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NHL a Bush League?

     First I am going to say that people have to look at this hit with a little bit of objectivity, I know we get emotional when it gets to our beloved habs, I was the first one yesterday to get all emotional and in that state I was not able to give proper judgement on the hit, but after getting home, calming down and looking at the hit about 90 times with a clear head, this is my opinion.

       I’m fed up of hearing this thing of, if the hit would have been anywhere else on the ice, this wouldn’t have happened, no kidding, but it wasn’t, and Chara clearly was out to give a message to Pacioretty.

      With a game where the canadiens were completely dominating the bruins in every aspect of the game and leading them 4-0, I was scared something stupid was going to happen, but never thought it was going to be like this. Nobody is going to tell me the game being out of hand for the bruins and the fact Chara saw it was Pacioretty, is not a factor here.

       Now for the hit itself; when pacioretty chips the puck along the boards, he goes after it but doesn’t seem he is going to get it, cause Boychuck is already there closing in on it, but still Chara decides to go after Pacioretty and make a hit. The first couple of times I saw it in slow motion, I thought  he was just finishing his hit and the outcome was an unfortunate accident, but the more times I saw it from different angles the more I thought it was dirty and intentional, thanks to NHL Network and RDS for all the camera angles on the play. In the replay you clearly see that Chara
sees who the habs player is and extends his arm to Pacioretty’s head and shoves it straight into the partition. Even Chara himself said he knew the partition was there, so he just confirms that he knew exactly what he was doing. There is no excuse for what he did, plus after seeing the way he wanted to attack Pacioretty in the Feb 9^th game when hamrlik came to the rescue, I knew right there and then Chara had unfinished business with Pacioretty, and that’s why I was scared of what he was going to do if the game got out of hand for Boston.  Frustration, revenge and recklessness was the reason for his actions no doubt about it. But that being said I don’t think he wanted to break his neck, but he definitely wanted to pass a message and get him out of the game.

         I am very disappointed in Patrice Bergeron’s comments after the game, I didn’t expect him to condemn teammate but after being victim of vicious hit himself he should have at least reclined to comment to not make himself look like a hypocrite. And as for Claude Julien’s comments I won’t even bother to write about it, because he is a classless imbecile and is not worth mention.

          As I’m writing these words I am hearing confirmation that Pacioretty has severe concussion and fractured vertebrae. That is not good news for Pacioretty. Hope he gets well soon and will not have long term effects from his injuries. Now the situation is in the league’s hands and I hope they take in consideration the history between both players and look at the replay as many times as I did, cause if they do there is no way they don’t come to the same conclusion, which is that Chara marks Pacioretty and decides to shove his head with his hand straight
into the partition. For me a 10-15 game suspension would be the ideal but I don’t think the league will give out a severe suspension.

      After all this, the great game the Habs played in the first 2 periods is an afterthought, but I would like to still point out that the canadiens showed, if they play their style, they can beat the Bruins anytime. They utilized there speed and
bruins couldn’t catch them, they  had 2 goals on the powerplay and 35 blocked shots, plus Carey Price was  determined to get the victory. Those 4 factors are what are going to bring the canadiens success in the playoffs. 

      Like I heard yesterday on twitter and I agreed, If I was Gauthier I would  call up Dawes to play with Gomez and Gionta
cause I don’t want to mess with the chemistry of other 3 lines, for once all the lines where producing and mixing those lines up while not be a good idea. Don’t get me wrong Dawes is no Pacioretty, but he has 33 goals in 53 games in
the AHL and he will be able with Gomez and gionta to produce in the NHL in my opinion.   

      With all that said, I’d like to wish a quick rehabilitation to Pacioretty and hope he will make a full recovery. My prayers are with his family. I just hope those Bruins fans can be objective and see that, that hit has no place in the NHL; neither
does that lack of respect for a fellow league member.

The game everybody has been waiting for!

On this international women’s day, the game everybody has been waiting for has arrived. The Big bad Bruins are in town. And let me assure you, the habs are ready and will play a good game tonight. Before I go any further, I just would like to comment on a little point the Montreal media has been talking about for a month, they keep on
saying that the bruins embarrassed the canadiens on February 9th, but in my opinion that wasn't the case, the canadiens battled the whole game and kept it close the whole 60 minutes. When it comes to the fights, the habs never backed
down and showed they weren't going to be intimidated, yes there were some assaults on habs players but I never saw Montreal players after a fight having their head down. There’s nothing embarrassing in losing a fight or getting
assaulted when your Tom Pyatt or Spacek. And in a game where the goalies where letting every other shot in, a 8-6 loss is also not embarrassing.

