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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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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No Captain, My Captain For The Habs

Greeting Habs Nation,

Over the last few weeks there has been quite a debate in regards to who should don the "C" for the Canadiens in the upcoming 2014-15 season. When asked on the www.montrealhockeytalk.com show "Habs Under the Sun" in August who I felt should be captain, I expressed my belief that the team didn't necessarily need one right away. I echoed that same sentiment just last week on CBC's Daybreak and so with the announcement that the Habs will go with four alternates and no Captain I am not surprised in the least.

From left to right Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec, P.K. Subban
and Max Pacioretty have all been named alternate captains of the
Montreal Canadiens.      THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

I am not sold on the thought that a team without a designated captain lacks leadership. Whether or not a player wears the "C", if he is a leader, he will lead. It doesn't take a letter sewn on your jersey to stand up in the locker room and tell your team what it needs to hear. A leader will hit the ice and give it everything he has on every shift without letting up to make it clear to his team that half efforts are not acceptable.

If the Detroit Red Wings went without a designated captain, would Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom not be viewed as leaders in the locker room and on the ice? To me it's just silly to put so much stock into who is viewed as the captain by the fans as opposed to by the players.

With that said, here's a look at the four players chosen by Montreal Canadiens management to serve as alternate captains.

1. Andrei Markov

Andrei Markov is  content to wear the "A"
on his jersey.

No surprise there. 35-year-old Markov will be entering his 14th NHL season as a Montreal Canadien, longer than anybody else currently on the roster. While he's not the most charismatic man, he addresses the media when called upon and has been known to let teammates know how he feels about their performances and work ethic in typical intimidating Russian fashion. After the departure of Saku Koivu in the summer of 2009, it was said that Markov wouldn't accept the title of captain. Markov has been a top-tier NHL rearguard for the Habs organization for years and with his freshly inked three-year deal with the club, will more than likely retire as a member of the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge. Whether he wears the "C", an "A" or a Youppi! sticker on his jersey, his teammates will undoubtedly look to follow his example on and off the ice.





2. Tomas Plekanec

Tomas Plekanec celebrated a goal while wearing
a turtleneck.

The longest serving member of the Montreal Canadiens second to only Andrei Markov. TurtlePlek (A name I've given due to his insistence on constantly wearing silly turtlenecks and my insistence on constantly using bad puns. I'm hoping this is the year the name sticks) is entering his tenth NHL season with the Habs. Plekanec has held himself accountable when he feels he is under-performing and hasn't ever complained about the never ending rotation of wingers that have been thrown on his line over the years. Last I checked he has played with 528 wingers over the last three seasons (don't look that up). He plays his part without whining, gives it all he has and rocks turtlenecks on a nightly basis, which is why he would get my vote if I had one.

With neither of the aforementioned candidates chosen to be the Captain, it leads me to believe that management wants a fresher face who can hold the title of captain for a longer period of time. At 35 and on legs that are roughly 45, there is little to no doubt that Markov will retire at the end of his current contract.

While Plekanec is only 31 the annual "Pleks is getting traded" rumours are due to begin swirling in about a month or so. With Lars Eller, David Desharnais and Alex Galchenyuk on the roster the rumours may hold some merit. It's never a popular move to trade your captain and with the possibility there, Pleky just wasn't the ideal choice.

In my opinion, there's more to it than the whole trade possibility scenario. Plekanec still has some years left in him and if's named captain and remains on the team, it will be years before we go through this debacle again just to give it to P.K. Subban which is pretty much the plan. Three to four years from now is too long to wait yet this year is too early for the young star defenseman. The Habs are playing it quite smart by having the top leaders share the responsibility while at the same time giving Subban the opportunity to learn how to handle it on his own next year.

3. Max Pacioretty

Max Pacioretty with his 2012 Bill Masterton
trophy.

Out of the four players given the "A", Pacioretty is the one who I would least expect to see as the team's leader. I get that he can fall four stories from a burning building and land in a pool full of glass shards only to return to the ice the following day. He scored 39 goals last season and that's nothing to scoff at (do people still scoff?). He never hides from the media. So in short, he's determined, talented and comfortable with the media. All great qualities... I just don't see him getting the "C". I don't see him as a passionate enough player, which I'll probably get ripped on for saying and that's somewhat fair.

Yes, he's come back from broken ribs, broken vertebrae, concussions etc. He's not only come back but he's returned each time without losing any of his game. There is passion there. However, I don't see him as the type of player to stand up and be heard when his team has taken the night off, I don't see him as the type of player who can rally his troops after his team has given up the tying goal late in the game in the playoffs. I don't see him ever not being so monotone in his interviews. That last one may not matter but everything he says just sounds so rehearsed and robotic.

As I mentioned, Pacioretty is basically indestructible, knows how to find the back of the net and doesn't shy away from the cameras. Those are all great qualities and why I have no qualms with him being an alternate captain after Markov and Plekanec have moved on (Jeez, that sounded a little morbid, no? I'm referring to retiring and/or being traded just to be clear).

4. P.K. Subban

P.K Subban is a safe bet to wear the "C" for the Canadiens
next season.

Make no mistake, Subban will be the Montreal Canadiens 29th captain. He is the most exciting player to don the "CH" since Alex Kovalev, yet he shows up more than 35 games a season. With Subban it's not a matter of getting him to face the media, it's a matter of him stepping away from the camera once in a while. He is a fan favourite, the media can't get enough of him and there is no doubt he will speak his mind to his team and lead by example on the ice. He has all the qualities needed, he just needs time to take them on without putting too much pressure on himself.

Subban is coming off of yet another contract issue which was turned into a media circus. He still lets him emotions get the best of him at times and is rumoured to have a rocky relationship with coach Michel Therrien. Giving him the captaincy this year would be too much, too soon. Having him share it with a teammate his age in Pacioretty, and two veterans such as Plekanec and Markov, will take the load off his back and give him time to gradually learn what it takes to be the leader of the most storied franchise in the history of the NHL.

