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Thursday, February 5, 2015

Should The Montreal Canadiens Trade For Evander Kane?

12:10 PM Fred Poulin 9 comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Who are you willing to offer for Evander Kane?

*************************************************

Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

Budaj vs Tangradi Trade Analysis

4:29 PM Unknown 11 comments

Today, we learned Habs GM Marc Bergevin finally made a choice about which goaltender is going to be Carey Price's backup for the upcoming season, and it seems Dustin Tokarski has won the second goaltending spot in Montreal. The Canadiens confirmed they have traded goaltender Peter Budaj and prospect Patrick Holland to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for journeyman Eric Tangradi. Here's my point of view on that situation.

Budaj definitely had a pretty good year last season as a backup goaltender (10-8-3, with a 2.51 goal against average and a 0.909 efficiency) and always kept a professional attitude, whatever happened. The perfect teammate, the Slovakian goalie never seemed affected by the possibility of Tokarski getting his spot as the second goaltender of the Canadiens. The reason behind the trade must be the inability of Budaj to perform under pressure. Sure, as a backup, he could definitely step up his game when asked for it, but on long trips, he always cracked up after playing two or three straight games. He could always deliver one or two good performances, but he failed to show up when he had to start many games in a row.

More than that, he had chances to show what he could do during the playoffs, but he has never been able to prove he deserved to be in the net at that crucial time of the year (7 games started, 0-2 with an awful GAA of 5.13 and a terrible 0.843 save percentage). In fact, in the only game he started last playoffs, he allowed three goals on eight shots, not to mention the year before against Ottawa, he allowed seven goals on 31 shots. With Winnipeg, he will come in the room as a veteran who has some experience, and he will be able to help their young players grow up just like Gionta will do in Buffalo.

As for Tokarski, many people told me they were expecting Bergevin to send him down to Hamilton for another year, but what you must keep in mind is that if Tokarski had been cut, he would have had to go on waivers for 24 hours, then another team could have claimed him, and then, the Habs would have lost him for nothing and it is pretty certain a team would have claimed the young keeper. He had a pretty decent season with Hamilton last year considering their very young team (20-16-3 with a 2.38 average and 0.919 efficiency) and showed promising things when he was called up to replace Carey Price against the New York Rangers last spring (2-3 with a 2.60 average and a 0.916 save percentage). Not only that, but he has been one of the Canadiens' top players during this last playoffs run. Bergevin always said he wanted to bring as many young players as he could in the big league since he want the Habs to be competitive for a long time, so he did not have any other choice than to promote Tokarski as Price's backup and trade Peter Budaj.

We also learned today that Peter Budaj had asked to be traded after last season since he was not happy about the way the organization treated him. Still, he didn't go publicly as he is a pure professional.

Instead of losing Budaj for nothing by placing him on the waiver wire, Montreal's general manager decided to trade him for forward Eric Tangradi. As a trade, I think it is a good fit for both teams. Former Winnipeg Jets forward Tangradi in on the last year of a two-year contract worth $1.35M. His cap hit counts for 675,000$, compared to Budaj's salary of $1.4M for the upcoming season, so Habs save $725,000 in salary. Patrick Holland is not included in these maths because he is mostly going to play in AHL. However, if by any chance he would be playing in the NHL, his salary would be a $640,000 cap hit. Financially speaking, Bergevin made a pretty good move there. Also, Budaj really couldn't bring anything else to the Habs, as though Tangradi can bring a physical presence as well as being a 4th liner and bench warmer if needed. Don't expect him to score 30 goals, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Therrien dress him against bigger opponents such as Boston or Philadelphia.

All in all, I think it is a pretty good trade. Only time will tell if Tokarski will be able to live up to his status of #2 goaltender. One thing is certain though. Our future is pretty bright in goal, with Price, Tokarski and the promising Zachary Fucale.

