Three Possible First Round Playoff Matchups

With eight games remaining on their schedule and the playoffs just around the corner, it's time to look ahead to the possible 1st round match-ups. Currently Montreal leads the NHL with 100 points following last night's overtime loss in Nashville. Very likely, Montreal will be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the Eastern conference. I will look at the three most likely match-ups for Montreal (in no particular order).



Washington Capitals (currently 7th in the Eastern Conference)

So far Montreal has swept the season series with one game left to be played in Montreal on April 2nd.

Why Montreal would win this series

The Habs have more depth in their line-up thanks to the genius moves made by GM Marc Bergevin. Also, Montreal can rely on the experience of shutting down Steven Stamkos, comparable to the monumental task of shutting down Ovechkin. This season, Montreal has seemed hungry to excel in the NHL after going deep in last year's playoffs. I just don't think Washington has the depth to beat Montreal four times.

Why Washington could win this series

One big reason Montreal could fall is the presence of superstar Alex Ovechkin. Ovie has the skill to single-handedly take over a game. There aren't too many players with the kind of impact on a game as Ovechkin. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and TB's Stamkos are two other players that are game changers. Montreal cannot give Ovechkin any time or space or he will burn them. Another major factor to consider is the man behind the Capitals bench in Barry Trotz. Trotz has a reputation for coaxing a lot out of a little. He's so good with fringe players that he could squeeze water from a stone.

Predicted result: Montreal in 6 games

Boston Bruins (currently in 9th place in the Eastern Conference; one point back of the 2nd WC spot)

This is the second likeliest first round opponent for the Habs. Montreal swept the season series vs. the Bruins. I don't expect this one will end in a sweep. The Bruins are good enough to steal a game or two.

Why Montreal would win this series

Simply put, Montreal matches up very well against the physical Bruins. Also, Boston has an aging stale core. They virtually have the same cast of players that won the 2011 Stanley Cup. Montreal, on the other hand, has a young vibrant roster that should contend for several years. Most of their core players (PK Subban, Carey Price, Tomas Plekanec) are just entering their prime years, I just don't see Boston lasting through a seven game series against Montreal. Oh and Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask has historically struggled against the Habs.

Why Boston could win this series

As mentioned above this will be a very physical series and the physicality will take its toll on the Habs. Maybe Subban might be playing through an injury and that is impacting his effectiveness. Boston might be an older team, but this means they have more experience. Also, one has to be concerned with Montreal's struggles to score. There have been more than a few games this season where the Habs have struggled to score and in the playoffs it's very hard to nurse a one goal lead.

Predicted result: Montreal in 7 games


Ottawa Senators (currently 8th in the Eastern conference)

If the playoffs started today, this is the team Montreal would face. Ottawa won 2 of 3 games vs. Montreal this year. In my opinion, this is the toughest of the potential first round opponents. See below to know the reason why.

Why Montreal would win this series

The biggest advantage Montreal has over Ottawa is playoff experience. Ottawa has not been a playoff team since the 2012-2013 season. They are also a very young team, likely prone to mistakes. Yes, Ottawa is on a hot streak, but eventually they will lose again. To win this series, Montreal must stay out of the box and win the first two games of the series. This will create doubt in the heads of the Senators players.

Why Ottawa could win this series

Ottawa is on a ridiculous hot streak. At one point, they were 14 points out of a playoff position. A lot has to do with the stellar play of rookie goalie Andrew Hammond, aka the "Hamburglar". Hammond has not lost a game in regulation, going 14-0-1 during the streak. There have been countless goalies in history (Ken Dryden, Tim Thomas, and Jonathan Quick) who have gotten hot and carried their teams to the holy grail.

Predicted result: Montreal in 7 games

Two teams I'm glad Montreal won't face in the first round

The two teams are the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres thankfully are in full tank mode and have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. The Sabres and Habs met four times this season with Buffalo taking three of four. Buffalo has the potential to be a dangerous team in the next five years depending on how well they draft and develop their players. Tampa Bay, if you will recall, Montreal swept in the first round last season. However, the Lightning were missing two key pieces. Starting goalie Ben Bishop was out with a major elbow injury and forward Steven Stamkos had only recently returned from a fractured leg. Stamkos was not 100% and wasn't in game shape. This season, both players are back and that has made a massive difference to the Lightning. Should Montreal get past the first round, they will almost certainly face TB at some point in the playoffs, Likely in the EC finals.

Bottom Line

I think Montreal will win the first round, but they can be their own worst enemy. Should the Habs take any one of the Bruins, Senators or Capitals lightly, they will be in tough. The teams that make the NHL playoffs are all capable of doing damage. Montreal must capitalize on their scoring chances, stay out of the penalty box and hope the bounces go their way.

The Habs could also face the Detroit Red Wings in the first round if Tampa Bay wins the division.

Go Habs Go

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Capitals (Game #52)

Match Up:

The Canadiens (27-19-5) return home to the Bell Centre Saturday night to play host to the Capitals (22-21-8). The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and CBC.

