Price or Halak? Four Years After

It has been more than four years now since the Montreal Canadiens decided to trade goaltender Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues. As the title says, this article will discuss how our ex-goaltender, Jaroslav Halak, has done over the years, compared to the goalie the Habs decided to keep, Carey Price, and how the main prospect we got in this trade, Lars Eller, is evolving.

I am pretty sure you all know what happened after the 2010 playoffs, but let me remind you quickly. After carrying the team on his shoulders for the duration of the playoffs, Halak got traded for forwards Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. At that time, many people were claiming it was the worst deal ever, that the Habs got robbed and some even claimed that Halak was far superior to Carey Price.

Lately, the Slovakian goalie played some very solid minutes for the Islanders, and a few people are starting to wonder what's going to happen with Eller, who's playing on the 3rd line here in Montreal, and struggling to keep a decent offensive production. Not to talk about Schultz, who still has never played a single game in the NHL.

Let's start with Jaro Halak. Since the trade, he has been the starting goaltender of the St. Louis Blues, the Washington Capitals and now the New York Islanders. He started a total of 171 games in four seasons (I am not counting this season, and let's not forget there was a lockout in 2012-13), which is an average of about 43 games per year. In three of these seasons, he played more than 40 games, which is considered about half the season. Let's keep going with his personal stats. He has kept a goal against average of 2.23 and a saving percentage of 0.916. He also posted a record of 88 wins, 51 losses and 22 overtime losses during that time. Let's add that this year, he currently has a 2.20 GAA, and a 0.923 save %. Stats might not say everything, but we must admit his are pretty solid.

As for Lars Eller, he has played a total of 279 games with the Montreal Canadiens, scoring 43 goals and recording 58 assists for a total of 101 points. So, in return of a number one goaltender, we received a 0.36 point-per-game forward whose best season was 8 goals, 22 assists. Not only to mention Ian Schultz has yet to play his first NHL game and he probably never will.

As for Carey Price now, Montreal's starting goaltender, he's been in net for 235 games (which is an average of about 59 games per season), recording a GAA of 2.42 and a 0.918  save %. He has won 119 games, lost 89 games, and lost another 26 in overtime or shootout.  This year, he has a 2.34 GAA and a 0.922 save %.

Basically, what I'm trying to show with this article is how the two goaltenders have kept similar stats over the course of these four years, and how we literally got robbed by trading Halak for Eller. Yes, he has played for three teams in four years, but wherever he went, he has always been able to show decent things. Now the defining factor could be the amount of games played in a season. Would Jaro Halak be able to be a starting goalie for more than 60 games? We might have an answer this year, since he in undoubtedly New-York's starting goaltender. As for the trade itself, Eller has shown promising things, but he has never been able to reach his full potential. Will he eventually become the power forward we've been promised, or will he stay a 3rd-4th liner? If Eller does not progress and stays where he is right now, and Halak keeps being on top of his game like he is right now, we will easily be able to say that this trade has been one of the worst even in Montreal's history.

Note: I feel the need to mention I put Price's statistics in here only for a comparison. My personal opinion is that at that time, and even today, Price still has a great potential and is truly the number one goaltender the Montreal Canadiens needed. I am mostly just saying that what Gauthier got in return of Halak was next to nothing.

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Habs/Blues Post Game November 5th 2013

Oshie scores the lone shootout goal against Price

It was a back and forth game between the Blues and Canadiens which needed a penalty shoot-out to settle the score. The Blues eventually won the game when TJ Oshie, who scored the only goal in the shoot-out, put one by price with a forehand top corner.

The Canadiens came off of back to back losses against west coast teams and were facing a team that some voted as the cup favorites going into the season in the St-Louis Blues. In a very strong central division they sit 4th. They have a few games in hand against their opponents and were eager to gain ground with the red hot Avalanche. The Blues rank 7th in goals against per game, the Canadiens sit 4th in that category and needed to hold down the NHL's 2nd ranked offense.

The Blues got on the board 2 minutes into the game when David Backes outmuscled Douglas Murray behind the net and fed Alexander Steen in the slot who sent a wrist shot by Price. Steen has been on a torrid pace this season scoring his league leading 13th goal. 

The Blues maintained pressure and strong passing against the Canadiens throughout the first. Being under constant pressure, they forced the Habs to take four penalties throughout the game to send the Blues on the man-advantage. The Habs killed all four penalties and after each kill attempted to use that momentum to gain the Blues zone but didn't generate many scoring chances in the first.

With nearly five minutes in the first George Parros wanted to spark the team by getting into a fight against Reaves. This gave the Canadiens an emotional boost. Offensively they started to get more pucks on net and while they didn't score in the first they got their best opportunity to score when a shot from Markov gave way to a  juicy rebound that no one was able to put by Halak. 

The Canadiens got off to a good start in the second period and eventually took the lead with a pair of goals.

They tied the game with a drive by Andrei Markov to the front of the net that left a puck wide open for Rene Bourque who put the rebound off of the pad of Halak to the back of the net.

The Blues jumped right back onto the attack and had it not been for some timely saves by Price the Habs would have been down in the minutes following the tieing goal.
The rest of the period the Canadiens elevated their rate of play. Though many of the odd-man rushes were broken up by the Blues back-check.
Max Pacioretty was attempting to be a catalyst for the offense and despite coming off of an injury was getting back into his role as a top line player for the Habs. While there was still rust showing in his game, he showed a ton of determination that seemed to inspire the younger players like Gallagher and the goal scorer, Bournival.
Bournival's goal was scored all thanks to strong pressure put on Jay Bouwmeester by Brian Gionta. The puck was coughed up right onto the stick of Bournival in the slot who ripped a slap-shot by Halak.
The Canadiens held back the Blues attack and had a majority of the puck possession to end the period.

The Habs didn't let up in the third. They came out with the same intensity that they finished with in the second. A lot of pressure and puck control, a role reversal from the first period. That extra step to push the Blues into their zone, beating them to the puck and while the Habs are not typically a physical team they were forcing the Blues to make awkward passes and turnover the puck, despite having a lackluster night off the face-offs finishing with only a 36% success rate.
When it looked like the Habs had all the momentum, the Blues took a point-shot midway through the third by Kevin Shattenkirk and wound up making a series of deflections before hitting Chris Stewart and beating Price.
The Blues nearly shot themselves in the foot when they took a penalty with less than a minute in the game. David Backes hit the net off and the Habs received a penalty shot for delay of game. Tomas Plekanec was called upon for the penalty shot but Halak came up big and stopped him to preserve the game for the Blues.