I couldn't agree more with the decision to hold off on naming a captain. Hopefully, this whole situation won't be made into a distraction throughout the course of the year and to all you Subban supporters out there, relax... Subban will be named captain for the 2015-16 season.

One last note, a friend pointed it out how it is quite fitting to not have a captain the same year that Saku Koivu calls it quits. If I were GM I would offer Koivu a one game contract so he could retire as the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. The send off would blow the roof off of the Bell Centre and would show Koivu just how much he mean,t to not only the organization, but to the entire city of Montreal who he did so much for.

Thanks for reading and of course don't forget to share your thoughts.

1. Will not having a captain affect the team's play?
2. Did management choose the right players to share the responsibility?
3. Is there any doubt the Subban will wear the "C" next year?
4. Koivu on a one game contract, too cheesy or well deserved?

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Habs Summer Recap + 2014-15 Prediction

Source: USA Today

Greetings Habs Nation,

After an absence of almost two years I've decided to get back into the Hab-it (see what I did there?) of writing on the going-ons of the hockey world, and more specifically, the Montreal Canadiens. And what
better time to get back into the world of hockey than the first week of September when there is not much going on and every subject has been covered by everyone with both the internet and an interest for hockey?

That being said, there are a few options when it comes to choosing a subject. First off I could cover some rumours, secondly I could do a recap of the most talked about topics regarding the Canadiens and lastly, I could give my take on the upcoming season and how I feel the Habs will fare.

Alas.... I will do all three. I'm kind of an all-or-nothing kind of guy. Now with the intro complete I will dive right into the first of my three topics... rumours.

Martin Brodeur to the Habs

Let me start this off with a quick and simple, no thank you. Unless Marc Bergevin has the Delorean parked in his garage and is preparing to reach 88 mph on his way to bringing in the veteran goaltender, this rumour should be put to rest immediately.

I do not doubt that Brodeur could chalk up a few W's for the Habs in the upcoming season; however, I don't feel it's worth the circus that will come with it. There should be no goalie controversy in Montreal. Carey Price is the go-to-guy, and no matter what anybody says, the second he loses two or three (or God forbid four!!) games in a row, how could the media and a large collection of the fan base, not start to rally for the hometown, two time Stanley Cup winning goalie to step up and lead the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge to the promise land?

This organization does not need that sort of attention and distraction. Price and Peter Budaj are a more than capable duo where their roles will not be questioned and they can both focus 100% on the job at hand. Although, to be fair, Budaj may not be as comfortable after Dustin Tokarski's performance in the conference finals last year.

There is also the matter of price (monetary, not Carey).

How much will it cost to have the twenty-year veteran come home for his final season? The Habs currently have $2,651,667 in cap space according to www.capgeek.com. It's no question that Budaj would be moved to make room for Marty McFly (nickname given due to his first name being Martin as well as my Delorean reference from earlier on). Let's say Budaj is traded for a draft pick or prospect in order to not take any salary in return, that adds another $1.4 million. The Habs are now looking at $4,051,667 to play around with. That seems like a comfortable amount of money, but keep in mind the Habs may need some cash in the bank come trade deadline to either add to the roster or replace an injured player. If Brodeur is willing to sign for $1 million the way Brad Richards did in Chicago or Dany Heatley over in Anaheim than it would be a little bit harder to ignore, but still it doesn't seem worth the sideshow that would accompany the future hall of famer back to his hometown.

Phase one complete, phase two: My take on the most talked about topics over the summer

1. The $9 Million Man

P.K. Subban became the highest paid Canadien with an average
of $9 million over eight years.

P.K. Subban is extremely talented offensively, underrated defensively and hasn't yet reached his full potential. The man doesn't get tired, he has been learning the game from Andrei Markov whose vision and decision-making on the ice is better than roughly 90% of the league's rearguards and has one hell of a shot. Why is this contract an issue to anybody?

Yes, it's a ton of money. How many defensemen are there in the league like Subban? Drew Doughty in Los Angeles (the only one I would personally rate higher then #76)... I'm out. Shea Weber is phenomenal, but doesn't have the speed that Subban uses for those end to end rushes. There is Erik Karlsson, but he's on the Senators so who really cares, right?

Bottom line is, Subban's contract is a good one and will only look better in a few years when the cap is even higher and players with less than half the talent that P.K. possesses are making a bazillion dollars.

2. The Captaincy

Once again, an issue I feel has been overblown. Should it be Subban? Plekanec? Markov? Pacioretty?

Here's an even more important question... does it matter? Whether or not there is a "C" on somebody's jersey, the true leaders will make their selves heard in the dressing room and seen on the ice. Regardless, I'll give a quick rundown on my opinion of each of the candidates most often named both by the media and fans.

Subban: Not yet. I could see it happening if Bergevin decides to go a year before handing out the "C", but it seems a little bit early for a player who has yet to sign a contract without making the whole process into a gong show.

Markov: Doesn't want it.

Pacioretty: Really?

Gallagher: See "Pacioretty".

Plekanec: He would be my pick if I was relevant in any way to the organization. He's been with the team longer than anyone who isn't named Markov. He plays hard and deals with the media well, and anybody who can rock a turtleneck in a world where turtlenecks have never been anything less than silly, can lead me into battle any day.

And now for my final act.... My prediction

How Will The Canadiens Fare?

I will keep this short as I am not usually good at predictions. There are too many factors at play when stating how a team will do over an 82-game schedule. However, I already said I would do it and I don't feel like editing my article so here it goes.

Habs will take the Atlantic Divi... Conference?. There. I said it, and it's not because I'm a fan... well it probably is at least a little bit. I'll explain quickly how I came to this conclusion.

