Game 27 - Canadiens at Wild

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (17-7-2) are in Minnesota Wednesday night to face the Wild (13-9-1) at the Xcel Energy Center. The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet.

This is the second and final meeting between the Habs and Wild this season. The Canadiens scored a convincing 4-1 win when these teams met the first time this year. Lars Eller and Jiri Sekac each had a goal and an assist in the game while Brandon Prust picked up a pair of helpers.

What to Watch

Max Pacioretty picked up his team best 12th goal and 20th point of the year on Monday in Colorado, the 26-year old is now sixth in the league in goals scored.

Ex-Hab Thomas Vanek, has just two goals so far this season although with 12 assists, including one against the Canadiens earlier in the year, he does hold a share of the team lead in that department. Zach Parise leads the Wild in points with 18, but with 11 goals, it's Nino Niederreiter that leads Minnesota in that department.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens have relinquished the NHL lead after the Tampa Bay lightning lost in overtime to the Sabres Tuesday night. They are now 1 point behind their division rivals with a chance to leap-frog them by winning in Minnesota on Wednesday.

Who's Out

The Canadiens are missing Michael Bournival (shoulder) who is traveling with the team but not expected to play during this road trip.

The Wild are missing Matt Cooke (hip). The team's top defenseman, Ryan Suter, missed practice Tuesday with an illness, but is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday night.

What Else

The Canadiens lost perhaps their greatest ambassador late Tuesday night. Jean Beliveau, 10 time Stanley Cup winner, 14 time NHL All Star, two time Hart Trophy winner, Art Ross and Conn Smythe winner, Hall-of-Famer, and one of the most recognizable figures in hockey, passed away at age 83. He played his entire NHL career from, 1950 to 1971, with the Montreal Canadiens and was a constant presence at the Montreal Forum and the Bell Centre since his retirement.

The Canadiens have set up a page on their official website to share tributes to Le Gros Bill, it can be found here.

The Question Mark

In four words, what did Jean Beliveau mean to you?

Tonight's Show

Join myself, Rob Elbaz, along with Kosta Papoulias and Corey Collard for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Wild.

Read More

Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Jets (Game #56)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (29-20-6) play host to the Winnipeg Jets (26-25-5) Sunday afternoon, hours prior to Super Bowl 48. The game starts at 1:00 pm and airs on RDS and CBC.

This is the second and final meeting between these two teams this season. The Canadiens earned a 3-0 victory in Winnipeg in October. Brandon Prust scored the game winning goal 2 minutes into the game, while Carey Price made 36 saves to earn the shutout.

What to Watch:

The Canadiens had trouble producing offense against the Lightning Saturday afternoon especially with the man advantage. During their 4 power play chances the Habs had just 5 shots and allowed 4 against, giving up a shorthanded goal in the process. Previously a top-5 team on the power play the Canadiens have slipped to 15th in the league with an 18.6% efficiency and a distressing 15.5% effectiveness on home ice.

Since new head coach  Paul Maurice took over the reigns, the Jets have gone 7-2-0 with their only losses coming by one-goal deficits. Dustin Byfuglien seems to have transitioned to forward full time, except for a bit of point duty in power play situations. Buff has 2 goals and 4 assists since Maurice took over.

What's at Stake:

The OT loss to Tampa Saturday afternoon left the Habs 5 points back of the Bolts, and with the Leafs beating the Senators Saturday night they're also 2 points behind Toronto. After losing 4 straight, the Canadiens have now earned points in their last 3 games. With just one week of hockey left until the Olympic break, they'll try to keep that streak alive as long as possible.

Who's Out:

Alex Galchenyuk (hand) won't be ready to play until after the Olympic break, but Ryan White (upper body) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are getting close to their returns. Michael Bournival (illness) missed Saturday's game against the Bolts, and will likely be a game time decision against the Jets.

The Jets are missing Evander Kane (hand) who suffered a deep cut against the Lightning early in January, returned to action later in the month but was again forced out when the hand became infected. Grant Clitsome (back), Jim Slater (hernia) and Matt Halischuk (forearm) are also out for Winnipeg.

What Else:

The Canadiens tradition of playing back-to-back games on Super Bowl weekend dates back to 1991, that year the Bruins beat the Habs 3-1 on Super Bowl Sunday. During the Super Bowl that year, the Buffalo Bills would lose their first of four straight Championship appearances, dropping a 20-19 decision to the New York Giants. In 2011, the Habs and Jets faced off on Super Bowl Sunday and the Canadiens skated off with a 3-0 victory. In the 22 Sunday games since 1991, the Habs have gone 13-8-0 with 1 tie.

The Question Mark:

Broncos or Seahawks?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Read More

Habs/Coyotes Post-Game December 17th 2013

The Habs earned a victory against a very strong, and defense focused, Phoenix Coyotes squad by a score of 3 to 1. The victory was important given how they flat they came out against the Florida Panthers in front of the home crowd Sunday evening in their losing outing.

Max Pacioretty was ringing the doorbell often as he hit the post three times before finally getting a bounce off the skate of Michael Stone to beat Mike Smith. He also added an empty netter to seal the game and put away the sword as he has done quite often this season.

The Habs came out of the gate flying, Pacioretty was sent in on a breakaway thirty seconds into the game and a series of other opportunities tested Smith early. A penalty by Briere for holding did turn the tempo of the game and gave the Coyotes momentum. Only a few minutes after their powerplay did the Yotes get on the board with a goal by Antoine Vermette.

The Yotes held this pace in the game for the better part of the first two periods. The Canadiens weren't without their chances. Price came up big for the Habs, especially in the first as he faced 15 shots. His performance in the first could easily have given the Coyotes the game much earlier but he made sure the lead didn't grow as the game progressed. He also showcased extremely well in his matchup against another possible Olympic starter for Canada in the other net.