Ultimately the Canadiens proved to match-up well against the Blues who have seen a lot of success this season. Positives included the ability to not let-up the pressure, while a bad bounce could have cost the Canadiens two points. They came away with one on a night that many may have believed they'd fall short. A big game by Price and the Habs shot blockers prevented more dangerous goal scoring chances from being a determining factor.

While the shooters in the shoot-out were questionable by Therrien it was the first time the Canadiens were in a shoot out this season so it was a test to see where his shooters stand.

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Five Pivotal Decisions for the Habs: You be the GM.

With so many big and important decisions to make this summer, GM Pierre Gauthier has his hands full to say the least.

While many pundits are starting to get up on their soap boxes to tell the world what they think the Habs should do, I thought it would be a good time for you, the fans, to let the world know what YOU think the Canadiens should do this summer.

With so many armchair GM's following the Habs, there is no shortage of ideas about how to tweak this lineup to make the Canadiens a contender.

So, put on your GM hat and let us know what you would do.

While there are other decisions to make this offseason like what to do with the brothers Kostitsyn and whether or not to buy out Roman Hamrlik's contract in order to get some cap room, I think that the follow five questions are foremost in most people's minds.

What would you do if you were the Habs GM? Let us know in the comment section:

Five pivotal decisions for the Habs.

1 - Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price?Halak clearly established himself as a bonafide No.1 goaltender in the league this year. From his performance in the Olympics for Team Slovakia to his scintillating play in rounds one and two of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, Halak has shown that he has arrived.

The question is, can he repeat the performance or is he a one-hit wonder?

Logic, and his track record—he has only improved and become the best goaltender at whatever level he has played in—seem to indicate that he is the real deal, but he is an RFA and doesn't have as much negotiating power as a UFA would.

That being said, if the Habs decide to trade him, the return could be impressive. But are you ready to give Price the reigns again?

While Carey has shown a definitely change in attitude off the ice he has yet to put it all together on the ice. We have to temper that with the realization that he is only 22 and most goaltenders don't tend to hit their stride until their mid twenties.

So do you keep him? Trade him? Keep them both?


2 - The curious case of Tomas Plekanec.
What a quandary the Canadiens are in with Plekanec.

A UFA for the first time in his career and coming off of a career high 70-point season, Plekanec is one of the few premiere centers potentially available for the 2010 free agent season.

The Habs seemingly have between now and July first to sign or trade his rights.

While there is no question that Plekanec is an incredibly multi-faceted two-way player, he also has a record of disappearing offensively in the playoffs and that should affect his value a little.

The other problem for the Habs is that Plek and Gomez are pretty similar players and despite the roles they have been thrust into, are both second-line centers.

The Canadiens can operate with one second-line center, but having two small No.2's is not a recipe for success.

So, in an ideal world I imagine that you sign Plekanec and trade Gomez, however Gomez's $7 Million plus deal make him virtually untradeable unless that Habs are taking back an equally horrible contract in the deal.

So what do the Habs do? How much value can they get for trading Plekanec's right prior to or on draft day? A second round pick? A late first rounder?

If Plek agrees to sign for $4-4.5 Million dollars, then is he worth keeping? What if he wants $5 Million-plus? What would you do?


3 - Re-sign or trade Andrei Markov.
Andrei Markov will be entering the final year of his contract next season and the Habs have said that they are interested in re-signing him during this offseason.

At $5.75 million a season, Markov clearly took a hometown discount to stay in Montreal. So what do the Habs do now?

When he's healthy, Markov is one of the best defensemen in the league. The problem is that he has not been very healthy for the past two seasons.

Last year and this year, Markov was injured and unavailable for all or most of the playoffs. This season, he was injured in the first game and out until just before the Olympics.

As such, the Habs had to make do without him for long stretches of the season and playoffs, and while his presence was missed, they showed that they could do so pretty effectively—especially in eliminating the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.

So where do they go now?

Markov, if made available, would clearly be a hot commodity and could fetch a handsome return. If the Habs trade him, however, who could they get back that can shore up the defense in the future?

Keep in mind that Roman Hamrlik and Hal Gill are both entering the final year of their respective contracts and will need to be replaced next summer.

While the Habs have shown that they can still win without Markov, his loss would leave a massive hole on the backend. So, if you trade him, who would you target to replace him? Or, do you simply re-sign him for three to five years and have him finish his career in Montreal?


4 - How do you make the Habs bigger?
If one thing was made clearly during the playoffs, it's that Montreal needs to get bigger up front.

With Gionta, Plekanec, Cammalleri, and Gomez being the only Habs to really contribute on the top two lines and all being under six feet tall, the Canadiens are lacking scoring size on their top two lines.

Andrei Kostitsyn has clearly worn out his welcome in Montreal, and despite flashes of brilliance, Benoit Pouliot has yet to show that he can be a consistently effective power forward in the NHL.

As a result of their floundering wingers, the Habs had trouble establishing net presence, picking up rebounds, and making the goaltenders' lives difficult during the playoffs.

Having a big gritty winger on each of those two top lines would completely change the Habs attack plan. Imagine Dustin Byfuglien playing with Cammy and Plek?

Sick.

So, knowing that the Habs need more size up front, who would you target and what deal would you put together to get him on the roster?


5 - Would you make a play for Vincent Lecavalier?
I know, I know, we are all sick of hearing about the Lecavalier to Montreal rumors and, as of right now, there really isn't anything more than speculation out there regarding Vinny.

However, with a new GM in Tampa—Steve Yzerman—who cut Lecavalier from the Team Canada Olympic roster, the question is bound to come up as to whether he wants to move him or not.

If Yzerman does want to move Lecavalier and his ugly ten year contract, the logical first thought has to be the Canadiens given Vinny's Montreal roots.

But, from a Montreal perspective, is he worth it?

Can Lecavalier rediscover his 50-goal, 100-point form, or is he past his prime and closer to a 70-80 point player?

If Vinny is even available what trade package could you put together to get him, keeping in mind that the Habs would have to move salary back the other way to fit him under the cap.


OK, that's all I've got for now. Remember to let us know your answers in the comment section below. I'm going to take the best responses and compile them in a post, so put on your thinking cap and let's hear your best ideas!

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Who Becomes the Backup If Canadiens Trade Price or Halak?

With all the talk of late, about which goaltender the Canadiens should or shouldn't play on any given night, there is one question that people are not asking: who becomes the backup if either Halak or Price is traded?