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Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Jets (Game #56)

11:25 PM Unknown 2 comments

montreal canadiens vs winnipeg jets inaugural

Match Up:

The Canadiens (29-20-6) play host to the Winnipeg Jets (26-25-5) Sunday afternoon, hours prior to Super Bowl 48. The game starts at 1:00 pm and airs on RDS and CBC.

This is the second and final meeting between these two teams this season. The Canadiens earned a 3-0 victory in Winnipeg in October. Brandon Prust scored the game winning goal 2 minutes into the game, while Carey Price made 36 saves to earn the shutout.

What to Watch:

The Canadiens had trouble producing offense against the Lightning Saturday afternoon especially with the man advantage. During their 4 power play chances the Habs had just 5 shots and allowed 4 against, giving up a shorthanded goal in the process. Previously a top-5 team on the power play the Canadiens have slipped to 15th in the league with an 18.6% efficiency and a distressing 15.5% effectiveness on home ice.

Since new head coach Paul Maurice took over the reigns, the Jets have gone 7-2-0 with their only losses coming by one-goal deficits. Dustin Byfuglien seems to have transitioned to forward full time, except for a bit of point duty in power play situations. Buff has 2 goals and 4 assists since Maurice took over.

What's at Stake:

The OT loss to Tampa Saturday afternoon left the Habs 5 points back of the Bolts, and with the Leafs beating the Senators Saturday night they're also 2 points behind Toronto. After losing 4 straight, the Canadiens have now earned points in their last 3 games. With just one week of hockey left until the Olympic break, they'll try to keep that streak alive as long as possible.

Who's Out:

Alex Galchenyuk (hand) won't be ready to play until after the Olympic break, but Ryan White (upper body) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder) are getting close to their returns. Michael Bournival (illness) missed Saturday's game against the Bolts, and will likely be a game time decision against the Jets.

The Jets are missing Evander Kane (hand) who suffered a deep cut against the Lightning early in January, returned to action later in the month but was again forced out when the hand became infected. Grant Clitsome (back), Jim Slater (hernia) and Matt Halischuk (forearm) are also out for Winnipeg.

What Else:

The Canadiens tradition of playing back-to-back games on Super Bowl weekend dates back to 1991, that year the Bruins beat the Habs 3-1 on Super Bowl Sunday. During the Super Bowl that year, the Buffalo Bills would lose their first of four straight Championship appearances, dropping a 20-19 decision to the New York Giants. In 2011, the Habs and Jets faced off on Super Bowl Sunday and the Canadiens skated off with a 3-0 victory. In the 22 Sunday games since 1991, the Habs have gone 13-8-0 with 1 tie.

The Question Mark:

Broncos or Seahawks?

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.

Habs/Jets Post game October 15th 2013

11:42 PM Unknown No comments

Playing at the MTS center can be intimidating for any opponent. The Jets gain an extra jump in their game and push a little harder for the fans in attendance. Tonight Carey Price posted his first shut-out of the season in a 35 save performance

For Carey Price, the game was a progression of sorts. The Jets started slow with 8 shots in the first but ended up shooting 15 in the third. Of the many shots he faced, he needed to come up big against the speedy wingers that the Jets boast in Kane and Wheeler. His ability to keep the puck out while the team had a 2 goal lead is solid stepping stone. He is building character and mental toughness early, this was also noticed during the Philadelphia game in which he held a 1 goal lead for a majority of that outing. Price gets to come back to the Bell center with the fans confident in him, offering their full support for the Habs net-minder.

The scoring opened early on with a goal from Brandon Prust. Prust handled and forced in a puck that bounced off of the end-boards coming off a Danny Briere point shot. Briere also logged his first goal as a Canadien, all-be-it an empty netter, he'll take what he can get at this point. Early criticism has been sent his way, especially given the fact that he is earning 4 million dollars. Some players just need that empty netter to get the ball rolling,hopefully this will be the case for Briere.

