Hey there, HabsAddicts!!! Our Montreal Canadiens squeaked out a 4-3 overtime victory last night against the previously undefeated New Jersey Devils at the Bell Centre.
Brendan Gallagher and Brandon Prust both scored their first tallies in a Habs' uniform, while Alex Galchenyuk had two helpers and Andrei Markov scored the overtime winner.
Little could be said about the performance of Carey Price once again, as he outplayed his counterpart , Martin Brodeur. However, with the Canadiens playing four games in six days, some expect Peter Budaj to make his season debut on Tuesday.
Many were concerned that the absence of Max Pacioretty would be a weakness for "Les Glorieux", but Lars Eller did an admirable job in his absence. Much maligned left winger Rene Bourque continue to play solid hockey with another excellent effort, silencing many of the naysayers who want him to bought out at season's end.
On the Devils' side of the ledger, Patrick Elias has a goal and two assists to lead the boys from Newark, while Ilya Kovalchuk had but a single assist on the night.
Next up are the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, who are coming off another win against the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime. Evander "Show Me The Benjamins" Kane, Dustin Byfuglien and Tobias Enstrom lead the Jets in scoring with six points respectively. Expect Ondrej Pavelec to be between the pipes for Winnipeg.
Habs and Hockey News and Notes: - Jimmy Murphy of ESPN Boston joined host Corey Collard and Jay Ferrar on the Montreal Hockey Talk's post-game show. MHT is also giving away a pair of tickets to the game on Super Bowl Sunday at 2 PM versus the Ottawa Senators, courtesy of HockeyTickets.ca. Simply follow @mtlhockeytalk and send a message with the hashtag #HabsGiveAway to enter. The drawing will take place during the Pre-Game Show on Saturday at 1 PM, hosted by Steven Hindle.
- Today, Canadiens GM Marc Bergavin and head coach Michel Therrien advised both Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher that they will be remaining with the Habs for the remainder of the season. Galchenyuk is expected to live with his mother and sister in their apartment in Montreal, while Gallagher has been told he'll be living with Josh Gorges for the foreseeable future.
- Andrei Markov took a therapy day on Monday. With the tight schedule this week, the break will do him some good. Markov leads the Canadiens in goals with four on the season.
Quite a Cup Final we have on our hands, isn't it? I mean, how do you even go about predicting this one? It is difficult enough to handicap two teams from opposing conferences at the best of times.
Here, we have the unusual fact of an eighth seed facing off against a sixth seed. Needless to say, regardless of who wins, it will be the first time such a low seed hoists the cup. Ironically, the previous lowest seed to accomplish the feat was the New Jersey Devils, who finished fifth in the Eastern Conference after the lock-out shortened 1994-95 campaign.
In any case, If you saw this coming at the outset of the post-season, props to you. I thought both of these teams would be out after one round.
So, I suppose the question is, who wins it all?
Kamal Panesar: Very true, Louis. Who indeed?
To me, the Kings look like they are doing their best impersonation of an unstoppable force…and succeeding. They really look like a team that is built to play and win in the playoffs.
Big, strong, aggressive, great goaltending, no problem generating offense.
What’s not to like?
The thing with the Kings is that yes, they are a surprise given that they had a dismal season and barely made it into the playoffs. But while adding pieces like Mike Richards and Jeff Carter over the summer seemed, at least on paper, like it would produce instant success, sometimes (usually?) it takes some time for things to jel. Especially when you are adding such high profile and impactful pieces to your squad. I mean it’s not like they added a couple of fourth liners. These two are instantly part of the Kings core.
Fast forward to the playoffs, and it looks like that elusive chemistry arrived just in time for the Kings.
That being said, and while I feel the Kings will take this series in six games, you can never count out a Martin Brodeur backed Devils squad in the finals. Especially one that no longer plays the trap and seems capable of scoring almost at will!
Louis Moustakas: The Kings are indeed doing an amazing impression of an unstoppable force.