Lost in the discussions about which goaltender is better or who has the higher potential, or who has the best trade value, is the very important question of who will play second fiddle?

The person playing backup will depend largely on who gets traded because both Price and Halak are different people and have different needs. As such, there are two distinct scenarios: Halak gets traded and Price needs a veteran backup, or Price gets traded and there are a plethora of options. Before looking at these two scenarios and the challenges they bring, let's take a look at the Habs goaltending depth chart:

1A - Cedrick Desjardins
1B - Curtis Sanford
2 - Jason Missiaen
3 - Robert Mayer

Now, you could argue that Sanford is 1A and Desjardins is 1B, but for the purposes of this analysis I'll say that they are basically interchangeable. I put Desjardins as 1A in virtue of his 29 games played to Sanford's 26. Here is a quick look at their stats with the Bulldogs this year:

Cedrick Desjardins 29GP, 19 W, 6 L, 2 SL, 5 SO, 1.84 GAA, 0.929 SV%
Curtis Sanford 26GP, 12 W, 9 L, 2 SL, 3 SO, 2.17 GAA, 0.916 SV%
(Legend: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, SL = Shootout Loss, SO = Shutout, GAA = Goals Against Average, SV% = Save Percentage)

As you can see by the numbers, things are pretty close. Keep in mind, however, that Sanford is a UFA at the end of this season. Also keep in mind that Sanford was the best goalie at training camp this year, outplaying both Price and Halak.

Now that we have looked at the numbers, let's take a look at the scenarios.


Scenario 1 - The Canadiens trade Carey Price
As much as it would pain me to see him go, I think that any responsible GM has to at least look at the possibility of trading Price. As I wrote last week, the feeling is that Price, if made available, would attract interest from all twenty-nine GM's, whereas Halak would attract interest from roughly half of them.

So, all things being equal, let's say that Price gets traded. In this scenario, the Habs are anointing Halak as their starter and putting him in a role that he seems to have earned. Calm, quiet and understated, Halak has spent the last three years as a backup with the Canadiens. Playing in the shadow of the all-mighty Carey Price, Halak never complained, never said a bad word and never asked for anything more than he was given.

An ancillary benefit of being out of the spotlight is that Halak was able to develop without the burden of weighted expectations. In fact, the only expectation placed on him was that he would step aside for Price to take his rightful place as the anointed #1 in Montreal.

Now that Price has been traded, in this scenario, Halak become number one. I, personally, feel that this is the easiest scenario for the Canadiens to deal with as either Desjardins or Sanford could come up and provide adequate backup services. Seeing how Sanford is a UFA at the end of the season, it might make sense to bring up Desjardins and let him do the job.

Unlike Price, Halak does not seem to require the guidance of a veteran backup, and as such, Desjardins is the natural, easy and inexpensive choice.


Scenario 2 - The Canadiens trade Jaroslav Halak
In this scenario, the Habs ship Halak out of town, again giving Price the soft seat and again giving him something that he hasn't earned: the starting job. I don't know why, but Gainey seems to protect Price and has a tough time making him earn his place. I am not a fan of this strategy because all it does is inflate a person's ego and let them know that no matter what, they are still number one. This strategy, in my opinion, has hurt Price's development.

Regardless, in this scenario the Habs have traded Halak and Price gets the uncontested number one spot. Having Price as the uncontested starter is a bit more complicated and only because Price, himself, is more complicated than Halak.

While there is little doubt of the pure, raw talent that Price possesses, it has become abundantly clear that he is a little soft mentally. Moreover, he tends towards the slightly immature end of the scale and doesn't have the best work/practice habits. I think that because of his character, Price is the type of prodigious goaltender who needs guidance, structure and someone to look up to.

During his first season in Montreal, Price was playing alongside Cristobal Huet. While Huet didn't have a lot of NHL experience himself, he was older than Price and was the perfect mentor. It is since the Habs traded Huet that Price has gone off the rails.

Since Huet's trade, Price has had no one to guide him or show him the ropes and as a result has seemed to be drifting, on the ice, and running amok, off of it. The fact that Habs General Manager, Bob Gainey, has never made a move to address this obvious need points to a massive organizational failure.

If Gainey wanted Price to be number one, which clearly he did, he should have done everything in his power to properly insulate the youngster. Getting a veteran backup for him would be just the first of many steps he could have taken.

But I digress.

Now that we have determined that Price needs a veteran backup, the question is whether Sanford is that man or not. At 30 years of age, with 5 NHL seasons as a backup and 108 NHL games played, Sanford seems like the right man for the job. While he is a UFA at season's end, I believe that he could play the backup role well while acting as a mentor or guide to Price.

Sanford - who's salary is currently $600K per year - could easily be sign to a three year extension for between $600K and $800K per season making him a cap friendly player. Seeing as he is a bit of a journeyman, I believe that Sanford would take fewer dollars for more term and the stability that that offers.

The other option would be to forsake Sanford and to acquire a veteran goaltender in the Halak trade. While there are options out there like Marty Turco or Ty Conkiln, neither provide the same mix of experience and cap friendliness that Sanford does. In my books, he is the best man for the job.


Ultimately, it is up to Gainey and the rest of the Habs brain-trust as to which goalie is traded and when. My belief, however, is that while they are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, the Habs simply cannot afford to trade either player. If, however, the Habs fall completely out of the race, I wouldn't be surprised to see either of them moved.

Whether now or during the off season, one of the two goaltenders has to be moved before next year. Halak has already made a 'play me or trade me' demand, and Gainey has already shown a fondness for Price. The Habs have two young goalies who both feel that they have what it takes to be a number one. This is a volatile situation and one which can only last so long before it explodes.

Whether Gainey will be the man to eventually pull the trigger on a trade remains to be seen. With a new owner in town, you have to believe that missing the playoffs will almost certainly spell the end of the Gainey's time in Montreal.

Only time will tell.

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Daily Habs Links - Halak steals show, Canucks, post-game

Post-Game: Habs vs. Canucks
RDS - Halak rises to the challenge (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291939.html

RDS - Habs more concentrated against the better teams (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/292023.html

Habs Inside/Out - Halak Steals Game Against Canucks
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28542

TSN - Show Stopper
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=308731

ESPN.com - Halak Leads Win
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=308731

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Daily Habs Links - Cammy MRI, Halak, Price lacking heart?

