It's Playoff Time...Time To Take A Look Back

This is it. Eighty-two games are in the books. Now, it's a two month sprint to 16 wins. Just to make the playoffs this year was a monumental task, whether you played in the Eastern Conference or the Western Conference. The eighth seeded team in the West, the Winnipeg Jets, needed 99 points to make the playoffs. Things weren't any easier in the East, as Pittsburgh needed 98 points to make the playoffs. That is ridiculous. Every year since the '04-'05 lockout the minimum standard to even make the playoffs has been escalating exponentially. The sad thing, in 2 weeks, 8 of the 16 teams who busted their butts to get to 100 points will be eliminated from the playoffs.

As we get ready to plop down on our sofas to watch some playoff hockey, I would like to take a moment to share some thoughts with you on the 2014-15 season that just wrapped up.

Tanking for Connor McDavid

On the flip side, while the majority of the league excelled this season, a handful of teams, not so subtly, tanked. Edmonton, Toronto, Arizona, Colorado and Buffalo all lost a bunch of games in the hopes of being dead last in the league to better their chance of drafting 1st overall. This year's draft is projected to include at least two potential superstars in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. The draft lottery determines who will be pick first and the odds of selecting number one overall are greatest if you finish last in the NHL. Quite frankly, I think it's shameful to reward ineptitude. I think that every team should have a chance at the first overall pick, even the Stanley Cup winner. I don't think the odds should be equal either. Back in 2005, the NHL gave everyone the chance to select Sidney Crosby at number one. That year, every team started with three balls in the lottery barrel. A team lost a ball for every playoff appearance in the past 3 seasons or the number one overall pick the previous four years. Buffalo, Pittsburgh, New York Rangers and Columbus had three balls. Anaheim, Atlanta (now Winnipeg), Calgary, Carolina, Chicago, Edmonton, LA, Minnesota, Nashville and Phoenix (now Arizona) each had two balls. And the remaining 16 teams each had one ball in play. I believe a similar draft lottery should be in play every season. Any team that makes the playoffs should get one ball and teams that don't make the playoffs should get an extra ball.

One should be cautious about trying to lose anyway. Edmonton provides a sobering example. The Oilers had 3 1st overall picks in a row from 2010-2012, drafting Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov respectively. Again this season, the Oilers have a solid chance of landing the 1st overall pick. The junior hockey league is significantly easier than the NHL. Numerous players have played well at the junior level only to falter in the NHL. Pat Falloon is perhaps the most notable example. His best year was his rookie year, when he notched 59 points, which is solid. If you want to be successful in the NHL you can't just draft the best players year after year. nor, can you buy a championship team with a salary cap in place. Instead, success arises from a combination of solid drafting, good development and recruiting good free agents. Plus, you need a coach/system that gels with the team you have.

Shootouts

Shootouts have been in place to settle tie games that go beyond five minutes of overtime since 2005. You either love shootouts or you hate them. Skilled teams love them. Teams that miss the playoffs by one or two points hate them. The NHL General Managers discussed the issue during their meetings in March. It was forwarded to the competition committee to play 3-on-3 hockey in OT as a way to reduce the number of games decided in the shootout.

In an attempt to reduce the number of shootouts, teams switched ends and there was a dry scrape of the ice, by the Zamboni for the first month and then the ice crew only for the rest of the season. The effort appeared to have little effect. This season, 291 games went beyond regulation time and of those, 173 or 59.4% went to a shootout.

Admittedly, the shootout is not an ideal way to end games but I would take it over a tie game. It would be nice to see more games end before the shootout so I am in favor of some 3 on 3 hockey. There are two proposed formats in play. In one format, teams would start OT 4 on 4 and move to 3 on 3 at the 1st whistle after the 3rd minute. In the second format, OT would be only 3 on 3. I suspect the former will be more likely to be implemented

Goalie Interference

A third hot button issue that came up this season is goalie interference. This has always been a grey area, as often times goalies will flop at any contact to sell a call. My view is the goalie's space is the blue paint and the goalie must have that space. However, I do not think we should go back to 1999 where the Stanley cup was decided on a Brett Hull goal when he had a toe in the blue paint but was not touching the goalie.

At the same time, goalies are not built to take a body check so they must be treated more delicately. In terms of questionable goals, the call should be allowed to be overturned on the basis of interference vs. no interference. I like the idea proposed during the GM meetings where a coach can challenge a call like interference provided the team has a time out.

Five Canadian teams in the Playoffs

Canadian teams overall had great success with five of the seven teams making the playoffs. Toronto and Edmonton were the only teams to miss the playoffs and boy, did they ever. Edmonton's collapse was less surprising given their recent history. Toronto was actually in a playoff position heading into the new year,  then they fired coach Randy Carlyle and the team just gave up. The Leafs won just 5 times after the new year.

Ottawa and Winnipeg snuck in as wildcard seeds and both have potential to do some damage in the playoffs. Their goalies Andrei Pavelec and Andrew Hammond are both on ridiculous hot streaks.

Vancouver is having a bounce back year after missing the playoffs last season. Clearly John Torterella was a bad hire that tried to implement/force upon the Canucks a system that wasn't ideal for their players. They had many injuries last season and their stars, Sedins, Edler and Burrows especially had career low stats and looked awful.

Calgary is a team that is up and coming. They were not expected to make the playoffs and that alone means they should not be taken lightly. Every time the Canucks and Flames have met in round one, the winner has gone on to the cup final.

Will the trend continue? Will we see a Habs-Canucks or Habs-Flames final. Personally, I would love to see the former  match-up as the Canucks and Habs are the two teams I follow most. It's very possible it could happen as the league is wide open this year and every team has weaknesses.


The Habs Season That Was

Montreal had a strong season this year. As mentioned, the bar to even secure a playoff berth was exceptionally high, so it was a massive accomplishment to secure home ice advantage. Do the Habs have concerns heading into the playoffs? Absolutely, but so does virtually every team this year.

Look at Ottawa. Sure, they are riding a hot goalie but Hammond is bound to cool off sometime and the Senators are inexperienced in the playoffs and bound to make mistakes. I thought GM Marc Bergevin made some solid trades this season, getting depth on defense in  Sergei Gonchar and getting rid of bad contracts like Rene Bourque.

Dustin Tokarski held his own as a backup. Carey Price was Carey Price and carried the team on his shoulders numerous times. The Habs must give him more goal support in the post-season or it could be an early exit. I think Montreal will prevail in the opening round but it won't be easy

Buckle up Habs fans. Get your beer and popcorn ready and #GoHabsGo

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Hockey Day in Canada

Yesterday was special day for two reasons, it was Valentine's day and it was Hockey Day in Canada. This is the day where Canadians come together to watch hockey and to participate in the many activities involving our national sport across our great nation. Yesterday, all seven Canadian NHL teams were in action with six of those teams facing each other. The exception this year is the Winnipeg Jets, who are in Detroit to face the Red Wings. In other games, Ottawa hosted Edmonton, Toronto visited Montreal and in the night game Vancouver was in Calgary to face the Flames. For Canadians, watching hockey on Saturday night is synonymous with Americans watching NFL football on Sundays. It's tradition.

