The first question I asked Mr. McKinley was maybe an obvious one. What would inspire a native Canadian to put together such a detailed and thorough history of our sport together? It read as follows:

GP: I know that the CBC approached you to work on Hockey: A People’s History after you wrote Putting a Roof on Winter earlier in the decade, but what inspired you in putting together such an epic telling of the 135 or so years of hockey in this country?

The answer is probably the most resounding reason that everyone reading this should go and pick up a copy of this book today, if they haven’t done so already:

MM: I was inspired by the place the game holds in the Canadian imagination. It’s been 135 years since the first indoor hockey game, and in a relatively short historical time period (considering recorded human history) it fascinates me how one sport could so quickly dominate a country. I wanted to explore why that was the case.

There really isn’t any better way to put it. Hockey has come to be a major part of almost every Canadian’s life. Whether it’s someone whose family has resided in Canada since long before the sport’s creation, or even someone who is just arriving to the country, they’re likely to have at least watched one hockey game in their lives. When there is a game on, it’s on every screen at every sports bar, in many homes across the country, and in many Canadians’ minds, even long after the final buzzer. Americans have football, basketball and baseball. Europeans have soccer. But no sport resonates more with a single country’s population and history than hockey does in Canada.

Despite this clear connection with most, if not all of us, not many people really think of how this sport came to be such a major part of our daily lives. When The Checking Line opened its doors nearly a year ago, we added the following tagline at the top of the page, mostly in jest:

Awesome hockey discussion since 1875. True Story.

We didn’t really give it much thought, but that’s really how long hockey has been part of our history, of our nation. Through world wars, cold wars, revolutions, riots, economic highs and economic lows, controversies and moments of glory, hockey has somehow found a way to leave a mark on Canada.

Hockey: A People’s History shares with us many of these stories, many of these moments in our history, and manages to teach even the most informed hockey fans many interesting and astounding facts about both our sport and our history over the last 135 years.

Luckily for us, Mr. McKinley was kind enough to answer a few questions in regards to his book and the process of writing it, to the current state of hockey and the NHL, and to his upcoming projects as an author.

You can read the full interview with Michael McKinley at The Checking Line.

Moreover, you can find Hockey: A People’s History , which was written to accompany a CBC special of the same name,  here, on Amazon. His recent foray into the world of novel writing, entitled The Penalty Killing: A Martin Carter Mystery can be found at this link. If you are a hockey fan and, more importantly, a Canadian, both are titles that should be in your book collection.

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My thanks to Mr. McKinley and Stephen Crane of CraneCreek Communications for the opportunity and interview.

While there may have been a few players that others graded and ranked differently, fans and readers generally consented on what this team’s line-up would look like, in terms of skaters, and where they played, from best to “worst”. The top six is going to look exactly the same as it did for the most part last season. The defense has been set since last year’s playoffs. And plus or minus a couple of rookies, the 3rd and 4th lines have also been basically set in stone.

The same could be said about what’s left of this team’s goaltending heading into October. The difference, however, between this team’s goaltender and skating players is that GM Pierre Gauthier has really left us no choice but to accept Carey Price as the Canadiens’s starting goaltender.

Through a series of moves that saw Jaroslav Halak leave town for St. Louis, Cedrick Desjardins join pretty much half the organization in Tampa Bay, and Alex Auld sign a contract with the Canadiens, Carey Price has been handed the keys to the organization and sole ownership of the nets at the Bell Centre.

While Price didn’t exactly have a bad season in 2009-10, once you really look at the way he played and beyond the stats, anyway, he was often the source of criticism from fans and media members alike, culminating on a night where he was booed after a game at the Bell Centre in which he was named the 3rd star. Even Jacques Martin, who will have no choice but to go with Price as the season starts, had a surprise reaction that gave us one of his most memorable quotes from this past season:

“I respect the fans. They pay good dollars to be entertained and they have a right to an opinion. As a professional athlete, or a coach, you have to work within the framework. Sure I’d like to see better results (for Price), as he would. At the same time, I can’t say we lost the game because of him.”

Martin and the team ended up more or less giving up on Price after this incident. March 31st was the last time Price saw regular season action, and the four (of 19) games which saw him take the ice during the playoffs were only in relief of Jaroslav Halak. The team in front of Price had long given up on their goaltender as well, and the fans were quick to jump on the Jaroslav Halak bandwagon early in 2010, if not sooner, despite multiple attempts from the media and blogs to quell the nastiness that had developed from this “goalie controversy” throughout the season. Some of the best work on the subject can be found at Habs Eyes on the Prize by writer Chris Boyle, who put together some excellent comparisons between the two tenders through December 2009, before the Halak tidal wave made certain that Price wouldn’t stand a chance.

For the record, I’m not taking a side in the whole Price vs. Halak debate here. Frankly, I’m not even going to bother giving either goaltender a grade or rank them, as there would be no point. There will be plenty of comparisons, plenty of blogs, criticisms and comments about Price throughout the season. As someone who will likely read most of these criticisms, I hope that the rational fans can keep Halak out of the comparisons. For better or for worse, Jaroslav Halak is gone, and Carey Price will be this team’s starting goaltender. No amount of complaining will bring Halak back, so all we can do is hope that Price will regain his form and become the goaltender we have all expected from him since the beginning.

So I plead with the readers. If you’re going to criticize Price, criticize him and judge him on his own stats, his own merits, his own performance, and not based on what Jaroslav Halak or any other goaltender is doing around the league, with different teams, different coaching stats and different fans.

All of this, of course, hinges on when and for what Carey Price signs with the Habs…

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CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS: WHAT’S THE HOLD UP?

The closest thing to an update on Carey Price’s contract negotiations since the season ended in Philadelphia has been the following quote from his agent, Gerry Grossman, taken from Habs Inside/Out:

(The two sides) are not necessarily close, but it’s not that we’re not close in a bad way. We’re having good conversations and we both are committed to getting things done.

Breaking: According to the team, the Montreal Canadiens have traded AHL goaltender Cedrick Desjardins to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Karri Ramo. Ramo, a 24-year-old native of Finland who has played 48 NHL games since 2007, played for the Omsk Avangard of the KHL this past season, and has one more year left on his Russian contract. The 6th round pick of the Lightning in 2004 has never put up stellar numbers at the pro level, but recently broke out in Russia, where he was amongst the league’s best goaltenders.

The Canadiens, in turn, lose a solid, underrated, and undrafted 25 year old goaltender from New Brunswick who helped the Canadiens’ farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs, reach the AHL’s conference finals this past season and proved to be one of the best goaltenders in that league.

Both will probably never rise to be anything more than back-up goaltenders, maybe 1Bs with some desperate team. But from the Canadiens’ perspective, the deal is somewhat baffling. With Carey Price still unsigned, and no proof that Ramo will return to North America this season, the move leaves the Canadiens some thin at the goaltending position. Curtis Sanford becomes the number one goaltender in Hamilt0n, and prospect Robert Mayer will likely back him up to start the season. Alex Auld is the only NHL goaltender signed.

Canadiens fans might not be unjustified in starting to get worried about Price’s contract situation, less than one month before training camp.

But more on that when we look at goaltending next week.

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Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve taken an in-depth look at the forwards of the Montreal Canadiens, coming out of last season and heading into the next.

First, we looked at the top-six forwards, ranking the Canadiens top 2 lines and looking at what they might look like come October. The answer, interesting enough, was that they would look exactly the same as they did last season and during the playoffs.

Next, we looked at the “best of the rest” of the forwards, meaning the 3rd and 4th lines, the extras, and anyone who might stand a chance of getting called up this upcoming season. In this case, the two forward lines that will make up the depth of the team next month actually looked fairly different from the group that started the season for the Canadiens in 2009.

And with the forwards out of the way, we move on to the defensemen. The group of 7 that will start the season for the Canadiens is pretty much set in stone, and has been since the Habs’ miracle run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

If you ask me, Jaroslav Halak was not the main reason the Montreal Canadiens were one of the final 4 teams in the NHL this past May. While his performance obviously saved the Canadiens from defeat and embarrassment many a time, I firmly believe that Halak could not have accomplished what he did if it wasn’t for the 8 defensemen that saw time on the blue line in April and May. From blocking shots, to contributing to the offense and simply being there for Halak and the team, the defense of the Montreal Canadiens is what defined this team in their achievements since the season closed out.

There are two defensemen that won’t be returning to the Canadiens this next season:

Marc-André Bergeron was signed as a depth player and powerplay specialist in October, after Andrei Markov succumbed to a severed tendon, thanks to a skate to the ankle. Obviously, no one was expecting Bergeron to replace Markov or be nearly as good as the Canadiens’ star defenseman, but you can’t say that Bergeron didn’t do what was asked or expected of him from the very beginning. Bergeron led all Canadiens defensemen with 13 goals (7 powerplay goals) and 34 points in 60 games. He was a -7 on the season, but if you thought that defense was Bergeron’s strong point, then I really don’t know what to tell you. Bergeron slowed down in the playoffs, contributing only 2 goals and 6 points in 19 games, and a somewhat disastrous -12, considering the 16 1/2 minutes of average ice time he was getting.

We found out after the playoffs that Bergeron was playing with a fairly severe knee injury. Moreover, it’s pretty clear that Bergeron was being stretched a little thin by the coaching staff, but that shouldn’t be considered his fault. Considering how known deficiencies on the back-end, and what was expected of him when he was signed, you can’t really ask for much more from a player such as Bergeron. With the emergence of PK Subban, he is no longer needed on the team, but he gets a B+ for what he accomplished in his role as essentially a depth defenseman.
2009-10 Grade: B+

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Paul Mara was signed in the off-season of 2009 to be a big body for the Canadiens as a 5th-6th defenseman, one who can pitch in offensively. But 8 assists, no goals and a -16 later, Habs fans quickly forgot about Paul Mara after playing just 42 games with the Canadiens, and missing the rest with a severe shoulder injury. He did come back to accompany the team during the playoffs, even though he couldn’t play, which saves him from a failing grade. But otherwise, there’s no way to describe Paul Mara other than a faile experiment.
2009-10 Grade: D

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If you forget about Marc-André Bergeron and Paul Mara – and I don’t think many Habs fans will lose any sleep over their departure – the defense for the Montreal Canadiens should look fairly familiar come October 7th in Toronto.

Rating and ranking the seven defensemen that played for the Canadiens last season and will play for the Canadiens this upcoming season was a difficult task. While nearly all of those shined at various intervals during the season and, of course, the playoffs, the corps suffered many injuries and slumps that might make ranking one over another somewhat controversial.

Still, when looking at these rankings, and these grades, think about the roles asked of each of these players, their consistency in said roles, the amount of games they played and the effect their presence had on the team. Unlike forwards, you can’t rank defenseman based mostly on offensive production. That being said, I present to you the Montreal Canadiens defense, ranked 1 through 7!

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1. JOSH GORGES
2009-10: 82GP – 3G – 7A – 10PTS – +2
Playoffs: 19GP – 0G – 2A – 2PTS – -4

2009-10 Season: Josh Gorges was the rock on the Canadiens blue line this past season. He played all 82 games of the regular season, and 19 of the playoffs. He didn’t even miss a game after he was knocked out by a puck to the helmet in February. Gorges obviously isn’t a scoring machine, and with the additions of Bergeron and even Jaroslav Spacek, his offensive production fell by more than half of his career best 23 points from the year before, but it doesn’t matter. Whenever the Canadiens needed him, Gorges was there, ready to defend the blue line, head teammates, and to lead the team into the playoffs with his courage and determination.

The stats that puts him ahead of the pack? The 55 blocked shots that put him in second place on the team in the playoffs, behind Hal Gill (158 to lead the team in the regular season). The fact that he only gave up the puck 3 times. The 25 hits that weren’t the most on the team, but were well placed and effective for a player of his size and style. And the consistent 20 to 22 minutes a game he’ll give you every night.

Josh Gorges will never lead your team in any stat. He will never be a superstar in any regard. But he is a tremendous leader, one who leads by example, grit, determination and consistency, and a player who is invaluable to the Montreal Canadiens, no matter what the stat say. He is this team’s unsung hero, and gets the top stop on this year’s ranking of defensemen.

2009-10 Grade: A. Can you tell that I’m infatuated with this player? In case you didn’t know it yet, readthis article on who I think should be the Canadiens’ captain. In any case, Gorges gets the top spot, for his consistency, his toughness and his determination and leadership, qualities that are often looked over when it comes to pro athletes, thanks to the magic of statistics.

2010-11 Expectations: Keep doing what you’re doing. Oh, and to make room on your jersey for a big “C” to be sewn on.

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2. HAL GILL
2009-10: 68GP – 2G – 9A – 11PTS – -10
Playoffs: 18GP – 0G – 1A – 1PTS – -3

2009-10 Season: Ok, admittedly, I might lose some people here. But keep in mind what the requirements are. Determination. Grit. Consistency. Toughness. There aren’t many players who fit this mold better than Hal Gill. There aren’t many players who have overcome bigger odds to make it in the NHL. Hal Gill has been called many things over his NHL career, including dumb, clumsy, and traffic cone. But this past season, the big 6’7″, 250lbs 35-year-old proved once again why he continues to be a sought after player in the NHL.

Gill suffered two major injuries this past season. A broken foot that kept him out of the line-up for 14 games late in 2009, and a cut to the back of his leg in the playoffs. Despite taking 50 stitches to a fairly sensitive place on his body, Gill missed just 1 game, and knowing him, he would have probably played the game if they had let him. These injuries did not hold Gill back from doing what he does best. His 68 blocked shots put him at the top of the team, and despite his injury, the 150 shots he blocked during the season was the best per-game on the team as well. His 11 points and -10 plus/minus put his season in amongst his worst in his career, in terms of offense, but offense is the last thing that was asked of him by coach Jacques Martin.

In the end, Gill delivered on his $2.25 million in different ways than other players would, but he proved a lot of naysayers and skeptics and earned his spot with hard work, toughness and a never-give-up attitude. For this, he earns spot number 2 on our rankings.

2009-10 Grade: B+. Complaining about Hal Gill’s performance this past season, and especially in the playoffs, would be totally unfair to him and to the team. Everyone knew what he was capable of, what he had done in the past, and in my opinion, Hal Gill delivered on those expectations, and in fact exceeded them, turning into a shot blocking machine when the Canadiens couldn’t keep the puck out of their own zone during the playoffs.

2010-11 Expectations: To expect him not to be injured or really exceed what he did last season would be unfair. At 35 years old, and considering the way he plays, Gill is probably in the twilight of his career. However, if he continues blocking shots, if he continues mentoring Josh Gorges, and if his ice time continues to be capped at under 20 minutes a game for the most part, Hal Gill should have no trouble satisfying fans. The only thing that could be asked of him is to reduce the number of giveaways, and to try and stay out of the box.

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3. ANDREI MARKOV
2009-10: 45GP – 6G – 28A – 34PTS – +11
Playoffs: 8GP – 0G – 4A – 4PTS – -3

2009-10 Season: It’s tough to hurt a player’s rating based on injury. But considering Markov’s topsy-turvy season, what he’s been through and what he’s put the team through, it,s hard to put him ahead of other players, even considering what he does for the team when he’s healthy. Frankly, placing 3rd on the team may even be slightly generous. But the truth is that when Andrei Markov is healthy, he’s one of the best defensemen in the NHL. When Andrei Markov is healthy, the team wins more. He’s unquestionably the on-ice leader of this team, and the closest thing to a star player the Canadiens have had in years.

But the severed tendon he suffered in the first game of the season, and the torn knee ligament he suffered in the playoffs should definitely be a cause for concern for Canadiens fans. Add that to yet another knee injury at the end of the 2008-09 season, and Habs fans will definitely be pulling at their own collars for Markov news as the season approaches.

In any case, Markov’s offensive and defensive contributions, when he’s healthy, speak for themselves. His 34 points still managed to tie him for the lead in points by a defenseman this past season, and, again, when he was healthy, this team had an easier time winning.

2009-10 Grade: B. Markov is unquestionably the best defenseman the Canadiens have. But questions of his health and his ability to play a full season have to come into play here. He still remains at a very generous B rating, but one that may have to include an asterisk.

2010-11 Expectations: No one knows when Markov will be ready to play. The severity of the injury he suffered in the playoffs pretty much rules out a return for the beginning of the season, but don’t be surprised to see Markov return in November, or early December, and play 50-60 games for the Canadiens. He also has a contract to earn for the season after this one, so if he hasn’t been signed before he returns, expect him to step it up even more, to add as many dollars as he can on his new contract. Assuming he manages to come back for 60 games and stays healthy, 10 goals and 40 assists should be the expectation for Andrei Markov.

On a side note, don’t forget to read this great piece on Markov by our good friend Kyle Roussel!

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4. P.K. Subban
2009-10: 2GP – 0G – 2A – 2PTS – +1
Playoffs: 14GP – 1G – 7A – 8PTS – +2

2009-10 Season: The best way to describe Habs fans attitude towards PK Subban is “hesitant enthusiasm”. While only playing 2 regular season games for the Habs late this past season, Subban had an immediate impact on the team, putting up 2 assists and electrifying fans with his incredible speed and energy. It was no different in the playoffs, where Subban’s unusually calm attitude made Canadiens’ fans nearly forget about Andrei Markov’s injury.

Subban finished the playoffs with 1 goal (his first NHL goal) and 7 assists, second behind Roman Hamrlik for the lead amongst defenseman. He also led the entire team in +/- in the playoffs, and was the source of much attention from the opposition when he was on the ice.

To say that PK Subban had an impact on the team may even be an understatement. But considering this team’s treatment of rookies and young players in the past, Canadiens fans have remained tempered towards Subban, and await to see what he can do over the course of a full NHL season. Still, for his immediate contribution to the team, his attitude and modesty, Subban receives a B to tie with Andrei Markov and take 4th place.
2009-10 Grade: B.

2010-11 Expectations: Subban will start the season on the team, probably on a duo with either Roman Hamrlik or Jaroslav Spacek. We can only hope that he will remain with the team the entire season and lead all defensemen in points with 10-15 goals and 40-50 assists. Maybe these expectations are a little high, but frankly, he’s brought it on himself. Just be happy I didn’t put “Calder Trophy” as an expectation.

Oops.

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5. ROMAN HAMRLIK
2009-10: 75GP – 6G – 20A – 26PTS – -2
Playoffs: 19GP – 0G – 9A – 9PTS – -1

2009-10 Season: Roman Hamrlik has always had a love-hate relationship with Habs fans, since his arrival in the city three years ago. To me, his work has always been underrated. While he’s no longer been able to put up some of the offensive numbers he used to, he’s held up rather fine at a fairly advanced age for a hockey player, he’s been fairly consistent in being this team’s go-to guy when injuries or slumps required him to step up.

This season, he was only slightly behind Andrei Markov in ice time per game, and while he pretty much had one of his worst seasons in terms of production, without Roman Hamrlik, this team does not make the playoffs. He, along with Jaroslav Spacek, kept this team afloat during Andrei Markov’s absence, and despite a fair amount of stupid delay-of-game penalties and turnovers, they did the same in the playoffs.

I’m a supporter of Roman Hamrlik, and although his contract status at $5.6 million a year, his age and some of the lost defensive prowess push him down to 5th in the rankings, he still has the ability to be this team’s #1 defensemen, when the people that are supposed to be in that position are injured.
2009-10 Grade: B-.

2010-11 Expectations: About the same offensive production, maybe an extra 10 points if he’s paired with PK Subban for a large portion of the season. Hamrlik’s role needs to turn into that of a teacher, a mentor, in the last year of his contract. If he can have a positive effect on PK Subban and/or Ryan O’Byrne, I can see Pierre Gauthier bringing him back in 2011-12 at a highly reduced salary.

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6. JAROSLAV SPACEK
2009-10:74GP – 3G – 18A – 21PTS – +9
Playoffs: 10GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS – -2

2009-10 Season: When Jaroslav Spacek was signed to a 3 year deal by Bob Gainey, the expectation was that Spacek would become the team’s powerplay specialist. The result, unfortunately, was one of Spacek’s worst years, offensively. But what he lost in terms of offense, he managed to make up in defense. As mentioned above with Roman Hamrlik, Spacek’s heroics in Markov’s absence, and in the 10 games he played in the playoffs (he missed 9 with a very odd inner-ear infection), Spacek and the Canadiens’ season was saved.

He played a bigger role in this team’s success than he will be given credit for, and his grade just has to be reduced based on his lack of production, but he definitely deserves some credit for really a surprising defensive performance in this past season.

2009-10 Grade: C.

2010-11 Expectations: With Markov nearly guaranteed to miss the start of the season, Subban in a rookie year, and Roman Hamrlik receding offensively, Spacek simply has to step it up and put up more points. 40 points, however he gets to him, is the minimum.