While the first period was a battle for Price the remaining two periods were less demanding as the Canadiens must have gotten an earful from their coaches between the first and second as they suddenly gained back the advantage in the shots category in the next two frames. A big moment in the game came when the Canadiens needed to kill off a Brandon Prust double minor and came away clean against a strong Coyotes power-play.

Mike Smith was also on his game however. He came up with an immense save against Galchenyuk with 30 seconds left in the second to rob him with the glove. A save like that given the habs recent snake-bitten goal scoring would make fans wonder whether or not there would be a goal for the home-side.

Numerous shots off the post and a glaring open cage for Lars Eller all should have been gotten by Smith and onto the score sheet but the Canadiens just couldn't seem to get luck on their side. This did not help ease the tension for the fans who had been left without any reward for their teams hard work on the night.

Fortunately for them the Canadiens managed to capitalize on a couple of their power plays in the third to score a pair of goals against the stingy Coyotes. A blast from Andrei Markov trickled into the net through the pads of Smith who failed to get all of the shot by the Habs blue-liner.

Despite the early setbacks the Canadiens played a hard game against a very strong opponent in the western Pacific conference. On Thursday night the Canadiens take on the mighty St-Louis Blues.

Read More

Habs/Preds Post-Game October 19th 2013

It's going to be hard to forget this one for the faithful, and for all the wrong reasons. While the Canadiens will come up short 2-1 in the books, nothing can do justice to the gaffe caused by the referees.

The Canadiens were on the receiving end of controversy Saturday night. Lars Eller seemed to have scored th go ahead goal midway through the third period but the call made by the official was reversed upon further review.To make matters worse, a statement was issued by the NHL. This statement failed to identify any rules that were followed and was only able to state that each official agreed the puck never crossed the line. This would not be as hard to swallow if the play was blown dead by an official who clearly indicated by pointing his arm towards the goal to indicate a goal had been scored!

While the "he said, he said" won't do much in this situation it is painful to think the NHL won't stand it's ground on its own guidelines.

The game itself was played as typically as one could expect of a matchup with the Predators. A high caliber defense combined with an exceptional goalie and a less than threatening attack. Most could have anticipated the game would finish with fewer than 4 goals crossing the goal line. 

Rinne and Price played outstanding. Neither permitted the puck to get by save for something exceptional as was the beautiful toe drag game winner by rookie sensation Seth Jones.

With 2 minutes left on the clock, the game tied at ones and seeming like the fans would need to stay a little longer. Montreal failed to clear the puck from their zone, most noticeably Travis Moen flailing his stick while lying on the ice, the puck found its way to the stick of Jones, who pulled off a slick toe drag to set up his own wrister that got by Price. Along with the goal was his 27 minute workload that was beaten only by long time captain and all-star Shea Weber, 28 minutes. 

It is very possible that the game could have gone out of hand much earlier had the Habs not been able to play such a stellar game short-handed, eventually finishing 5-6 on the PK. Most famously was the referee calling an "embezzlement" penalty against Subban. The Canadiens allowed one goal off of a shot by Weber, that hit 2 Canadiens on the way in. Price should not be faulted at all as it was a shot during the tail-end of an early 5-3 that bounced off of Prust and than Gorges before finding the net. 

Brandan Gallagher played his heart out tonight. For a player who does not boast the most size he certainly puts rubber on the net. He may not possess the greatest shot but any great scorer will tell you that the only way to score is to put the puck on net, he had a total of 9 SOG. His goal came as advertised, a scrum in front of the net found its way to the back of the net. 

The Canadiens should be commended on their ability to play while fighting off in game injuries. Danny Briere suffered a concussion, Brandon Prust took a fall into the end boards and left favoring his shoulder and Josh Gorges received a hit that delivered contact to both sides of his head. The injury list is starting to pile-up for the Canadiens in this short season and it will be a tough test to see how much they can fight the coming opponents in the Oilers, Sharks and Ducks. The farm in Hamilton will be getting a few calls and the fans will get an opportunity to see some of the Habs pipeline. 

Read More

Vokoun Good-Fleury Bad, Habs Not Too Small? And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Tomas Vokoun has backstopped the Penguins to the second
round after replacing Mar-Andre Fleury in goal.

 First off I would like to wish a happy Mother's Day to any and all of our readers who happen to be mothers!

And now to hockey. When the playoffs began, the one series I had no real intention of following was that of the Pittsburgh Penguins taking on the New York Islanders. I know that having two teams with high flying offense has a lot of potential of being quite entertaining, but at the same time when it seems one team will just roll through another in four games a lot is taken away from the excitement of it.

The one thing that made me believe in the back of my mind that John Tavares and company could possibly upset the Penguins was the fact that Marc-Andre Fleury was  in goal. Sure enough, after four games the series was tied thanks in large part to Mr. Fleury. Not to take away from the Islanders, it's just that I have no faith whatsoever in Pittsburgh's goalie.

The difference between last years early exit at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers and their win over the pesky Islanders was Tomas Vokoun. Vokoun started game five and earned a shutout in the Penguins 4-0 victory over the Islanders. The Penguins back up was again called upon in last night's game and his 35 save performance earned his team a spot in the second round with a 4-3 overtime win.

With the win the Penguins will face the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. As long as Dan Bylsma sticks with Vokoun against the Sens the Penguins will more than likely find themselves playing in the Eastern Conference finals soon enough.

My prediction?

Crosby, Malkin, Neal, Iginla, Kunitz, Letang and Vokoun over Anderson and a non 100% Karlsson in five.


Habs And Hockey News

- With their post season cut short, the Canadiens revealed to the media just how injured their roster was in their series against the Sens. With a list including a concussion, seperated ribs and shoulders and sprained MCL's it's hard to imagine the Habs would've went too far had they defeated the Senators.

