Canadiens Sign Petry to 6 Yr/$33M Contract; What's Next?

After what can only be described as a stroke of genius by Montreal Canadiens' General Manager Marc Bergevin at the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline, and an above-average contribution to help bolster the Canadiens' blue line in the latter part of the season and the playoffs, it was announced today that Jeff Petry signed a six-year, $33 Million contract to remain with the Habs.

The deal includes a full no-movement, no-trade clause, which has become a standard offering by teams wishing to sign trade deadline acquisition prior to them testing the free agent market come July 1st.

Many assumed that Petry, a native of Detroit, Michigan, wanted to sign with his home town Red Wings, however this year's playoff run, and the experience of playing with the league's most storied franchise, seemed to be enough to keep the 6' 3", 196 lbs defensemen with "Les Glorieux".

The signing now solidifies the top four defensemen on the Canadiens' blue line, with Norris trophy nominee P.K. Subban, veteran Andrei Markov and up and comer Nathan Beaulieu.

The last two spots and the role of the Canadiens' 7th defenseman are now up for grabs. While Alexei Emelin is still under contract until the 2017-2018 season, many observers believe, given the chatter about the Russian blue liner being dealt during the season, that the Habs may shop him around to try and alleviate themselves of the $4.1 Million cap hit his contract represents. Emelin has not looked anywhere as good as he did prior to injuring his knee against the Bruins on April 6th, 2013.

Emelin would definitely be a player teams would be interested in. His brutal physical assaults on opponents have brought many a Canadiens fan out of their seats, and would be a welcomed addition to any blue line. One team in particular, the Edmonton Oilers, might be a good fit. With the expected selection of Erie Otters' superstar Connor McDavid in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, the Oilers will have to part ways with one of their young forwards. Jordan Eberle and Nail Yakupov have both been rumoured to be trading chips for Edmonton, but that may all change with the arrival of their new GM, Peter Chairelli.

That said, the Canadiens are in a situation that will force them to make some very difficult decisions. Jarred Tinordi, who played the majority of last season with the Habs' AHL affiliate, nursed a wrist injury for the majority of the season. His 6' 5", 218 lbs frame is a much need commodity on the Canadiens' back end, so the organization cannot afford to make the wrong decision in his case. Tinordi is a restricted free agent, and must be signed to an offer sheet prior to July 1st.

Veteran rearguard Tom Gilbert ran hot and cold all season for the Canadiens. While he showed flashes of why Marc Bergevin signed him in the off-season last year, he also made his share of defensive gaffs in his own zone. The inconsistency in his game may relegate the 32 year-old to the role of 7th defenseman, as was the case with former Hab Mike Weaver, whose game plummeted since he resigned with the club after some fantastic play in the 2013-2014 run to the Eastern Conference finals.

Then, there is Greg Pateryn. For the last two seasons, this analyst fully expected the American-born defenseman to crack the Canadiens' roster in 2012-2013, only to see get pushed back down to the AHL by the signings of Douglas Murray and the aforementioned Gilbert. In the latter part of last season, the native of Sterling Heights, MI showed he had all the necessary tools, the skills and the mindset to remain with the big club.

Now What?

With the defense accounted for, now the daunting task of adding supplemental scoring is what faces the Canadiens' brass. While GM Bergevin was unwilling to admit what needed to be done going into next season, it's all but a foregone conclusion that the Canadiens' 1st round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Alex Galchenyuk, will need to make the move to centre at the start of next season.

Galchenyuk has spent most of his first three NHL seasons on the left wing, bouncing from linemate to linemate, and restricted to playing up and down the half wall. Having watched quite a bit of his junior career with the Sarnia Sting, it's obvious that his biggest asset is his ability to use the entire offensive zone to create scoring opportunities. Despite Canadiens' coach Michel Therrien claiming his young forward needs to improve in his own zone, Galchenyuk finished last season with a +8 rating. He is oftentimes the first forward back in support of his defenseman, unlike some of his teammates who seem disinterested in defending their own zone.

With a move to centre, the Canadiens would now need to address the need for a scoring winger. Granted, Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche last off-season in exchange for Daniel Briere to fill that need, but a string of concussion issues kept the veteran right winger from getting his game to where everyone expected it to be.

Many expect the Habs to make a move or two at the 2015 NHL draft in Sunrise, FL, and they may be right, but there is a name on the unrestricted free agent list that is definitely worth dealing a draft pick or two to get the negotiating rights for before the 2015 free agent frenzy begins.

Capitals' forward Joel Ward, who had 19 goals and 15 assists during the regular season and added another 14 points in the playoffs, can fit the bill nicely in my opinion. His size and physicality, along with his ability to finish from in tight, would be a much needed addition to the Canadiens' all but non-existent power play. His play along the boards, and ability to separate the puck from defenders would help the likes of Max Pacioretty and Galchnyuk, but allowing them to get into prime shooting areas in anticipation of Ward's puck retrieval prowess.

It's going to be a very interesting summer for Marc Bergevin and the Montreal Canadiens, and given the long term commitment given already to Jeff Petry, for once, this team will be the aggressor.

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Montreal Canadiens Get Angry and Get the Win Against the Tampa Bay Lightning

Fuck you.

That’s what the Montreal Canadiens said to the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight.

Fuck you for being up 3-0 in this 2nd round playoff series despite having been largely outplayed.

Fuck you to all the goal posts they hit.

Fuck you to last second goals and soul crushing defeats. And fuck you to being down 3-0.

From the drop of the puck tonight, the Habs looked determined, ready, and, quite frankly, pissed off.

Max Pacioretty scored in his typical style.

Andrei Markov and PK Subban were as ferocious as an egg-fart vapor-trail.

Brendan Gallagher continued to show he’s a playoff gamer, and Carey Price, for once, got some goal support.

Carey Price must be looking at the scoreboard and wondering what that squiggly line is under Montreal... It's a 2, Carey, a 2. #Mtlhockey

— corey collard (@coreycollard24) May 7, 2015

Also, Montreal finally showed that Tampa goalie, Ben Bishop, is actually mortal.

Wait, what?

Of course he is!

One just has to reference the Lightning's first round series against the Red Wings, to see Detroit getting Bishop off his focus.

Bishop is a great goaltender.  But unlikely Price, he can be rattled. And the Habs did so tonight, getting to him early and often.

As a result, we saw Bishop flopping around on the ice, losing his stick, diving to try and get calls, and overall looking like a goaltender who is inferior to Price...

...which he is.

But most importantly for Montreal, their leaders lead.

From PK Subban, to Markov, to Pacioretty and more, the Canadiens, to a man, were determined not to be swept.

So golf clap for winning a game where the opposition was lacksidasical and comfortable with their three-game lead.

But now what?

Well, Montreal is still down 3-1 in the series, but they have reasons to be optimistic.

Game 2 aside, they’ve largely outplayed Tampa in this series. But more importantly, they’ve got momentum going back home to the Bell Centre.

For my money, there is no way the Habs lose Game 5 in Montreal.  No way.  Not with the pride and leadership in this group.

Equally, I don’t see any way the Habs lose a potential Game 7 in Montreal, if that game happens.

Not to jump ahead too much, but for me, it all comes down to a Game 6 in Tampa.  If the Habs can win Game 5—and I don’t see how they lose that game—they will be playing their most important and, difficult, game of the year Game 6 in Tampa.