      That being said I don't see any need to call up an AHL player like Henry, like a lot of fans and media have been asking for. All they need to do is put in Mara so he can defend Price when the Bruins try to charge him or hit him. Put in White instead of Pyatt and that will be good enough, because I don't see this game getting out of hand like the last one. Both teams need the 2 points and the bruins are trying to finish first in the eastern conference. The habs are right behind trying to get home ice advantage in the first round.

     I really don't see what's so scary about the Bruins; the canadiens beat them 5 out of 6 last season and 3 out of 4 this year. If the habs play their game, utilize their speed, be disciplined, play well defensively and don't fall into the bruins' games, I don't see the Bruins beating the canadiens. Of coarse the habs will need Price to be at his best, but hasn't he proven, that he is one of the best goalies in the league if not, the best. So in Price we trust, after allowing 8 goals in
the last one, I have no doubt that he is ready for this game and will have one of his best games of the season.

     Claude Julien said yesterday after Bruins' practice that the habs players like to start fires and run away. Is he serious? That is just him trying to send the refs a message, but I don't think it's going to work. Yes the canadiens get under the skin of opposing teams, because they're fast and players can't catch up to them, they try to finish their checks and of course they don't want to fight, that’s not their style they don't have the players to do so and that might frustrate other teams, but that’s what they want, because in doing so the other teams lose focus and get stupid penalties, and that gives the habs an opportunity to take advantage of their powerplay, which is one of their most dangerous weapons.

      Look for the crowd to be loud and play a factor in frustrating the Boston players. Scoring the first goal will be very
important for the canadiens, so they can play their style and impose their tempo. But knowing Claude Julien and the Bruins philosophy if the Habs take a 3 or 4 goal lead, that’s when it could get dangerous and the lack of class of the bruins might come to the surface. But as long as the Canadiens don't fall into that game, they will be ok. Because the habs can't afford\, for a key player to get injured, because for sure those are the players the bruins will be targeting. And that’s when Mara, Moen and White come into play, they will have to sacrifice themselves and show they won't accept the bruins target our best players.

      So tonight is the night we have all been waiting for and it is going to be a good one. To quote the last coach to win a Stanley cup in Montreal Jacques Demers “Tonight is going to be a game played like if it was a game 7 of the Stanley cup final" What more can we ask for than that.

     I'll go against the norm and predict a habs victory 4-2 with 3 of the 4 habs goals scored on the powerplay.

     So enjoy this playoff type hockey and the best place to watch it in Montreal is at Chez Serge on St Laurent where you
come to watch the game and stay for the party!

The Habs pass a first important test!

The habs came out of road trip with 6 points. Saturday's game against the
Bolts was an important game for the habs, and they showed they can hang with
the best teams in their conference
I won't go in to all the details of the game, but I will say the canadiens
played a sound game defensively and took advantage of their opportunities.
Gomez finally played at his full potential for the whole game. The canadiens
need all their players to be at full speed for the rest of the year and go into
the playoffs with momentum. Tampa bay is not 3rd in the eastern conference for
nothing, they have a lot of punch on offence with some of the top players in
the league, yes they allowed 30 more goals then the habs this season but they also
scored 29 more goals than the canadiens. But like they say; offence wins you
games but defence wins you championships. And the canadiens have a very good
defence maybe one of the best in the league when they stick to the game plan and
the coach's system is applied.

A lot of people are saying the canadiens will go as far as Price brings
them; well no kidding any team will go as far as their goalie will bring them,
but I think defence is the key. If the canadiens continue to follow the system
and play defensively sound it will make Price's job so much easier, and then he
can bring us far.

The habs Saturday allowed their first goal on the penalty kill since Sopel's
arrival and if I am not mistaken they allowed 1 goal in 16 chances since the
trade. A lot of people criticized Gauthier work in February as to trades, but I
always thought Sopel was a great acquisition, and after all Gauthier is the
general manager for a reason and he knows what he is doing.

I love the way Kostitsyn is playing recently. I was one of the guys to jump
on his case, because I knew he can play so much better that he was before this
point streak. We need all the lines to produce, and recently they all are. And
that is a good sign going into the playoffs, but there is still a lot of hockey
to be played until then, and they have to continue to perform like they are
right now.

Tomorrow is the date I had circled on my calendar on February 9 after the
last time the Habs played the Bruins.

But don't expect to have a lot of fights and intimidation in tomorrow's game
cause the bruins are fighting to finish as high as possible in the eastern
conference standings, but it still will be an intense fought battle. I think it
will be a low scoring game with good chances on both sides

With both the young guns and the veterans producing well, the sky is the
limit for the canadiens.