- As disappointing as the Habs first round exit was, fans in Montreal have plenty of reason to be optimistic heading into next season.

- Andrew Berkshire @AndrewBerkshire argues that the Habs are not too small, an argument that is not often heard.


(Photo by Jason Cohn/Reuters)

Read More

Price vs. Budaj, Prust Is A Warrior, Halak Has The Blues And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Would the Canadiens have made it past the first round with
Peter Budaj as their starter?

I have to say, I haven't been looking forward to putting up today's news and links as it's the first time I am doing so since the Ottawa Senators sent the Habs packing last Thursday night.

The Montreal Canadiens enjoyed a surprisingly successful season finishing second in the Eastern conference after ending up in the basement at the end of the 2011-12 campaign. It's this amazing turnaround that had Montreal fans hoping and expecting the Canadiens to make a deep playoff run.

Instead the Habs lost defenseman Alexei Emelin in the final stretch of the season and things ent downhill from there. It's pretty typical for any fanbase to blame injuries on their team's early exit and so I am not trying to sing that song. The fact of the matter however is that with Emelin out, followed by captain Brian Gionta, Lars Eller, Brandon Prust and Ryan White the Habs were put to the test. A test which they ultimately failed.

As if those injuries weren't enough, goaltender Carey Price injured himself at the end of game four causing him to sit for game five as the Senators handed the Habs a 6-1 beating for the second time in the playoffs ultimately ending the Canadiens playoff run.

It wouldn't be Montreal without a debate over whether or not it was our goalie's fault. Its funny how so many people forget how good Price was to help the team win the Northeast division. Instead they remember his less than impressive overall performance in the final ten games of the season and first round of the playoffs.

I understand that in the big picture it's the playoffs that count, it just get's tiring to always have Price be bashed for the team's failure. The injuries did not help.

So before putting all the blame on Price and making ridiculous claims such as "Peter Budaj would've got us to the second round", take a look at Coach K's perspective on the goaltending debate in Montreal.

Habs And Hockey News

- It's no secret that the Habs need to get tougher to find success in the future, but this article by Dave Stubbs shows that acquiring Brandon Prust last year was a giant step in the right direction.

 - Speaking of goaltendending controversies, it seems former Montreal Saviour Jaroslav Halak may be on his way out of St. Louis.

- Shawn Reznik of TheHockeyWriters.com takes a look at Justin Bailey in his 2013 NHL Draft Prospect Profile.


(Photo by Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

Read More

Time To Panic? Plekanec Review, 5 Differences From Last Year

Good Morning Addicts!

It's up to Michel Therrien to rally his troops as they head into
post-season play.

With the Montreal Canadiens being handed another lopsided loss by the Washington Capitals last night, is it time to hit the panic button?

During the Habs recent three game skid I thought not. It isn't unusual to see a team release their foot from the gas after clincing a playoff spot. Whether it's due to knowing you've got a ticket to the dance or just a matter of trying to remain healthy sometimes a team's willingness to give their all just tapers off after earning the "x" next to their name in the standings.

The way they're losing however, is making it hard to have an optimistic view of things heading into the postseason. Their goaltending is suspect, the defence is a mess and their forwards aren't getting the job done. It's as if the Habs of last year have come back to haunt us.

With one win in their last five games and only three games remaining it's imperative they turn things around right away and find a way to build some momentum heading into the postseason. Being outscored 25-12 in that five game span, is making the Canadiens the team that any team in the East would drool over the oppurtunity to meet in the post season.

Last night's 5-1 loss at the hands of the Capitals was unacceptable for a team who wants to be taken seriously by anybody in the league. With only three games remaining there are no more excuses. Michel Therrien needs to find a way to get his troops to play the way that got them on top of their division.

New Jersey may not be in the hunt for a playoff spot but will relish the chance to play the part of the spoiler Tuesday night. The Jets are fighting for their playoff lives and will bring everything they have to the  ice on Thursday. The Habs final game of the season is in Toronto next Saturday and and they've struggled against the Leafs even in the best of times this season. There is no doubt the Leafs would love to walk all over the Habs one more time so Montreal needs to shape up and find their game fast or their Cinderella season will not have a fairy tale ending.

Habs And Hockey News

- Tomas Plekanec is the most recent Hab in Andrew Berkshire's (@AndrewBerkshire) Mid Season Player Review series.

- Avi Goldberg (@AviGoldberg) goes over the five differences between last year's Habs team and the current one.


(Photo by John Kenney, Montreal Gazette)

Read More

Habs/Caps, Prust Wins Jacques Beauchamp Trophy, Norris Race And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Habs defenceman Raphael Diaz returns to the line-up tonight
after a 25 game absence.

The Montreal Canadiens host the Washington Capitals tonight in their last home game in the regular season. The Capitals are coming in to Montreal off a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators which put a stop to their eight game win streak. In their last ten, the Caps are 8-1-1 while the Habs have struggled as of late winning one of their last four and going 5-5 in their previous ten contests.

While the absence of defenseman Alexei Emelin has been hard on the Habs blueline, Raphael Diaz will return to the lineup tonight after missing 25 games with a concussion. The Canadiens will benefit from the return of the Swiss rearguard who looked to be having a breakout season before suffering a concussion. Colby Armstrong who has missed nine games with a knee injury could possibly return tonight as well.

The teams have split the season series so far this season with the Habs winning 4-1 back in January and the Capitals responding with a 3-2 victory in April. This will be the last meeting between the two clubs in the regular season.

While the Habs have clinched a spot in the post season already, the Caps could use the two points to extend their division lead over the Winnipeg Jets. Washington is currently up by two points and have a game in hand on Winnipeg.

Habs And Hockey News

- Fan favorite Brandon Prust is the 2013 winner of the Jacques Beauchamp- Molson Trophy as the Habs unsung hero.