But this is all conjecture...

The reality right now, is that the Habs are down three games to one, with history dictating that there’s no way they can come back to win.

As we saw with the Canadiens’ first round matchup against the Ottawa Senators, winning one or two games may put the fear of God into the opposition, but it doesn’t win the series.

I know it’s a cliché, but the Habs really have to take it one shift and one game at a time.  What do they need to do to win the next game?  That’s precisely what's got to be the focus...nothing more.

It’s like that age old adage...how do you eat an elephant?

One bite at a time.

What's your take on the series?  Do that Habs have a chance?  What do they need to do to win?

SIDENOTE: Yes, I realize it's been the better part of two years since I've written anything, anywhere, about hockey.  I have to thank the great writers who have kept the ball rolling in my absence. I'm not sure how often I'll start blogging again. It won't be the 100s of posts I was doing per year in the past, and it might be in a slightly different voice, but I'll definitely be contributing my thoughts on the Habs again...in some capacity!

(photo by Canadian Press)

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Kamal is a smart ass who thinks he knows a lot about hockey.  He's been on-air, started businesses, and has embraced social media, all with a focus on hockey.  He recently flew to Spain.  Have you been to Spain?

Follow him on twitter @KamalPanesar...or don't.

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Tyger By The Tail: Habs' Observations After 2 Games

There were an awful lot of early exits projected for the Montreal Canadiens by both fans and panelists alike once the Ottawa Senators drew in as their first post-season opponent. Even though we are only two games into the 2015 NHL Playoffs, it’s worth taking a look at what this series has revealed so far.

I’ll admit to having had my pre-conceptions rearranged now that the Habs are holding a 2-0 series lead and the Sens are facing an uphill battle, needing to win the next 4 out of 5. Here are some reasons why, as well as some random food for thought.

Not A One Man Show

The Habs are a formidable team even without Max Pacioretty, PK Subban and a Not-In-God-Mode-Yet Carey Price. With Pacioretty out the first game, Subban ejected for slashing Mark Stone, and Price looking merely solid instead of invincible, the fourth line somehow managed to morph into a top line, much to my chagrin. Torrey Mitchell AND Brian Flynn both scored goals, with Flynn eventually being made first star. Team chemistry, that special brotherhood that makes players fight constantly to step up for each other, is consistently underrated as a playoff advantage and this team has it. Also the Habs have had a lot of post-season experience the past few years and that shows too. Right now they are looking like the better team, outright dominating for long stretches. Following the Game 2 overtime victory Price stated that he didn’t think anyone in the room had panicked and I believe it.

Hamburglar On The Menu

Andrew Hammond is a very good goaltender and there are times he outright stonewalls the Canadiens' forwards, but he is still wet behind the ears and has long stretches where he looks shaky and not at all confident. This is his first post-season show and that is a lot of weight for him to carry after hauling his team almost single-handedly into the playoffs. Had the Stone / Subban drama not overshadowed everything else perhaps more would admit that up until quite recently he has been little more than a mediocre AHL goalie, a fact quite evident throughout Game 1. Meanwhile there’s little doubt that beyond elevating Price to a new level, Stephane Waite has also been watching endless tape looking for holes for the Habs skaters to exploit, which they have. There’s a reason the Chicago Blackhawks' fans griped when Marc Bergevin took Waite away from Corey Crawford and this is why. A good goaltending coach is necessary, but a great one is a linchpin.

Leave The Drama On Broadway

Prior to Game 2 there was an awful lot of Days of our Lives Soap Opera Drama going on between the two teams, their respective fan bases, and most especially the media. A slash is a slash and deserves a penalty, and I get the rule infraction that necessitated the ejection, but if people are going to suggest that a player get supplemental discipline for an injury then maybe there should be an actual injury. Once warmups ended, Mark Stone didn’t just look fine, he played fine, good enough to lead all forwards in ice time through the first period. He finished the night with two assists and logged 18:40 in ice time. Yes, the Senators tried to get PK Subban suspended. It’s a solid strategy and you can’t blame them for trying. What you CAN blame them for is continuing to milk it right up until puck drop. At least show some dignity when your master plan fails. I have no doubt it hurts. I just have no ability whatsoever to sympathize with bullshit. Just play hockey.

Objectivity Means Nothing Anymore

Speaking of just playing hockey, the Ottawa Sun, Chris Neil, the Hockey Night in Canada panelists, the Senators own coach and GM, and absolutely everyone who had access to a microphone seemed to want the Sens to goon it up in Game 2 to retaliate against PK for the non-broken wrist. Off ice if it gets into Montreal’s head then it’s good strategy and excellent for ratings and website hits. On ice it’s suicide and will buy the Senators an early exit. The Habs don’t play that game anymore. They just don’t. On the occasions during the regular season when Montreal has gotten away from their own strategy and lost, they corrected it quite quickly. This is not the easily rattled team that Ottawa bounced after the injury to Lars Eller two years ago. And props to the Senators who realized that it just wasn’t going to work this time and didn’t become so consumed by thoughts of retaliation that they forgot about just playing hard and trying to win.

Blown WAY Out Of Proportion

While I am touching on the media, I really want to know what the hell HNIC thought it was doing during gameplay last night. I tried to watch an NHL playoff game but it kept getting interrupted by Breaking News in the form of medical updates on Mark Stone’s wrist. At one point Stone was just fixing his glove - HIS GLOVE - and this necessitated a two minute exchange (there had already been at least a half dozen prior to that) about the condition of his wrist and how Paul Romanuk and Jason York had suffered similar injuries in the past and how much it hurt and shouldn’t be overlooked as affecting his play and helping to decide this series and so on ad nauseum. By that point Stone had already earned one of his assists and no one was buying it anymore, not even some of the Senators own fans.

When Don Cherry is the voice of reason — he didn’t think Subban should have been suspended — you know that the show has gone off the rails. Unless Romanuk and York have stock in some sort of miracle micro-fracture treatment maybe they could just go ahead and defer to Dr. Recchi on this one, and thankfully he has not yet felt it necessary to weigh in. This is a national broadcaster — THE national broadcaster — for the Stanley Cup playoffs in a country that eats, breathes, sleeps and obsesses about this sport. In the playoffs you guys need to up your game too, not reduce yourselves to TMZ On Ice during gameplay.

Habs Need To Find The Jugular

While the Habs did go 1 for 6 on the power play, the fact is had they lost in overtime there would be a lot more focus on missed opportunities. During Montreal’s first two power plays in the third period there was a glaring lack of urgency and hunger, especially when contrasted with the second period power play which saw Pacioretty tie the game. Yes they were up a goal, but this is not the regular season and they can’t take their foot off the gas and just assume Price will bail them out. The Canadiens have lacked a killer instinct for far too long. If they keep passing on these golden chances and let up it’s going to cost them dearly in the post-season. After watching them go through this all season, why haven’t they learned this vital lesson yet? Instead the power play became a momentum killer, and this is playing with some serious fire during the playoffs.

History Will Always Matter

Outside of Montreal it is hard to explain how incredibly the team’s history still impacts its present and future. After PK Subban got bounced from Game 1, it was Élise Béliveau who calmed the Habs’ best blueliner. The recent, heartfelt losses of Jean Béliveau and Elmer Lach are also fresh and carry weight with not just the fans, but the players themselves. Teams without that sort of history can and do win the Cup all the time but once again, these are the little things that can and do factor into a post-season performance without ever appearing on any scorecard.

