Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Hurricanes (Game #53)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (27-20-5) will look to end their 4-game losing streak at home against the Hurricanes (24-19-9) Tuesday night. The game starts at 7:30 and can be seen on RDS.

This is the second of three games between the Habs and Canes, and the only one at the Bell Center. The Hurricanes erased a 3-0 third period lead on New Year's Eve with four straight third period goals, including a pair of Jeff Skinner power play goals to start the rally. PK Subban brought the game back level, but Alexander Semin scored the overtime winner to cap off the comeback for Carolina.

What to Watch:

The Canadiens held a players-only meeting following their 5-0 loss against the Capitals on Saturday. Peter Budaj relieved Carey Price for the second time in three games. The Canadiens have given up 4 goals or more in their last 6 matches, a total of 28 of the 131 goals they've allowed in 52 games this season.

The Hurricanes are trending in the opposite direction of the Habs, they've won their last 4 straight to draw within 2 points of Montreal and are now holding down a playoff spot. A pair of third period goals by Eric Staal followed by the game winner by brother Jordan helped the Canes overcome the Blue Jackets Monday night for a 3-2 win.

What's at Stake:

The Habs are stuck in their worst losing streak and their worst stretch of play all season. They've lost their last four and have gone six games without winning in regulation. Tuesday's game is a chance for the Canadiens to bounce back in front of their home crowd before heading off  to Boston on Thursday. It's sixth and final home game of January, where the Habs have gone 2-2-1 so far this month.

Who's Out:

The Habs are still without Alex Galchenyuk (hand), who should be back after the Olympic break. Ryan White (upper body) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are also out.

The Hurricanes are missing starting goalie, Cam Ward (lower body), he hasn't played since beating the Habs a month ago. Anton Khudobin was in nets Monday night, which means young netminder Justin Peters should get the start in Montreal.

What Else:

During the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 campaign the Habs never lost more than 3 straight games, their last 4-game slide started March 23, 2012 when the Canadiens were beaten 4-1 by the Flyers. Daniel Briere was the first star in that game, with 2 goals including the game winner for Philadelphia.

The Question Mark:

Rumors of a Habs trade abounded on Monday. According to TVA's Louis Jean, Colorado's PA Parenteau (25 points in 41 games this season) was on the table for Rene Bourque and another unknown piece. We want to hear from you, how much would you be willing to give up along with Bourque to land a Parenteau type player?

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.

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Canadiens - Hurricanes: Third Period Collapse Ends Habs Streak at Four

Many Habs addicts are upset this morning over the Canadiens' 5-3 loss to the Canes last night. But what did they expect? That the Habs would win every game from here till the end of the season?

There were a lot of positives in the match, namely the continued excellent performance of young guns like Lars Eller and David Desharnais.

P.K. Subban too seems to be playing better, simpler hockey and is a more effective player as a result.

Last night's loss was a game the Habs could have and probably should have won. But short-handed and power play goals by the Canes in the third, we're all the Canes would need to collect the two points.

Montreal is now stalled at seven points back of the eighth overall Leafs. Worse yet, the Canes are now only two points behind the Habs in the standings.

At the end of the day, you can't win 'em all. The problem is that to make the playoffs, Montreal needs to.

Game Notes

Crash-bang - You've got to love the way the Habs set a physical tone early in the game. In the first five minutes of play, Rene Bourque, Eric Cole, P.K. Subban and Alexei Emelin all threw thunderous body checks.

Emelin, in particular, got under the Canes' skin early with a low-bridge hit on Anthony Stewart.

But more than just the physicality, the Habs came out of the gates like race horses. Skating hard, driving to the net and showing the same determination that had won them their last four games.

Unfortunately, an early goal by the Canes took all the air out of their balloon and led to their defeat.

Why? - Jaroslav Spacek, who was playing his first game at the Bell Centre against his former team, was booed every time he touched the puck.

I don't get it.

Was it because he spewed his guts about the farcical situation that existed in Montreal when he was traded? Was it because he used to play for the Habs and now doesn't?

I get fans booing, say, Zdeno Chara who after almost murdering Max Pacioretty remains public enemy No. 1. But Spacek?

Say what you will about the aging veteran, but he gave the Habs some good years of service and was a good soldier. And he should be respected as such.

What a turn around! - If Lars Eller's performance under Randy Cunneyworth has been impressive, an almost equally impressive turn around has been from Mathieu Darche.

This is a guy who was one of, it not the, top unsung heroes for the Habs last season. This year? He's been largely invisible, has looked slow and, overall, like he doesn't belong in the league anymore.

That was until about five games ago. All of a sudden, Darche looks like the player he was last season, giving every ounce of his being on every shift and being rewarded for his hard work.

Darche finished the game with one assist, two shots on goal and 17:41 of icetime. That's fifth overall after Eric Cole, David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec.

Not bad for a fourth line plugger.

Attitude - I think one of the biggest changes that Cunneyworth has brought to the Canadiens is a positive attitude. Moreover, this team doesn't quit like they used to.

The first five minute aside, Montreal was terrible against the Canes through the first half of the game. Giveaways, missed passes, poor defensive zone coverage. They actually looked a lot like the Leafs did on Saturday night.

