First of all, I haven’t written about the Habs all year so pardon me while I shake off some rust. I haven't felt I had a feel for this team. I still don't but I'm starting to get some ideas.
The Habs impressive post-Olympic run continued last night with a win over the Rangers in New York. It was Montreal’s sixth straight victory, the most games they’ve won in a row since 2006. Bob Gainey's science experiment has lost only once, to the mighty San Jose Sharks, since the Olympic break.
Glen Metropolit got his 16th, a career high and his 10th on the power play. Metropolit LEADS the Canadiens in power play goals.
Sergei Kostitsyn had the game winner and Tomas Plekanec scored on an empty net to ice the win.
Perhaps even more impressively, the Habs allowed only 20 shots against a team fighting for their playoff lives so Jaroslav Halak wasn’t busy while picking up his 23rd win of the year. Halak hasn’t lost an NHL game since February 13th. Before Canada ever won a gold medal on home soil. Before the Hurt Locker achieved Oscar glory. Before Justin Bieber became the worldwide phenome... You get the idea.
How about the guys in contract years? SK74, Halak, Plekanec and Metropolit are all free agents at seasons end. All will get raises.
The Flyers lost last night so the Habs leapfrogged the Flyers into 6th place in the East although the Flyers hold three games in hand.
The Senators lost as well so Montreal now sits just just one point behind the Sens for 5th place. Ottawa has just three wins in their last ten games and Alex Kovalev hasn’t scored a point in over a month, right around the last time Jaro Halak lost an NHL game.
That loss came against Philly, right before the Olympic break. It looked very likely at that moment that Montreal would miss the playoffs.
What a difference a month, really two weeks, makes.
Jacques Martin gave his team a well-deserved day off today and they have some time to prepare for their next test, Saturday night in Toronto.
Martin had a revelatory moment late in the game last night, after Plekanec’s empty netter, when the RDS camera caught him leaning in to talk to some players and grinning like a Cheshire cat. We’ve seen that grin in postgame press conferences a few times but never on the bench.
When he was hired, many said he was unpopular among players and he’d have trouble getting along with the guys in Montreal. That has never been my impression in the locker room (with a few younger exceptions, notably Sergei, who is now thriving with Dominic Moore and Travis Moen).
I think the veterans appreciate the structure he provides. There’s no ambiguity about the gameplan with Martin. He’s not learning on the fly at the NHL level like several Canadiens coaches before him. He doesn’t panic when his team falls behind and that calm is evident on the bench.
He looks like he’s having fun after those dismal years in Florida with the Panthers. Those years may very well have taught him to appreciate times like these. His players are having fun too.
Go ahead and smile Jacques, somewhere in this city, Bob Gainey is watching sports on his HDTV and smiling too.
The question now, and I’m sorry for asking it, but was Rejean Tremblay right (gulp!) about Mike Cammalleri?
Showing posts with label Habs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Habs. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Friday, July 3, 2009
Breaking the Silence
A Montreal Friday is upon us and I'm feeling inspired for the first time in months. It's been a crazy week around the NHL and virtually all the big names have found new homes or stuck around where they were.
The Canadiens have changed the guard. It's looking very likely that the Artist has played his last game for the Habs and the same goes for Saku Koivu, Alex Tanguay, Chris Higgins, Mike Komisarek and several key components of Bob Gainey's so-called "five year plan".
It's the dawn of a new era with Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez getting into the mix along with two new blueliners in Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill.
Reaction has been mixed but largely negative to this new look team. They're being called small and the speculation is they will be pushed around by the opposition, even more so than in years past (if that's possible).
I like what Bob Gainey did because if this team proved anything last year, it was that the current formula wasn't working. Gone are the familiar faces who spouted cliches after every game, replaced by guys with big skill and Stanley Cup rings.
We're all aware of the crazy stories and rumours that flew around this team throughout their centennial season and something had to be done. Clearly things weren't working for the guys wearing the letters on their jerseys and now they're all gone.
Chris Higgins and Mike Komisarek were good teammates and worked hard for the team that drafted them in consecutive first rounds. I wish them the best in their respective careers and I have a feeling Higgins may burn the Habs for years to come and Komisarek will probably make their forwards pay along the perimeter too, but they had to go. They were the young core of the team's leadership which often resulted in their teammates being led into wild party nights in Montreal.
Hockey players have been partying hard for decades but it seems that this group just couldn't find the balance that effective teams have. They left young players to fend for themselves in a city more than willing to cater to their youthful whims.
It's hard to figure out Kovalev, who seems to be the guy most fans want back but Kovy turned down a two-year deal worth a reported $9 million. That's a lot of money for a 36 year-old power play specialist with a tendency to take nights off. Maybe he didn't want to play second fiddle to the new wave. Maybe his agent led him astray.
Regardless, I think his departure bodes well for the younger players who will be more driven to work hard and give their all under Jacques Martin's new regime.
The one that hits home with me is Saku Koivu. I don't think the team could have started anew with him in place so he had to go but he was a warrior for this team who grinded and played his heart out every night. He raised the bar for a captain`s role in Montreal and changed the meaning of `giving back to the community`. I will never forget his return from cancer, his playoff magic and continued humility when dealing with a vicious media and fan base with unrealistic expectations for a guy who never had a decent set of linemates and never once complained. His lasting image may be the night he capped of the greatest comeback in Montreal Canadiens history with his trademark shootout goal against the New York Rangers.
We`ll see how it plays out and tributes will start to pour in eventually. I like this one, courtesy of the great Aislin.
The Canadiens have changed the guard. It's looking very likely that the Artist has played his last game for the Habs and the same goes for Saku Koivu, Alex Tanguay, Chris Higgins, Mike Komisarek and several key components of Bob Gainey's so-called "five year plan".
It's the dawn of a new era with Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez getting into the mix along with two new blueliners in Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill.
Reaction has been mixed but largely negative to this new look team. They're being called small and the speculation is they will be pushed around by the opposition, even more so than in years past (if that's possible).
I like what Bob Gainey did because if this team proved anything last year, it was that the current formula wasn't working. Gone are the familiar faces who spouted cliches after every game, replaced by guys with big skill and Stanley Cup rings.
We're all aware of the crazy stories and rumours that flew around this team throughout their centennial season and something had to be done. Clearly things weren't working for the guys wearing the letters on their jerseys and now they're all gone.
Chris Higgins and Mike Komisarek were good teammates and worked hard for the team that drafted them in consecutive first rounds. I wish them the best in their respective careers and I have a feeling Higgins may burn the Habs for years to come and Komisarek will probably make their forwards pay along the perimeter too, but they had to go. They were the young core of the team's leadership which often resulted in their teammates being led into wild party nights in Montreal.
Hockey players have been partying hard for decades but it seems that this group just couldn't find the balance that effective teams have. They left young players to fend for themselves in a city more than willing to cater to their youthful whims.
It's hard to figure out Kovalev, who seems to be the guy most fans want back but Kovy turned down a two-year deal worth a reported $9 million. That's a lot of money for a 36 year-old power play specialist with a tendency to take nights off. Maybe he didn't want to play second fiddle to the new wave. Maybe his agent led him astray.
Regardless, I think his departure bodes well for the younger players who will be more driven to work hard and give their all under Jacques Martin's new regime.
The one that hits home with me is Saku Koivu. I don't think the team could have started anew with him in place so he had to go but he was a warrior for this team who grinded and played his heart out every night. He raised the bar for a captain`s role in Montreal and changed the meaning of `giving back to the community`. I will never forget his return from cancer, his playoff magic and continued humility when dealing with a vicious media and fan base with unrealistic expectations for a guy who never had a decent set of linemates and never once complained. His lasting image may be the night he capped of the greatest comeback in Montreal Canadiens history with his trademark shootout goal against the New York Rangers.
We`ll see how it plays out and tributes will start to pour in eventually. I like this one, courtesy of the great Aislin.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Five Issues
The roller coaster season is just getting going but doom and gloom abound in Montreal. Finger pointing is at a season high right now for a team that's 10-5-2 through 17 games. It's impossible to pinpoint the exact problem but that won't stop me from trying. Here are the top five issues plaguing your Canadiens.
5. Mike Komisarek - Komisaurus has been sorely missed since injuring his shoulder last Tuesday in Boston but the fact is that his play up to that point left something to be desired. Uncharacteristic turnovers and a lack of confidence against the forecheck have been a big part of his young season and in his absence, Andrei Markov just doesn't seem to be the same player.
4. The new arrivals - Plans for the Stanley Cup parade began during the offseason when Bob Gainey acquired Alex Tanguay from Calgary, Robert Lang from Chicago and singed free-agent Georges Laraque. Obviously plans have been put on hold indefinitely as the three have struggled to find their places on this team. Tanguay leads the Habs in goals and points but he has struggled in the last two games, not registering a shot in either of them while he adjusted to playing with Alex Kovalev. It appears that experiment is over as Guillaume Latendresse rejoins Koivu and Tanguay on a line that had success during the Habs 8-1-1 run to start the season. Lang is great around the net but his lack of mobility can be an issue when he's not paired with the right linemates. Laraque is a force when he drops the gloves but a -4 rating isn't and the Habs 4-4-1 record with him in the lineup is a troubling stat. (6-1-2 without)
3. Coach Carbonneau - Carbo was a favourite for coach of the year last year but this year he's gotten back to his line-juggling ways of two years ago, a time when things were much more difficult for the team. Implications that he could be losing the room are beginning to circulate. Such claims are premature but a team can only underperform for so long before the coaches grasp of the room comes into question. Oh how I long for the glory days when the only questions we asked about the coach were whether or not he would wear a certain tie on gamenight.