Ottawa and Toronto are bad.
Buffalo is worse.
Florida is..... Florida.
Tampa Bay could do it, but will be relying way too heavily on Ben Bishop to have another stellar year like he did in the 2013-14 season.
Detroit has a ton of talent up front, but not the most impressive blue line and I'm still not completely sold on Jimmy Howard.
Boston is stupid. More importantly though, Chara is not the Wookie he once was. He is still strong and possesses a hell of a shot, but he's becoming easier and easier to just skate around. Marchand is becoming more of a distraction than a help to his team due to his insistence on being the league's top jackass. Iginla walked and was replaced by... nobody. Ville Leino has been invited to the Bruins' training camp but admit it, before I mentioned his name you forgot he existed.

With all that in depth research and analysis isn't it clear that the Habs will win the divi... conference?

Bonus non-Hab related prediction: Jaroslav Halak will be traded six times in the upcoming season.

And with that my first piece back is complete, and for the record... part of me does think it would be pretty badass to see Brodeur wearing the "CH" despite everything I just said.

I'll leave you with a few questions:

1. Brodeur - yes or no?
2. Would not having a captain matter and if so, who would you give it to?
3. Where do you see the Habs finishing?
4. Is two Delorean references too many? I say it's not enough, but that's just me.

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Playoff Preview: Canadiens vs Bruins (Round 2, Game 6)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens play host to the Bruins on Monday, down 3-2 in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The game is set to start at 7:30 and can be seen on CBC and RDS.

The Habs are coming off a 4-2 loss on Saturday in what might have been their worst performance so far in the playoffs. Tomas Plekanec took 3 minors in the game, including a pair of consecutive penalties that led to two Boston goals, putting the Habs behind 3-0 less than 2 minutes into the second period.

What to Watch:

With the Habs down 4-1, PK Subban scored a power play goal to give his team some life in Saturday's game, his fourth goal in 5 playoff games against the Bruins. Subban now has 12 points in 9 games during these playoffs and a total of 28 points in 35 career playoff games. At the other end of the spectrum, Max Pacioretty earned an assist Saturday, giving him 1 goal and 4 points in 9 playoff games this year, a total of 4 points in 13 career playoff matches.

Tuukka Rask had a shaky start to the series but he's played a big role in Boston's last 2 wins. Rask had a 33 save shutout in Montreal Game 4 and made 29 stops on Saturday, giving up 2 power play goals. Rask and the Bruins haven't given up an even strength goal since around the 14 minute mark of the second period in Game 3.

What's at Stake:

For the first time in these playoffs, the Canadiens are fighting for survival. This will be game 10 for the Habs in this postseason, and not only is it the first time that they're playing to stay alive, it's also the first time that they trail in a series this year.

Who's Out:

The Canadiens are still missing Alex Galchenyuk (knee), although he has been skating. Daniel Briere was a healthy scratch in Game 5 to make room for Brandon Prust.
The Bruins are still missing Dennis Seidenberg (lower body), Chris Kelly (back)and Adam McQuaid (ankle).

What Else:

Some good news for the Habs is that Boston has had trouble closing out playoff series in the past. The Bruins have not closed out a series in 6 games since they beat the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the 2010 playoffs. After that they lost Game 6 to the Flyers in the next round on their way to blowing a 3-0 series lead. They also lost Games 6 in the 2011 Playoffs to the Habs in Round 1 and the Lightning in Round 3 with chances to close out the series. Last year, the Bruins dropped Game 6 in the first round to the Maple Leafs and then needed 3 goals in the third period to force overtime and stay alive in Game 7.

The Question Mark:

If the Canadiens season ended Monday night, would you be satisfied with team's performance this year?

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

The Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show starts an hour before puck drop, join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter. And don’t miss the Post Game Show starting 5 minutes after the final siren.

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Monday Musings: P.K Subban is Too Much for Don Cherry?

Happy Monday, Habs Addicts!

Photo Credit: TSN.CA

Well we had quite an interesting week this week.  Three games were played, with Montreal starting the week with a 4-1 loss at home to the New Jersey Devils, followed up by an entertaining 5-4 overtime win in Ottawa and a prime-time, Hockey Night in Canada rivalry match-up against the Maple Leafs that resulted in an entertaining and disappointing 5-3 defeat. As we all know, P.K. Subban celebrated his overtime goal against the Senators by emphatically tugging his jersey and kissing the logo as he left the ice, riling up Senators fans while showing tremendous CH pride to the Habs fans in attendance.  This came back to haunt him on Saturday, as James Van Riemsdyk mocked the move with a jersey tug of his own after scoring the game-winning goal. Don Cherry also voiced his opinion on the matter and thus Jersey-Tug-Gate has been born. That recaps the week in a paragraph, now onto my musings.

- Two of the leagues elder statesmen, Jaromir Jagr and Martin Brodeur (both 41 years old), each had stellar performances against the Habs in a 4-1 victory this past Tuesday.  Jagr scored his 14th goal of the season - and 695th of his career, surpassing Mark Messier for 7th most all-time - and also chipped in an assist.  Martin Brodeur stopped 29 of 30 shots and was named 1st star of the game in what may have been his last appearance in Montreal.  The Habs played a flat game and left Carey Price without much support. Price also had an off-night, allowing 4 goals on only 19 shots.  Overall, this game mirrored the performance we saw the previous week against the Philadelphia Flyers.  Sure the Habs outshot the Devils, but that total is deceiving as Brodeur was rarely challenged. This game served as another reminder of what could have been, as its no secret that Jagr has wanted to play in Montreal and has had several opportunities to sign here the past few seasons as a free-agent.  Future Hall-of-Famer, 6'4", 240-lbs, tremendous work ethic and amazing mentor to players like Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher and Michael Bournival? Who wouldn't want that in the lineup?  But no, instead Marc Bergevin decided to spend the same money on Daniel Briere.  For the record, Briere had 0 points and 1 shot on goal in 18:09 minutes of ice time and has 1 assist in his past 5 games.  Fantastic.