But one has to wonder what kind of resistance this force has faced. Going 12-2 is impressive, but it should equally raise questions about the quality of the opposition. How will the Kings react if they are faced with adversity in the Final round? What if they lose the first game? Have they developed the backbone to contend with that?
Maybe they do possess the required internal fortitude, but it certainly has not been demonstrated so far —mind you, through no fault of their own —and remains a question mark.
Also, a lot has been made of the matchup between LA's big forwards against New Jersey's smaller defense, but I feel this point is a touch overemphasized. Big, strong forwards are most effective when they can establish a forecheck. Somehow, I doubt Martin Brodeur's puckhandling skill will allow that to happen to the same extent it did in the previous Western series.
As for the New Jersey Devils, they may not own the physical, aggressive nature of their Californian counterpart, but their depth is not to be minimized. Top players like Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise and Travis Zajac have been effective while even their fourth line has produced nine goals. Petr Sykora, Patrik Elias and Alexei Ponikarovsky have more underwhelming numbers, but they remain offensive threats.
How will LA's top heavy blueline fare against New Jersey's four-line balance? The Kings' bottom defenders, namely youngsters Slava Voynov and Alec Martinez, certainly run the risk of being exposed in this series.
I suppose you see where I am going with this. I'll go New Jersey in 6.
On another topic, regardless of who wins, it will be intriguing to see who is handed the Conn Smythe Trophy. Seldom have I seen a year where, on both teams, the award could legitimately be handed to so many players.
Kamal Panesar: Very true and, to be sure, I’m certainly not writing off the Devils. Hey, they didn’t get to the finals by chance. Also, your point about the Kings so far not having to face any real adversity, is salient. If there’s anything I’ve learned from watching over three decades of playoff hockey is that whoever wins the Cup usually has to go through some struggles in order to win. Not always, but usually.
I think the key to this series is really the first two games in Jersey. If the Kings can continue to be road warriors, winning or one or even both games, this thing won’t be much of a contest. However, if the Devils hold serve it puts all the pressure on a Kings squad that hasn’t yet faced much.
On the Conn Smythe discussion, for the Devils, I’ve got to say that the player who has been the most impressive, in my opinion, is Ilya Kovalchuk.
Once a one trick pony, Kovalchuk has become a well rounded, all-world player in these playoffs. It’s amazing what a couple of years playing in a well defined system under a well constructed organization can do for a player.
Not only is he scoring goals but he’s back checking, blocking shots and really leading by example, up front. I think his Russian countryman, Alex Ovechkin, could use a little of whatever he’s got.
Yet despite Kovalchuk’s strong play, to me, the hands down Conn Smythe front runner has got to be Jonathan Quick. 14 games played, 12 wins, two losses, two shutouts, a ridiculous 1.54 goals against average (GAA), and an equally mind-boggling .946 save percentage.
Out of the 14 games the Kings have played, Quick has let in three or more goals (exactly three) only once. He has let in two goals five times, one goal five times and had two shutouts. He has simply been a brick wall and, despite how well the Kings have played, their power play has been firing blanks while their PK has been lights out. I think Quick played a large role in the PK stats and in the Kings overall success.
To me, there has been no player who has been more valuable so far in these playoffs and that’s why, win or lose, he’s my Conn Smythe pick.
Louis Moustakas: I'm not sure I would give the Conn Smythe to Jonathan Quick win or lose. Certainly, he is the top candidate on the Kings, but he has not had to steal the series against St. Louis or Phoenix either.
Dustin Brown also deserves consideration for his tremendous physical and offensive contributions, but Drew Doughty is a choice that could have some merit should the Kings capture the Cup. He has maintained an impressive +10 rating while playing over 25 minutes per night, contributing ten points in the process as well.
Much has been made about the shutdown duo of Willie Mitchell and Rob Scuderi, but Doughty's ability to be used proficiently in every situation — and to excel — makes him an excellent choice.
On the New Jersey side, I would agree with you. Ilya Kovalchuk has blown me away and, most importantly, he has improved as the playoffs have worn on. In the deciding game against the New York Rangers, he had two points, including an assist on the eventual winner. He has been physical, has chipped in some garbage goals and has been a game breaker for the Devils. Heck, he is even being used 45 seconds per game on the penalty kill.