- Andrew Berkshire focuses on Ryan Suter and P.K. Subban in the Norris Trophy race.

- Justin Dahan of Habs Eyes On The Prize has an exclusive interview with Charles Hudon of the Hamilton Bulldogs.


(Photo By Bernard Brault, La Presse)

Read More

Habs/Rangers, Ryan Clowe, 'Dogs Lose Again And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Nathan Beaulieu will make his NHL debut tonight against
the New York Rangers

 The Montreal Canadiens are back in action tonight as they host the New York Rangers. it will be the third and final meeting between the two teams with the Habs winning the first two games by a combined total of 6-1.

It seems Brandon Prust will return to the line up for Montreal after missing eight games due to a shoulder injury. His timing is quite fitting as he is back on time to face his former team. Prust is a +4 against the Rangers this season and has also notched an assist.

With Prust returning to the roster, Gabriel Dumont was sent back to the Hamilton Bulldogs along with defenseman Jarred Tinordi. Tinordi played six games during his stint with the Habs earning one assist, two penalty minutes and a +2 rating while averaging 10:32 minutes of ice time.

Nathan Beaulieu was called up from Hamilton to take Tinordi's spot on the blue line. Beaulieu has six goals and 19 assists for 25 points in 62 games for the 'Dogs. His style is more offensive than that of Tinordi and will be called upon to help the Canadiens second powerplay unit.

Habs And Hockey News 

- There has been lots of talk about the Habs interest in San Jose's Ryan Clowe as the trade deadline approaches but is he a player the Habs should acquire?

- Eric Engels (@EricEngels) takes a look at who he thinks the Habs should target on April 3rd.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs continue to struggle as they fell 4-3 to the Abbotsford Heat last night for their sixth loss in their last ten games.

(Photo By Bernard Brault, La Presse)

Read More

Habs/Sabres Preview, Should The Canadiens Target Max Talbot? Lars Eller And More...

Good Afternoon Addicts!



Ryan White will miss tonight's game after suffering a lower
body injury in Thurday's 5-2 win over the Islanders.

 The Montreal Canadiens are back at it tonight gettting another crack at the Buffalo Sabres in Montreal. It is the final of four meetings between the two teams with the Sabres winning two of them including a 3-2 overtime win over the Habs just four nights back.

Both teams are coming off of victories since their last meeting with the Sabres edging the Maple Leafs 5-4 in shoot outs and the Habs finally solving the Islanders with a convincing 5-2 win on Thursday night.

Ryan White will be out of the line up with a lower body injury and while Rene Bourque and Brandon Prust are nearing their return, neither are expected to play tonight. Michael Blunden has been called up from Hamilton to replace White.


Habs And Hockey News

- We are ten days away from the April 3rd trade deadline and Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98) would like to see the Habs go after Philadelphia Flyers forward Max Talbot.

- Former Caadien Alex Kovalev retired this week putting an end to his career that saw him play 1,316 NHL games and win the cup with the New York Rangers in 1994.

- Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) breaks down Lars Eller's performance in the first half of the season.


(Photo by Bernard Brault, La Presse)

Read More

Habs extend Francis Bouillon, plus some other good reads

Greetings Habs addicts!

Photo credit: CBC.ca

Big news (pun intended) out of Montreal on Wednesday!  The Montreal Canadiens extended the contract of 38 year old, 5'8" defenceman Francis Bouillon on Wednesday. His extension is a short one (pun intended), just one-year at 1.5 million.

I like this signing. Its nothing flashy, nothing risky; just a solid depth move by GM Marc Bergevin. Bouillon has bought into coach Michel Therrien's system and he has played well, contributing 1 goal, 6 assists with a plus-6 rating in his 29 games thus far this season.  Frankie has also worked well with the younger players on the team, recently paired up with callups Greg Pateryn and Jarred Tinordi.

This is a no-risk signing.  If he is out-played next year in training camp and the pre-season by our younger players, he'd become a solid 7th defenceman who can fill in for injuries or just sit in the press-box as a depth scratch.  For 1.5 million, there's nothing wrong with that.  The Habs are paying four times that to Tomas Kaberle to do the same thing this season.  Bouillon wants to retire in Montreal and I would be shocked if he doesn't stay within the organization either as an assistant coach or in player personnel capacity after his playing career is over. While TSN did report he is a Montreal native, truth be told he's a New Yorker. But he's certainly adopted Montreal as his home.

Good for you, Frankie!!

Read More

Habs/Lightning, Habs/Panthers, Midseason Review And More...

Good Afternoon Addicts!

Habs captain Brian Gionta is back on track earning five goals
and one assist in his last six games.

These Canadiens just keep finding ways to win. In recent years the Canadiens would simply fold after giving up three second period goals as they did last night against the Lightning. This group however kept their heads in the game and their foot on the gas and responded with three unanswered goals of their own in the third period on their way to a 4-3 victory placing them back on top of the Eastern Conference.

Micheal Ryder still has yet to find the back of the net sonce rejoining the Habs but added another two assists giving him six assists in his six games as a Hab this season.

Brian Gionta scored his fifth goal in his last six games and added an assist on Alexei Emelin's game tying goal as he continues to break out of a slump which saw him go five games without earning a point.

There was a damper on the win however as Brandon Prust fell hard into the boards in the third period and laft the game after injuring his shoulder. Prust will miss tonights game and is expected to be out Wednesday and Saturday against the Senators and Devils.

Expect Peter Budaj who is on a three game winning streak to get the start in goal.

The Habs are back at it tonight against the Panthers in Florida.

Habs And Hockey News

- Tonights match up is the Canadiens second game of the second half of their season, here's a look at their first half.

- Andrew Berkshire is back with his eighth edition of the Montreal Canadiens Prospect Roundup.

- Rumor season is in full swing, here is TSN's Sunday rumor roundup.