So what do you think of the series so far? Is it what about you expected?

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Who Will Step Up In The Playoffs?

Photo Credit: Montreal Gazette.com

Greetings Habs Addicts!

What a season it has been so far!

The Canadiens cannot seem to score consistently - unless you count Max Pacioretty and his 37 goals. They are also riding one of the greatest statistical seasons by a goaltender in the modern era with what Carey Price is doing. And of course, P.K. Subban could be working his way back into the Norris Trophy conversation with the numbers he has this year (15 goals/57 points). But aside from those three, the supporting cast has been extremely underwhelming offensively this season. Underwhelming enough to wonder just how strong the Canadiens will be entering the playoffs.

The three superstars have had some help. Tomas Plekanec is having another consistent two-way season. The turtle-necked wonder is one of the steadiest performers the Canadiens have had in the last decade and one of the NHL's more under-rated defensive forwards. A nod for the Selke might be in store; however, the competition is always tough with names like Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar and Pavel Datsyuk always carrying larger profiles year in, year out. But with 22 goals, 54 points and a +9 on the year, Plekanec is quietly doing his part.

Brendan Gallagher finally hit the 20-goal mark this year, sitting at 23 goals on the year. He has been a consistent spark plug in the line-up, always going to the dirty areas and getting the job done. Offensively, he has not quite reached his peak. However, expecting more than a 25 goal/60 point ceiling is wishful thinking. Defensively responsible at even-strength, Gallagher is a +20 on the year and only has three power-play goals to his name. In large part due to the ineffectiveness of the relentless "Set up Subban for the one-timer at the point" strategy that Michel Therrien refuses to waver from.

Alex Galchenyuk has taken another step forward in his development. Finally reaching the 20 goal mark, Chucky has 25 assists to go with those goals and spent a brief period of time playing centre on the top line with Pacioretty. Aside from scoring a hat-trick, his time there albeit brief, gave fans a glimpse of the future. Another step forward next year will lead to the big breakout fans are expecting from the former 3rd overall draft pick.

On the blue line, Andrei Markov continues to defy the ageing process. The General continues to provide steady veteran leadership on the blue line and has paired up very well with P.K. Subban. Markov has 9 goals and 46 points, with 23 as the quarterback on the power-play. Markov faded a bit down the stretch last year, however has continued to be a solid contributor as the Canadiens enter the final five games of the regular season.

While these four players have contributed what we expect from them, other veterans have disappointed. These are the players who will need to truly elevate their game come the playoffs if the Canadiens expect to make another run towards the Stanley Cup. There is no Thomas Vanek in the line-up this year to take away the number one pairings on the other teams. Teams will focus on shadowing Max Pacioretty and clogging the high slot to keep Subban from shooting come playoff time. Focus on shutting down those two players will be the game plan.

And then what do we do?

David Desharnais has been incredibly inconsistent this year. After struggling out of the gate again, Therrien removed the tether from Patches and Little Davey was sent to the wing on the third line. And he responded. Desharnais started shooting more, putting the puck in the net and found his game. So naturally, he was moved right back to Pacioretty's side and has since stagnated again offensively. While his 13-goals/46 points in 78 games is respectable, they are mediocre when your title is 'Top Line Centre'.

P.A. Parenteau was brought in from Colorado to provide some scoring punch. After a down year last year in Colorado, fans were expecting him to pair up nicely with Pacioretty and return to the numbers he put up during his time on Long Island playing with John Tavares. Heck, even the numbers he put up during his first year in Colorado would have been sufficient. Instead, Parenteau is suffering through his worst offensive season in the NHL. He battled an injury and missed significant time and has not found his rhythm in Montreal. 7-goals and 20 points in 52 games is not what the Canadiens had in mind when they dealt for PAP. To his credit, he has found some consistency lately and is primed to break out come playoffs. The luck has to change, as his shooting percentage is a paltry 7.9%.

Marc Bergevin made his moves at the trade deadline. He added roster depth from the Buffalo Sabres in Torrey Mitchell and Brian Flynn. He added puck moving defenseman Jeff Petry from the Edmonton Oilers and traded touted KHL signing Jiri Sekac to the Anaheim Ducks for the bowling ball on skates that is Devante Smith-Pelly. While fans were up in arms about trading Sekac, he did not fit the system in Montreal and Bergevin realized it early on. DSP has talent and should break out next season with a full off-season to get comfortable. And in shape. Sekac has talent, but lets not forget how some other highly touted undrafted players turned out. Fabian Brunnstrom anyone? Damien Brunner?

The usual suspects are doing their job. They will need some help. Last year we saw Lars Eller and Dale Weise step up in the playoffs. Can they do it again? Will P.A. Parenteau be that person this year?

The lengthy playoff run rests on the answer to those questions.

Carey Price cannot do it all himself.

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Nick Malofy is a transplanted Montrealer, currently living in evil LeafLand. He is a contributor here at HabsAddict.com and give him a follow, as he can often be found rambling on Twitter.

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Should The Montreal Canadiens Trade For Evander Kane?

Well, the writing is on the wall regarding the tense relationship between winger Evander Kane and the Winnipeg Jets. After being made a healthy scratch against his hometown Vancouver Canucks for violating the team's dress code.

The 23-year-old Kane has 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points in 37 games this season, but this marks the second time he's been made a healthy scratch by head coach Paul Maurice. The relationship between them is tense to say the least and Kane has been mainly used on a checking line with Adam Lowry and Chris Thorburn this season.

With a cap hit of $5.25 million this season, Kane will not come cheap, so any team vying for his services will have to make room to fit his long term salary in their payroll. Kane will become a UFA after the 2017-18 season. Now, according to TSN insider, Darren Dreger, Winnipeg's general manager, Kevin Cheveldayoff is currently listening to offers for the rugged winger.

Many questions around Evander Kane and the Jets. Some medical issues to be resolved, but teams are calling and Jets are listening...hard.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 5, 2015

And according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Canadiens have expressed interest in the past as well as the Philadelphia Flyers.

on LTR: Canadiens, Flyers two teams who heavily expressed interest in Kane in the past. Could they revisit talks now?
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) February 5, 2015

Currently hampered by a lower-body injury, Kane has been playing with the pain until he decides to undergo surgery, during the season, or preferably in the off-season. Will this injury and his off-ice antics lower his trade value on the market? Well, according to some pro scouts yes.

Surveyed some NHL scouts and feeling is that price on Evander Kane has dropped. One top asset could be enough to land him from #NHLJets.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 5, 2015

Not afraid of the rough stuff, Kane has 56 penalty minutes and 119 hits (3.21 hits per game) this season. Kane also has 10 NHL fights in his career, so he can drop the gloves once in a while similar to the veteran Jarome Iginla.

With the Habs' lack of offensive output in recent games, the arrival of an impact player such as Kane would definitely boost the team and give Michel Therrien another sniper who can help Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk.

Montreal would probably need to send a few players and picks to get a deal done. Maybe a package of Lars Eller, with a couple of prospects and a 2nd-3rd round pick could start the trade discussions.

Who are you willing to offer for Evander Kane?

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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

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Game 46: Canadiens vs Stars

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (29-13-3) return to action Tuesday night after the All Star break, playing host to the Stars (21-18-7). The game is set to start at 7:30 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the second and final game between the Habs and Stars this season, and the only one in Montreal. The last time these teams met, Dallas skated away with an easy 4-1 victory on home ice. Tyler Seguin had a pair of goals and an assist in the win.

