Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Canucks (Game #58)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (30-21-6) wrap up their pre-olympic homestand Thursday night when they host the Canucks (27-22-9) at the Bell Centre. The game is set to start at 7:30 and can be seen on RDS and TSN-Habs.

This is the second and final meeting between these two teams. The Canadiens earned a convincing 4-1 win in Vancouver at the beginning of the season, scoring twice on the power play and once shorthanded. Lars Eller was credited with the game winner when Dan Hamhuis got the puck tied up in Roberto Luongo's skates and it found it's way into the net. Raphael Diaz had a pair of assists in the match.

What to Watch:

With the recent trade between these teams it will be interesting to keep an eye on the play of Dale Weise and Raphael Diaz. Weise had 3 shots and played 12:45 Tuesday night in his Habs debut, his fourth highest ice time of the season. Diaz scored Vancouver's only goal in a 3-1 defeat against the Bruins on Tuesday.

The other match up to watch is the goalie duel between 2 of 3 three men fighting for the Team Canada starting goalie spot in Sochi, Carey Price and Roberto Luongo. Price currently has the edge on Luongo with a .923 save percentage to Luongo's .919, but the Canucks goalie has a 2.32 goals against average, slightly edging Price's 2.37. After a string of rough games, Price also has 2 shutouts and just 4 goals allowed in his last 4 games, while Luongo has given up 14 goals in his last 4.

What's at Stake:

The Habs have two games left to play before the Olympic break and with just a 4-point cushion over playoff bubble teams like the Red Wings and Flyers, every point they earn now will help set them up for the race to the end of the season. The Canadiens are also tied with the Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic division, but still hold a game in hand.

Who's Out:

The Canadiens are still missing Alex Galchenyuk (hand) until after the Olympics. Travis Moen (lower body) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are also questionable.

The Canucks are missing Kevin Bieksa (foot), Christopher Tanev (thumb), Andrew Alberts (head), Brad Richardson, Yannick Weber, and Mike Santorelli (shoulder). Dan Hamhuis and Chris Higgins are also questionable for Vancouver.

What Else:

In three seasons with the Canadiens, Raphael Diaz played 128 games and had 4 goals and 37 assists. At the time of the trade, Diaz hadn't scored a goal yet this season, but he potted one in his first game with the Canucks. Diaz has yet to pick up a point during the playoffs, he played 5 postseason games last year and finished the series against the Senators with a -4 rating. This season, the Swiss defenseman had yet to pick up a goal before scoring in his first game with the Canucks. Diaz will be taking part in his second Olympics, he'll join former Canadien and current Canuck, Yannick Weber, on the Swiss blueline.

The Question Mark:

What was your first impression of Dale Weise and are you expecting him to sign with the Habs this Summer?

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

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

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Flames (Game #57)

Match Up:

The Canadiens (29-21-6) play games 3 in their 4-game homestand Tuesday night when they host the Flames (21-27-7). The game starts at 7:30 and is on RDS and TSN-Habs.

This is the second and final game between these teams this season. The Flames handed the Habs their second loss of the season in early October, and one of just two losses in their first seven games of the year. Calgary jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on for a 3-2 win. Rookie Sean Monahan opened the scoring and picked up an assist on Calgary's second goal.
 
What to Watch:

The Canadiens announced Monday the acquisition of Dale Weise from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Raphael Diaz. Weise looks to fit into the Habs' bottom six forwards, but it's unclear who he'll play with. The good news for Habs fans is that the 25-year old is already having a career year in terms of points scored; the bad news is that in 44 games he has 3 goals and 12 points.

Despite a mediocre record, the Flames are on a 5-game winning streak heading into Tuesday's game. Mikael Backlund has now strung together 4 2-point games in a row, with 5 goals and 3 assists over that span. He was named the NHL's Third Star last week. Jiri Hudler leads the Flames with 42 points on the season. The former Red Wing is having a career year, his best prior season was 2008-2009 when he totaled 57 points.
 
What's at Stake:

The Habs have just 3 games remaining before taking two and a half weeks off for Sochi and they've slipped down to fourth place in the Atlantic division and seventh seed in the playoff race, just two points up on the Red Wings. A win will at least let the Canadiens pace with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have a game in hand and a 2-point lead in the standings over Montreal.
 
Who's Out:

The Habs are missing Alex Galchenyuk (hand), Davis Drewiske (shoulder) and Ryan White (upper body). Francis Bouillon has missed the last 6 games as a healthy scratch.

The Flames are missing Karri Ramo (knee) and Curtis Glencross (lower body).

What Else:

The Montreal - Vancouver trade marks the first trade for both teams since the season began. With just over two weeks of hockey left to play before the March 5 deadline, 21 deals have already been made this season. During the strike shortened 2012-2013 campaign there were 69 trades during the season, including 17 on deadline day. Montreal's biggest deal last year was a swap that sent Erik Cole to Dallas in exchange for Michael Ryder and a third round draft pick.

The Question Mark:

A day later, how do you feel  about the Raphael Diaz-Dale Weise swap?

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

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

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Montreal Canadiens Trade Raphael Diaz to the Vancouver Canucks For Dale Weise, Analysis.

In the early afternoon of February 3^rd Montreal Canadiens defenseman Raphael Diaz was Traded to the Vancouver Canucks for right winger Dale Weise.