(Photo from thehockeyhouse.net)

Read More

Montreal Canadiens At The Halfway Mark

24 Down, 24 To go

Alex Galchenyuk (left) and Brendan Gallagher are tied for third
among rookie scoring with 13 points each.

The Montreal Canadiens have reached the halfway mark of the shortened 2013 season and they can't be disappointed in what they've accomplished thus far.

With only 24 games remaining in their season, the Habs currently sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 15-5-4 record.

Predictions are always sketchy and even more so when it comes to this specific squad as they headed into the 2013 campaign. With Markov's knee always in question, a coach who didn't work the first time and a team who failed to produce any offense outside of  their top line it was hard to imagine they would find any more success than in 2011-12.

However, how could it get worse than 15th? The days of Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin are over, the entire organization had been re-structured and character players such as Colby Armstrong, Francis Bouillon and Brandon Prust were added to the roster. How could they not improve?

Pleasant Surprises

Why not start with Brandon Prust? Prust is coming off of a career high three point game in Thursday night's 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Prust has shown his willingness to stand up for his teammates by dropping the gloves seven times in the first half of the season. Along with his toughness, Prust has added nine points (4G-5A) and a very impressive +13 rating, good for 11th in the league.

I'm not sure why I'm putting Carey Price's success as a surprise. I  guess it's because most of the blame for the team's failure is usually put on him and this could be the season that he put's an end to that. In 19 games played Price has posted a 12-4-3 record with a 2.33 GAA, .912 sv% and two SO's.

His 12 wins put him first in that category and has had only two outings in which he played below expectations. He followed those performance up with a 41 save win in Carolina Thursday night including 19 saves in the second frame when Carolina came at Montreal with everything they had.

Rene Bourque was enjoying a bounce back season notching five goals and adding five helpers and playing with determination in the 17 games leading up to a concussion he was believed to have suffered after an altercation with Toronto's Colton Orr in February's 6-0 pounding at the hands of the Maple Leafs.

Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher have been as equally productive as they've been entertaining. With 13 points each, they are tied for third in rookie scoring. Gallagher's two game winning goals are tied for first and he is alone atop rookie skaters with a +10 rating.

Galchenyuk's +7 puts him in third and each of them has done this despite having top line minutes. Neither player ranks among the top 50 rookies when it comes to ice time.

And finally, Michel Therrien has them playing like a team.  It's been a long time since the Habs have bought into their coach's system and it's showing in the standings. Therrien has them playing more aggressively and each night his players are agressive on the puck at both ends of the ice and are winning more battles along the boards than they are losing.

Disappointments

Erik Cole got off to one of his usual slow starts and was subsequently shipped to Dallas for former Hab Michael Ryder. Cole's production was one thing but the lockout left a sour taste in his mouth and after making comments about possibly retiring at seasons end, Marc Bergevin decided it was better to go ahead without him.

Ryder has yet to score in his second stint as a Hab but has earned four assists. The beauty of the deal is in the cap. Cole has two more years on his deal at $4.5 million while Ryder is on the last year of his contract which pays him $3.5 million.

If Ryder can pick up his game Bergevin may decide to re-sign him, if not the Montreal GM has given himself some much needed cap space for a season that will see the cap limit decrease by roughly seven million dollars. Did I mention Bergevin managed to squeeze a 3rd round pick out of Dallas?

Colby Armstrong and Travis Moen have both been less than impressive. While I won't be as hard on Armstrong as most, I can't say he's been the player I was hoping  he would be when he signed as a free agent. Armstrong is far from sniper material but he's going to have to start cashing in on some of the chances he's been getting. His grit factor also seems to have disappeared from his game.

Speaking of lost grit, what has happened to Moen? His play is less physical, his intimidation factor is non existant and his four points in 23 games speaks volumes about his offensive contribution, or lack thereof.

Final Notes

David Desharnais almost made the list of disappointments after starting slow following a stellar 2011-12 campaign. However, in his last 11 games he has recorded ten points and a +5 rating indicating that he may have found his groove.

Peter Budaj is doing exactly what he needs to by posting a 3-1-1 record and giving the team a chance to win when he's called upon.

The Canadiens special teams have been above average as they currently sit in ninth place with the extra man posting a 19.8% success rate. Their rating of  82.1% while down a man puts them at 14th.

The Team's defensive play in their own zone has left a lot to be desired and too often goals are given up due to breakdowns in their own end. Many question why Markov is still getting top pairng minutes at his age and why it took an injury to Raphael Diaz for P.K. Subban to start getting top four ice time.

Subban has 15 points in 18 games and is tied for first among defenseman with six goals. It's not quite clear why he spent his first 14 games hovering around 20 minutes a game.

Looking Ahead

while there is nothing wrong with taking a minute to enjoy the fact that the Canadiens reacherd the halfway mark of the season atop the Eastern Conference, it's only fair to be realistic as we look ahead.

It's not impossible for the Habs to keep the top spot but the Boston Bruins have been absolutely amazing and still hols games in hand on the Canadiens.

The good guys keep finding ways to win without the likes of Rene Bourque and Raphael Diaz but there is a long way to go and they will have to find a way to continue rolling four lines successfully for another 24 games if they expect to finish on top heading into May.


---

Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com

You can follow Sean on Twitter.


(Photo by Paul Chiasson, Canadian Press)

Read More

Habs/Lightning, Fishing For Sharks, Time To Lower Standards? And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Brandon Prust is coming off a career high three point game, notching
one goal and two assists against the Carolina Hurricanes.

 The Montreal Canadiens kick off the second half of this short 2013 season tonight in Tampa Bay as they face the Lightning hoping to earn their second straight victory after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Thursday night.

The teams will meet for the second time this season with the Habs winning the first contest 4-3 in shoot-out's back in February.