Lost.

To be honest, if it wasn't for Carey Price, the Canes would probably have had a three or four goal lead early.

That aside, the Habs didn't throw in the towel, roaring back to score three second period goals in a six minute span to take the lead. This ability to come back and put the pedal to the metal, was entirely absent over the first 40 or so games of the season.

I think it's no real surprise too, considering the type of NHL player Cunneyworth himself was. For those who don't know, he wasn't the most skilled but was always the hardest working.

He never took a shift off and never quit. Ever. Despite the loss, it seems like his work ethic has finally rubbed off on his players.

Stat of the night - 21. That is the number of times this season the Habs have held the lead only to lose the game.

Ugly.

Question of the night - Will Ryan White slot into the lineup tomorrow night against the Boston Bruins? You'd have to think that yes, he will. But what about Ian Schultz?

Word is that he was called up as a precautionary measure because of injuries and likely won't play. But is there a better opponent for his than the rough and tumble Bruins?

UPDATE - Ian Schultz has been sent back down to Hamilton.

Up next - The Habs travel to Boston where they take on the division leading Bruins on Wednesday in Boston.

To say that Boston is a dominant team would be the understatement of the year. They are currently a league-leading plus-64 for their goals-for/against differential. They also sit in second overall in the East and fourth league-wide.

Montreal will certainly have their work cut out for them trying to prevent this loss from turning into a two-game skid.

---
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 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

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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The 20 most overpaid NHLers making more than $4.0M per year: Gomez makes the list!

More than one quarter into the 2011-12 NHL season, it’s time to have a look at the most overpaid NHLers who don’t contribute as much as their team and the general manger who signed them would like. Please note that I have not included players whose contract is buried in the AHL or oversees such as Jeff Finger, Rotislav Olesz, Wade Redden and Cristobal Huet. Players are listed by team alphabetical order and by cap hit.

Lubomir Visnovsky, Anaheim – $5,600,000 cap hit After his best offensive season in the NHL, during which he scored a league-leading 68 points among defensemen, Visnovsky has been a big disappointment this year in Anaheim. The talented rearguard had only four points in 16 games before he sustained a broken thumb that will put him on the shelf for at least a month.

Ville Leino, Buffalo – $4,500,000 cap hit Signed to a six-year deal as a free agent by the Sabres this summer, Leino has been a major disappointment in Buffalo. With only 6 points and a -5 differential in 24 games this season, Leino is considered the worst free-agent signing of 2011.

Jay Bouwmeester, Calgary – $6,680,000 cap hit Acquired from Florida by the Flames before the 2009-10 season, Bouwmeester’s offence has always been overrated, having never broke the 50-point barrier in a single season. Entering the third year of his five-year contract, Bouwmeester has only one goal and six assists for seven points in 23 games.

Eric Staal, Carolina – $8,250,000 cap hit Coming off a very good season, during which the Hurricanes captain recorded 76 points in 81 games, Staal has been slumping badly this season without his former line-mate Erik Cole, who has signed a multi-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens. Staal has a league-worse -18 ratio to go along with only 12 points in 26 games.

Tomas Kaberle, Carolina – $4,250,000 cap hit Signed as a free agent by Carolina in the off-season after winning the Stanley Cup with the Bruins, Kaberle has only one goal and 13 assists for 14 points in 49 games since he got traded by the Maple Leafs last season. The offensive defenseman has zero goal this season to go with a dismal -12 ratio.

Ed Jovanovski, Florida – $4,125,000 cap hit Signed as a free agent to a four-year contract by Florida this summer, Jovocop is more like a mall guard these days. With only five points in 23 games this season, Jovanovski has seen his offensive output decline steadily since his 51-point campaign in 2007-08. The oft-injured rearguard finished 2010-11 with only 14 points in 50 games with Phoenix.

Dustin Penner, Los Angeles – $4,250,000 cap hit Entering the last year of a five-year deal he signed with the Oilers, the Penner experiment has been a major failure with the Kings. The oversized forward's production has been nearly non-existent this season with only two assists in fourteen games, before he sustained a hand injury.

Marek Zidlicky, Minnesota – $4,000,000 cap hit The oft-injured Zidlicky missed 36 contests last season due to injury, recording only 24 points in 46 games. This year, Zidlicky's production has been almost non-existent; in 18 games, the offensive-minded rearguard has zero goal and six assists for only six points.

Scott Gomez, Montreal – $7,357,143 cap hit Acquired prior to the 2009-10 season by Montreal, Gomez had an average year two years ago, recording 59 points in 78 games. However, since then, his play has been declining fast. Last year, he only managed seven goals and 38 points in 80 games, while the season he has yet to score a goal (4 assists) in 13 games. He's currently sidelined with a groin injury.

Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey – $6,666,667 cap hit After signing a very expensive 15-year contract prior to the 2010-11 season, Kovalchuk's production has been subpar at best. Known as a point-per-game player in Atlanta, Kovalchuk finished with only 60 points in 81 games last year, while this season, the Russian sniper has only scored four goals and 13 points in 17 contests with the Devils. This contract could prove very costly, as the Devils are rumoured to be bankrupted and all-star Zach Parise is slated to become a free agent at season's end.