Cammalleri Update:
TSN - Cammy Out 6-8 weeks
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=308583

RDS - Still in waiting mode (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291888.html

Habs Inside/Out - Cammy knee injury confirmed
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28537


Habs News:
Habs Inside/Out - Hoping for word on Cammalleri today
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28537

RDS - Day off while fearing the worst (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291837.html

RDS - D'Agostini recalled from Hamilton
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291854.html

The Montreal Gazette - Halak has heart, Price doesn't
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/montreal-canadiens/Habs+Halak+heart+Price+doesn/2502574/story.html

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Montreal-Ottawa: Habs rally but fall short in 3-2 OT loss

Well, that was a much better effort, don't you think?

After stinking up the joint in back-to-back games last weekend, the Habs finally showed up for their Saturday afternoon tilt against the Senators. Unfortunately for the Habs, they ended up losing the game, 3-2, in overtime. Despite the loss, this was a heck of a good game. The speed and skill of both teams shone yesterday, and it made for an excellent spectacle.

Plekanec’s line in particular, with Sergei Kostitsyn on his wing, looked great right out of the gate. SK74 played probably his best game of the season by using his speed and skill, taking shots, making passes and even throwing his weight around. His best hit came in the third period when he leveled Jason Spezza with an open ice hit in the Sens zone.

Halak too looked his same cool confident self making great saves and looking like he wasn't breaking a sweat.

Kovalev, who was dancing last night, opened the scoring at 17:21 of the first, as he was left open on the side of the net to sweep in a Filip Kuba pass from the point.
While that was the only goal of the first, it certainly wasn't the only excitement as Ryan O'Byrne—who is quickly helping fans forget about a certain Mike Komisarek—lowered the boom on Milan Michalek in the Senators zone. The hit drew a crowd and resulted in offsetting minors.

The second period took on a different look as the Senators took the play to the Canadiens. At around the midpoint of the period, Gill was called for high sticking allowing Spezza to tip in his ninth of the season off a Filip Kuba shot, with Michalek screening Halak, to make it 2-0.

While the Habs weakness 5-on-5 was evident all night, their special teams continued to be special. After the second Sens goal, the Habs responded by ratcheting things up themselves. With their third line on the ice and causing havoc in the Sens zone, Matt Carkner hooked Travis Moen for the Habs first powerplay of the game, and they capitalized. Benoit Pouliot, who was parked in front of the crease, finished off a nice criss-crossing passing sequence from Cammy to Pleks to Pouliot and in. The goal was Pouliot's 13th of the season and it made it a one goal hockey game.

There was a brief intermission in the third as the glass was knocked off of the boards on a solid Pouliot hit. Speaking of big hits, there was a scary moment for the Habs as Anton Volchenkov nailed a streaking Cammalleri about three feet away from the boards. Cammy went flying into the boards and his leg seemed to buckle under him. He left the ice in considerable pain and was not able to put any weight on his leg.

Here is the clip of the hit:


Cammalleri was in a leg brace after the game with suspected knee/MCL problems. He was scheduled to have an MRI ,and we should know more on the injury today or tomorrow. Suffice it to say that if he is out for anything more than a game or so, it will turn out to be a huge loss for the team.

While the shots were pretty even through the first two periods, it was clear that the Sens had dominated the game to that point.
Things changed in the third when Chris Kelly took a high-sticking penalty on Maxim Lapierre allowing the Habs powerplay to go to work again. With less than three minutes to go in the game, Markov made a cross-ice pass to Plekanec who shuttled the puck to Gionta in the slot who tapped the puck in for his fourteenth goal of the season. The goal tied that game at two and swung the momentum back into the Canadiens hands.

The Habs had a bunch of shots but couldn't score, ultimately sending the game into OT. After Hall Gill had hauled down Jason Spezza to give the Sens an overtime powerplay and after Spezza had pushed Hamrlik's fallen stick away from him, negating the man-advantage, Mike Fisher finished the Habs off with a beautiful play.

Picking up a loose puck in the neutral zone, Mike Fisher drove hard to the net swinging to the outside of Markov, swept from left to right on Halak and jammed it past him for the OT winner. Senators 3, Canadiens 2.

The win was a franchise record ninth consecutive for the Senators, while the loss was a third in a row for Montreal. But at least the Habs got one point out of it and can say that they played a strong road game. They came close, but as the saying goes, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.


Game Notes:
1. Halak is the Habs' No. 1 goalie. If it wasn't apparent up till now, Halak has grabbed the reigns of the No. 1 goalie seat and is running with it. Game after game after game after game, Halak is calm, cool and collected. He makes excellent saves to keep his team in the game, is outstanding positionally in the net, and overall looks like he is a first string goaltender.

If there is one fault to Halak's game, it is that his rebound control is not the best. He often puts the puck right back into the slot, often resulting in additional scoring chances or goals against. That is one aspect where Price is better than Halak, as he is always steering the rebounds into the corner or smothering the puck.

2. Pouliot continues to impress. With his goal last night, Pouliot now has 12 points (11G, 1A) in 18 games with the Canadiens. The thing I like the most about him is that he is always around the net. He is using his considerable 6'3" frame to make room for himself and his teammates on the ice. Last night he continued to get involved physically, throwing his weight around and driving to the net whenever he could. He was rewarded for his hard work by scoring the Habs first goal of the game from the crease. It's good to finally have a pseudo power forward on this team.

3. Sergei Kostitsyn likely played his best game of the season. From the start of the game, SK74 looked like a great compliment to Plekanec and Cammalleri. As such, the Habs had two attacking lines for the first time in a long time. Sergei was moving his feet and using his head, a combination that usually results in good things for the youngster. While he has looked lazy at certain points this year, he certainly seems to have turned it up on the first line, and not a moment too soon.

4. Will Gainey be forced to make a deal if Cammalleri's injury is long term? With 26 games left in the season and with so many tough games to go, the Habs season could very well be decided over the next few weeks. If the Habs have to play the next month with Andrei Kostitsyn (injured, out six weeks) AND without Cammalleri, they will be dead in the water. So, will Gainey be forced to make a deal? Will it be before the Olympic break? Will it be after? You'd have to think that he needs to make a deal sooner rather than later, but with Gainey, you never know what he has planned.

5. Mike who? With every game that passes, Ryan O'Byrne is asserting himself more and more on the ice. He has taken the role of mean, intimidating defenseman over from Komisarek as his throws he weight around and isn't afraid to drop the gloves. In addition, he is quietly becoming much more reliable with his defensive responsibilities. Being paired with Andrei Markov can't hurt either. I mean look what it did for Komisarek!