My favorite part of hockey day in Canada, besides watching my three favorite Canadian NHL teams, Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver, is hearing some of the wonderful stories CBC produces to broadcast. These stories profile the exceptional people in hockey who have sacrificed so much to play the game of hockey or to help make it happen for others. Here is an example

As a side note, I was born and raised in the Lower Mainland in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver. We don't get enough snow or sustained freezing temperatures so I never experienced skating on an outdoor rink. However, I did attend the 2014 Heritage classic at BC Place stadium where the Canucks hosted the Senators. It was  OK, but BC Place is a football and soccer stadium. It is not built to host hockey games. As such, I was forced to watch the action on the jumbo-tron

The State of the Canadian NHL teams

Despite the Canadian dollar being weak at the moment, Canadian franchises are thriving. Even in Edmonton and Vancouver, where tickets can be bought dirt cheap, fans continue to fill the stadiums. The situation is not nearly as dire as it was in the mid 90's when Quebec City and Winnipeg were relocated to Colorado and Phoenix (Arizona now) respectfully.

In terms of being competitive, the Canadian franchises are doing well as a whole. Four of the seven Canadian teams have a very good chance of making the playoffs in April (Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Calgary). Edmonton and Ottawa will definitely be on the outside looking in and Toronto requires a strong finish to nab one of the two wildcard spots in the East, but they just started clearing house.

A Canadian-based team has not won a Stanley cup since 1993 when your Montreal Canadiens hoisted the trophy. At the moment, Montreal likely represents Canada's best hope of winning the Stanley cup, but by no means will it be an easy task

Canada internationally

Every year Canada participates in international hockey tournaments, including the World Junior hockey tournament, which brings together the best 19 and under hockey players in the world and the Spengler Cup, which is comprised of players playing in the European leagues. Canada always has and always will be able to put together teams that are medal favorites. This is a testament to the fantastic coaches we have and the wonderful hockey programs kids can enroll in. A medal is less of a guarantee on the larger international ice surfaces as, other than the Spengler Cup, players that play in these tournaments played in the smaller rinks of North America the entire hockey season. Still, one can never count a Canadian hockey team out.

The women's game has a little less parity. The two North American teams, Canada and USA dominate the tournaments and the European franchises get routed when they play Canada or USA. It is to the point where the IOC is considering removing women's hockey as an Olympic sport because only Canada and USA have ever competed for a gold medal. No other country has ever come close.

I would like to give a shout-out to all hockey parents reading this blog. Thank you for putting in the countless hours to allow your son or daughter to play hockey.

So enjoy the games this weekend Habs fans and Go Habs Go

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Could The Montreal Canadiens Be Interested In Cody Franson?

With one month before the NHL trade deadline, action should pick up on the trade front as we are slowly separating contenders and pretenders. One player that will most likely be traded is Toronto Maple Leafs' defenseman, Cody Franson. The right-handed blue liner has reportedly declined the Leafs' latest contract offer of around $4.5 million annually.

According to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, the TLeafs are looking for a second-round pick in exchange for the 27-year-old Franson. This season, the native of Sicamous, BC has recorded 6 goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 49 contests for the slumping Leafs. The offensive-minded defender is also a good shot blocker with 96 this season (he would rank 2nd on the Habs behind Andrei Markov who has 101) and he can also be physical as shown by his 140 hits, which is three more than Montreal's most physical defenseman, Alexei Emelin.

The impending UFA is currently having one of his best seasons so far (he had 33 points in 2013-14) which means he will most likely want to cash in on the open market next July. This means that the team who will trade for him will get a rental player and not a long-term solution on the blue line. Will Habs GM Marc Bergevin be willing to pay the asking price (2nd rounder pick) for Franson, who is earning $3.3 million this season? That remains to be seen.

Can Montreal head into the playoffs with Sergei Gonchar, Tom Gilbert and Mike Weaver as the team's other right-handed options after PK Subban? We know for sure that Bergevin likes Cody Franson as he was the asset that the team would have landed if Josh Gorges had not refused a deal to Toronto prior to heading to Buffalo. Because of the aborted trade, Bergevin scrambled to find another solution on the blue line and was forced to settle for Tom Gilbert, who he signed to a two-year pact worth $2.8 million AAV. 

While Gilbert has been somewhat reliable on the team's blue line, his 2 goals and 7 assists for 9 points in 46 games are a far cry from Franson' offensive production this year and the Canadiens could certainly use Franson's offensive abilities on the second power play unit instead of Sergei Gonchar or Nathan Beaulieu. Used to play on average 20 or more minutes per game, Franson is a big defender at 6'5'' and 215-lb, which is exactly what the Canadiens' back end needs for a long playoff run.

Other options on defnse include Mike Green, Andrej Sekera, Marc Methot, Jeff Petry, Zbynek Michalek and Marek Zidlicky, among others.

Who would you want to acquire if you were Marc Bergevin?

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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

 

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Goaltending Controversy Averted and Must See Match-Up's

Greetings Habs Nation,

Bye Bye, Budaj

Peter Budaj moves on to Winnipeg along with prospect Patrick
Holland in exchange for Eric Tangradi.

There's no doubt that the main headline in Montreal Sunday was the trade between the Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets that sent back-up goalie Peter Budaj and prospect Patrick Holland to the Jets for forward Eric Tangradi.

It would be silly to have an article without at least touching on it and so I will do so, however for a deeper look into the trade, check out Dan Beaulieu's trade analysis.

To me, the deal makes sense. Marc Bergevin is making room for the team's youth by shipping out Budaj and giving the back-up responsibilities to Dustin Tokarski. It shouldn't come as a surprise that it was reported soon after the trade that Peter Budaj had requested a trade after being ignored in the playoffs. It wasn't a shock to see some fans question Budaj's reputation as a good teammate after learning about his request, but that's just unfair. Budaj did what he could to help the team when called upon and when the team was in a dire situation, he was looked over and kept on the bench. It was clear the Canadiens were headed in another direction so why wouldn't he want to move on?

Patrick Holland, whom the Habs acquired as part of the deal that saw Mike Cammalleri off to Calgary, has not done much to impress since the trade. In 126 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs, Holland managed only 45 points (16 goals and 29 helpers) and in his five NHL appearances with the Canadiens he put up goose eggs on the score sheet. With numbers like that and prospects like Nikita Scherbak, Sven Andrighetto, Jacob De La Rose, Christian Thomas etc. ahead of him, there was no chance he'd ever crack the line-up.