What to Watch

Carey Price and Jiri Sekac return from their All-Star experiences in Columbus and the rest of the Canadiens return from their extended breaks looking to pick up where they left off. The last time the Habs played, Max Pacioretty was held pointless in a 2-1 overtime victory against the Predators, ending his seven game point streak. PK Subban and Alex Galchenyuk each had a goal and an assist in the win over Nashville.

Averaging over three goals per game, the Stars have the league's fourth ranked offense, led by the NHL's top goal-scorer, Tyler Seguin. Seguin is second overall in points with 52, 12 points more than the Stars' next most productive player, Jamie Benn, who currently has 40 points, including 13 goals.

What's at Stake

While the Canadiens are third in points in the Atlantic division, they still hold a lead over the Lightning and Red Wings in terms of points percentage. The Habs are locked into a close race for top spot in the division that's likely to last the rest of the season, so every point matters.

Who's Out

A week off is usually enough to cure what ails you, but P.A. Parenteau (concussion) is still not ready to play on Tuesday. Aside from that, the Habs are healthy as their schedule is about to kick into overdrive.

The Stars will see lots of players returning to action on Tuesday, but former Hab Erik Cole (upper body) is not one of them, he's expected to miss the match. Valeri Nichushkin (hip) is also missing, his November hip surgery has kept him out of the lineup for most of the season.

What Else

For the Habs a long break translates into a cramped schedule in their next stretch of the season. With only 45 games played to this point, only the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers have played less than the Canadiens this season. To compensate, the Habs will play 28 games between January 27 and March 21, a span of 54 days.

The Question Mark

How much of the All-Star Weekend did you watch and what was your favorite moment?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30 to preview the Canadiens and the Stars.

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The Good, Average & Poor ... Habs First Half Analysis

Greetings Habs Addicts!

Photo Credit: latimes.com

The NHL All-Star game in Columbus was played yesterday, with Team Toews defeating the hometown team, Team Foligno, by a Lacrosse score of 17-12. That's right. There were 29 goals scored in the game, or basically a goal every two minutes of play. Whether or not they were playing with six attackers each and no goalies has yet to be confirmed. Carey Price was the lone all-star for the Canadiens this year, even though P.K. Subban and Max Pacioretty had numbers deserving of an all-star berth. Price was solid, allowing four goals on 16 shots. Price was also wearing a mike and spent most of his time answering questions from Glenn Healy and providing commentary while making saves. It was a lot of fun to watch.

The All-Star game generally marks what is considered to be the half-way point of the NHL season. As for that, it is time to take a look at the the Montreal Canadiens performance to-date.

Overall Record (29-13-3, 3rd in Atlantic; 4th in the East; 8th overall in the NHL)

The Habs are having another season that places them in the upper echelon of the NHL. Michel Therrien continues to ice a team that does not quit when down in a game, in fact the Habs have had a tendency this year to show up for the second and third periods of games while snoozing through the first periods. The Canadiens are second only to the Buffalo Sabres for least amount of first period goals. But the Canadiens are also amongst the league leaders in third-period goals as a team, illustrating a team that does not quit and gets better as the game progresses. It seems if the Habs can come out of the first period tied or trailing by one, they likely leave with a victory. If they lead after the first, they are almost guaranteed a victory. They have also won seven games in overtime or shootout. Even when they fall behind, they do not quit. Stealing point in games they have no business being in has turned into a trend. Carey Price has been the saving grace to the team this year and should be a front-runner for the Vezina Trophy at the end of the year, if not the Hart Trophy as well. No player has meant more to their team than Price means to the Canadiens.

Statistically, the Canadiens have been good but not as good as their record illustrates. Offensively, the Canadiens average 2.6 goals per game, which is 21st in the NHL. On the power-play, they have been operating at a 17% clip which is also good for 21st in the NHL. They have been inept with the man advantage for most of the season, Of the 23 goals the team has scored with the man-advantage, seven of them have come in the last four games. This may be a sign that things are picking up, in which case the Canadiens can be a force in the second half of the season. They need the power play to step up as its hard to continue winning when one-third of your victories come in one-goal games (11 in 29 wins).

Defensively the Habs have been solid. Michel Therrien has iced a defensively responsible team and the bulk of the credit goes to Carey Price. The Canadiens rank 4th overall in the NHL allowing only 2.4 goals per game. They also kill penalties among the best in the league, operating at an 84.9% clip which is 5th best in the NHL. Solid defensive play has kept the Canadiens in games they had no business being in this year. They have allowed some high shot totals on Price, who thrives with the high workload. They need the offense to catch up because Chris Kreider illustrated to us what happens when Price cannot carry the workload. Dustin Tokarski has been a decent backup, but he cannot take the reigns and run with them.

Forwards

Good - Max Pacioretty leads the team with 21 goals and 38 points in 45 games played. Patches has been consistent this year and entered the break coming off a six-game goal scoring streak ... Tomas Plekanec has been consistent this year with 13 goals and 32 points in 45 games anchoring the second line. Plekanec has had a revolving door of line-mates, but has continued to be the teams best two-way player ... Alex Galchenyuk has been coming into his own and has 12 goals and 31 points in 45 games this year. Chucky has finally moved to the centre spot on the top line where he exploded for his first-career hat-trick in December before being moved back to left wing in recent games ... Dale Weise has carved his niche in Montreal as a feisty spark plug with some skills. Fan favorite Weise has seen power-play time, top line time and has six goals and 16 points in 42 games played and has exceeded expectations of him coming into the season.

Photo Credit: usatoday.com

Average - Brendan Gallagher has continued his pesky ways and is continually driving to the net and providing screens on the power play. Gallagher has 11 goals and 25 points in 45 games, on pace for another 20 goal, 45-50 point season. Typical Gallagher ... David Desharnais struggled early on this year and lost his spot on the top line. Since being separated from Pacioretty, Davey found his niche on the third line as a winger and started shooting more. For the season he has 7 goals and 24 points in 45 games ... Jiri Sekac represented the Canadiens at the All-Star game skills competition as a rookie, but spent a stretch of games as a healthy scratch and has seven goals and 15 points in 38 games. Sekac has tremendous skills and has been one of the best players on the ice a few times. Developing consistency will be the key to his development as the season goes forward ... Brandon Prust is Brandon Prust. Chippy, scrappy and fighting as always, Prust has three goals, 11 points and leads the team with 83 penalty minutes. No one is taking liberties on the Habs young players with Prust in the line-up. For a player who has an injury history due to his playing style, Prust has appeared in all 45 games this season.

Poor - P.A. Parenteau was an off-season acquisition that was expected to provide secondary scoring. While his Corsi stats are solid, he has not found the score sheet at all and has a measly six goals and 15 points in 40 games while dealing with concussion-like symptoms. Parenteau was expected to provide 50-60 points of offense and that has not happened. He is in position to improve in the second half ... Manny Malhotra was brought in to win faceoffs and kill penalties. That he does well. At even strength, he has one assist and is a -8 in 42 games played. That he does not do well ... Lars Eller continues to frustrate fans and coaches alike with his inconsistent play. With a second line skill-set and tons of potential, Eller is backing up his big contract with eight goals and 15 points in 40 games played ... Michael Bournival has had a season lost to injury, but has two goals and one assist in 15 games . He should improve over the second half ... Hamilton Bulldogs' call-ups Sven Andrighetto, Eric Tangradi, Drayson Bowman, and Christian Thomas have combined for two goals and three total points in a combined 25 games played with the big club this season, mostly in fourth-line roles. All three points belong to Andrighetto.