Standings and Next Game:
The Habs, after yesterday's game, are in the eighth overall spot in the East with 56 points. With 26 games left in the season, the Habs likely need 90-plus points to make the playoffs. That means they need 34 points over their final 26 games, or approximately 1.3 points per game. This, for a team that is averaging 1.0 points per game. This feat is not impossible, but if the Habs have any chance of making it, they must ride Halak as much as possible. The time for playing favorites has long passed as each game from here to the end of the season is a playoff game.

The Habs hold on eighth place is tenuous with Boston, Tampa, Florida and the Rangers all having 54 points and holding three, three, two and one game in hand, respectively. Just ahead of the Habs is Atlanta, also with 56 points but holding two games in hand, and Philly with 57 points and three games in hand. It doesn't take a math whiz to see that the Habs could easily fall far down the standings if their competition capitalizes on their games in hand.

The Habs have two days off before taking on the Canucks, in Montreal, on Tuesday night.

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Daily Habs Links - Halak trade in 2 weeks? Markov, Price

Habs News:
Montreal Canadiens.com - Habs Recall Webber
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=515449&navid=DL|MTL|home

Habs Inside/Out - Spacek out vs. Ottawa, Callup coming
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28416

Le Journal de Quebec - Habs President Says Halak on Borrowed Time (French)
http://lejournaldequebec.canoe.ca/sports/hockey/archives/2010/01/20100129-091959.html

RDS - Markov tries to calm things (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291624.html

Habs Inside/Out - Habs world is better with a hug
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28411


Habs Inside/Out - Price still has his sense of humour
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28415

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Daily Habs Links - Halak #1? MaxPac, Maxwell, Dags, Beliveau

NEWS:
Habs Inside/Out: Habs more confident with Halak in nets
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/better/2480388/story.html

Habs Inside/Out - Beliveau continues to make progress
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28193

PLAYER MOVEMENT:
RDS - D'Agostini and Pacorietty sent to Hamilton (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291315.html

Habs Inside/Out: 'Travel Day' for several Habs
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Travel+several+Habs/2480072/story.html

FROM PRACTICE:
Habs Inside/Out: Maxwell finds spot on third line
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28194


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Daily Habs Links - Habs beat Devils, Halak, Darche, Rangers

POST-GAME:
RDS - Mathieu Darche Is Key (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291151.html

TSN - Devils Shored Up
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=307267

Habs Inside/Out - No Joke, Habs Beat Devils
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/27993

ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=300122011

GAMEDAY: Habs vs. Rangers
RDS - Another Challenge for Halak (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291225.html

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

Habs Inside/Out:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28101

ESPN.com:
http://espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=300123010

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Daily Habs Links - Cammalleri, Rangers, Halak, Post Game, Carbonneau, Laraque

POST GAME:
Habs Inside/Out - Habs, Cammy Pound Rangers
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28101

RDS - A Good Revenge (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/291225.html


TSN - Habs hand Rangers 2nd Straight Loss
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=307440

ESPN.com - Cammalleri Leads Way
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=300123010

OTHER HABS NEWS:
Carbonneau, Cherry agree that Laraque was a distraction
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2010/01/23/sp-laraque-hnic.html

Boston Herald - Between a Georges Laraque and a Hard Place
http://news.bostonherald.com/sports/hockey/other_nhl/view/20100124between_a_georges_laraque_and_a_hard_place/srvc=home&position=also

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Daily Habs Links - Rangers, Halak, Playoff picture, post-game

Post Game:
Habs Inside/Out - Habs Awful Against Rangers
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/27768

RDS - Working is too hard (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/290222.html

TSN - Broadway Blues
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=306634

ESPN.com
http://espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=300117013

Other Habs News:
Globe and Mail - The Playoff Push: 90+ points or bust
(Shows that Habs need to go 19-12-1 the rest of the way to make playoffs!!!)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/globe-on-hockey/the-playoff-push-90-points-or-bust/article1430513/

The Montreal Gazette:
Pat Hickey - Habs Come Out Hot Against Rangers, Then Sputter
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Habs+come+against+Rangers+then+sputter/2453164/story.html

Pat Hickey - Habs Refuse To Blame Halak
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Habs+refuse+blame+Halak+loss/2453625/story.html

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Daily Habs Links - Gionta's comeback, Leafs...

Post Game:
Habs Inside/Out - Canadiens can thank Halak, again
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26587

Pat Hickey Game Story - Halak saves Habs again
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Jaroslav+Halak+saves+Habs+again/2383052/story.html

RDS - Another road steal (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288793.html

ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/boxscore?gameId=291226021

Gionta could be back vs. Sens
RDS - Gionta could play with Gomez and Pouliot
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288841.html


Habs Inside/Out: Gionta could face Sens
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26705

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Daily Habs Links - Canes, Post Game, Halak, Metro...

Post game:

RDS - The curse is broken (French)
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288679.html

TSN - Metropolit scores twice in Habs win
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=303486

Habs Inside/Out - Canes can't touch Habs
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26449

The Gazette - Habs defeat Dec. 23 Curse
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Canadiens+Hurricanes/2375811/story.html

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Daily Habs Links - Atlanta win, Hamrlik, Pouliot, Halak...

Post Game:
RDS - A steal by the Habs
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288572.html

TSN - Canadiens outlast Thrashers
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=303248

ESPN.com
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=291221028

Habs Inside/Out - Habs Steal Two Points
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26327

Rumours:
Spector's Hockey - Halak and Kovalchuk
http://www.spectorshockey.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=797:latest-kovalchuk-and-halak-news-december-22-2009&catid=5:trade-rumors&Itemid=4

Injury info:
Bergeron ok, Mara far from ok.
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26442

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Daily Habs Links - Markov, Halak, Isles, snow...

Post Game Reports:

RDS - Win by Markov and Halak
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288460.html

TSN - Markov leads Habs over Isles
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=303006

ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=291219012

Habs Inside/Out:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26192

The Gazette - Habs snowed in on Long Island
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/26321


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Daily Habs Links - Dec. 16, 2009 - Leblanc, Brodeur, Halak....