As for Eric Tangradi, he's a bonus to what really was just a trade that gave our former back-up what he deserved, a shot to land more ice time, and a salary dump that saved the Habs roughly $800,000 by giving the job to Tokarski. It doesn't hurt that Tangradi stands at 6"4' 221 lbs, but he'll be starting the year in Hamilton.

Something I like to do each year is take a look at the schedule and talk about which games should not be missed. Due to the fact that my access to a computer is limited these days I'm late to the dance and the games you'll need to catch have already been covered by our own Nick Malofy.

However, going into the 2014-15 season, there are a few games I'm looking forward to for different reasons. I usually point out the first game of the season between the Habs and the Bruins or Leafs strictly because of the rivalries. Or games against former teammates just because they used to play with us or even games against superstars. This year I have different reasons to look forward to certain games.

I'm not personally going to circle any games between the Penguins or Capitals because I've been watching Crosby and Ovechkin for years. I won't get too excited about a match up against the Leafs because, well let's face it... rivalry or no rivalry the Leafs have become pretty irrelevant. So much so that the league may even give the city another team, kind of a "do-over".

So here are the match up's I'm going to be sure to watch this season.

Milan Lucic vs. Dale Weise/Alexei Emelin
Thursday, October 16th 2014

The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens always put on a hell of a show. The fact that the Habs ousted the heavily favorited Bruins in the seventh game of last year's Eastern Conference semi-final will add some excitement to this game. However, as I mentioned there is more to it than a simple rematch or an added game to on of the most storied rivalries in all of sports.

What everybody remembers most about the match-up last spring was the end of series handshake when Bruins jacka... forward, Milan Lucic said something along the lines of "I'm going to f*cking kill you" to Canadiens forward Dale Weise. Some not so loving words were also shared with Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin. With these two teams already hating each other and more than likely heading into a season where they will fight for the division title, some added death threats should add to the excitement.

*I feel as if the word "allegedly" should have been thrown in there.

Tomas Plekanec is hated most by the NHL's most hated
player, Brad Marchand.

Brad Marchand of the Bruins, who is very hated by Canadiens fans, other team's fans and pretty much anybody decent, stated in the off season that the player he hates more than anybody else in the league is none other than Montreal Canadiens co-co-co-co captain, Tomas Plekanec. When Plekanec was asked about it he laughed and stated "I enjoyed his comments about me. It comes from a person that actually almost everybody in the NHL hates!"

Just a little more fuel the fire.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Chris Kreider 
Saturday, October 25th 2014

Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers is not the most loved player in Montreal since taking Habs goaltender Carey Price out of the playoffs last spring on route to the Rangers six game series win in the Eastern Conference finals. I'm not going to re-open the case to discuss whether or not it was on purpose. The fact is the fans haven't forgotten and you can sure as hell bet the players haven't either.

Players are professional and the Canadiens have more than likely put the incident behind them. I wouldn't be surprised to see the game end without Kreider receiving any kind of punishment from the Canadiens, but on the off chance that I'm wrong... I'll be watching. That's not to say that fights will get me to watch (to be completely honest you could take fighting out of the game and I couldn't care less), but just the energy in the building after seeing a player who an entire city blames for their lack of a 25th Stanley Cup being reprimanded... has to be electrifying.

For the record, in my opinion Tokarski played great, Lundqvist played better and I've still yet to be sold by opinion or video evidence that Kreider did it intentionally.

Brendan Gallagher vs. Josh Gorges
Wednesday, November 5th 2014

This is so much more than just a player facing off against his former team, you can tell by the fact that I left out Brian Gionta. Players play their former teams all the time, get over it. What attracts me towards this one is the opportunity to watch a pesky net crashing Gallagher battle in the blue paint against Josh Gorges, the man who plays a solid shut down role and who also happened to take Gallagher into his home when the young pest first joined the league.

Whether it was in interviews or the two jabbing at each other via Twitter, you could see that Gorges and Gallagher were close. After being taken under his wing you could always see just how much Gallagher respected Gorges. What adds to the match-up is their respective style of play, Gorges is a stay at home defenseman whose job it is to keep players like Gallagher out of the blue paint and it's Gallagher's job to get under the skin of the opposition's d-man. Should be an entertaining battle in front of the net.

It's tempting to add the Habs vs Peter Budaj simply because of the recent transaction, but that would be quite hypocritical, wouldn't it? Instead I'll add one last match-up that doesn't even include the Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Josh Gorges
Thursday, October 28th

Hahaha... Gorges was asked to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Leafs and he declined because he hates them hahaha.

Ok, ok that's enough. While that is fantastic for Habs fans because of the love for Gorges and the hate aimed at the Leafs, it is a very reasonable reason. That's not a jab at the Leafs. If any player who had played for the Leafs for as long as Gorges wore the "CH" was willing to just up and join the Habs without a second thought you'd have to question his dedication to his team.

Gorges simply didn't want to play for a team he had grown to hate over the years because of the bitter rivalry stating that there was no way his heart would be in it. That's quite reasonable if you ask me. Even Brendan Shanahan, president of the Maple Leafs, went on record as saying that if Gorges had accepted right away he would have questioned whether or not he was the type of player the Leafs wanted.

Either way, respectable reason or not it's safe to say that decision and reasoning will more than likely upset the Leafs fan base (yes, they have one) and the reception Gorges will get at the Air Canada Center on the 28th of October is one that I'm hoping to see.

Would you take offence if a player refused to play for your city's team?
Will the Habs target Kreider in October or leave the incident in the past?
Is there anyone easier to hate than Marchand?
And finally, does the parting of Budaj really mean that much or was too big of a deal made over the situation of a back up goalie?

Let me know your thoughts.

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Save The Date: Some Key Habs Games for 2014-15

Greetings Habs addicts!

As training camp progresses forward - how about that Jiri Sekac!? It is time to take a look at the upcoming schedule and mark some key dates on the calendar. Last season was a special season for the Canadiens, advancing as far as the Eastern Conference Final before bowing out to the New York Rangers, who promptly bowed out to the powerhouse Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup final. Looking ahead at the 2014/15 season, here are some entertaining games to look forward to throughout the season:

Photo Credit: HockeyInsideOut.com

Canadiens @ Toronto Maple Leafs
Wednesday October 8, 2014
The season opens on the road against the Maple Leafs in Toronto. Although the Leafs have been afterthoughts come playoff time seemingly every non-strike shortened year for the past decade, they tend to start strong every season and have a very physical style that gives the Canadiens trouble. Last year this same season opening match-up led to the downfall of George Parros, as he suffered a horrible concussion while scrapping with Colton Orr. The Leafs did not improve much this off-season, choosing to bring back former role players in Matt Frattin and Leo Komorov. A win here always starts the season off right.