P.K. Subban was a TOI leader tonight for the Habs logging 25 minutes. He ripped a slapshot passed Pavelec from the point and was often the most exciting player on the ice. On any given night Subban plays a sound defensive game usually accompanied by a strong offensive presence. Tonight it just seemed like it was more of the same. It is early but his recent performances are making a strong case to appear on Team Canada's olympic roster.

I am pleasantly surprised to say that David Desharnais had a strong game. Often in the doghouse for a majority of this young season. He had an assist on the Subban goal and a finished a +2. He also proved to be useful by back-checking on many occasions showing grit. He stringed together a few sequences that left the Jets defense looking silly, but didn't manage to finish. Regardless it was a well needed boost to his confidence given his recent demotion to the third line.

A moment that had the Habs faithful holding their breath was the early injury to Max Pacioretty. He took an awkward fall and seemed to favor his left leg. No official statement has been made but it is safely diagnosable as a lower-body injury. In his absence, coach Therrien did bring back the EGG line who were left pointless but still showed chemistry, and making the most of Prust and Moen who were rotated on the third and forth lines.

The west coast trip wrapped up rather well for the Canadiens who took 6 points of a possible 8 on the road. Getting these west coast games out of the way early with success could result in a strong home stand in the next few games. Columbus visits Montreal on thursday night, although they are now an east coast team, they still remain similar to a west coast opponent, being only one year removed from the wild wild west. The Canadiens proved they can handle the west on the road, time to prove it at home ice.

NHL 2013-2014 Conference Previews – Central

11:43 PM Coach K No comments

Paolo Mingarelli dives into the next conference out West, the Central, home of the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The Central division, as it stands, could be the host of the Western Conference Final. The Blackhawks and Blues are expected to make post-season appearances and will do so while making the seasons challenging for their division rivals. Much progress is being made by teams who have recently finished in the bottom tier of the NHL standings, of which 3 teams are located in the Central.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

ST. LOUIS BLUES

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

DALLAS STARS

MINNESOTA WILD

COLORADO AVALANCHE

WINNIPEG JETS

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

11:43 AM Sean Lloyd 2 comments

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)

Daly/Fehr Talk, Politics in Sports, Kane Leaves KHL And More...

12:32 PM Sean Lloyd No comments

Good Morning Addicts!

Just days after league commissioner Gary Bettman suggested the two sides take a two week break from negotiations, it seems the two sides have resumed talking. While there were no negotiations Deputy commissioner Bill Daly spoke over the phone with special councel Steve Fehr.

The two were expected to speak more over the weekend about further steps in bargaining talks.

With every article I read on this topic I can't help but notice words like "optimistic", "progress" and "positive results". And each time I see these terms I can help but wonder, who is buying this?

When you have one side that seems to have made it's best offer by giving up a billion dollars worth of concessions and another that would prefer to take a break rather than continue to work towards common ground, how can you see an end in sight?

After going over that last paragraph I realize it looks like I'm taking the players side. I'm not. I don't back the players and I in no way back the owners. In fact, I'm not even on the fans side.

At this point how can I feel bad for fans? If it's been this long and you haven't found anything in life to keep you busy Saturday nights then perhaps the lockout isn't your biggest problem. Go to dinner, catch up with friends, spend time with your family...

I refuse to feel pity for anybody who follows this lockout too closely. Both sides are trying to win sympathy and too many fans are falling for it. Just sit back and let the billionairs argue with the millionairs and when they finally agree on what to do with your money then turn the game on. Or don't.

Personally, I will. I love the game. If they take another season to figure this whole mess out I will still return when hockey does. I just refuse to make my non hockey life about waiting for it's return and falling for every line I'm fed by either side.

And with that said I apologize for the bitterness. I don't mean to start your Saturday morning with negativity, I have just become fed up with how too many (not all) fans have fallen victim to false hope. I don't blame anybody for being opinionated, I just feel bad for anybody who thinks that what they think about this mess matters. It doesn't. Your money matters, the owners and players can whisper all the sweet nothings into your ears to win you over but the bottom line is they don't care. Whether or not we forgive and forget doesn't mean anything to them as long as they get paid. And they will.