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7. RYAN O’BYRNE
2009-10: 55GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS – -3
Playoffs: 13GP – 0G – 0A – 0PTS – +1

2009-10 Season: I almost feel bad ranking Ryan O’Byrne 7th amongst defensemen. But the truth is, this past year, he was just that, a 7th defenseman. The 6’5″ 230 pounder was supposed to break out this year, and after Andrei Markov suffered his injury in the first game, he was all set up to get his shot. But surprise, surprise, in game 2 of the regular season, he suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for nearly 20 games. Add another 7 missed games due to personal reasons, and O’Byrne never really found his stride on the team, falling out of favor with the coach.

He still managed to provide 119 hits in 55 games in the season, and 32 in 13 playoff games to lead all defensemen in both instances, but for some reason, the coach just seemed to prefer other players, even in a 6th spot. O’Byrne definitely benefited from other injuries, drawing into the line-up more often than he would if the team was healthy, but with the depth at defense heading into next season, O’Byrne future as a Canadien might be in jeopardy.

2009-10 Grade: C-.

2010-11 Expectations: O’Byrne has to find a way to keep himself in the line-up. Hit, block shots, fight, even try and put up some points if he has to. He’ll likely draw in on Game 1 thanks, again, to Andrei Markov’s injury, but if the group is healthy when Markov returns, he’ll be the first to find himself in the press box. A pace of 3 hits per game, a fight every few games and 2 or 3 blocked shots of game might be what it takes for O’Byrne to stay with the team.

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NEW ARRIVALS

The Canadiens are kind of thin on defensive prospects, at least in terms of who could see action with the team this season. David Fischer is officially done with the team. Jarred Tinordi’s development recently promised to speed up with his move to the London Knights, but he won’t see pro action this season. Mac Bennett is still at university and Alexei Emelin may never come to North America.

What’s left for the Canadiens if someone (else) gets injured?

- Alexandre Picard Will be the first call-up, that is, if he doesn’t stay with the team out of training camp. While Sens fans don’t have much to say about the namesake of a certain Starfleet captain, Picard brings to the Canadiens nearly 200 games of pro experience, secondary scoring ability. Plus, he can’t be as bad in his own zone as Bergeron.

- Expect Yannick Weber to continue his Hamilton / Press Box duties this season.

- Every year, it seems like we’re talking about Mathieu Carle’s last chance with the Canadiens, and every season it seems like something comes in the way of him getting the shot. This year, he’s low on the depth chart and probably won’t get called up unless he has an incredible start in Hamilton or the Canadiens suffer more than a few injuries.

- Alex Henry returns to Hamilton in his defensive – captaincy duties, and might see another game or two with the big club if needed.

Other than that, that’s pretty much it folks. Habs fans can only hope the team can stay relatively healthy on the back-end, but with 3 defensemen over 35, one who’s suffered 3 lower body injuries in the last calendar year, and another two young defensemen who can’t be guaranteed to have good years, there could be a lot of cringing for Habs fans during this upcoming season.

Still, as it stands, a healthy Montreal Canadiens defense corps doesn’t look half bad:

Spacek (Markov) – Subban
Gill – Gorges
Hamrlik – O’Byrne (Spacek)
Picard (O’Byrne)

In the next few days, we’ll take a look at the Canadiens goaltending (if any), and close it out with a nice little chat about coaching and management.

Until then, please leave your comments, grades and rankings!

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
Twitter.com/GeorgePrax

Look who’s here?

Jarred Tinordi must have had a conversation with Louis Leblanc this past week.

The Canadiens’ 1st round pick in this past June’s draft will be leaving Notre-Dame of the NCAA to join the OHL team that held his rights, the London Knights.

Tinordi was selected 22nd overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, with the Canadiens even trading to move up in the draft and select him. Add to this the relentlessness of Mark and Dale Hunter in bringing Tinordi to the OHL, and you can tell that there is something special about this young defenseman.

Son of Mark Tinordi, defenseman in the 80s and 90s for the Rangers, Capitals, North Stars and Stars when they moved to Dallas – where he was captain for four seasons – Tinordi’s profile speaks for itself:

- 6’6″ frame, which would make him one of the tallest players in hockey.
- 205 lbs, which will definitely go up another 20-30 lbs by the time he makes the NHL.
- Captain of the Under 18 national team in the United States.
- Solid defensively, good skater and a tough guy who uses his size.

To call him the next “Mike Komisarek” of the Canadiens’ organization (the good parts about Mike Komisarek) may be an understatement. In London, he instantly becomes a star and a major part of a team that will definitely compete in the OHL and CHL this upcoming season. The move also means that Tinordi’s development will accelerate, basically guaranteeing that he will turn pro in 2012 when he turns 20.

Under the leadership of General Manager Mark Hunter and notorious former-NHLer Dale Hunter as head coach, on a team that has produced a plethora of NHLers, Tinordi is definitely in good hands.

“He’s the kind of player who will make a huge difference for us,” said Dale Hunter to the Toronto Sun. “He’s big, mobile. He can skate and jump into the play. He’s got great character. “We’re going to encourage him to jump into the play. We needed that last year and we’ll be doing it a lot more this year.”

Hunter was roommates with Jarred’s father Mark while they both played in Washington, which only adds to the pros of Tinordi’s move North. The connection with Hunter will only benefit his development.

As mentioned above, the move marks the second Habs’ first round choice in as many weeks to make the jump from the NCAA to the CHL. Last week, after months of rumors and speculation 2009 1st round draft pick Louis Leblanc left Harvard for the Montreal Junior, where he will be the team’s highest profile player, a local boy with drawing ability and talent that will vastly help the Junior establish themselves as a legitimate sports team in the Montreal area. It will also allow Leblanc to re-familiarize himself with the city of Montreal, find out what it’s like to play an 80 game hockey schedule, and of course, get used to the pressures of playing in a hockey market such as this city.

Tinordi may not have the exact same experience in London. He will not put up as many points, and it is doubtful he will be as big a centerpiece of the team as Leblanc will be made out to be in Montreal. While he will be a star, it won’t near the attention Leblanc will receive in the city – commercials are already being pumped out into Montreal airwaves advertising Leblanc and the Junior. Moreover, the Knights are an established franchise with a fanbase, so he might not be as important to the business aspect of the team. But he will definitely have a major impact on the ice, which is why the Hunters went hard after him to leave Notre-Dame. His development will be just as important to the Knights as using him to win games will be, so Habs fans can rest assured that Tinordi is in good, experienced hands.

Almost as importantly, Habs fans will get much more chances to watch Tinordi play. Not only are OHL broadcasts more accessible than NCAA broadcasts, Tinordi will now be able to participate in any camps the Canadiens put up until he is pro-ready.

Tinordi does, however, leave behind a good CCHA team in the Notre-Dame Fighting Irish, with a good coach in Jeff Jackson. His loss will leave a major dent in the Fighting Irish’s line-up. However, with most experts and talking heads predicting Tinordi to be NHL-ready in as soon as two years, this was the right move for both the prospect and the Montreal Canadiens, who see the stock of their prize 1st round selection rise significantly on this August day.

And not to toot my own horn here, but a certain someone predicted that the Canadiens would pick Tinordi before the draft.

But I digress.

While the Montreal Canadiens of 2010-11 may not look like the best Habs’ team in their 100+ year history, the future certainly looks bright. With Leblanc, Tinordi, Subban, Dumont, Avtsin and others will on their way, and a good core of players already in Montreal, Habs fans definitely have a future they can be hopeful of.

With the season getting ever-closer, our Off-Season Analysis will continue later this week and in the coming days of August. Until the next installment on the defensemen, read the following two articles on the forwards and post your comments:

- Off-Season Analysis: The Top Six Forwards
- Off-Season Analysis: The Forwards – Best Of The Rest

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
Twitter.com/GeorgePrax

While the players you normally see the most of are the one who score a lot of goals, the ones who put up the most points and the ones who make the most money, they are often the ones who are overrated, over-paid and over-hyped. Every team has players in this category, and the Montreal Canadiens are no different.Last week, we ranked the top-six forwards for the Habs in this past season, and looked at what might be expected of them as 2010-11 quickly approaches.

And the list definitely held a few names that, if ranked top to bottom with all the other forwards who saw time on the ice with the Canadiens this past season, might not end up being in the top 6 overall best forwards for the Habs. Instead, guys like Benoit Pouliot and Andrei Kostitsyn simply fall onto this team’s top six because, let’s face it, they would be even more useless in any other position.

The moment that Pouliot was demoted off Scott Gomez’s line last year, he regressed, scoring not a single goal in the final month of the regular season, and not a single goal during the playoffs either. Andrei Kostitsyn didn’t spend much time away from Tomas Plekanec or Mike Cammalleri, but took way too much time to get used to the groove of playing in the NHL, the travel, the schedule, what have you.

So, are these two players amongst the top 6 best forwards on the team? By no means. But unfortunately, their roles prohibit them from being ranked as anything other than scoring forwards.

The truth is that there is much more to a team than icing two lines that can score many goals. Over the years, the great hockey minds of our times have decided that teams are best served icing 20 players, usually 12 of them being forwards. Of course, the top lines are the ones expected to put goals in the net, but what do we expect of the other two lines? The often mis-represented “third” and “fourth” lines, or the “bottom” two lines, as we have unfortunately gotten too comfortable in saying.

Usually, what is expected of some of these players is defensive prowess. Many of the best defensive forwards and penalty killers end up playing on the 3rd and 4th lines as they don’t put as many goals into the net, and their ice time revolves around the defensive situations they might be needed in.

Most teams will also have one or two rookies or young players playing on these lines, surrounding by a veteran presence to help their development, hone their skills and get them used to the NHL before they maybe move to a more prominent role. Finally, there are the “plugs” that some teams use to fill out their roster, provide energy, and give the stars a rest when they’re playing too much.

These three or four aspects of a team’s non-scoring lines are generally what comprise a roster’s “bottom” two lines, and it’s fairly representative of what we saw of the Canadiens this past year, and what we’ll see come October.

In fewer words, while these lines will certainly include “plugs” and temporary players, some of the more prominent players on these lines are indispensable to a team’s success. The Habs’ Travis Moen is living proof of that, proving himself to be a deciding factor in the Anaheim Ducks Stanley Cup victory in 2007 on a line with Sammi Pahlsson and Rob Neidermayer, a line which coach Randy Carlyle kept intact through basically 103 games, through the season and the playoffs on the road to the cup. Pahlsson was nominated for a Selke to go along with his cup ring, and the line was credited as one of the main reasons for the Ducks cup victory.

Do the Canadiens 3rd and 4th lines stack up against the good checking and energy lines around the league? Do the Habs have what it take to ice a group of forwards as good as the one that took them to the Conference Finals last year? It’s hard to say. Yes, their 19 playoff games wouldn’t have been achieved without the Travis Moens, the Max Lapierres of the team that are still here, however since the playoffs, the Canadiens have lost two veteran forwards that were big keys to that success, through both the season, and the playoffs: Glen Metropolit and Dominic Moore. And while they may no longer don the Canadiens’ historic jersey, they were much bigger parts of this team than they were given credit for, and deserve their own grades:

Glen Metropolit scored 16 goals and added 13 assists for 29 points in 69 names, despite suffering several injuries throughout the season and a shoulder injury in the playoffs that most thought meant the end of his season, maybe even his career. Keep in mind this 36 year old played most of the season in Jacques Martin’s doghouse and on the 4th line, ending the season with an average of just over 13 ½ minutes of ice time. The most impressive stat? Ten of his 16 goals were on the powerplay. One can understand why the coaching staff and management would want to try and groom a younger player in Metropolit’s spot, but is there a young player in this organization that can step in and provide the secondary offense that Metropolit did, against all the odds? Whether there is or not, Metro was a class act, a hard working and tough player who gave more to this team than could have ever been asked of him.
2009-10 Grade: A

Next, I was never a big fan of Dominic Moore. He always struck me as somewhat of a selfish player, ever since he tried to use the Leafs to cash in on a big contract. So you can imagine my reaction when I found out that the Canadiens traded a 2nd round pick to the Panthers for a player no one really wanted. Losing a 2nd round pick for a 3rd line rental still kind of stings, but Moore was admittedly a nice surprise. Through 21 games as a Hab, Moore didn’t score many goals (2), but he produced points at more than a .500 rate and remained defensively responsible. He really shined in the playoffs, scoring 4 goals, including a game winner, and really helping the team. Although he doesn’t really fit in with this team’s plans, it would have been nice to see him stick around.
2009-10 Grade: B+

Three other players to leave the Montreal Canadiens through trade and firing (buyout) were Sergei Kostitsyn, Guillaume Latendresseand Georges Laraque. Many blogs, many articles, much discussion and way too much time has been wasted discussing these two fringe forwards who were nothing but a nuisance to the Canadiens the time they spent here. All there is to say, really, is good riddance, and to anyone disagreeing with the following ranking, keep in mind that if these three deserved any better, they would not have been so unceremoniously traded (respectively) for two free agents, a problem-child 1st round pick, and a membership in the green party and arguably the worst commercial in the history of television.
2009-10 Grade: F (and yes, that stands for a 4-letter word, followed by a 3 letter word. A TCL hat for the person who figures it out first)

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With these guys out of the way, the Canadiens still have a 3rd and 4th line to put together for next month. And while it may be hard to replace Metropolit and Moore internally, the Canadiens still have a plethora of young and experienced forwards that will make building two lines hard for all the good reasons.

That being said, here is our list of the forwards ranked 7 to 12 for the Canadiens in this past season, followed by some honorable mentions, and, finally, some new arrivals to look out for as the next season approaches:

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7. TRAVIS MOEN
2009-10: 81GP – 8G – 11A – 19PTS – -2
Playoffs: 19GP – 2G – 1A – 3PTS – Even

2009-10 Season: Travis Moen missed but a single game of the 2009-10 season. The reason? He needed to get 50 stitches in his face after a puck struck him near the eye. Moen barely missed a beat upon his return two days after the incident. If that isn’t hard nosed and dedicated, I don’t know what is. A lot of people expected Moen to be this team’s new fighter, the tough guy, or something of that nature. Clearly, he was a lot more than a just tough guy, ending up being a very important part of this team’s 3rd line.

Outside of the 2006-07 season, in which Moen won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks and scored a career high 11 goals, this past year was Moen’s best in the NHL. Eight goals may not seem like much, and frankly, half of them were bunched up fairly early in the season, but Moen provided more than just secondary offense. He was second on the team with 161 hits, second amongst forwards with 51 blocked shots, and seldom gave up any pucks. He averaged nearly 2 ½ minutes per game on the penalty kill, nearly 20% of his total ice time.

There really isn’t much to complain about when it comes to Travis Moen, but considering some of the injuries suffered by the Habs and the fact that he often found himself in a more prominent role when the Canadiens were facing tough injuries, he could have put up a few more points. Otherwise, he was all you could have asked for from a 3rd line player.
2009-10 Grade: A-.

2010-11 Expectations: Considering the Canadiens gave up two veteran forwards who can jump up and play on a top 2 line with injuries, and Moen’s connection with Gionta and Gomez in the playoffs, you can expect Moen to see more ice time on a top line if there are injuries, or if things don’t work out with Pouliot. That being said, Moen will have to provide a bit more offense if he expects his expanded role on the team to last. Otherwise, if he continues doing what he does best in his checking role, he should do fine. Ten goals and another 12-15 assists for about 22-27 points is what should be expected. Moreover, it would be nice if he could up his hits to about 200 for the season, a 40-hit improvement over last season.

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8. MATHIEU DARCHE
2009-10: 29GP – 5G – 5A – 10PTS – +2
Playoffs: 11GP – 0G – 1A – 1PTS – -1

2009-10 Season: No one here is going to tell you that Mathieu Darche isn’t a 4th liner in this league, despite the one season he was lucky to play alongside Vinnie Lecavalier in Tampa Bay two years ago. But over the last few months, Darche has proven to be quite a fine 4th liner. An experienced veteran who’s played in many leagues and many cities, Darche has a chip on his shoulder and the desire to make it in the NHL any way he can. Last season, he proved his worth to the Habs, scoring 5 goals in only 29 games, and adding another 5 assists. The most interesting stat? Three of his goals in the regular season were game winners.

All this while averaging only 10 minutes of ice time, and receiving only the occasional shift on the powerplay. His grade drops, unfortunately, because of his disappearance in the playoffs, but his versatility, his offensive upside and his owning-the-moment attitude have earned him a B rating and another year with the Canadiens.
2009-10 Grade: B.

2010-11 Expectations: Keep doing what you’re doing, Darche. No one will expect him to score at the same pace he did in 29 games last year, but if he can provide anywhere between 5 to 10 goals and another 10-15 assists, he will have once again earned himself a contract. That being said, on October 7th against the Leafs, he starts the season in the pressbox. Call it a hunch.

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9. MAXIM LAPIERRE
2009-10: 76GP – 7G – 7A – 14PTS – -14
Playoffs: 19GP – 3G – 1A – 4PTS – -2

2009-10 Season: Love him or hate him, Maxim Lapierre is the closest thing to a hometown hero this team has, and with Guillaume Latendresse and a lot of experienced forwards having left town, he is here to stay, and he will have a prominent role on this team right out of training camp.

Lapierre had a roller coaster season this past year, a season which included the loss of his best friend on the team in Latendresse via trade, a 4 game suspension and a heavy amount of criticism. His 7 goals, 14 points and -14 rating were a far cry from the career season he had last year (15G – 13A – 28PTS – +9), but Lapierre still managed to somehow lead the team in hits in both the regular season and playoffs, all culminating in a very memorable game 6 game-winning-goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre, forcing a game 7 and even getting Lapierre his own commercial.
2009-10 Grade: C+.

2010-11 Expectations: Overall, you can’t be too disappointed with Lapierre’s performance. The hits are about as much as you can ask of him, but considering his role on the team, and, again, the recent decrease in depth in this role, he will definitely need to step his game up, offensively. No excuses now, no distractions, 15 goals is the expectation. And if he can’t achieve this pace early in the season, if he has another slow start, the Canadiens will have Dustin Boyd and a plethora of young talent to take his spot. With free agency once again looming for Lapierre in 2011, the pressure will be for the Saint-Leonard native.

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10. TOM PYATT
2009-10: 40GP – 2G – 3A – 5PTS – -5
Playoffs: 18GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS – -1

2009-10 Season: Tom Pyatt was an after-thought of the Scott Gomez trade. Like most major trades of this nature, GMs often ask for a low-ranked prospect to be “thrown in” to make a deal a little more savoury, or in the case of this particular deal with the Rangers from last year, easier to swallow. Most fans kind of laughed at Tom Pyatt last summer, asking themselves who this player was, after lamenting the addition of Scott Gomez’s salary. Somehow, however, Tom Pyatt has worked himself onto the Canadiens’ line-up, and into the heart of coach Jacques Martin.

Recalled from and sent back down to the AHL 3 times between October and March, it was hard to say what Tom Pyatt was going to be for this team. He definitely shined in Hamilton, scoring 13 goals and adding 22 assists, with a +17 ratings in 41 games with the Bulldogs. In Montreal, he was far from an offensive threat to anyone, nor did he really hit that much or block shots. But he was stable, consistent, and defensively responsible in his role on the 4th line, shining especially in the playoffs, under the pressures of the team, the coaching staff and of course, the fans. Frankly, it’s difficult to see what Pyatt brings to this team in terms of tangibles, but he’s good enough to keep around, and he’s good enough for a C rating.
2009-10 Grade: C.

2010-11 Expectations: It’s hard to know what to expect of Tom Pyatt next season. Will he replace a Dominic Moore type of player, or will he remain on the 4th line as a mostly even strength energy-slash-shutdown guy? Will he become a pivot for the 1st or second line with injuries, or is he simply there to be Jacques Martin’s work horse? Only time will tell, but he definitely needs to hit more, and try to put up a few more goals, around the 8 that Moen did last year. Expect him to start on the 4th line, barring any setbacks at camp.

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11. RYAN WHITE
2009-10: 16GP – 0G – 2A – 2PTS – -6
Playoffs: N/A

2009-10 Season: Although we only got a glimpse of Ryan White this past season, I have to say that I was impressed with what I saw. Only 2 points in 16 games and a -6 rating, but White had an impressive 47 hits in those games, and provided energy for the Habs on nearly every shift. The Canadiens ran out of call-ups as the season came to a close, so they couldn’t bring him up, but frankly, the extra experience he received playing an important role in the Bulldogs own Cinderella run in the AHL playoffs may be a blessing in disguise. If I had to bet, I’d say that White will work his way into a spot on the roster at training camp. And while his grade maybe a little higher than some of the players above him, he drops to number 12 on the chart simply due to the fact that he played the least amount of games.
2009-10 Grade: C+.