Boston Bruins @ Canadiens
Thursday, October 16, 2014
After starting the season out with four games on the road, the Canadiens return to the Bell Centre welcoming their bitter rival the Boston Bruins for the home opener. Fresh off last season's heated playoff series, the Bruins will be looking to avenge the playoff loss and ruin what is always an incredible atmosphere for opening night. The Bruins were strapped by the salary cap this off-season and did not make any significant improvements while watching Jarome Iginla take his 30 goals to Colorado. As always, this will be a tough game after a truly captivating opening ceremony.

Colorado Avalanche @ Canadiens
Saturday October 18, 2014
Fresh off the emotions from the home opener, the fans get a couple of days to recover before they welcome back Patrick Roy and his Colorado Avalanche squad. Last year, St. Patrick's homecoming as a head coach was quashed by a hat-trick performance from Thomas Vanek in a 6-3 Canadiens win. Vanek is in Minnesota now, but an off-season trade between the two clubs saw Daniel Briere head west and P.A. Parenteau arrive in Montreal. Expect both to show up and do their best to exact revenge against their former clubs.

New York Rangers @ Canadiens
Saturday October 25, 2014
Prior to a three-game western Canada road trip, the rematch of the Eastern Finals happens in Montreal, but this time with Carey Price in goal instead of Dustin Tokarski. The Canadiens dominated the regular season match-ups the past two seasons before the Rangers stepped up in the wake of Martin St. Louis' mother passing away and man-handled the Canadiens throughout the series en route to a 4-2 series win. Revenge will be on the Canadiens' mind and Chris Kreider should keep his head up as fans and players remember how he took out Price early on in the series. Expect Kreider to receive the Zdeno Chara treatment from the sold out Bell Centre crowd.

Pittsburgh Penguins @ Canadiens
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins make their first appearance of the season in Montreal. Sid grew up as a Habs fan and anytime these two teams match up, defense seems to be put by the wayside and a shootout ensues. While this game will not have much bearing on the standings, there always seems to be an entertainment factor involved with these high scoring affairs.

Buffalo Sabres @ Canadiens
Saturday, November 29, 2014
On the back end of a home-and-home series, former captain Brian Gionta and defenceman Josh Gorges make their return to the Bell Centre. While this is the third match-up of the season between the two teams, it will be the first time those two players get to face their former mates in the town they used to call home. Expect emotions to be high, especially for Gorges who never wanted to leave the city to begin with. While the Sabres are expected to be a bad team and the Canadiens should win easily (knock on wood), a big ovation should be expected for both players prior to the start of the game.

Los Angeles Kings @ Canadiens
Friday, December 12, 2014
While this match-up will not truly affect the standings, there is something to be said about seeing how you match up against the team that won it all the year prior. The Kings are a powerhouse of an organization and locked up deadline acquisition Marian Gaborik to a seven year extension this off-season. Last year, the Canadiens lost both games played including an embarrassing 6-0 drubbing in Montreal. Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Drew Doughty, Jon Quick and company are looking to repeat this season. This will be a true test to see where the Habs rank this season.

Washington Capitals @ Canadiens
Saturday, January 31, 2015 @ 1:00 PM
Arizona Coyotes @ Canadiens
Sunday, February 1, 2015 @ 1:00 PM
The annual Superbowl weekend tradition of matinee games. This year Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals come to town on Saturday while the Arizona (formerly Pheonix) Coyotes make their lone appearance in Montreal on Superbowl Sunday. Always a fun weekend of sports in Montreal.

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Canadiens
Saturday February 14, 2015
There will be no love on Valentine's Day between these two teams or their respective fans as the Maple Leafs make their first appearance of the season in Montreal. Throngs of fans will make the trek up Highway 401 from Toronto to create one of the most energetic atmosphere's in sports. The crowds are always split for this match-up and Hockey Night in Canada viewers will hear a "Go (garbled gibberish) GO!" chant throughout the game as both sides try to out-do the other cheering on their favorite teams. Where these two teams sit in the standings will also add to the excitement as we are entering the second half of the season and the games begin to have more meaning, especially division match-ups such as this one.

Canadiens @ San Jose Sharks, 
Canadiens @ Anaheim Ducks, 
Canadiens @ Los Angeles Kings & 
Canadiens @ Arizona Coyotes
Monday, March 2 - Saturday March 7, 2015
Easily the toughest week on the calendar for the Canadiens this season as they make the annual West Coast road trip. Four games against three of the NHL's best teams in six days is extremely tough. Last year, Dustin Tokarski filled in admirably for the injured Carey Price, making 39 saves in his first start as the Canadiens beat the Ducks 4-3 in a shootout in what proved to be Saku Koivu's last game against the Habs as the former captain retired this off season. That was the only win on the road trip as they lost 2-1 to Los Angeles, 5-2 to the Coyotes and 4-0 to the Sharks. Safe to say the Canadiens want to have a little more fun in the sun this time around.

Canadiens @ Toronto Maple Leafs
Saturday, April 11, 2015
The season comes full circle as the Habs round out the regular season with one final match-up in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. This will be the fifth and final regular season match-up against the teams and in years past, it has had some significant bearing in the standings. Expect it to be one more barn burner before the playoffs begin. As great as this match-up always is, its even more special when it has meaning. There is nothing like knocking the other team out of playoff contention on the last day of the season. If all goes well, it will be Montreal eliminating Toronto and not vice versa.

There you have it, Habs addicts, some great match-ups to look forward to. While every game is always entertaining, some are just a little more special than others. Be sure to listen to the Pre-Game and Post-Game shows on MontrealHockeyTalk.com and participate in the Tweet Chat using the Hashtag #MtlHockey. Corey Collard, Rob Elbaz, Steve Hindle, Nick Murdocco and Coach K bring some of the most interactive and uncensored analysis of each and every game. If you haven't listened before, make this the season you tune in. You will not be disappointed!

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

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens at Maple Leafs (Game #72)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (38-26-7) are in Toronto Saturday night to face their bitter rivals, the Maple Leafs (36-27-8). The game starts at 7:00 and airs on RDS and CBC.

This is the fifth and final meeting between the Habs and Leafs this season. Both teams have won 2 games so far in the season series, but the Leafs hold an edge earning an extra point over the Canadiens in an overtime loss the last time these teams met. A pair of third period goals put the Maple Leafs ahead in that last meeting, but PK Subban drew the Habs even with under 10 minutes to play, and Max Pacioretty sealed the victory with the overtime game winner.

What to Watch:

Thomas Vanek netted his fourth goal as a Canadien on Thursday, it was good enough to even up the game against the Blue Jackets in the third period even though the Habs could not hang on. Carey Price gave up 3 goals on 40 shots Thursday. While that gave Price a .925 save percentage on the night, he has given up 3 goals or more in each of the 3 games he's started since returning from injury.