Brian Rolston, New York Islanders – $5,062,500 cap hit Acquired from the Devils in the off-season for his veteran leadership, Rolston's production has been in steady decline since the 2005-06 campaign during which he recorded 79 points with Minnesota. This year, Rolston has been mediocre at best, notching only three goals and three assists for six points in 20 games with the Islanders.

Rick Dipietro, NY Islanders – $4,500,000 cap hit Re-signed to a 15-year contract prior to the 2006-07 season, Dipietro’s career has been marred with injuries. This season, Dipietro has been healthy, but he has not played much losing his starting to veteran Evgeni Nabokov first, and then to back-up Al Montoya who has been playing well. he’s also been mediocre posting a 3.44 GAA and a pathetic .885 save % in only seven games.

Ilya Bryzgalov, Philadelphia – $5,666,667 cap hit Acquired from the Coyotes before the season by the Flyers, Breezer has been colder than a winter night in January in Winnipeg. Bryzgalov, who was signed to a nine-year contract to stabilize the Flyers goaltending position has been more than shaky. In 15 starts, Breezer has eight wins with a subpar 2.89 GAA and a less than stellar .897 save %.

Paul Martin, Pittsburgh – $5,000,000 cap hit Signed as a free agent in the summer of 2010, Martin was brought for his steady and calm presence on the blue line. After a so-so campaign last year during which Martin managed 24 points in 77 games, the 30 year-old blue liner is having a tough season so far despite the Penguins' success. Through 25 games, Martin has yet to find the back of the net, while adding only eight assists. He also has a team-worse -9 ratio.

Martin Havlat, San Jose – $5,000,000 cap hit Acquired in the off-season from the Wild for forward Dany Heatley, Havlat has had trouble adapting to his new team after a 62-point campaign in Minnesota last season. After 17 games, Havlat has scored only one goal and added eight assists for nine points in 17 games with the Sharks.

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay – $7,727,273 cap hit Lecavalier was signed to a 11-year contract extension by Tampa Bay before the 2009-10 season. Lecavalier rewarded the Lightning with a paltry 70-point campaign in 2009-10 and an even less impressive season of 54 points in 2010-11. This season, Lecavalier has been inconsistent, scoring ten goals and adding seven assists for 17 points in 23 games, on pace for only 60 point, which is not enough for the face of the franchise.

Mike Komisarek, Toronto $4,500,000 cap hit After flourishing as a bruising defenseman alongside Andrei Markov, Komisarek joined the Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2009. This year, Komisarek had only one goal and three assists for four points in 18 games before breaking his arm. After being made a healthy scratch a few times, now Komisarek will be sidelined for almost eight weeks.

Keith Ballard, Vancouver $4,250,000 cap hit Currently in only the third year of a six-year deal, Ballard has been far from impressive since his acquisition from the Panthers. Ballard was often made a healthy scratch during the Canucks cup run last spring. So far this year, Ballard has only recorded a mere two points in 22 games to go along with a -6 plus/minus ratio.

Roberto Luongo, Vancouver $5,333,333 cap hit Luongo's play has been slowly fading in recent years, and his inconsistency in last year's playoffs has planted a seed of doubt in the mind of the Canucks fans. With ten more years to go to his twelve-year contract and this season, Luongo is the clear #1 goaltender in Vancouver. Well, not necessarily as youngster Corey Schneider has started the past six games and doesn't want to give the job to the struggling Luongo. Bobby Loo has a back-up calibre GAA of 2.97 to go along with a borderline .900 save % in 13 games this season.

Alexander Semin, Washington $6,700,000 cap hit The unpredictable Russian had a slumping season under former head coach Bruce Boudreau, scoring only ten points in 22 games. Semin was even made a healthy scratch once. Now that Boudreau is gone, Semin should find his motivation back and start producing offensively if he wants to cash in big at season's end as he is slated to become an unrestricted free agent.

Please note that I omitted players who have been injured most of the season such as Jason Blake, Kristian Huselius, Andy McDonald, Ryan Whitney and Andrei Markov.

If you think I missed an overpaid NHLer, please let me know in the comments section.

----------
Fred is a freelance sports write and translator, as well as a featured Montreal Canadiens blogger on http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/ 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

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Habs/Rangers post game, Price, Toronto's Dynamic Duo, Staal brothers, Rumours and more

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - The Sunday Shinny - Nov. 20, 2011 - Should Habs trade P.K. Subban, Eller vs. Desharnais, Scott Gomez and more
http://pc.habsaddict.com/2011/11/sunday-shinny-nov-20-2011-should-have.html

Hockey Inside/Out - About last night …
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/boone/about-last-night-36

Multimedia: Canadiens shut out Rangers
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/multimedia-canadiens-shut-out-rangers

RDS - Un exemple à répéter
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/330279.html

Jacques Martin lance des fleurs à Price
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/330350.html

TSN - LIGHT NIGHT FOR PRICE AS CANADIENS BLANK SURGING RANGERS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=380871

HabsWorld.net - HW 3 Stars: A Saturday Shutout
http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2646