2010-11 Expectations: White held a pace of nearly 3 hits per game this past season, a figure that would put him at 250 hits if he played the entire season in Montreal. If he wants to stay here, that should be his goal. That, and of course, scoring at least his first NHL goal! While some may consider it a long shot, I would like White to start the season on the 4th line with Tom Pyatt and Dustin Boyd, giving the Canadiens a proper 4th line, with lots of youth, enthusiasm, and energy.

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12. MAX PACIORETTY
2009-10: 52GP – 3G – 11A – 14PTS – -5
Playoffs: N/A

2009-10 Season: Unlike players like Darche, White and Pyatt, Max Pacioretty actually played himself out of Montreal last season. There were high expectations for the young American forward after he left the CCHA in 2008 to turn pro and play for the Canadiens, but after a decent 2008-09 season in which he scored 3 goals and 8 assists in 34 games, he kind of floundered. It was hard to figure out what exactly was expected of Pacioretty this past season. His frame and his pedigree imply more offensive prowess, and of course Jacques Martin and his staff expect their young players to be defensively responsible. But looking back on his season, I really can’t recall Pacioretty doing anything “wrong”. I can understand that he didn’t do much right either, that he was just kind of there, so hopefully the 18 games he spent in Hamilton were a wake-up call. As far as his 2009-10 season goes, Pacioretty receives a modest and average C-.
2009-10 Grade: C-.

2010-11 Expectations: It’s safe to say Pacioretty will get another chance this upcoming season, barring any major setbacks at training camp. If I had to guess, I’d say he starts the season on a line with Maxim Lapierre and Travis Moen, as the Habs checking line. If this ends up being the case, Pacioretty will need to at least double his production from last year if he expects to stick around: 6 goals, 20 assists is the minimum, assuming he gets the occasion chance on the powerplay and a top line. Hopefully, the guidance of Max Lapierre and Travis Moen will allow him to produce a little more and finally break out.

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BEST OF THE REST

- David Desharnais only played 6 games with the big club last year, registering 1 assist, but the 23 year old Montreal native did not look out of place in a Habs uniform (cue jokes about his 5’7” height). I doubt he starts the season in Montreal, but expect him to be called up with some of the first injuries.

- Ben Maxwell saw a lot of the Canadiens’ pressbox this past season, but it also means he saw and participated in a lot of practices. Its hard to gauge where he stands with the Habs. The staff obviously has enough faith in him to keep him around the team. But does that rather mean that he doesn’t fit into long term plans with the Habs, and that his development doesn’t really matter, or that he is expected to make the team this year?

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NEW ARRIVALS

There are several players that will certainly crack the line-up of the Canadiens this upcoming season, and several others who are on the shortlist:

- Dustin Boyd was acquired by the Canadiens before free agency in exchange for Sergei Kostitsyn. Despite being his 3rd team in a year, the Habs definitely acquired Boyd to start on their roster, and will take a spot on one of the bottom two lines, likely centering the 4th.

- The other trade that saw the Canadiens acquire a forward was the Jaroslav Halak deal, which, of course, brought Lars Eller to Montreal as the centerpiece of the deal. Whether Eller makes the Habs out of training camp is anyone’s guess. Considering the logjam of 3rd-4th line forwards on the team, and the nature and expense of the players in the top six, Eller might be best served biding his time in Hamilton before getting called up for a 1st or 2nd line assignment down the line, if a spot opens up. That being said, I would nearly guarantee that he eventually wears the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge, at the very least to try and justify trading Jaroslav Halak for prospects.

- Ian Shultz was the other player acquired in the Halak deal. At 20 years old, coming off four years with the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL, Shultz is nearly guaranteed to start in Hamilton. However, if the likes of Pacioretty, Pyatt or White don’t pan out in their roles, and Shultz has a good start with the Dogs, he could very well find himself being one of the first call-ups.

- Surprisingly, Gabriel Dumont has fallen off a lot of people’s radars as a potential Canadiens’ forward for this upcoming season. Coming off a great run with Drummondville of the QMJHL, where he scored 93 points and ranked 3rd in scoring in the league this past year, Dumont could have an outside chance of impressing at camp and making the team. In all likelihood, he’ll start in Hamilton, as the Canadiens have made the mistake of mismanaging their player development too many times in the past. But keep an eye on Dumont, as his development has been progressing fairly well.

- Alexander Avtsin is another player to get excited about if you’re a Habs fan. There is far more good to say about him than there is bad, and the 19 year old recently made the decision to sign a pro contract with the Canadiens. The implication is, of course, that Avtsin will play for the Bulldogs, but like Dumont, keep an eye on this one.

- Finally, we have to mention Louis Leblanc. He will definitely start the season with the Montreal Junior, but with injuries and the fact that he’s eligible to play pro, unlike most 19-year-old Canadian prospects, thanks to his time in the NCAA, you never know…

While the 12 forwards the Canadiens are likely to start with might not look as impressive as one would have hoped, coming off a final 4 run in this past year’s playoffs, there is much more hope for the team than some fans might give credit for, through the acquisitions that have been made and some of the up-and-coming players. Maybe none of them beyond Dustin Boyd make the team. Maybe the 12-14 players ranked above is what the Canadiens are going to be stuck with as the season starts. But Habs fans can at least take solace in the fact that there is some hope down in the farm.

As it stands today, barring any other acquisitions, my prediction for the Habs opening line-up up front is as follows:

Benoit Pouliot – Scott Gomez – Brian Gionta
Andrei Kostitsyn – Tomas Plekanec – Mike Cammalleri
Travis Moen – Maxim Lapierre – Max Pacioretty
Tom Pyatt – Dustin Boyd – Ryan White

Pressbox: Mathieu Darche

Do you agree or disagree? Please let me know in the comments, and provide your own rankings and depth chart!

And in the coming days, expect an analysis of the defensive corps before we get to the goaltenders and coaching staff.

Enjoy the week,

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
Twitter.com/GeorgePrax

In anticipation of the season to start, or frankly, for anything hockey-related to happen, it’s time to slowly start to get back into the groove of things. Reading about hockey, writing about hockey, and of course, eventually, watching hockey.

As the anticipation for the upcoming season looms, it’ll start to get easier. But for now, I’m sure most of us just want this BORING month of August to come and go, so we can get into September and start thinking about training camp!

Well, as a hockey writer, it’s my duty to make the time pass a little quicker for all you fans. That’s why, throughout the next month and until training camp arrives, I will be providing you with six (that’s right, SIX!) preview blogs, detailing the top six forwards, the depth forwards (3rd, 4th liners and anyone you might see in a Canadiens uniform after the season starts), the top 4 defensemen, the depth defensemen, the coaching staff, and, finally, the goaltending.

Assuming, of course, the Canadiens have any goaltending by the time we get to that.

So, while we wait for Carey Price and the Canadiens to hammer out a contract, and while we try not to lose our minds, I present to you the first installment of our off-season analysis!

Each article will contain a short analysis of each player’s 2009-10 season and stats, a letter grade for their performance this part season, and expectations for the 2010-11 season.

Now that we have all this administrative stuff out of the way, time to jump into the Top Six Forwardsfor the Montreal Canadiens heading into the 2010-11 season, organized from best to ”worst” performance of the year.

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1. MICHAEL CAMMALLERI
2009-10: 65GP – 26G – 24A – 50PTS – +7
Playoffs: 19GP – 13G – 9A – 19PTS – -6

2009-10 Season: While several players may have met or exceeded the fans’ expectations this past season, I don’t think there is anyone who can argue that Mike Cammalleri was the player who impressed us the most, both through the regular season and the Cinderella run of the Canadiens through the playoffs. Despite missing 17 games with a fairly severe MCL injury, Cammalleri managed to score 26 goals in 65 games, 2nd on the team behind Brian Gionta. Considering that Cammalleri struggled even after returning from his injury, not scoring a single goal in the 9 final season games he played for the Canadiens, adding only 2 assists, you really have to wonder what kind of numbers he would have been able to put up had he not suffered that knee injury. When you think about it, Cammalleri really scored 26 goals in 39 games, a pace that would have at least put him very close to his best career season of 39 goals with the Flames, and the top tier of the league in goals scored.

But these are of course all hypothetical thoughts. The reality is that Cammalleri scored 26 goals in 65 goals, and proved to be one of the Habs first real goalscorers since Stephane Richer nearly 2 decades ago (I know, sad). On top of this, Cammalleri further proved his worth and his ability to be a clutch player in the playoffs, where he scored 13 goals in 19 games, the most of any player this post-season. Adding 6 assists, Cammalleri was a point-per-game player and a playoff hero for the Habs.

The stat that really puts him over the top, in my opinion, is his 5-on-5 scoring. Only 4 of his season goals were on the powerplay, and only 3 of 13 in the playoffs, making him a huge threat 5-on-5, despite his smaller size and skill-oriented style of play. Considering the Canadiens major struggles to score even strength goals over the past few years, you have to consider Cammalleri as a strong candidate for Canadiens’ MVP of this past season.

2009-10 Grade: A-.
He loses some points for his injury late in the season, his struggles upon his return and the fact that Brian Gionta beat him out for the team lead in goals scored, but thanks to a courageous performance during the season and a really incredible performance during the playoffs, an A- may even be a modest grade for the Canadiens’ top sniper.

2010-11 Expectations: If he can play a full 82 game season, without injuries, 40 goals and 80 points should be the expectation for Michael Cammalleri. He has chemistry with the 2 players he’ll probably start the season with (Plekanec and Kostitsyn), and can definitely play with Gomez and Gionta if needed. With great passers like Gomez and Plekanec feeding him during the season, 40 goals shouldn’t me much of a stretch. The only thing he really needs to work on is burying the puck on the powerplay. If he can do that, his stats will definitely be nicely padded this upcoming season.

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2. BRIAN GIONTA
2009-10: 61GP – 28G – 18A – 46PTS – +3
Playoffs: 19GP – 9G – 6A – 15PTS – -6

2009-10 Season: Mike Cammalleri was the talk of the town throughout the season. His exciting style of play, his passion and his kindness to the fans and the media made him a fan favorite that really got people excited in Montreal. But standing in his shadows, maybe both figuratively and literally, was Brian Gionta.

Despite breaking his foot in November, and despite his diminutive stature in a league getting bigger and tougher with each passing game, Gionta managed to come back swinging in the new year, stepping up his game, especially when Cammalleri was out with an injury of his own and helping the Canadiens squeeze into the playoffs. Gionta finished the regular season with the team lead in goals, with an impressive 28 goals in only 61 goals, the second best totals of his career, and his best since 2005-06, when he scored 48 goals with the Devils. Of course, we cannot forget that Gionta also netted 9 goals in 19 games in the playoffs, second in both goals scored and points to Mike Cammalleri.

Gionta proved to have immediate chemistry with his former Devils teammate Scott Gomez, and both embraced their roles as leaders on the Canadiens, with Gionta donning an “A” on his jersey for most of th eseason. In fact, for most, Gionta was and is the front-runner for captaincy on the team. His stats, enthusiasm towards the team and the city, and of course his general never quit and hard working attitude would definitely justify it.

2009-10 Grade: A-
Picking the top forward for the Canadiens this season was a difficult task. Both Cammalleri and Gionta had nearly identical seasons, suffering serious lower body injuries and missing a considerable portion of the season. In fact, for a fair amount of games, they shared the team lead in goals, with each matching the other nearly every time a goal was scored. Two goals in the final 3 games of the season is what finally gave the edge to Gionta.

But if you had to compare the two players, you’d have to categorize Cammalleri as a skilled player, and Gionta as a hard worker that never gives up, that works and pays the price for each goal that he scores. Add to this his leadership qualities and the examples he sets, and you can’t help but be impressed with this player.Maybe Cammalleri gains the slight edge here based on potential, and the “benefit of the doubt” he earned with his injury. But in terms of letter grades, these two surprise players for the Canadiens get an identical A-.

2010-11 Expectations: Setting expectations for Gionta in 2010-11 is kind of difficult. On one hand, you’d expect him to easily match his totals from last season. On the other hand, you have to wonder if his performance this season was slightly anomalous. Don’t get me wrong, he should easily score 20 goals next season, he’s proven that. But can he hit 30 with a full, healthy season? Or was last season a peak from which he will have to level off? In any case, if Gionta can continue to be an effective, hard working and consistent player, most fans should be satisfied with a 25-30 goal season from Gionta, for a total of about 50 points.

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3. TOMAS PLEKANEC
2009-10: 82GP – 25G – 45A – 70PTS – +5
Playoffs: 19GP – 4G – 7A – 11PTS – -5

2009-10 Season: There was a long period of time during this season where Tomas Plekanec would have handily taken the #1 spot on this list. On pace for a career year and the lead in points on the team for pretty much the entire season, and obviously finishing with those very accolades when the season was in the books, Plekanec was one of the main reasons this team even stood a chance at making the playoffs this year. Finding instand chemistry with Cammalleri and keeping Andrei Kostitsyn afloat during the season, Plekanec was invaluable to the Canadiens.

When the playoffs came around, however, the so-called “Tomas Jagr” somewhat receded back into his shell. His numbers were average and he was nearly invisible as the playoffs progressed, despite Cammalleri producing at a high rate. Does this mean that Pleks is a regular-season performer? That he’s not clutch enough to be a major factor for the Canadiens in the playoffs? I don’t think we could really make a final decision on this until we see him in another playoffs, but for this season, his playoff performance drops him down to 3rd place on this list.

2009-10 Grade: B+
You can’t take much away from Tomas Plekanec. His regular season, a career season, was incredible, and frankly, as close to an A+ as you’re going to get. Plekanec was there the entire season. He didn’t miss a game, and it seemed like he was putting up points in all those games. But frankly, you can’t help but be worried after seeing his disappearance late in the playoffs. Will this carry forward into next season? Hopefully not. But the thought has to remain in the back of the heads of some Habs fans. Plekanec’s playoffs drop him an entire grade point to a B+ for his overall performance in 2009-10.

2010-11 Expectations: Plekanec’s career year led to him cashing out on a 6 year, $30 million contract. The way these things usually go means that Plekanec probably won’t have another career year this season. If he can however match his numbers from last season, putting up his seemingly yearly minimum of 20 goals, and at least 40 (preferably 50) assists, alongside a Mike Cammalleri who will score a little more often, a 60-70 point season for the Canadiens’ second line center should be more than satisfactory.

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4. SCOTT GOMEZ
2009-10: 78GP – 12G – 47A – 59PTS – +1
Playoffs: 19GP – 2G – 12A – 14PTS – -6

2009-10 Season: Ya, I know, 12 goals during the season (2 during the playoffs) might not look so great for a play who makes upwards of $7 million a season. A lot of fans have quoted this exact stat as a complaint against the Canadiens’ first major acquisition in the summer of 2009. But you know what doesn’t really look so bad? 47 assists during the season, and another 12 during the playoffs.

Scott Gomez is a playmaker and a premiere puck-carrying forward in this league. When he is on the ice for the Canadiens, he commands the play. He has incredible vision on the ice, he is a hard worker and a reliable player. He won’t score very many goals, and he’ll need to put up more than 60 points to justify his contract, but his first season with the Canadiens really wasn’t that bad. We all knew what kind of player Gomez was, and what he brought to the table, and frankly, I think he delivered on what truly should have been expected of him.

2009-10 Grade: B-
I don’t want more goals from Gomez. I want more assists. And regardless of his contract situation, the performance of Scott Gomez in the 2009-10 season was more than satisfactory.

2010-11 Expectations: As I mentioned earlier in this analysis, Gomez needs to find a way to put up more assists. A full season of PK Subban on the point, of Gionta and Cammalleri healthy on the wings, and maybe of Plekanec letting off slightly from his performance last year should allow Gomez to put up a few more points. Not asking for the world here, we all know Gomez’s cap is pretty much at 55 assists, so lets see him try and strive for that. Expectations for next season will be 10 goals and 55 assists for 65 points, and to continue doing what he’s doing in terms of puck carrying and on-ice vision.

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5. ANDREI KOSTITSYN
2009-10: 59GP – 15G – 18A – 33PTS – +1
Playoffs: 19GP – 3G – 5A – 8PTS – -1

2009-10 Season: To say that Andrei Kostitsyn had a less than spectacular season might be the understatement of the year. His 15 goals was the lowest of his young career. He barely recovered from the knee injury (starting to see a trend here) that kept him off the ice for 23 games. Frankly, the only reason he even made it to 15 goals is probably because of his chemistry with Plekanec, a player who makes those around him better. Kostitsyn came into this league with loads of potential, and he could still end up being an offensive powerhouse. Whether that will happen in Montreal, or anywhere at all, for that matter, is a definite question mark.

2009-10 Grade: C-
Everyone knows that Kostitsyn has trouble getting into the groove of things early in seasons and coming off of injuries, so frankly, the fact that he even made it to 15 goals is somewhat impressive, and keeps him above a D. But there isn’t much to say about the rest. Kostitsyn ends up with a generous C-.

2010-11 Expectations: Andrei Kostitsyn has no more excuses. No more distractions. His brother has been traded to the western conference. He gets another chance with the Habs in the last year of his contract, and will likely start the season with his usual linemates – Cammalleri and Plekanec. If he starts off slow, he likely won’t be sticking around for too long. This is his last chance, and he needs to deliver, or it’s over. Assuming he ends up staying the entire season, 20 goals is a bare minimum for Andrei Kostitsyn.

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6. BENOIT POULIOT
2009-10: 53GP – 17G – 11A – 28PTS – +8
Playoffs: 18GP – 0G – 2A – 2PTS – -5

2009-10 Season: Throughout my musings and travels around the internet since the season ended, I’ve heard many excuses made by fans for Benoit Pouliot. His wrist injury, his personal problems, adjusting to a new team. Frankly, it’s quite amazing that he even ended up with 17 goals this season (15 in 39 games with the Canadiens), considering all this, and his nagging injury which kept him out of two line-ups for 29 games this season. But the way Benoit Pouliot ended his season, scoring only a single goal since March 9th (regular season and playoffs included) and really dropping completely off the radar on the Canadiens. No matter how many goals he ended up with, Benoit Pouliot was supposed to be the answer for size and goalscoring ability that was left vacant but the under-performance and eventual trading of Guillaume Latendresse. In the end, he didn’t deliver, and proved to be nothing more than a coaster.

2009-10 Grade: D
In what seems to be the norm in these grades, Benoit Pouliot gets saved from a failing grade thanks to an injury. A wrist injury can really put a damper on a player’s performance. Holding a stick isn’t comfortable anymore, and it’s hard to make any movement that a skilled player is used to. Add to this a new team, new teammates and new pressures to overcome, and Pouliot earns a second chance. In any case, a D is as high as I can go with this player, for his performance this season.

2010-11 Expectations: Just like Andrei Kostitsyn, Pouliot will be on a tight, short leash come this fall and the upcoming season. No more excuses, no more wrist injuries. We can all assume he gets a shot with Gomez and Gionta, the two players he seemed to click with the most. And if he starts slow, if he can’t get it going, he’s out. It’s really not a matter of goalscoring with Pouliot. It’s a matter of using the body, hitting, forechecking, and playing consistently. 15-20 goals will be more than enough, but he needs to be CONSISTENT. Otherwise, just like Kostitsyn, it will be out the door for Pouliot.

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It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that, as a whole, the top six forwards for the Canadiens reached most expectations this past season. Plekanec had a career year, Cammalleri and Gionta battled hard out of injuries and led the team in scoring, and Scott Gomez did a lot of little things that really impressed a lot of people, regardless of his salary. Clearly, these four forwards are a good, hard-working core for the Canadiens as the next season approaching. But just as clear is the lack of two good forwards to round out this top six. Are Benoit Pouliot and Andrei Kostitsyn the answer? Can they rebound from injury-ridden, disappointing seasons? Maybe, maybe not. We will definitely find out this fall. But as it stands right now, there really doesn’t seem to be anyone else to fill their roles as big, hard-hitting forwards who can support the big names offensively.

If the top 4 can stay healthy and carry the load, a 150 goal production from these two lines really wouldn’t be too far out of the question.

Whether they can deliver, under the pressures of living up to last year’s standards and Cinderella playoff run, that definitely remains to be seen.

Soak it in, leave your responses and your own grades and expectations for these 6 players, and I’ll be back in a few days with the best of the rest when it comes to the forwards.

Don’t forget to comment!

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
Twitter.com/GeorgePrax

Finally, some blog-worthy news to come out of the Montreal Canadiens’ camp.

It was announced on Friday evening that the Montreal Canadiens have signed 1st round pick Louis Leblanc to a three-year contract. While terms of the contract were not released, you can expect it to hover around the league maximum for an entry-level contract.