Read tomorrow's blog for an in-depth preview of the Habs-Bruins game the
game we've all been waiting for has arrived, let's enjoy it.

Hard practice pays off!

        
The media here in Montreal that follow the habs like to talk about the negative points, but I am trying to bring something different in match analysis and talk about the positive points even if sometimes I will have to point out the bad things they do on the ice.
          On Wednesday the Canadiens worked hard at practice and touched on the simple things like power play strategies and the transition game amongst others, and it showed in last night's game. The Panthers had a hard time causing anything dangerous and if they had 10 shots from the slot they were lucky. The habs didn't leave much room for them to be creative and make plays. The defence was strong and Price didn't allow many rebounds. Yes the panthers weren't very good last night, but I have to say that the canadiens were very good and followed the game plan to the letter. I also heard the so called experts say that Vokoun didn't show up last night or that he didn't care anymore cause he allowed 2 goals on 3 shots, but honestly that first goal he had 2 habs players screening him, and Kostitsyn's goal; seriously I don't see many goalies saving that shot.
           A bit about kostitsyn, since he has been paired up with Eller he has shown he can be a very good player. The hard working Eller has giving AK46 new life. That diagonal cross ice pass he made to Gill for Gill's first goal in 100 games was very nice. And what can I say about his goal, when he utilizes his shot like the way he did on his goal I believe he has one of the best shots in the league. On little thing I would like him to have is that desire to score on every shift and have an eye for the net, for example in the 13 minute of the 2nd period he was cutting to the right threw the slot and instead of coming back to the inside and using that amazing wrist shot of his, he settles for a soft backhand shot on net. If he had that hunger for scoring he can easily be a 30-35 goal scorer in the league. Another thing I like about that line is the fact they keep things simple and they execute well. On Eller's goal the 3 linemates rush the net at the same time and Moen does a little backhand pass and all Eller has to do is extend his stick and tip it in. that is the little things they do at practice paying off.
          On the Desharnais goal I honestly believe Pouliot wanted to make that pass, because he looks at David and lobs him the puck, Desharnais with his hockey smarts sticks with the play and gloves' the puck puts it on the ice and as he is getting hit slides it threw Clemenson's five-hole. They had a 2 on 1 in the last 3 minutes of the 1 period and Pouliot took the shot from the top of the circle and even if I think he has to use his shot because he has a good one also, I think he could of waited a bit, get closer and confuse the goalie by looking at Desharnais and then getting a shot off from close up.
          I was one to complain about Coach Martin always playing with his line but I think he has found the right combinations. I like these duos he has going on with Plekanec-Cammalleri, Gionta-Pacioretty, Desharnais-Pouliot and Eller-Kostitsyn. It gives the habs players that can score on every line and players that can backcheck on every line also.
        And now some praise for Hamrlik, in the last 3 minutes of the 2nd period, Bernier is coming into the zone and the play could have been dangerous but Hammer comes back and aborts the play with a very good defensive play. That is why the acquisition of Sopel becomes important because now Hamrlik doesn't have to play over 25 minutes and is more efficient that way. And how about in the 7th minute of the 3rd, that two-line pass to Pacioretty was beautiful, just a shame Pacioretty hit the post on that one, because they would have deserved to get that one. And seconds later AK46 hits the post also, with an amazing wrist shot.
         For once the habs showed discipline last night, only maybe Pouliot's penalty was a stupid one because they were in the offensive zone, but I will forgive for that if he starts practicing his one on one battles at practice. Another note on the special teams, since sopel's arrival the canadiens haven't allowed one goal on the penalty kill in 11 or 12 chances. That’s why Gauthier went out and got him and it is paying off.
        How about a bit of positive on Gomez, cause maybe it will do him some good, even if I know he can still play better I liked one thing I saw him do yesterday, in the 10th minute of the third he is transporting the puck from the back end and instead of doing what he usually does he decides to slow down in the neutral zone and wait for Pacioretty to get there and feed him the puck as Patches is crossing the blue line. I would to see Gomez do that type of play more often, you know mix it up a bit, I think that would help his game a lot. But one thing is for sure he is going to have to shorten his shifts because last night he had  at least 6 if not more  shifts that he stayed on the ice for more than a minute and a half, and that I don't want to see.
        I should mention Price shouldn't I? After all it was a shutout he got and his 7th of the season. (This is good for second in the league tied with Thomas and only one behind Lundqvist) But he makes it look so easy out there that people will start thinking he is not doing much, but that is what talented players do, they make it look easy as for less talented goalies will have to work twice as hard to make the saves he does, thus making them look spectacular. ( Ex: Halak and Thomas) Price not only make the big save look easy he also helps out the system of the team with his stick handling making the quick first pass so the team can counter attack and use their speed. And that’s what I call a complete and elite goalie.
       Just a quick explanation of why Mara plays one game and then sits two. In my opinion Mara will play when the opposing forwards are big and heavy, to help the team win battles in the corners. And when the other team have smaller and quicker forwards the coach will play Picard or Weber.( I would prefer Weber though) I have confidence in Coach Martin if I don’t always agree with him because after all he has over 1000 games in the NHL and is at almost 600 wins. That cannot be just a fluke.
      And now let's get ready for the real test, against the Bolts tomorrow won't be easy but I believe the habs can come out strong, if they score the first goal they will make it easier in themselves, like that they will be able to execute the game plan and utilize their system, but I guarantee Guy Boucher will have his team prepared and the habs will have to be disciplined. That being said I will be happy if the habs come out of Tampa with only one point, because we can't win all of them and 5 out of six points on the road is a good sign for the rest of the season. Because the canadiens will play the majority of games left on the road, so the more points they accumulate now the better.