2. Missing chemistry - Last year's Habs were a loose bunch that had fun together whether in practice, during games or even hanging out together off the ice. This year's edition is still trying to find their identity but it's certain that they aren't having as much fun as they were a year ago. Lofty expectations, several players in the last year of their contracts and a lack of cohesion between linemates are all very real factors. With so many guys playing for contracts, competition for ice time and unhappiness with power play minutes could very well be coming into play and that's a bad sign this early in the year. With so much offensive firepower to play with there's bound to be unhappy campers every game.
1. The Kovalev line - Alex Kovalev, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn were the Habs unquestioned number one unit last year. The arrival of Alex Tanguay changed that as he and Saku Koivu became two-thirds of the top unit. Andrei's struggles come on the heels of a new three year deal signed on the offseason and it's possible AK46 is having trouble with claims of his emergence as the dominant forward he was projected to be when he was drafted 10th overall in 2003. Plekanec is playing without the confidence that made him a 69 point guy a year ago. Kovy is Kovy. He has never benefited from Carbo's line shuffling and he isn't benefiting from it now. Carbo needs to find a comfort zone for his best player and soon. It's no coincidence the Habs best regular season in recent memory coincided with the Artist having his best year since his glory days in Pittsburgh.
Now that I've joined in the finger pointing it's time to kick back and enjoy the show tonight. The Habs and Sens have been two of the leagues' least potent offenses so far this month only one year after they were 1-2 in goals scored across the entire league. Something's gotta give and Habs fans are hoping it's Sens goalie Alex Auld who loses the showdown with Carey Price.
5. Mike Komisarek - Komisaurus has been sorely missed since injuring his shoulder last Tuesday in Boston but the fact is that his play up to that point left something to be desired. Uncharacteristic turnovers and a lack of confidence against the forecheck have been a big part of his young season and in his absence, Andrei Markov just doesn't seem to be the same player.
4. The new arrivals - Plans for the Stanley Cup parade began during the offseason when Bob Gainey acquired Alex Tanguay from Calgary, Robert Lang from Chicago and singed free-agent Georges Laraque. Obviously plans have been put on hold indefinitely as the three have struggled to find their places on this team. Tanguay leads the Habs in goals and points but he has struggled in the last two games, not registering a shot in either of them while he adjusted to playing with Alex Kovalev. It appears that experiment is over as Guillaume Latendresse rejoins Koivu and Tanguay on a line that had success during the Habs 8-1-1 run to start the season. Lang is great around the net but his lack of mobility can be an issue when he's not paired with the right linemates. Laraque is a force when he drops the gloves but a -4 rating isn't and the Habs 4-4-1 record with him in the lineup is a troubling stat. (6-1-2 without)
3. Coach Carbonneau - Carbo was a favourite for coach of the year last year but this year he's gotten back to his line-juggling ways of two years ago, a time when things were much more difficult for the team. Implications that he could be losing the room are beginning to circulate. Such claims are premature but a team can only underperform for so long before the coaches grasp of the room comes into question. Oh how I long for the glory days when the only questions we asked about the coach were whether or not he would wear a certain tie on gamenight.
2. Missing chemistry - Last year's Habs were a loose bunch that had fun together whether in practice, during games or even hanging out together off the ice. This year's edition is still trying to find their identity but it's certain that they aren't having as much fun as they were a year ago. Lofty expectations, several players in the last year of their contracts and a lack of cohesion between linemates are all very real factors. With so many guys playing for contracts, competition for ice time and unhappiness with power play minutes could very well be coming into play and that's a bad sign this early in the year. With so much offensive firepower to play with there's bound to be unhappy campers every game.
1. The Kovalev line - Alex Kovalev, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn were the Habs unquestioned number one unit last year. The arrival of Alex Tanguay changed that as he and Saku Koivu became two-thirds of the top unit. Andrei's struggles come on the heels of a new three year deal signed on the offseason and it's possible AK46 is having trouble with claims of his emergence as the dominant forward he was projected to be when he was drafted 10th overall in 2003. Plekanec is playing without the confidence that made him a 69 point guy a year ago. Kovy is Kovy. He has never benefited from Carbo's line shuffling and he isn't benefiting from it now. Carbo needs to find a comfort zone for his best player and soon. It's no coincidence the Habs best regular season in recent memory coincided with the Artist having his best year since his glory days in Pittsburgh.
Now that I've joined in the finger pointing it's time to kick back and enjoy the show tonight. The Habs and Sens have been two of the leagues' least potent offenses so far this month only one year after they were 1-2 in goals scored across the entire league. Something's gotta give and Habs fans are hoping it's Sens goalie Alex Auld who loses the showdown with Carey Price.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sweet Relief
Alex Kovalev allowed Montreal to breathe a collective sigh of relief by roofing the backhander that beat the lowly St Louis Blues last night. The slide the Habs have been experiencing combined with the news that organizers of the Grand Prix will not pay off extortionist Bernie Ecclestone and lose the race that has become a staple of summer in this fine city was making it hard to stay optimistic as temperatures drop.
Sure, the Alouettes won the Eastern final on Saturday night. The problem is, nobody cares about the Alouettes. Everyone in the city likes a winner but next weekend's Grey Cup festivities will likely be buried by the hype surrounding the retirement of Patrick Roy's jersey and talk of how amazing or how terrible the Canadiens are depending on the results of this week's games on Tuesday in Carolina and Thursday in Ottawa. Anyone who has attended an Als game will tell you the vast majority of fans are there to hang out and drink outdoors and rarely cheer their team on when their support is sorely needed.
Guy Carbonneau was happy to get out of Montreal after Saturday night's loss to Philly. He knows that what I just said about the Als works pretty much exactly the opposite way for the Habs. It's hard not to read about yourself and given the fact that writers and commentators in this city spent the first six weeks of the season putting the Habs over and talking about how awesome they are despite largely mediocre performances. If you read enough of that stuff it's bound to go to your head. On the road the players are less distracted by all the hype surrounding the team, hype that has reached epic proportions for various reasons, mainly the teams' unbelievable run last year and the citywide centennial celebration.
It's easy to lose perspective after a performance like last Tuesday's in Ottawa. Ottawa is a shell of the team that dominated the Northeast division for years. It was easy for fans to get excited about that win after Carbo called it "a near perfect performance." and also because Ottawa has been so good for so long and had so much success against the Habs in recent years. As if to prove that point, the Sens went on to lose to the brutal Rick DiPietro-less New York Islanders in their next game. Meanwhile the Habs were awful against Boston in a performance that officially set off panic mode in Montreal.
Luckily for the players, they can focus on guns and NASCAR in Raleigh tomorrow before they return home and start to hear everyone rant and rave about how great or how awful they really are before heading to our nation's capitol to face the Sens on Thursday. Both opponents will be fierce and compete but there is no reason the Habs shouldn't pick up at least three of the four available points.
The tough thing will be keeping things together when Milan Lucic and the Bruins are here to try and ruin Patrick Roy's jersey retirement night for what will surely be a rabid crowd baying for blood after what the Bruins did to them when last they met. Circle Saturday night on your calendars boys and girls, and don't stay out too late after the game... The local football team plays a game of some significance the next day.
Sure, the Alouettes won the Eastern final on Saturday night. The problem is, nobody cares about the Alouettes. Everyone in the city likes a winner but next weekend's Grey Cup festivities will likely be buried by the hype surrounding the retirement of Patrick Roy's jersey and talk of how amazing or how terrible the Canadiens are depending on the results of this week's games on Tuesday in Carolina and Thursday in Ottawa. Anyone who has attended an Als game will tell you the vast majority of fans are there to hang out and drink outdoors and rarely cheer their team on when their support is sorely needed.
Guy Carbonneau was happy to get out of Montreal after Saturday night's loss to Philly. He knows that what I just said about the Als works pretty much exactly the opposite way for the Habs. It's hard not to read about yourself and given the fact that writers and commentators in this city spent the first six weeks of the season putting the Habs over and talking about how awesome they are despite largely mediocre performances. If you read enough of that stuff it's bound to go to your head. On the road the players are less distracted by all the hype surrounding the team, hype that has reached epic proportions for various reasons, mainly the teams' unbelievable run last year and the citywide centennial celebration.
It's easy to lose perspective after a performance like last Tuesday's in Ottawa. Ottawa is a shell of the team that dominated the Northeast division for years. It was easy for fans to get excited about that win after Carbo called it "a near perfect performance." and also because Ottawa has been so good for so long and had so much success against the Habs in recent years. As if to prove that point, the Sens went on to lose to the brutal Rick DiPietro-less New York Islanders in their next game. Meanwhile the Habs were awful against Boston in a performance that officially set off panic mode in Montreal.