Habs And Hockey News

- Avi Goldberg (@avigoldberg) featured writer over at Allhabs.com takes an interesting look on politics, sports and the lockout.

- It seems the KHL was too much for Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane.

- TSN reports that Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider may be getting tired of the lockout.

- Habs prospect Brendan Gallagher's two goals lead the Bulldogs to a 6-3 win over the Toronto Marlies last night.

Alex Galchenyuk Will Get Nine-Game Look With Montreal Canadiens

7:08 AM Amos Legault 4 comments

Alex Galchenyuk's first moments as a Canadien

Greetings addicts!

As October takes its sweet time in arriving, there's more than enough question marks surrounding the Montreal Canadiens.

Most interesting to me is Alex Galchenyuk and what his immediate future holds. After all, when was the last time we had such a highly touted prospect in the system?

Let's just say I wasn't a Habs fan yet.

The "Nine-Game Look"

It's too early to tell if he will be the first draft choice in decades to make the jump to the Habs right away—Petr Svoboda being the last to do so in 1984—but my money is on Galchenyuk getting the nine-game look.

What is the nine-game look? Well, the NHL has a rule that a rookie player can play nine games in the league without it taking a full year off of their rookie status.

In other words, they can still be sent down after those nine games, come up the following year and still be a rookie.

When it comes to the Habs, it could be argued that their second and third lines would do well to play with familiarity players, or that nine games with the big club could negatively effect Gally's confidence.

But these shouldn't be things to worry about.

For the sake of Michel Therrien's head, I hope a good start to the season is in store, but fans will need to exercise some serious patients this time around.

In regards to confidence, well, just look at Mark Scheifele's rookie preseason with the Winnipeg Jets last year. He led the team in scoring with four goals and eight points in five games. Only Mike Ribeiro had more preseason points in the NHL. The Jets then gave him the nine games, where he showed to be lacking a bit of strength.

He was excellent against rookie-laden teams, but didn't learn much about himself until those nine games. Overall, though, it was a wholly positive experience for Scheifele.

Getting Back On His Knee

Unless he falls flat on his face, Gally should start the regular season a Hab for the same reasons Scheifele did. To find out where he's rusty and to really feel where his surgically repaired knee is at.

As former teammate Nail Yakupov will likely join the Edmonton Oilers from the get-go, there is a serious confidence boost to be had for Gally with a full year as the Sarnia Sting's top player—if not the OHL's top player.

That being said, one simply cannot rule out the possibility of him sticking with the team for good after those nine games.

Galchenyuk is a kid with an astonishingly complete game for his age. The only possible thing that could be called a weakness is his physical game, which isn't an essential asset if you do everything else well.

It is my opinion that if this...

...didn't happen, I may not even be writing about him right now.

Someone in Edmonton would be.

What do you guys think about the nine-game look? Are you nervous about the right thing being done to secure his full potential? If Gally maintains as complete a game as he's shown in the past and it translates to the NHL, should he still return to Sarnia for a season? Do you feel he needs to be more physical to be a No. 1 pivot in the NHL?

Let's hear it!

---
Amos is freelance writer and columnist who covers prospects for HabsAddict.com. He also covers the Habs for RantSports.com. Follow Amos on Twitter and Facebook

(Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images North America)

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

12:18 PM Louis Moustakas No comments

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

Habs/Sens post game, Leafs, Jets, Cole pots 30, NHL discipline and more

9:21 AM Unknown No comments

Morning puck addicts!

So it seems your Montreal Canadiens still have a few tricks up their sleeves. The cellar-dwelling Habs downed the Sens, last night, in a spirited match that included several fights.

Mostly notably, Ryan White and Chris Neil were after each other all night. That is until Neil was tossed for getting too rowdy too many times.

But the real story of the night was Erik Cole's hattrick in the first six minutes of play.

His trio put his season total at 30. Wow, when was the last time the Habs had two 30-goal scorers on the same team?