- Carey Price called his performance against the Senators one of his best games of the season. Hard to argue when you see the highlights and some of the saves he had in the 5-4 overtime win.  Ottawa dominated the action in this game after the Habs jumped to an early 3-0 advantage.  Price did allow 4 goals on 44 shots, but this game easily could have mimicked the 9-1 shellacking the Anaheim Ducks put on the Vancouver Canucks the night before had Price not stood on his head.  Price had absolutely no help from his defenders and was left to fend for himself on numerous occasions and came up big.  The Habs, to their credit, fought back to tie the game before P.K. Subban notched the game winning goal in overtime.  What happened after that is the widely debated jersey-tugging incident.  Unfortunately Subban's exuberant celebration took some of the limelight away from the performance of Price and also set up a rant from Don Cherry on his Coach's Corner segment this past Saturday. To summarize, here's an excerpt from Coach's Corner:

“I love Subban. I’ve known him since he’s been a kid. I’m the guy that pumped him and pumped him ... I’m the guy that pumped for the Team Canada, the whole deal. This is one of the reasons they did not want him; because of what he did in Ottawa ...  And all he does is pump up the other team. He has to stop that stuff. I thought he’d stop it ... It’s absolutely ridiculous. Don’t give ammunition ... And Subban had better stop that stuff when he goes to Team Canada."   - Don Cherry, Coach's Corner, CBC

Subban showed a lot of emotion, especially after scoring the goal. He fell after shooting and upon seeing the puck in the net, left his stick in the crease as he went tearing to his teammates to celebrate the victory.  Leaving the ice, he took a page out of Alex Galchenyuk's book and emphatically tugged his jersey and gave the logo a kiss, paying homage to the CH and the fans in attendance.  It also served to rile up the Senators and their fans.  And Don Cherry.  Last I checked, Don Cherry has found ways to rile up just everyone in hockey at some point in his career, nevermind the overly flamboyant suits he wears during his broadcasts.  For a guy who draws more attention to himself and his comments on Saturday nights than the game usually does, I think calling out Subban for being an excited kid who gets caught up in the moment is a little bit hypocritical, Grapes.  Does Subban's actions get under the skin of his opponents? Yup. Does it serve to motivate the other team?  Maybe a little. Impact is probably overrated by the media. These are professional athletes, playing an 82-game season. Maybe bulletin-board material would work in a short series or a key game, not so much for a random mid-season matchup.

-  Further adding fuel to the Jersey-Tug-Gate fire, James Van Riemsdyk celebrated his eventual game-winning-goal on Saturday night with a jersey tug of his own, directed at P.K. Subban.  Needless to say, the press was all over this one in the game recap.  Van Riemsdyk claims he only celebrated his goal in this manner after Subban apparently taunted the Leaf's bench after Montreal scored a goal in the first period.  I'm no expert, but I would analyze that the taunting in the first period had less to do with it and the more likely cause was the fact that Subban and Van Riemsdyk played a very chippy and very physical game against one another the entire evening. There were numerous altercations along the boards and words spoken between the two.  Did Subban say something to the Leaf's bench? Probably.  Are comments made all night, every night in hockey games? Absolutely. Should we be concerned with Subban's actions? I say no. Subban surely doesn't care about the issue.  Lets face it, he has personality. He has talent. He has a Norris Trophy. If Bergevin wanted to move him, 29 other GM's will come calling.  Does he need to mature on the ice? Of course he does. He's only 24 years old. The upside is tremendous. Let him play his game.

- Overall, the Leafs and Habs played a spirited affair in the 5-3 Leafs win.  Michel Therrien played a young rookie, Joonas Nattinen over the consistently-under-producing Rene Bourque.  Nattinen saw 1:45 of ice time.  Or half that of George Parros. Parros was on the ice for a goal against in his 3:03. Nathan Beaulieu played 13+ minutes in place of Douglas Murray, and has since remained up with the club.  How much he plays is yet to be determined. Marc Bergevin should be concerned with Therrien's handling of the young players. Against Toronto, Carey Price stood tall while the defensive effort again collapsed around him. Hard to fault him on most of the goals and the fifth goal of the game was an empty-net goal.  

This week saw the defensive effort crumble, as the Devils, Senators and Leafs scored 4, 4 and 5 goals against, respectively.  In the past 10 games, the Habs have allowed 4+ goals seven times. Seven. When your offense is barely producing, you can't be allowing that many goals.  Somehow Montreal has managed to go 4-4-2 in those 10 games, with 2 of those victories also coming in overtime. Therrien came to Montreal as a changed man, so to speak.  New Michel Therrien lasted half a shortened season.  Since the middle of last year, the Habs have played like a .500 hockey team and suffered an embarrassing playoff round loss to the Senators.  Therrien needs to figure out what he has with this hockey club and soon, because another swoon and first-round playoff exit could - and should - cost him his job. Right now, he has the leash he needs to turn it around but with the glaring problems that need to be addressed with his handling of young players, overall game management and consistency, its hard to see him righting the ship anytime soon.

This weeks games include matchups on the road in Pittsburgh to face Sidney Crosby's Penguins on Wednesday, followed by an original-six battle in Detroit on Friday night. The Habs return home to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on Saturday. With the defensive showing we saw this past week, going 0-3 and allowing 15 goals against is a very distinct possibility. 


Three (or Four) Questions from my musings:

A) i) Should the Habs have signed Jagr over Daniel Briere this past off-season?
A) ii) Should the Habs attempt to acquire Jaromir Jagr from the Devils at the trade deadline?

B) Does P.K. Subban need to shelve his celebratory style in order to avoid 'motivating' the opponents?

C) Does the defensive performance of the past 10 games reflect a disturbing trend or is it simply a blip on the radar that happens to all teams during a long season?

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Senators (Game #43)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (24-14-4) return home to the Bell Centre Saturday when they play host to the Senators (18-18-7). The puck drops at 7:00 and the game can be seen on RDS and CBC.

This is the second of 5 meetings between the Habs and Sens this season, and the first in Montreal. The Senators won the first match 4-1 despite the Habs scoring the games first goal. Bobby Ryan had a goal and 2 assists for Ottawa.