Brandon Prust is coming off a career high three point night and Carey Price was back to his usual form after two less than stellar outings leading up to the win in Carolina.

With Yannick Weber suffering a lower body injury against the 'Canes and Raphael Diaz still out with a concussion, the Habs have called up defenseman Greg Pateryn from the Hamilton bulldogs.

It has not yet been announced whether Price will be in nets tonight and with the team facing the Panthers tomorrow in Florida it's a safe bet that the starting goalie will get one of the twon nights off. Price has a 7-6-2 lifetime record against the Bolts with no shutouts, a 2.55 GAA and .908 sv%. Budaj has gone 2-1-0 with a 3.37 GAA and .880 sv%, also no shutouts.

In nets for the Lightning will be either Anders Lindback who's start against the habs earlier this season was his only contest against the Canadiens where he posted a 2.77 GAA and .912 sv% in the 4-3 shoot-out loss. Cedrick Desjardins, the former Hab, is the other option who posted a 1.00 GAA and .964 sv% in his only start against his former team, a 4-1 Lightning victory.

Habs And Hockey News

- With the word out that the Habs are potentially interested in making a deal with the Sharks, Fred Poulin weighs in.

- Arik Parnass of Habs Eyes On the Prize asks, "Is it time to lower our standards on Habs greats?".

- With the trade deadline less than a month away, here are some rumors from around the league.


(Photo by Gerry Broome, Associated Press)

Read More

Why Brandon Prust Is Exactly What The Habs Needed

Greetings HabsAddicts!

I’m honoured that I’ve been given the opportunity to contribute here at HabsAddict.com and I look forward with providing you all with a view from afar.  I’m a transplanted Montrealer proudly representing the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge in evil Leafland!

I was struggling to figure out what to write about for my maiden post.  Its been a while since I blogged about sports. Heck, the last time I operated a Habs fan site was back in 2001. So I opted to discuss my favorite Marc Bergevin move (aside from drafting Galchenyuk): The signing of Brandon Prust. 

Bergevin realized his team needed to get tougher and he needed to improve his bottom six depth.  He went out and signed Prust to a four-yr/10 million dollar deal this summer.  On paper, looks pretty steep financial commitment to a guy who only contributed 17 points in 82 games and finished -1 while playing for the leagues second best team (New York Rangers).   The year before that, he had a solid season with 13 goals and 29 points in 82 games.  The most important number there to me is not the point totals. It’s the games played.  All 82 games, each of the last two years.  In fact, Prust has had only one significant injury his entire career: A broken jaw suffered in a fight in 2009/10 that caused him to miss 31 games.  For a team that was decimated by injuries last season, signing a durable contributor is money well spent in itself.  And we all know our other free agent signing, Colby Armstrong is always one hit away from missing two months of action.

But what’s endearing him to the fans in Montreal – and myself especially - is the intangibles that aren’t always measured in the point column.  From the start of the season, Michel Therrien employed Prust on the line with top pick Alex Galchenyuk and rookie Brendan Gallagher.  Prust is a keen penalty killer with good defensive instincts. He’s also very good a cycling the puck and going into the dirty areas to dig them out.  He can certainly hold his own playing with talented scorers. And when you have your 19 year old future star paired up with a 5’7” 20 year old, it’s nice to know other teams need to think twice about taking liberties with them. Hit them, you’re getting hit. Hard.  And aside from one cheap shot that knocked out Gallagher – which I fully expect will be avenged on April 3 – both Gallys have had a lot of space to work with on the ice. That confidence to drive fearlessly to the net and having it rewarded with early offensive success has certainly sparked their development.   Knowing rookies tend to make mistakes, especially defensively, having a solid back checker like Prust on their line has negated the effect of some of those mental lapses.  And to their credit, they all lead the team in +/- so far this season.  This is a role that Prust is no stranger to.  While playing for the London Knights in the OHL, he was regularly paired up with future Rocket Richard trophy winner Corey Perry on the team’s top line.  He was also responsible for shutting down Sidney Crosby when they matched up against the Oceanic during the 2005 Memorial Cup.

The biggest intangible that Prust brings to the team, in my opinion is character.  With the new regime trying to install a winning culture, going out and bringing in strong character players helps.  Prust is the type of player the Habs have been missing. Montreal has generally lacked the type of on-ice leader who is willing to sacrifice his body to block shots, stand up for teammates, kill penalties and be a voice in the locker room.  Josh Gorges has been that person but he has needed some help in that department the last couple of years. You can’t do it alone and now he doesn’t have to.  With a veteran presence capable of holding others accountable, he’s the perfect face for a team whose new motto is posted on the wall of the locker room: NO EXCUSES.

Prusty wasn’t a flashy signing. He’s not Zach Parise or Ryan Suter.  He’s not going to win a scoring title in his lifetime. He can help you win games, though.  Some argued at the time that the Habs overpaid for him.  From what I’ve seen from him on the ice so far this season, the Habs signed him for a discount.  He’s made quite an impression with me and after decades of following the Habs, I’m not easily impressed by much of anything anymore.  There’s two ways to ‘get tougher’.  One way is the Maple Leaf way: Plug in one-dimensional goons like Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren into your lineup and play them 5 minutes a game.  Or you can go out and employ solid, physical, defensive minded players who aren’t liabilities with the puck.  This is known as the smart way.  Prust certainly fits that latter mold. Oh, and he also tied for the league lead in fighting majors last season with 20.  So he can throw down with the best of them. I’ve never been a believer of having a five minute, fourth line of thugs. To me, its wasted depth. Prust filled a need and compliments it with usable skills.  After helping to beat his former team Saturday night for the second time in a week, maybe now Therrien can give him a new short-term challenge:  Help Eric Cole awaken from his season-long slumber.

Photo: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Read More

Habs Best Devils in OT, The Gallys Are Staying, More...

Hey there, HabsAddicts!!!