The deal means that Leblanc will leave Harvard and his team, the Crimson, after only one year at the Ivy-league university, to come back to his hometown and play for the Montreal Junior of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. While he is eligible to play for the Hamilton Bulldogs, he will likely spend the season in the Q, in order to fill out his frame, hone his skills, and get used to playing a full hockey season.

Leblanc’s decision comes after several months of discussions between fans of whether he would be better off staying in Harvard and gaining an education, while playing a reduced schedule with the Crimson, or whether he should come back to the bright lights of Montreal and be the star player for the Junior, all the while playing more games in a league that has delivered plenty of players to the NHL.

Obviously, there are arguments for each side, and it seems like Leblanc has chosen to forgo his education, for the moment, in order to see what it’s like to play in the mecca of hockey, as a star.

The West-Islander and 19-year-old center played 31 games with the Harvard Crimson last season, tallying 11 goals and 12 assists with a +2 rating. The year before, he played with Omaha of the USHL, tallying 69 points in 60 games. He is 6’1″ and about 185lbs, but these figures could still go up. He is also a right handed shot, something the Canadiens have desperately needed at the center position for year.

Leblanc was also invited to Team Canada’s World Junior camp in Newfoundland next week, and could see action for a third time with a Canadian national team this upcoming December in Buffalo. The Montreal Junior’s camp is scheduled to start on August 15th, and Leblanc will likely be invited to the Canadiens’ camp in September.

The biggest winner in all of this is arguably the Montreal Junior, who get a player who will be an NHLer in a few years. They also bank on the trade they made earlier this year, sending Guillaume Asselin and a first round choice in the 2011 draft to acquire Leblanc’s rights. Robert at Habs Eyes on the Prize calls Leblanc’s move to play junior in the city “unprecedented”, in an excellent article running down Leblanc’s career so far and what’s to come of the young player in the next few years.

What we can gather for certain from the deal is that Leblanc will now become one of the most closely watched and heavily scrutinized players this organization has seen in years. He has thrown himself into the media fire, and will have to prove that he can handle it on top of his on and off ice duties with the Junior, and eventually, the Montreal Canadiens.

While staying in Harvard would have shown maturity and his dedication to an education and bettering himself, and his life after hockey, coming to Montreal shows guts, determination, and that he isn’t afraid of what this city might do to him.

I am definitely looking forward to seeing Leblanc play up close and personal this upcoming season in Verdun, and I can bet that the Junior’s average attendance is about to go up significantly.

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HABS SIGN PICARD

Have the Habs FINALLY found their captain? Probably not, but they have added a player who could be the subject of many jokes if he was named captain, and one who will provide depth on defense while Andrei Markov rehabs the blown tendon in his knee.

RDS is reporting that the Canadiens have signed defenseman Alexandre Picard to a one-year, two-way contract. No word on a term yet, but considering all the signings Pierre Gauthier has been making lately, it won’t be for much.

Picard split last season between the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes, scoring 4 goals and 11 assists in 45 games with the Sens, and no point sin 9 games with the Canes. A native of Gatineau, Quebec, Picard is 6’3″ and 215lbs, a good size for the Canadiens.

Picard will obviously be this year’s version of Marc-Andre Bergeron, who was acquired early in the season after (you guessed it) Andrei Markov suffered a lacerated ligament in his leg in the first game of the season. With the arrival of PK Subban on the scene, however, the Canadiens did not have a need for a powerplay specialist, instead opting for a bigger, tougher defenseman than Bergeron to fill the void on the blueline. The two-way contract also ensures that Picard will not have to remain on the roster if the Canadiens end up with too many defensemen later in the year.

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IN OTHER NEWS…

- The Canadiens also announced on Friday that they had re-signed defenseman Alex Henry to a two-way contract, to remain with the Hamilton Bulldogs in his duties as captain.

- The Habs lost their other connection to Harvard yesterday, as the Tampa Bay Lightning announced the signing of Dominic Moore to a two year contract worth $2.2 million, only $100,000 more a year (on average) than what he was paid last year. Yup. Had enough yet, Stevie?

- Finally, in lighter news, Georges Laraque will be named Deputy leader of Canada’s Green Party. Yup.

There will be plenty more to come as we start to rev up for the upcoming season and rosters begin to be finalized. Already today there have been several new contracts to report, including Anti Niemi’s arbitration decision, awarding him a $2.75 million contract. Could this mean that a Carey Price announcement could be on its way, with the closest (albeit cup-winning) comparable out of the way (assuming the Hawks even accept the deal)?

There will be plenty to talk about, including the long-promised position-by-position Habs analysis, so stay LOCKED on The Checking Line as well as Hockey Independent for all the news, analysis and breakdowns!

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
Twitter.com/GeorgePrax

According to various sources, Maxim Lapierre has re-signed with the Montreal Canadiens for the upcoming season. His new, 1-year deal is slated to be worth between $840,000 and $900,000, depending on the source, but which ever number ends up becoming official, it would be a great figure for the 3rd line forward and for the Canadiens.

The deal will only slightly exceed the qualifying offer that Pierre Gauthier and the Canadiens were obliged to offer Lapierre before the start of free agency, at the end of June. As a matter of fact, Richard Labbé at La Presse is reporting that the issue was never the dollar amount for Lapierre, but the term on the contract. The Montreal native wanted to be assured that he would continue to play in Montreal for the foreseeable future. In the end, he has to settle for a 1-year deal and a much shorter leash from the coach and management.

The big, versatile forward has had a love/hate relationship with both fans in Montreal and the management of the Canadiens since his arrival in Montreal. Being a native of the province and especially of the city, Lapierre has always had to deal with the added pressure to perform for the team and be a local hero. This expectation reached its pinnacle during the Canadiens’ 2010 playoff run, when Lapierre even received his own commercial as part of the “History Will Be Made” campaign for the NHL, after scoring an important goal, one of only a few that actually found the back of the net this season.

Not only has the pressure been on him, as a player, but also on management. With the well of quality francophone players drying up over the last few years, the Montreal Canadiens have always been pressured by fans and the community to have a certain local flavor on the team. Big name francophone players such as Daniel Brière, Vincent Lecavalier and Simon Gagné have never really wanted to play here. Moreover, players such as Guillaume Latendresse, Lapierre’s close friend, have had trouble adapting to the pressure and lifestyle of being a Montreal Canadiens, culminating in the trading of Latendresse early last season

Aside from marginal plug players such as Marc-André Bergeron and David Desharnais, Lapierre was left as the only Francophone player regularly playing on the team, with the pressure of being a successful local player resting solely on his shoulders. This made any dissatisfaction with Lapierre’s play difficult to deal with for management over the course of the last few seasons.

This past season, Lapierre had arguably his worst year in a Montreal Canadiens’ uniform, tallying 7 goals and 7 assists in 76 games, and adding 61 penalty minutes, half his production from the 2008-09 season, where he scored 15 goals and added 13 assists for 28 points. Lapierre saw his ice time and his role reduced under Jacques Martin, because he was unwilling to do what he needed to do to perform, score goals, and gain the favor of the coaching staff. But thanks to cap troubles and the need for cheaper players to plug the holes along the Canadiens’ roster, Lapierre is back for another season with the Canadiens.

However, one can only have the feeling that his leash will be significantly reduced once the Canadiens take to the ice next fall, with plenty of players available for a similar role waiting in the ranks down in Hamilton.

In order to stay with the team and thrive, Lapierre will need to learn how to go to the dirty areas and bury the puck, he will need to be defensively responsible, and he will need to use his 6’2” 210lbs frame a lot better than he did this past season. If he doesn’t, Jacques Martin and Pierre Gauthier will not hesitate to get rid of him, whether he’s Quebecois or not. And with free agency looming once again for Lapierre next season, he will need to earn whatever contract he expects to get next July, one game at a time.

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This latest move from Pierre Gauthier leaves but one major restricted free agent for the Canadiens to sign. Carey Price has yet to sign a contract with the Canadiens, but with over $4 million in cap space left for the Habs and only 1 free agent to sign, one would expect the deal to be done soon. Most expect Price’s yearly figure to land somewhere between $2 and $3 million, leaving $1 to $2 million of wiggle room for the Canadiens heading into next season.

Beyond that, the Canadiens maneuvering should just about be done for the summer.

We’ll certainly have more Canadiens and NHL coverage for you as the summer months roll on, so stay tuned on The Checking Line as well as Hockey Independent for all the coverage!

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
Twitter.com/GeorgePrax

The St. Louis Blues have ensured that they will have a starting goaltender for the foreseeable future today, inking Jaroslav Halak to a 4-year, $15 million deal, which will average out to $3.75 million per season. Halak was acquired by the Blues from the Montreal Canadiens last month in exchange for prospects Lars Eller and Ian Schultz.

The deal raised many eyebrows, both in Montreal from fans and the media, as well as from pundits around the league. Coming off a career year, Halak was considered the major reason for the Canadiens post-season success and berth in the conference finals. Many regarded him as the better of the two goaltenders in Montreal, and considered trading one of the main reasons for the Canadiens’ success to be a foolish move. Moreover, despite the apparent value of a prospect like Lars Eller, many didn’t consider the deal beneficial for the Canadiens in the short run.

Nevertheless, Pierre Gauthier had to make a decision between Halak and Carey Price. Not only was he quick to make the decision, he was quick to take action by trading Halak for what was apparently available shortly before the draft. As a result, Halak stays far, far away from the Canadiens in the Western Conference, and Carey Price takes over the reins of the organization between the pipes, with Alex Auld as his backup.

The result, effect, and effectiveness of these decisions and actions from the Canadiens’ management will remain unknown, for the most part, for quite some time. Carey Price has a lot of maturing to do, and despite some seemingly popular beliefs, Jaroslav Halak still has a lot of proving left to do. He has to earn his near-$4 million salary, he has to prove he can handle a full NHL schedule – in other words, more than 40 regular season games – and starting role, and he has to prove he’s worth the offensive prospects the Blues gave up for him.

Meanwhile, Carey Price will have even more to prove to Habs management and Canadiens fans. But this deal, this vote of confidence, has ensured that he will at least get the chance to be the goalie that everyone wants him to be.

Price even received a second vote of confidence on July 1st, when Pierre Gauthier signed 30-year-old Alex Auld to be the Canadiens back-up. The Journeyman goaltender has played for 9 different teams since 2004, and has not stayed with the same team for more than one season since 2005-06. And while he has played as a starter for both Ottawa and Vancouver, just about anyone will tell you that Alex Auld is a career back-up goaltender, and that he was brought to Montreal to be a mentor to Carey Price and give him a rest once every 6 or 7 games. As a result, Price is likely to start at least 60 games, barring injury, by the time the season is in the books.

So there you have it. In 2010-11, both Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak will be starting goaltenders. And in reality, despite the fact that the real “controversy” for the Canadiens has been dealt with, odds are that Halak and Price will be more scrutinized, compared in further detail and watched even closer than ever before.

What do you think of Jaroslav Halak’s new contract? Is it fair? Would he have gotten more or less as a Montreal Canadien? Moreover, 2 weeks later, did Pierre Gauthier make the right deal, or do you still think that Price should have been the one who was traded?

Let us know!

From Yesterday: No Moves? No Problem! (For now) – Analyzing July 1st for the Montreal Canadiens.

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
twitter.com/GeorgePrax

If you were a Habs fan on July 1st, then odds are you spent the day either drinking and celebrating Canada Day, or in front of your laptop, TV (tuned to TSN2) and/or cell phone, waiting for news of a big signing by Canadiens’ General Manager Pierre Gauthier.

Odds are, when you put all that technology away, you were left feeling slightly disappointed.

Other than signing backup goaltender Alex Auld, signing newly acquired Dustin Boyd to a 1-year deal, and resigning Curtis Sanford to a two-way deal, there wasn’t much Canadiens’ fans could take away from their July 1st UFA Day experience. But should fans be upset or disappointed at the lack of activity from their general manager and team?

By no means.

For two weeks, Pierre Gauthier has ensured that the Canadiens were in the main headlines across the hockey world. From trading Jaroslav Halak, to signing Thomas Plekanec to moving up in the draft to select Jared Tinordi, the Canadiens have been front and center since mid-June. And all of this despite limited cap flexibility, thanks to deals made by former General Manager and current ”special consultant” Bob Gainey.

Really, going into July 1st, there wasn’t much that Habs fans could expect from their General Manager. Their major pending UFA had been signed, the goaltending ”controversy” had been dealt with, and arguably the biggest locker room problem, Sergei Kostitsyn, has been dealt with and traded to the Nashville Predators.

All that was left to do was to plug a few holes and look to improve the team, but not by further handicapping the team in terms of the cap, which, if course, is always easier said than done.

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HOLES LEFT TO BE PLUGGED

Do Alex Auld or Dustin Boyd solve any of the Canadiens problems heading into the next season? Maybe, in their own, limited way. Auld is an experienced back-up goaltender who won’t play more than 15-20 games, in all likelihood, further cementing the fact that Carey Price is this team’s #1 goaltender for the foreseeable future, for better or for worse. As for Sanford, he provides more experience and depth for the Canadiens at the goaltending position, and will help Cedrick Desjardins to continue his development in Hamilton. Dustin Boyd solves some size issues in the Canadiens’ bottom-six ranks, and provides some secondary scoring depth, not to mention a cheaper and younger replacement for Glen Metropolit.

Once Carey Price and Maxim Lapierre are signed to contract, the Canadiens will have a complete team.

But really, the Canadiens still have some major deficiencies when it comes to size and scoring amongst the forward ranks. Unfortunately, those holes will not be filled unless Pierre Gauthier can clear some cap space.

There are two players that Habs fans would most like to see traded before the start of the 2010-11 season:

- Andrei Kostitsyn is the most likely candidate for a trade. His salary is relatively high at $3.25M, but the 25-year-old is scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of next season. And while trading him would free up the cap space to bring in a better offensive player, moving Kostitsyn would also have some drawbacks. Kostitsyn’s production has dropped every season since his first full season in 2007-08. From 26 goals and 53 points in a season where he benefited from near-career years for his then-linemates, Thomas Plekanec and Alex Kovalev, Andrei dropped to 23 goals and 41 points last year, and finally, 15 goals and 33 points last year. While those numbers may seem half-decent, Kostitsyn has been incredibly inconsistent over the course of the last season, and he often goes long stretches of games without any points. At the same time, Kostitysn is one of the only offensive players on the Canadiens’ who has some decent size and who can actually throw his body around on the forecheck. And despite under-producing in many of his NHL seasons, he still has tremendous amounts of talent and potential as a sniper, and without the added distraction of his brother Sergei, Andrei could have a breakout year. If the Canadiens trade Andrei before the beginning of the season, it better be in order to bring in a sure thing for the top 6.

- The second candidate for a trade is Roman Hamrlik. The 36-year-old Czech defenseman is in the last year of a contract that pays him $5.5M per year. While he is aging and his salary is much higher than it should be, Hamrlik has shown the ability to be an experienced top 4 defenseman who has mentored some of the young players to pass through Montreal in his time with the team. While he isn’t able to play consistent top-pairing minutes, he has also proven to be a suitable pivot-guy for when Andrei Markov succumbs to injury (which seems to be pretty often lately). A team with available cap space and a young, inexperienced core of players would definitely find Hamrlik useful. The problem? Hamrlik has a limited No-Trade Clause until a few weeks before the 2011 trade deadline, in which the Canadiens can only trade him to one of 6 teams in each conference specified by Hamrlik and his agent. While that may no seem so bad at a glance, balancing which teams would want Hamrlik, versus which teams he would want to go to himself could be a tricky act. Moreover, with Andrei Markov set to miss the beginning of next season with a knee injury, would it be smart to trade away one of the only players who could replace him while he’s gone?

Without moving one of these two contracts, the Canadiens are not going to be able to add any firepower for the upcoming. But as mentioned, trading either player would be a risky move, as both have proven to be useful for the Canadiens in certain instances, and play considerable roles for the team.

Moreover, with the salary cap troubles on the way in 2011-12, players with only a year or two on their contracts will start to look more and more appealing to the Canadiens.

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2012: NOT ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD

A lot of fuss has been made about the salary cap troubles of the Chicago Blackhawks coming off their Stanley Cup victory. With so many bonuses to be paid, so many raises to be given out, it was inevitable that some players would find themselves in new cities as the summer progressed.

Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, things actually ended up worse than most people had predicted. As it currently stands, only half of the players that laced their boots in the Stanley Cup finals and lifted the cup just about a month ago will be Chicago Blackhawks next season. Playoff superstar Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg, Andrew Ladd and others have already been traded, and there are more on their way, with contracts such as Cristobal Huet’s and Brian Campbell’s likely to be dealt with.

Of course, Hawks fans can’t really complain, they have a Stanley Cup to their credit and the Hawks core is still intact, for the most part. This article by Kevin Burgundy illustrates the point pretty well.

Canadiens fans, in all likelihood, won’t be so lucky as to have a Stanley Cup to brag about next season. On the other hand, their gripes about the salary cap and about the hole that their team has dug themselves into will be completely justified.

As it stands today, on July 5th, 2010, the Montreal Canadiens have but seven players (5 forwards and 2 defensemen) signed to contracts. The total cap hit is nearly $30 million, over half of what the salary cap will be in 2010-11. While most will not tend to worry about salary cap issues in future years, you have to consider this a legitimate issue. The Montreal Canadiens are in some deep crap moving forward.

Expect a more detailed look at this issue in the coming days/weeks, but I’ll let everyone mull that over as we whine about the lack of activity from Pierre Gauthier on UFA day, and as we plead for him to trade the likes of Roman Hamrlik and Andrei Kostitsyn.

All things considered, Gauthier and his staff have done a pretty decent job of keeping this team afloat heading into next season. But once these salary cap troubles start creeping closer and start becoming more apparent, that’s when the real test will start for Pierre Gauthier and the Montreal Canadiens.

Tomorrow I’ll have a primer for the Habs development camp, so keep an eye out for that, as well as many off-season features to come over the next few weeks and months!

Enjoy the beautiful July weather,

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
twitter.com/GeorgePrax

The Montreal Canadiens have traded problematic forward Sergei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators.

The deal is simply an exchange of pending free agents, as Montreal received center Dustin Boyd (RFA) and goaltender Dan Ellis (UFA) in return. Future Considerations are involved for both teams, presumably if any of the players end up signing or not.

The relationship between the Canadiens and Sergei Kostitsyn was always shaky. The troubled forward has consistently made headlines since his arrival in Montreal, for better or for worse, but mostly for worse. Whether it was calling out Canadiens GM last week over the Jaroslav Halak trade, not paying his dues at practice or just plain sucking, Sergei Kostitsyn has been a thorn in the Canadiens’s side for years.

Despite being drafted in the 7th round in the 2005 draft (200th overall), Sergei was quick to exceed the expectations of many, posting 40 goals and 131 points with the London Knights a year after he was drafted, and showing commitment to the game of hockey and to playing in the NHL by making the move to North America, despite not speaking much English or playing the style of hockey that a lot of us have become used to. The next season, he made an impact in both Hamilton and Montreal, posting 22 points in 22 games with the Bulldogs and then 27 points in 52 games with the Canadiens, endearing himself to both the organization and to fans.

But things quickly went south from there. Maybe it was the fact that he had become a fan favorite, maybe it was the fame, maybe it was the bright lights of Montreal, but to say that things degenerated quickly might be an understatement. Feuds with fellow players, a drop in production, and an overall bad relationship with the team, the city, and especially its fans.

The rumors surrounding Sergei’s personal life and his attitude were rampant and serious. From his lack of commitment to the team, to his ego and selfishness, Sergei quickly became a pest and a player other Habs did not want to be around. Moreover, rumors were running rampant that Sergei feigned an inability to understand English to avoid the media, and even that he, along with his brother Andrei, had connections with a known Mobster in Montreal.

Things finally came to ahead this year, when splitting time between Montreal and Hamilton, Sergei gave then-GM Bob Gainey an ultimatum: Play me or trade me. Gainey responded by doing neither, by letting him sit at home until he was ready to earn his ice time in Hamilton. Eventually, he made it back to the Canadiens’ line-up, thanks to injuries, but failed to keep his spot, playing only 5 games in the Canadiens’ playoff run and putting up no points in the playoffs. Eventually, the Canadiens told him to stay away from the team because of his negative effect on his teammates.

Sergei leaves his brother Andrei in Montreal, who has also fallen out of favor with the fans. What remains in Andrei’s future is a mystery, but if I had to take a guess, I would say that Andrei will remain with Montreal to start the season, in the final year of his contract. An environment where he doesn’t have to worry about his brother may benefit the 25-year-old sniper.

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Interestingly enough, the deal could have been for nothing. In exchange for Sergei’s rights, the Canadiens receive Dustin Boyd and Dan Ellis. While Boyd, a 6 foot 200 lbs center, is likely to sign with the Canadiens in a 3rd line role, Pierre Gauthier has but a day and a half to sign Dan Ellis.