Diaz, a 28-year-old Swiss defenseman who carries a cap hit of 1,25 million dollars,

had 11 points in 46 games with the Canadiens this season. Weise, a 25-year-old right winger from Winnipeg, carries a cap hit of $750,000 and had 3 goals and 9 assists for 12 points in 44 games with the Canucks this season. Diaz is slated to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season while Weise will be a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

Here are their career statistics and physical attributes:

Raphael Diaz 5'11'' 194 LBS

128GP 4G 37A 41PTS 48PIM

Dale Weise 6'02'' 210 LBS

162GP 10G 16A 26PTS 185PIM

Raphael Diaz days with the Canadiens were all but done

Diaz hadn't played a game since January 16^th, has only four career goals and is considered an offensive defenseman. He hadn't been quite as effective since returning from his concussion at the end of last season and with the emergence of prospect Nathan Beaulieu combined with the Canadiens' surplus of defenseman it seemed as if Diaz days with the Canadiens were numbered. The axe was going to fall on someone eventually and it fell on Diaz.

Dale Weise Energy player

Weise will be counted on to provide an energy role for the Canadiens on the fourth line. He is a gritty energy player who doesn't shy away from the physical aspect of the game and that includes fighting.

Expect George Parros to play less now that we have another right winger option in Dale Weise in the line-up. Contrary to Parros, Weise can contribute on the scoresheet. The Canadiens' new #22 is not an offensive dynamo, but will stick up for his team-mates and occasionally put points on the board. He has more goals than Travis Moen and more points than Brandon Prust and Rene Bourque this season. His season high for TOI is 14:43 in a game and usually averages between 7 or 8 minutes per game.

The outcome of this minor deal

Habs traded a player they knew they would let walk at the end of the season and whom was spending more time in the press box than on the ice for a gritty energy role player in the bottom six. That sounds pretty good right??

You could also argue that the Canadiens ruined any trade value Diaz had by letting him sit in the stands. You could say he is an Olympian and he deserved ice time. I don't believe that. He is a bottom-pairing defenseman who is going to be a UFA at the end of the year and he does not bring anything physical to your hockey team. That's what hurt his trade value.

Diaz was one of the Canadiens' only right-handed defensemen and that hurts the team a bit. Playing five left-handed d-men on any given night isn't ideal for any team. His handedness is also something the Canucks needed as well as help on their second power play unit.

Be warned Canucks fans: Diaz is very good at missing the net. He will get to reunite with fellow countryman Yannick Weber. Perhaps the Canucks are trying to assemble the entire Swiss Olympic team's defensive corps? All kidding aside, if Bergevin could have gotten more for Diaz, he would. The GM got market value. I consider market value, even if low, better than letting him go for nothing.

As for Weise, hopefully, he will address the depth issues the Habs are having with their bottom-six forward group. None of the recently called-up Bulldogs really impressed and the Bleu Blanc Rouge needed a gritty player who could come in and provide some energy and maybe a little offense. He is not the solution to the many offensive challenges that have faced the Canadiens this season, but that's not why Bergevin made his acquisition.

Habs also saved $475 000 in cap space, which may be used to bring in some more help.

In closing, I have to say the Canadiens players like Diaz don't have much trade value. If those players are expendable to a team struggling to hang to a playoff spot that means they aren't worth much. Diaz was a healthy scratch for the past two weeks and it would have been amazing to get more for him, but at some point reality has to set in. Best of Luck to Raphael Diaz in Vancouver and welcome to Montreal Dale Weise.

- - -

Mike fell in love with the Canadiens at the age of 6 during the 1992-93 playoffs .When Eric Desjardins scored a hat trick in the finals that year he knew he was hooked. He is based in Montreal and studied Radio-Television. Follow Mike Gowing on twitter @habsosaurus

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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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Sochi 2014 Preview: Team Switzerland

BY: Steven Hindle (@StevenHindle)

Neutral No More

Fresh off of a Silver Medal finish at the recently completed IIHF World Championship, Head Coach of Team Switzerland, Sean Simpson, has high hopes for the upcoming 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

Having long been considered a competitive club, Team Switzerland has yet to make a dent among the top nations in International play. Finishing 8^th at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, the Swiss are sure to challenge for a better finish this time around.

Despite only 0.35% of the population of Switzerland play hockey, the talent pool has grown exponentially, as witnessed in recent years as Swiss prospects have produced some 1^st round prospects in the NHL.
Building off the development of recent prospects, the Swiss look to ice a club that will not only cause fits for top Nations such as Sweden, Canada, Russia and the U.S., but they will look to cement their place as a legit contender in International competition.

Sure, they’ve pulled off some upsets and caused a few scares in the past, but the outlook is different this time around. Most imagine that Sean Simpson was ecstatic over the Silver Medal earned in Sweden at the World Championships, yet that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Though proud of the accomplishment, internally the Swiss are focused on nothing but winning. Anything less isn’t good enough.
And it is this change of attitude and thinking, internally, which has the elite hockey Nations thinking twice about how to handle Simpson’s Swiss club.

While the projections will remain conservative for the Swiss heading into Round Robin play, the 9^th ranked Nation will be motivated through rivalry as they will share Group C with Team Sweden, Gold Medal winners over the Swiss at the 2013 IIHF World Championships. Included in the group with the Swiss and Swedes are the Czech Republic and Latvia.

Though the odds have Switzerland ranked behind the 3^rd and 4^th ranked Nations (Czechs and Swedes), the Swiss are getting younger and faster and will look to have their most talented and competitive roster on the ice this upcoming February.