Defence

Good - P.K. Subban is playing at a high level as usual. He has really come on as of late with the recent rebirth of the power play. For the year, Subban has 11 goals and 31 points in 45 games, leading the team with 25:21 in average ice time and is a +7 as well. Subban has seen more time on the penalty kill this year and continues to electrify the crowds with his stick skills ... Andrei Markov continues to defy the clock and has been our most consistent defenseman on a game-to-game basis. Markov has lost a step, but makes up for it with sound positioning and continues to quarterback the power play. Markov has five goals and 26 points in 45 games, 14 of those points coming on the power-play. Markov should have his ice time monitored going forward, as he is averaging over 24 minutes per game, which has worn him down the past two seasons.

Photo Credit: thescore.com

Average - Sergei Gonchar was acquired in a deal for Travis Moen and has provided one goal and ten points in 29 games. Gonchar is the elder statesman on the blue-line at 40 years old and continues to QB the second unit, paired up as a mentor with youngster Nathan Beaulieu ... Beaulieu has finally cracked the line-up full time and has only four assists in 30 games, but has been solid defensively and should continue to improve as the season goes forward.

Bad - Alexei Emelin has one goal and 11 points in 43 games and is a +3. On paper, he looks solid. He continues to hit hard, but not the same bone-crushing hits we've seen in the past. He has been tentative since returning from his knee injury last year and is often out of position, turning the puck over or looking lost. Emelin has been paired up with another disappointment in Tom Gilbert, who has two goals and seven points in 42 games played. Brought in to be a puck-moving, right handed shot on the power-play, Gilbert has been mediocre at best at the two skills he was expected to possess ... Mike Weaver provides leadership and depth to the blue line, blocking shots and killing penalties when he finds his way into the line-up. Age and playing style has caught up to Weaver this season, but he still has four assists in 27 games played ... Jarred Tinordi has appeared in nine games this season, with two assists and a -5 to show for it. He has spent the bulk of his season in Hamilton where he just returned after missing games due to a concussion. This season may be lost for Tinordi at the NHL level.

Goaltending

Good - Carey Price has continued his all-world play this season, compiling a 24-10-2 record with a 2.15 goals-against and a .929 save percentage. He has two shutouts as well. Without Price, the Canadiens are not a playoff team. Period ... Dustin Tokarski took the reigns from Peter Budaj during the playoffs last year and is the backup to Price this season. In 10 games played, Tokarski has a 5-3-1 record with a 2.50 goals-against and a .917 save percentage. If Price were to be injured, Tokarski can handle the load better than Budaj, but is better served as a more than capable backup. Combined, this goaltending tandem is one of the NHL's best.

The Habs return to action on Tuesday, as the Dallas Stars head into Montreal. The Canadiens also face the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals this week and look to continue their winning ways as the latter half of the NHL season commences.

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Nick Malofy is a transplanted Montrealer, currently living in evil LeafLand. He is a contributor here at HabsAddict.com and give him a follow, as he can often be found rambling on Twitter.

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Game 45: Canadiens vs Predators

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

After beating the best team in the East on Saturday, the Canadiens (28-13-3) play host to the Central division leading Predators (30-10-4). The game is set to start at 7:30 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the first of two meetings between the Habs and Preds this season, and the only one in Montreal. Last year these team played a pair of tight games, with the Habs losing the first 2-1 on a late goal by Seth Jones and winning the second 4-3 in overtime thanks to a fantastic individual effort from David Desharnais.

What to Watch

Tomas Plekanec had a career night on Saturday with two goals and two assists in Montreal's 6-4 win over the Islanders. Plekanec was playing his third straight game on a line with Max Pacioretty, who picked up a pair of assists of his own on Saturday. Pacioretty's six-game goal streak came to an end last game, but his current seven-game point streak is still intact.

Not only has Filip Forsberg been one of the biggest stories for the Predators this season, he's been a big story in the NHL as the current front-runner for rookie of the year. Forsberg has 39 points in 43 games and a third best +23 rating on the season.

What's at Stake

After beating the Islanders on Saturday, the Canadiens get another chance to prove they deserve to be considered among the league's elite by taking on the NHL's best team in terms of points percentage. The Predators have earned 72.7% of their possible points this season to lead all teams, but the Habs are hot on their heels at 67.0%, good for fifth overall.

Who's Out

All signs point to a return to action for Carey Price, who wasn't dressed for Saturday's game. P.A. Parenteau (concussion) is expected to miss Tuesday's game as symptoms of the concussion he suffered against the Devils earlier in the month have returned.

While Price may be ready to return on Tuesday, Preds netminder Pekka Rinne (knee) won't be back for at least the next few weeks. Eric Nystrom (upper body) and Ryan Ellis (lower body) are also out.

What Else

This is the last game before the Habs break for the upcoming All-Star Game this weekend. When they return to action, the Canadiens will play a stretch of 21 games in 40 days from January 27 to March 7.

The Question Mark

Last game we asked which Hab needs to step up in the second half of the season, this time we want to know which Hab has most surpassed your expectations so far this season.

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30 to preview the Canadiens and the Predators.

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Game 44: Canadiens vs Islanders

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (27-13-3) return home to host the Islanders (30-13-3) Saturday night at the Bell Centre. The game starts at 7:00 and airs on TVA and Sportsnet.

This is the second of three meetings between the Habs and Isles this season, and the only game they'll play in Montreal. The Canadiens beat the Islanders 3-1, thanks in large part to a 37-save performance from Carey Price. The Canadiens were out-shot 38-21 in that game, and 14-3 in the first period alone.

What to Watch

Max Pacioretty has scored seven goals in his last six games. There are only five Canadiens that have more than seven goals all season. Pacioretty is now seventh in the league in goals, and with 158 shots on the season, he's up to fifth in the league in that department.

The Islanders are coming off a 6-3 victory over the Penguins on Friday. Kyle Okposo tallied four goals in the victory including three straight in the third period to put Isles ahead for good in that game. The team's captain and leading scorer, John Tavares, had three assists Friday, giving him 42 points in 44 games this season.

What's at Stake

Saturday night, the Habs have a chance to prove themselves against the best team in the East (it's still hard to get used to that). The Isles are four points ahead of the Habs with the Canadiens holding a game in hand. There's still a lot of hockey left to play this season, but a win on Saturday will give Montreal a big boost heading into next week's All-Star break.

Who's Out

Carey Price is day-to-day with an upper body injury, most likely suffered when Pacioretty shoved Matt Calvert into him during Montreal's 3-2 win over Columbus on Wednesday. The injury likely isn't serious and Price will probably be back in action soon so there's no reason for Habs fans to panic, but don't let that stop you.

The Islanders are without Mikhail Grabovski (lower body), Lubomir Visnovsky (upper body), and Matt Carkner (back).

What Else

The Canadiens are still trying to find their groove in 2015. After wrapping up last year on a 7-1-0 run, they've been less successful in the new year, going 3-2-1 so far this month, and 1-2-1 in their last four games. With the Detroit Red Wings catching the Habs in the standings, and teams like the Bruins, Capitals and Rangers hot on their heels, the team will need to pick up their play to defend their spot in the conference.