What to Watch:

PK Subban and Max Pacioretty each had 4-point nights in Dallas. While Subban still leads the team in points, Pacioretty is now second on the team with 25 including 19 goals, despite missing 9 games with injury. Subban is up to 33 points on the season, with 2 goals and 4 assists in the last 2 games.

Bobby Ryan might have the most to prove in Thursday's game, he was left off the Team USA roster when the announcement was made New Year's day. Ryan ha 18 goals on the year, one less than his compatriot Max Pacioretty who was named to the roster.

Like PK Subban, Erik Karlsson leads his team in points with 38 on the season. The Norris Trophy winner from 2011-12 is second in defensive scoring.

What's at Stake:

This is Montreal's first home game of 2014 and their first game in the Bell Centre in two and a half weeks. With 52 points on the year, the Habs are keeping pace with the Lightning and Bruins but are still a step behind both teams.

Who's Out:

The Habs are without, Davis Drewiske (shoulder) and George Parros (concussion). Ryan White left Tuesday's game after a second period fight. Daniel Briere missed the last two games as a healthy scratch.

The Senators are missing Chris Neil (lower body), while Jason Spezza (hip) has missed the last 3 games and is day-to-day.

What Else:

The chase for Gold has heated up with Team USA naming its Olympic roster on New Year's Day. Montreal's Max Pacioretty made the cut but Alex Galchenyuk and Ottawa's Bobby Ryan and Craig Anderson were left off the team. Canada will name it's lineup on Tuesday, Carey Price and PK Subban look likely to make the team, although rumors persist that Subban is a bubble choice. Jason Spezza and Kyle Turris are both long-shots to make the cut, which could leave the Senators without a player on either Team Canada or Team USA. Luckily Erik Karlsson is a pretty safe bet to make Team Sweden.

The Question Mark:

Trade rumors are swirling in Montreal, what type of player do the Habs need most and what can they afford to give up to bring him to the team?

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

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

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Habs/Wild Post Game November 19th 2013

Max Pacioretty spoke out before the game and responded by taking the team on his back and scoring a hat trick in the second period to lead the Canadiens to a 6-2 winning effort against the Wild.

The Wild came in as one of the hottest teams in the NHL. 8-1-1 in their last ten, and the winners of 4 straight.  They are living up to the expectations the fans in Minnesota had hoped would come a year ago. Zach Parise and Ryan Sutter are the stand-outs on the roster but would not be in the position they're in without an excellent season from their goaltender Josh Harding who has 12 wins in 17 games. While the Wild have been successful on home ice, they've had trouble on the road only putting together 3 wins on 8 tries, struggles which were evident on this Tuesday evening.

The Canadiens are having trouble scoring goals as stated by Max Pacioretty who spoke to media and said the team should be finding more ways to score instead of being a team that is strong defensively and plays on their heels. He in particular lived up to his comments by scoring three times for the Habs and the team responded by playing with a style that attempting to generate more scoring chances which made for some exciting hockey throughout sixty minutes.

The first period was good for the Canadiens who pressured the Wild offensively. They were on the powerplay near the midway mark when Pacioretty was tripped going towards goal. Not much was generated a man up against a team that is 24th ranked on the PK.
A fight between Brandon Prust and Zenon Kenoptka left Kenoptka bloodied going to the box. Both teams seemed to be in fighting spirits as a lot of face washing was going on between the clubs throughout the first although nothing transpired throughout the remainder of the game.
Harding shocked everyone with a stunning save on Pacioretty when a cross ice pass from Desharnais was redirected towards goal but kept out by Harding's glove with the puck just inches from crossing the line.

Pacioretty, fittingly, was the one to break the deadlock in the second period when he tipped in a pass by Desharnais that got by Harding's glove.
The Wild got on the power-play moments later when Emelin went to the box for a high stick. The Canadiens killed it off, and proceeded to go right on the power-play for themselves. Being unable to score or generate good pressure the first time the Canadiens now had a goal on the board and had strung together some momentum. While there was a sequence that ended with a shot by Pacioretty, who stood-out the most at this point, Harding kept it out and eventually ended the shorthanded threat.
Pacioretty scored the second goal of the game when a gorgeous behind the back assist by David Desharnais, his second assist of the night, landed right on Pacioretty's stick and was able to beat Harding with a stifling wrister glove-side.
From this point on the Wild were playing on their heels, under pressure they took another penalty and this time the Habs made no mistake. A shot by Subban from the point was tipped in by none other than Pacioretty, who recorded the natural hat-trick and his first hat trick since February 9th 2012.
That was the end of the night for Harding who let 23 year old prospect Darcy Kuemper finish the night. The Habs jumped on the chance to test the youngster and got by him when the Michael Bournival went five-hole with a wrap around goal. This goal by Montreal's fourth line could clearly be seen as a team response to the play of Pacioretty that sparked the entire lineup.

The Canadiens came out in the third with the same jump they had in the second. Refusing to let up and allow Minnesota to comeback they played well in front of Price who had was not tested often in the first two periods.
Briere scored a goal from a feed by captain Brian Gionta who found the winger coming down from the left side. The shot beat Kuemper five-hole giving the Canadiens a short-lived 5 goal lead.
The five goal lead, and Price's shut-out bid, ended when Nino Niederrietter scored for the Wild moments after the Briere goal.
The Wild weren't able to bring any more back for them. They took another penalty and on it Galchenyuk took a wrist shot that beat Kuemper glove side.
His goal meant that every line contributed offensively for the Habs. A result that none are more happy about than Michel Therrien who was looking for that spark to his lineup's scoring.
Penalties by both teams in the dying minutes of the third and a Dany Heatley goal with 1 second left were the last bits of action in a game in which the Canadiens emerged victorious.

Having this game under the belt is important for the Canadiens who were hungry to prove they were not simply a strong defensive club. With strong opponents waiting for them on the weekend, the Habs will likely keep the same lines in their match-ups against the Capitals and Penguins on Friday and Saturday nights respectively.