Included in the mix for the final cut on Team Switzerland are a few NHL players and prospects, and a dearth of talented players skating across Europe.

Here is a look the players vying for spots on Team Switzerland:

Goaltenders:

Jonas Hiller, Reto Berra, Martin Gerber, Benjamin Conz, Tobias Stephan

Defense:

Mark Streit, Raphael Diaz, Roman Josi, Julien Vauclair, Severin Blindenbacher, Goran Bezina, Robin Grossman, Mathias Seger, Luca Sbisa, Felicien DuBois, Yannick Weber (maybe Mirco Muller)

Forwards:

Bruno Hollenstein, Kevin Romy, Damian Brunner, Sven Bärtschi, Martin Pluss, Nino Neiderreiter, Roman Wick, Andrey Bykov, Luca Cunti, Ryan Gardner, Reto Suri, Simon Moser, Morris Trachsler, Andres Ambühl, Julian Walker (maybe Sven Andrighetto)

With a potent mix of veteran leaders and young, up-and-coming prospects, Sean Simpson will have his work cut when it comes to making the final cut for the opening night roster against Team Latvia.

Beyond Group C, the Olympic Hockey tournament promises to be one of the greatest hockey competitions of all-time. With hosts Russia leading Slovakia, the U.S. and Slovenia in Group A, Group B will offer up Finland, Canada, Norway and Austria. Needless to say, the Swiss couldn’t have picked a better time to begin their rise in Hockey.

Making it to the medal round at the Olympics is quite a different story as compared to the World Championships, but with a roster that exuded great chemistry at the WC and an ability to add to that, Team Switzerland is no longer a team without expectations. Rather they have now entered the realm of great expectations; territory the Swiss hope propels them to a seat among the elite of hockey Nations.

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Gally/Kristo Play for Bronze As Diaz Goes For Gold, Nygren Officially Signs With Habs And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Habs defenseman Raphael Diaz (left) goes for gold today at
the WHC as his Swiss team takes on Sweden.

 Alex Galchenyuk and Danny Kristo may not have finished the World Hockey Championships with gold medals as they ould have liked, but the two Montreal Canadiens are on their way to bronze medals as the Americans are currently up 2-0 over the Finns with less than five minutes to go in the second period.

Galchenyuk, who joined the tournament after the Habs were eliminated from the NHL playoffs, has so far notched one goal in four games and a -2 rating. Danny Kristo played in all nine games for the Americans and came into the bronze medal game with one goal, two assists and a -1 rating.

Raphael Diaz, who also joined the tournament late has one game left this afternoon as his undefeated Swiss team will take on Sweden for the gold medal. Switzerland beat Sweden 3-2 earlier in the tournament on their way to a 9-0 record leading up to this afternoon's final.

Diaz has an even plus/minus rating in his three games played and one assist.

Habs And Hockey News

- With year one in the books as the Habs new GM, Marc Bergevin looks forward to continuing his mission of turning the Montreal Canadiens into a winning team.

- Here are Eldon MacDonald of The Hockey Writers 2013 NHL Draft rankings for picks 31 through 60.

- Magnus Nygren has officially signed with the Montreal Canadiens.


(Photo by Petr David Josek/Associated Press)

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Habs at the Worlds, Prospects At The Memorial Cup, Gallagher For The Calder And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Alex Galchenyuk celebrates his goal against
Russia in USA's 8-3 win on Thursday.

 The Montreal Canadiens may have started their off season earlier than they had hoped but there are still a few Habs who have yet to hang up their skates for the summer.

Alex Galchenyuk scored what provd to be the game winner for Team USA in the World Hockey Championships on Thursday as the Americans rolled over Russia 8-3.

Raphael Diaz notched an assist on Switzerlands game winner in their 2-1 win over the Czech Republic that same day. Tomas Plekanec had an assist on the Czech's only goal.

Galchenyuk and the Americans will face Diaz and the Swiss this afternoon at 1:00 pm with the winner advancing to the final against Sweden as the Swedes shutout Finland 2-0 this morning. The loser of today's match up will play Finland for Bronze.

Habs And Hockey News

- A pair of Habs defensive prospects lost in their 2013 Memorial Cup debut. Dalton Thrower and Darren Dietz of the Saskatoon Blades fell 3-2 to the London Knights in the tournament opener.

- While it may be a shock that Habs coach Michel Therrien was left off the ballot for the Jack Adams Trophy, here's a reminder as to why Brendan Gallagher should come home with the Calder Trophy.

- Pat Hickey of the Gazette writes up on something that has been true for too long now as he points out that the Habs need to get bigger.


(Photo by Martti Kainulainen/Associated Press)

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Willey's Look At The Habs Beyond The 2013 Playoffs

BY Bryan Willey - Habsaddict.com (@bryanwilley78)

So this morning my wife wakes up and overhears the score of the Habs-Sens game last night and upon hearing the outcome quickly turns to me and asks if I am upset.

 

I cannot speak for all Habs fans with this, but without hesitation I told her, “No”.

Perhaps it is just my own opinion, but I like to consider myself a knowledgeable hockey fan without bias and with realistic expectations.  I am not one of those band wagon fans who come to life in the playoffs but rather just a regular guy who bleeds Bleu Blanc Rouge, 365 days a year. 

My expectations, you might ask, were realistic yet disappointing as I expected a first round exit in what I thought would be a 6 game series. 