The 30 year old goaltender from Orangeville, Ontario, had a good season as the back up for the Preds, putting up 15 wins in 31 games, a GAA of 2.69 and an SVP of .909. His best season came in 2008-08, where he had 23 wins in 44 games and won the Roger Crozier award for best save percentage with a .924. He could very well test the market, but Habs fans can hold out hope that he’ll sign with the Canadiens to back-up young Carey Price next season. Ellis made $2 million in 2009-10.

Nonetheless, Ellis sent a message through twitter in reply to the trade, stating that he was “Very excited about the trade! It’s an honor to be part of a team with such great tradition and passion! Hope we can figure something out!” , giving Canadiens fans hope that the team will be able to get a deal done with the netminder.

As for Dustin Boyd, the native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, has good size, hits, and can be flexible in a checking line role. At 23-years old, he already has 200+ games of NHL experience. He put up 11 goals and 13 assists last year in 78 games, with a +6 rating, and only took 19 penalty minutes. I can’t say much more about the young forward at this point, but Canadiens fans will likely see a lot of him next season.

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Overall, this trade is indicative of the attitude that has become this organization over the last season: If you’re a problem, you’re out. GM Pierre Gauthier and Bob Gainey have molded this team into a North American group of players consisting mostly of hard workers and leaders that find ways to win, and that is definitely true with the two new players that will hopefully be arriving in Montreal next fall.

Is Pierre Gauthier done? If the last two weeks are any indication, odds are that he isn’t.

Stay tuned, there will be plenty more to come!

Prax

TheCheckingLine.com
twitter.com/GeorgePrax

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In this year’s draft, the Montreal Canadiens will be selecting 27th overall, thanks to their impressive run in the Stanley Cup playoffs. To put things into perspective, if they hadn’t amassed that single overtime point they did in the final game of the season against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Canadiens would be drafting in the first half of the first round, possibly as high as 10th place.

Before you go ahead and jump off the bandwagon, don’t take that as bad news, necessarily. On top of accumulating invaluable amounts of playoff experience, the Canadiens still have an impressive (and physically large) crop of players to choose from when their turn to pick will come around tonight, likely sometime around 9:30PM.

Here is a list of some potential prospects the Canadiens could be picking this evening with that 27th pick, ending with who I think the Canadiens will end up drafting.

TYLER TOFFOLI

TSN’s final 1-through-30 draft rankings have Tyler Toffoli comfortably sitting at 27th place, perfect for selection by the Montreal Canadiens. He’s a center, he’s 6 feet tall and 181 lbs, which, if course, could indeed go up with a few more growth spurts. Toffoli played with the Ottawa 67 in the 2009-10 seaosn, amassing 37 goals and a total of 79 points in a total of 65 games played. Toffoli suited up for Canada’s under-18 team last year, and even spent time on a line with Tyler Seguin and John McFarland. Early projections have him as a solid 2-way center who can contribute big forward minutes on a scoring line, which would make him an instant hit with some Habs pundits. The only knock against him is his skating, which he could, of course, work on during his development.

JUSTIN FAULK

A defenseman? American? Native of Minnesota? Not too small? Not to big? Sounds like a good fit for the Canadiens’ organization. Considering who’s doing the drafting, this could very well be the pick the Canadiens make in the first round this year. Described as ” compact and solid and a strong skater” by Bob McKenzie, Faulk is a fast, offensive defenseman with one of the hardest shots in the draft, something the Canadiens could definitely use in the coming years, with a lot of defensive turnover on the way and with the prospect ranks on the back-end somewhat depleted. With the US under-18 national team, Faulk amassed 9 goals and 3 assists in 21 games, adequate numbers for an offensive defenseman in the American system.

BROCK NELSON

Brock Nelson has slipped in a few of the final rankings, but if you ask me, his size and the position he plays will allow him to go in the 1st round. The Canadiens would be lucky to draft this 6’3” 205lbs Center from (you guessed it) Minneapolis, Minnesota. The 18-year-old scored an impressive 53 goals and 42 assists in 31 games for his high school, Warroad. He is commited to the University of North Dakota for next season, but he might be a package at Center that the Canadiens would be dumb to pass up, if available at 27th.

TYLER PITLICK

Projected to go slightly ahead of the Canadiens draft position, this is another player that the Habs would be lucky to draft. Another big center that hails from Minnesota, Pitlick is already 6’2” and 195lbs at 18 years old. The knock against this one? While considered to be an offensive center, he has yet to prove that he could put up big numbers as the US high school system is not always considered to be the highest producing hockey system in the world. Still, Pitlick’s 11 goals and 8 assists in 38 games is respectable. Hockey’s Future has described him as both a ”pure goalscorer” as well as a player with both ”playmaking and finishing capabilities”, with lots of hockey sense.

KIRILL KABANOV

Considered by Scott Cullen of TSN to be “the ultimate draft wildcard”, many consider Kabanov to be a giant risk for the 1st round, considering the fact that he hails from Russia. A fact that people seem to look over is that Kabanov is committed enough to hockey to have moved to Moncton to play with the Wildcats of the QMJHL this past season, at a very young age (maybe against his will, but nonetheless). His season has been surrounded by controversy and injuries, having appeared in only 22 games for the Wildcats, eventually being released by the team. Still, his 6’3” frame and his offensive skills might be worth taking a risk at a late stage of the draft. Are the Canadiens willing to throw another Hail Mary so soon after the Jaroslav Halak trade, and of course their troubles with Europeans in recent years?

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Despite there being many players that seem to fit the Canadiens’ needs and their profile at the moment, one has to consider that picking a late-1st-round youngster does not necessarily mean that an organization has to fill needs it has in the present. Draft picks are usually long-term projects if they’re not prodigies or superstars, and can take as long as 4 or 5 years, if not longer, before finally making their impact at the NHL level.

That being said, looking ahead 5 years into the future of the Canadiens is a craps shoot at best. By then, most of the Canadiens’ long term contracts will be done. Players such as PK Subban, Carey Price and even Louis Leblanc will likely be well into their NHL careers. Frankly, at that point, anything can happen. But looking 2 or 3 years into the future of the Canadiens, and the needs of the Canadiens are glaring.

While they could use as many talented, big wingers as they can, they simply don’t seem to be in abundance that late in the first round. Moreover, adding centers at this point seems to be a waste. the middle seems to be locked up for the Canadiens for a while now, with Scott Gomez and Tomas Plekanec locked up to long term deals, and with Lars Eller, Louis Leblanc and others well on their way.

Carey Price is here to stay in goal, and the Canadiens still have a few prospects in that department, including Cedrick Desjardins, last year’s star in goal in Hamilton.

As you could probably guess by the process of elimination, the one place where the Canadiens seem to be in trouble going into the future, is on defense.

Beyond PK Subban, the prospect ranks for the Canadiens when it comes to defensemen are shot. David Fischer is likely a bust, Ryan McDonaugh and Pavel Valentenko have been traded away, Matthieu Carle and Yannick Weber may never be fit for the NHL level, and Alexei Elemin may never show up in North America.

Add to this the older age and expiring contracts of Hal Gill, Jaroslav Spacek, Roman Hamrlik and even Andrei Markov, the Canadiens will soon be depleted on the back-end.

A big, solid defenseman who can skate is simply the necessity in this year’s draft, and I think we have the perfect fit. That being said (assuming I had the power to do this)…

With the 27th pick overall, the Montreal Canadiens are proud to select….

JARRED TINORDI

This team’s experience with American defensemen is well established. And Jarred Tinordi fits the mold, arguably better than anyone else.

At 18-years-old, Tinordi is already 6’6” and 205lbs. With growth sprouts, he could easily end up being one of the biggest players in the NHL when he finally makes it. He only scored 4 goals and 5 assists through 26 games with the Under-18 USA team, but how much of a beast he is makes up for his lack of offensive production.

Attending Notre Dame in the fall, Bob McKenzie and scouts had many good things to say about him: “He’s naturally aggressive, a heavy hitter, with outstanding leadership and character, as evidenced by his captaincy on what may be the best U.S. U-18 team ever.”

Simply put, Jarred Tinordi is exactly what this team needs. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, considering how much he impressed scouts and doctors at the draft combine, he’s unlikely to be available at 27th overall. But if he is, the Canadiens will have to draft him. Or else.

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DRAFT COVERAGE AT WWW.THECHECKINGLINE.COM!

Yes, it’s that time of year again! Time to get revved up for the NHL draft! If these last two weeks have been any indication, then we should expect plenty of activity from GMs throughout the day, and of course this evening. TCL will of course be on top of it all, with our live chat commencing at 6:45PM eastern tonight (details can be found here).

Since the hammer dropped on Jaroslav Halak last Thursday, there has been much movement around the league, and it all leads into tonight’s Draft. Here is a list of all the happenings of the last week, including many links, by the numbers:

And with the draft scheduled to commence in less than 8 hours, there will certainly be much to talk about throughout the course of the afternoon hours.

Don’t forget to keep things locked on TCL this evening for all the draft coverage you can handle! The live chat starts at 6:45PM eastern time, don’t be late!

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
twitter.com/GeorgePrax

For the first time in a long time, Montreal Canadiens’ fans can actually relax heading into the Free Agent Frenzy of July 1st.

With a week left to go until this year’s set of NHL contracts are due to expire, the job seems to be half done for GM Pierre Gauthier and the Montreal Canadiens. The goaltending controversy has seemingly been resolved, as Jaroslav Halak has been traded to the St. Louis Blues and the reigns of the organization have been handed to Carey Price.

The need to replenish the prospect ranks has been partially met with the acquisition of Lars Eller and Ian Schultz, and will be further met in two days at the draft, where the Canadiens will draft 27th overall.

And finally, Gauthier and the Canadiens have locked up a big key to the puzzle, with the contract extension given to center Tomas Plekanec yesterday. Plekenac, who signed a 6-year contract with a no-trade clause worth $5 million dollars a year, will be staying in Montreal for the foreseeable future.

All three of these factors are changes in organizational policies and behavior exhibited by former-GM-current-Advisor Bob Gainey over the last 7 years. From negotiating with pending UFAs that the team wanted to keep, to trading away the pending free agents the team DIDN’T want to keep, to looking to the future with prospects and young players, many of the decisions that Pierre Gauthier has made in his few months as general manager have been, in the end, a refreshing change from the Bob Gainey era.

Of course, a lot of things may seem the same, and they very well may be, seeing as Gauthier was a major part of this organization for 7 years prior to inheriting the General Manager’s office, and, of course, Bob Gainey still has receives a bi-monthly cheque with the Canadiens’ logo on it, but what may have seemed like minor changes at first have proven to leave lasting marks on this organization, for better or for worse (depending on which computer you’re sitting behind).

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ONE WEEK LATER: JAROSLAV HALAK

The first such change is the mentality that players can’t be lost for nothing at free agency, and that the organization need to be proactive in making sure any sort of value is received for players that likely don’t fit into the future of the team. Of course, we saw this come to play when Gauthier traded Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues, in exchange for prospects Lars Eller and Ian Schultz.

SOME PEOPLE may not fully agree with the deal, but all of us can probably agree that if Jaroslav Halak did not fit into the long term plans of the organization, then trading him was the right decision to make.

While Jaroslav Halak is traded far, far away, to a place that can give him the contract that he desires, the Canadiens’ receive one good, and one very good prospect in return.

Ian Schultz is a rugged forward with plenty of potential. He will likely play for the Hamilton Bulldogs this season, but knowing, again, how this organization operates, he could very well see action with the Canadiens depending on injuries and the natural course of the season. He will provide toughness and energy to the Canadiens’ 4th line. We will see more of Schultz at both development camp and training camp in the coming months.

Lars Eller, on the other hand, seems to be exactly what fans of this team have been asking for. A center/forward with some size who can, of course, score and get his nose dirty in front of the net. Named to the AHL’s all-rookie team this year, it’s looking more and more likely that Eller will draw into the Canadiens’ line-up when the season commences in Toronto on October 7th. Many seem to think that he will play center on the Canadiens’ third line. I, for one, have the feeling that he will be playing on Scott Gomez’s wing, along with Brian Gionta. Only time will tell.

So, what conclusion can we come to, on the subject of the Jaroslav Halak trade?

While the deal may not seem to fully help the Canadiens in the short term, they did get value for the Slovak goaltender, in the form of prospects that will replenish the pool that has seemingly been drained in trades and improper development over the last couple of seasons.

The less evident factor in this move is, of course, Carey Price, who has now been given the keys to the Bell Centre. That’s something that hasn’t changed in the transition from Bob Gainey to Pierre Gauthier. Will the result of this decision remain the same, or will Price finally rise to the occasion?

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CONTRACT EXTENSIONS? IN MONTREAL? REALLY?

The second such change, as revealed yesterday afternoon, annoyingly-enough a few minutes after I stepped away from my computer for the day, was Tomas Plekanec’s contract extension, a proactive move that locks up the team at the center position for at least the next 3 or 4 years.

The deal, as mentioned, is with $30 million in total over a six-year period, and averages out to a yearly salary of $5 million. The deal also contains a no-trade component, but details the conditions and length/period of the NTC have not yet been made available.

Interestingly, many Canadiens fans are hollering over BOTH the price and length of Plekanec’s new contract. He’s too small, he’s not physical enough, he’s inconsistent, he plain and simply doesn’t deserve this sort of contract. These are just some of the excuses that I’ve heard over the last 18 hours or so.

Make your arguments and excuses, if you will. If you don’t like the player, you don’t like the player, and yes, it is a rich contract. But you cannot place the blame on any of the players involved in this deal. You cannot blame Tomas Plekanec for looking to make as much money as he possibly could, coming off a stellar performance and a career year. And frankly, if he had hit the open market on July 1st, $5 million a year would have seemed like a steal to Canadiens’ fans. Moreover, you cannot blame Pierre Gauthier on this one, as there is no suitable replacement for Plekanec in the organization or on the trade or free agency market.

Tomas Plekanec is one of only a few players in the NHL who could produce top-flight numbers offensively, and then turn back and produce at the same rate defensively and on special teams. He’s a premier two-way player in the league, and one of few such centers anywhere in hockey. Simply put, if an organization has drafted and developed a player like Plekanec, they DO NOT let them go unless they have a suitable replacement, and the Plekanec’s of the league are, as mentioned, few and far between.

He is, of course, no Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. He’ll never score 50 goals or 100 points, he’ll likely never win a major individual award or be the franchise player of an organization, but Tomas Plekanec is a key cog to this team and the system it employs on the ice, and over the course of the coming years that he will spend with the organization, he will often find himself at the top of many statistics sheets – goals, assists, games played, time on ice (even strength, powerplay, shorthanded, what have you), and much more.

So call him inconsistent, even though he’s only missed 4 games over the last 4 seasons, and seldom has a bad defensive game, and even though though he’s scored 20 or more goals in each of those 4 seasons. Call him small, or weak, even though we don’t often see him muscled off a puck, but Tomas Plekanec is a great player, a leader on this team in every sense of the word, a fine top center, a cornerstone to this team, and I’m proud to say that he’ll be a part of the team I cheer for for the foreseeable future.

Did he slow down during the playoffs? He did, but he still contributed to an incredible playoff run. Did he have a bad season in 08-09? He did, but from my perspective, that was the anomalous performance, not this past season or his great season in 07-08.

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NOTES / THINGS TO COME

- Gauthier was busy yesterday, also signing forward Mathieu Darche to a 1 year, $500,000 contract. In 29 games with the Canadiens last year, the 33-year-old scored 5 goals and added 5 assists, and at his cost, he will likely draw on the Canadiens’ 4th line next season.

- A busy day through and through for the league, the Boston Bruins acquired Nathan Horton and Gregory Campbell from the Florida Panthers for peanuts, a deal that definitely affects the Canadiens. Read more on the deal here, from Wally Brennan.

- Finally, TCL will be hosting a LIVE CHAT for Friday’s draft fun. Many of the site’s writers will be there for the fun, and we hope that you can be here as well. Details will be made available by tomorrow, so keep your browser locked on www.thecheckingline.com for all the details. Of coruse, I will also be participating in Hockey Independent’s draft coverage, so check that out too! Also tomorrow, I will be bringing you the real draft preview, with input from several other Canadiens bloggers and fans, and who they would like the Canadiens to draft!

More tomorrow,

Prax
TheCheckingLine.com
twitter.com/GeorgePrax

According to various sources, the Montreal Canadiens have shipped goaltender Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues in return for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz.

If you asked yourself ”who?” when looking at that trade, well, you wouldn’t be the only one.

Lars Eller looks like a decent prospect. Drafted 13th overall in the 2007 Entry Draft, Eller is a forward from Denmark (Really?). The 21 year old started his young career in Sweden before moving to Peoria this past season to play with the Rivermen of the AHL, where he accumulated 18 goals and 39 assists in 70 games. He also made his debut with the Blues, scoring 2 goals in 7 games.

Ian Schultz is a Right Winger from Calgary who has played the last 3 seasons with the Hitmen of the WHL. He’s had seasons on 30, 41, and 51 points respectively, not to mention PIM totals of 128, 127 and 150, again, respectively. Apparently he can throw ‘em, but beyond that there’s not much I can tell you about Ian Schultz (TCL Contributor Derrick Newman might be able to shed some light on this 20 year old).

That’s it folks. Two forward prospects who don’t have NHL experience, one of them who hasn’t played a professional hockey game yet. No top six forward who can help the team where it lacked this season, no young defenseman to complement for the serious lack of depth beyond what you saw this past season, nothing but prospects.

The real questions that need to be asked here are:

a) What what Pierre Gauthier thinking?
b) What are Gauthier’s intentions with this team going forward? Does he care about immediate success or is he satisfied with stockpiling prospects that might not even pan out?
c) Was there really nothing better available for Halak, arguably the MVP of the playoffs not to make the finals?
d) Seriously Pierre, WTF were you thinking?

I don’t want to play armchair GM here, but methinks someone who played as well as Halak did and brought the Canadiens to where they were this season could AT LEAST fetch a couple of roster players if packaged with the right players/prospects/picks/whatever going the other direction.

And considering the word is that Gauthier (or anyone else from the Habs camp, for that matter) didn’t even bother contacting Halak and his agent, outspoken Allan Walsh, to talk contract, trade, or even how the daisies smelled in Slovakia this time of year, is clearly an indication that there was no intention to keep Halak in this organization going forward, no matter what he did during the playoffs, and that Price was their man.

That’s all fine. If they want Carey Price to be their guy, then he’s their guy and this is a massive vote of confidence for the player and could have a great effect on him next season.

Problem is, the situation reeks of bad management, and poor, rash decision making.

Around the net people were talking about a Brad Boyes, Erik Johnson, or David Perron coming back in return, along with a first round draft pick.

Instead, we get Lars Eller (who could pan out to be a great NHLer in his own right, don’t get me wrong) and Ian Schultz (I still don’t know who that is).

Great job Gauthier. Turns out I was right about you all along. I cannot wait to see how you dig this team further into the ground at the draft and at free agency.

I will definitely have more to say about this tomorrow. For now, I think I’m going to have to lay down for a bit.

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EDIT: According to Pierre Lebrun, the Habs get Lars Eller and Ian Shultz in return. Ugh, who?

According to TSN and RDS.

No details on what’s coming back the other way, but if I had to guess I’d say Perron and a 1st. Details will be added to this post shortly.

More to come,

Prax

www.twitter.com/georgeprax
www.thecheckingline.com

Yesterday, the Toronto Maple Leafs ended an entire season of speculation when they announced Dion Phaneuf as their new captain, the 18th in their long storied history.

The decision was generally met with approval from most Leafs fans. Phaneuf certainly represents the team that Brina Burke has built this far well, in terms of truculence, belligerence, hard work, and, of course, Canadiana (or I guess North-Americana, but anyway). From an outsider’s perspective, or more specifically, a Montreal Canadiens perspective, I can’t help but find ways to make fun of this decision.

This is the man that nearly cried in every interview he did after he was traded from the Flames to the Leafs this past winter. I can’t even begin to count how many times he told us that he was really excited to be a Toronto Maple Leaf. Have you convinced yourself yet, Dion?

Of course, I’m only kidding (for the most part, anyway). Really, I commend the Leafs for making the decision to promote Phaneuf to the C. The guy knows what it’s like to be a top player in a pressure-cooker hockey market, even if the heat has been upped a few hundred degrees now that he’s moved from Calgary to Toronto. The guy also has what it takes to win and succeed. He knows what it’s like to be criticized, and he knows what it’s like to fail, and what to do to overcome certain shortcomings.

As much as I have to make fun of him and the Leafs, I truly agree with Brian Burke and the Leafs when it comes to promoting Dion Phaneuf.