NHL News
TSN - SIEGEL: KESSEL AND LUPUL EMERGE AS NHL'S MOST DANGEROUS DUO
http://www.tsn.ca/toronto/blogs/jonas_siegel/?id=380890

ESPN.com - Brothers collide: Eric and Marc Staal
http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/id/7246643/is-marc-staal-lingering-head-injury-affecting-eric-staal-play

Spector's Hockey - Canadian Corner – November 20, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/2011/11/20/canadian-corner-november-20-2011/

Sunday NHL Rumor Roundup – November 20, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/2011/11/20/sunday-nhl-rumor-roundup-november-20-2011/

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Montreal Canadiens Erik Cole Clicking, while Canes Eric Staal is Slumping

After a very slow start during which he only had one assist in seven games to go along with a-3 plus/minus rating, newly acquired Erik Cole has finally clicked with his new linemates diminutive center David Desharnais and power forward Max Pacioretty.

In the last eleven games, during which his ice-time climbed finally climbed over 15 minutes/game, Cole scored four goals and added four assists for eight points.

During that stretch, Pacioretty has scored six goals and added four assists for ten points with a +5 +/- ratio. As for Desharnais, he has two goals and six assists for eight points and a +2 +/- differential.

That new line combination, has allowed Jacques Martin to play Thomas Plekanec on a line with Brian Gionta and whichever winger was on fire lately. Travis Moen filled in admirably for a few games until Mike Cammalleri was reinserted in the line-up yesterday against the Hurricanes and took his spot on the Habs' second line.

When Cole faced his former teammates at the Bell Centre in a 4-0 domination of the Hurricanes, he didn't seem too disturbed as shown in the video below:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sENT9-kXpEo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
Cole is mocking his former teammate Tuomo Ruutu who was sitting in the penalty box after a tripping call. He also reminded him that he signed a four-year, $18-million free agent deal in the summer with Montreal.

In the meantime, Cole's former teammate, Eric Staal, seems lost on the ice and he's having the worst season of his prolific career so far, scoring only four goals and four assists for eight points in 18 games.

But what's even more surprising is his league-leading minus-18 +/- differential, on pace for a disastrous minus-78 over 82 games. Staal, who had been playing with grinder Chad Larose and phenom Jeff Skinner for a while, was moved to the wing to play with two-way center Brandon Sutter and Larose; not the most talented players on Earth.

Cole's departure created a gaping hole on Carolina's top two lines, as they filled the hole by signing underachiever Alexei Ponikarovsky who has only four points in 19 games.

Staal has averaged 0.90 point/game during the six-plus seasons when he and Cole have been teammates.

Without Cole, Staal's production has dropped to 0.69 point/game. Quite a dip that the Hurricanes could have foreseen, but they decided to re-sign players like Chad Larose, Joni Pitkanen and Jussi Jokinen instead.

They also signed as a UFA, overrated defenseman Tomas Kaberle to a three-year deal. That deal is is already looking bad as Kaberle only has four assists this season with the slumping Canes.

As for Cole, he's gaining confidence each and every game and he looks like the power forward the Canadiens have been seeking to complement youngster Max Pacioretty. These two are the only two forwards with some grit and size in the Canadiens' top six (Desharnais, Gionta, Cammalleri and Plekanec are all under 6'0'' and 200 lb).

If the Oswego-native keeps playing with determination and spite, he might well approach or surpass last year's totals of 26 goals and 26 assists for 52 points in 82 games—he's on pace for 41 points after his slow start.

Do you think Cole will play all season with Pacioretty and Desharnais? How many points will he put up?

---
Fred is a freelance sports write and translator, as well as a featured Montreal Canadiens blogger on http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/ 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

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Canadiens - Canes: Habs Youth Steps Up, Price Gets First Shutout in Win

The Montreal Canadiens are fast learners.

Coming off a third period meltdown that saw them lose to the Sabres in a shootout, Monday, Montreal didn't make the same mistake tonight against the Canes.

The Canadiens took a 2-0 lead into the second period and, instead of sitting back, padded it with two more.

For their part, the Canes looked terrible. I'm mean, really bad. By the mid point of the game they didn't even have 10 shots on net.

Price wasn't tested often but, when he was, he was up to the task. He turned aside all 25 shots he face to earn his first shutout of the season and 13th of his career.

It was a night of milestones for the Canadiens with recent call-up, Frederic St. Denis, playing his first NHL game. Also, Lars Eller was playing his 100th NHL game and Erik Cole was in his first game against his former team since joining the Habs.

Final Score: Habs 4 - Canes 0

Game Notes

I guess he's feeling better - Let's be honest here, Michael Cammalleri has had a very mediocre start to the season.

With only seven points (3G, 4A) and a minus-6 through 12 games, he hasn't exactly been on fire. Worse still, he has already missed five games due to injury—most recently Monday night's game against the Sabres.

So when it was announced that he would be playing against the Canes today, you hoped he wasn't going to be playing injured.

Well, if there was any doubt, Cammalleri put it all to bed by potting his fourth of the year and playing a solid game. His goal was a on a bullet of a shot, using the Canes defender as a screen, to get the Habs on the board early in the first.

He's currently on pace to pot 24 goals on the year. Not bad but certainly not up to the heights of his talent.