The long lay off is good for the Canadiens since that the players can use practice to keep the chemistry going and will give Price some rest. Expect Budaj to get a start in one of the two games this weekend, he is playing great when called upon and does not cause worry to the Habs faithful when he goes between the pipes. 

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Habs/Preds Post-Game October 19th 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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After Just One Game, I am Haunted by the Letter "D"

Ok it’s official, we are one game into the 2013-14 NHL season and I am already stressed out of my mind and agitated beyond words.

I will admit that the Leafs-Habs game was a fun game to watch. We had end to end action, teammates sticking up for one another, some beautiful saves and of course some really nice goals.

But at the end of the day, besides the handful of positives, my mind is full of questions, all of which point to the letter “D”

Danny B

Ok serious question here. I thought I remember seeing Daniel Briere being handed the torch from the great Guy Lafleur during that touching opening ceremony but then what happened?

Did he decide not to dress for the night? I swear I didn’t hear his name mentioned at all.

Brought in to help our Power Play right?

D-core

One word comes to mind, ouch !!!

The loss of Emelin and Murray is apparent.

As an overall group of 6 players out there they are small, they are soft and surprisingly they are slow.

With that said, I think that we can agree that the pairings of PK Subban and Josh Gorges, Jarred Tinordi and Francis Bouillon looked good together. If this is going to succeed then they simply cannot have Andrei Markov-Raphael Diaz playing together !!!

Michel Therrien MUST absolutely switch these guys up and fast.

Hate to say it but it’s time to put Gorges back on the right side and pairing him with #79 and let the stud D-man Tinordi play alongside #76

Decisions

Can some please explain how PK Subban is glued to the bench on the PK, yet the names Diaz and Markov are repeatedly sent out there with a man down.

Better yet, can someone please debunk the myth that Desharnais is either married to Therrien’s daughter or is somehow involved in a love triangle with the coach?

How on earth is Desharnais sent out on the ice for every PP, late in the game when you are in need of a tying goal when arguably you’re two best offensive weapons in the Gally’s receive approximately 12 minutes of ice time each?

I mean seriously, 18.30 minutes of playing time for Desharnais including 3:19 on the powerplay (2nd most on the team by the way) when Gallagher had a total of 11:09 of playing time and tied for eighth on the team (tied with Lars Eller) in PP time with just 1:29.

Diaz

I’m sorry buddy, but it’s time to go.

Yes you make nice tape to tape passes, and sometimes the forward is even expecting them but you make horrible decisions with the puck, pinch when you shouldn’t and somehow seemed to forget that to score the puck has to be on the net.

David Desharnais

Oh my GOD, two D’s.

Simply put, what the hell is wrong with you?

On the PP you are never where you should be, you cannot win a faceoff if your life depended on it, you have the body of an 8 year old boy, the muscle mass of a jelly fish and actually bring down the play of our top line.

I swear that my 3 year old son would go into the corner of the ice with you and would come out with the puck. I am fed up of the excuse that small players cannot make it in the NHL yet somehow you seem to add fuel to that fire every game.

Here is my advice to you, learn to stay on your feet, learn to battle for a puck, learnt o take a faceoff draw and actually win it because whatever it is that you do, it ain’t working.

I still cannot fathom how this guy somehow led the team in PP minutes among forward last night. Can somebody please explain this to me

The Dane

Finally a letter “D” which doesn’t give me nightmares.

The Great Dane put on a show last night. He was 50% in the faceoff circle, he was [physical, drove to the net and as we know ultimately scored 2 goals and an assist.

However despite this success somehow he was one of the least utilized forwards on the powerplay, was only the fifth most utilized forwards while short handed and was third in ice time among centers.

Did I miss something here?

Eller was our best player last night, so why was he not on the ice?

Bryan is a Marketer by day, writer for HabsAddict.com by night and full time fan of the game. Follow me on twitter @BryanWilley78 but don't bother looking for me on Facebook, I'm just too old for that now!

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Habs Post Game - Canadiens/Leafs October 1st 2013

While the score is the nefflwhat will be mentioned in the record books, those in attendance will never forget the image of George Parros being taken off the ice in a stretcher during an incident that took place in the third period. During a fight with Leaf forward Colton Orr his face made direct contact with the ice. Thoughts go out to him and his family as we await news of his status.

A 4-3 loss in the season opener to the rival Maple Leafs may sting in the moment. However, the Canadiens showed many positives in areas that should bring the fans confidence in their club moving forward.

If there is one thing that any Montrealer can attest, the Canadiens never fail in bringing the city together. Before the opening face-off the sell-out crowd was on their feet as the torch was brought out by Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur and passed to Danny Briere before finally making its way through the roster and finishing with Captain Brian Gionta. 

Using the momentum generated by pre-game ceremony and the home crowd, the Habs came out flying in the first. Was it the jitters that crept up on them or maybe the early season whistles from the referees? Either way the result showcased a special teams battle between the clubs.

Montreal fell back 1-0 to a goal by James Van Riemsdyk on a 5-3 in the first. Set up by newly extended Phil Kessel, the Leafs power-play made its appearance 7 times in total, this would be the only time the Habs allowed a goal down a man however. The penalty kill played very well for the Canadiens and managed to record a short-handed marker off the stick of Lars Eller.

Eller made quite the season debut posting 2 goals and a helper in the losing effort. Including one late in the third that sparked the team to attempt some late game heroics that ultimately fell short.
Making themselves known were linemates, and sophomore standouts, Alex Galchenyuk and Brandan Gallagher who, respectively, recorded; 2 assists and 1 goal.

For Montreal, the power play did fail to score on 4 opportunities but this should be a testament to the Leafs who played to their high pressure system in their zone incredibly well. Tyler Bozak was even able to catch Andrei Markov off balance by stealing the puck from the veteran and getting a breakaway, scoring short-handed.