But I write about the Canadiens, damnit, not the Leafs. There are plenty of people who can get into much detail about the pros and cons of having Dion Phaneuf as your captain. So, why am I bringing it up, you say?

Because the Leafs weren’t the only team without a player who wore a ”C” on his jersey this season.

For the first time in 100 years, the Montreal Canadiens, the most storied franchise in professional sports, a team with many traditions and taboos still walking the halls of its arena, played an entire season without a captain. For the first time, this team did not have an official on-and-off ice leader.

Keep in mind, this is the team that gave the captaincy to Alex Kovalev every time they got the opportunity when Saku Koivu was injured. The team that kept the C on someone like Koivu despite controversies and media pressures at every single turn. This is a team that likes to hold on to its traditions and histories, and for once, it broke free of those traditions for reasons still unknown. Ironically, the man who seemingly made this decision to break free what one of the men who best represents these traditions, Bob Gainey.

We could sit here and talk about why Gainey, Martin and the Canadiens decide to play the season without a captain all day. But just for the sake of being thorough, here are what I think might have been three of the best excuses:

1. None of the potential leaders spoke French.
No, I don’t want to start another debate about whether the Canadiens need a French-speaking captain, a French-speaking coach or French-speaking players in general, but this has always been an issue that has been important to the organization, mainly to team president Pierre Boivin. It’s an issue that is discussed and considered in every major on-and-off-ice decision the team has to make, from a new coach to a new GM to who the team is going to pick at the draft. With most if not all the potential new captains coming from outside the province, whether they promised to learn French or not, the fact is that last September, they did not speak French. And that could very well have been a deciding factor in playing the season without a captain.

2. The leader of this team wasn’t on the ice, but behind the bench.
Another issue that has been thoroughly discussed in and around Montreal is that despite having an obvious leadership ”group” in Montreal, none of them were the true leader of the team, at least not in the coach’s eyes. Jacques Martin is the type of coach who likes to control how his team plays, how they act, and maybe even how they feel. He has a system, he doesn’t stray from it and if any of the players do, they usually end up in the doghouse. It is very possible that because of all this, because he wanted people to stick to his system and because he didn’t know who would be ”his guy” in terms of a leader, Martin was the one who decided that there wouldn’t be a captain this year, in order to figure out who would be ”his captain” and in order to be the real leader himself. Call it a conspiracy theory, but seeing how Martin operates, it’s more than possible.

3. There were, in fact, TOO MANY good candidates
We’ll go into detail for each of them in a little bit, but this could be a legitimate reason as to why they decided to go with no one. Throughout the season, there have been more than a handful of players who have showed leadership qualities and their dedication to the team. And while most of these players were signed to long-term contracts, and choosing a captain is certainly not a permanent decision, choosing the wrong captain might have been more damaging to the club than annoying. Allowing these players to play without pressure, to show their true colors and their dedication to the team would allow management to make the proper decision heading into the 2010-11 season.

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All that being said, it is truly time to make the decision that Habs fans have been waiting for for nearly a year now. Unless Pierre Gauthier is planning on bringing back Saku Koivu on July 1st, there really is no reason to delay this decision any further. If this timing is good enough for the Toronto Maple Leafs, then it should be good enough for the Montreal Canadiens.

What’s there to wait for? Yes, Gauthier and his staff should be busy re-signing pending UFAs and RFAs, preparing for the draft as well as looking at upcoming free agents they might be interested in signing this summer, but a decision for captain should have been made by now.

Take a morning off, schedule a press conference and reveal who the captain is already!

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A question, however, still remains: Who will they choose?

There are still many viable candidates for the position.

Hal Gill proved to be a leader during these playoffs by blocking the most shots-per-game out of any player, despite his advanced age, his size and stamina, and of course, not to mention the fact that he may have become a little injury prone in the last few years. He would be a stand up choice for captain…. if he was 5 years younger and had more years left on his NHL career. But at 35 and with only one year left on his contract, he is not a long term choice for the Canadiens.

Mike Cammalleri has proven his worth to the Canadiens’, scoring 26 goals during the regular season in 65 games, not to mention leading the league in playoff goals scored with 13, an impressive feat. He’s also shown his dedication and affection for the organization, not to mention the city. He’s always available for interviews, he’s made himself available to fans through social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook, and he always has a smile on his face. Nevertheless, I don’t think he needs the added pressure of being the captain. Let Cammalleri score his goals, do his interviews and tweet his tweets, in English, French, Italian, Hebrew or whatever, and let someone else deal with being the captain. The Habs have a good thing with Cammalleri, and there’s no reason to put that in jeopardy.

Scott Gomez certainly has the contract to justify being a captain. His $7.5 million cap hit could go towards justifying a letter on his jersey. He’s also shown dedication to the city, always available for the media and vowing to learn how to speak French. He also has experience as a leader, both in New Jersey and another fairly high-pressure hockey market, New York City. But is he the right choice for the Montreal Canadiens? There’s a certain intangible that tells me he might not be, despite his obvious affection for the city and the team.

Andrei Markov received a lot of media support for the job throughout the season, but many people are starting to question his dedication to his team, not to mention his worth to the team heading into a contract year. He’s not getting any younger, and despite consistently being the best player on the ice for the Canadiens when he’s on the ice, he’s missed a lot of time to injuries. There are also, of course, language barriers and the matter of dealing with the media. Markov is a great on-ice leader, and deserves to wear the ”A” on his jersey, but captaincy, I’m afraid, may be asking a little much from the Russian superstar.

Brian Gionta, has, in my opinion, been the front runner for the job since the very beginning of the season. His drive and dedication to succeed, despite his small stature and all the things working against him, represent the very essence of the Montreal Canadiens. There have been many midget jokes over the course of the season, many doubters and many haters, and Brian Gionta, ironically, has risen above every single one of them, scoring a team-leading 28 goals during the regular season and adding 9 goals and 15 points in the playoffs, second behind only Mike Cammalleri. He too has leadership experience in New Jersey, and he too has shown his dedication to the city. In fact, I can’t think of a single reason NOT to make Brian Gionta the Canadiens’ captain heading into next season.

But Gionta wouldn’t be my choice for the job. While he has all the qualities, he, too, is someone who may benefit from less pressure, from focusing on doing his job on the ice while leading silently behind another. He, too, may represent the present of this team, but not the future.

There is only one player on this team that combines all the above-mentioned positive factors that go into making an NHL captain, as well as well-representing the future of the franchise.

My choice for captain of the Montreal Canadiens for the 2010-11 season is…..

Josh Gorges

At 25 years old, Josh Gorges should have at least another decade of hockey ahead of him. He’s modest, he’s kind, he’s good in front of a camera and even better in front of a crowd, on the ice. He’ll never put up too many points, but who ever said that was a requirement for being a captain?

Essentially a throw-in in a 2007 trade between the Montreal Canadiens and the San Jose Sharks which sent Craig Rivet to California in exchange for a 1st round pick, Gorges has blossomed into a great defensive-defenseman who actually can contribute offensively if needed. He blocks shots, he seldom makes mistakes 5-on-5 and he’s always there to support his players in any situation.

He’s not the flashiest of players, but he’s solid in every sense of the word.

Promoting Gorges to captain may be going slightly against the grain, but I dare you to find one reason as to why Gorges would not be a good candidate for the captaincy.

—————————

All this being said, the decision, of course, rests squarely on the shoulders of the players, the coaching staff, management, and the team in general. As listed above, there are plenty of acceptable candidates for the position.

And through 100+ games, there really shouldn’t be an issue in selecting amongst these candidates, whether it ends up being Josh Gorges or anyone else.

The fact remains, with those 100+ games in the books, there really is no reason not make an announcement before the draft. Selecting a leader for this group of players, after all they accomplished during the playoffs, would be a perfect way to kick off 2010-11, and it would be a nice way to reward the fans for sticking with the team through the thick and thin.

Or maybe, if the Molsons aren’t satisfied with the 19 playoff games which generates unspeakable amounts of revenue for the Canadiens, or the 3% increase in ticket prices for next season, then I’ve got a better idea. Take Gorges, Cammalleri, Markov, Gionta, Gomez and Gill, put them in a big house on Ile Bizard, isolate them from their families, friends, the media, and everyone else, and have them compete in a set of physical and mental competitions, Big Brother style, and broadcast it on CBC and TVA.

The winner gets a pimped out locker stall, $250,000, a brand new 2011 Hyundai Sonata, and, of course, the captaincy!

Pure profit, Mr. Molson, pure profit!

But seriously, if Gauthier, Boivin, Geoff Molson, Jacques Martin or frankly anyone else in the organization doesn’t announce the captain soon, I might flip my lid. This has gone on long enough, and there’s no reason to keep it going any further.

Unless Pierre Gauthier is too busy watching World Cup soccer on Bob Gainey’s HDTV, then this decision needs to be made. Now.

——————-

News/Notes:

While we wait for Gauthier to announce the captaincy, the Canadiens have a lot to do in preparation for next week’s draft, and free agency a week later.

- Today marks the first day of buyout period in the NHL, so expect the Canadiens to announce that Georges Laraque has *officially* parted ways with the team.

- The draft is next Friday, and there are plenty of big forwards and big defensemen to choose from. There will be plenty of talk, rankings and analysis in TCL and elsewhere in the coming week, but for now, keepthis TSN link bookmarked for all the draft news your heart desires.

- On the top of my wishlist for the Canadiens’ 1st round pick: Jarred Tinordi. 6’5” 205LBS Left Defenseman playing for the US under-18 team out of Maryland.

- On the top of my wishlist for the Canadiens on July 1st: Anton Volchenkov. As you can tell, I think it’s time to bolster the blue line. But for that to happen, Roman Hamrlik has to go.

- Not one of the UFAs/RFAs has been signed yet. Just sayin’.

More to come, including details on TCL’s coverage of next week’s draft as well as UFA day, so stay tuned!

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com/
www.twitter.com/GeorgePrax

UPDATE: According to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, Habs assistant coach might be the next one to leave the organization, having been offered the job to coach the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. Along with Boucher and potentially Kirk Muller, this could mean some big changes in management for Montreal this summer.

According to various sources, the Tampa Bay will announce shortly that their new head coach is none other than Guy Boucher, the man who coached the farm team for the Montreal Canadiens in Hamilton this season.

For many, Boucher was considered the best off-season acquisition for the Canadiens this past off-season. The 38 year old burst onto the scene as the coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs this season and coached them all the way to the AHL conference finals in this year’s playoffs before being eliminated in game 7 against the Texas Stars.

To add to this incredibly impressive rookie AHL season, Boucher was awarded the coach of the year trophy in the AHL, and was credited for the development of several prospects for the Montreal Canadiens, notably PK Subban, who played 14 games for the Canadiens in these playoffs, accumulating 1 goal and 7 assists and essentially replacing Andrei Markov after his injury.

Needless to say, Boucher managed to turn the eyes of several NHL teams, having added to his already impressive Quebec Major Junior career from the prior decade.

Columbus was the first team to show interesting, going as far to offer Boucher a contract this past week and giving him the weekend to consider the offer. When it was reported that Boucher had turned the offer to coach the Blue Jackets down yesterday, most in the city of Montreal expected Boucher to remain as coach of the Bulldogs next season, or maybe even receive a promotion to assistant coach within Montreal. Cited as the reasons why Boucher turned the offer down were two requests that Columbus refused, in other words “bringing with him his coaching staff and having carte blanche on ‘hockey’ decisions”.

Equally (or by the looks of it, moreso) interested were the Tampa Bay Lightning, as Boucher will take over for Rick Tocchet as head coach in the sunny state of Florida. It’s doubtful that Boucher will have his ”carte blanche” on hockey operations with Steve Yzerman as general manager, at least not fully, but Boucher did get his second wish, to bring his coaching staff with him to Tampa, as Martin Raymond and Daniel Lacroix will be accompanying him next season.

The move is a great one for the Tampa bay Lightning, who get a high-tempo offensive coach that will use offensive weapons as they need to be used. Boucher, now the youngest coach in the NHL at 38, will compliment the players and management in Tampa Bay very well and will represent an exciting new movement for the city and the team.

For Boucher himself, he gets to work with an exciting young general manager with credentials in Steve Yzerman, he gets to work with francophone players such as Vinnie Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis, not to mention all the other good young players in the organization, and last but maybe not least, he gets to enjoy the weather and beaches of the sunshine state, something I’m sure he doesn’t mind.

Is the move better for him than Columbus? From a hockey perspective, it’s arguable. Columbus has a good young team and isn’t handicapped by a contract like Lecavalier’s, and the market for hockey might actually be a little better. From my perspective, Boucher would have more to work with in Ohio, including QMJHL graduate Derrek Brassard as well as superstar Rick Nash and prodigy Steve Mason.

The difference, from where I stand, is Steve Yzerman (and the sunny weather).

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE HABS

Of course the focus for now around the league and the web will be what this means for the Lightning. But I’ll leave that perspective to my colleagues covering the Lightning.

From a Canadiens perspective, there are many questions to be raised over the coming days, weeks, months, even.

The first that comes to mind is whether Boucher made the right decision. Yes, he’s been hot-shotted to a head coaching position, but would he have been better off staying in Montreal, potentially moving up to assistant-coach for the Habs next season and seeing where it goes? Rookie coaching positions are by no means stable these days and he clearly had a future with the organization.

On the other hand, the Canadiens definitely made the right decision in letting him go. If Boucher ever decided to come back to Montreal, remembering that Pierre Gauthier and the Molsons allowed him to achieve his dreams would work FOR the Canadiens. If they forced him to stay, they might have had a disgruntled coach on their hands.

Finally, and this is the biggest question right now, what does this mean for the coaching staff in Montreal?

Rumors were already circulating that the Habs had offered the head coaching job in Hamilton to Kirk Muller. Would that be considered a demotion for the Habs assistant coach and former player, or would it be a promotion? Would it be Jacques Martin’s way of getting him off his bench, or simply a move towards the potential future of the coaching situation in Montreal?

Will Muller even stay in Montreal? Rumors were also circulating that Lou Lamoriello was considering Muller for the head coach job in New Jersey which was recently vacated by Jacques Lemaire. Michel Therrien and Guy Carbonneau, two more former Montreal head coaches (which is no surprise, considering Lou’s obsession with the Habs), are also up for the job.

Either way, Muller’s situation is definitely one that needs to be dealt with. When it’s all said and done, I would consider it likely that he would remain with the organization in some capacity, but you never know.

In any case, with the draft and free agency approaching, Pierre Gauthier has a lot on his plate and plenty to deal with, from the coaching staff in Hamilton, to Kirk Muller, to new prospects to all the players he has to sign, and we will definitely be on top of all of it here on TCL.

On a side note I’d like to apologize for my lack of blogging activity since the Canadiens were eliminated. Needless to say after such an underwhelming 3rd round performance it’s hard to really find a lot to say. There will be lots of analysis and news to discuss leading up to July 1st though, so expect many blogs from yours truly!

For now, follow me on twitter and enjoy all the other blogs on TCL!

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com/
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

According to Bob McKenzie and TSN, there will be 2 (count ‘em, TWO!) NHL Winter Classics in 2011.

TCL reported nearly two months ago that Pittsburgh would be hosting the traditional Winter Classic on January 1st, 2011 against their rivals, the Washington Capitals, but it seems like the NHL is going to reward hockey fans with a SECOND outdoor game.

The second one will be played in Calgary at McMahon Stadium, home of the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, and will take place sometime in February. The Flames will be hosting the Montreal Canadiens, who will become the only Canadian team to play in two outdoor games, having played the host team in 2003 in Edmonton, a game which the Canadiens won by a score of 4-3.

The report comes after years of Canadiens fans and media members alike pleading for an outdoor game to be played in Montreal. But with the Canadiens’ Centennial celebrations all in the past, it looks like Habs fans will get the next best thing, an outdoor game in Alberta.

Naturally nothing has been announced for the game thus far, but expect many gimmicks and features to be announced, including throwback jerseys, events, ceremonies, and much more. TCL will be with the announcements every step of the way.

I’ll be back in the coming days with my Habs post-mortem and the beginning of my extensive Canadiens off-season coverage.

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com/
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

Two games, two consecutive shutouts, and with their latest 3-0 lost at the Wachovia Center last night, little to no hope left for the Montreal Canadiens, in their quest to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers and make it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in two decades.

Most people will tell you that anything past that first round series win against the Capitals was gravy for the Canadiens, and in all honesty, they’d be right. I thought so myself, especially going into this series against the Flyers. But truth be told, the way they’re losing, while being so close to a berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, so close to, as so many have put it, destiny, or fate, if you will (because according to Eklund, there’s a difference), it just really sucks seeing the team that you cheer for lay a big fat goose egg.

Of course, the same people telling you that anything at this point is gravy will tell you not to lose hope. Both teams playing in the Eastern Conference Finals are proof of that. But the Philadelphia Flyers are not the Washington Capitals. They’re not the Pittsburgh Penguins and they’re not the Boston Bruins. They don’t let leads slip away from them, they take them away from you and kick you in the face while you’re down.

The Flyers deserve all the credit in the world for what they’ve done so far in this series. In game 1, it was total domination. Game 2 was much tighter, but every adjustment Jacques Martin and the Canadiens made was met with an equal adjustment from Peter Laviolette, who continues to prove that he should have never been fired from the Carolina Hurricanes, and continues to show everyone why he has a Stanley Cup ring wrapped around his finger.

And while equal amounts of the credit deserve to go to Michael Leighton, to Chris Pronger, to the Flyers well-balanced offense and to everyone else in that organization who, love ‘em or hate ‘em, has built a winning team, my mind keeps coming back to the single match-up that, in my opinion, has been the catalyst in the series this far.

Peter Laviolette vs. Jacques Martin.

Last June, many praised Bob Gainey for finally listening to the fans and finally acquiring a coach with experience. And when Martin came into this organization, despite any successes or failures in his past, most fans, myself included, were willing to give him a chance. But when the injuries started piling on, as well as the losses, a lot of people started wondering if this man was right for the organization going forward. Martin was unable to adapt to the hand he was dealt, unable to stray away from his favored game plan and unable to help the Habs win games.

When the Canadiens backed their way into the playoffs thanks to lackadaisical play and what appeared to be disinterest from both the players and the coach, many, again, wondered if Jacques Martin had what it took to bring playoff success to this organization.

For a short while, he proved us all wrong. His coaching technique, mixed with several amazing performances from the players, won the Canadiens the series against the Penguins. Similar play and similar technique and strategy won them the series against the Penguins. And he definitely deserved some credit for what he helped the Canadiens accomplish.

But now, with game 1 and 2 of the series against the Flyers in the books, Martin has not been able to adapt. While they are out-shooting the Flyers and upping the pressure offensively, the Canadiens are essentially being beaten at their own game, and watching some of the decisions Martin made going into last night’s game, you can’t help but assume that he may be flustered, he may be panicked.

While I’m not a coach, and I can only analyze things from an outsider’s perspective, one has to wonder whether this is solely the case of the Canadiens being beaten by a more complete team, or a case of their inability to adapt.

(And, hey, if you don’t trust my opinion, i provided a five-point game plan before yesterday’s game. The Canadiens didn’t accomplish a single one of those objectives, and they were shut out.)

In any case…

While many thought that the Canadiens’ second round series against the Penguins would require a different style of hockey than the one that won them their quarterfinal match-up, Martin and his troupes beat the defending Stanley Cup Champions playing nearly exactly the same way as they did against the Capitals. Sit back, pick your spots and make sure to bury any small amount of chances you get. Get in the passing lanes, shut down the superstars and let the goaltender do the rest.

That’s obviously not the way to go against the Flyers. The passing and shooting lanes that the Canadiens so skillfully defended in the first two rounds, they’re being breached. Jaroslav Halak is getting little to no support from his team, as many of the goals he’s let in have been screened. And while the Canadiens have been out-shooting the Flyers and getting their chances, you have to wonder how many of those chances were high quality. Add in all the set faceoff plays that the Flyers are making, as well as the uselessness of the Canadiens special teams, and if you ask me, that’s a lot of coaching errors.

As we said yesterday, and as we’ve been saying since Friday, this is a different monster than anything the Canadiens have seen in these playoffs. And so far in 2 games, Jacques Martin has not been able to adjust his game past the weird love child of a style that’s somewhere between a trap and one played by skillful offensive teams.

I think by now most of you know what I’m getting at. And I don’t think it’s rash, I don’t think it’s unfair and I don’t it’s a knee-jerk reaction.

Yes, Jacques Martin has bought himself another start to the season, at the very least. Yes, he was a big part of the Canadiens success in these playoffs. But anyone who’s watched a single hockey game in their lives can see that Martin is unable to adapt from the game plan he’s attached to his own hip, and he’s unwilling to bend away from any of his coaching philosophies.