Hopefully for Montreal Cammalleri can get some momentum going, because he should be starring down the barrel of a 30-plus goal season.

Opening night jitters - Erik Cole played his first game in a Habs uniform against his former team tonight, and things started off a little rocky.

It's not that he played bad but more that he was nervous. Overflowing with emotion. So much so that around the 10-minute mark of the first, he went for a walk down the hall rather than sitting on the bench between shifts.

Too much emotion.

Fortunately for Montreal, he settled himself and got into a groove, making a sweet feed to Yannick Weber for the Habs second goal of the game.

The assist was his 399th career point.

Cole on facing his former mates:


Hit of the night - With about six minutes to play in the first period, Canes forward Jiri Tlusty carried the puck into the Habs zone with speed.

Anticipating the streaking Canes player, Alexei Emelin closed the distance and slammed his target into the boards. Hard. The hit was solid and clean and completely took Tlusty out of the play.

In case anyone was wondering, that's why the Habs signed Emelin. He brings the thump.

Emelin finished the night was seven blocked shots and seven hits in 18:04 of ice time.

Of his seven hits, most were of the "I just ran into a brick wall" kind, standing up the opposition and knocking them to the ice.

I guess practicing with Andrei Markov this past week did a lot to make him feel more comfortable, because Emelin played his best game of his still young NHL career.

Gift of the gab - On the coaching front, did anyone else notice that every time they show a shot of Randy Ladouceur he is talking to the players?

Last night, right after the P.K. Subban goal, they showed Ladouceur leaning over talking to Frederic St. Denis and Alexei Emelin. I'm not sure how much Emelin understood, due to his limited English skills, but that's kind of irrelevant.

What's important is that since the departure of Perry Pearn, the Habs have someone in their coaching staff who regularly communicates with his players.

Speak to the players and they'll play better? What a novel idea!

Flat - That's the only way to describe that Hurricanes play.

They were constantly second to the puck, lost most battles, had a pourous defense and little to no offense.

You had to feel for their goalie, Cam Ward. His defense was constantly backing up and getting out of the way of shots. There was zero sacrifice from the Canes and Ward was, for the most part, hung out to dry.

So much so that by the mid point of the game the shots were 22-5 for Montreal.

Yes, 22-5.

Clearly the Canes were the perfect tonic for the Habs inexperienced defense. They simply did nothing to test them.

He shoots, he scores! P.K. Subban, playing in his 18th game of the season, finally got his first goal of the year. It was on a nice pass from Max Pacioretty where Subban walked in and fired a low, hard wrister stick side past Cam Ward.

And man was he ever happy. Glad to see him get that monkey off his back.

Are you kidding me? - So when exactly is Travis Moen going to wake up and remember that he's Travis Moen not Alexander Ovechkin?

Moen scored a late, ugly, second period goal from behind the net to make it 4-0 Montreal. That was Moen's sixth of the season, placing him second on the team behind Pacioretty (eight goals).

Is it me?

Stalwart - Josh Gorges finished the night a plus-2. That gives him a plus-11 through 18 games, placing him ninth overall in the league.

Stat of the night - Finishing the night a minus-1, Canes captain Eric Staal is a now minus-18 for the season. Yikes! Moreover, his minus-18 is a low water mark for the entire league.

Double yikes!

Question of the night - With Subban scoring his first goal, he is now on pace to pot 4.5 goals this year.

So will he continue to slump offensively or will his goal tonight open the floodgates?

Up next - There is no rest for the wicked as the Habs are in New York tomorrow to take on the Islanders. Perennially a whipping-boy team, the Isles are once again cellar dwellers in the East.

As such, tomorrow's match is another must-win for the Habs.

---
Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com and Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.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 Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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NHL all star game, Carey Price, P.K. Subban, Hart Trophy, Prospects and more...

News

HabsAddict.com - Carey Price versus Jaroslav Halak: Any Questions?
http://www.habsaddict.com/2011/01/carey-price-versus-jaroslav-halak-any.html

The Team 990's Sunday Shinny - Episode 7 - January 30, 2011
http://pc.habsaddict.com/2011/01/team-990s-sunday-shinny-episode-7.html

Habs Inside/Out - Back to business
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/45742

Thirteen saves for Price in All-Star Game
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/45741

TSN - TEAM LIDSTROM EDGES TEAM STAAL IN NHL ALL-STAR GAME
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=351722

NETCRASHING: 'WHO IS YOUR CHOICE FOR THE HART TROPHY?'
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=351459

ESPN.com - Our top moments from All-Star weekend
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/4162/our-top-moments-from-2011-all-star-weekend

All-Star Game wrap: Patrick Sharp is MVP, lonely night in net, Alex Ovechkin in history
http://espn.go.com/blog/nhl/post/_/id/4144/all-star-game-wrap-patrick-sharp-is-mvp-goalies-survive-alex-ovechkin-in-the-books

THN at the All-Star Game: NHL's best have youthful look
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/38045-THN-at-the-AllStar-Game-NHLs-best-have-youthful-look.html

Habsworld.net - Prospect Stock Watch
http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2366

Spector's Hockey - NHL Rumors for Monday, January 31, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/2011/01/nhl-rumors-for-monday-january-31-2011/

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Brian Gionta Named Montreal's Captain: Ranking the NHL's "C's"

by Kamal Panesar

With the news leaking last week that Brian Gionta will become the 28th captain of the Montreal Canadiens, I thought it was a good time to take a look at and rank all 30 NHL captains.