As a new feature on Habs To The Top, I compile all of the links and news stories that I read, about the Habs, in one easy to find location....Habs To The Top! So, if you are looking for Habs news just bookmark http://www.HabsAddict.com, to get your daily Habs news!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Habs still without a captain but Cammalleri seems like front runner:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=510150

Gameday update: Price in nets tonight vs. the Devils, Martin expects bigger role from Lapierre who is back as the third line center. Metropolit is starting at the 4th line center. Martin expects Benoit Pouliot to play for the Bulldogs this week.
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/25980


Habs Prospect Louis Leblanc is one of the final cuts from the Canadian World Junior Training camp:
http://tsn.ca/world_jrs/story/?id=302528





Martin Brodeur LOVES playing against the Habs. Of course he does.
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288237.html And I'm sure he'd love to get a shutout and break Sawchuk's record tonight in Montreal.



The Halak situation...trade, no trade...what to do?
CKAC report:
http://corussports.com/hockey/nouvelles/halak-veut-jouer-a-montreal-ou-ailleurs-1882893.html
TSN story:
http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=302443
RDS story:
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/288206.html


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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 6 - Rangers 0

Game Summary:
What a difference a week makes. Two weekends with back-to-back games with two completely different outcomes. While after last weekend, many of the Habs faithful were ready to throw in the towel, this weekend many are hoping that the Habs have turned a corner. I have to caution that until the Habs get on a roll and start putting some separation between themselves and the 8th and 9th place teams, they will remain a bubble team. Keep in mind that this two game winning streak - and two of the best games that Habs have played this season - are on the heels of two of the worst games they have played this season.

In drubbing the Rangers 6-0 in front of their home crowd, the Habs got revenge and more. With Halak in nets last weekend, the Habs fell 6-2 to the Rangers but returned the favour by spanking their New York rivals to the tune of 6 unanswered goals. In case anyone is counting, that is 9 unanswered goals (3 against the Devils and 6 against the Rangers) for the suddenly offensively magical Habs. While Halak wasn't tested all that much last night, his 1st period heroics kept the Rangers at bay long enough for the Habs to get the 1st goal and run with it. Bad penalties, weak turnovers and poor defensive zone coverage allowed the Habs to run amuck and bury the memory of last weekend’s embarrassing efforts.

Game Notes:
1 - Halak is hitting his stride. Over the course of the first 50 games of this 2010 NHL season, Halak has calmly and quietly asserted himself in nets. In that process he has found and held onto the consistency that his counterpart, Price, has yet to find. While Price seems frustrated and inconsistent, Halak has seemed unflappable. Since asking Gainey to trade him, a few weeks ago, Halak has gone on a tear. Over his last 13 games, Halak has 9 wins including 3 shutouts, has a 2.07 GAA - including the 6-2 loss to Rangers - and a .944 save percentage. Scintillating numbers for any goaltender. While Halak wasn't really tested all that much last night, he definitely made some key saves in the first period to keep his team in the game. After that, the offense took over and that was all she wrote!

2 - Cammalleri is a true sniper. Just when you he starts trailing a little in the stats department, he rips off a 4 point performance, like last night. In scoring two goals and two assists, Cammy was the offensive catalyst for the team last night. In case you were wondering, that gives Cammy 46 points in 53 games - 5 behind Plekanec - with 26 goals, 20 assists and a +10 rating. His 26 goals put him 8th overall for most goals scored and on pace to score 40 on the season. Wow! Not since Stephane Richer have the Habs had such a prolific scorer on their team.

3 - Speaking of prolific scorers, Benoit Pouliot continues to blow the roof off. His goal last night was his 12th of the season (10th in a Habs uniform) and mean that he now has 10 goals, 1 assist, 11 points and a +3 rating in 15 games since joining Montreal. A fabulous ancillary benefit of all of this is that Pouliot is clearly the missing pieces from the Habs' second line. Now if they can just figure out an acceptable replacement for Ak46 on the top line, the Habs might actually be able to do some damage.

4 - The return of Sergei. SK74 made his long awaited return to the Habs lineup, last night, on a line with Maxim Lapierre and MaxPac and they did not look out of place together. That line had a great combination of speed, skill and size and caused havoc for the Rangers defenders every time they were on the ice. Their hard work paid off last night with Maxim Lapierre's 1st goal in his last 29 games. Wow. That was a long time coming!

5 - Speaking of Lapierre, last night was easily his best game of the season. From the start of the game where he was tussling with Sean Avery, to his 2nd period goal, Lapierre was the Energizer Bunny last night. Flashes of 2009. Hopefully Lapierre will keep it up, because when he plays the way he can he becomes an extremely important asset in the Habs lineup.

6 - A few interesting non-game related notes to keep an eye on. Jacques Demers said, on RDS during an intermission, that he spoke to Habs assistant coach Kirk Muller about the Cammalleri/Lapierre incident. He asked Kirk if Cammy was a difficult teammate. Muller, apparently, said that it was quite the opposite and that when he sees a player dogging it or not playing up to their potential he has no problem getting in their face about it. This seems to have been what the fight at practice, the other day, was all about. Well, it seems like it worked because Lapierre looked like a man reborn.

The other bit of slightly disturbing news was during l'Anitchambre, also on RDS, where Bob Hartley was talking about Carey Price. He said that during the pregame warm-up, Price was one of the first players off of the ice. He explained that this is a no-no and an unwritten rule that if you are the backup goalie for the night, you are one of the last players to leave the ice. The starter gets to choose who shoots on him, in the warm-up, and then it is the backup’s job to stay in the net and take all the rest of the shots. The team on l'Anitchambre all seemed to be in agreement that this does not show a good attitude on Price's behalf. Moreover, it shows a lack of guidance from the coaching staff as someone should let him know that that is not the way things work.

Now, this could be nothing more than an isolated incident but I somehow doubt it. Either way, it is a data point to keep an eye on going forward.

UPDATE:
Max Pacorietty has been sent to Hamilton. It would seem that the combination of MaxPac spinning his wheels and Mathieu Darche finding his groove has spelled the end of the line (in Montreal) for MaxPac. In reality, this is a great move as far as the development of MaxPac is concerned. There is no question that he took a step back this year and a few months, or even the rest of the year, in Hamilton will make him into the surging power-forward he is destined to be. Can't hurt to play under Guy Boucher either!

Here's the Habs Inside/Out story:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/28188

Standings:
With their wins over the Devils and Rangers, the Habs collected 4 well needed points against division rivals. The Habs now have 55 points in 53 games, good for sole possession of the 8th overall spot in the East. The Bruins and Islanders sit one point behind the Habs with 54 each and holding 3 and 1 game in hand, respectively. The Habs are also tied, in points, with the Rangers (55), and Flyers (55) who each have 1 and 3 games in hand, respectively.