The big news out of the Canadiens camp before yesterday’s game was that Sergei Kostitsyn would draw back into the line-up after sitting since game 5 of the first round, presumably to boost the team’s offense. It’s been well-documented that Kostitsyn has been in Martin’s doghouse since literally the beginning of the season. So, why bring him back now? To send a message to Benoit Pouliot, who’s expected to score goals with 4 or 5 minutes of ice time? Is the same thing expected of Sergei, who played 4:57 in the entire game, including only a single shift in the 3rd, when they could have used his offense the most?

What about Martin’s love affair with Marc-Andre Bergeron? Bergeron played 18:26 last night, finishing the game with 3 shots and a -1, and played the same amount of shifts in each period. Meanwhile, Ryan O’Byrne, who MIGHT be able to match some of the physicality, is sitting in the pressbox so Martin can play Bergeron.

When you really look at it, from player personnel decisions to unbending strategies to his weird grudges and love affairs, Martin might be the most frustration coach this organization has ever seen.

And meanwhile, the two coaches who have been considered the real stars of this organization this season could very well walk away from the organization this summer, because Jacques Martin was weaseled his way into another season behind the bench.

Kirk Muller has been the motivator, he’s been there with the players and he’s been the star behind the bench all season. That’s been well-documented and accepted from most fans.

Guy Boucher has been the developer and star in Hamilton, potentially on his way to a Calder Cup in the AHL in his first year as coach.

And because Jacques Martin told Hal Gill to block shots and Halak to stop pucks, we’re going to lose them both in the off-season.

Again, this may seem rash, it may seem unfair, based on what the Canadiens have done in the first two rounds this year, but regardless of that success, I think that it’s pretty clear that if the Canadiens are going to be any better in the future than they are now, Jacques Martin is not the right person for the job.

This complaint will obviously fall on deaf ears, and knowing my luck, now that I’ve written an angry blog the Canadiens are likely to come out and light up Leighton and the Flyers, but in my humble opinion, this is a fair criticism and a subject that needs to be discussed. Is keeping Jacques Martin worth the potential losses

Nevertheless, there is still plenty of hockey to be played, and as most of us keep saying and keep hoping, anything can happen. Will one goal on Leighton finally open the floodgates for the Canadiens? Will one bad Pronger or Carcillo penalty switch the moment for the Canadiens? It’s entirely possible. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely.

Here’s to hoping that the Bell Centre crowd will provide a boost to the Canadiens and lead them to victory tomorrow night at the Bell Centre, and that Jacques Martin will prove us wrong yet again.

Back tomorrow,

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

Ugly.

Probably the word that best describes Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. At least for the Montreal Canadiens.

Words such as embarrassing, cringe-worthy, disconcerting and humiliating also come to mind, but when you really get done to the nitty-gritty of what happened Sunday night in Philadelphia, UGLY is really the most accurate term you could use.

For those who missed the game, or have already wiped it clean from their memory, the Montreal Canadiens were simply owned by the Philadelphia Flyers by a score of 6-0. Micheal Leighton made 28 saves in the win, and the Flyers got goals from six different players. Seven total players have multiple points, and Claude Giroux led the team with a +4 rating. The Flyers scored 2 of their goals on the powerplay after some bad penalties from the Canadiens early in the game.

As for the team as a whole, the Flyers proved that they were simply stronger than the Canadiens. The Habs seemed to be a stride behind the play the entire game, and despite coming out strong early in the game, they fell back quickly, and they fell hard. After a early flurry (they led the 1st period shots 13 to 6), the whole team just seemed to give up. They couldn’t penetrate the Flyers zone, their big defensemen and checkers wouldn’t let them get anywhere near Leighton, and they were disappointed time and time again.

Out-muscled, out-scored, out-played.

The Flyers put a forth a brag-worthy performance and completely destroyed the Canadiens. And brad they did (article from TCL contributor Dustin Leed).

Not a very good way to start the 3rd leg our your supposed ”Cinderella journey”.

But you know what? As a habs fans, I’m kind of happy game 1 went down the way it did.

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A DIFFERENT MONSTER

When this series became a sealed deal on Friday night, many people, myself included, knew that this would be the toughest test for the Canadiens yet (article by TCL’s Rob McGowan). While beating the Capitals and Penguins was no easy task, it could be argued that those weren’t physical teams, and that they didn’t really have the components to match what the Canadiens ended up doing defensively, and, of course, in goal, thanks to Jaroslav Halak.

The Flyers, however, are a different monster. Bigger, stronger, tougher than nearly any other team in the Eastern Conference, maybe even the the league. A balanced offense that can score at you from any angle and any line, and a defense with both experience and toughness, especially in leader Chris Pronger.

If all that wasn’t enough, the Flyers, just like the Canadiens, had the ”Cinderella” factor going into this series. Facing adversity all throughout the season when it came to injuries and making the playoffs, and even in the playoffs themselves, facing a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins, the Flyers have seen everything the Canadiens have this season, maybe even more.

Combine all of these things, and it’s evident that the Canadiens are facing a different monster in this leg of their journey, of their attempt to make history and head to the Stanley Cup finals.

It’s also evident that heading into this series, the Canadiens were not prepared to face a team that was, as mentioned, completely different than the two prior teams that they upset. And if the Canadiens had lost Sunday night’s game by a tame score of 2-1, if a few bounces went a different way and the Canadiens came out of that game with some home, coach Jacques Martin, his staff and his players would not come out of that game with any attempt to make adjustments.

After game 4 of the Quarterfinals, when the Habs were blown out by the Capitals and had their backs placed up against a wall, facing a 3-1 deficit and their potential elimination in game 5 in Washington, they adapted. They found ways to get in front of Alexander Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstom, and they shut them down. They found weaknesses in their defense, and they exploited them to get into their zone. And, of course, they found ways to beat a hot Symeon Varlamov just enough to let Jaroslav Halak do all the rest.

In round 2, similarly to Sunday night, they were blown out by the Penguins in game 1. And similarly to what they did in game 5 of the first round and beyond, they found ways to adapt. To shut down and frustrate Sidney Crosby, to embarrass Marc-Andre Fleury and to once again exploit their defense and allow Mike Cammalleri to break out and score 7 goals in 7 games.

And once again in round 3, they have to find ways to adapt.

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WHAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE

As stated above, the Flyers are a different monster than the Penguins or Capitals. For every player the Canadiens are going to try and focus on, there will always be another to take his place and threaten the team offensively.

If they decide to place their attention on Danielle Brière (which they should), there will still be Mike Richards. If they shut down Richards, the Flyers still have Gagné, they still have Giroux, Van Riemsdyk, they still have Scott Hartnell, and defensemen Timonen, Coburn and Pronger.

While not a reason to throw the match-up book out the window, Jacques Martin needs to find a way to neutralize an offense than can come at you from every which way.

Moreover, J-Mart and his staff are going to have to find a way to penetrate the blueline and get as close to Michael Leighton as possible. While it hasn’t happened yet, and Leighton continues to prove himself, we all know he isn’t a top-tier goalie in the league and win or lose these playoffs, the Flyers will definitely be looking to upgrade their position between the pipes when their season is over. But right now, Leighton is hot, and Leighton has proven to be a formidable opponent for the Canadiens. How to beat him? Ride him, get in his face, get in his personal space, and crash the crease like you’ve never crashed the crease before.

Easier said than done, but like we’ve said countless times these playoffs, no one ever said any part of this was going to be easy.

More importantly, the Canadiens simply have to stay disciplined. Scott Gomez took two minor penalties in game 1, for roughing and slashing, things that could easily be avoided. While good indicators of Gomez’s passion and frustration in game 1, he’s one of the Habs penalty killers and one of their most important forwards, with and without the puck. He sets an example for the rest of his teammates, and while he shouldn’t let the opposition push him around, he shouldn’t let them get to his head either.

Chris Pronger had several opportunities to be the Chris Pronger we’ve all come to know and hate, but he kept his emotions in check and didn’t let the Canadiens get to him and didn’t let himself do something stupid. Gomez needs to take Pronger’s attitude as an example and attribute it to his own game.

Finally, and maybe MOST importantly, Jaroslav Halak needs to be the goalie that he was against the Capitals. While a major factor in the victory against the Penguins, he hasn’t really blown anyone out of the water since he nearly single-handedly eliminated the Capitals a month ago. Halak needs to take every game as if it needs to be the best of his career. Clearly, the Canadiens’ success rests on his shoulders. While game 1 cannot be totally blamed on him, distribution of blame shouldn’t even have to be mentioned. Halak can steal games, he can steal series, and he’s going to have to steal this one.

To recap, the five keys to a victory tonight:

1. Play a balanced game in terms of both offense AND defense. Spread your energy amongst most of the Flyers offensive weapons and make sure that they don’t get the chances they did in game 1.

2. Make Michael Leighton’s life a living hell. Crash the crease like you never have before, get up in his grill and don’t give him an inch.

3. Find a way to get into Chris Pronger’s head. He is a beast in every aspect of the game, and he is clearly the Flyers leader. If you can get him to sit in the penalty box, for even two minutes, if you can frustrate him and get him angry, it may play to your advantage.

4. Keep your emotions in check and stay out of the box! That doesn’t mean play the game less physically, nor does it mean that they should let the Flyers walk all over them, but know your limits and know what it’ll take to keep yourself out of the box.

5. Finally, Jaroslav Halak, play the game of your life. It’s our only hope.

——————–

Just like game 1, game 2 will be ugly. Just simply scrolling around the blogosphere, reading the papers (I’m looking at you, Pat Hickey), you can already feel tensions rising, blood beginning to boil, anger starting to creep through. There is no love lost between these two franchises and fanbases, and if it hasn’t translated onto the on-ice product yet, it is certain to do so in the coming days.

The Canadiens and their fans can only hope that that will work in their favor, and that they will be able to come out of Philly with a split. Otherwise, we’ll be using all the same words to describe game 2 and what’s to come on Thursday and Saturday in Montreal.

Game 2 goes at 7PM tonight. There WILL be a live blog, but unfortunately I won’t be around to participate. Still, you can join Steven Hindle, Kamal Panesar and some very special guests at THIS LINK, starting tonight at 6:30PM EST!

Enjoy the game tonight, as it could be the turning point of the series. No predictions from me today, as that clearly didn’t work out for me prior to game 1.

Also, read TCL’s Mark Trible’s preview of tonight’s game!

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

Yeah, Yeah. By now, we’ve all heard of what the Philadelphia Flyers have accomplished. Coming back from a 3-0 series deficit, only the third team in history to accomplish such a feat. Moreover, coming back from a 3-0 deficit in game 7 to win by the score of 4-3. Kind of poetic, isn’t it?

Leave it to the Flyers to overshadow the triumphs of the Montreal Canadiens in these playoffs.

For those who forgot, the Canadiens defeated the Washington Capitals in the first round, in the biggest upset in NHL history. If being an 8th seed defeating the #1 overall team in the league, the Canadiens did it with the least amount of points in the history of any 8th seed in the current playoff format. They also did it while coming back from a 3-1 game deficit in the series, something an 8th seed has never accomplished before in the first round.

After eliminating the Washington Capitals, the Canadiens went on to eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions, a team that’s been to the finals in both of the last two years and is led by the player who scored the game winning goal for Canada at the Olympics. Obviously no small feat.

But despite all of this, all the eyes are on the Flyers right now.

I know I’m starting to sound a little cocky. But after a month of being a humble, modest, Habs fan that’s just happy to be along for the ride, it’s time to get a little serious.

In this series, the Canadiens have a chance to make it to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in nearly two decades, and they need to take it. Defeat is simply not an option, not after coming this far.

But of course, people on the other side of the coin, following the Flyers, will tell you the exact same thing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bitter. As a Habs fan, I’m just happy to find myself in the position to watch and blog for my team at this stage of the playoffs. It’s truly remarkable.

But no harm in upping the ante when it comes to the rivalry, right?

The Canadiens didn’t have much of a history with the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. While they shared spots in the league for over 40 years, they never faced the Capitals in the postseason. And while the Canadiens and Penguins do have somewhat of a history, the rivalry was never really there. So while the quality of hockey was certainly present, and of course, through 14 games of hockey played against only two teams, emotions arose, the real playoffs really only start now for the Canadiens.

The Habs and Flyers have always played, rough, tough, emotional hockey against each other and know each other well from their post-season experience. And while a lot of the players on both sides don’t have much direct experience with this age old rivalry, the crest on their shirts is all they’re going to need to get things going.

The last time these two teams faced each other was in the second round of the 2008 playoffs, when the Habs were embarrassed in 5 games by the Flyers. Naturally, both teams have changed a great deal since then, with only a few players from the Canadiens still playing for the team, and many from the Flyers changing addresses. But both these teams are well aware of the history between these two well decorated franchises. And both these teams are well aware of what’s on the line.

A place in history.

What the Canadiens and Flyers have accomplished in these playoffs, through two rounds of the postseason can never be taken away from the fans that witnessed what their teams fulfilled, and from the teams that accomplished said destinies.

But it will all have been for nothing for one of these two teams. Only one of these two teams can make it to the Stanley Cup finals to face the winner of the west for the biggest prize in the business.

It will be a long series, and anything can happen. Fans of both teams will stake their claim to destiny, to fate, to a victory in this series. But truly, fans of either team can only sit back and enjoy the ride.

I hate to jinx it, but I have to make my prediction in favor of the Canadiens. Habs in 5. It’s time for the Canadiens to show that they belong in the final four, and more importantly, the final two teams in the league. Hopefully, they will go on to the final to face the Chicago Blackhawks in an original-six match up.

As for tonight, I expect the Canadiens to come out strong, guns blazing, anxious to get on the ice. While the Flyers will obviously compete, they will be on an emotional low after accomplishing history, and the Canadiens will take game one 5-3. Look for all the usual suspects to bring their A-game for the Canadiens, and lots of rough play early on as both teams jock for position.

No word on any final line-ups for either team, but expect vastly similar rosters to what we saw in game 7 for both these teams.

For a Flyers perspective on the series, read Mark Trible’s latest blog on TCL. Both of us will be with you every step of the way, and rest assured that I will be taking the occasional shot at Mr. Trible, in order to spice up a rivalry that is sure to get pretty intense over the next few weeks.

Enjoy the game!

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

You might be wondering why it took me nearly two days to roll out a blog on the Montreal Canadiens game 7 victory. Simply put, I had no words to describe what myself, and nearly every Montreal Canadiens fan, especially the ones in this city, were feeling on Wednesday night.

And really, there ARE NO WORDS to describe it. Even now. We can try to convey the emotions as best we can, we can review the games, specific goals and plays, what many consider turning points in the game, in the series, hell, in the season, for the Montreal Canadiens. But the truth is, this team, and it’s connection to THIS CITY, supersedes any analysis I could make right now.

I haven’t traveled out of Montreal much, so I can’t really speak honestly about many places and their NHL clubs other than what I see from an outsider’s perspective, but I can speak for Montreal. Born and raised here, and having followed hockey only through the Canadiens’ mediocrity of the past 15 years, I can only speak of the glory days in hindsight, and from the stories we hear, from our families, from our friends, from media personalities and retired players rehashing stories from their past. But I live and breathe Montreal Canadiens, I live and breathe their fans, and what Habs fans collectively experience year in and year out.

One thing that has lasted through all the triumph and glory, as well as the failure and misery, is this team’s connection to the fans in this city, and, conversely, the fans’ connection to the team itself.

Montreal and it’s sports situating is fairly unique. Regarded by many to be the cradle of organized sports, and protector of a team that is arguably the most decorated organization in the history of professional sports, the Canadiens have truly been the only organization this city can be proud of.

Sure, we had the Expos, but other than guys such as Mitch Melnick, the current generation of fans never really felt a connection to that team. Besides, most people still have a sour taste in their mouth left from how that whole situation was handled, but of course that’s neither here nor there. The Alouettes, CFL champions, are fun to watch, but they’re just what they are… a minor/mid league football team. The Impact is on their way up the ranks, also champions of their second division soccer league and newest members of the MLS, and they’re definitely taking advantage of this city’s European taste, but they’re no Montreal Canadiens.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what language you speak, what political party you voted for. Odds are, if you’re a Montrealer, you’re a fan of the Canadiens, and you have some sort of connection to this team. You visit one or more Habs-related blogs, preferably this one. You watch nearly every game on RDS, CBC, TSN, or listen to the broadcasts on CKAC or CJAD if you can’t get to a TV. You try to go to games, and if you don’t have the money, you go to bars or pubs for the atmosphere and numerous screens and passionate fans (ok, for the chicken wings as well).

Montreal IS hockey. Hockey IS Montreal. It’s on every car window, every stop sign. It’s in every business, in every hope and with every fan.

But for nearly two decades, Montreal has been mediocre hockey.

The Canadiens, going through several stages of bad management and poor operational decisions, have been marred with the longest Stanley Cup drought of their history. They have also seemingly cursed this country, as every single Stanley Cup champion since Patrick Roy stole a 24th championship for the Canadiens, has been based in an American city, despite valiant efforts from the Oilers, Flames and Senators to bring Stanley back to the country in recent years.

If you’re optimistic, and you feel anything for this team, you can’t help but feel that all of this is about to change.

Call me crazy, but I feel destiny knocking on the door. Call me a homer, but it feels like the Montreal Canadiens aren’t nearly done playing hockey this year.

According to every pundit, every expert, every writer, every blogger (myself included), the Canadiens shouldn’t be here. It doesn’t make any sense. They’re too small. They’re not tough enough. They’re not good enough. They’re not well-coached. They haven’t been well-managed. They don’t put forth the effort and they’re not built to win.

Well, guess what? We were all wrong! Every single one of us! Guess what else? They ARE here! Their size HAS NOT been a factor. They HAVE shown that they are tough enough, good enough. Their coach HAS been coaching well, and their management team is starting to look smarter than a lot of us gave them credit for. They HAVE been putting forth the effort.

And you know what? It is starting to make a little sense.

I truly don’t mean to get ahead of myself. In fact, I kind of hate to say it. I’m as superstitious as the next guy, I’m as modest about any success this team has as you can be. But since the Canadiens backed their way into the playoffs against the Leafs, since they took to the ice against the behemoth known as the Washington Capitals, things seem to be falling into place for this team.

They haven’t been the better team in either of their series. They’ve blocked more shots than they’ve pelted on the opposing goaltenders, they haven’t really been hitting as often or as hard as their competition, their faceoff percentage is inconsistent, and their defensive zone coverage and forechecking has been shotty at best. But they’ve made the most of their chances, they’ve exposed weankesses and shut down threads, and they’ve done it as a team.

And despite all perceived logic, everything that should have made sense to us over a month ago when the playoffs started, the Canadiens are still standing. The Caps? The Pens? They’ve packed their bags and they’ve headed off to Pebble Beach.

And all of a sudden, the Canadiens are no longer the underdogs. The opposing team, whether it will be the Boston Bruins or Philadelphia Flyers, will not be the favorites.

And everyone will start believing in the Canadiens, whether it’s good for them or not.

Do they deserve to be here, amongst the final four teams in the league? Amongst the cream of the crop? Amongst, simply put, the best of the best? It’s difficult to say, it’s arguable, and frankly, it’s irrelevant.

The simple truth: They are here. They’ve made it. And they’re 4 wins away from competing for that 25th Stanley Cup Championship, the Stanley Cup Championship that’s been just out of their reach for 17 years.

Can they beat the Flyers or Bruins to make it to the finals? Can they beat either team in the finals for the Cup? Can they continue to defy the odds, and any semblance of logic? The simple answer to these questions is that there isn’t a legitimate answer. The Canadiens have defied logic, defied reason, and gotten further than anyone could have even fathomed.

Unfortunately, they’re only halfway there. And even their journey is nearing it’s end, every single Habs fan, every single Montrealer, and even a few Canadians outside of this city, this province, can be proud of this team.

At this point, all we know for sure is that there are many games left to be played, many questions left to be answered and a lot of blogging left to be done.

It’s going to be an outstanding conference final. Let’s try and enjoy it. There will be coverage, there will be live blogs, and there will be plenty to say over the course of the next two weeks, and we’ll be with you every step of the way, through thick and thin.

I’ll be back over the weekend to preview whatever series I will be covering.

Enjoy the rainy weather Montreal!

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

Join us LIVE tonight for yet another game 7 LIVE BLOG! Steven Hindle, Kamal Panesar, and a bunch of panelists! Just open this thread back up at 6:30PM EST for all the pre-game coverage!

TCL Presents: Pens – Habs Game 7 *LIVE BLOG*

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Not too long ago, the Montreal Canadiens were standing in the very position they find themselves heading into tonight’s game.

Game 7 in Washington, after a long, hard fought, come from behind series to tie things up. While many Habs fans were optimistic, the expectations were low. The Canadiens had proved that they CAN beat the best teams, that the CAN take teams like the Capitals to the edge of elimination and that they CAN compete.