The Question Mark

With Carey Price and Max Pacioretty leading the charge recently for Montreal, who else needs to improve their recent play the most to help the Habs to victory?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Islanders.

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Game 43: Canadiens at Senators

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (27-12-3) are in Ottawa to face the Senators (17-17-8) Thursday night. The game starts at 7:30 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the second of five meetings between the Habs and Sens this season, and the first of two in Ottawa. The Canadiens won the first meeting this season 4-1. Alex Galchenyuk had a goal and an assist, and Max Pacioretty had a pair of assists in the victory.

What to Watch

The Canadiens' power play returned with a vengeance Wednesday against the Blue Jackets, converting three of their seven opportunities. Max Pacioretty scored twice and PK Subban potted his fourth power play goal of the season to help the Habs overcome a 2-0 third period deficit en route to their 3-2 victory.

Mike Hoffman has been the biggest pleasant surprise for the Senators this season, he leads the team with 15 goals and a +18 rating. Bobby Ryan leads the Sens with 30 points on the year, he'll be the team's only representative in next week's All-Star Game.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens are back within striking distance of top spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting one point back of the Lightning and Penguins, and two points back of the Islanders. While the Senators may be division rivals, their .500 record has them 15 points back of the Habs at the midway point, so it's safe to say this isn't a four-point game for the Canadiens.

Who's Out

The Canadiens are healthy again heading into Thursday's action, despite a scare to Carey Price in Wednesday's game. Blue Jackets forward Matt Calvert was sent barrelling into Price at the end of the first period, but Price stayed in net to finish the game. Still with matches on back-to-back nights, expect Dustin Tokarski to get the call in Ottawa.

The Senators are missing noted tough guy Chris Neil (knee), along with Zack Smith (wrist) and Mark Borowiecki (leg).

What Else

The Canadiens have won six straight on the road heading into Ottawa on Thursday. Their 14-7-1 record on the road is among the best in the NHL, behind only the Islanders in terms of road wins and points. In fact, with 29 points on the road, the Canadiens have earned as many points away from the Bell Centre as the Oilers have collected so far this season!

The Question Mark

What was your first impression of the Plekanec, Pacioretty, Gallagher line?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Corey Collard for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets.

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Does the Future Look bright for the Habs... or Not?

Trevor Timmins, what has he done for our Habs since taking over as head of scouting in 2003?

As any one who follows hockey will tell you, getting the draft selections right can make you a Stanley Cup contender.

However, if you get them wrong too many times then you will be a perennial bottom-half dweller.
So getting back to Mr. Timmins, how has he done?

His first go around was in 2003, a stacked draft year. In my opinion he real messed it up at his first draft. At the 10th pick overall, he selected Andrei Kostitsyn. At the 40th and 61st picks he selected Cory Urquhart (who you ask) and Maxim Lapierre. Andrei was okay when he played with Kovy and Pleky a few years back, but then disappeared. Lapierre was never more than a fourth liner at best and Urquhart is a no show.

Who could have Timmins selected? Well, it is an impressive list I am about to share, and it makes you cry when you think we could have had even one of these guys instead of what we did get. How about Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Brent Seabrook, Zach Parise, Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Keslar, Corey Perry, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, and David Backes. Anyone of those guys would be a huge help to our Habs today. How he could have missed this talent pool and picked what he did I will never understand.

However, I will give him a little bit of a break since it was his first time at the draft table. What about his second sit down at the draft table? In 2004 he selected Kyle Chipchura at the 18th selection. Who could he have selected instead and was still available instead of Chipchura? How would Travis Zajac look with the CH on his chest? What about Andrej Meszaros, Jeff Schultz, Mike Green, or David Krejci. So in my opinion year two was another big bust.

In 2005, we had the 5th pick overall and selected Carey Price. Nicely done Monsieur Timmins. Our next pick at the 45th spot was Guillaume Latendresse. Big G. never did pan out now did he? Who could be in a Habs uniform instead of Big G.? How about Kris Letang, Adam McQuaid, Keith Yandle, or Mason Raymond. Anyone of these guys could have been had instead of Latendresse.  But he did give us Carey Price, so we will forgive him for 2005 misses. Can you imagine Letang and Subban on the power play today, man that would be something special to watch. And throw in McQuaid's mean streak (which we dearly lack in our line-up today), boy would Price drool at having those two defend his crease today instead of what we currently have.

In 2006, Timmins' fourth time at the draft table. What did he do this time? So far the only good thing he has accomplished is Carey Price. Well in 2006 Mr. Timmins did not do well again. He had the 20th pick and he selected David Fischer. Another colossal failure. He followed that selection with Mathieu Carle (not Matt Carle) and Ben Maxwell. Neither of these two are doing anything significant today to warrant any excitement at their future contributions to the Habs. Now who could  have Monsieur Timmins giving us instead? How would Claude Giroux fit our needs today? Or how about Nick Foligno? And here is a real kicker; as much as I despise these two because they play for the Bruins I would have loved to have them join the NHL in a Habs uniform. Picture what a difference a Milan Lucic and a Brad Marchand could have done for us if they were selected instead of Maxwell and Carle. As much as I detest Lucic now, I would have loved him in a Habs uniform from day 1. So 2006 is another bust of a draft year for Mr. Timmins.

In 2007, his fifith draft I would say Mr. Timmins redeemed himself. He had the 12th pick and selected Ryan McDonagh. (Unfortunately Mr. Gainey in his infinite wisdom traded him away for a bag of hockey pucks (Gomez) to the Rangers.) He followed that up with Big Max Pacioretty and PK Subban. So 2007 was a win no matter how you look at it. He gave us two of our present day superstars who should be around for a long time.

For 2008, we did not have any first round picks because we traded those away. In the second round we received from Mr. Timmins, Danny Kristo and Steve Quailer. Neither of these two would make the Habs's current edition. Who could have been selected in this weak draft year? Well Zack Smith was available along with Adam Henrique and T.J. Brodie. I know, no big super stars but again much better than what we received. So 2008 we can say was a white wash since we never had a first round pick.

Mr. Timmins once again had a weak draft in 2009. We had the 18th selection and picked Louis Leblanc. Leblanc as his name may suggest was a huge blank. Never materialized into anything resembling a prospect. The very next pick was a guy named Chris Kreider. Remember him? He totally destroyed our cup dreams last year when he ran over Price and over our defense every time he entered our zone. After Leblanc we received Joonas Nattinen and Mac Bennett. Who could have been selected? How about Marcus Johansson or Ryan O'Reilly. So 2009 a lost draft year for the Habs.

In 2010, Timmins' 8th try was a good one. He gave us Gallagher and Tinordi. So it is safe to say that no matter who else was available we are definitely happy with Gallagher and the big potential of Tinordi.

As we get to the present years of 2011-2014 the jury is still out on the talent selected. Here are the highlights of those draft years. In 2011, we drafted Nathan Beaulieu in the first round and then did not have a pick until the third round. In 2012, that is when we had the third pick overall and selected our future #1 center in Alex Galchenyuk. That same draft we selected some high potential players in Tim Bozon and Charles Hudon. Both are doing very nicely in their present clubs (Kootenay and Hamiton) and should challenge for positions on the big club in the near future.