Ranking the captains is no easy task, mind you, since all of them have some combination of leadership qualities, work ethic, and a never-quit mentality.

As such, deciding which one is better than another is like splitting hairs. The following list is a ranking of the 30 NHL captains based on my overall impression of them as captains.

I am sure that this ranking will spur debate, rage, happiness, and all sorts of emotions but keep in mind that the positioning of one person ahead or behind another is by no means meant as disrespect to any of these individuals.

Being an NHL captain takes a special kind of character, and I truly feel that all of these players demonstrate, in some way or another, a certain "je ne sais quoi."

Note: Five teams have not yet named team captains. In those instances, I have stated the person who I believe should become the captain. I have ranked those teams 30 through 26 for simplicity's sake and not because I feel that their potential captains are inferior.

All stats and info were compiled from ESPN.com and Wikipedia.org.


No. 30: Vancouver Canucks – Currently Vacant

My selection for captain: Henrik Sedin
Years in the league: 9
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 112 Points (29 G, 83 A), plus-35


No. 29: San Jose Sharks – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Dan Boyle
Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 58 Points (15 G, 43 A), plus-6



No. 28: Edmonton Oilers – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Ales Hemsky
Years in the league: 7
2010 Stats: 22 GP, 22 points (7 G, 15 A), plus-7


No. 27: Atlanta Thrashers – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Ron Hainsey
Years in the league: 7
2010 Stats: 80 GP, 26 points (5 G, 21 A), minus-6


No. 26: Anaheim Ducks – Currently Vacant
My selection for captain: Ryan Getzlaf
Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 66 GP, 69 points (19 G, 50 A), plus-4


No. 25: Florida Panthers – Bryan McCabe

What makes him great: Is in charge of a team in transition, but has been there before.

Years in the league: 14
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 43 points (8 G, 35 A), Minus-4

Awards and accomplishments:
• Second All-Star Team - 2004
• 1997 World Championship Gold


No. 24: New York Rangers – Chris Drury
What makes him great: Captain Clutch knows how to come through in a jam.

Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 77 GP, 32 points (14 G, 18 A), minus-10

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2001 Stanley Cup (Colorado)
• 2002 Olympic Silver
• 2010 Olympic Silver
• 2004 World Championship Bronze


No. 23: New York Islanders – Doug Weight
What makes him great: Like Foote, there isn’t much that Weight hasn’t experienced.

Years in the league: 18
2010 Stats: 36 GP, 17 points (1 G, 16 A), minus-1

Awards and accomplishments:
• 1995–96: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 1995–96: World Cup of Hockey Championship (Team USA)
• 1997–98: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 2000–01: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 2001–02: Silver medal (XIX Olympic Winter Games)
• 2002–03: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
• 2005–06: Stanley Cup Championship (Carolina Hurricanes)


No. 22: Los Angeles Kings – Dustin Brown
What makes him great: A young veteran with grit and determination.

Years in the league: 6
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 56 points (24 G, 32 A), minus-6

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2004 World Championship Bronze
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (2009)
• 2010 Olympic Silver


No. 21: St. Louis Blues – Eric Brewer

What makes him great: Has enough experience to be able to help guide a young, talented group.

Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 59 GP, 15 points (8 G, 7 A), minus-17

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2002 Olympic Gold Medal
• 2003 World Championship Gold
• 2003 – Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2004 World Championship Gold
• 2007 World Championship Gold
• 2004 World Cup Gold


No. 20: Toronto Maple Leafs – Dion Phaneuf
What makes him great: He is the mold that the Leafs are being shaped in.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 81 GP, 32 points (12 G, 20 A), plus-1

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2007 World Championship Gold
• First Team All-Star 2008


No. 19: Minnesota Wild – Mikko Koivu
What makes him great: Strong leadership genes and competitive nature.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 80 GP, 71 Points (22 G, 49 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2006 Olympic Sliver
• 2010 Olympic Bronze
• 2006 World Championship Bronze
• 2007 World Championship Silver
• 2008 World Championship Bronze
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey Silver


No. 18: New Jersey Devils – Jamie Langenbrunner
What makes him great: Like Adam Foote, Langenbrunner is a repository of experience.

Years in the league: 15
2010 Stats: 81 GP, 61 points (19 G, 42 A), plus-6

Awards and accomplishments:
• 1996–97 NHL Calder Trophy Finalist for Rookie of the Year (Dallas Stars)
• 1998 Member of the United States Olympic Hockey team
• 1998–99 NHL Stanley Cup Champion (Dallas Stars)
• 2002–03 NHL Stanley Cup Champion (New Jersey Devils)
• 2002–03 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Scoring Champion (New Jersey Devils)
• 2004 Member of the United States team at the World Cup of Hockey
• 2007–present New Jersey Devils Team Captain
• Named to 2010 United States Olympic Hockey team
• Named Captain of 2010 United States Olympic Hockey team
• 2010 Winter Olympic Silver Medalist - Men’s Ice Hockey


No. 17: Colorado Avalanche – Adam Foote

What makes him great: Battle hardened veteran who has seen it all

Years in the league: 18
2010 Stats: 67 GP, 9 points (0 G, 9 A), plus-8

Awards and accomplishments:
• Named to the OHL First All-Star team in 1990-91.
• Won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and 2001.
• Won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada in 2002.
• Won a World Cup championship with Team Canada in 2004.