If you keep in mind that Brian Gionta had 29 the year before, this team, conceivably, will have three 30-goal scorers in their lineup next season. That alone won't make them winners, but it's certainly a good start!

Habs News

Hockey Inside/Out - Canadiens own Ottawa

RDS - Cole nuit aux Sénateurs

Habsworld.net - Ringing the Bell

Hockey News

TSN - CANUCKS CONFIRM THAT DANIEL SEDIN HAS A CONCUSSION

TSN - SIEGEL: KADRI OFFERS SNAPSHOT OF TALENTS IN LEAFS RETURN

TSN - BEYAK: JETS COME FROM BEHIND IN THIRD TO GAIN GROUND ON CAPS

TSN - FRASER: REFEREES MUST WORK TO KEEP SPORT SAFE AT EVERY LEVEL

THN - Campbell: Five Friday thoughts

THN - Proteau: NHL must send message through supplemental discipline

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

Habs/Stars Post-Game, Ribeiro, Jets, Three Team Trade and More

7:48 AM Louis Moustakas No comments

Top of the morning puck fans!

I have a confession to make. I only watched half of the Habs game last night.

Instead of watching the anemic Canadiens and no-name Stars, I tilted my attention towards the Jets-Flyers clash.

Can you blame me? In their three previous meetings, the two squads combined for 26 goals.

Now, after seeing the Flyers storm back in the final seconds to eventually take the game in OT, I hope we get to see a Winnipeg-Philadelphia matchup in the post-seasons.

As for the Canadiens, nobody is looking towards the post-season. In fact, at 27th overall this morning, most are once again looking at the draft lottery.

Habs News

ESPN - Habs' Campoli frustrated by lack of ice time

HabsWorld.net - Maximum Value

Hockey Inside / Out - About last night …

La Presse - Ils ont tous abandonné

La Presse - La reconstruction peut commencer!

RDS - Le CH encore à la recherche de solutions

TSN - Lehtonen stands tall as Stars blank Canadiens

Hockey News

ESPN - It's been a long journey for Rinne

ESPN - Debate: Avs, Bolts and Wings make deal

Sports Illustrated - Flaws clear in NHLPA-Hockey Night poll

SportsNet - One-off and move on

The Hockey News - Boylen: Pulling for the Predators

TSN - Lightning acquire Quincey for Downie, then deal him to Wings

(Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

Habs/Jets post-game, New Song, Eller, Leblanc, Suspensions and More

8:25 AM Louis Moustakas 1 comment

Well, after many dismal performances at home, the Bell Centre faithful certainly heard a different tune to start 2012.

See, get the pun? Retired after the 2004-05 lockout, the Canadiens brought back the goal song which animated celebrations at the turn of the millennium.

Clearly, Lars Eller enjoyed the song, as he made it play four times in the evening, capping off his performance with an otherworldly move in the shootout.

In spite of this healthy win, however, the Canadiens are still miles away from being in the playoff discussion, let alone a playoff spot. Sitting seven points out of 8th place and having played more games than most of their rivals, their work is cut out for them.

At this point, it is not unreasonable to suggest a playoff spot is almost completely out of reach.

But, if the Canadiens are to pull off the improbable feat of qualifying for the post-season, they will have to make sure to play that new song a lot.

Discussion

HW/HA Forum - Winnipeg vs Montreal, 7:30 PM, Jan. 4

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Press Release - Habs Assign Louis Leblanc to Hamilton

HabsAddict.com - He Said / She Said: The Canadiens' New Conference

HabsWorld.net - A cup of coffee with your Danish?

Louis' Note: I am so proud of my pun. That is all.

Hockey Inside / Out - The year begins with a W

Hockey Inside / Out - About last night...

La Presse - Jets-Canadien: le bulletin de Pierre Ladouceur

Hockey News

IIHF - Another candidate for Sochi?