One of the constants throughout this difficult period has been the lacklustre power play. Alex Kovalev has been turned into an ordinary winger with the man advantage and it seems every team in the league has figured out his moves. Andrei Kostitsyn is still looking for his first power play goal of the year after putting up 12 last year. The passing is still crisp but there is a level of hesitation out there that never existed in the past two years. It's becoming more and more clear that the loss of Mark Streit is far more significant than the loss of Sheldon Souray one year earlier. Streit was so effective at getting pucks in deep and keeping posession, something the Habs current powerr play unit has a very hard time doing.
Tomas Plekanec is a fractured shell of the centre who led the team with six game winning goals and was second only to Kovalev with 69 points and a +15 rating last year. In 2007-08 he became Kovalev's main man. In 2008-09 (so far) Plekanec has completely lost confidence in himself and his linemates have lost faith in him. He was terrific on the penalty kill yesterday but the explosive two-way player of last season remains M.I.A.Luckily for the players, they can focus on guns and NASCAR in Raleigh tomorrow before they return home and start to hear everyone rant and rave about how great or how awful they really are before heading to our nation's capitol to face the Sens on Thursday. Both opponents will be fierce and compete but there is no reason the Habs shouldn't pick up at least three of the four available points.
The tough thing will be keeping things together when Milan Lucic and the Bruins are here to try and ruin Patrick Roy's jersey retirement night for what will surely be a rabid crowd baying for blood after what the Bruins did to them when last they met. Circle Saturday night on your calendars boys and girls, and don't stay out too late after the game... The local football team plays a game of some significance the next day.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Game 60: Watch out Eastern Conference
It's in the books. The Canadiens oppressed the Philadelphia Flyers tonight in a game that proved several things. First, the Habs are now 10-1-1 against the Flyers since the lockout. Post lockout hockey and the post-lockout rule changes do not favour the Bullies when they face the speedy Habs. The Canadiens scored early and backed it up by making a statement and sweeping the season series against Philly for the first time since 1976-77, outscoring them 15-6 in the process.
I had a lot of confidence in the Habs going into this weekend, citing the fact that they matched up well with the Flyers and had turned a corner in winning a game against a Florida Panthers team that played a more complete game on Wednesday night but still lost. The Habs really stepped it up. They played fantastic team defense and Francis Bouillon in particular was brilliant in bothe weekend games.
The play where Bouillon did his Bobby Orr impersonation and went end-to-end, finally roofing it with 1.2 seconds left sums up this Flyers team perfectly. Instead of playing some D, Jim Vandermeer decided to go to the corner and attempt to get Josh Gorges to drop the gloves, easily creating a 2 on 1 break. Bouillon even looked back in astonishment before scoring. Carey Price saw the play all the way and yelled at Gorges not to drop the gloves, "wait! wait!" he cried, and Gorges just pointed at the other end and skated away when the puck was in the net. Bouillon's first goal in almost a year.
Saku Koivu and Michael Ryder scored at a time a time when both of their futures on this team look uncertain. Ryder is the one between the two who may be gone come Feb 26.
All of a sudden the Canadiens have a calm goaltender who has taken the helm of this team since being recalled from Hamilton. Before his demotion earlier this year, Price had ups and downs, but since being recalled from Hamilton he has been a force between the pipes for the Canadiens, who are tied for first place in the Eastern Conference, although the Sens hold a game in hand.
It's the first time the Canadiens have been in such a postion in a long long time. As the playoff races heat up, the Habs are hot and the Flyers are in a freefall. So are the Sens. It's time to start thinking about playoff matchups and if a deadline deal can improve this team going forward without sacrificing too much.
I had a lot of confidence in the Habs going into this weekend, citing the fact that they matched up well with the Flyers and had turned a corner in winning a game against a Florida Panthers team that played a more complete game on Wednesday night but still lost. The Habs really stepped it up. They played fantastic team defense and Francis Bouillon in particular was brilliant in bothe weekend games.
The play where Bouillon did his Bobby Orr impersonation and went end-to-end, finally roofing it with 1.2 seconds left sums up this Flyers team perfectly. Instead of playing some D, Jim Vandermeer decided to go to the corner and attempt to get Josh Gorges to drop the gloves, easily creating a 2 on 1 break. Bouillon even looked back in astonishment before scoring. Carey Price saw the play all the way and yelled at Gorges not to drop the gloves, "wait! wait!" he cried, and Gorges just pointed at the other end and skated away when the puck was in the net. Bouillon's first goal in almost a year.
Saku Koivu and Michael Ryder scored at a time a time when both of their futures on this team look uncertain. Ryder is the one between the two who may be gone come Feb 26.
All of a sudden the Canadiens have a calm goaltender who has taken the helm of this team since being recalled from Hamilton. Before his demotion earlier this year, Price had ups and downs, but since being recalled from Hamilton he has been a force between the pipes for the Canadiens, who are tied for first place in the Eastern Conference, although the Sens hold a game in hand.
It's the first time the Canadiens have been in such a postion in a long long time. As the playoff races heat up, the Habs are hot and the Flyers are in a freefall. So are the Sens. It's time to start thinking about playoff matchups and if a deadline deal can improve this team going forward without sacrificing too much.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Long Weekend's Over
Winter is back in Montreal. I'm happy, it means outdoor hockey. The City of Westmount is still working on the rink in my neck of the woods. It's a disgrace. I realize that winter just took a week off but something needs to be done about this. It was fun to go outside and not get hypothermia for a little while.
Back to business for me and for the Montreal Canadiens. They're in Long Island to take on one of the most boring teams in the NHL in the Islanders. Mike Comrie is pretty good, Bill Guerin and of course their best player, one Rick DiPietro.
He's one hell of a goalie and he's headed to Atlanta to represent his team at the All-Star Game at the end of this month. The Habs power play needs to respond after being effectively shut down by the Rangers on Saturday night. Alex Kovalev was shut down big-time and the Habs couldn't get anything going during two separate two-man advantages. Time to adjust. Let's make sure our coaches' special teams expertise continues to pay dividends. If Kovalev isn't getting it done, the Habs and their power play are in a world of trouble.
It's so much fun to watch the continuing implosion going on down the 401. The Leafs are terrible, getting worse, with no clear end in sight. Things can't get much worse but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping they do. People on the way out: John Ferguson Jr., maybe Paul Maurice, Mats Sundin....
Tonight's game is big for both teams is the ridiculously tight Eastern Conference, the Islanders trail the 5th place Habs by only 3 points.
When Mike Komisarek and Christopher Higgins go home, good things tend to happen for the Habs. There was a great article in the New York Times today about the young stars give it a read...
NY Times on 21 & 8
Enjoy the game.
Back to business for me and for the Montreal Canadiens. They're in Long Island to take on one of the most boring teams in the NHL in the Islanders. Mike Comrie is pretty good, Bill Guerin and of course their best player, one Rick DiPietro.
He's one hell of a goalie and he's headed to Atlanta to represent his team at the All-Star Game at the end of this month. The Habs power play needs to respond after being effectively shut down by the Rangers on Saturday night. Alex Kovalev was shut down big-time and the Habs couldn't get anything going during two separate two-man advantages. Time to adjust. Let's make sure our coaches' special teams expertise continues to pay dividends. If Kovalev isn't getting it done, the Habs and their power play are in a world of trouble.
It's so much fun to watch the continuing implosion going on down the 401. The Leafs are terrible, getting worse, with no clear end in sight. Things can't get much worse but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping they do. People on the way out: John Ferguson Jr., maybe Paul Maurice, Mats Sundin....
Tonight's game is big for both teams is the ridiculously tight Eastern Conference, the Islanders trail the 5th place Habs by only 3 points.
When Mike Komisarek and Christopher Higgins go home, good things tend to happen for the Habs. There was a great article in the New York Times today about the young stars give it a read...
NY Times on 21 & 8
Enjoy the game.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Absolute Madness
So, looks like the 6 year Ovechkin deal was a little optimistic. His 13 year contract is absolutely insane. Here's how I see it: This guy is in Washington, and he is, at 22, the most electrifying player in the NHL. He will be there, wallowing in mediocrity in front of non-passionate fans who provide their team with the second-worst attendance record in the league right now. If he had opted for a six-year deal, he could have gotten out of there at age 28, entering the prime of his career and able to go somewhere that he has a legitimate chance of winning a championship.
That's not going to happen in Washington. Why?
They have no goaltending, very little hope for their future in goal and an owner who is notoriously stingy. It's also very difficult to build a winner when you have one guy using up 20-25% of your teams cap space (Brad Richards, anyone?).
As it stands right now, Ovechkin and his grandchildren's grandchildren are set for life. But what incentive does he have to keep competing at the level his fans are accustomed to?
He will regret this deal, especially when Sidney Crosby cashes in for $15 million bucks a season when his current deal expires. It's always good to have an escape plan and Ovechkin has none.
It's a real shame to see a talent of that magnitude wasted in a market like that.
That's all I have to say about that.
The Canadiens!! Haven't lost in regulation since the Dallas debacle of 2007!! They're 5-0-2 since then. Mike Komisarek looked like Scott Stevens last night, the Boston forwards were scared shitless of getting crushed by Komisaurus. His presence can't be overstated. He directs traffic, makes smart passes and kills penalties. He was a lot of fun to watch last night and it has been a lot of fun to watch him develop into the dominating presence he has become.
I had this debate with a friend of mine who pretends to hate the Habs during the second period of last night's game. I said Andrei Markov and Komisarek were among the top three defensive pairings in the NHL. He said I was crazy.