This is the third and final game between the Habs and Caps this year, they've already split a pair of 3-2 games, but the Habs have picked up 3 of 4 points against Washington. Tomas Plekanec had a goal and an assist last time these teams met, but Mikhail Grabovsk scored a late goal to draw the Caps even and then added the shootout winner in the fourth round. Braden Holtby wass the game's first star after stopping 35 of 37 shots.

What to Watch:

The line of Tomas Plekanec, Lars Eller and Brian Gionta weren't able to find the back of the net in Detroit but they did combine for 14 of the team's 31 shots Friday night and managed to maintain an even rating. Brendan Gallagher, the lone Habs goals scorer in Detroit, scored his seventh power play goal of the season, tying him with Max Pacioretty for the team lead.

The Capitals have been held to just 3 goals in their last 4 games, and 8 in the last 7. Braden Holtby is expected to start in Montreal Saturday night, he's 0-3-1 in his last 4 starts with 17 goals allowed in that span.

What's at Stake:

Both the Habs and the Caps are in the midst of their worst streaks all season and probably looking at Saturday's game as their best opportunity to end those skids. Montreal has lost 3 straight in regulation for the first time all season, meanwhile, the Caps haven't won in their last 7, and now have 5 regulation losses in a row. The Canadiens have seen their comfortable playoff positioning reduced to a 3-point cushion over the eight placed Wings and the ninth placed Flyers, and for the first time all season, missing the playoffs looks like a real possibility.

Who's Out:

The Habs are still without Alex Galchenyuk (hand), Ryan White (upper body) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder). Alexei Emelin left Fridays game after blocking a shot in the third period but should be healthy enough to play Saturday night if he's called on.

Alex Ovechkin has missed the last two games with a lower body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Mikhail Grabovski left Friday's game with a lower body injury as well.

What Else:

This is the third time the Habs and Capitals are meeting this year and the third time their facing off as part of back-to-back games, and the first time they're meeting each other on the second night of a back-to-back stretch. For the Habs and the Caps, this is their tenth pair of games in consecutive nights. The Habs have a 5-4-0 record in the second game of these series, the Caps meanwhile are 4-3-2.

The Question Mark:

We want to hear from you, which version of the Habs that we've seen this year is the real one: the one that won 10 straight, the one that traded wins and losses in December, or the team that can't get anything going recently?

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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NHL 2013-2014 Conference Previews - Metropolitan

Paolo Migarelli comes east, and takes a look at the not-so-well named Metropolitan Conference.

The old Atlantic has been renamed and re-tooled. Add the Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes and one of the 2 newcomers in the East, the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

Renowned as one of the premier divisions boasting its representation by as much as 4 playoff teams before the merger, they will again be one of the tougher divisions to play in and will make for great fireworks down the stretch.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

NEW YORK RANGERS

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

CAROLINA HURRICANES

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

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Time To Panic? Plekanec Review, 5 Differences From Last Year

Good Morning Addicts!

It's up to Michel Therrien to rally his troops as they head into
post-season play.

With the Montreal Canadiens being handed another lopsided loss by the Washington Capitals last night, is it time to hit the panic button?

During the Habs recent three game skid I thought not. It isn't unusual to see a team release their foot from the gas after clincing a playoff spot. Whether it's due to knowing you've got a ticket to the dance or just a matter of trying to remain healthy sometimes a team's willingness to give their all just tapers off after earning the "x" next to their name in the standings.

The way they're losing however, is making it hard to have an optimistic view of things heading into the postseason. Their goaltending is suspect, the defence is a mess and their forwards aren't getting the job done. It's as if the Habs of last year have come back to haunt us.

With one win in their last five games and only three games remaining it's imperative they turn things around right away and find a way to build some momentum heading into the postseason. Being outscored 25-12 in that five game span, is making the Canadiens the team that any team in the East would drool over the oppurtunity to meet in the post season.

Last night's 5-1 loss at the hands of the Capitals was unacceptable for a team who wants to be taken seriously by anybody in the league. With only three games remaining there are no more excuses. Michel Therrien needs to find a way to get his troops to play the way that got them on top of their division.

New Jersey may not be in the hunt for a playoff spot but will relish the chance to play the part of the spoiler Tuesday night. The Jets are fighting for their playoff lives and will bring everything they have to the  ice on Thursday. The Habs final game of the season is in Toronto next Saturday and and they've struggled against the Leafs even in the best of times this season. There is no doubt the Leafs would love to walk all over the Habs one more time so Montreal needs to shape up and find their game fast or their Cinderella season will not have a fairy tale ending.

Habs And Hockey News

- Tomas Plekanec is the most recent Hab in Andrew Berkshire's (@AndrewBerkshire) Mid Season Player Review series.

- Avi Goldberg (@AviGoldberg) goes over the five differences between last year's Habs team and the current one.


(Photo by John Kenney, Montreal Gazette)

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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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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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What Is P.K. Subban Really Worth?