Our Montreal Canadiens squeaked out a 4-3 overtime victory last night against the previously undefeated New Jersey Devils at the Bell Centre.

Brendan Gallagher and Brandon Prust both scored their first tallies in a Habs' uniform, while Alex Galchenyuk had two helpers and Andrei Markov scored the overtime winner.

Little could be said about the performance of Carey Price once again, as he outplayed his counterpart , Martin Brodeur. However, with the Canadiens playing four games in six days, some expect Peter Budaj to make his season debut on Tuesday.

Many were concerned that the absence of Max Pacioretty would be a weakness for "Les Glorieux", but Lars Eller did an admirable job in his absence. Much maligned left winger Rene Bourque continue to play solid hockey with another excellent effort, silencing many of the naysayers who want him to bought out at season's end.

On the Devils' side of the ledger, Patrick Elias has a goal and two assists to lead the boys from Newark, while Ilya Kovalchuk had but a single assist on the night.

Next up are the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, who are coming off another win against the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime. Evander "Show Me The Benjamins" Kane, Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom lead the Jets in scoring with six points respectively. Expect Ondrej Pavelec to be between the pipes for Winnipeg.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Jimmy Murphy of ESPN Boston joined host Corey Collard and Jay Ferrar on the Montreal Hockey Talk's post-game show. MHT is also giving away a pair of tickets to the game on Super Bowl Sunday at 2 PM versus the Ottawa Senators, courtesy of HockeyTickets.ca. Simply follow @mtlhockeytalk and send a message with the hashtag #HabsGiveAway to enter. The drawing will take place during the Pre-Game Show on Saturday at 1 PM, hosted by Steven Hindle.

- Today, Canadiens GM Marc Bergavin and head coach Michel Therrien advised both Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher that they will be remaining with the Habs for the remainder of the season. Galchenyuk is expected to live with his mother and sister in their apartment in Montreal, while Gallagher has been told he'll be living with Josh Gorges for the foreseeable future.

- Andrei Markov took a therapy day on Monday. With the tight schedule this week, the break will do him some good. Markov leads the Canadiens in goals with four on the season.

Photo: Graham Hughes/Canadian Press

Read More

Subban Saga Continues, Prust' 1st Taste,More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

Everyone at HabsAddict.com was saddened by the passing of broadcasting legend Richard Garneau this weekend. A veteran of 23 Olympics and former host of La Soirée du Hockey, Mr. Garneau was considered the Jean Beliveau of broadcasting.

With the Canadiens' loss to the hated Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night, the calls to sign P.K. Subban have intensified. The lack of offensive push by the Habs has fans worried, even if it's only just one game.

Original reports suggested the Canadiens were unwilling to give Subban a long term deal, and the dollar amounts he was asking for. The Habs were willing to give him a 3-year, $10.5 Million ($3.5 Million AAV) contract, while indications were that Subban's agent was looking for a 5-year, $27.5 Million ($5.5 Million AAV).

Now, reports indicate that Canadiens' GM Marc Bergavin is willing to give the Subban camp a 6-year deal, worth $24 Million ($4 Million AAV). Others are saying that Subban is willing to sign for less term, but more money annually.

Coming of a four month work stoppage, and the posturing from both sides associated to it, HabsNation isn't in the mood to hear the back and forth between the Habs and Subban. They just want a deal to get done and move on. There was enough greed to go around during the lockout, we don't need anymore.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- Brendan Prust, one of the newest members of the Canadiens, sat down with the Gazette's Dave Stubbs to discuss his first weekend with the Habs, and the experiences that came with it.

-Rob Elbaz of Montreal Hockey Talk.com takes a look at tonight's tilt between the Habs and Alex Kovalev and the Florida Panthers.

Read More

Five Habs Questions Left Unanswered by the NHL Lockout

The Lockout Leaves Question Marks After A Disappointing Season

Just over two months have passed since the 2012-13 lockout officially started. The annual Winter Classic has been nixed and the All-Star game is sure to be next. The cancellation of the All-Star game shouldn't come as a shock to anybody. After all, how can there be stars without a season?

I've come to care less and less about the lockout as time goes by simply because, while I love the game, I refuse to let it take over my life.

Though I enjoy Saturday night games as much as the next fan, I've had little trouble moving on. Sure my "Mardi's" aren't nearly as "méchant" as I would like them to be, but I've had no trouble replacing these traditions with enjoyable new ones such as "Whiskey Wednesday's".

The thing that bothers me most about this lockout is that the absence of a season leaves too many questions unanswered. The Montreal Canadiens went through many changes during the summer and I — along with pretty much every other Hab fan — was looking forward to seeing what those changes would bring.

And with that, here are five questions regarding the Montreal Canadiens that have been left unanswered due to the ongoing lockout.

1. Are the Canadiens tough enough?

With the free agent signings of forwards Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong along with the re-acquisition of defenseman Francis Bouillon, a large portion of the Habs fanbase immediately felt that the team would no longer be pushed around as easily as it has been for... well, as long as I can remember.

While Armstrong is not especially big, he doesn't shy away from throwing his body around, something that isn't done nearly enough by many Canadiens.

Bouillon's 5'8" 198 pound frame hardly screams heavyweight either but anybody who has seen him play knows his hits are hard and willingness to drop the gloves is borderline suicidal.

Prust, however, was the prize signing. After letting beloved tough guy Brad Staubitz leave via free agency after just 19 games, the Habs were in desperate need of a designated tough guy. With Prust in the lineup the Canadiens now have a player who can protect his teammates, cause problems for opposing players and occasionally pitch in offensively.

The question remains, are these three enough?

2. Is Andrei Markov back for good?

Unfortunately, as I write this Markov is injured in Russia. Markov has been playing for Vityaz Chekov in the KHL but left a game on October 26th with what was described as an "upper body" injury.