Here's how I see it.
#1 Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafaski, DET
#2 Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer, ANA
#3 Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek, MTL
There are several other pairings that could be included, and everyone has an opinion, but here's mine. My buddy is a small part of a large contingent of NHL fans who don't give the Habs the credit they deserve. This team isn't just squeaking out wins, they're also winning games in which they don't get very good goaltending and they're completely outclassing teams at other times. I'm not planning a parade, but I am so excited about the future and frankly, the present of this team.
Markov and Komisarek actually remind a fair bit of Pronger and Niedermayer earlier in their careers. Komi doesn't really have power play vision (yet?) but he has a better shot than Roman Hamrlik or Patrice Brisebois. It wouldn't really surprise me to see him on the PP within the next few years. When Bob Gainey re-signs him to a five or six year deal. Markov sees the ice and the game as well as any D-Man in the league and makes one of the best first passes in the game. He also has the ability to shoot the puck and score goals. This in addition to the fact that these guys rarely make defensive mistakes and when one of them does, the other is there to make the play. They compliment each other perfectly and it really has been my distinct pleasure to watch them play together this year.
Habs in New York to play the Rangers tomorrow night on Hockey Night in Canada. Good timing, as the Leafs implosion continues after their 5-2 loss to cellar-dwelling Los Angeles last night. The Leafs have been outscored 19-6 during their current four game losing streak.
Life is good.
That's not going to happen in Washington. Why?
They have no goaltending, very little hope for their future in goal and an owner who is notoriously stingy. It's also very difficult to build a winner when you have one guy using up 20-25% of your teams cap space (Brad Richards, anyone?).
As it stands right now, Ovechkin and his grandchildren's grandchildren are set for life. But what incentive does he have to keep competing at the level his fans are accustomed to?
He will regret this deal, especially when Sidney Crosby cashes in for $15 million bucks a season when his current deal expires. It's always good to have an escape plan and Ovechkin has none.
It's a real shame to see a talent of that magnitude wasted in a market like that.
That's all I have to say about that.
The Canadiens!! Haven't lost in regulation since the Dallas debacle of 2007!! They're 5-0-2 since then. Mike Komisarek looked like Scott Stevens last night, the Boston forwards were scared shitless of getting crushed by Komisaurus. His presence can't be overstated. He directs traffic, makes smart passes and kills penalties. He was a lot of fun to watch last night and it has been a lot of fun to watch him develop into the dominating presence he has become.
I had this debate with a friend of mine who pretends to hate the Habs during the second period of last night's game. I said Andrei Markov and Komisarek were among the top three defensive pairings in the NHL. He said I was crazy.
Here's how I see it.
#1 Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafaski, DET
#2 Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer, ANA
#3 Andrei Markov and Mike Komisarek, MTL
There are several other pairings that could be included, and everyone has an opinion, but here's mine. My buddy is a small part of a large contingent of NHL fans who don't give the Habs the credit they deserve. This team isn't just squeaking out wins, they're also winning games in which they don't get very good goaltending and they're completely outclassing teams at other times. I'm not planning a parade, but I am so excited about the future and frankly, the present of this team.
Markov and Komisarek actually remind a fair bit of Pronger and Niedermayer earlier in their careers. Komi doesn't really have power play vision (yet?) but he has a better shot than Roman Hamrlik or Patrice Brisebois. It wouldn't really surprise me to see him on the PP within the next few years. When Bob Gainey re-signs him to a five or six year deal. Markov sees the ice and the game as well as any D-Man in the league and makes one of the best first passes in the game. He also has the ability to shoot the puck and score goals. This in addition to the fact that these guys rarely make defensive mistakes and when one of them does, the other is there to make the play. They compliment each other perfectly and it really has been my distinct pleasure to watch them play together this year.
Habs in New York to play the Rangers tomorrow night on Hockey Night in Canada. Good timing, as the Leafs implosion continues after their 5-2 loss to cellar-dwelling Los Angeles last night. The Leafs have been outscored 19-6 during their current four game losing streak.
Life is good.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Done Deal?
RDS.ca reports that Alexander Ovechkin has agreed to a $54 million extension that would keep him in Washington through 2014.
Damn.
It has yet to be confirmed, but it does look like the Caps made him an offer they couldn't refuse, and thus Alexander the Great won't become a Hab until his late 20s.
The good news is, the Canadiens have a great nucleus in place and are widely considered one of the most promising franchises in the NHL. The only question mark is up the middle, where a lack of centres does not bode well for the future. Other than that, things look great in goal, on defence and on the wings.
This year's NHL draft is deep, as is the next one. Here's hoping the Habs address the team's question marks at centre and make a splash.
Onto the here and now.
The Canadiens are in Boston, where they have absolutely owned the Bruins for the last few years. The current streak between the rivals stands at seven consecutive wins for the Habs. They are very comfortable against Boston and seem to do a great job at getting under Zdeno Chara's skin. When Chara is off his game, the Bruins have a very tough time competing.
The Bruins also have five regulars out of the lineup: Glen Murray, Patrice Bergeron and a couple of less significant guys will not be out there tonight.
The Habs scratched Tom Kostopoulos. I don't get it. Tom the Bomb had one of his best games as a Hab against the Blackhawks the other night and his reward is a night in the pressbox. It's hard to know what's going on behind the scenes but I just don't like this move.
Francis Bouillon and Josh Gorges were awful the other night. Turnovers, miscues and bad decisions. Patrice Brisebois' shortcomings are far less evident when he's paired with Roman Hamrlik, but the same can't be said for Gorges and Bouillon. Anyone have a nickname suggestion for that defensive pairing?
Carey Price is in Hamilton and reportedly looked good in his first start last night. Good to see the kid getting some shots and hopefully progressing more than he would watching the Habs from the bench.
Should be a good one tonight, hopefully the bad blood between the teams doesn't produce any injuries.
Damn.
It has yet to be confirmed, but it does look like the Caps made him an offer they couldn't refuse, and thus Alexander the Great won't become a Hab until his late 20s.
The good news is, the Canadiens have a great nucleus in place and are widely considered one of the most promising franchises in the NHL. The only question mark is up the middle, where a lack of centres does not bode well for the future. Other than that, things look great in goal, on defence and on the wings.
This year's NHL draft is deep, as is the next one. Here's hoping the Habs address the team's question marks at centre and make a splash.
Onto the here and now.
The Canadiens are in Boston, where they have absolutely owned the Bruins for the last few years. The current streak between the rivals stands at seven consecutive wins for the Habs. They are very comfortable against Boston and seem to do a great job at getting under Zdeno Chara's skin. When Chara is off his game, the Bruins have a very tough time competing.
The Bruins also have five regulars out of the lineup: Glen Murray, Patrice Bergeron and a couple of less significant guys will not be out there tonight.
The Habs scratched Tom Kostopoulos. I don't get it. Tom the Bomb had one of his best games as a Hab against the Blackhawks the other night and his reward is a night in the pressbox. It's hard to know what's going on behind the scenes but I just don't like this move.
Francis Bouillon and Josh Gorges were awful the other night. Turnovers, miscues and bad decisions. Patrice Brisebois' shortcomings are far less evident when he's paired with Roman Hamrlik, but the same can't be said for Gorges and Bouillon. Anyone have a nickname suggestion for that defensive pairing?
Carey Price is in Hamilton and reportedly looked good in his first start last night. Good to see the kid getting some shots and hopefully progressing more than he would watching the Habs from the bench.
Should be a good one tonight, hopefully the bad blood between the teams doesn't produce any injuries.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Midseason Musings & Gamenight: Chicago
The Canadiens kick off the second half of the 07-08 schedule tonight against a depleted Chicago Blackhawks team that's without leading rookie goal-scorer Jonathan Toews and six other regulars.
Bob Gainey addressed members of the media at the Bell Centre yesterday and had largely positive things to say about what the team has accomplished so far this year and also hinted that there could be some changes on the horizon.
Firstly, since Cristobal Huet has made it clear he is the team's number one goaltender and should see the bulk of the workload in the coming months, we may see 20-year old Carey Price in Hamilton sooner than later so that he can get more playing time. Current Bulldogs starter Jaroslav Halak was named the AHL's player of the week yesterday and is no stranger to the NHL, having played a stretch for the Habs that put them back into postseason contention late last season.
Price has only made two starts in the last two weeks and has lost them both. Price doesn't see it as a demotion if it does happen, he in fact sounded very mature when he was asked about the possibility yesterday,
"They have my best interests in whatever they have planned, if Hamilton is what they deem necessary, then so be it. Right now, it's part of being young. If they think I need a little more game work, that's fine."
Second, Gainey is unhappy with what his team is doing in the faceoff circle so far this year. It was the only concern he raised that he can address personally by trading or moving personnel. The only Hab on the good side of a 50% faceoff rate is Saku Koivu, at 55%. The rest of the guys are between 44 and 49%, which is a big part of their shortcomings on the penalty kill in today's puck-possession NHL.
It will be interesting to see which guys respond to Gainey's remarks and if they can improve the faceoff stats from within. Gainey made it clear that until that happens, he will continue to look at other teams rosters for the answers. Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe was in town for a few games last month, and Edmonton's a team with a shortage of wingers and a surplus of centres...