Sports Illustrated - Time to move the Winter Classic out west

Louis' Note: No kidding. It would be wonderful if, as a whole, the league put a bit more focus on the Western based teams. Especially for us out east, perhaps we would not always be forced to stay up way past our bedtimes just to catch up on the happenings of the left coast.

TSN - Beyak: Quick momentum shift put Jets behind for good

TSN - Blackhawks' Carcillo suspended seven games for Gilbert hit

TSN - Flames' Bourque suspended five games for elbow on Backstrom

TSN - Tortorella fined $30,000 for post-Winter Classic comments

Canadiens/Jets, Russia vs. Canada, WJC, Subban and More

8:18 AM Louis Moustakas No comments

Brendan Gallagher Brendan Gallagher #12 of Team Canada body checks Pavel Kulikov #15 of Team Russia during the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championship Semifinal game at the Saddledome on January 3, 2012 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Wow.

Canada almost rallied from a 6-1 deficit against the Russians last night at the World Junior Hockey Championship. Almost.

In the end, the Canadian juniors would fall 6-5.

The fact that Brendan Gallagher was a key part of that rally should please Canadiens fans greatly.

Meanwhile, watching Nail Yakupov rack up four assists and seeing the Habs ranked 26th in the league, it almost makes one want to launch that "Fail for Nail" campaign. Almost.

Habs News

HabsWorld.net - Vote for December's 3 Stars

HockeyBuzz - Gauthier's Accountability

Hockey Inside / Out - Canadiens begin crucial homestand

La Presse - Discipline: l'«exploit» de Subban

Sports Illustrated - Life's never dull with Canadiens

Hockey News

The Hockey News - THN at the WJC: Russia, Sweden leave semifinal opponents wondering

IIHF - Russian stuns Canada, 6-5

IIHF - Sweden breaks Finnish hearts

La Presse - Un trou noir dans l'histoire du hockey

TSN - McKenzie: Uncharacteristic 40 minutes cost Canada the game

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

Canadiens/Jets, Winter Classic, WJC and More

8:21 AM Louis Moustakas No comments

Sergei Bobrovsky - 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - New York Rangers v Philadelphia Flyers

The Holidays, for me, were filled with good times with friends and family, time to relax and plenty of my mom's desserts.

Hockey wise, we were treated to an excellent Winter Classic in Philadelphia which saw the Rangers come back to win 3-2.

And the World Junior Championship has conspired to give fans some classic hockey clashes, with Canada-Russia and Finland-Sweden facing off in the Semifinal.

All in all, it has been a rejuvenating and refreshing few days.

Clearly, that was not the case for the Montreal Canadiens.

Concluding their road trip with a miserable 1-5 record, the Habs look anything but refreshed. Heck, even P.K Subban and Tomas Plekanec came to blows at practice yesterday.

Meanwhile, Pierre Gauthier publicly apologized for the lack of a French speaking coach. Wonder if he would have done that had Randy Cunneyworth gone on a winning tear instead of a continued slide?

Habs News

HabsWorld.net - HW Recap: Third period woes continue

HockeyBuzz - Why I like the Gorges signing

Hockey Inside / Out - Canadiens prep for jets

RDS - Un manque d'unité chez le Canadien

TSN - Gauthier says slumping Canadiens can still save season
Louis' Note: Last year, the Devils showed that, even with a dynamite second half, overcoming this kind of hole is near impossible. Sorry Pierre, no playoffs at Bell Centre this spring.

Hockey News

IIHF - Russia moves on to face Canada

IIHF - Granlunds lead Finns to Semis

The Hockey News - Five Issues for 2012

Sports Illustrated - Winter Classic becomes stage for Rangers, Flyers unlikely heroes

Sports Illustrated - Jagr’s painful return, shake-up coming in C-bus, Wild tumble and more

Sportsnet - The Challenge of Change

Louis' Note: Mark Spector acts as if Shannahan's suspension will give Torres no choice but to change his game. Right, a two-game suspension in a week where Torres had three questionable, at-best, hits. Talk about sending a message. Oooo.