This prediction was made without even knowing  of the injuries to Max Pacioretty, Brian Gionta  and Brandon Prust or that Lars Eller would be lost for the playoffs with his devastating injury of game 1.

You see, there is an old adage in hockey that you need to learn how to lose before you can learn how to win.

 

Perhaps it is nothing but BS but if you take a look at recent victors of Lord Stanley’s Cup and you’d see a Pittsburgh Penguins or Chicago Blackhawks team, to name but two that needed to face playoff disappointment before ultimately hoisting the cup.  With such a history why would I expect the Canadiens to be different?

Hell No. 

Yes we finished second in the Eastern Conference but this team has way too deficiencies  at this stage which need to be improved upon before truly making the next step.

First let’s discuss experience.

In Game 4 of the first round of the 2013 playoffs our lineup consisted of Brendan Gallagher, Alex Galchenyuk, Gabriel Dumont, Jarred Tinordi, Max Pacioretty, and Raphael Diaz who were all disputing their first playoff series.

Add these names to the likes of Ryan White, Rene Bourque, Lars Eller, Colby Armstrong and David Desharnais who are all surprisingly only playing in their 2^nd career playoff series.

Think about that for a second.  11 players who suited up for this team in the past 4 games were either playing in their first or second playoff series in their career.

Does this sound like the make-up of a team destined for success this time around?

Then let’s talk about our D-core. 

Our top five defensemen are currently Francis Bouillon, Andrei Markov, PK Subban, Raphael Diaz and Josh Gorges.

Now I do not know about you but when I see this group I see some experience and some very good movers but I also see a list where four of the five players are 6 feet or smaller. With only Gorges coming in at 6’1. 

I also see a gaping hole with the loss of the 6’3, 220 lbs. Alexei Emelin.  There were numerous complaints about him this season but Alexei Emelin I might point out is our biggest, meanest, hardest hitting and one of the leading shots blockers. 

Did fans really expect to see a level of success in a playoff battle of attrition missing this key element?

We need to be realistic here guys and girls, the Montreal Canadiens are on the right track but this was not our year. We cannot let the success of the regular season blind us, because we are not ready to make that next step, yet.

However as each of you read this piece, I don’t want you to leave with a sense of ill will or negativity because this team is on the verge of something bigger.

Yes we are down 3-1 and yes I still believe that this team will put up a fight for game 6 and maybe even game 7 but my optimism is what will be in 2013-14.

I salivate at the thought of a blue line patrolled by Jarred Tinordi, PK Subban, Alexei Emelin, Nathan Beaulieu et al.

I drool as I envision a more experienced Galchenyuk, Eller and Gallagher or a playoff battle with a healthy Prust, Pacioretty or the Emelin #Boom.

Be wary Eastern Conference, the Habs are coming !!!

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Habs/Caps, Prust Wins Jacques Beauchamp Trophy, Norris Race And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Habs defenceman Raphael Diaz returns to the line-up tonight
after a 25 game absence.

The Montreal Canadiens host the Washington Capitals tonight in their last home game in the regular season. The Capitals are coming in to Montreal off a 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators which put a stop to their eight game win streak. In their last ten, the Caps are 8-1-1 while the Habs have struggled as of late winning one of their last four and going 5-5 in their previous ten contests.

While the absence of defenseman Alexei Emelin has been hard on the Habs blueline, Raphael Diaz will return to the lineup tonight after missing 25 games with a concussion. The Canadiens will benefit from the return of the Swiss rearguard who looked to be having a breakout season before suffering a concussion. Colby Armstrong who has missed nine games with a knee injury could possibly return tonight as well.

The teams have split the season series so far this season with the Habs winning 4-1 back in January and the Capitals responding with a 3-2 victory in April. This will be the last meeting between the two clubs in the regular season.

While the Habs have clinched a spot in the post season already, the Caps could use the two points to extend their division lead over the Winnipeg Jets. Washington is currently up by two points and have a game in hand on Winnipeg.

Habs And Hockey News

- Fan favorite Brandon Prust is the 2013 winner of the Jacques Beauchamp- Molson Trophy as the Habs unsung hero.

- Andrew Berkshire focuses on Ryan Suter and P.K. Subban in the Norris Trophy race.

- Justin Dahan of Habs Eyes On The Prize has an exclusive interview with Charles Hudon of the Hamilton Bulldogs.


(Photo By Bernard Brault, La Presse)

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Marc Bergevin Drops The Ball As Canadiens Lose Alexei Emelin

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in the following article are those of the writer, and do not reflect the opinions of HabsAddict.com.

Despite a very important 2-1 win against their division rivals on Saturday at Bell Centre, the Canadiens lost a key element of their defensive brigade when bruising defensemen Alexei Emelin left the game midway through the first period. He sustained a left knee injury in a thunderous collision while taking a run at big Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic in the neutral zone.

Alexei Emelin will miss an extended period of time (Jerome Davis/Icon SMI)

The injury forced the team to play newcomer Davis Drewiske more than 23 minutes, something he was not accustomed to doing with the Los Angeles Kings. Drewiske finished the game with four blocked shots, two hits and a minus-1 rating. Following Emelin’s injury, Therrien had to deploy the remaining five defensemen in various combinations, and the rearguards rose splendidly to the challenge.

After the game, head coach Michel Therrien said that Emelin had a lower body injury, and unfortunately for the Habs, the news got worse Monday, as it was announced that Emelin would be sidelined for the rest of the season.