By Coach K and Francois Dumais

Since the announcement of an agreement in principle between the NHL and the Players’ Association, Habs’ fans have had one thing on their minds:

How long before the Canadiens sign RFA defenseman P.K. Subban?

With the recent signing by the New York Rangers of Michael Del Zotto, who is represented by the same agent as Subban, Don Meehan, the comparables game has once again come front and centre. Del Zotto signed a two-year, $5.1 Million contract on January 13^th, 2013.

There are many in the media who claim that Subban is using L.A. Kings’ defensive stalwart Drew Doughty, and his eight-year, $56 Million contract as a viable comparable. 

That leaves a huge gap between those comparables alone ($4,450,000 per season). However, numbers can’t define the importance of P.K. Subban alone.

With the announcement by Habs’ GM Marc Bergavin that he has no intention of trading P.K. Subban, it concretizes his importance in the future plans of the Canadiens. After all, Subban was on the ice an average of 39.7% of the time last season.

The Stats Don’t Lie

If you want to talk about comparables, you need only look at four of the NHL’s youngest defensemen. For the purposes of this article, we added John Carlson of the Washington Capitals to the mix, along with Del Zotto, Doughty and Subban.

Strictly from an offensive perspective, Subban finished behind our other examples in goals with seven, although he had 29 assists, giving him second behind Del Zotto. If he and his agent want to use Drew Doughty as a primary comparable, it doesn’t bode well for P.K. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 20 points less than the Kings’ D-man. That said, his points-per-game is mere 0.03 behind Doughty, due to Subban’s limited use in his first NHL season.

In overall ice-time, Subban (24:17 per game) is a mere 36 seconds on average behind Doughty (24:53 per game). Subban is second among our four defensemen in terms of TOI on the power play and penalty killing. Michael Del Zotto (PP) and John Carlson (PK) lead those respective categories.

Last 20 Games May Be Subban’s Best Case

Using a smaller sample size from last season, that being the last 20 games of their respective seasons, Subban takes the lead over our four other defensemen in goals, assists and points (4-9-13). Doughty and Del Zotto were behind him with three goals, six assists and nine points respectively.

While Del Zotto led our group on the power play with an average of 4:35 TOI (Time On Ice) per game, P.K. was right behind him in second with 3:39 TOI per game. On the penalty kill, while Doughty had a TOI per game of 2:00, Subban had a whopping 3:39 TOI per game. Overall, Subban led everyone in overall TOI per game with an average of almost 26 minutes.

Top 10 Among His Peers

If you look at Subban’s overall ranking among his NHL peers, he is ranked sixth from the top 50 defensemen in the league from an offensive perspective, with an overall score of 723. Only Zdeno Chara (BOS), Shea Weber (NSH), Kevin Shattenkirk (STL), Dan Boyle (SJS) and Alex Pietrangelo (STL) are ranked ahead of him. Doughty ranked 26^th, while Del Zotto ranked 14^th.

So What Does He Deserve To Be Paid?

If you look at our comparibles, there are solid arguments from both sides of the coin. The Rangers have a much stronger supporting cast on defense for Del Zotto than the Canadiens have for Subban. P.K.’s importance is just as high to the Habs as that of Doughty to the Kings.

If Subban and Don Meehan want to be fair to everyone, including themselves, then an average salary of $4.5 Million is a reasonable number, in our opinion, to ask for. As far as length of term is concerned, with the wealth of defensive prospects in the Canadiens’ organization, signing Subban for more than three years would be a colossal mistake.

Ultimately, it’s a question of organizational importance…for Subban. Does he want to be part of the refit of the league’s most storied franchise, or does he want to think of himself first? Compare what you will, only time will really tell.

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Canadiens to Build Condo, Bouillon Profile, Green, Pavelec and More

Hello Hab addicts!

Well, it sure seems the Montreal Canadiens are causing quite a stir with their proposed condominium complex.

Why you ask?

Because the new building is slated to be built at the current location of Centennial Plaza.

You know, that place where fans were asked to pay hundreds of dollars to contribute bricks.

That place meant to honor the greats of the franchise, featuring prominent statues of Howie Morenz, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur and Maurice Richard.

Instead, all of this will be replaced with a condo. The plaza itself is to be moved to a still unknown location.

I can't imagine why anyone would be mad about that.



Habs News

HabsAddict - Montreal Canadiens Offseason Player Profile: Francis Bouillon

HabsAddict - Press Release - Habs Sign Blake Geoffrion

HabsWorld - Geoffrion signs a one year deal

HockeyBuzz - Owners' Offer--Effect on Subban Negotiation?

Montreal Gazette - Will the ghosts finally make the move to Bell Centre?

Hockey News

Sports Illustrated - NHLPA tested by harsh CBA proposal

The Hockey News - Ken Campbell: NHL offer a reasonable start in CBA negotiations

TSN - Pavelec banned from driving in Czech Republic for 20 months

TSN - Report: Kane, Jets discussing possible six-year contract

TSN - Capitals re-sign Green to three-year, $18.25M contract

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NHL Roundup, Bryzgalov sounds off, Rangers-Caps, rumours and more

Morning puck addicts!