Then again, all of this is speculation. We all know the most important round is upon us and a stellar — or abysmal — performance can make or break one's Conn Smythe chances. When it comes to voting for this award, recent performance weighs very heavily.
What are your predictions for the Stanley Cup Final? Who will win it all? Who will be named playoff MVP?
--- Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and featured columnist on PowerScoutHockey.com. Kamal is also a regular on-air contributor on TSN 990, CJAD, and LiveSport New Zealand.
Louis is an Associate Editor and Senior Writer at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. He is also an occasional guest on CKCU's Red Zone program.
What's that you say? It isn't that the World Inline Championships are starting this week (true story)?
Oh! It's the Stanley Cup Final!
And what a Final it promises to be. Somehow, I get the sense that this will be one of the more entertaining matchups in recent years.
Be it because of the goaltending show Jonathan Quick and Martin Brodeur are likely to put on, the stellar performances from Dustin Brown and Ilya Kovalchuk, the inevitable big hits or the fact that these teams are such ridiculous underdogs.
Mellanby spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the St. Louis Blues. He also played in 1431 NHL contests, collecting 840 points in the process.
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.
The Montreal Canadiens faced off against the New Jersey Devils yesterday afternoon at the Bell Centre.
The Devils are a team that has tended to have the Canadiens number for the last decade or so and while Jersey is having their worst season in years, they have turned the corner lately going 8-1-2 in their previous 11 games. As such, the streaking Canadiens needed to be wary of their opponents, especially since Montreal was playing their second game in as many days.
Unfortunately, the Canadiens did not come ready to play, at least not for the first 10 minutes or so. As such, the Habs were always one step behind the play as the Devils employed an aggressive forecheck, putting constant pressure on the Canadiens defenders and taking away their time and space.
With the Devils squeezing the Canadiens and physically manhandling them, the Canadiens had several early turnovers leading to Devils' scoring chances.
Danius Zubrus opened the scoring for the Devils, jumping on a Hall Gill turnover on the door step where he slipped the puck between Carey Price's pads for a 1-0 lead. Jersey increased their lead to two when Ilya Kovalchuk deflected a Colin White shot from the point past Price 4:04 into the first.
But it was in the second period that the Devils really poured it on, outshooting Montreal 14-5 and going into the third with a 3-1 lead. Once again, were it not for Price's stellar play the outcome could have been much worse.
Despite sleeping through most of the game, the Canadiens came to life in the third as Jersey sat back in their defensive shell, but were ultimately unable to capitalize on their chances.
Kovalchuk would add his second of the game into an empty net and that was all she wrote. Montreal was ultimately not able to overcome New Jersey's early first and second period goals, delivering their first loss in four games.
The Habs top defensive duo were on the ice for both first period Devils' goals and on both plays their weak defensive zone coverage and turnovers led directly to the opposition's markers.
Credit has to go to the Devils, however, as their aggressive forecheck made Subban, Gill and Scott Gomez panic with the puck. While Gill ultimately turned the puck over it was Gomez's miscue that led to the goal.
Getting the puck behind the net, Gomez skated into the corner only to turn and send the puck behind the net rather than trying to clear it out of the zone. This meant that the puck went back into traffic and, as Gill tried to evade his checker, he instead turned it over to him.
I think the turnovers were more a result of the hard work by the Devils than lapses by the Canadiens but still, Montreal has to start stronger than that.
Gill and Subban settled down after the goals, playing key roles on the back end and racking up 19:27 and 24:48 of ice time respectively.
Unfortunately, they both finished the night at a minus-2 and that, ladies and gentleman, was the game right there.
2. Max Pacioretty looks like a man on a mission.
Pacioretty was again driving to the net with conviction, yesterday, and his presence in the Habs lineup continues to be a boon for Montreal.