The Hawks should be no match for your Habs tonight, but that's certainly no guarantee when these boys are playing at the Bell Centre. I feel like a broken record, but it's really quite astounding. The Habs have only 7 wins in 19 home games. This is after going 50-25-7 at home over the last two seasons. They need to stop being intimidated by their own rabid fans and let other teams worry about them. The Hawks haven't won in Montreal since 2001.
In other news...
This Roger Clemens thing boggles the mind. His impassioned defence compelled even me, a well known cynic. The bizarre tale of weepy phone calls between him and the trainer who claimed he injected him with HGH only adds to the growing insanity, but I'm starting to wonder if Clemens' refusal to submit to a simple polygraph is the clincher here. If he's so determined to clear his name, it seems a pretty straightforward way to get it done. I'm not familiar with the exactitudes of how those things work, but if it's good enough for terrorist interrogations, then it's good enough for me.
The other thing is, Andy Pettitte, who was also named by Clemens trainer immediately admitted to use of HGH and said he only did so briefly while recovering from injury. Pettitte is one of Clemens' best friends, is he supposed to be lying too?
Vitamin B12 and Lidocaine? Smells like bullshit, Rocket.
Bob Gainey addressed members of the media at the Bell Centre yesterday and had largely positive things to say about what the team has accomplished so far this year and also hinted that there could be some changes on the horizon.
Firstly, since Cristobal Huet has made it clear he is the team's number one goaltender and should see the bulk of the workload in the coming months, we may see 20-year old Carey Price in Hamilton sooner than later so that he can get more playing time. Current Bulldogs starter Jaroslav Halak was named the AHL's player of the week yesterday and is no stranger to the NHL, having played a stretch for the Habs that put them back into postseason contention late last season.
Price has only made two starts in the last two weeks and has lost them both. Price doesn't see it as a demotion if it does happen, he in fact sounded very mature when he was asked about the possibility yesterday,
"They have my best interests in whatever they have planned, if Hamilton is what they deem necessary, then so be it. Right now, it's part of being young. If they think I need a little more game work, that's fine."
Second, Gainey is unhappy with what his team is doing in the faceoff circle so far this year. It was the only concern he raised that he can address personally by trading or moving personnel. The only Hab on the good side of a 50% faceoff rate is Saku Koivu, at 55%. The rest of the guys are between 44 and 49%, which is a big part of their shortcomings on the penalty kill in today's puck-possession NHL.
It will be interesting to see which guys respond to Gainey's remarks and if they can improve the faceoff stats from within. Gainey made it clear that until that happens, he will continue to look at other teams rosters for the answers. Edmonton GM Kevin Lowe was in town for a few games last month, and Edmonton's a team with a shortage of wingers and a surplus of centres...
The Hawks should be no match for your Habs tonight, but that's certainly no guarantee when these boys are playing at the Bell Centre. I feel like a broken record, but it's really quite astounding. The Habs have only 7 wins in 19 home games. This is after going 50-25-7 at home over the last two seasons. They need to stop being intimidated by their own rabid fans and let other teams worry about them. The Hawks haven't won in Montreal since 2001.
In other news...
This Roger Clemens thing boggles the mind. His impassioned defence compelled even me, a well known cynic. The bizarre tale of weepy phone calls between him and the trainer who claimed he injected him with HGH only adds to the growing insanity, but I'm starting to wonder if Clemens' refusal to submit to a simple polygraph is the clincher here. If he's so determined to clear his name, it seems a pretty straightforward way to get it done. I'm not familiar with the exactitudes of how those things work, but if it's good enough for terrorist interrogations, then it's good enough for me.
The other thing is, Andy Pettitte, who was also named by Clemens trainer immediately admitted to use of HGH and said he only did so briefly while recovering from injury. Pettitte is one of Clemens' best friends, is he supposed to be lying too?
Vitamin B12 and Lidocaine? Smells like bullshit, Rocket.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Changes & Resolutions
I've been ignoring my responsibilities as a blogger. Over the holidays, I ate a lot, drank a lot and was merry. It was a fantastic holiday season which I was able to spend with friends and family. I am one lucky bastard.
Enough about me though.
My New Year's resolution is to blog more regularly.
Here goes as we kick off 2008.
I just got home from the Bell Centre. They still play Vertigo when the Habs score. I was hoping for a change. Enough with the negative though...
Michael Ryder had a big night. He was cheered by the fans when he was introduced in the starting lineup and the cheers continued all night as he set up the Habs first goal and scored two more, one of which was a vintage Michael Ryder snapshot from the top of the faceoff circle.
It's a lot more fun when your team is winning and even better when you're able to put the puck in the net. Ryder appears to be back on track and the timing couldn't be better. When he's playing with confidence, he's a proven performer with a great nose for the net. When the media was allowed into the Habs dressing room after the game, the scrum converged on Ryder's stall and all of his teammates hooted and hollered at him, even sending a few wolf whistles his way. It was a great moment, a moment that demonstrated how close of a unit this team has become. His teammates never gave up on him. Many of them have reiterated that they see the real Michael Ryder in practice all the time and knew it was just a matter of time until he started to put the puck in the net.
Chris Higgins continues to emerge as a dominant player on both ends of the ice and his leadership qualities shine through night after night. It's a real pleasure to see him healthy at this point of the season.
There is no doubt that the addition of Sergei Kostitsyn has not only energized the Habs but has also given his older brother's play a jolt, as he continues to perform at a high level, scoring the winner tonight and teaming up with his linemates to create plenty of offense.
Carbo's strategy of rolling four lines has had mixed results but one thing that's becoming clear is that the Canadiens have far more energy now than they did at this point last year, when the meltdown was in full swing. At his postgame press conference today, Carbo talked about the fact that he doesn't work the guys as hard this year and how that has kept them fresher and more energetic. He went as far as to say that he sometimes doesn't even allow the guys to skate on certain days, even when they want to.
Your Montreal Canadiens seem to be finding the consistency required to stay near the upper half of the Eastern Conference for a playoff run. If they can stay healthy, and that's a BIG if, they'll do some damage.
Looking forward to Saturday's matinee against the Capitals, hopefully I can get the scoop on just how interested Alex Ovechkin would be in having a CH on his chest.
by the way....
In my last blog entry, before the Habs hit the road for their holiday trip, I made some predictions.
"The Habs pick up 8 out of a possible 12 points, keeping in the middle of the pack in the playoff race. Sergei Kostitsyn scores his first NHL goal. Tomas Plekanec continues to elevate his game. Snow continues to fall in Montreal and snow removal continues to move at a snail's pace.
The outdoor rink in my neighbourhood finally opens after the city takes its sweet fucking time getting it done. The Sens continue to be the streakiest team in the league and Detroit continues its dominance."
I'm pretty happy with my success rate here. I was right about everything except the outdoor rink. It's still not open but I'm confident the City of Westmount will get it done by the end of January, or at least in time for it to melt. I hope you'll agree that I'm psychic and should probably quit while I'm ahead.
Enough about me though.
My New Year's resolution is to blog more regularly.
Here goes as we kick off 2008.
I just got home from the Bell Centre. They still play Vertigo when the Habs score. I was hoping for a change. Enough with the negative though...
Michael Ryder had a big night. He was cheered by the fans when he was introduced in the starting lineup and the cheers continued all night as he set up the Habs first goal and scored two more, one of which was a vintage Michael Ryder snapshot from the top of the faceoff circle.
It's a lot more fun when your team is winning and even better when you're able to put the puck in the net. Ryder appears to be back on track and the timing couldn't be better. When he's playing with confidence, he's a proven performer with a great nose for the net. When the media was allowed into the Habs dressing room after the game, the scrum converged on Ryder's stall and all of his teammates hooted and hollered at him, even sending a few wolf whistles his way. It was a great moment, a moment that demonstrated how close of a unit this team has become. His teammates never gave up on him. Many of them have reiterated that they see the real Michael Ryder in practice all the time and knew it was just a matter of time until he started to put the puck in the net.
Chris Higgins continues to emerge as a dominant player on both ends of the ice and his leadership qualities shine through night after night. It's a real pleasure to see him healthy at this point of the season.
There is no doubt that the addition of Sergei Kostitsyn has not only energized the Habs but has also given his older brother's play a jolt, as he continues to perform at a high level, scoring the winner tonight and teaming up with his linemates to create plenty of offense.
Carbo's strategy of rolling four lines has had mixed results but one thing that's becoming clear is that the Canadiens have far more energy now than they did at this point last year, when the meltdown was in full swing. At his postgame press conference today, Carbo talked about the fact that he doesn't work the guys as hard this year and how that has kept them fresher and more energetic. He went as far as to say that he sometimes doesn't even allow the guys to skate on certain days, even when they want to.
Your Montreal Canadiens seem to be finding the consistency required to stay near the upper half of the Eastern Conference for a playoff run. If they can stay healthy, and that's a BIG if, they'll do some damage.
Looking forward to Saturday's matinee against the Capitals, hopefully I can get the scoop on just how interested Alex Ovechkin would be in having a CH on his chest.
by the way....
In my last blog entry, before the Habs hit the road for their holiday trip, I made some predictions.