After being held pointless for 5 games, Phil Kessel broke his drought with a goal against the Lightning on Wednesday. He leads the Leafs in goals (35) assists (39) and points (74), a feat he's accomplished for the last two seasons. With 42 points on the year, Tyler Bozak has a chance to set a new career high despite missing 24 games this season. His previous high was 47 points in the 2011-2012 campaign.

What's at Stake:

The Canadiens have a chance to open up a 5-point gap over the Leafs with a regulation win on Saturday. With 10 games remaining for both teams after this one, that could give the Habs enough breathing room to keep them from looking over their shoulder so they can focus on catching the Tampa Bay Lightning, who sit in second in the Atlantic division.

Who's Out:

The Canadiens announced Friday that Brandon Prust (upper body) would be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season, he'll be reevaluated for the playoffs. Josh Gorges (hand) underwent surgery on March 10, and isn't expected to return for at least two more weeks.

Paul Ranger (head) is out of action after a hit from Tampa Bay's Alex Killorn sent him to hospital. Jonathan Bernier (groin) and Dave Bolland (ankle) are questionable for Saturday's game.

What Else:

The playoffs are just around the corner and even though it looked like a possibility just a few weeks ago, the chances of a first round match-up between the Habs and Leafs grow slimmer with each Tampa Bay victory. As it stands, Montreal and Toronto are the only two Canadian clubs currently in playoff position, and of the remaining 5 teams, the Canucks and Jets are closest to a spot, 5 and 6 points back respectively of the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Question Mark:

With the season winding down, which season series for the Habs has been the most fun to watch, and which has been the least?

Make your voice heard by leaving a comment or sending us a tweet with 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 Maple Leafs (Game #62)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (33-21-7) play host to the rival Maple Leafs (32-22-7) Saturday night at the Bell Centre. The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and CBC.

This is the fourth of five meetings between the Habs and Leafs, they'll meet again for the final time this season in three weeks at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Leafs have picked up 2 wins in the 3 games so far, including a 5-3 victory in Toronto the last time these teams met. The Canadiens battled back from 1-0 and 3-1 deficits, but a late goal by James Van Riemsdyk eventually put the Leafs ahead for good.

What to Watch:

Peter Budaj will start his third consecutive game Saturday night as Carey Price recovers from a mysterious lower body injury. Budaj had a shaky start in Pittsburgh on Thursday but ended up one of the heroes as he stopped Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal in the shootout. Daniel Briere picked up goals number 10 and 11 on the season against the Penguins. He also added an assist in the 6-5 shootout win, bringing him up to 21 points on the season.

The Leafs dropped a 5-4 OT decision to the Islanders in their first game back after the Olympics. They were stung for 2 shorthanded goals and a late third period game tying marker against the lowly Isles. James Van Riemsdyk had 3 assists in the losing effort and fellow American Olympian, Phil Kessel, picked up a goal and an assist.

What's at Stake:

The Habs go into Saturday's game with a 2 point lead in the standings over the Maple Leafs with about a quarter of the season left to play. The Canadiens haven't played the best hockey since the Olympic break ended bur have still managed to pick up 3 of a possible 4 points. They have 9 points in their last 5 games and will want to keep that streak going against their longtime rivals.

Who's Out:

The Canadiens are still missing Carey Price (lower body) although he is expected to travel with the team next week for their West Coast road trip. Ryan White (illness) missed Thursday's game in Pittsburgh and practice on Friday. Brandon Prust (upper body), Michael Bournival (concussion) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are also out.

The Leafs are missing Dave Bolland (ankle).

What Else:

The Montrealhockeytalk.com Pregame Show will be broadcast live from Brutopia Brew Pub Saturday at 6 pm, following a special  edition of Murphy's Hockey Law starting at 4 pm also live from Brutopia. Guests on Murphy's Hockey Law will include Eric Engels from Hockeybuzz, Kevin Mcgran from the Toronto Star, Mike Zeisberger from the Toronto Sun, and Shane Murphy who will be in the house to perform an acoustic set.

The Question Mark:

We want to hear from you, do you think PK Subban has been treated fairly by Michel Therrien this season and are you satisfied with his development?

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 Maple Leafs (Game #1)

Match Up:
The 2013-2014 NHL season launches at the Bell Centre on Tuesday when the Canadiens (0-0-0) resume their rivalry against the Maple Leafs (0-0-0). The puck is set to drop at 7:00 and the game can be seen on CBC and RDS.
The Habs and Leafs face off five times this season with three meetings in Montreal. Last year the Habs only managed one win in four games against Toronto and were outscored 13-2 in the other three losses.

What’s at Stake:
The Habs will look to start their season off right against their rivals in the newly formed Atlantic Division. While a win isn’t vital (the Habs did win their division last year despite an opening night loss to the Leafs after all) losing to the Leafs is never fun, especially in front of an amped up, opening night Bell Centre crowd.

What to Watch:
There will be plenty of pressure on the Habs’ youngsters this season. Lars Eller will anchor a line with freshmen Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, the trio comes into the game with an average age just over 22 years. Jarred Tinordi will also be in the line-up Tuesday. The 21-year old is expected to be paired with the team’s oldest player, Francis Bouillon. Bouillon started his NHL career with the Habs in 1999 when Tinordi was just 7.
Fresh faces Daniel Briere and George Parros will also likely be in action on Tuesday. Although some question marks remain about his ability to still make an impact, Gatineau-native Briere should get a warm reception from the Bell Centre crowd. He’ll play on a line with David Desharnais and Max
Pacioretty.

The Leafs made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2004 and they’ll be looking to improve on that success this season. Toronto also has their fair share of newcomers on this year’s roster including Stanley Cup Champion Dave Bolland, top free agent David Clarkson and goalie Jonathan Bernier. Clarkson won’t be dressed on Tuesday however, he’ll miss the first 10 games of the season serving a suspension for leaving the bench to join a preseason brawl. Leafs coach, Randy Carlyle, still hasn’t announced whether Laval-native Bernier will get the start against the Habs, or whether it will be James Reimer.

Who’s Out:
The season hasn’t even started yet and already the Habs are running low on defensemen. Free agent acquisition Douglas Murray is out 4-6 weeks with an upper body injury, Alexei Emelin is still recovering last May’s from knee surgery and Davis Drewiske is sidelined with a shoulder injury.
The Leafs will be missing Clarkson (suspension) and Frazer McLaren (hand).

What Else:
This is the fifth consecutive season that the Habs and Leafs meet in their season openers. The Leafs have earn a point in each of the past four games while the Habs have only won once, a 4-3 overtime victory all the way back on October 1, 2009.