Markov would have been returning to the Montreal Canadiens at the beginning of the season after missing what seems like a kajillion games due to repeated knee injuries. With Markov healthy heading into September the Canadiens powerplay as well as their defensive zone breakout was guaranteed to improve drastically.

However, given his current predicament, it's hard to imagine that he would've lasted through the entire 2012-13 season.

In the end though, who really knows how thing's would've played out if he was back in a Habs uniform when the puck was supposed to drop.

3. Is David Desharnais for real?

One of the few positives to come out of the disastrous 2011-12 season was the emergence of David Desharnais as an efficient point producer. The argument can be — and has been — made that his success was due in large part to having Erik Cole and Max Pacioretty on his wings. Whether that's the case or not, the fact is Desharnais finished third on the team in scoring with 60 points.

With that 60 point season came constant debates on who is better between himself and Tomas Plekanec — cough, Plekanec, cough. Regardless, what seems clear is that Desharnais can play with the big boys.

This season would've shed light on Desharnais's true role and value. There is no doubt that he would've started the season with the same line mates but there were many out there wondering if the 5'7" 177 pound center could put up similar numbers in a season where opposing players would be more aware of him.

4. Is Michel Therrien the man for the job?

I'm quite tempted to just type "no" and move on. The reason I won't is Marc Bergevin.

Since Bergevin burst into the Habs hockey scene he has done nothing but better the organization. The one thing that may go against that statement is the hiring of Therrien. Seeing as how Bergevin has a Stanley Cup ring, though, and I don't I feel compelled to blast his choice just yet.

Therrien is mostly known in Montreal for his meltdown behind the Canadiens bench against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2002 playoffs. Therrien took an unsportsmanlike penalty in a game the Canadiens were leading, eventually contributing to a devastating loss. The Hurricanes win tied the series at two and the 'Canes would go on to win the following two games earning a spot in the Eastern Conference finals.

People can change and there is a possibility that his reputation of demanding tough play and placing accountability on players could be just what this squad needs after a season where only a handful of players seemed motivated.

5. How will Alex Galchenyuk be handled?

The Montreal Canadiens' number one pick in the 2012 draft is quite possibly the silver lining to this lockout mess. After missing last season in Sarnia due to a knee injury, it seemed that another season in the OHL would be the best idea to further the prospects development.

Rene Bourque's surgery at the end of August was especially concerning. With a top-six nine forward expected to be sidelined for 8-12 weeks and Galchenyuk's skill — not to mention the hype surrounding him — I couldn't help but worry he would be rushed.

Sure, I have faith that the Canadiens development will improve drastically under the watch of Marc Bergevin. Yet, after years of watching talented young prospects be rushed and ruined by this organization, I couldn't help but worry about what would happen if Galchenyuk played well and was given a spot in the NHL right away.

Even if he were to be productive in a handful of games with the CH, I would still want him to play one more year with the Sting in order to better prepare for the main stage. So far, the lockout has proven beneficial for Galchenyuk who is currently tied for eighth in OHL scoring with 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 22 games.

With no NHL schedule, Galchenyuk can continue to succeed without any distracting debate over where he should be playing.

Without the 2012-13 season to answer these questions, what do you think:

1. Are the Canadiens tough enough?
2. What are your thoughts on Markov?
3. Is Desharnais for real?
4. Is Therrien the man for the job?
5. Will Galchenyuk really benefit from the lockout?

---
Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com You can follow Sean on Twitter.

Read More

CBA Talks On Hold, Prust Spotlight, Rookie Showcase Recap And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

After meeting twice this week, it seems that September 15th will come and go without a new CBA as the NHL and the players association have put an end to discussions for the time being.

After the NHL's most recent proposal, commissioner Gary Bettman stated the the players association made no counter proposal and that talks will resume when either side has something to say, but until there is a willingness to discuss moving forward on the issue of economics there is nothing to be said.

Both sides claim there is still a chance for a new CBA to be hammered out by the September 15th deadline but realistically it seems that fans will need to find something else to watch in October.

Do you feel there is a chance that the 2101-13 season will begin on time? I would love to be optimistic but find it hard to believe at this point.

Habs and Hockey News

- Brandon Prust finds himself in the spotlight over at TheHockeyGuys.net

- Yesterday, Habs legend Jean Beliveau celebrated his 81st birthday. Here's an article by Dave Stubbs focusing on his road to recovery after suffering a stroke six months ago.

- Eric Engels views defense as the Habs key to improving in the upcoming season

- On August 27-28, the NHLPA held their fourth annual rookie showcase. Alex Galchenyuk, Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi were there to represent the Canadiens. Here's a recap

Read More

Montreal Canadiens Uniform, Old Rules, Brandon Prust and More

Happy Monday Hab fans!

A few days ago, ESPN's Uni Watch released its ranking of uniforms for the four major North American sports. 

Who had the best jersey? 

The Montreal Canadiens, of course. 

Conversely, the NBA's Sacramento Kings were deemed as having the worst. As for the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche's set is considered the least appealing.

As for Canadian teams, the Edmonton Oilers were ranked 104th out of 121. Not exactly stellar. Personally, I wish they would bring back this logo. 

What do you think? Which NHL teams have the prettiest and ugliest uni's? 

Hockey and Habs news

- Our Amos Legault takes an insightful and humorous look at some of the NHL's old rules for goaltenders. Honestly, some of the rules seem pretty silly under today's standards.

- Hockey Inside/Out looks at how Brandon Prust will be missed by his former New York Rangers teammates. 

- HabsWorld's Fantasy Focus continues with looks at both Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges. 

- CBA talks will resume this Tuesday and the NHL will reportedly be tabling a new offer. Meanwhile, Adrian Dater of Sports Illustrated dissects the similarities between the 2004-05 negotiations and the current ones. 

Read More