"The Habs pick up 8 out of a possible 12 points, keeping in the middle of the pack in the playoff race. Sergei Kostitsyn scores his first NHL goal. Tomas Plekanec continues to elevate his game. Snow continues to fall in Montreal and snow removal continues to move at a snail's pace.
The outdoor rink in my neighbourhood finally opens after the city takes its sweet fucking time getting it done. The Sens continue to be the streakiest team in the league and Detroit continues its dominance."
I'm pretty happy with my success rate here. I was right about everything except the outdoor rink. It's still not open but I'm confident the City of Westmount will get it done by the end of January, or at least in time for it to melt. I hope you'll agree that I'm psychic and should probably quit while I'm ahead.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Habs Win A Close One
The hungry Toronto Maple Leafs did everything they could to keep that shit-eating grin on Mats Sundin's face, but they lost. Unfortunately, the grin remained after the loss, apparently the result of Sundin wearing a mouth guard, rather than him actually eating shit, which would've been AWESOME.
Seriously though, the Habs won in a shootout. The Leafs are arguably the worst shootout team in the NHL and they showed it tonight. Even with Paul Maurice keeping the Zamboni on the ice for an unprecendentedly(is that a word?) long amount of time, the Leafs couldn't shut the door.
Carey Price is good. Vesa Toskala and Andrew Raycroft are a couple of backups who are never going to be 45 game winners in the NHL.
Now.
The Canadiens deserved to lose. But they won. That's what happens when you have a premier goaltender between the pipes. Expect Carey Price to continue to improve, his performance tonight would be easy to overlook due to how easy he made it look. He's unflappable.
The kid hasn't dominated anyone for a shutout yet, but he's gotten his team wins and looked stellar in the process. Stellar. There's a word used to describe excellence in goaltending. A word that's been used far too seldom around here in the last few years.
It's Tuesday, why are there only three games tonight?
The NHL schedule is downright strange. Once again, the Habs will play a Friday-Saturday back-to-backer(sorry about all the hyphons) and this week, they'll get three days off in between. Why not have them play a classic Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday week?
Hopefully the NHL does something about the wacky schedules this offseason. It's getting out of hand. The Habs are coming off a period in which they played six games in nine days. That's too much for any team.
I'm watching the Ducks-Canucks game right now and I can't believe how the Ducks play the game. They are the most physical team out there, with absolutely no control over their emotions. This is the same style that brought them so much success last year, but not having Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer is going to hurt them until they both pull a Roger Clemens and put the Ducks back into the forefront of the race for the Stanley Cup once again.
Only without the steroids.
I'm at practice tomorrow to relay any tidbits and tallywackers I hear from what I hope will be an upbeat and happy group.
Seriously though, the Habs won in a shootout. The Leafs are arguably the worst shootout team in the NHL and they showed it tonight. Even with Paul Maurice keeping the Zamboni on the ice for an unprecendentedly(is that a word?) long amount of time, the Leafs couldn't shut the door.
Carey Price is good. Vesa Toskala and Andrew Raycroft are a couple of backups who are never going to be 45 game winners in the NHL.
Now.
The Canadiens deserved to lose. But they won. That's what happens when you have a premier goaltender between the pipes. Expect Carey Price to continue to improve, his performance tonight would be easy to overlook due to how easy he made it look. He's unflappable.
The kid hasn't dominated anyone for a shutout yet, but he's gotten his team wins and looked stellar in the process. Stellar. There's a word used to describe excellence in goaltending. A word that's been used far too seldom around here in the last few years.
It's Tuesday, why are there only three games tonight?
The NHL schedule is downright strange. Once again, the Habs will play a Friday-Saturday back-to-backer(sorry about all the hyphons) and this week, they'll get three days off in between. Why not have them play a classic Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday week?
Hopefully the NHL does something about the wacky schedules this offseason. It's getting out of hand. The Habs are coming off a period in which they played six games in nine days. That's too much for any team.
I'm watching the Ducks-Canucks game right now and I can't believe how the Ducks play the game. They are the most physical team out there, with absolutely no control over their emotions. This is the same style that brought them so much success last year, but not having Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer is going to hurt them until they both pull a Roger Clemens and put the Ducks back into the forefront of the race for the Stanley Cup once again.
Only without the steroids.
I'm at practice tomorrow to relay any tidbits and tallywackers I hear from what I hope will be an upbeat and happy group.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Gamenight in Uniondale
The Islanders, one of the the snooze-inducing teams in the New York area, are playing very boring but effective hockey. Rick DiPietro has been a force in goal and he continues to be one of the best puck-handlers at his position. He's 4-5 with a 2.34 GAA in his career against the Canadiens.
Josef Vasicek is leading them with 8 goals, Mike Comrie is tops with 17 points. Ted Nolan is a hell of a coach, and has been getting a good effort from his team all year long. He knows how to maximize his players potential.
The Habs have had difficulty picking up wins at Nassau Coliseum since 1998. In 17 games since Jan. 8 of that year, they're 4-12 with one tie.
Cristobal Huet looks to bounce back tonight after losing three games in a row. He's been jittery at times and has not received the support he needs from his teammates in the defensive zone over that span.
Count me among those who would rather see Carey Price in net. The Canadiens just seem to absorb the poise and confidence he plays with. When he's out there, the entire team seems more relaxed.
Price is 5-1-1. (5-2)
Huet is 6-5-2. (6-7)
It's starting to become more and more clear that it's not a question of if Price steals the starting job, but rather when. The numbers that really matter are wins and losses. Price's stats are skewed by having given up meaningless goals when games were already out of reach. He has also given up some soft goals. This happens to the best goaltenders, but some of the goals do leave you scratching your head.
It seems pretty clear that Price gives the Habs a better chance to win, and he's a workhorse, having proved that point by playing in over 82 games at various levels over the course of last season.
Josef Vasicek is leading them with 8 goals, Mike Comrie is tops with 17 points. Ted Nolan is a hell of a coach, and has been getting a good effort from his team all year long. He knows how to maximize his players potential.
The Habs have had difficulty picking up wins at Nassau Coliseum since 1998. In 17 games since Jan. 8 of that year, they're 4-12 with one tie.
Cristobal Huet looks to bounce back tonight after losing three games in a row. He's been jittery at times and has not received the support he needs from his teammates in the defensive zone over that span.
Count me among those who would rather see Carey Price in net. The Canadiens just seem to absorb the poise and confidence he plays with. When he's out there, the entire team seems more relaxed.
Price is 5-1-1. (5-2)
Huet is 6-5-2. (6-7)
It's starting to become more and more clear that it's not a question of if Price steals the starting job, but rather when. The numbers that really matter are wins and losses. Price's stats are skewed by having given up meaningless goals when games were already out of reach. He has also given up some soft goals. This happens to the best goaltenders, but some of the goals do leave you scratching your head.
It seems pretty clear that Price gives the Habs a better chance to win, and he's a workhorse, having proved that point by playing in over 82 games at various levels over the course of last season.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Gamenight: Ottawa & #19 Finally Retired
Tonight was one of those games i circled on my Sports Illustrated swimsuit calendar at the start of season. Actually I'm lying, it's a Hello Kitty calendar i stole from my little sister, but the fact is, this date was circled.
The best team in the NHL right now is in town. The Sens own a 15-3-0 record. Daniel Alfredsson is scary good. 15 goals, 25 points. Dany Heatley has the most assists on the team, with 13. They're coming off a 3-0 loss against mighty Toronto, so you know they're going to be hungry. This is their first visit to the Bell Centre this year, the Habs lost both meetings in Ottawa so far this season, but both games were close.
Cristobal Huet is in goal after the Habs got back-to-back weak performances for the first time this year on Friday and Saturday, with both their goaltenders having difficulty.
Larry Robinson, who patrolled the Habs' blue line for 17 of his 20 NHL seasons, is finally being honoured by his team for his unbelievable contribution to the teams of the 70s. Robinson won 6 Stanley Cups. One Conn Smythe Trophy. Two Norris trophies. 958 points.
I never had the pleasure of seeing him play live. I've seen the highlights of big, dominant d-man who left it all on the ice every night out there. Here's a link of "Big Bird" absolutely levelling Gary Dornhoffer. Wow.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JKd4HJNSbQg
This guy scored, hit and won.
This is one of those jersey retirements that fans and media have been calling for since his retirement. One of the best defenseman of all time. I get to talk to him at the first intermission!!
Here's the Legends of Hockey piece on Robinson.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lJioJrjnY6I
The best team in the NHL right now is in town. The Sens own a 15-3-0 record. Daniel Alfredsson is scary good. 15 goals, 25 points. Dany Heatley has the most assists on the team, with 13. They're coming off a 3-0 loss against mighty Toronto, so you know they're going to be hungry. This is their first visit to the Bell Centre this year, the Habs lost both meetings in Ottawa so far this season, but both games were close.
Cristobal Huet is in goal after the Habs got back-to-back weak performances for the first time this year on Friday and Saturday, with both their goaltenders having difficulty.
Larry Robinson, who patrolled the Habs' blue line for 17 of his 20 NHL seasons, is finally being honoured by his team for his unbelievable contribution to the teams of the 70s. Robinson won 6 Stanley Cups. One Conn Smythe Trophy. Two Norris trophies. 958 points.