The Question Mark:
We want to hear from you: Who is the Hab you’re most excited to watch this season? Have your say by leaving a comment below or use the #MTLHockey hashtag to let us know 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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NHL 2013-2014 Conference Previews - Atlantic

In his final conference preview, Paolo Mingarelli looks at the Atlantic Conference, where he has an interesting take on where each respective team will finish.

Despite the addition of the Red Wings, Cup Finalist Boston Bruins remain the team to beat. The most entertaining battle in this division will come from the Canadian Content. Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal are all clubs that are entering a phase in their history where it will be time to add the final pieces to establish themselves as legitimate cup contenders as the rival Bruins have done.

BOSTON BRUINS

DETROIT RED WINGS

OTTAWA SENATORS

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

MONTREAL CANADIENS

FLORIDA PANTHERS

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

BUFFALO SABRES

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Habs End Season On A High Note, Playoff Match Ups And More...

Good Afternoon Addicts!

Lars Eller had his best game of the season last night leading
the Habs past the Maple Leafs.

It doesn't matter whether it was Peter Budaj or Carey Price in goal for the Habs last night, what's important is that Montreal showed the Maple Leafs, their long time rivals and potential first round opponents, that if they stick to their style of play the Leafs' size and strength mean nothing.

Toronto fans have been dreaming of meeting Montreal in the first round because of the way they owned the Habs in three of their first four match ups this season but after last night's game if any team is psyched out it;s Toronto.

After giving up the first goal, Montreal just took over the game. Brendan Gallagher and Lars Eller were phenomenal in leading the good guys to a 4-1 victory.

Gallagher finished the night with a goal and an assist and a +2 rating while Eller notched two assists to go with his goal, +3 rating and a jaw dropping six hits.

Aside from those two standouts, the entire team played the way they have through the first 40 games to get to the top of the division. After finishing the first frame tied at one, the Canadiens came out flying in the third with two goals and allowing only one shot on Budaj.

The Boston Bruins face the Ottawa Senators tonight in the league's finale game and the outcome will determine who the Habs will meet next week. If the Sens win, they will leapfrog over the the Islanders to face the Habs. If the Bruins come out on top they will win the division dropping the Canadiens to fourth place setting up a match up against the Leafs.

Habs And Hockey News

- Last night's loss leaves the Leas heading into the playoffs with some unanswered questions.

- NHL.com breaks down the playoff match ups that have already been decided.

- The Dallas Stars have fired GM Joe Nieuwendyk and are expecting to name Detroit Red Wings assistan GM, Jim Nill as his replacement.


(Photo by Agence QMI)

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Habs Face Leafs In Crucial Season Finale, Price/PK struggling, Kristo To Represent USA And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Carey Price will need to be on his game tonight if he gets the
start against Toronto.

 The Montreal Canadiens are in Toronto tonight to face the Maple Leafs in the final game of the season for both teams. Toronto has owned the Canadiens this season winning three out of the first four meetings including two blowouts.

Montreal has already clinched home ice in the first round of the playoffs but will need to give all they have tonight regardless to prove to themselves they can keep up with the Leafs. There is a very high probablility that these two teams will meet in the first round of the post season and there is no doubt that Toronto will try to make a statement tonight.

It's no secret that the Leafs are a bigger and tougher team and I would be surprised if they didn't bring their physicality to tonight's tilt to initimidate the Habs. Brendan Gallagher will undoubtedly be a target as he has been a pest against Toronto all season.

If Carey Price starts in goal you can be sure that there will be alot of crease crashing in an attempt to get him off his game. If the Leafs can get inside his head the Habs will have a hard time making it through to the second round.

This is one of the Canadiens most important games of the season. A playoff berth may have been clinched for over a week and home ice may be secured but it is imperative that their offence is buzzing, their defence is strong and their goaltending stellar. I do believe that once the playoffs start the season means nothing and everything resets but when one team has been as dominant as the Leafs have been over the Habs this year the importance of one last win can not be ignored.

If you were Michel Therrien, would you rest guys like Andrei Markov and Francis Bouillon to prepare them for the playoffs. Would you have Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk sit to avoid possible injury?

How about between the Pipes? Should Price sit to avoid further humiliation against a team that has had no problem putting pucks past him or would you give him the chance to prove to the team as well as himself that he is capable of leading this team past Toronto?

Habs And Hockey News

- Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98) points out that the penalty kill also plays a factor into the Habs recent struggles.

- Andrew Berkshire @AndrewBerkshire brings up some good points in questioning whether or not this is Marc Bergevin's team that has brought success back to Montreal.

- Hamilton Bulldogs forward Danny Kristo will represent team U.S.A. in the upcoming World Championships in May.


(Photo by Bryanna Bradley/The Gazette)

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Leafs Embarrass Habs, Eller vs. Desharnais, Gallagher Review And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Carey Price will look to bounce back tomorrow night against
the Flyers after being pulled in last nights loss.

Ouch!

Last night's 5-1 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs was one to forget. Carey Price was pulled from the game after allowing three goals on only four shots and Leafs 'tender James Reimer made big saves early when the Canadiens were still pushing despite being down.

Davis Drewiske scored his first goal in a Habs uniform to make it 3-1 at the 13:08 minute mark but Dion Phaneuf snapped a shot through a plethora of Habs players and past Peter Budaj to regain the three goal lead just four minutes after.

Montreal just didn't have any fight in them after that and Toronto just blew through the Canadiens for an easy two points.

If there was any silver lining for Habs fans on a night that left little reason to be smiling, the Carolina Hurricanes doubled the Bruins two goals to leave Montreal atop the Northeast Division.

The Canadiens, who have now been embarassed twice by the Leafs, will have one last chance to redeem themselves as the two clubs will finish their seasons against each other in Toronto on April 27th.

Habs And Hockey News

- Brendan Gallagher, as per usual, did not quit through 60 minutes last night and was the Habs only bright spot. It seems fitting to post Andrew Berkshire's (@AndrewBerkshire) mid season review on the Canadiens' super pest.

- There's been quite a debate this year in Montreal on which player is more valuable to the team. Lars Eller or David Desharnais? Here's an in depth look at the two players from HabsWatch.com.

- It was another tough night for the Hamilton Bulldogs as they were defeated by the Lake Erie Monsters for the second consecutive night. Their 3-2 defeat was their third loss in a row and their seventh in their last ten games.


(Photo from discusshockey.com)

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Tonight's Habs/Leafs Game A Playoff Preview?, Brian Gionta, Habs Depth And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Michael Ryder has been on a tear since re-joining the Habs
notching 20 points in as many games.

There's nothing like Saturday night hockey between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs, especially now the Leafs are somewhat relevant!