Next Game:
The Habs now have two days off before heading to Florida to take on the Panthers and the Lightning in back-to-back games.

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 2 - Sens 4

In an interesting turn of events, the Ottawa Senators pulled a 'Montreal Canadiens' move on the Habs by being outshot and outplayed but ultimately winning the game 4-2. Full marks to the Sens who were a team decimated by injurying and were missing Daniel Alfredsonn, Jason Spezza and Nick Foligno. On paper, this game should have been a walk in the park for the Habs and for the first 20 to 40 minutes, it was. Montreal roared out to a 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes of the game on goals by Cammalleri - his goal made it 1-0 and was the 20,000th goal in Habs franchise history - and Pouliot - his 1st in a Habs uniform - and continued to apply the pressure and outshoot the Sens. The problem is that A) Pascal Leclaire was spectacular on the night and B) the Habs couldn't cash in our their chances. That paved the way for Peter Regin to bring the Sens to within 1 with 8 mins left in the 1st. Up until that point, however, the Habs had the Sens by the scruff of their neck. They unfortunately let them get up off of the matt and that was their undoing.

1 - The Habs powerplay was a non-factor last night because the Habs failed to draw even one penalty. Yep, that's right, they were blanked on the penalty, while the Sens enjoyed the Habs indiscipline and the subsequent five powerplays - they converted on the second one to tie the game.

2 - Halak is human after all! Whew, what a run he had though. After being named the 1st star of the week in the NHL, Halak let in three goals last night and did not look like the brick wall that the last four opponents have faced. Also, and perhaps coincidentally, the Habs final outshot their opponent last night (31-28) and Halak faced less than 30 shots for the first time in a month. Maybe he needs that extra rubber to be sharp. Who knows. Either way, Halak can not be blamed for the loss last night.

3 - Who's 2nd line is it anyway? Wow, what a difference a day makes. More specifically, what a difference Brian Gionta made to that second line. Gomez, Gionta and Pouliot were a force last night. They had chance after chance after chance. The Habs new and improved second scoring line wreaked havoc on the Sens defenders all night and this can only bode well for the future. The result of all of their hard work was Pouliot's 1st goal in a Habs uniform, 1 assist for Gomez, 1 assist for Gionta and 14 of the Habs 31 shots on net. Wow. We all knew that Gionta and Gomez click, but Pouliot seems to be a good addition the that line as well. Now, one game does not a season make, however if they can keep it up, Montreal might suddenly have a great one-two combination.

4 - Markov is a stud. Andrei Markov continues to show that he is one of the best defenseman in the league. Last night he added another assist and a +1 to his stats giving him 7 points in 6 games. That and he is clearly helping the Habs breakouts and powerplays. Of course Habs' fans missed him when he was gone, but having him back is showing us, even more, how important he is to our team.

5 - Last night's fourth line consisted of Lapierre centering SK74 and Dags. Umm, ya. While they tried hard all night I could not help but think that all three might be expendable and could end up being part of trades going forward. It will be interesting to see what happens before the trade deadline but my question is: Who, if any, of those three players will still be playing for the Habs in April?

I guess we knew the streak couldn't last forever but last night was a VERY winnable game that the Habs let slip away. So instead of leapfrogging the Sens into 6th place overall in the East, the Habs now sit three points back of the Sens (who have two games in hand), and have to once again worry about the teams behind them in the standings.

Last night was the 41st game of the Habs season marking the offical halfway point of the season. So far, in this up and down season, that Habs are playing .500 hockey - 41GP, 19W, 19L, 3OTL for a total of 41 points. If they put up the same numbers over the next 41 games, they'll end the season with 82 points, a far cry from the 93 that got them the last playoff spot last year.

Now a day off before the Habs head to Tampa and Miami to finish off this road trip.

K.

PS: I will have my halfway mark player grades going up soon. Checkback often!

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Post Game Quick Hits: Habs 5 - Canes 1

After waiting for 64 years the Habs finally won a December 23rd road game. I always find little stats like that pretty useless but as human beings we seem to track even the minutest of details. And as such, it is good to know that "the curse" has been broken. Ummm....ya.

In demolishing the Canes 5 to 1, the Habs extended their winning streak to three games and are now 4 and 0 with Markov in the lineup this season. Aside from Markov, there are a ton of things to be happy about, with this team, as we approach the 41-game halfway point of the season. Unfortunately, there a lot of bad signs that do not bode well going forward. Despite the ups and down of the season so far, the Habs have managed to remain a .500 hockey club - they are current 18-18-3 for 39 points on the season tied for 9th overall in the East. Let's hope that the return of Markov and the three-game streak can spur them to a better record for the rest of the season. If it can, the playoffs will be very much a reality for the Habs this season.

1 - While I usually start with the goaltending and while Halak was again incredible last night, today I simply have to put Tomas Plekanec at the top of the list. Plekanec who has 9 points over his last three games. Plekanec who, with 43 points (7G, 36A) now sits in sole possession of 6th overall in league scoring. Plekanec who last year had 39 points (20G, 19A) all season. Plekanec who has become THE offensive catalyst of this team and who is on pace to put up 90 points (15G, 76A) and become the 1st Habs 90-point man since Pierre Turgeon. Plekanec who, playing at even strength, on the 1st PP unit and the 1st PK unit, is on his way to being a TOP Selke Trophy candidate and who might start getting considering for the Hart Trophy too. Yep, that guy. Night after unbelievable night, Plekanec is simply dominant. Despite being given a ton of extra physical attention from opposing teams, Pleks is fighting through it all and is putting up a ton of points in the process.

While his line with Cammy and Ak46 - who is also on fire now with 18 points in his last 16 games - is on fire, we have to remember that Pleks spent the first 20 or so games playing with a revolving door of line mates. He also started the year as the teams 2nd line center but despite both facts he leads the team in scoring and is now the undisputed #1 center of this team. Now, I know a lot of Habs fans are freaking out that Gainey has not yet signed the soon to be UFA, but it was explained to me last night that by CBA rules a player cannot be offered two contracts between July 1st and December 31 of the same calendar year. The Habs already gave Pleks a 1 year contract, during the summer, and now must wait till January 1st, 2010 before making his another contract offer. Personally, I would not be surprised to see Gainey sign Pleks BEFORE the Olympic break so he can focus his energy on putting together a good package, with Halak, to try and get more top-6 scoring. While we all know that Gainey let all of his UFA'a walk last year, I think we can rest assured that he will not do the same with Pleks and that he WILL sign him before we walks.