Had the goaltenders not been on their game, the outcome could easily have been more lopside for either club. Both goalies made some spectacular saves in key moments. Carey Price made an early season highlight reel and leaving Leaf players wondering how they were unable to finish. He allowed 4 goals on 38 shots. On the other end was James Reimer, while less flashy, kept the puck out of the net numerous times, especially in the final minute holding the game for the Toronto club, he stopped 34 of 37 on the night.

P.K. Subban was noticeable despite being left off of the score sheet his presence was definitely an asset and lead all habs players in with 24:41 TOI . Leading for the Leafs, and the game, was Captain Dion Phaneuf, 27:01 TOI who put up a goal up for the club. While leading their respective teams it can be argued that Subban should find his way onto more ice time moving forward for the Canadiens.

The main criticism of the night should be that the other lines for Montreal were not able to capitalize during their opportunities in the early going. The likes of Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty, who suffered an injury setback but managed to return, need to up their play. They must find their game soon and help their respective lines produce in the coming weeks.

The Habs will take on the Flyers saturday before they go on the road for the next 4 games out in the western conference. It's important to come out of that short stretch with some wins in order to avoid falling into an early season hole in the tough Atlantic division.

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The Montreal Canadiens Getting Ready for Season Opener... With a Few Questionable Calls

By: SHAWN LAVOIE (@SLavoie54)

Opening night is finally right around the corner, and the Montreal Canadiens are in the final stages of preparation to kick off the season at home against the hated Toronto Maple Leafs.

Here is how the lines look like:

Max Pacioretty	David Desharnais	Daniel Briere
Rene Bourque	Tomas Plekanec	Brian Gionta
Alex Galchenyuk	Lars Eller	Brendan Gallagher
Travis Moen	Brandon Prust	George Parros
Michael Bournival	Ryan White

Josh Gorges	P.K. Subban
Andrei Markov	Raphael Diaz
Jarred Tinordi	Francis Bouillon

Carey Price

Peter Budaj

If the lineup doesn’t change for tomorrow’s game, the team will feature a very balanced top-9 forward group and an extremely physical fourth line. The Pacioretty, Desharnais, and Briere line will be the line who will be most counted on to contribute offensively, with the EGG line as a secondary offensive line. Plekanec’s line will receive most of the defensive assignments while the bottom line will act as a support line. Obviously, Moen, Parros, and Prust will be counted on to swing momentum in the Habs’ favor with their physical play.

The defensive unit has a few question marks however. Gorges and Subban is a solid top pair. They can play in all situations, and should eat up a ton of minutes. Things look shaky after them though. Markov and Diaz isn’t the most reliable pairing. Markov isn’t a top level skater anymore, and Diaz isn’t the ideal partner for him. Diaz hasn’t had a great camp, and hasn’t shown that he can play top-four minutes yet. Tinordi and Bouillon are two defenders who usually play on the left side, so one of them will play on his off-wing. Therrien faces are real puzzle with his defensive corps early on this season with Emelin, Drewiske, and Murray now on the injured reserve list.

Moen-Prust-Parros as a Line, and Markov on Penalty Killing.... Really?

It is understandable that Therrien wants to have a line that can stand up against Toronto’s tough guys, but at the expense of using an actual center on the fourth line? Prust is not a natural center. Yes, he’s already been used their a few times, but he can’t win face-offs as regularly as White or Bournival, who are both natural centers.

If the coaching staff wants to have a physical bottom line so badly, why not us Ryan White at center? He’s an extremely physical player, and he will fight anybody, like he showed by fighting Chris Neil twice against the Senators during pre-season. It is okay to use Parros as he can take care of the fisticuffs if need be, and Prust is indispensible. So why not scratch Moen and dress an actual center? Only the Habs’ coaching staff knows.

Another questionable decision is having Andrei Markov on the penalty killing team instead of Subban. Honestly, why? Why not use the Norris trophy winner on the penalty killing? Why not use the player who was one of the team’s best penalty killers two seasons ago instead of the player who obviously has lost a step and ran out of gas at the end of last season? Again, only the coaching staff knows.

If Therrien wants to maximize his assets and give himself the best chance to win, he will need to use a natural center on his fourth line and use Subban on the penalty killing instead of Markov. The Russian rearguard should now be used as a power play specialist from now on. He shouldn’t see more than 20 minutes a night, while Subban should see 25+ minutes per game, like other elite defensemen. Not using Subban in every situation is a complete lack of logic and hurts the team.

As for the lack of natural center on the fourth line, this is the perfect example of a coaching staff concentrating more on gooning up rather than putting the best team on the ice. It is okay to use an enforcer like Parros when you’re facing a big physical team with a few fighters in their lineup, but you can’t sit down your natural centers and use three wingers to have a tougher team. Even worse, Moen was used at center during a few exercises during practice. This defies any sense of logic and reason. Moen has never played center during his career. Would you seriously want to have Moen take a faceoff? Even if Therrien is smart enough to not use Moen at center, who would you rather have take a faceoff, Prust or White?

Despite all this, the Montreal Canadiens will show up tomorrow with good chances to win. They have the better offense and the better goaltender heading into the game. The Leafs have a better defense, but in the end the Canadiens’ balanced attack should be able to win the game, as long as the team stays disciplined. 

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Impressions on the Montreal Canadiens’ Training Camp Thus Far

BY: SHAWN LAVOIE (@SLavoie54)

First off, I was as surprised as anyone when I learned that Leblanc was cut by the Montreal Canadiens. I thought that he was having a decent camp, but as Therrien mentioned, Leblanc was going down early no matter what. Could he have been able to force the team’s hand by having an amazing camp? Maybe, but the team’s idea was already made. Some people are starting to write off Leblanc, but I still believe in the Pointe-Claire native to eventually develop in a decent third liner. To give himself better chances, the forward will need to develop some kind of specialty, like a PK specialist for example.

As for the other cuts, I was at first to see the likes of Reway and Hudon among the cuts, since they were impressive with their talent level. However, it’s logical that they were cut early since they would have never made the team.