No. 16: Nashville Predators – Shea Weber
What makes him great: He is young, skilled and determined

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 78 GP, 43 points (16 G, 27 A), even

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2004 – WHL West Second All-Star Team
• 2004 – CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team
• 2005 – WHL airBC Trophy
• 2005 – WHL West First All-Star Team
• 2007 – Played in NHL YoungStars Game
• 2009 - Played in NHL All-Star Game
• Named to the 2010 Olympics All-Star Team


No. 15: Columbus – Rick Nash
What makes him great: Like Lecavalier, Nash is intensely committed to the Columbus organization.

Years in the league: 7
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 67 points (33 G, 34 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL All-Rookie Team - 2003
• Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy - 2004 (shared with Ilya Kovalchuk and Jarome Iginla)
• NHL All-Star Game appearance - 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009
• NHL Foundation Player Award - 2009
• World Championships gold medal - 2007
• World Championships MVP – 2007
• World Championships All-Star Team - 2007, 2008
• Gold medal - 2010 Winter Olympic Games
• Best Play ESPY Award nomination - 2008


No. 14: Buffalo Sabres – Craig Rivet
What makes him great: Class and poise

Years in the league: 15
2010 Stats: 78 GP, 15 points (1 G, 14 A), minus-6

Awards and accomplishments:
• World Championship Gold Medal - 2003


No. 13: Washington Capitals – Alexander Ovechkin
What makes him great: Wants to win so badly that you, the fans, can taste it.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 72 GP, 109 points (50 G, 59 A), plus-45

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL All-Rookie Team: 2006
• NHL First All-Star Team: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• NHL Number 1 Star of the Month: January 2006, January 2008, March 2008, November 2008, January 2010
• NHL Offensive Player of the Month: January 2006
• NHL Rookie of the Month: December 2005 and January 2006
• NHL Number 1 Star of the Week: Week Ending – December 30, 2007; March 9, 2008; March 23, 2008; December 28, 2008; October 5, 2009; January 18, 2010.
• NHL Offensive Player of the Week: Week Ending – December 31, 2005; January 23, 2006
• NHL Player of the Year – Sporting News: 2008, 2009
• NHL All-Star Game selections: 2007, 2008, 2009
• Calder Memorial Trophy – NHL Rookie of the Year: 2006
• Kharlamov Trophy – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
• Lester B. Pearson Award (Most Outstanding Player): 2008, 2009
• Ted Lindsay Award (Formerly known as Lester B. Pearson Award): 2010
• Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player): 2008, 2009
• Art Ross Trophy: 2008 (112 points)
• Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy: 2008 (65 goals), 2009 (56 goals)
• 2005 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships – Best Forward
• 2006 Winter Olympics – Ice Hockey All-Tournament Team
• 2006 IIHF World Championship – Media All-Star Team
• 2008 IIHF World Championship – Media All-Star Team


No. 12: Ottawa Senators – Daniel Alfredsson
What makes him great: Wants desperately to get his team over the championship hump.

Years in the league: 14
2010 Stats: 70 GP, 71 points (20 G, 51 A), plus-8

Awards and accomplishments:
• 1996 — NHL All-Rookie Team
• 1996 — Calder Memorial Trophy
• 1996 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1997 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 1998 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2004 — Played in NHL All-Star Game
• 2005–06 — Second Team All-Star
• 2006 — Gold medal at the Winter Olympics
• 2008 — Starter to NHL All-Star Game, Guy Carbonneau Award for 'Top Penalty-Killer'


No. 11: Montreal Canadiens – Brian Gionta

What makes him great: Instills confidence with his quiet intensity.

Years in the league: 8
2010 Stats: 61 GP, 46 points (28 G, 18 A), plus-3

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2002–03: Stanley Cup — New Jersey Devils (NHL)


No. 10: Tampa Bay Lightning – Vincent Lecavalier
What makes him great: Despite ups and downs, Lecavalier remains intensely committed to Tampa Bay.

Years in the league: 11
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 70 points (24 G, 46 A), minus-16

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL Second All-Star Team - 2007
• NHL All-Star Game - 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Stanley Cup - 2004
• Rocket Richard Trophy - 2007
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy - 2008
• World Cup of Hockey Championship - 2004
• World Cup of Hockey All-Star Team - 2004
• World Cup of Hockey MVP - 2004


No. 9: Carolina Hurricanes – Eric Staal
What makes him great: Dogged determination

Years in the league: 6
2010 Stats: 70 GP, 70 points (29 G, 41 A), plus-4

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2003–04: Played in the YoungStars Game (NHL)
• 2005–06: Won Stanley Cup with Carolina Hurricanes, NHL 2nd All-Star Team
• 2007: World Ice Hockey gold
• NHL All-Star Game appearances: 2007, 2998, 2009
• 2007–08: All-Star Game MVP
• 2010: Olympic gold (Staal became the 23rd member of the Triple Gold Club)


No. 8: Boston Bruins – Zdeno Chara
What makes him great: His size aside, Chara is a tower of strength for the Bruins.