I never had the pleasure of seeing him play live. I've seen the highlights of big, dominant d-man who left it all on the ice every night out there. Here's a link of "Big Bird" absolutely levelling Gary Dornhoffer. Wow.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JKd4HJNSbQg
This guy scored, hit and won.
This is one of those jersey retirements that fans and media have been calling for since his retirement. One of the best defenseman of all time. I get to talk to him at the first intermission!!
Here's the Legends of Hockey piece on Robinson.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lJioJrjnY6I
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Gameday Musings
The Canadiens host the Bruins at the Bell Centre tonight. They've had a lot of success in this situation for the last few years.
Last night was painful to watch. The Habs defense, which has been garnering praise all year, looked sluggish and the forwards were no better. The alleged top line continued to struggle on both ends of the ice. Whether it was Michael Ryder, Tom Kostopoulos or whomever else Carbo stuck with Koivu and Higgins, they struggled mightily.
Cristobal Huet wasn't superhuman, allowing three goals on twelve shots in the first period. The Habs are a team that has a lot of difficulty when their goaltending isn't superb. The bottom line is, looking tired and sluggish isn't an option for this team. They looked tired this morning as well. It's not encouraging to see at this point of the season. There's still a lot of hockey to be played.
Carey Price is in the net tonight, looking for his fifth win. This isn't exactly a must-win game, but the Habs need a strong performance after last night's debacle. Ryan Miller made it look incredibly easy as his teammates were buzzing all over the ice and resembling the strong Sabres team of last year.
Dropkick Murphys at Metropolis tonight, should be a good time.
and...
Did you see Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund take out Minnesota's Mikko Koivu with a two-handed slash to the ankle? Wow. It's amazing what these guys continue to do to each other.
No respect.
Or maybe it's more of a Finland-Sweden rivalry, something like the East coast vs West coast thing that engulfed the hip hop community in the 90s.
Last night was painful to watch. The Habs defense, which has been garnering praise all year, looked sluggish and the forwards were no better. The alleged top line continued to struggle on both ends of the ice. Whether it was Michael Ryder, Tom Kostopoulos or whomever else Carbo stuck with Koivu and Higgins, they struggled mightily.
Cristobal Huet wasn't superhuman, allowing three goals on twelve shots in the first period. The Habs are a team that has a lot of difficulty when their goaltending isn't superb. The bottom line is, looking tired and sluggish isn't an option for this team. They looked tired this morning as well. It's not encouraging to see at this point of the season. There's still a lot of hockey to be played.
Carey Price is in the net tonight, looking for his fifth win. This isn't exactly a must-win game, but the Habs need a strong performance after last night's debacle. Ryan Miller made it look incredibly easy as his teammates were buzzing all over the ice and resembling the strong Sabres team of last year.
Dropkick Murphys at Metropolis tonight, should be a good time.
and...
Did you see Canucks defenseman Mattias Ohlund take out Minnesota's Mikko Koivu with a two-handed slash to the ankle? Wow. It's amazing what these guys continue to do to each other.
No respect.
Or maybe it's more of a Finland-Sweden rivalry, something like the East coast vs West coast thing that engulfed the hip hop community in the 90s.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Practice & Fallout
So Tom Kostopoulos pointed out that he has played on a number one line in the NHL today following practice at Denis Savard Arena. It was under the quickly-fired Eddie Olczyk in Pittsburgh.
Kostopoulos was on the first line with Saku Koivu and Chris Higgins at practice, replacing the beleaguered Michael Ryder. He clearly doesn't have the hands to be a first-line NHLer but it's also clear that Guy Carbonneau is aching to try something else, and Ryder is out of slack. The other options currently available to Carbo are limited: Guy Latendresse, who is still playing through some pain from his back injury, Mathieu Dandenault, whose offensive upside is limited, and Mikhail Grabovski, whose physical presence leaves much to be desired.
All of this smacks of putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. The Habs' second line has carried them offensively through the last four games, but the Koivu line needs to step it up. Is the answer in Hamilton?
Sergei Kostitsyn has been Hamilton's top forward so far this year, and both of his linemates from the London Knights last year are making waves at the NHL level. Is he ready? Bob Gainey doesn't like to rush his players and his patient approach paid huge dividends with Chris Higgins and Tomas Plekanec. Rushing guys can be disastrous (see: Latendresse, Guy).
So it looks like we'll see Kostopoulos on the top line Friday night in Buffalo. Ryder will see less ice, which won't make breaking his slump any easier. He seems to be overanalyzing everything and trying to make the perfect play instead of his usual shooting and crashing the net style.
Bob Gainey is certainly looking better and better for not offering him a long term deal in either of the last two offseasons. Ryder is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, which is usually a situation that will light a fire under a guy's ass. Not so far.
The important thing is, the Habs continue to win games and are getting unbelievable defense and goaltending. Carbo and Gainey are looking smarter and smarter with each passing day. Don't expect to sustain this level of success all year, injuries and other factors will obviously come into play eventually.
But enjoy the good times, as Mike Komisarek and the boys are.
and...
I don't think anyone, myself included, hates the Leafs as much as Alex Kovalev. Did you see him react to Komi's OT winner? He jumped like his name was LeBron James.
Beautiful.
Kostopoulos was on the first line with Saku Koivu and Chris Higgins at practice, replacing the beleaguered Michael Ryder. He clearly doesn't have the hands to be a first-line NHLer but it's also clear that Guy Carbonneau is aching to try something else, and Ryder is out of slack. The other options currently available to Carbo are limited: Guy Latendresse, who is still playing through some pain from his back injury, Mathieu Dandenault, whose offensive upside is limited, and Mikhail Grabovski, whose physical presence leaves much to be desired.
All of this smacks of putting a band-aid on a gaping wound. The Habs' second line has carried them offensively through the last four games, but the Koivu line needs to step it up. Is the answer in Hamilton?
Sergei Kostitsyn has been Hamilton's top forward so far this year, and both of his linemates from the London Knights last year are making waves at the NHL level. Is he ready? Bob Gainey doesn't like to rush his players and his patient approach paid huge dividends with Chris Higgins and Tomas Plekanec. Rushing guys can be disastrous (see: Latendresse, Guy).
So it looks like we'll see Kostopoulos on the top line Friday night in Buffalo. Ryder will see less ice, which won't make breaking his slump any easier. He seems to be overanalyzing everything and trying to make the perfect play instead of his usual shooting and crashing the net style.
Bob Gainey is certainly looking better and better for not offering him a long term deal in either of the last two offseasons. Ryder is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, which is usually a situation that will light a fire under a guy's ass. Not so far.
The important thing is, the Habs continue to win games and are getting unbelievable defense and goaltending. Carbo and Gainey are looking smarter and smarter with each passing day. Don't expect to sustain this level of success all year, injuries and other factors will obviously come into play eventually.
But enjoy the good times, as Mike Komisarek and the boys are.
and...
I don't think anyone, myself included, hates the Leafs as much as Alex Kovalev. Did you see him react to Komi's OT winner? He jumped like his name was LeBron James.
Beautiful.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Hier Soir
The Canadiens second line came out to play last night and Carey Price helped the team hang on for a 2-1 victory by stopping 28 out of 29 shots.
The Habs got a huge penalty kill on a 5 on 3 situation for 1 minute and 58 seconds late in the third period with Mike Komisarek and Francis Bouillon in the box.
The Habs second line came out to play as Alex Kovalev got his eighth goal of the season and Tomas Plekanec got the winner. Andrei Kostitsyn assisted on both goals as he looks like he might be here to stay on the second trio.
A stronger Canadian dollar and higher ticket prices have made George Gillett Jr's team even more valuable. The Habs jumped to fourth on its 30-team NHL scale, Forbes Magazine's rankings of the value of NHL teams says the Canadiens are now estimated to be worth $283 million, up $53 million from last season.
The Canadiens are in Ottawa to take on the league-leading Senators tomorrow afternoon, the Sens are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals
The Habs got a huge penalty kill on a 5 on 3 situation for 1 minute and 58 seconds late in the third period with Mike Komisarek and Francis Bouillon in the box.
The Habs second line came out to play as Alex Kovalev got his eighth goal of the season and Tomas Plekanec got the winner. Andrei Kostitsyn assisted on both goals as he looks like he might be here to stay on the second trio.
A stronger Canadian dollar and higher ticket prices have made George Gillett Jr's team even more valuable. The Habs jumped to fourth on its 30-team NHL scale, Forbes Magazine's rankings of the value of NHL teams says the Canadiens are now estimated to be worth $283 million, up $53 million from last season.
The Canadiens are in Ottawa to take on the league-leading Senators tomorrow afternoon, the Sens are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Gameday: Boston Bruins
Montreal Canadiens (8-3-3) at Boston Bruins (7-5-2) 7:35pm
The Canadiens begin a four-game road trip tonight in Boston.
It looks like there will be two twenty year old goaltenders between the pipes as Carey Price goes for the Habs, and Tuuka Rask appears to be Claude Julien's choice to make his first NHL start.
The Habs have beat the Bruins four times in a row. They got off to a hot start, winning five of their first seven games but have gone 2-3-2 since.
Montreal has yet to trail after the first period through 14 games this season, outscoring its opponents 16-7 in the opening 20 minutes.
The Habs have won six of their last eight games.