Yahoo! - What We Learned: Bryzgalov not being serious enough for my liking

(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

Habs/Panthers preview, Martin speaks, Leafs, Jets, Lindros, Concussions and more

10:30 AM Unknown No comments

Good new year's eve day folks!

I hope you've had a much better year than the sad-sack Montreal Canadiens have. But what a year it has been for the Habs.

Looking back, we saw an exciting but ultimately disappointing first round loss to the Bruins last spring. We saw P.K. Subban finish last season as one of the most prolific scoring defenseman in Habs history, and we entered the summer with promise.

All of this, of course, while the calls for Jacques Martin's head were in full effect.

Since the start of this year, things have gone from bad to worse. It seems that every player has had more downs than ups, the assistant coach and then head coach were fired, and Tomas Kaberle was brought it.

All of the moves by GM Pierre Gauthier seems like the actions of a man without a plan. And, in the salary cap world, that is never a good thing.

But hockey aside, on behalf of everyone here at HabsAddict.com, I want to wish you all a happy new year and tons of health, happiness and good fortune for 2012! Enjoy your new year and be safe!

Habs News

HabsAddict.com - Habs Roundup: Louis Leblanc, Carey Price, Randy Cunneyworth and more

Hockey Inside/Out - Paper hats or paper bags?

RDS - Finir l'année en beauté

Jacques Martin sort de son mutisme

ESPN.com - Canadiens-Panthers Preview

Habsworld.net - 2012 Habs WJHC StatTracker

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TSN - SIEGEL: MAPLE LEAFS MELT DOWN IN CAROLINA

BEYAK: KANE DELIVERS AGAIN FOR JETS

ESPN.com - Eric Lindros discusses concussions

Campbell: THN's 2011 player of the year

PowerScout Hockey - Ranking Canada's Teams at New Years

The Ten Most Expensive Defensive Units In The NHL: Habs not there

2:28 PM Fred Poulin 1 comment

NHL General Managers all use different philosophies to build their teams.

Some, like George McPhee in Washington, build their team with a lot of offensive punch, while others, such as the Minnesota Wild, prefer to use a strong goaltending tandem.

Others still prefer to build their team with a very deep defensive corps.

Two months into the 2011-12 season, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the top-10 most expensive defensive brigades in the NHL and where they rank overall.

I’ll use the top seven defensemen of each team as a reference and will take the financial numbers from CapGeek.com.

Players that are injured are included in the calculation.

1. Philadelphia Flyers – $24,33 millions 25 games 15 wins 7 losses 3 OTL 33 points (5th EC)
Kimmo Timonen – $6,333,333
Chris Pronger – $4,921,429
Andrej Meszaros – $4,000,000
Matt Carle – $3,437,500
Braydon Coburn – $3,200,000
Matt Walker – $1,700,000
Andreas Lilja – $737,500

2. Los Angeles Kings – $22.56 millions 26 games 13 wins 9 losses 4 OTL 30 points (7th WC)
Drew Doughty – $7,000,000
Jack Johnson – $4,357,143
Willie Mitchell – $3,500,000
Rob Scuderi – $3,400,000
Matt Greene – $2,950,000
Alec Martinez – $737,500
Davis Drewiske – $616,667

3. Winnipeg Jets – $22.30 millions 26 games 11 wins 11 losses 4 OTL 26 points (11th EC)
Dustin Byfuglien – $5,200,000
Ron Hainsey – $4,500,000
Tobias Enstrom – $3,750,000
Johnny Oduya – $3,500,000
Zach Bogosian – $2,500,000
Mark Stuart – $1,700,000
Randy Jones – $1,150,000

4. Toronto Maple Leafs – $22.04 millions 26 games 14 wins 10 losses 2 OTL 30 points (6th EC)
Dion Phaneuf – $6,500,000
Mike Komisarek – $4,500,000
John-Michael Liles – $4,200,000
Luke Scheen – $3,600,000
Carl Gunnarsson – $1,325,000
Jake Gardiner – $1,116,667
Cody Franson – $800,000