With Toronto poised to make it to the post season for the first time in seven years, it marks the first time since before the 2004-05 lockout that a match up between these rivals this late in the season actually matters for both teams.

What makes it more interesting is the strong possibility that the Habs and Leafs could very well meet in the first round of the playoffs. Toronto currently leads the season series with a 2-1 edge earning a 2-1 victory in the Habs season opener and a 6-0 blowout in February.

Since the embarassment at the hands of the Leafs however, the Habs have gone 20-5-5 including a 5-2 victory over the Leafs.

A big difference between tonight's game and the previous three between the two clubs is the presence of Michael Ryder. The 5-2 win over Toronto was Ryder's first game in his second stint as a Hab and he played without practicing with the Canadiens and on very little sleep after the trade that brought him to Montreal in exchange for Erik Cole.

Since that game Ryder has accumulated 20 points in 19 games.

Montreal will be heading into tonight's tilt without forward Colby Armstrong (knee) and defencemen Alexei Emelin (knee) and Raphael Diaz (Concussion). Nathan Beaulieu who was called up to replace Emelin played extremely well in Thursday night's 5-1 drubbing over the Sabres with 16:50 minutes of ice time while registering four shots on net and posting a +2 rating.

Toronto will be playing without forward Joffrey Lupul (concussion) and Mikhail Grabovski could be a game time decision.

Habs And Hockey News

- Our own Fred Poulin (@FredPoulin98) takes a look at the Habs possible playoff match-ups.

- Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) continues his half season review series on Habs players with captain Brian Gionta.

- Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) of NHL.com provides a piece concentrating on the Habs balancing their offence with depth.

- Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.ca writes up on what's driving P.K Subban to a possible Norris Trophy nod this season.


(Photo by Bernard Brault, La Presse)

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Habs Hold On Against Bruins, Therrien A Situational Coach, 2014 Winter Classic And More...

Good Morning Addicts! 

The Montreal Canadiens held on to beat the Boston Bruins for the third time out of four contests last night, with each game being decided by a single goal.

Alex Galchenyuk played with the confidence that he's been lacking over the last month or so and scored his second goal in as many nights for the Habs. Michael Ryder tipped a P.K. Subban point shot past Tuuka Rask for his 16th of the season and his 18th point in his past 18 games. Subban earned assists on both goals giving him 32 points in 32 games and 21 points in his last 16 contests.

Daniel Paille had Johnny Boychuk shot deflect off of him and past Carey Price to bring the Bruins to within one but Price played outstanding for the remainder of the game to give the Habs the W.

The win could prove costly however, as Alexei Emelin left the game midway through the first after taking a run at Milan Lucic and getting the worst of the hit. Emelin did not return and his injury was described as "lower body". Look for Jarred Tinordi to ba called up from Hamilton.

The Canadiens only penalty of the night came with :57  seconds left as Lars Eller held on to Zdeno Chara's jersey sending the bruins captain falling into the boards. With Rask pulled and the Bruins enjoying a two man advantage, the visiting team failed to get a single shot off.

According to Bruins coach Calude Julien and center David Kreiji, the lack of shots was due to bad ice...not diving.

With the win the Habs extend their lead of the Northeast Division by three points with the Bruins holding one game in hand.

The nest team on the docket for the Habs will be the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night. The Caps have been hot as of late winning seven of their last ten and Alexander Ovechkin has founf his scoring touch as he earned a hat trick and an assist in last nights 4-3 win over the Panthers. Ovechkin has tallied 14 goals and seven assists in his last 15 games.

Habs And Hockey News

- Michel Therrin seems to find his way through games by choosing his lines based on game situations.

- Chris Boyle of Habs Eyes On The Prize has an interesting piece on why possesion matters and provides a visual look at fenwick.

- The NHL announced today that the Detroit Red Wings will face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs at The Big House in Michigan at the 2014 Winter Classic.

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Leafs Destroy Habs, Koivu Keepin'on, Habs Prospects And More...

Good Morning Addicts!

Well that certainly did not go well. The much hated Toronto Maple Leafs came into town last night and handed the Canadiens their worst loss of the year. Nothing went right for the Habs who - other than Brendan Gallagher - played as if they had no desire to even be on the ice.

The Canadiens were losing battles in the corners, getting bumped off the puck and while they may have directed 37 shots on Leafs goaltender James Reimer, it's safe to say at least 30 of them were directed right at the Maple Leaf on his chest.

After two straight losses to Boston and Buffalo and now a 6-0 pounding at the hands of the Leafs, some fans are starting to wonder just what team the Canadiens are this year. Are the Habs we saw through the first handful of games for real? Or will we start seeing a lot more games like the ones we've witnessed over the last week?

Habs And Hockey News

- Former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu is enjoying success at age 8 with the Anaheim Ducks. Koivu leads the team with 11 points through ten games and is second on the team with a plus/minus of +8. Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette caught up with Koivu before the Ducks 3-1 loss to the Stars on Friday night.

- Andrew Berkshire is back again with his week four roundup of Montreal Canadiens prospects.

- It's no secret that the Canadiens owe a lot of their success this year to their depth.


(Photo by John Kenney, Montreal Gazette)

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Habs/Leafs, Price On Track, Markov For Norris And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



The Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta line has combined for 22 points
through the first ten games.

After two consecutive losses to the Bruins and Sabres, the Habs will look to return to their winning ways tonight against the Maple Leafs. The Leafs will be looking for their third straight win after defeating the Capitals and the Jets.

The win against the Jets on Thursday came with Phil Kessel finally netting his first goal of the season for the winner.

Although the Canadiens haven't banked two points in the win column since Sunday afternoon against the Senators, their losses didn't come without effort. There are some positives in the fact that if Tuuka Rask hadn't stood on his head in the first period of the Bruins, tilt the Habs easily could have finished the frame with a three or four goal lead rather than heading into the second period tied at zero.

The following night in Buffalo the two points were pretty much in the bank before Ryan White took yet another selfish penalty giving the Sabres the opportunity to bring them to within one goal of the Habs. Things went from bad to worse for Montreal as the game was tied with less than two seconds left and the breakdown was complete when they lost in the shoot out.

While tonight's line up has yet to be finalizes it should be safe to assume that White will sit after costing his team a point and Travis Moen will be in.

One thing for sure is that the Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole line is going to have to start producing. If they can mirror the success of the Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta line, the Habs will have little trouble piling up w's.


Habs And Hockey News

- Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) of lnh.com points out that Carey Price appears to be the player Bob Gainey knew he would become when he drafted him fifth overall in the 2005 draft.

- Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) takes a look at where the Habs rank after ten games.

- Andrei Markov makes Kevin Allen (@ByKevinAllen) of USA Today's list of early Norris Trophy candidates.


(Photo from http://thereuschblog.com/?p=16065)

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Habs Drop Opener To Leafs, Gomez A Shark?, Schneider/Luongo Controversy And More...