So how have you been handling the two days away from playoff hockey? Have you been, I don't know, buying groceries, paying bills and, heaven forbid, going outside?

It's amazing how wrapped up we all get in the intensity of the playoffs. And, when there is a rare break, like there has been the last two nights, you kind of come back to reality. You remember that there is a life outside of playoff hockey.

I know that sounds like blasphemy to you. But it's a blast for me too!

Heh.

The big NHL news, aside from tonight's Caps-Rangers Game 7, is that the Flyers' goaltending woes just got a little more woeful. Ilya Bryzgalov, who refused to talk to North American media, was more than happy to sound off about Flyer fans, to a Russian newspaper. And it was ugly...

Eight more years with a $5.66 million cap hit? Ya, good luck with that contract.

Hockey News

HabsAddict.com - NHL Roundup: Playoff storylines, Gainey returns, Robinson and more

Hockey Inside/Out - Game 7 looms tonight for Rangers-Capitals

Habsworld.net - Who should be the next Habs' coach?

TSN - BRYZGALOV SOUNDS OFF ABOUT PHILLY FANS TO RUSSIAN PAPER

TSN - COYOTES CREATING EXCITEMENT ABOUT HOCKEY WITH PLAYOFF RUN

TSN - A YEAR AFTER BREAKUP, CARTER AND RICHARDS LOVING LIFE AS KINGS

TSN - DREGER'S MAILBAG: LATEST ON DUDLEY-HABS, FLYERS, PREDATORS

ESPN - Braden Holtby won't be intimidated

ESPN - Rangers need offensive boost in Game 7

Spector's Hockey - Flyers and Predators Rumors – May 11, 2012

(Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Coyotes, Glendale, Rangers and More

Good morning hockey fans!

If, at any point before the start of the playoffs, you thought the Western Conference Final would be between the Phoenix Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings, I will buy you a cola.

Seriously.

Now, two teams who have never won a Stanley Cup will fight for the chance at grabbing the ultimate prize.

Two teams in oft derided southern markets have a chance to represent the West.

And two of the top ten television markets on the continent will rule the hockey airwaves for the next round.

Good for the growth of the league and, by extension, of the game. Wouldn't you say?

Habs News

HabsWorld.net - HW 3 Stars - The 2011-12 Season

La Presse - Martin Lapointe chez le CH?

Hockey News

Sports Illustrated - Playoff pressure on goaltenders is more intense than ever

Sports Illustrated - Giroux’s hit on Zubrus gives Shanahan second chance to get ruling right

The Hockey News - Ken Campbell: Why Glendale will regret keeping Coyotes

The Hockey News - Joel Ward penalty costs Capitals series advantage; Mike Smith levels up to Round 3

TSN - Bettman announces tentative agreement on sale of Coyotes

TSN - Cullen: Rangers, Coyotes record big wins Monday

USA Today - Coyotes knock out Predators, move into conference final

USA Today - Plenty of blame for Predators' collapse

USA Today - Rangers stun Capitals in overtime after late tying goal

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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Bergevin named GM, Triple OT, Nashville and More

Good morning Hab fans!

Yesterday was certainly a day rich in stories, both in Montreal and across the league.

As you well know by now, Marc Bergevin was named the Montreal Canadiens' 17th General Manager. Kamal and I also covered the story earlier yesterday, which you can find here.

While many questions are still unanswered, Bergevin quickly made his mark, moving embattled interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth back to his post as assistant coach. He also made it clear that whoever becomes the new head coach will decide whether Cuneyworth remains.
Elsewhere, the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals played the longest game in these playoffs, needing three overtime periods before Marian Gaborik potted the game winning goal for the Blueshirts.

Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators' gamble of sitting top-scorers Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn paid off, as they defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0.

It's never dull at this time of year, is it?

Habs News

HabsAddict - Marc Bergevin Named the Next GM of the Montreal Canadiens

HabsAddict - Habs Press Release - Marc Bergevin appointed General Manager

ESPN - Marc Bergevin can arrest Habs' cultural slide

HabsWorld.net - Marc Bergevin Named GM

La Presse - Marc Bergevin, le gars de Pointe-Saint-Charles

La Presse - Bergevin: le nouveau visage souriant du Canadien

RDS - Enfin de la fraîcheur

The Hockey News - Adam Proteau: Light-hearted Marc Bergevin perfect fit as Canadiens GM

The Hockey News - VIDEO: THN Puck Panel – Montreal Canadiens hire Marc Bergevin as new GM

TSN - Off-Season Game Plan: Montreal Canadiens

TSN - Montreal's Man

Hockey News

ESPN - Radulov, Kostitsyn sitting out Game 4

ESPN - Odds are McLellan will stay with Sharks

The Hockey News - Capitals blow opportunity; will Radulov and Kostitsyn return for Predators in Game 4?