With that blow to the lineup, there are numerous factors that have to be examined.

Who will replace Emelin Boom?

As a result of the injury, the Canadiens called-up puck-moving blue liner Nathan Beaulieu from the AHL to fill the void left by Emelin’s untimely injury. Beaulieu played two games with the Habs earlier this season, notching his first NHL point, an assist, to go along with a +2 rating. The left-handed rearguard has 7 goals and 21 assists for 28 points with 56 penalty minutes in 64 contests with the Hamilton Bulldogs this season.

While Raphael Diaz has resumed skating, he has yet to participate into a full practice with his teammates, so we still don’t know when he will be able to return to the line-up. As for Tomas Kaberle, the team does not want to play him as they don’t want him to suffer a major injury which would prevent the organization from buying him out this summer. The other option would be Swiss defenseman Yannick Weber who has only played two games this season, more often relegated to the healthy scratch sheet and sustaining a lower-body injury that sidelined him for a few weeks. 

The problem with the right-handed defenseman is that Michel Therrien doesn’t have any confidence in him or he would have used him more often after the injury sustained by Diaz. According to Renaud Lavoie reporting on RDS, the Blue Blanc Rouge, who were shopping Weber at the trade deadline, was asking a 2nd or 3rd round pick for Yannick Weber… no wonder they didn’t find any takers! This was the first mistake by GM Marc Bergevin as he should have let Weber go for a lower draft pick as he doesn’t seem to fit into the organization’s long-term plans.

Who will play with Andrei Markov? (photo by azarius@Flickr)

Bergevin’s mistake

Bergevin’s other mistake at the trade deadline was to be very passive and only acquire a journeyman defenseman who didn’t play a single game last Spring during the Los Angeles Kings’ magical playoff run. Drewiske was the team’s eight defenseman after the acquisition of veteran Robyn Regehr. While Drewiske can do the job in a short period of time, he is not a top-four defenseman by any means. With Andrei Markov, PK Subban and Josh Gorges all playing great hockey this season and Francis Bouillon being paired with the team’s sixth defenseman on the third pairing, whether it is Drewiske or a youngster called up from Hamilton, the Habs are left with a gaping hole in their top four slots.

Montreal could also decide to call up a more physical rearguard for the playoffs, namely Jarred Tinordi, but the way they will use that defenseman is still a mystery to most fans and journalists. The problem with Tinordi is that he was very soft during his first six-game stint with the Habs earlier this season, recording a paltry three hits despite his big 6’6”, 205-lb frame. Tinordi will have to be more physical if he gets the nod in order to replace Emelin’s physical presence on the Habs’ blue line.

Bergevin should have acquired more than a journeyman defenseman at the deadline, and his inertia will come to bite him in the behind as injuries to key players always happen during the season. With Rene Bourque close to return to action and a lot of depth at forward following the waiver-wire pick-up of Jeff Halpern, I understand that Bergevin didn’t want to pay a premium to acquire a rental forward before the deadline. The team’s general manager had already made his move, acquiring Michael Ryder and a third-round pick in exchange for disgruntled forward Erik Cole. Ryder has been terrific for the Habs, notching 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points in 18 games with the team. Ryder’s acquisition has improved the power play drastically, with him scoring half of his points (6 g and 3 a) on the man advantage.

What now?

The team better pray Drewiske is the next Josh Gorges and turns into an efficient shutdown defenseman able to log more than 20 minutes a game every game, playing alongside Andrei Markov. The Canadiens are only three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins with one game in hand for the Eastern Conference lead, so they have a great chance to go very deep in the playoffs this season as they could begin each series on home ice where the team has had great success in 2013.

The problem with Bergevin looking at the parade, is that the team might struggle mightily and suffer serious injuries next season, pushing the team outside the top eight teams in the East, making them miss the playoffs… The window of opportunity was open wide, but Bergevin decided to close the shutters instead of looking at the bigger picture and add more depth to his blue line!

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April 3rd Deadline approaches...changes?

Will the Montreal Canadiens make a move before April 3rd deadline?

All of the rumors say someone is coming to Montreal via trade before April 3rd. Names bounced around were Clowe, Talbot, Smid, just to name a few. However the question to be answered is do they really need any outside help to go into the playoffs?

The way the team has been playing this year they seem to find a way to come together and win against all kinds of adversity. This team reminds me of another special team; the 1993 Stanley Cup Champions. There were no special players on that team. They were a group of guys who stuck up for each other and persisted against all kinds of obstacles. Guys like Kirk Muller led they way with selfless play; something that Mr. Prust has exemplified this year.

So should the Canadiens bring in help? I think the answer is no.

The pieces are all in place. They have goaltending. They have sound defense with good prospects in the AHL ready to step up and Diaz in the background. They have a solid group of forwards. Are they as good individually as the Pittsburgh Penguins? No. As a team though I would match them up against them anytime even with Jarome Iginla in the line up. As this past week showed, the Canadiens can play with the best and the toughest anytime and match them stride for stride.

I say leave the team as is and bring on the best time of year; playoffs in the spring!

What do you think? Do you agree we have the team we need or are changes needed? Let me know your thoughts as deadline day of April 3rd approaches.

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Habs/Penguins, Gallagher The Next Marchand And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Max Pacioretty has tallied eight of his 16 points in his last
six games

The Canadiens host the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight hoping to carry over the success they had in February into March. The Canadiens finished February with a 9-2-3 record.