Years in the league: 12
2010 Stats: 80 GP, 44 points (7 G, 44 A), plus-19

Awards and accomplishments:
• Played in NHL All-Star Game in 2003, 2007, 2008 (starter) and 2009.
• Named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 2004 and 2009.
• Named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in 2006 and 2008.
• Won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2009.
• Won the hardest shot competition at the NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition in 2007, 2008 and 2009.


No. 7: Philadelphia Flyers – Mike Richards

What makes him great: Gritty workhorse in the mold of Bobby Clarke.

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 62 points (31 G, 31 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• Calder Cup championship (with the Philadelphia Phantoms) - 2004–05
• NHL All-Star Game - 2008
• Bobby Clarke Trophy (Philadelphia Flyers' MVP) - 2007–08, 2008–09
• Gene Hart Memorial Award (Philadelphia Flyers' fan favorite) - 2007–08
• World Junior gold medal - 2005
• Winter Olympic Gold Medal - Vancouver 2010


No. 6: Phoenix Coyotes – Shane Doan
What makes him great: He is a supremely classy individual with an insatiable work ethic.

Years in the league: 14
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 55 points (18 G, 37 A), plus-3

Awards and accomplishments:
• Named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team in 1995.
• Won the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (Memorial Cup MVP) in 1995.
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 2004 and 2009.


No. 5: Dallas Stars – Brendan Morrow
What makes him great: Learned under Carbonneau and Gainey’s tutelage

Years in the league: 10
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 46 points (20 G, 26 A), minus-3

Awards and accomplishments:
• 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships gold medal
• Gold medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics (Team Canada)


No. 4: Chicago Blackhawks – Jonathan Toews
What makes him great: Maturity and wisdom beyond his years

Years in the league: 3
2010 Stats: 76 GP, 68 points (25 G, 43 A), plus-22

Awards and accomplishments:
• Nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy – 2008
• NHL All-Star Game - 2009 (starter)
• All-Star selection of the 2010 Olympic Hockey Tournament
• 2010 Winter Olympics - Best Forward
• 2010 Conn Smythe Trophy winner
• Second-youngest to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (22 years, 41 days; only Patrick Roy was younger); youngest Captain to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
• Youngest person to gain entry into the Triple Gold Club (22 years, 41 days at time last component was achieved)
• Named full captain of an NHL team after only 64 NHL games; third youngest full captain (Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier) in NHL history.
• 2010 Stanley Cup Champion
• One of only six players to win Olympic gold and the Stanley Cup in the same year.


No. 3: Pittsburgh Penguins – Sidney Crosby

What makes him great: The face of his city and the NHL

Years in the league: 5
2010 Stats: 81 GP, 109 points (51 G, 58 A), plus-15

Awards and accomplishments:
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2010)
• Rocket Richard Trophy (2010)
• Stanley Cup (2009)
• Art Ross Trophy (Leading Scorer) (2007)
• Lester B. Pearson Award (2007)
• Hart Memorial Trophy (2007)
• Sporting News NHL Player of the Year (2007)
• NHL First All-Star Team (2007)
• NHL All-Rookie Team (2006)
• Rookie of the Month (October 2005)
• All-Star Game (2007, 2008, 2009)
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2010)
• World Championships All-Star Team (2006)
• World Championship Best Forward (2006)
• World Championship Leading Scorer (2006)
• Olympic Gold Medal (2010)


No. 2: Calgary Flames – Jarome Iginla

What makes him great: Pure heart and humility

Years in the league: 13
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 69 points (32 G, 37 A), minus-2

Awards and accomplishments:
• NHL All-Rookie Team (1997)
• First team All-Star (2002, 2008, 2009)
• Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (2002, 2004)
• Art Ross Trophy (2002)
• Lester B. Pearson Award (2002)
• ESPY Best NHL Player (2002, 2004)
• Second team All-Star (2004)
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2004)
• NHL Foundation Player Award (2004)
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2009)


No. 1: Detroit Red Wings – Nicklas Lidstrom

What makes him great: A stalwart, both on and off the ice.

Years in the league: 18
2010 Stats: 82 GP, 49 points (9 G, 40 A), plus-22

Awards and accomplishments:
• World Championship gold medal winner (Sweden, 1991).
• NHL All-Rookie Team (1992).
• 4-time Stanley Cup winner (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008).
• 11-time NHL All-Star (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009*).
• 9-time NHL First All-Star Team member (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008).
• 2-time NHL Second All-Star Team member (2009 and 2010).
• 6-time Norris Trophy winner (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, and 2008).
• Conn Smythe Trophy winner (2002).
• Olympic gold medal winner (Sweden, 2006); Lidstrom became a member of the Triple Gold Club with this win.
• Olympic All-Star Team (2006).

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