TSN - McKenzie: Could Rangers have won battle but lost war?

TSN - Fraser: Why no slashing call on David Clarkson?

USA Today - Predators beat Coyotes without suspended pair

USA Today - Gaborik lifts Rangers past Capitals in third OT

(Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Ovechkin Sits, Kings Win and More

Good morning hockey fans!

What unusual sights last night.

Alex Ovechkin played only around 13 minutes for the victorious Washington Capitals, which represented a career-low for the star winger. In spite of of the limited time, AO potted the game winning goal for his team.

Meanwhile, in the Midwest, the Los Angeles Kings matched a season-high output with a five goal outburst against the usually defensively stout St. Louis Blues.

Odd times.

Then again, odd has kind of been the new normal this post-season.

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Geoff Molson: 12 Steps to Recovery

Faceoff - Habs feel pain of Subban's Team Canada injury

Faceoff- Luongo could be a lesson for Price talks

RDS - A. Savard aimerait que le CH le contacte

TSN - Canada's Subban to miss pre-tournament game with injury

Hockey News

ESPN - Jaroslav Halak out for entire series

La Presse - Une tour et un joueur dans leur splendeur

Sports Illustrated - Coyotes become aggressive, Predators defenseless in Game 2

TSN - McKenzie: Hunter not worried about Ovechkin's ice time

TSN - Cullen: Ovechkin sits then scores; Kings roll in St. Louis

USA Today - Kings take 2-0 series lead against Blues

USA Today - Ovechkin powers Capitals past Rangers in Game 2

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Quick Picks: NHL Conference Semifinals

Round one is now well behind us, with only eight teams remaining in contention for Lord Stanley's cup.

Notwithstanding the fact that Round Two got into full swing last night and that I had a miserable 3-5 record for predictions in the opening round, I will nonetheless deliver picks for the Conference Semifinals.

Take them for their worth.

East: New York Rangers (1) vs. Washington Capitals (7)

My pick: Washington Capitals in seven games

Why? The Washington Capitals recently pulled a stunning upset of the defending Stanley Cup champions and they have the ability to pull off another such upset against the top-seeded New York Rangers.

Both teams have received stellar goaltending and put up fantastic defensive performances. Both squads have also seen a lot of their scoring come from their depth players as opposed to their stars.

But the Rangers stars have been far quieter, and that is worrisome. While Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan are one-two in team scoring, other offensively minded players have been silent. Namely, Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky have been absent from the scoresheet, each contributing only one point thus far.

Conversely, in Washington, Alex Ovechkin leads his squad with five points. Brooks Laich and Nicklas Backstrom are right behind with four points. Even the enigmatic Alex Semin has looked involved these playoffs and has a decent three goal output, including one game winner.

None of the above statistics are especially impressive, but neither team had an opportunity to pad their stats due to the very defensive nature of their previous series.

If Washington continues to receive contributions throughout its lineup, that should tip the scales in their favor.

Assuming, of course, that Braden Holtby continues his strong play.

East:`Philadelphia Flyers (5) vs. New Jersey Devils (6)

My pick: New Jersey Devils in seven games.

Why? The Devils can keep pucks out of their net. Martin Brodeur regained some of his form of old, posting a .922 save percentage and miniscule 2.06 goals against average in his series against the Florida Panthers.

Mind you, the Panthers are not as offensively potent as the Philadelphia Flyers, but the above numbers remain impressive. And those numbers become even more impressive when contrasted with Ilya Bryzgalov's monstrous 3.89 goals against average and pedestrian .871 save percentage.

Even should this series turn into a more offensively focused one, the Devils possess the tools to compete in such a context. Zach Parise, Ilya Kovalchuk, Travis Zajac and Adam Henrique own the ability to trade blows with the likes of Claude Giroux, Jaromir Jagr and Daniel Briere.

In the end, New Jersey's ability to defend should help them prevail.

West: St. Louis Blues (2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (8)

My pick: Los Angeles Kings in seven games

Why?  Maybe because the Kings have the best goaltender in the NHL in Jonathan Quick.

Or maybe because Dustin Brown has been a force.

Or maybe because I am not predisposed to picking the Blues for some reason.

Or maybe because I am in an upset-picking mood.

West: Phoenix Coyotes (3) vs. Nashville Predators (4)

My pick: Phoenix Coyotes in seven games

Why? In the spirit of full disclosure, it should be said that these lines were written following Phoenix's 4-3 overtime triumph in Game 1.

Given that extra information, it should be evident that the Phoenix Coyotes are more than able to bend without breaking. Going to overtime a stunning six times already this post-season, Dave Tippet's squad is on an extra-time run reminiscent of the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.

The Nashville Predators are undoubtedly a mighty, physical foe. But their top-scorers, namely Martin Erat, Patrick Hornqvist and the Kostitsyn brothers, are sporadic playoff performers.