The Habs are also hoping to continue to find success against teams outside of their division. The Habs have absolutely dominated outside of the Northeast with an overwhelmingly impressive 10-0-1. Their sole loss was at the hands of the New York Islanders losing 4-3 in overtime.

Max Pacioretty has been on fire as of late scoring six goals in as many games after being held without a goal through his first ten. Patches has also notched two assists in that span and has become the offensive threat the team had expected and needed him to be.

Michael Ryder should be more effective on the ice now that he's had time to rest and practice with the team since the trade that brought him back to Montreal from Dallas in exhange for Erik Cole.

Rene Bourque and Raphael Diaz will both miss tonight's contest as they are out indefinately with concussions.

Habs And Hockey News

- David O'Connor of Habs Eyes On The Prize has deemed  fiesty Habs forward Brendan Gallagher as the next Brad Marchand.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs have extended their affiliation with the Canadiens for the next three years.

- Is now the right time for NHL realignment?

- Steve Yzerman look back on Canada's 2010 gold medal and looks ahead to Sochi.

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The Emergence Of Raphael Diaz

Who would have thought that after three games, the Montreal Canadiens’ leading scorer would be sophomore defenseman Raphael Diaz? That’s right, nobody!

Raphael Diaz is the Habs’ leading scorer with 5 points (Cliff Welch/Icon SMI)

Diaz is currently leading the team in scoring with five points (five assists), three of which came with the man advantage. He also has eight blocked shots and a +1 plus/minus rating in three contests so far. The native of Baar, Switzerland, who turned 27 on January 9th, has been dynamic at the point on the power play, feeding great passes to a healthy and confident Andrei Markov who leads the team with three goals, all on the man advantage.

The right-handed rearguard is the player who has benefited the most from P.K. Subban’s absencedue to a contract stalemate with new Canadiens’GM Marc Bergevin and after playing only 14:49 minutes in the home opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Diaz played 18:06 minutes Tuesday against the Florida Panthers and 20:28 minutes yesterday against the uninspired Washington Capitals.

This increase in ice time shows that new head coach Michel Therrien is getting to know Diaz and has decided to rely more on him at the expense of veteran Tomas Kaberle, who is now relegated to the second power play unit and plays under 15 minutes per game on average.

The 5’11”, 195-lb blue liner made his NHL debut last season after playing several years for EV Zug of the Swiss A League. The Canadiens have a knack for finding untapped talent in this league after drafting Mark Streit in the 9th round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and Yannick Weber in the 3rd round of the 2007 draft. Diaz signed with the Habs as a free agent in May 2011 to finally make the jump from his homeland.

During his rookie campaign, Diaz managed to record 3 goals and 13 assists for 16 points in 59 games after being made a healthy scratch on more than one occasion. Now he is back in Montreal with more confidence and experience after playing 32 games in Switzerland during the unnecessary NHL lockout. In Europe, Diaz notched 7 goals and added 22 assists for 29 points during his stay with his former team. He was the fourth-leading scorer on his club when he came back to North America. NHL all-star Henrik Zetterberg, fellow countryman Damian Brunner and inconsistent, but talented, Linus Omark all played with him in EV Zug.

Raphael Diaz – Just Play (in German)

Back with the Habs, Diaz is currently paired with gritty veteran Francis Bouillon, who’s physical and sound defensive play has allowed Diaz to make solid passes and jump into the attack on numerous occasions. Averaging 4:40 minutes per game on the power play, second only to Markov’s 5:08 minutes, Diaz is taking full advantage of Subban’s absence by contributing to the team’s rejuvenated power play, which is currently clicking at a 29.4% rate (5 for 17) through three games. The same power play that finished 28th in the league last year, and produced at a dismal 14.3% rate!

With improving skating and decision making, Diaz has been able to make the key plays in his own zone, whether clearing the puck along the boards or finding his wingers for a quick transition out of the Habs’ defensive zone. As a result of a tight defensive system under Michel Therrien, the Canadiens have only allowed one even-strength goal this season.

So who sits when/if PK Subban re-signs with the Canadiens in the near future?

The defensive pairings are currently the following:

A. Markov-A. Emelin

F. Bouillon-R. Diaz

T. Kaberle-J. Gorges

Extra: Y. Weber

My bet is that Kaberle is the odd man out especially since Subban was Gorges’ defensive partner last season. Kaberle is currently the team’s sixth defenseman and with Subban in the line-up, his presence becomes moot as both Markov and Diaz are manning the point on the team’s first power play unit. Subban would simply slide along Frankie “the Cube” Bouillon on the second unit and get ice time on the penalty kill as well.

As for fellow countryman Yannick Weber, he is the team’s insurance policy until Subban returns, but when he does, look for Marc Bergevin to trade Weber to a desperate team in dire need of defensive help. Hello Detroit!

Buenos Dia(z)!

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Pacioretty Out 3-4 Weeks, Subban Stalemate And More...

Good Morning Addicts!
Well I hope all you Habs fans out there have enjoyed to spoils of two straight victories because the good news never stays good for too long in Montreal.

On Friday I wrote that people should just relax over the whole Subban situation. I confidently stated that a deal would get done in the near future and that the Habs would not trade him. I'm not about to retract per say, but I must admit I am no longer as confident.

If online reports are accurate that the Canadiens are standing firm on their two year offer worth $5-$5.1M then it's not hard to understand why there hasn't been any resolve to the dispute as of yet.