Now, about the players that are still here, I had the chance to see the inter-squad scrimmage, see Monday’s game against Buffalo, and Wednesday’s practice. I can tell you that I would make room for Jarred Tinordi on the team. The kid has improved tremendously since last season. He is a much better skater, enough to keep up with most forwards, and is obviously stronger. So far, in my opinion, he looks much better than Murray and Drewiske, who are slated ahead of him in the depth chart.

Speaking of Murray, he is slow, reeeeeeally slow. I don’t know if he really has a lower body injury­­ – which could explain his turtle like pace – but I get the feeling that this is just a cover up because he is in the middle of trade talks since Tinordi has been outperforming him.

That or it’s Drewiske leaving, once he comes back from that injury he suffered in a weird accident with Bouillon.

Watch out for Galchenyuk. The 19 year old phenom is obviously bigger, stronger, and faster. His talent level is completely insane and he looks confident. Forget the sophomore jinx for him; he will have a great season.

Gallagher also won’t suffer from the sophomore jinx. He’s too much of a hard worker to see a decrease in his production.  Gallagher, Eller, and Galchenyuk could become the team’s top offensive line.

Andrei Markov looks much more comfortable on the ice now compared to last season. Having a full summer to work-out without rehabbing an injury has obviously helped him. He looks quicker and more agile, which can only be good news for the Habs. He still shouldn’t see more than 23 minutes of ice time per game, nor heavy penalty killing minutes, but he should still be the team’s best point producing defenseman after Subban.

Speaking of which, P.K. is a bull! During Wednesday’s practice, Subban and Galchenyuk would battler along the boards, and it was quite the thing to see. You could see their talent level on display, and I can tell you that both of these young franchise players won’t disappoint this season. Subban looks as quick as last year and stronger.

Michaël Bournival is very impressive this year so far. Scoring two goals against the Sabres is good way to impress, but it’s his work ethic and awareness that impresses. He always seems to know where to position himself and he isn’t shy to play the physical game. He may very well have taken Louis Leblanc’s spot on the depth chart and earn himself the right of being the first injury call-up this season.

Even though lots of people compliment McCarron’s game, and with good reason, he still has ways to go before being an NHL player. Yes he skates well for his massive frame, but he still kind of looks awkward on his skates. He doesn’t seem to have a fluid stride like Tinordi has, or his agility. He still has lots of work to do on his skating and his puck skills. However, he does seem to have good instincts on the ice and he uses his large body effectively. I’m looking forward to see how he fares when he goes back in the CHL.

Now let’s hope the Habs start winning some games.

(Photo by Clause Anderson/Getty Images North America)

Follow me on Twitter at SLavoie54

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Subban Wins Norris, Bruins-Hawks OT...Again.

Good Morning Addicts!!!!

So P.K. Subban won the Norris Trophy as the National Hockey League's best defenceman. Does this really surprise anyone? Certainly not yours truly.

Sure, Subban is still trying to escape the shadow of his previous misgivings, but by and large, P.K. was the best rearguard in the league at both ends of the ice. His offensive prowess cannot be reproached, and his aptitude for timely, bone-crushing hits, along with his ability to effectively manage the defensive zone was surely evident to all the love the game of hockey.

Has Subban learned his lesson, or is it feasible that we may see the cocky P.K. of old next season? In my opinion, the simple fact that he selflessly attributed much of his success to his team in his acceptance speech, while saying nothing about himself or his effort on the ice, speaks volumes towards his maturation over the past few months.

The credit for that titbit of work not only lies with Subban, but with Canadiens' General Manager Marc Bergevin and head coach Michel Therrien. You may think I'm off my rocker in mentioning Therrien, who is widely thought of as a bit of a hot-head, but having witnessed his coaching abilities in the QMJHL, as well as the work he did in pacifying an exuberant Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, his influence is undeniable.

Suffice it to say that P.K. has definitely earned himself a substantial pay raise in his next contract negotiations. And while most pundits may believe that Bergevin made a mistake in signing Subban to his most recent "bridge" contract, the Habs' GM did what was right. He put the ball in P.K.'s court and let him decide his own future.

Either way, Bergevin wins. He either resigns Subban to a long-term deal himself, or he can wait until the season is up to see what other GMs deem P.K.'s value to be. I don't see it even getting close to the latter before number 76 is resigned, but stranger things have happened in this town in recent years.

Needless to say, not too shabby for the #43 pick in the 2007 NHL entry draft.

Bruins-Hawks Stanley Cup Final Already A Classic

In just two games in the Stanley Cup finals, we've seen fantastic goaltending, great pace, highlight reel goals and four overtime periods. While it doesn't do much for my efficiency in my day job, this series is certainly providing an exemplary level of entertainment.

While much of #PlanetHabs hates...no, loathes the Boston Bruins, there is no denying their right to represent the Eastern Conference in the finals. Having struggled mightily against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they managed nothing short of a miracle in beating them, then cruised through the lowly New York Rangers, while sweeping the high octane Pittsburgh Penguins. Lead by goaltender Tuukka Rask, who has eclipsed the shadow left behind by Tim Thomas, as well as the KHL line (Krecji, Horton and Lucic), they have been a force to be reckoned with.

The Blackhawks, having beaten their own Achilles' heel in the Detroit Red Wings, were the class of the Western Conference and were the consensus pick to get to the finals. With limited contributions from sniper Marion Hossa and "Captain Serious" Jonathan Toews, they managed to get to this point of the backs of goaltender Corey Crawford, who has silenced his detractors, and the scoring of Patrick Kane.

The Bruins have done a masterful job of neutralizing Toews and Patrick Sharp in two games of the Final so far, and the longer games have gone, the more ineffective Hossa and Kane have become. That's not to say they don't get any scoring chances, but the Beantown Bruisers are built for the long and punishing grind that the Finals demand.

I picked Boston to win the series in seven games, and by all indications so far, that's the direction we are heading in. However, if I can ask one thing from both sides...

...SAVE THE LONG OT GAMES FOR THE WEEKEND!!!

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