In contrast, the Coyotes have received important contributions throughout their lineup, with both their depth players and defense stepping up with important points. While they may be devoid of top-flight talent, the Coyotes offer up almost four full lines of individuals capable of scoring. That is quite difficult to compose with, even for a talented coach like Barry Trotz.

Oh yeah, and they have some dude named Mike Smith in net. No disrespect to the excellent Pekka Rinne, but advantage Phoenix.  

What are your thoughts on Round Two?

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Louis is an Associate Editor and Senior Writer at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Nill, Roy, Bruins Out and More

Good morning hockey fans!

I assume most of us in these parts were pretty pleased to see the Boston Bruins ousted by the Washington Capitals.

And what a surprise, at least to a degree.

In the offseason, many, including myself, felt that George McPhee made tremendous moves to make the Captials a playoff contender.

However, at the end of a tumultuous campaign that saw them fire their coach, lose their top two netminders to injury and then barely squeak into the playoffs, expectations were quite low entering this post-season.

Now, the Capitals might just be the Cinderella team of the playoffs.

Of the remaining teams, who do you think is most likely to be this year's belle of the ball?


Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Detroit's Jim Nill Says 'No' to Montreal Canadiens GM Position

HabsAddict.com - Habs Roundup: Pacioretty, Nill and Kristo

La Presse - Les défis du futur DG du CH

La Presse - Serge Savard: «Patrick Roy est un candidat intéressant»

RDS - C'est à n'y rien comprendre

Louis' Note: Another Bertrand Raymond rant about the Habs not picking a Francophone. You have been warned.

TSN - Savard talks to Roy as Habs' GM search continues

Hockey News

ESPN - Eastern Conference matchup scenarios

The Hockey News - Lack of B's 'O' gives Capitals the upset win

TSN - McKenzie: Capitals used Dale Hunter hockey to upset Bruins

TSN - Lundqvist, Quick, Rinne nominated for Vezina Trophy

USA Today - Joel Ward's game-winner for Capitals unleashes racist tweets

USA Today - Capitals dismiss Stanley Cup champ Bruins from playoffs

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

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Sens, Caps push Bruins, Rangers to brink, Blues bounce Sharks, Habs prospects and more

Man, are the 2012 NHL playoffs ever not playing out the way I thought they would. Most of the series aren't over yet—except for the Blues who eliminated the Sharks last night.

That series aside, the underdogs are mostly winning or leading their respective series'. And that is surprising, to say the least.

Phoenix leading Chicago? Check.

The Caps leading the Bruins? Check.

The Sens leading the Rangers? Check.

Who woulda thunk it? Especially with the Bs and Rangers. But hey, that's why they say the Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy to win. You can do so much during the regular season and, in the playoffs, it doesn't mean squat.

Can you imagine the Sens eliminating what looked like an unstoppable juggernaut in the Rangers? How about the lowly Caps, barely squeaking into the playoffs, bouncing the defending champion Bruins? They'll get that chance, today and man will that ever be a good game.

Will you be watching? I know I will.

Habs News

Hockey's Future - Hard work and character headline the first edition of Montreal Prospect Awards

RDS - Dernier hommage pour Émile Bouchard
Hockey News

Hockey Inside/Out - Rangers teetering vs Senators, Blues advance, Caps can bounce Bruins today

TSN - SPEZZA'S GOAL THE DIFFERENCE MAKER AS SENATORS SINK RANGERS

TSN - CAPITALS PUSH DEFENDING CHAMP BRUINS TO BRINK OF ELIMINATION

TSN - PANTHERS BLANK DEVILS TO MOVE A WIN AWAY FROM SECOND ROUND

TSN - TORRES SUSPENDED 25 GAMES FOR LATE HIT TO HEAD ON HOSSA

TSN - VIGNEAULT: CANUCKS NEED MORE CLUTCH PERFORMERS IN GAME 5

TSN - WINGS' LIDSTROM SAYS HE NEEDS TIME BEFORE DISCUSSING FUTURE

ESPN - Rising Blues close window on Sharks

THN - Thomas' play has Bruins on brink; Devils own deeds their undoing; Anderson doing Lundqvist impression; Sharks window closes

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Habs News, Clock Stop, Gill, Holtby and More

Morning hockey fans!

Wow. Can you imagine the proverbial gong show had the Boston Bruins scored in the dying seconds of last night's contest against the Washington Capitals?

With 9.5 seconds left in the game, the game-clock operator realized 0.9 seconds should have been added. But off-ice officials couldn't get the attention of the on-ice officials, meaning that the clock wasn't re-started until 5.3 seconds after the ensuing faceoff. In the extra few seconds of play, Braden Holtby — who made 44 saves in his team's 2-1 win — was even forced to make one final, big save.

The clock-related incident in Columbus caused a stir earlier this season. In the playoffs, the controversy would have only been multiplied exponentially.

Habs News

HabsWorld.net - Introduction: How to build a winning hockey team in the modern NHL

IIHF - The next Forsberg?