In the first period, with the Devils mostly dominating play, Pacioretty grabbed the puck at the Jersey blueline, outskated the Devils' defender and cut to the front of the net. Brian Gionta was also driving to the net and Pacioretty's play drew the focus to him, leaving Gionta open. While there was no rebound for Gionta to put into the empty net, Pacioretty's play led to a Henrik Tallinder hooking penalty on Gionta, giving the Habs their first power play of the game.
And while the Canadiens were unable to score on the PP, the play shows why it is so important for players to go to the net. No player on the Canadiens roster has either the speed, skill or inclination to go to the net with as much conviction as Pacioretty does.
When Pacioretty was drafted by the Canadiens in 2007, head of amateur scouting, Trevor Timmins, said that he thought he had found a true power forward. That hardnosed, scoring player that all teams covet but who is extremely hard to draft or trade for.
Pacioretty is not yet putting up the numbers a la John Leclair, but so far he seems to be fitting the mold that Timmins had hoped for.
3. Carey Price once again gave his team a chance to win.
It is becoming a regular occurrence that the Canadiens don't necessarily have the best starts to games. Not all the time, but often enough that it is bothersome to Habs' fans.
Yesterday, as has been the case on many occasions this season, Price was the only player on the Canadiens that came to play in the first.
Despite letting in two first period goals—both the results of defensive zone turnovers from his teammates—Price stood tall, making several key saves while the Devils were completely outplaying the Habs in the first period.
Price's strong play continued in the second as the Habs were being outshot 14-5. Despite having put three past the Canadiens' netminder, Price was the only reason why Montreal still had a chance to get back in this one.
Actually, given the hermetic defensive system that the Devils play when leading, it was perhaps a long shot for Montreal to comeback in this one. That being said, without Price, this one could have been a blowout before the third period even started.
4. The Habs were outmuscled by the Devils.
For the first time since their 5-2 loss to the Flyers, size made a big difference.
From the start of the game, the Devils not only outworked the Habs but also outmuscled them.
Players like Danius Zubrus, Colin White, Jason Arnott and even Ilya Kovalchuk, hit and pushed around the Canadiens every chance they got. The aggressive Devils set the tone early in the match with their physical play, clearly putting a bit of a scare in the Habs players.
All of a sudden you started seeing the Canadiens go into the corners with their sticks rather than their shoulders, unwilling to take the hit to make the play.
It was this kind of soft play that caused Gomez to panic with the puck, throwing it behind the net to Subban and Gill, leading to the Devils' first goal.
As well as the Canadiens have been playing since the end of December, they still clearly need some thump in their lineup. Pacioretty's improved play is a good start but adding a player like Jason Arnott or even R.J. Umberger would go a long way towards helping the Habs in the physicality department.
5. The Devils are back.
With 42 points in the standings and 29 games left to play in the season it seems highly unlikely that the Devils will make the playoffs this season.
That being said, after an abysmal first half of the season that saw them fire their coach and re-hire Jacques Lemaire, they look like they have found their game again.
What we saw last night was the once again hermetically-defense Devils with a strong Martin Brodeur in the net—he left the game due to injury after the first period in favour of Johan Hedberg—surrounded by a strong defensive system.
New Jersey's success has always come from their system and, under former coach John MacLean, it seemed like they either got away from that system or stopped playing for their coach.
As much as it is painful for Habs' fans to see their team continuously lose to the Devils, I think having a strong New Jersey team is a good thing for the league.
These guys should be back on top of things next season.
Standings and Next Game
The loss moves Montreal's record to 30-19-5, with 65 points in the standings, still in sole possession of sixth overall in the East.
The standings stay unchanged for Montreal who missed an opportunity to tie the Bruins with 67 points in the standings. Montreal is three points behind the Capitals with an equal amount of games played, has a three point lead on the Rangers with one game in hand, and is seven points ahead of both Carolina and Atlanta, with the Canes holding one game in hand and the Thrashers having played one more than Montreal.
The Habs now have two days off before taking on the Bruins on Wednesday and the Islanders on Thursday. With the Bruins holding a two point lead on the Canadiens for tops in the Northeast, Wednesday's game is sure to have a playoff-like atmosphere.