Win or lose, the Canadiens’ post-season campaign would have been a success.

Well, low and behold, the Canadiens won, and bought themselves a ticket to Pittsburgh where they would face the Pittsburgh Penguins in a series that would be no easier than their quarter-final match up. The Penguins certainly proved that right off the bat, defeating the Canadiens 6-3 and making everyone, from the forwards, to the defensemen and even Jaroslav Halak look like they didn’t belong in the same league with the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

Thankfully, the Canadiens responded with an earned 3-1 victory at the Igloo two days later, splitting the opening to games of the series and making it a best of 5 series heading into home-ice advantage in Montreal, just like they did with the Capitals.

The next two games proved nothing more than the fact that this series was indeed a war of attrition. The Penguins took game 3, and once again made the Canadiens look bad by shutting them out 2-0. Of course, the Canadiens would respond with a 3-2 victory two night later, hanging on for dear life to take the victory.

We had ourselves a best of three series, with the Penguins reclaiming home-ice advantage with another split. As trends continued, the Penguins would take game 5 in Pittsburgh by a score of 2-1, putting the Canadiens on the brink of elimination and making for a very nerve-wracking experience heading back to the Bell Centre, for the game that was contested two nights ago at the Bell Centre.

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GAME 6: A TEAM EFFORT

Guess what?

The Canadiens did it! With a final score of 4-3, and nearly everyone stepping up, the Canadiens were able to play one of their best games of the seasons and defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins at home, tying the series for a remarkable third time in the series.

The three stars as chosen by the shadowy figures in the press box at the Bell Centre, were (#3) Jaroslav Halak, (#2) Jaroslav Spacek and (#1) Mike Cammalleri.

Honestly, you can’t argue with any of those choices. Jaroslav Halak made 34 saves for his team and gave the Habs a chance to win as the game was winding down. Jaroslav Spacek had one of his best games as a Montreal Canadien, scoring his first goal in 51 games. He did it coming off a bad inner ear infection, one which gave him vertigo (!) and kept him on the sidelines for nearly two weeks. Finally, Mike Cammalleri scored two beautiful goals, including a second period game tying goal which brought fourth a 3 minute ovation from the crowd that cannot be properly described in words.

All three were major contributors to arguably the biggest victory for the Montreal Canadiens in years. But on this night, there were many more stars for the Canadiens:

- Andrei Kostitysn finally woke up and played the best game of his season, putting up 2 assists on Cammalleri’s goals, and really making his presence felt physically, as he should.

- Maxim Lapierre scored a beautiful goal which would end up being the game winner, and while he was on the ice for two Penguins goal, Lapierre really found a way to channel his energy into something positive in this game.

- Scott Gomez did what he does best: Control the play on the ice while he has the puck. While he shot 5 times, he could have spent a little more time passing, which he’s much better at doing, but Gomez was just as much a factor offensively as anyone else, despite not putting up any points in 22 minutes of ice time.

- Tomas Plakanec hadn’t put any points on the board since game 2, but tonight, he not only assist on Mike Cammalleri’s first goal but he went 76% in the faceoff circle.

- Josh Gorges and PK Subban led this team on the blueline. Gorges played 26 minutes and blocking 6 shots. PK Subban played a whopping 29 minutes, and while Sidney Crosby finally broke out and scored his first goal of the series on this night, Subban did his job in containing the superstar as best he could.

Tonight’s effort was a team effort, and it showed. Everyone mentioned above, and frankly, nearly everyone else on the roster deserves equal amount of credit for an incredible victory.

Can they harness what the crowd at the Bell Centre allowed them to do on Monday night, and bring that into tonight’s game 7 in Pittsburgh?

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GAME 7: WELL, WE’VE COME THIS FAR

On October 11th, 1967, the Mellon Arena opened its doors to the NHL. The Penguins, then a brand new expansion franchise, took the ice to play the Montreal Canadiens in their first ever National Hockey league game. The Penguins lost the game by a score of 2-1. Jean Beliveau scored his 400th career goal, and the Canadiens handed the Penguins their very first lost at Mellon.

Tonight, the Canadiens can make history yet again. If the Penguins lose tonight, it will be the final game at Mellon Arena. It’s only fair that the team to close the doors on the Igloo be the Canadiens, right?

While so-called experts and pundits will still give the Penguins, defending Stanley Cup champs and the most experienced playoff team in the league, the benefit of the doubt, the Canadiens clearly have an x-factor that have allowed them to come this far.

Was it all for a 2-round, 7 game performance? Or is there more left in the tank for the Canadiens? Were they meant to go further, and continue to skew the number of heart attacks suffered in the city of Montreal, or is this it?

As we learned last round against the Capitals, game 7s are completely different monster. Unpredictable, rare, and emotional. There are no strategies that we can parlay, no keys to success. We can only hope that the Canadiens will put forth the 60-minute effort that has become cliché.

No one, myself included, gave the Canadiens a chance in this series or the last, for that matter. Tonight, they can grab that chance by the horns and prove everyone wrong, yet again.

Simply put, tonight is the biggest game the Montreal Canadiens have played since 1993.

Enjoy it, if you can, and join us for the collective heart attack that will be our Live Blig,

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

After a short break (at least for me) from live blogging this past week, the crew has been re-assembled for another outing tonight right here on TCL! Join myself, Steven Hindle from Hockeybuzz and Kamal Panesar from Habs Addict as we welcome a host of panelists and readers to cover tonight’s game between the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre!

Just set your reminders in the box below, and make sure to be here starting at 6:30PM for all the pre-game coverage! The puck will drop just past 7, and we’ll be with you every step of the way!

TCL Presents: Pens – Habs Game 6 *Live Blog*!

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PRE-GAME NOTES

For a detailed recap of all the injury news to come out of this past weekend, click here.

Andrei Markov and Paul Mara skated in full equipment today, before the rest of the team, but Jacques Martin ruled out a possible return from either defenseman in tonight’s game.

Both Hal Gill and Jaroslav Spacek will be game-time decisions. Spacek skated with the rest of the team this morning, alongside his normal defense partner Roman Hamrlik, while Gill was on the ice after his teammates, skating briefly. J-Mart suggested that if both Gill and Spacek would be healthy enough to play in tonight’s game, the Canadiens COULD carry 7 defensemen.

As for the forwards, the lines at practice were as follows:

Darche – Gomez – Gionta
Cammalleri – Plekanec – A. Kostitsyn
Pouliot – Moore – Lapierre
Moen – Metropolit – Pyatt

On defense, Josh Gorges was paired with PK Subban, Marc-Andre Bergeron with Ryan O’Byrne, and, as mentioned about, Spacek with Hamrlik.

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5 KEYS FOR TONIGHT’S GAME

1 – The top offensive players need to score.
The Canadiens have FINALLY gotten contributions out of guys like Pyatt and Lapierre lately, but if they stand any chance at winning, guys like Cammalleri and Plekanec are going to have to break lose and bury the puck. Cammalleri scored a lucky (albeit hard working) goal late in Saturday Night’s game, but the Canadiens will need him to be at his best tonight if they expect to win.

2 – Continue doing what you’re doing with Crosby.
He’s playing like a wounded animal, and the Canadiens need to smell blood and finish the job tonight. Don’t let him gain any momentum, let him continue using his stick for everything but scoring, and eventually he will pay for it. Let CBC show all the graphics they want when it comes to how many shifts it’s been since he scored, simply put, don’t let him score at all.

3 – Take what you’ve been doing to Crosby, and apply it to Malkin.
The sleeping giant is tossing and turning, his slumber is nearing its end. Evgeni Malkin has been far from an effective player in this series, putting up only a goal and 2 assists through 5 games, with a -1 rating, but he’s been flirting with a breakout ever since this thing got started. Malkin scored the game winning goal in game 3, and assisted on the goal in game 5 that basically ended it for the Canadiens on the powerplay. He has 21 shots in the series, and that’s only going to go up tonight.

4- Jaroslav Halak has to be better than Marc-André Fleury
You can’t blame Jaroslav Halak for any of the losses in this series, but truth be told, he hasn’t been nearly as good as the goaltender that stole the series from the Washington Capitals in the last round. And while Semyon Varlamov was arguably better in that series than Marc-André Fleury has been in the last 5 games, Fleury has really stepped up his game since game 3, posting a 2-1-0 record in the last three games, with a 1.35 GAA, a .947 SVP and a shutout among his stats. In each of those games, the shots against fleury have consistently increased, culminating to a 32 save performance on Saturday. Do the Canadiens need to allow the Penguins to get more shots on Jaroslav Halak in order to win the game? Like I said, Halak should be no means be blamed for any poor performance or loss in these playoffs, and hasn’t let in more than two games since the five he let in in game 1, but it’s hard to say if he’s stolen a game for the Habs against the Penguins. If the Canadiens are to win tonight, he will need to do exactly that.

5 – Stick to the game plan.
This one will be easier said than done if Spacek and/or Gill are unable to go tonight, but the ”stick to your game plan” strategy is what’s gotten the Canadiens this far, and if they want to get any further, they’re going to have to continue getting in the way of the opposition’s shots, get an early lead and shut things down the rest of the way. Can they accomplish that, or will tonight be just another sloppy outing?

Will tonight be a cause for cautious celebration, or will it be a time for mourning the 2009-10 season of the Montreal Canadiens? Will we be back here tomorrow doing a post-mortem, or will the Canadiens’ Cinderella run live to see another day?

We can only find out by waiting for tonight’s game.

Don’t forget about our live blog, and enjoy the game!

Prax
www.thecheckingline.com
www.twitter.com/thecheckingline

The Montreal Canadiens flew into Pittsburgh on Friday looking to hammer the proverbial nail into the Pittsburgh Penguins coffin. With the series tied at two wins on each side, the Canadiens had momentum on their side coming off a win and a big confidence booster at the Bell Centre on Thursday night.

Unfortunately for the Canadiens, the Penguins depth, skill and experience was simply too much for them, as they Pens took last night’s game by a score of 2-1, to take a 3-2 series lead and take an opportunity to clinch an Eastern Conference Final berth at the Bell Centre tomorrow night.

The Canadiens, of course, have nothing to be ashamed of, they’ve held the Penguins to two goals or less in each of the last four games, they have performed admirably against the defending Stanley Cup Champions, and they’ve made it further than most people ever thought they could.

Of course, it’s not over until it’s over, and we’ll have plenty more on tomorrow’s game, including details on the next (and possibly final) live game blog of the season for us and the Habs, but for now, there is some other business to attend to.

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BLUELINE BULLETINS

While the Montreal Canadiens fly back to Montreal today looking to prepare for what could be their last game of the season, there is much more news to get to before we can even think about tomorrow’s Game 6 at the Bell Centre.

Two days ago on Friday, we reported right here on TCL – via Conor Mckenna of the Team 990 – that Andrei Markov has made the flight to Pittsburhg and that he could be closer to a return than most of us thought.

A miraculous return for game 5 obviously didn’t come to fruition, as Markov spent the entirety of the game in a suit, watching the game from Carey Price’s vantage point from across the bench, but hope still springs eternal for fans of the Montreal Canadiens, as a return could soon be on the horizon.

Good news has also sprung when it comes to the statuses of defensemen Jaroslav Spacek and Paul Mara, but unfortunately, the good news is offset by the potential loss of Hal Gill for the next game. Below is an updated status report for each of the four defensemen for the Canadiens.

ANDREI MARKOV

Of course, the biggest piece to the puzzle for the Canadiens is their number one defenseman, Andrei Markov. You can’t take anything away from anyone else who has contributed to the Canadiens’ recent success, but Markov and his ability to play big minutes in any situation, and to do a lot of little things that may not always get noticed during a television broadcast make him invaluable.

Naturally, if Markov is able to return from his reported torn ACL earlier than thought, he won’t be able to play nearly 30 minutes, and he won’t be able to do everything that makes him such a great defenseman. Still, he could play some minutes on the powerplay and be there when the Canadiens need him, both on the ice and on the bench.

As I’ve already stated, you can play without an ACL muscle. A good brace, some therapy and a couple of good (legal) painkillers and you can definitely play, so long as you haven’t had the surgery to repair the torn tendon yet. the ACL is the key tendon in the knee that helps stabilize it when you walk, but seeing as hockey is played on skates, it isn’t as necessary as other muscles.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that he will play. There are certain extenuating circumstances, such as the potential absense of Hal Gill, that could make the need for Markov’s return more immediate, but of course, Jacques Martin and his staff won’t want to rush him.

Markov skated at practice today, but he wasn’t in uniform and only skated lightly. Still, an incredible feet considering where everyone thought he was just a week ago. I won’t speculate to the possibility of his return any further than I can, but I will only hope that he CAN return, and that he CAN contribute if he does.

HAL GILL

Canadiens fans collectively winced last night when Hal Gill was accidentally stepped on by the Penguins’ Chris Kunitz in last night’s game. Gill left the game with a cut to the back of his knee, and would not return, as he was seen dressed in a suit around Carey Price during the third period.

Gill has been one of the Canadiens best defensemen, paired up against Alexandre Ovechkin in round 1 and doing a fine job shutting down Sidney Crosby in this round, not to mention the incredible amount of shots he’s blocked (a league-leading 51 shots blocked, almost 20 more than Josh Gorges’ 33 in second place). Losing Hal Gill for even a single game could be a devastating blow to the Canadiens, especially with the entire series on the line in Montreal.

Gill remained in Pittsburgh overnight, without the team, opting to return Sunday along with the Canadiens’ team doctor David Mulder after treatment, but fortunately, Gill told the Ottawa Sun that he hoped to play Monday and that it was “just a cut.” But the Canadiens could have to face elimination without him.

JAROSLAV SPACEK

The good news for the Canadiens comes on the Jaroslav Spacek front. While RDS was relatively negative when it came to the potential of Andrei Markov and Hal Gill playing on Monday, they also reported that the chances of seeing Spacek in uniform are high.

Spacek himself said that he “felt nearly ready to return. I got a lot better over the course of the last week. I’m not really feeling the pressure to return because of the other injuries. The decision is essentially mine, in the end.”

The team as well as Spacek have been incredibly secretive as the the nature of the virus that has kept Spacek on the sidelines for 9 games now, citing that “Only my wife knows. I was really scared. Hockey became secondary. It’s really the worst feeling that you could have. Other hockey players have had to retire because of this particular illness.”

Thankfully, Spacek seems mostly recovered and ready for a return, and his presence will definitely help the Canadiens stave off elimination.

PAUL MARA

The forgotten defenseman on the Canadiens blueline since the halfway point of the season has been Paul Mara. Mara was a free agent acquisition this past summer, and after providing a few assists early on last year, he quickly dropped off. Mara had only one assist between mid-November and January 22nd, when he played his final game as a Canadien after finally deciding to end his season with shoulder surgery. With a total of 8 assists (no goals) and a team-worst -16 in 43 games, no one thought that Mara would be that big of a loss for the Canadiens, and frankly, he wasn’t.

But the defenseman has seen a lot of playoff time in New York over the past 3 seasons, and he could be good for the group on the bench and with limited time on the ice.

Mara skated with full equipment in today’s practice, but will only play if the Canadiens really have no one else to put on the blueline.

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WHAT THIS ALL MEANS

Rest assured if the Canadiens can get any or all of Andrei Markov, Jaro Spacek and Hal Gill into the line-up on Monday, they will.

Hypothetically, if the three can play in game 6 tomorrow night, what will the Canadiens blueline look like when the puck drops?

Obviously, since Gill dressed for the beginning of game 5, no one will come out of he is able to play.

The next likely candidate for a return to the blueline tomorrow is Jaroslav Spacek, and odds are he will be taking the spot of Marc-Andre Bergeron. Bergeron should move to to the 4th line (with someone like Benoit Pouliot moving to the pressbox).

If Andrei Markov can also play, this is where the tough decisions come to mind. PK Subban is the least experienced defenseman for the Canadiens, but he has also performed admirably in his attempt to take over for Markov. Odds are that Ryan O’Byrne the most physical but also the least used defenseman for the Canadiens, would likely be on the sidelines.

Of course, anything can happen, and it’s possible that Jacques Martin has something completely different in mind for tomorrow’s game. Clearly, the Canadiens are saving some sort of surprise, some sort of Hail Mary for the Penguins tomorrow, and we can only wait and see what it is.

More tomorrow,

Prax
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While the team is in Pittsburgh, mere hours away from game 5 against the Penguins, a game which will give the wining team a 3-2 series lead, Pandora’s box has been opened in Montreal when it comes to the status of defenseman Andrei Markov.

Are reported yesterday right here on TCL, the injured defenseman made the trip to Pittsburgh with the rest of the team. Among the speculation as to why Markov would fly down if he was injured was that he was just there to cheer the team on (as was Paul Mara) and that his injury was not as bad as originally thought, and he might actually be able to suit up for the Canadiens tonight.

Dave Stubbs from Habs Inside/Out attempted to douse some hold water on all the rumors, paraphrasing Jacques Martin in saying that “that Markov is on this trip simply because the team’s entire medical staff is here, and it’s easier for him to continue to undergo treatment here than in Montreal.”

While that’s an interesting excuse, I will continue to hold to my opinion that there’s obviously something fishy going on here.

Markov’s “treatment” is supposed to require surgery, something he hasn’t gotten yet. Moreover, why would he put himself through sitting on an uncomfortable airplane for a few hours just for the day and a half of “treatment” he would receive while the team was in Pittsburgh?

I could be wrong, and I realize that, either way, the chances of him playing a game at all these playoffs, yet alone tonight, are slim, but hey, as we’ve said so many times in the last few weeks, it’s the playoffs, and anything can happen.

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And if that “anything can happen” saying applies to anyone, it’s the Montreal Canadiens. If anyone reading this actually thought that the Habs would going into game 5 with a 2-2 series tie against the defending Stanley Cup champions, kindly go out and buy a lottery ticket right now. And I’m not talking about the blind faith thinking that the Canadiens would be in this spot, I’m talking about the rational thinking that most of us should have had deep down going into this series.

Let’s face it, as good as the Canadiens were against the Capitals, and as surprising as that series win was, you had to be thinking that the gas in the tank would start to run out once they would start playing the Pens. And through the first game, after Markov’s injury and when it became clear that Jaroslav Spacek was nowhere near a return, things were looking pretty bad, and no one would have been blamed for thinking the Canadiens didn’t stand a change.

But in games 2, 3 (despite the loss) and 4, the Canadiens did exactly what they did against the Washington Capitals, and as a result, we find ourselves looking at a best of 3 series as the second round of the playoffs begins to wind down.

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I don’t want to go into the refereeing controversies and bias officiating accusations we’ve all heard and made since game 4. I don’t want to say that there’s a conspiracy, frankly, I don’t think there is, and neither does my colleague, Kyle Roussel. When you look at the big picture of things, the fact of the matter is that a lot of experienced referees that are usually still reffing in the 2nd round of the playoffs are either retired or on the sidelines with injuries. Moreover, most of these guys were not developed in a 2-man system, and because of these two combined factors, you just have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Was the officiating spotty on Thursday night? Yes, it obviously was. Was it unfair, or in the favor of the Penguins? That’s harder to say. There were missed calls on both sides, for both the Pens and the Habs. Yes, the missed calls were slanted in the favor of the Penguins, but I truly believe that there is no conspiracy, there is no evil Gary Bettman plot to get the Penguins through the next round.

What I believe is that the officiating is just bad, inexperienced and unready for this level of play at this point in the playoffs.

One can only hope that the head of refereeing is seeing what’s happening out there, and that it can only get better from that pitiful display we witnessed on Thursday night.

Sure, it’s frustrating to watch if you’re a Habs fan, and it’s only natural to think that certain superstar players might be getting some favorable treatment in game, but truth be told, with a 2-2 tie going into tonight’s game, there isn’t much to complain about. We just have to take it in stride and move on.

Tonight is a new night, a new game, and a new series.

And if the Canadiens stand any chance of winning, they can’t do any whining about the officiating. Once again, they have to stick to the gameplan, bury every good chance they get and shut down Crosby and Malkin. With the Penguins’ chance to go into this game with a 3-1 lead long gone, they’re going to be angry, and doing all of the above is going to be easier said than done.

But through 11 games these playoffs, if you can qualify the Canadiens as anything, it’s giant killers. Tonight, the Canadiens will attempt to be the David to the Penguins’ Goliath.

Can the pull it off? Maybe, maybe not, but you can bet that millions of people in Montreal, Quebec, and all over Canada will be cheering them on. While the Canucks series isn’t over yet, you have to look at the Canadiens’ as Canada’s best chance to bring the cup home at this point.

A win tonight could be a dagger right in the heart of the Penguins, and the Canadiens simply NEED to take advantage.

Enjoy the game!

Prax
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