Louis' Note: Filip Forsberg is a consensus top-five pick, meaning he could very well end up with the Habs at the 2012 draft.

La Presse - Hal Gill: «Ils ont viré Jacques Martin, mais rien n'a changé»

La Presse - À quand un commanditaire sur le chandail du Tricolore?

Hockey News

ESPN - Things to know from Thursday's games

ESPN - NHL on Caps-Bruins clock malfunction

The Hockey News - Holtby staring down Bruins; Brodeur shows Hall of Fame form; Western powerhouses on the brink

The Hockey News - Adam Proteau: Hockey closer to having first openly gay player

TSN - McKenzie: Holtby has busy night but delivers for Capitals

TSN - NHL says crowd noise led to extra time at end of Capitals' win

USA Today - Blues one win away from dispatching Sharks

USA Today - Holtby lifts Capitals to series-tying win

USA Today - Coyotes put Blackhawks on the brink with third overtime win

USA Today - Brodeur nets 24th playoff shutout as Devils cruise


(Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

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Quick Picks: Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

Playoffs are upon us. And that means two things: long, excruciating overtimes that deprive us of sleep and predictions.

For today, I will indulge in the latter, in the game of predictions.

Not that I feel that I can offer any particular insight on the matter, but should I look like a genius with my picks, I would most certainly like to have my prescience available on a public forum of some sort.

If I err, then I can simply brush off my misguided selections and mention that predictions are for gypsies.

First off, let us look at the four confrontations in the Eastern Conference.

New York Rangers (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (8)

My pick: New York Rangers in five games

Why? Ottawa definitely has some positives going for them in this matchup. They have won their season series against the Rangers, are offensively more prolific and their top forwards have produced at a far better rate. The Sens have also shown an incredible ability to come from behind, sitting near the top of the league in third period goals and come from behind wins.

Yet, come the post-season, none of that will matter. The Rangers are one of the tightest defensive teams in the league, sitting in the top-six in goals against, shots against, penalty killing, blocked shots and hits. Meanwhile, Henrik Lundqvist has been superlative, posting a Vezina-worthy 1.95 goals against average and .931 save percentage.

Simply put, it will be too much to overcome for the Senators.

Boston Bruins (2) vs. Washington Capitals (7)

My pick: Boston Bruins in five games.

Why? Unless Braden Holtby – who is the presumed starter as both Michael Neuvirth and Tomas Vokoun are injured – is the next coming of Cam Ward, this could prove to be a short series. Facing the high-powered Bruins, whose +67 goal differential leads the league, is a mighty task for a rookie netminder with 21 games of NHL experience.

Offensively, the Caps are far too one-dimensional and will make life easy for Claude Julien, who simply needs to match Zdeno Chara against whichever unit Alex Ovechkin is assigned too.

There is potential for an upset here, but too many pieces need to come together for that to happen.

Florida Panthers (3) vs. New Jersey Devils (6)

My pick: Florida Panthers in seven games

Why? This series predicts to be one of the closest in the first round.

The teams are far closer than the standings initially indicate, with New Jersey padding their points total thanks to a whopping 12 wins via the shootout. In terms of regulation or overtime victories, the Devils have only four more wins than the Panthers.

The two squads have also combined for an eye-popping 47 overtime games.

Both have serious questions about their goaltending and offense. The duo of Jose Theodore and Scott Clemmensen do not have especially gaudy playoff reputations while the Martin Brodeur advantage has somewhat dissipated in recent years. In two of Brodeur’s past three playoff campaigns, his save percentage has dipped below the .900 mark.

Each attack is lead by players with limited post-season experience. Ilya Kovalchuk, David Clarkson and Adam Henrique have yet to prove themselves as playoff performers while the same can be said for the Panthers’ Stephen Weiss and Tomas Fleischmann.

In the end, though, the Panthers are playing with the advantage of home-ice without any of the habitual pressure associated with being the higher seed. That should provide them with the edge needed to squeak past the Devils.

Pittsburgh Penguins (4) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (5)

My pick: Pittsburgh Penguins in six games

Why? The Flyers are a good team, no doubt, but the analysis is rather simple here.

The Penguins are better in goal, dominant up the middle – they have some dudes named Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin – and, given the absence of Chris Pronger for the Flyers, their blueline is also superior.

It is hard to imagine that a team with such a clear edge at such important positions would not prevail.

What are your thoughts on Round One in the Eastern Conference?

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Louis is an Associate Editor at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images North America)

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Canadiens - Capitals: Habs Register 50th Loss In Spite of Better Effort

As opposed to Friday night's faceoff against the Rangers, the Montreal Canadiens demonstrated much more zeal against the Washington Capitals, even outright dominating the contest at times.

In fact, Montreal outshot its opponent by a 41-33 margin and recovered from a 0-2 deficit to force a shootout.

Unforunately for the Canadiens, the Capitals have a deeper arsenal for use in the Skills Competition and scored on two of their three attempts.

David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty were unable to convert on their chances. That's too bad, since it deprived Aaron Palushaj of his first opportunity to participate in an NHL shootout.