New Sunday Shinny Podcast
In this week's Sunday Shinny Gary Whittaker, Nick Murdocco, Kamal Panesar and Amanda Stein discuss the following:
-review of the win against the Rangers
-discuss if a trade with Ottawa involved Kovalev, would you do it?
-preview game against the Devils
Click play below to listen in (listing time 40:55):
(Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images North America)
Kovalchuk-Gate
So, Lou Lamoriello is fallible after all!
In what is quickly becoming the Matt Sundin story of this off season, super sniper Ilya Kovalchuk still remains unsigned.
Well, that is not exactly the case since he did have a deal with the Devils which was quickly rejected by the NHL.
This has been discussed ad infinitum but in case you've been hiding under a rock, Lou Lamariello—the Devils' GM—signed Ilya Kovalchuk to a $102 Million, 17-year contract.
The contract was done-in by the last five years of the deal which saw Kovalchuk paid $500K per season taking him from age 39-44.
The combination of salary and age range of the last five years made it pretty clear to the league that neither side had any intention of Kovalchuk actually playing out the term of his deal. As such, the NHL deemed their move was circumventing the CBA and rejected the deal on that basis.
So what now?
Well, there are two well talked about options: The Devils and Kovalchuk can file a grievance with the NHLPA to try an dispute the rejection, or they can try to rewrite the contract.
Speaking with my colleague Michelle Kenneth (@MichelleKenneth)—the Devils beat writer—on Inside Hockey, she tells me that the Devils and Kovalchuk camps have always wanted to make a deal.
Moreover, she believes that they will rewrite the contract to something more palatable for the league.
If I was a betting man, I'd say there should be a new Kovalchuk announcement within the next week.
What is the right Price?
In other news, Habs' goaltender, Carey Price, still remains unsigned. This is puzzling to a lot of people since it is pretty clear that he is the Canadiens No.1 goaltender going forward.
As such, I think people are starting to get impatient and perhaps even a little nervous.
As a restricted free agent, Price could be tabled an offer sheet, but I think that is an unlikely scenario.
No, I think that GM Pierre Gauthier simply wanted to get all his other ducks in a row before really getting down to business with the Price negotiations.
Right now, Price is the only player left for Gauthier to sign before training camp and he has approximately $4.7 million left to sign him. That should be plenty of room.
I think part of the hold up is likely term versus dollars i.e. Price likely wants more term and more dollars, whereas I wouldn't be surprised if the Canadiens want the opposite.
At the end of the day, the deal will get done because it has to. I could very easily see a one to three year deal at around $2-3 million a season.
That being said, Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu), of the Daily Hab-It, makes a great case for Price on a one-year deal.
For those who don't know these guys, get ready to be surprised. Cunneyworth has been an assistant coach—to the Thrashers—and has spent the last nine seasons coaching in the AHL including seven seasons with Rochester where he put up some impressive numbers and even won AHL coach of the year.
While most were upset with the departure of Guy Boucher form Hamilton, I can tell you that Cunneyworth will be a worthy replacement for him—no pun intended—and should do a good job of developing the Canadiens' prospects.
Cunneyworth knows what it takes to win and has an excellent track record of developing young, raw talent in the AHL. His presence should help the likes of Danny Kristo, Louis Leblanc, Jarred Tinordi, and others.
For people who are still upset about Boucher leaving for Tampa, know this: Cunneyworth is not a step down in coaching, for the Bulldogs.
The other Randy that came on board with Cunneyworth, is Randy Ladouceur. Older Habs addicts will remember him from his playing days with the Hartford Whalers in the 80's.
More recently, however, Ladouceur has spent a truckload of time as an assistant coach in the NHL with Carolina and Toronto, as well as plying his trade in the OHL.
A seasoned assistant, Ladouceur has seen a ton of game situations, both as a player and a coach, and his experience should prove invaluable for the young Habs prospects.
The combination of these two Randys should help the Canadiens player development train to roll in the right direction.