5. Phoenix Coyotes – $21.48 millions 25 games 13 wins 9 losses 3 OTL 29 points (9th WC)
Keith Yandle – $5,250,000
Michal Rozsival – $5,000,000
Rotislav Klesla – $2,975,000
Derek Morris – $2,750,000
Adrian Aucoin – $2,000,000
Kurt Sauer – $1,750,000
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – $1,750,000

6. Detroit Red Wings – $20.96 millions 25 games 16 wins 8 losses 1 OTL 33 points (4th WC)
Nicklas Lidstrom – $6,200,000
Brad Stuart – $3,750,000
Jonathan Ericsson – $3,250,000
Niklas Kronwall – $3,000,000
Ian White – $2,875,000
Mike Commodore – $1,000,000
Jakub Kindl – $883,333

7. Vancouver Canucks – $20.53 millions 26 games 15 wins 10 losses 1 OTL 31 points (5th WC)
Kevin Bieksa – $4,600,000
Dan Hamhuis – $4,500,000
Keith Ballard – $4,200,000
Alexander Edler – $3,250,000
Sami Salo – $2,000,000
Andrew Alberts – $1,225,000
Aaron Rome – $750,000

8. Chicago Blackhawks – $20.31 millions 27 games 16 wins 8 losses 3 OTL 35 points (2nd WC)
Brent Seabrook – $5,800,000
Duncan Keith – $5,538,462
Niklas Hjalmarsson – $3,500,000
Steve Montador – $2,750,000
Nick Leddy – $1,116,666
Sean O'Donnell – $850,000
Sami Lepisto – $750,000

9. Calgary Flames – $19.75 millions 26 games 11 wins 13 losses 2 OTL 24 points (13th WC)
Jay Bouwmeester – $6,680,000
Mark Giordano – $4,020,000
Cory Sarich – $3,600,000
Anton Babchuk – $2,500,000
Chris Butler – $1,250,000
Scott Hannan – $1,000,000
Derek Smith – $700,000

10. Washington Capitals (TIED) – $19.07 millions 25 games 13 wins 11 losses 1 OTL 27 points (8th EC)
Mike Green – $5,250,000
Dennis Wideman – $3,935,500
Roman Hamrlik – $3,500,000
Jeff Schultz – $2,750,000
John Erskine – $1,500,000
Karl Alzner – $1,285,000
John Carlson – $845,833

10. San Jose Sharks (TIED) – $19.07 millions 23 games 14 wins 8 losses 1 OTL 29 points (8th WC)
Dan Boyle – $6,666,667
Brent Burns – $3,550,000
Marc-Edouard Vlasic – $3,100,000
Douglas Murray – $2,500,000
Jason Demers – $1,250,000
Jim Vandermeer – $1,000,000
Colin White – $1,000,000

In comparison, the league-leading Minnesota Wild with 37 points, are spending only $12.36 millions on their defensive brigade.

As you can see, there is no guarantee of success even if you spend a lot of money on your defensive unit. In fact, amongst the biggest blueline spenders, only the Chicago Blackhawks lead their division.

2010-11 rankings
1. Philadelphia Flyers – $24,89M
2. Toronto Maple Leafs – $24.28M
3. Vancouver Canucks – $23.35M
4. Detroit Red Wings – $21.83M
5. Calgary Flames – $21.59M
6. Chicago Blackhawks – $21.29M
7. Atlanta Thrashers (Winnipeg Jets) – $21.06M
8. Montreal Canadiens – $20.25M
9. Pittsburgh Penguins – $19.11M
10. Boston Bruins – $18.58M

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Fred is a freelance sports write and translator, as well as a featured Montreal Canadiens blogger on http://hockeyindependent.com/blog/ and a baseball columnist on http://www.dobberbaseball.com/. Fred also joined HabsAddict.com in time for the 2011-12 season.

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