFA players, this is my world people. I am fed up of watching every single team in the NHL draft big bodied players while we sit back and take what we perpetually hear as “the best player on the board”.

I mean really? Does this organization really think we are just cattle who take all the BS that is thrown our way when year after year the best player on the board isn’t even tall enough to sit on the big rides at LaRonde?

Why is it that every single hockey player characterized as somewhere between legal dwarf and just vertically challenged finds his way to the Bleu Blanc Rouge?

Come on already, let’s start getting bigger. Forget the “best player on the board”, let’s get the biggest, the meanest, the dirtiest; you know the type of guy we have all wanted since Chris Nilan hung up his skates so many moons ago?

So this is my world now people and in my world I am the one running the show. And in my world I am sliding down in the draft to select……Ok wait sorry, let me back this up a little bit because I am getting ahead of myself.

If Jamie Oleksiak or Tyler Biggs are available at 17 then you can absolutely forget what I am about to say. I am taking either one of these guys in a heartbeat but let’s be honest here for a second, I know that you know, that I know that you know, that Jamie Oleksiak and Tyler Biggs are not going to be available at 17 so why am I even wasting your time with this?

So where was I?

Oh yes, as I was saying, in the 2011 NHL entry draft I am sliding down to somewhere in the 22-30 range. Heck I might even consider sliding to the 2nd round if it means securing the guy I want.

Am I nuts? I think we all know that I am but remember this is my world and in my world I run the show. Quite frankly, there are some great players available later in the draft who can all help this club going forward.

By trading away our first round pick Gauthier, errr or should I say Willey, would be able to acquire as high as an additional second round choice (which we currently do not have) or something like a third and fifth round selection. In other words, continue to get the guy you want but equally secure some additional picks.

So who is that man that would facilitate a slide?

Put it this way, “With our first pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft Le Club de Hockey Canadiens est fier de selectionner Boone Jenner of the Oshawa Generals”.

TSN has Jenner ranked 26th, ISS has him ranked 38th and the Hockey News 40th. Regardless of his ranking he is exactly the type of player that fits the Gauthier and Jacques martin mold.

Jenner is a 6’1 and 195lbs center from the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. He has great vision, a keen hockey sense and has some fantastic offensive abilities. He also scored at a point-per-game pace in both the regular season and playoffs.

But what sets him apart is his work ethic, leadership qualities and ability to play a gritty two-way game.

Jenner may not be the offensive savior of this club going forward and he is not the next Milan Lucic, but he can easily become a fan favorite. In my opinion, with time he would form a fantastic one-two punch as a line mate of the much anticipated Louis Leblanc.

And there it is. Boone Jenner is a member of the Montreal Canadiens and I can go to sleep knowing that in my world, we got “the best player on the board”.

At least in my mind we did. But what do you think?

---
Willey was the shining light among the wicked growing up as the lone Habs fan in Toronto. Pray to Holy Ghosts of the old forum and all shall be answered I was told, and just like that my family was transferred back to Montreal and away from the damned. Olé, Olé, Olé!

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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