If the first part of the season is any indication, the crowd at TD Banknorth Garden shouldn't be a factor. With the Patriots re-writing history, the Red Sox winning another World Series and Boston College vying for a National Championship, no one in Beantown seems to have time for the Bruins.
The Canadiens begin a four-game road trip tonight in Boston.
It looks like there will be two twenty year old goaltenders between the pipes as Carey Price goes for the Habs, and Tuuka Rask appears to be Claude Julien's choice to make his first NHL start.
The Habs have beat the Bruins four times in a row. They got off to a hot start, winning five of their first seven games but have gone 2-3-2 since.
Montreal has yet to trail after the first period through 14 games this season, outscoring its opponents 16-7 in the opening 20 minutes.
The Habs have won six of their last eight games.
The Bruins, meanwhile, have scored just four goals in their last three games, and have been held to two goals or fewer nine times in their 14 contests. They are tied for 28th in the league with 32 goals on the season.
The Bruins played in Buffalo last night and dropped the game 2-1 in overtime. The Canadiens need to capitalize on the possibly tired Bruins by coming out of the gates strong.If the first part of the season is any indication, the crowd at TD Banknorth Garden shouldn't be a factor. With the Patriots re-writing history, the Red Sox winning another World Series and Boston College vying for a National Championship, no one in Beantown seems to have time for the Bruins.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Last Night
Cristobal Huet answered his critics with a convincing shutout win over the Buffalo Sabres. The Habs goalie stopped all 29 shots he faced and was particularly sharp in the first and third periods.
Tomas Plekanec got the game winning goal on a feed from new linemate Andrei Kostitsyn, who also played a solid game for the Habs, filling in for Guilaume Latendresse, who injured his back in the warmup.
Andrei Markov got two assists and logged just under 25 minutes of ice time as the Canadiens beat the Sabres in regulation for the second in this young season.
Michael Ryder managed a shot on goal but had difficulty again as last years leading goal scorer remains stuck on two goals and four assists on the season.
The Canadiens took only two shots in the third period, one of which was Bryan Smolinski's empty-net winner.
I wrote an additional post about the success of Andrei Markov, Mike Komisarek and Roman Hamrlik so far this year. Thanks to the miracle that is Windows Vista, it was lost to the ages.
Tomas Plekanec got the game winning goal on a feed from new linemate Andrei Kostitsyn, who also played a solid game for the Habs, filling in for Guilaume Latendresse, who injured his back in the warmup.
Andrei Markov got two assists and logged just under 25 minutes of ice time as the Canadiens beat the Sabres in regulation for the second in this young season.
Michael Ryder managed a shot on goal but had difficulty again as last years leading goal scorer remains stuck on two goals and four assists on the season.
The Canadiens took only two shots in the third period, one of which was Bryan Smolinski's empty-net winner.
I wrote an additional post about the success of Andrei Markov, Mike Komisarek and Roman Hamrlik so far this year. Thanks to the miracle that is Windows Vista, it was lost to the ages.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Gamenight: Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs (5-6-3) at Canadiens (7-2-3)
The Leafs and their fans are in town! Things are looking generally peachy for the Habs right now, as they've picked up points in all but two games this year and have gone 5-0-1 in their last six.
The Leafs are led by Mats Sundin, he's got 20 points in 14 games this year, and will surely have that stupid mouthguard-induced grin on his face all night.
Toronto is without regulars Darcy Tucker, Kyle Wellwood, Carlo Colaiacovo and Bryan McCabe.
Hab-killer Tomas Kaberle is still in the lineup.
Alex Kovalev and Saku Koivu have been playing like superstars. Roman Hamrlik is looking like one of the best free-agent acquisitions of the offseason. Tom Kostopulos has been solid and spectacular at times. Brisebois has been ok, all though his play seems to have diminished a bit lately.
The goaltending has been good, not spectacular. Good enough for the second-best record in the East!
The fans will be out in force tonight. The Philly game on Thursday was the most electric atmosphere I've seen at the Bell Centre for a regular season game in a while. Daniel Briere and the Flyers were intimidated by the fans.
The Leafs and their fans are in town! Things are looking generally peachy for the Habs right now, as they've picked up points in all but two games this year and have gone 5-0-1 in their last six.
The Leafs are led by Mats Sundin, he's got 20 points in 14 games this year, and will surely have that stupid mouthguard-induced grin on his face all night.
Toronto is without regulars Darcy Tucker, Kyle Wellwood, Carlo Colaiacovo and Bryan McCabe.
Hab-killer Tomas Kaberle is still in the lineup.
Alex Kovalev and Saku Koivu have been playing like superstars. Roman Hamrlik is looking like one of the best free-agent acquisitions of the offseason. Tom Kostopulos has been solid and spectacular at times. Brisebois has been ok, all though his play seems to have diminished a bit lately.
The goaltending has been good, not spectacular. Good enough for the second-best record in the East!
The fans will be out in force tonight. The Philly game on Thursday was the most electric atmosphere I've seen at the Bell Centre for a regular season game in a while. Daniel Briere and the Flyers were intimidated by the fans.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Gameday: Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers (3-8-0) at Canadiens (6-2-2) 7:35pm, Bell Centre
Put on your Hillary Clinton costume and head down to the Bell Centre and scare some little kids. It's All Hallows Eve, and the scariest lady in America is a popular costume choice.
The Thrashers are 3-2 in their last 5 games after starting the season 0-6 and firing head coach Bob Hartley. Ilya Kovalchuk has 7 points in his last 4 games. Atlanta goalie Johan Hedberg has never beaten the Habs, he is 0-5-0 against them in six career games.
Carey Price is getting the first home start of his career. He will follow Saturday's eight consecutive saves in the shootout by trying to keep the lowly Thrashers off the scoresheet. The fans are going to be in full effect, cheering him on.
Andrei Markov, Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev have been outstanding so far this year. The Canadiens have been using their speed and puck-moving skills to generate a ton of power play opportunities. The power play is on fire so far, the Habs are operating at a 30.4% efficiency rate this year. If the Thrashers take early penalties, look for the Canadiens to jump all over their chances.
Another good sign is the Canadiens are staying out of the penalty box. Sure, their penalty kill isn't as good as last year but a big part of the success is a lack of people like Mike Johnson and Sheldon Souray taking stupid penalties.
The Canadiens will honour Roman Hamrlik, Bryan Smolinski and Alex Kovalev, who all reached the 1000 game plateau this year. Patrice Brisebois will be playing in his 800th game as a Canadien tonight.
Francis Bouillon is out of the lineup tonight with an undisclosed shoulder injury. Josh Gorges should take his place.
Rumours and Speculation
There are a few Eastern teams off to disappointing starts this year. Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers haven't been getting the goaltending they were looking for and the talk is that Jaroslav Halak could be headed to either team. The players heading the other way are rumoured to be Colby Armstrong from the Pens or Sean Avery from the Rangers.
Both are gritty forwards who can skate and play a physical game. It's still early in the year however, and who knows what the Habs goaltending situation will look like down the road? There's too much talent in the system right now to give up a blue-chip goaltending prospect for a goon like Avery.
Finally... How much fun is it to watch the Leafs get embarassed on home ice? 7-1 to the Washington Capitals. Say what you will about the Habs, they NEVER get blown out like that, especially on home ice.
Put on your Hillary Clinton costume and head down to the Bell Centre and scare some little kids. It's All Hallows Eve, and the scariest lady in America is a popular costume choice.
The Thrashers are 3-2 in their last 5 games after starting the season 0-6 and firing head coach Bob Hartley. Ilya Kovalchuk has 7 points in his last 4 games. Atlanta goalie Johan Hedberg has never beaten the Habs, he is 0-5-0 against them in six career games.
Carey Price is getting the first home start of his career. He will follow Saturday's eight consecutive saves in the shootout by trying to keep the lowly Thrashers off the scoresheet. The fans are going to be in full effect, cheering him on.
Andrei Markov, Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev have been outstanding so far this year. The Canadiens have been using their speed and puck-moving skills to generate a ton of power play opportunities. The power play is on fire so far, the Habs are operating at a 30.4% efficiency rate this year. If the Thrashers take early penalties, look for the Canadiens to jump all over their chances.
Another good sign is the Canadiens are staying out of the penalty box. Sure, their penalty kill isn't as good as last year but a big part of the success is a lack of people like Mike Johnson and Sheldon Souray taking stupid penalties.
The Canadiens will honour Roman Hamrlik, Bryan Smolinski and Alex Kovalev, who all reached the 1000 game plateau this year. Patrice Brisebois will be playing in his 800th game as a Canadien tonight.
Francis Bouillon is out of the lineup tonight with an undisclosed shoulder injury. Josh Gorges should take his place.
Rumours and Speculation
There are a few Eastern teams off to disappointing starts this year. Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers haven't been getting the goaltending they were looking for and the talk is that Jaroslav Halak could be headed to either team. The players heading the other way are rumoured to be Colby Armstrong from the Pens or Sean Avery from the Rangers.
Both are gritty forwards who can skate and play a physical game. It's still early in the year however, and who knows what the Habs goaltending situation will look like down the road? There's too much talent in the system right now to give up a blue-chip goaltending prospect for a goon like Avery.
Finally... How much fun is it to watch the Leafs get embarassed on home ice? 7-1 to the Washington Capitals. Say what you will about the Habs, they NEVER get blown out like that, especially on home ice.
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