After all, it's not like he's been getting breakaways in regular game action. Then again, it's not like Brad Staubitz is going to spring him loose with a perfect, 50-foot pass either.

In the end, the Habs would drop the game 3-2 and register their 50th loss of the season. Peter Budaj made 31 saves in the defeat.

Capitals' Lack of Effort

Aren't the Caps fighting for their playoff lives? Because, last night, it sure as hell did not look that way.

For the better part of the final forty minutes, they were absolutely brutal. With the Buffalo Sabres letting a gimme slip away against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Capitals should have had ample motivation to quickly bury the East's worst team.

Instead, they somehow let the game get to a shootout. And, honestly, after allowing 41 shots, they were lucky it got that far.

It's certainly popular to bash Alex Ovechkin for his team's woes, especially since he has posted numbers well below the standards he has set for himself.

But where the heck is Mike Green this year? As our Frank Dumais pointed out on Twitter, the blueliner has one assist in his last 21 games. Overall, he has seven points in 29 contests this season.

Not good enough.

Reverse Scoreboard Watching

In the bizzaro world of the NHL Draft Lottery, last night's results were quite favorable to Montreal.

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally won a game at home, giving them a four point cushion ahead of the Habs.

Meanwhile, out west, Minnesota dampened the L.A Kings playoff chances with a 4-3 OT win. The Wild now find themselves three points up on the Canadiens with a game in hand.

More and more, it looks like the Habs are en-route for a top-three pick this summer.

The future GM will be pleased about that.

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Louis is an Associate Editor at HabsAddict.com. Born in Chicago, Louis grew up in Quebec City where he earned Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Université Laval. Find him on twitter @LouisMoustakas

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

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Habs by the Numbers: Have This Year's NHL Coaching Changes Worked?

Hello again Habs Addicts!

As we get closer to the end of the season, I was wondering about all of the coaching changes that happened in the NHL this season, and whether they payed off?

So here's a look and some of the details...

Relatively "slow" year in terms of changes

I've taken the time to put together a couple of charts for your statistical enjoyment. I've broken this down into two groups: winners and losers.

In all, seven teams decided to make a coaching change this season, which is a relatively low number.

The first change came on November 30th, when coach Randy Carlyle was removed from Anaheim, after six full seasons at the helm (and .598 winning percentage in 492 games).

And, let's not forget a Stanley Cup Championship!

The last coaching change came on March 2nd, when Brian Burke fired long time accomplice Ron Wilson, replacing him with long time accomplice Randy Carlyle (him again!).

And the winners are ...

Looking at the chart below, four of seven teams that made a change have ended up "winners", and all of them in a big way!

We all know about Ken Hitchcock and the Blues, which were 24th in the league standings (6-7-0) at the time of the change. They've since gone 42-13-9 (.727), and are currently in 1st place in the NHL.

Another interesting note is that three of the four teams are from the Western conference (no Western team in the "losers" chart, if you notice). Also, the only Eastern team, Carolina, is now being coached by ex-Habs assistant, Kirk Muller. He's managed an impressive 23-18-11 (.548) after picking up the 26th ranked team last November 28th.

And the losers are ...

Of course, the first team that jumps to mind is Montreal.

Under coach Cunneyworth, Montreal has regressed by 16%. Also, when Jacques Martin was replaced, the Canadiens were 11th in the Eastern conference, and only two points out of sixth place. Montreal is now 15th and last in the East, as well as 14 points out of a playoff spot, after going 16-22-7 (.433) under their new coach.

Washington has been another disappointment, going .536 under new coach Dale Hunter, while under-performing as a team loaded with talented youths.

Finally, the most shocking of all changes has to be the Toronto Maple Leafs' decision to let go of Ron Wilson after 64 games. A month before being fired, Wilson had the Leafs in 7th place in the East, 4 points behind 5th place Pittsburgh, seriously eyeing a playoff spot for the first time since the lockout.

In February, the Leafs suddenly went 4-9-1 (.321), and slid into the 11th spot, five points out of playoff contention. It was at that point that Burke decided to "pull the plug" on Wilson, and brought in Carlyle.

Since that move, in 13 games, the Leafs have gone 4-7-2 (.385), and have not won once in their last 10 games at home. I think Mr. Burke will have some explaining to do this summer.

Is change really good, Donkey?

I, for one, think that, in general, NHL teams are very quick to replace head coaches.

Yes, it's easier to replace a coach than it is to trade underperforming players in this salary cap crazy era. Granted.

But I still think that, most of the time, teams end up with the same results, since the issue is more often than not "on the ice", and not behind the bench. Yet, they replace the guy behind the bench.

Do you think NHL teams should show more patience/stability with their coaching staff?

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Frank Dumais is a freelance writer, currently contributing to HabsAddict.com “Habs By the numbers” regular column. He writes on current Habs and NHL topics, but with a “numbers twist”.

Follow Frank on Twitter

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images )

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