Personally I think the Habs should offer somewhere around  $3.5-$4M over the two years. I can't imagine Subban would turn that down. It's also reported that Subban is looking for a contract closer to $5M per year over five years. I'm not sure I would hesitate to give him that If I were GM.

There are quite a few takes on the Subban situation in today's links and so I'll move on to more bad news.

Last night, Habs forwards Max Pacioretty underwent an emergency appendectomy and will be sidelined for three to four weeks.

Pacioretty's absence all but guarantee's that Alex Galchenyuk will remain with the team for the season. It's popular opinion online that Gally be slated on the top line along with David Desharnais and Erik Cole.

TSN reported yesterday however that Lars Eller would be filling the void on the team's top unit. I agree with that move and look forward to seeing Eller get the chance to play consistantly with capable linemates.

Eller will get his first shot on the first line tonight at 6:00pm as the Canadiens host the New Jersey Devils.

Gally will still recieve over ten minutes of ice time per game, including oppurtunites on the powerplay, and will not yet face the pressure of performing on the top line.

Habs And Hockey News

- Bruce Peter of Habs Eyes On The Prize takes a detailed look on whether or not P.K. Subban is worth $6M?

- TFP offers a few scenarios that may present themselves as this Subban stalemate continues.

- Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98) takes a look at the emergence of Raphael Diaz.

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Habs Show Signs Of Promise Early On

Some Quick Habs Notes

Three down, forty five to go. The Habs followed up last Saturday's disappointing opener with two solid performances against the Florida Panthers and the Washington Capitals.

With two 4-1 victories, the Habs displayed some promise that was seldom showed, if at all, last season.

Through all the excitement that comes with the Habs posting two straight victories, it's easy to look past the fact that they didn't face the toughest competition. Florida has a handful of mediocre players but lacks a top line star. Yes, I'm aware of Jonathan Huberdeau but he has not yet played himself into that category.

Washington has the likes of Alexander Ovechin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green but their play has declined over the years and their 0-2 record heading into Thursday's match up can vouch for that statement.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade here, in a 48 game season every single point is crucial and so those were both big wins. I'm simply waiting to see how the Canadiens fare against tougher teams like the Penguins, Bruins and Rangers before I take a day off work for any type of parade.

Regardless of who they played, there are a few things that stood out over the past three games that even the most realistic/patient fans can't ignore.

Andrei Markov

Remember this guy? After putting up three goals and one assist -all on the powerplay - in his last two games the only thing Montrealers will be forgetting is any inkling of doubt they had that he was done.

Markov has lead the team in ice time in all three games this year and has shown no weakness at any end of the ice. His hockey sense is out of this world and his return has single handedly fixed the teams power play.

The Habs currently sit in eighth with the extra man executing a 29.4% success rate. With Markov manning the power play I would be surprised if the Canadiens found themselves outside the top ten at any point this season.

And with five points in the first three game, how good does this Raphael Diaz Character look?
Carey Price

For a goalie who chose not too play abroad during the lockout, Price hasn't looked out of place at all. In each of the Habs first three games, Price has made big saves, been playing with op level awareness and hasn't been caught out of position.

heading into Sunday's game against the New Jersey Devils, Price sits in fourth place among goalies with a GAA of 1.34 and third place with a .953 sv%.

Tomas Plekanec

Plekanec played for his hometown Kladno in the Czech Republic over the lockout and has shown no rust, scoring twice and adding one helper so far this season. It helps that Brian Gionta (2 g, 1a) is back in game shape and Rene Bourque (1 a) is playing with more gusto than he showed after joining the team halfway through last season.

What will more than likely help Plekanec the most this season will be the additions of Brandon Prust and Colby Armstrong on the penalty kill unit.

After averaging 20:49 minutes of ice time per game last season, Plekanec has seen an average of 18:39 minutes so far in 2013. The difference is in the penalty kill giving the second line center more time to focus on even strength and powerplay performance.

Alex Galchenyuk

After three games, Galchenyuk doens not look at all out of place. I was at the game against the Panthers and his goal gave the building a playoff type atmosphere. The entire Bell Center gave the first 18 year old to play for the Habs since Petr Svoboda in 1984 a standing ovatioan and when his goal was announced the PA was drowned out by the crowd. When trying to describe that moment the word 'magical' jumps to mind.

As much as it would be great to watch Gally play the year in Montreal, you can't help but wonder whether or not it's worth it to burn a year of his contract on a 48 game season.

Speaking of Gally's, how about this Brendan Gallagher? Gallagher has been quite impressive on a line with Galchenyul and Brandon Prust. This kid doesn't give up on a play and shows a tremendous amount of heart on every shift. He's not going to make it easy for Michel Therrien to take him out of the line-up.

P.K. Subban

I won't spend much time on the whole Subban situation because quite honestly I'm already tired of it. I will say this however, Subban is incredibly talented and still young. Over the last two years his defensive game has improved drastically. It's hard to come across solid d-men these days let alone ones with talent at both ends of the ice.

That being said, he won't be traded. To be honest I'm surprised that the thought of trading him has been tossed around as easily as it has been over the past few days.

I would be surprised if we play three to five more games without him.

Lastly, it's encouraging to see that Joey Crabb's goal scored against Price with under three minutes to go in Thursday's victory over the Capitals was the first time the Canadiens have been scored on at even strength this year.