2 - Halak, Halak, Halak. What can we say about Halak? Talk about making a statement. This guy asked Gainey to be traded, a few weeks ago, and since then has play three back-to-back-to-back games and put in scintillating performances. Over the last three games, Halak has seen a total of 137 shots against (40, 50 and 47 respectively) and has stopped all but 4 pucks for a 1.33 GAA and a 0.97 Save Percentage. Wow. Talk about upping your value! The talk, a few weeks ago, was that Halak, by himself, was worth a 2nd round pick at best. His play since then, however, has pushed that value up considerable and people are paying attention. I would have to think that by now he is worth closer to a 1st round pick or a good prospect on his own. If Gainey can somehow package Halak with a prospect and maybe even a pick, he should be able to a top notch winger or centerman in return.

While there is certainly no shortage of teams having goaltending problems - St. Louis, Detroit, Philly, etc. - I do not know if there is a deal that is imminent. While Halak has shown that he has a high trade value he is also showing how important he is to the Habs. A month ago, Price was on an incredible tear, playing solidly in ever start and also turning aside a huge number of pucks. But he stumbled against Minnesota and ultimately losing that game. This perhaps shows that while Price is an excellent goaltender, he is still young and will still make mistakes from time to time. Price is only 22 while Halak is 24. While 24 is also young, those extra two years can make a big difference in the development of a young goaltender. Are the Habs ready to hand the reigns over, full-time, to Price? Is Sanford or Desjardins an adequate back-up?

These are things that Gainey needs to figure out, however given that he has two young and talented goaltenders, it seems like a situation that cannot last forever. While both goaltenders are talented, there is no question that Price is the ultimate heir to the Habs goaltending throne and that Halak will be jettisoned. If Gainey plays his cards right, he could end up getting a very decent return for Halak. Let's see what the trade deadline brings.

3 - Metropolit the metronome. Aside from a few games where Metro took bad, game-costing, penalties, he has been as steady as any player on the team, this season. Last night, Metro potted his 9th and 10th goal of the season - putting him on pace for 21 on the season and 40 points to boot. Not shabby for an afterthought pick up last year by Gainey. While Lapierre was excelling as the Habs 3rd line center last year, he has clearly been surpassed by Metropolit this year. And at 1 Million dollars per season, Metro is a very cap friendly player. He plays 5 on 5, on the PP and on the PK, he is a great teammate, excellent with the media and does it all with a huge smile on his face. Gotta love it! He has met and exceeded expectations and is the glue that holds the 3rd line of Metro, Moen and MaxPac, together. Good on you, Metro!

4 - Markov is the General of this team. While the Habs powerplay had started to play better before his return, it has now become the #1 ranked PP unit in the league, since his return. Before last night's game, the Habs had the best road PP in the league and 2nd place overall PP. This morning - after scoring on 3 of 5 powerplays - he Habs are #1 in both categories and you can see Markov's influence on the pp. While MAB has had a great shot all year, he now has, in Markov, someone who can consistently set him up for a tape to tape blast from the point. In addition, teams now have to key in on Markov, as an additional weapon, on the PP - and he does it all. Markov can shot from the point, make a great cross ice pass, setup MAB for a one-timer, or pinch down low for an open net back-door goal. Between him, Plekanec and MAB, opposing PK units are finding the Habs pp too much to handle and that is great, because the Habs are not so great 5 on 5.

In addition to the PP, and speaking on 5 on 5, you can see Markov's influence on all aspects of the Canadiens game. Number 1 on that list of things that Markov does well, is to make a great 1st pass. The Habs, generally speaking, spend too much time in their own zone because they are difficulty getting the puck out. Markov, in contrast, is calm and smart with the puck in his own end. He is great as getting that first, quick pass to his forwards or carrying the puck into the neutral zone himself, to turn the play around to the offensive side of the game. With 4 points (3G, 1A) in 4 games so far this season, Markov is a holiday gift that keeps on giving!

5 - Scott Gomez looks like he might be turning a corner. With 10 points in his last 12 games - including 3 assists last night - Gomez might finally be finding his game again. Gionta - who just suffered a setback in his broken foot recovery - cannot come back soon enough. He and Gomez had obvious chemistry before his injury, and Gomez has looked lost without him. More recently, though, Gomez has started to makes some great plays again and looks like he might be coming out of his funk. Having a large Pouliot on his wing last night didn't hurt either. It will be interesting to see what Gionta, Gomez and Pouliot can produce together once Gionta is back.

6 - Pouliot might turn into a great acquisition. While I want to caution fans that we need to give him a few weeks to a month to get acclimated, Pouliot might become an excellent player for the Habs. Last night, in his first game with the Habs, Pouliot played 13:28 and had two shots on net. A decent debut for the young man who was admittedly nervous the night before. One thing that was apparent is that Pouliot has obvious skills. He has great hands and uses his 6'3" frame well on the ice. The other thing that was nice to see was that he was always going to the net, with or without the puck. This is something the Latendresse was never able or willing to do, for whatever reason, and if Pouliot can do that on a consistent basis it will be a welcome addition to the Habs lineup. You can tell by watching him, that Pouliot has a lot of raw talent. If Martin has some time to work with him, you get the feeling that he might be able to develop Pouliot into an excellent 2nd line player. Time will tell.


While the Habs won the game last night - and their third in a row - we have to keep things in perspective. The Canadiens were again badly outshot by their opposition, 47-25. This is not a good trend and it has been a problem for the Habs all season long. You cannot continuously be dramatically outshot and expect to be successful in this league. Giving up 40+ shots night after night is a recipe for disaster and/or goaltender burnout. It is apparent so far, as we approach the half way mark of the season, that unless Price and/or Halak stand on their respective head, the Habs don't win games. The games that the Habs win tend to be ones where they are badly outchanced but their goalie keeps them in the game long enough for the offense to get going. Ok if it happens once in a while but not is that is your gameplay night after night, as it is with the Habs. It is clear that something has to change and I think that a large part of the problem is that the Habs are a small and not very physical team. That, in combination with Martin's passive resistance system, means that the Habs will continue to spend too much time in their own zone until Gainey brings in larger personnel to help out.

The three-game streak is great but we must also remember that it is on the heels of a 5-game losing streak. Moving forward, the Habs have to start to play better than .500 hockey is they want to make the playoffs. Let's hope they can push the trend into that direction starting Saturday versus the Leafs.

Happy holidays all!

K.

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