2013 saw the Habs get bigger with the 25th pick on Michael McCarron who says he wants to be compared to a Milan Lucic type of player). The next selection was Jacob De La Rose followed by Zachary Fucale and Sven Andrighetto with Martin Reway shortly after. Each one of these selections has high potential to make the big club and make an impact soon. Andrighetto already has several points in his short stint with the big club and showed he has NHL calibre speed and the hands to go with it. Reway had an excellent juniors tournament over the Christmas break as did De La Rose. The only knock I have against Reway and Andrighetto is they are both small players, neither stands over six feet. 2014 saw the addition of Nikita Scherbak, a big fast forward that the Habs need. So far he is excelling with the junior team (Everett Silvertips of the WHL) and looks to have huge potential in the next year or two, plus his 6' 2" frame will definitely be welcomed to the Habs line-up.

So the jury is still out on the last few draft years. We will wait and see how these selections mature and if they can contribute to the big club; and not as a fourth liner either. We have an abundance of fourth liners. Our best draft years were 2005 with Price; 2007 with Max Pac and Subban and 2012 with Galchenyuk. Other than that, the selections by Timmins have not really helped our club. Now I know there are some out there who say Timmins has one of the better records on his selections making the NHL. Yes but how many fourth liners does a club need. The draft is where you find your future stars. Other clubs have done a much better job at selecting players who can be a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman. Just review all the missed opportunities we have had with Timmins in charge. I say he needs to re-evaluate his scouting team because they are not up to were they need to be if the Habs are going to win another Stanley Cup.

What do you think? Are you happy as a Habs fan with what Timmins has brought to the table since 2003 or do we need to revamp the scouting department? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

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Game 42: Canadiens at Blue Jackets

#MTLHockey Preview

 

Match Up

The Canadiens (26-12-3) are in Columbus Wednesday night to face the Blue Jackets (18-19-3). The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet.

This is the first of three meetings between the Habs and Jackets, and the first of two in Columbus. Last season the Canadiens won two of their three games against the Blue Jackets, including a 3-2 shootout victory in Columbus. The Habs erased a two-goal deficit and David Desharnais scored the only goal in the shootout to seal the victory.

What to Watch

It looks like the Canadiens will try a new look on the man advantage in Columbus, as coach Michel Therrien looks to spark the fourth worst power play in the league. In their last seven games, the Habs have scored just once in 21 opportunities.

Look for PK Subban to play the point on the first unit with Desharnais, P.A. Parenteau, Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher up front, while the second unit should consist of Andrei Markov, Sergei Gonchar, Tomas Plekanec, Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk.

Injuries have taken their toll on the Blue Jackets this season, but Nick Foligno and Ryan Johansen have managed to stay healthy and lead the way this year. Foligno has 40 points in 39 games including ten points in his last seven. Johansen is right behind him for the team lead with 39 points on the year, he's in the midst of a ten-game point streak.

What's at Stake

Although they earned a point Saturday night against the Penguins, the Habs lost their second consecutive game for the first time since the first week of December. The losing streak hasn't hurt the Canadiens too badly yet, they're still the top team in the Atlantic in terms of point percentage, but they still trail the Lightning by three points heading into Wednesday's action.

Who's Out

With Parenteau set to return, the Habs are healthy again. The only other change to the line-up could be on defense, where Mike Weaver might play Wednesday in place of the struggling Alexei Emelin.

The Blue Jackets have been without Nathan Horton (back) all season. Ryan Murray (knee) has also missed most of the year, but he has started to practice again. Artem Anisimov (triceps), Brian Gibbons (knee), Boone Jenner (back) and Jack Skille (lower body) are also out.

What Else

In just over a week, Columbus will play host to this year's NHL All -Star Game. Only Carey Price was named to the All-Star team from the Canadiens, although Jiri Sekac was selected to take part in the rookie skills competition, filling in for an injured Tanner Pearson. Despite an impressive first half of the season, PK Subban was not named an All-Star this year, although there is a chance he'll be called to fill in for the injured Victor Hedman.

The Question Mark

We want to hear from you, express your outrage at the fact that PK wasn't selected as an All-Star this season.

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets.

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Game 41: Canadiens vs Penguins

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (26-12-2) wrap up the first half of the season Saturday night when they host the Penguins (24-10-6). The game starts at 7:00 and will be broadcast on TVA and CBC.

This is the third and final game this season between the Habs and Pens, they've played a game each in their home building already this season. After losing 4-0 in Montreal, the Habs got a measure of revenge last week when they beat the Penguins 4-1 in Pittsburgh. Max Pacioretty and Tom Gilbert each had a goal and an assist in that game.

What to Watch

Carey Price had an off night Tuesday against the Lightning, allowing four goals on 16 second period shots, but the Habs netminder is having a career year this season. With 22 wins in 33 games, a 2.20 goals against average and a .927 save percentage, Price is on pace to match or set personal records in each of those categories.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are always players to watch when the Penguins come to town. The duo has 88 points between them, 45 for Malkin and 43 for Crosby, that's more than the top three scorers combined for the Canadiens (Pacioretty, Alex Galchenyuk and PK Subban combine for 86 points so far).

What's at Stake

The Habs and Pens are both chasing top spot in their division after falling behind the Lightning and the Islanders respectively. The Canadiens are four points behind the Bolts with three games in hand while the Penguins trail the Isles by a single point and have played one game less.

Who's Out

P.A. Parenteau (head) is skating on his own, but doesn't appear ready to rejoin the team yet. Special mention as well to Jarred Tinordi who was injured in a fight Friday night while playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Pens are missing Patric Hornqvist (lower body), Olli Maata (upper body), Blake Comeau (wrist) and Pascal Dupuis (blood clot).

What Else

Not only did Montreal's seven game win streak come to an end Tuesday night against the Lightning, their perfect streak of wins after scoring first was broken as well. The Habs went into Tuesday's game with a perfect 16-0-0 record when scoring the first goal, but after they opened the scoring, four straight goals from the Lightning ended that streak.

The Question Mark

What are your thoughts on fighting in professional hockey and do the Habs need more muscle in their lineup?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Penguins.

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Game 40: Canadiens vs Lightning

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (26-11-2) return home triumphant after a perfect five-game road trip to play host to the Lightning (25-12-4) Tuesday night. The game starts at 7:30 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the second of five meetings between the Habs and Bolts, and the first of three in Montreal. Carey Price gave up four goals on 23 shots through two periods of play before being pulled for Dustin Tokarski who gave up another three in what was ultimately a 7-1 loss. Steven Stamkos scored a hat trick and Victor Hedman picked up a goal and three assists in the game.

What to Watch

Max Pacioretty and Tom Gilbert each had a goal and an assist on Saturday in Montreal's 4-1 victory over the Penguins. Gilbert finished the night with a +4 rating.

The Lightning have found offense from more than just Stamkos this season, in fact, with 43 points in 40 games, Tyler Johnson is the team's leading scorer. Johnson has two goals and four assists in the last three games and now sits fourth overall in league scoring as well as first in plus/minus at +26.

What's at Stake

First place in the Eastern Conference is on the line Tuesday night in Montreal, with the winner guaranteed to control top spot. The Habs and Bolts each have 54 points heading into the match, one ahead of the Penguins and Islanders, although the Lightning have played two more games than the other three teams.