---

Sean is a freelance writer currently contributing to HabsAddict.com. He is also a regular blogger and frequent panelist on the Habs post game show at MontrealHockeyTalk.com

You can follow Sean on Twitter @SeanLloyd93

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Subban Unsigned, Pacioretty A Beast, Three Stars Of The Lockout And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



P.K. Subban remains unsigned with one week left until the
start of the season.

It feels good to know that I'm about to post some links about hockey! No more of this lockout nonsense, I have to say it feels just about as good as I thought it would.
It's no surprise really that as soon as the two sides came to a long awaited tentative agreement all the focus in Montreal was shifted towards P.K. Subban. With the season just one week away, nobody in this hockey deprived city wants to see the Habs host the Leafs next Saturday without Subban on the roster.

Subban's agent Don Meehan shot down reports that his client was on the verge of signing a four year $22.5 million contract. whterer otr not it's true I would be surprised if we had to wait too much longer without having the star defenseman inked to a new deal. Signing #76 is no doubt one of - if not THE - top priority right now for GM Marc Bergevin.

The question isn't "Should Bergevin sign Subban?", it's "For how long and how much?".

If the rumors of his four year $22.5 million deal are accurate I wouldn't be too opposed to it. Subban has been steadily improving his defensive game and has shown how much offensive upside he brings to the team. However, with the cap dropping significantly as of next season I would prefer something along the lines of $4-$4.5 million for a two to four year deal. If Subban is to earn something close to the $5 million range I would want to see a longer term.

Four years would also bring Subban straight to free agency and so I would expect to see him sign for slightly less than rumored for close to two years or maybe a longer deal at the price that is floating around the rumor mills.

Habs And Hockey News

- Veteran defenseman Mike Commodore who has been playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs has been invited to the Habs training camp.

- Andrew Berkshire provides his final review of Habs overseas and includes his three stars of the lockout.

- As Dave Stubbs reports, Max Pacioretty took some time to become some sort of beast during the lockout.

- Brian Burke says he was stunned by his firing which happened just after the end of the lockout.

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Mike Commodore Invited to Training Camp

Well friends, I’m back.  I would ask if you missed me but I think I already know the answer. 

Before I even begin to allow my thoughts to flow I find it necessary to apologize to you all. During the initial days of this lockout I told myself that I would have plenty of things to say and that my plan for a weekly blog would be met. 

Unfortunately this plan never came to fruition and after a couple of weeks, my heart was just not into it.  My hatred towards the process was all that I could muster and I found myself with general disinterest towards the league and players.

But all is well now. After spending 4 months longer than normal as a father and a husband I am about to re-embark, assuming that is even a word, on my faith to the NHL and my beloved Habs.

Here is hoping to at least a decade without bickering between the NHL and NHLPA and here is hoping to a prosperous league.

And so,

It has been a whirlwind 72 hours for me since the announcement that the NHL and the NHLPA has come to an agreement. 

Between my hundreds of Tweets on Twitter (@BryanWilley78),the re-activation of my RDS-HD, the organization of 3 Fantasy Pools, the clearing up of my PVR for game time and of course the dusting off of my Habs memorabilia which was painstakingly locked away; I have been a busy man. 

None the less, this process has been nothing but pleasant.  It is so refreshing to talk NHL hockey again but the pinnacle of my excitement was the announcement today that Mike Commodore will be invited to the Montreal Canadiens training camp.

Ok take a moment; I will wait for the laughter to seize before I proceed.

Seriously though, if you have been following me since I was first invited to HabsAddict.com you’ll likely recognize the fact that when it comes to hockey, I like my players rough and gritty. 

I obviously cheer for the stars like Tomas Plekanec,Vincent Damphousse or Andrei Markov but my favorite players have always been the likes of players like Scott Thornton or Ryan White.   

When it comes to Mike Commodore specifically, I admit that I have a soft spot for the guy. Sure much of it has to do with the fact that he and I have had some conversations on Twitter or perhaps it has to do with the images of him talking to the media in his torn up bathrobe, his lion main like hair flowing in the wind while on his Stanley Cup run with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

In all seriousness though, we need a guy like Commodore.

I know that Commodore is getting older.  I know that he has lost a step and as a result has bounced around with a few teams over the past few seasons. 

What differs in this situation is that in Montreal,Commodore would be nothing more than a depth d-man.  A player to call upon against physical teams or when the team is plagued with injuries.

A player who at 33 years of age can sit for six or seven games in a row without management having to worry about his development or playing time.

Furthermore, think about our roster for a second. 

Here are the eight defensemen penciled onto the roster for the balance of the 2013 season; Andrei Markov, P.K. Subban, Josh Gorges, Alexei Emelin, Raphael Diaz, Yannick Weber, Francis Boullion and Tomas Kaberle. 

Of these eight players, five of them are 6’0 or smaller and apart from Alexei Emelin and perhaps Gorges or Subban none of them have the size/strength to deny the opposition from the front of the net.

Our D-core is one dimensional.  They are small and offensive minded who struggle in the defensive zone and who lack the ability to contain the opposition one on one. 

Management took a big step which they decided that playing guys like Mathieu Darche or Tom Pyatt on the fourth line was not a productive game plan yet nothing has been done to alter the plan on defense.

It is time to get rid of our one-dimensional style of play and implement players of different abilities or skill sets and right now we need a veteran D-man with the ability to clear the net and drop the gloves.

This is one fan hoping that Mike Commodore is that guy.

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