Good Morning Addicts!



Carey Price was one of the few bright spots in last night's loss

 Well hockey is back but it seem the Habs didn't get the memo. In losing 2-1 in their home opener against the Maple Leafs it seemed quite evident that it will take some time to adapt to Therrien's system.

There was a lot of negativity online following the game but it's important for everyone to remember that it was just one game. Understandably each game carries a ton of importance due to the shortened season but if it makes anybody feel better the Red Wings got trounced, the Blue Jackets won and the defending champion Kings looked nothing like they did when they lost only four games while on their way to winning the cup.

The Canadiens had a handful of players play overseas during the lockout but as ESPN's Pierre LeBrun points out, it was the Toronto Marlies graduates who appeared more fresh while leading their team to their first two points.

For those optimists out there, there were a few positives you could pick out of las night's loss if you tried. For one, it didn't seem too obvious that goaltender Carey Price hasn't played since last year. Price played well enough to give his team a chance to win had they provided any offense at all.

Andrei Markov finished the game healthy. Not only that but he lead the team in minutes with 24:08 minutes. Not one player on the Habs finished with a faceoff percentage lower than 50%. That is an area that has hurt the Habs since Yannick Perreault left the team and will play a huge part in their success or lack thereof.

The Canadiens play next on Tuesday when they host Alex Kovalev and the Florida Panthers. Kovalev enjoyed his debut with the Panthers scoring his first goal of the season and adding two assists.

Habs And Hockey News

- It seems Scott Gomez may be a Shark sooner rather than later. Gomez is set to meet with the Sharks this week. I'm not going to lie, I wish him the best!

- Keep your eyes on Vancouver if you enjoy a good goalie controversy. In his first game as the Canuck's starter, Corey Schneider lasted only 26:37 before being replaced by Roberto Luongo.

- Richard Garneau who hosted La Soiree du Hockey as well as covered the Olympics for Radio Canada passed away this morning at the age of 82.

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Game day, Galchenyuk's Debut, Markov's Return, Northeast Preview And More...

Good Morning Habs Addicts!



Habs' P.K Subban will watch tonight's opener from
his home in Toronto.

Happy game day!
It may be three months late but the day we've been waiting for since the end of the disaster that was the 2011-12 season has come.

What better way to put an end to fans' NHL withdrawal than with a game against the Leafs? Although honestly the Habs could be up against the Blue Jackets and the city would still be counting down every last second leading up to the drop of the puck.

Tonight marks the first time Habs fans will have the chance to see top prospect Alex Galchenyuk in action. Gally looked good in Thursday night's scrimmage the team put on for the Habs and will now have the  oppurtunity to impress where it counts.

Coach Therrien had said that he wasn't originally expecting to have Gally on the opening night roster but the young Russ... American earned his spot in training camp. There is some debate on whether or not he will return to Sarnia after his five game trial but it's best for him and everyone involved to just take it game by game.

Joining Galchenyuk on the opening night roster is his roommate Brendan Gallagher whose path to the NHL hasn't been as straight forward as the number one pick in the 2012 draft.

Tomas Plekanec is expected to lace up after missing training camp due to a rib injury he suffered while playing in the Czech Republic. Lining up on either side of Plekanec will be Galchenyuk and captain Brian Gionta.

The center of attention leading up to this game however - and to nobody's surprise - is defenseman P.K. Subban. Still without a contract, the dynamic and animated Subban is said to want a longer term deal than GM Marc Bergevin is willing to dole out just yet.

Until he is signed, Subban has just become the latest distraction after the departure of Scott Gomez.

All that aside, the Habs will start their season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 pm, enjoy the Game!, and don't forget to tune into the post game show at www.montrealhockeytalk.com five minutes after the final siren!

Go Habs Go!

Habs And Hockey News

- Jacob Saltiel (@JacobSaltiel) breaks down the Northeast Division heading into this shortened season.

- Andrei Markov's return will be focused on nearly as much as Galchenyuk's debut.

- With Canucks' blue liner Alex Edler inking a six year $30 million contract, what effect do you think that makes in the Subban/Bergevin talks?


(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Getting Closer?, Santa Even Thinks Leafs Suck, More...

Good Morning HabsAddicts!!!

Despite the setbacks from last week's negotiations, popular belief is that this is the week that a deal between the NHL and the Players' Association gets done.

While optimism is beginning to dwindle even among the league's most devoted fans, Craig Custance of ESPN.com tells us how a pocket of players believe a deal is imminent.

With all the talk about communication between NHLPA second-in-command Steve Fehr and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, everyone is hanging on by a thread that the season can be salvaged. Add to that the apparent calls between players and owners, and it looks like efforts are certainly being intensified.

Yet others, like CBC Sports' Tim Wharnsby, believes that, to the contrary, there are 40 days left to save the season.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes:

- On the light side of things, nothing made me laugh more this weekend than the story by the Toronto Sun's Shawn Jeffords, showing the even Santa Claus thinks the Toronto Maple Leafs suck.

- Our Sean Lloyd examines the Five Stages of Lockout Grief all hockey fans must be going through at this stage of the lockout.

- Hockey Night in Canada's own Elliotte Freidman explain what the end-game of the National Hockey League is.

- Erik Duhatschek tells us what Hockey Canada will do if a resolution is found for the NHL lockout before this year's World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia.

- Finally, to get a better take on the NHL propaganda campaign, agent Allan Walsh shares an article by Jeff Blair that outlines how NHL owners have run out of tricks.

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Hockey Hall of Fame, 16 D Before P.K Subban, NHL-NHLPA Issues, More

Good AM hockey fans.

As you probably all saw, four new individuals were added to the Hockey Hall of Fame this week.

Adam Oates, Joe Sakic, Mats Sundin and Pavel Bure are the latest additions to the prestigious organization.

Of course, as is often the case, pundits have already begun making their selections for the 2013 inductees, including recently retired players such as Chris Chelios and Eric Lindros.

Who would you add in 2013?

Habs and Hockey News

- Fred Poulin takes a fantastic look at the 16 — yes, 16! — blueliners chosen before P.K Subban in 2007.

- Blake Geoffrion father, Danny, talks about his son's recent injury scare.

- Ken Campbell takes a look at the oft-underappreciated Adam Oates.

- According to Steve Fehr, three outstanding issues remain before a deal can be reached between the NHL and NHLPA. Stu Hackel takes a look at the subject of contract rights. Elsewhere, Ken Campbell argues that Donald Fehr's tactics are beginning to get in the owner's heads.

- Joe Sakic and Mats Sundin say they would love to see an NHL team back in Quebec City. Personally, I'd just love to see an NHL team again at this point.

(Photo via the Canadian Press/TSN.ca) 

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