Who's Out

P.A. Parenteau (undisclosed/head) will not be ready to play Tuesday, he'll miss a second straight game. Bryan Allen also likely won't be available to play against the Lightning, he was placed on waivers Monday afternoon and is expected to join the Hamilton Bulldogs if he is not claimed.

The Bolts are missing Rakdo Gudas (knee), who is scheduled for surgery and is expected to miss a fair bit of action.

What Else

Carey Price is once again the Molson Cup winner for December as the team's player of the month, he was also named the NHL's Third Star of the Week for his 3-0-0 performance. Price is the only Hab to earn the Molson Cup this season, taking home the honor in October and November as well, he's also won the overall Molson Cup as the team's MVP for the season five times in his career, including the last four seasons.

The Question Mark

Do the Canadiens need to add any specific pieces do be considered a true Cup contender this season or are they already there?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30 to preview the Canadiens and Lightning.

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Game 39: Canadiens at Penguins

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The red-hot Canadiens (25-11-2) are in Pittsburgh on Saturday to close out their five game road trip against the Penguins (24-9-5). The game starts at 7:00 and airs on TVA and City.

This is the second of three meetings between the Habs and Pens this season, and the only one in Pittsburgh. The season series wraps up in Montreal next Saturday. Beau Bennett had a goal and two assists and Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves to power the Pens to a 4-0 shut out victory over the Canadiens the last time these teams met.

What to Watch

Michael Bournival had to wait until the 38th game on the Habs schedule (his eighth of the season) to score his first goal of the year, but didn't wait nearly as long to pot his second, earning his first career multi-goal game in the NHL on Friday despite playing less than ten minutes.

PK Subban had three assists on Friday, inching him closer to Max Pacioretty for the points lead in Montreal. Pacioretty is still on top with 29, but Subban is right behind him with 26 points in 38 games.

Sidney Crosby earned four assists in Pittsburgh's 6-3 win over the Lightning on Friday giving him 42 points in 35 games on the season. New acquisition David Perron should be in uniform Saturday night for the Pens. Perron had five goals and 19 points in 38 games for the Oilers this season.

What's at Stake

With their win in New Jersey on Friday, the Canadiens moved into a tie with the Tampa Bay Lightning for top spot in the Atlantic Division. Now they have a chance to leapfrog the Penguins for top spot in the conference. A win in Pittsburgh would also give the Habs a perfect road trip, extend their winning streak to six games and keep them undefeated in 2015. No pressure.

Who's Out

P.A. Parenteau was knocked out of Friday's game in New Jersey when he took a hit to the head from Tim Sestito, and may not be ready to play on Saturday.

The Penguins currently have seven players on injured reserve: Blake Comeau (wrist), Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), Patric Hornqvist (lower body), Olli Maatta (upper body), Paul Martin, Zach Sill (upper body), and Scott Wilson.

What Else

The Habs are in the midst of a five-game win streak, the longest current streak in the NHL. What's more impressive is that the Habs have won four of those five on the road, with a chance to close out a perfect road trip by beating the Eastern-leading Penguins. With an 8-1-0 record in their last nine games, the Habs have surged up the standings after a rough start in December, moving them into a tie for fifth place with the Chicago Blackhawks for the best points percentage in the league.

The Question Mark

The Canadiens have plenty of options on defense, but Michel Therrien has had trouble pleasing Habs fans recently. How would you set up the Montreal's three defensive pairings with what the Habs have available?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Penguins.

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Game 36: Canadiens at Hurricanes

#MTLHockey Preview

 

Match Up

After an extended Christmas break, the Canadiens (22-11-2) look to pick up where they left off when they face the Hurricanes (10-21-4) in Carolina on Monday. The game is set to start at 7:00 and can be seen on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the second of three meetings between the Habs and Canes this season, and the only one in Carolina. Alex Galchenyuk scored his first career hat trick the last time these teams met and Max Pacioretty picked up three assists to lead the Habs to a 4-1 victory.

What to Watch

As good as Galchenyuk and Pacioretty have looked together, David Desharnais has looked alright as well on a line with P.A. Parenteau and now Lars Eller. Desharnais has three goals and two assists in his past five games, a quarter of the 20 points he has in 35 games this season.

There haven't been many bright spots in the Canes season so far this year, except the possible high draft pick at the end of the tunnel. The Hurricanes are the second worst team in the NHL, three points ahead of the league-worst Oilers. Defenseman Justin Faulk has emerged as one of the team's best players, leading the Canes in scoring with 20 points.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens may have had an extra couple of days off but their competition hasn't. Both the Red Wings and the Lightning picked up wins on Saturday leaving the Habs in third place in the Atlantic division, but with games in hand.

Who's Out

The Canadiens are rested and healthy headed in to Monday's action.

Jordan Staal is set to make his season debut on Monday and Jiri Tlusty is expected to return to the lineup as well for Carolina. Alex Semin (upper body) is day-to-day.

What Else

The IIHF World Junior Championship is underway taking place in Toronto and Montreal this year, and the Canadiens have four prospects taking part. Goaltending prospect Zach Fucale is the starting netminder for Canada, Artturi Lehkonen is captain of the Finnish team, Jacob De La Rose is wearing the "C" for team Sweden, and Martin Reway is captaining the Slovaks. As impressive as it is to have three prospects captaining their respective teams, the Canadiens top draft picks from the past two seasons, Michael McCarron and Nikita Scherbak, were left off their countries' roster.

The Question Mark

What have been the Habs greatest strengths and weaknesses so far this season?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Hurricanes.

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Game 35 - Canadiens at Islanders

#MTLHockey Preview

 

Match Up

The Canadiens (21-11-2) are in New York to take on the surprising Islanders (23-10-0) Tuesday night at the Nassau Coliseum. The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the first of three meetings between the Habs and Isles this year, and the first of two in Long Island. Last season the Canadiens took two of three from the Islanders including a 21-save shutout performance by Carey Price to help the Habs to a 1-0 overtime victory last December.

What to Watch

The new top line of Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher and Max Pacioretty have combined for seven goals in the last five games and look like they're here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. With six points in his last three games and 24 points on the season, Galchenyuk has moved into second on the team in scoring.

The salary cap losses of others has been the Islanders' gain this season, the team was able to bolster their defense by adding Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk to the roster without giving up much in return. Boychuk leads the Isles in ice time per game, making him an integral part of the team's success so far this season.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens have a chance to catch the Islanders in the Eastern Conference standings with a regulation win on Tuesday, but more importantly, they can help solidify their spot at the top of the Atlantic Division.

Who's Out

The Canadiens are healthy again heading in to Tuesday's action, so it will be interesting to see who Michel Therrien dresses. Sven Andrighetto and Nathan Beaulieu both held down starting positions on Saturday and could dress again on Tuesday.

The Islanders are missing Michael Grabner (lower body) and Matt Carkner (back).

What Else

Last season the Habs finished the year 17th in face-off percentage, with a 49.6% success rate. The Predators led the league with a 53.1% efficiency. With the addition of Manny Malhotra this season, the Habs have jumped all the way to first winning 55.4% of their face-offs so far. At 62.4%, Malhotra leads the league in face-offs, winning over four percent more of his draws than Martin Hanzal or Patrice Bergeron in second and third place.

The Question Mark

It's almost Christmas and the Canadiens have a share of the division lead; say something nice about Michel Therrien.

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Islanders.

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