       For my daily readers sorry but tomorrow I won’t be writing my blog because I am going to Toronto. But I will be back on Monday with a recap of the Tampa game. Thanks for understanding and enjoy the Game.

It's time to start playing some playoff Hockey!

 The habs play the panthers tonight and Tampa on Saturday. So there is no better way to improve their road record and show they can battle with any team in the league by winning both games. That being said, Tampa will be a great test for the habs. Guy Boucher has that team very well prepared and with Lecavalier back on the right path they are a very dangerous team with a lot of offensive weapons.
          I predict that the habs will allow a lot of shots and score important goals on the powerplay. Yesterday morning they worked hard on their power play strategies and their transition game. The media made a big story out of Coach Martin raising his voice at practice, but come on is that really a big story to report, what NHL coach doesn't raise his voice in practice one time or another. They complain when Martin doesn't show emotion, and now they complain when he does! No matter what, the Montreal media will never be happy.
           Now for the idea of putting Plekanec at the point on the powerplay, I think that is a good idea. Plekanec has good vision and is a good passer, with those weapons and Wisniewski's slap shot that might work well, but we're going to have to give Pleky some time to adjust. I know exactly why Coach Martin is trying Plekanec on the point and the reason is because he wants to give Powerplay ice time to Desharnais without taking too much away from Gomez. Because he needs Gomez to get back on track, so he is giving him all the tools to do so. And honestly Gomez is going nowhere and they are not going to buy out his contract, so might as well give him what he needs to get back his game from last spring, because who ever understands a bit about hockey knows he was an important factor in the habs success in last year's playoffs.
           Coach Martin announced that Price will be in nets tonight; look for Price to have a solid night without making outstanding saves. And also look from where shots will come, I will tell right now not a lot of them will come from the slot, and Price won’t allow too many rebounds and when he does the defence in front of him will get rid of them. The canadiens will focus on the counter attack and take advantage of their Powerplay chances, two things that they worked on in practice yesterday and important factors in their success last spring.
          All that said tonight is against the panthers, but Saturday is the real test. In that game you might see Price making outstanding saves because you have guys like Stamkos, St-Louis, Gange, Purcell and Lecavalier. Plus Coach Boucher knows the canadiens well being their farm coach last year and having coached a lot of players on the habs roster right now. But I believe those players will have a good game. Players like Desharnais, Pacioretty and Subban will want to show their old coach how much they have progressed.
           But before looking at Tampa, they will have be disciplined and focus on Florida tonight. Because if they look ahead they might let this one pass them by, and these 2 points tonight are important ones because the race to the playoffs is heating up and teams are already starting to play playoff hockey and the habs need to start preparing themselves and do the same!

Reminds me of last Spring

 
Last night's game reminded me a lot of the style the canadiens played last year in the playoffs. Defensemen playing well in the slot, getting rid of rebounds fast and blocking shots, and counter attacking well and taking advantage of chances. Yes Atlanta had a lot of shots but the majority of them weren't dangerous ones, and when they were, Price was there with the big save. If the defence continue playing this way they will make it much easier for Price to make those famous miracles Halak made last spring.
        The habs dominated the special teams with a perfect Penalty kill, and scored once on the power play. And they would have maybe scored more if two of the six power plays wouldn’t have been shortened by the undisciplined habs players. I liked what I saw from Sopel on the PK and he is only going to get better as he gets used to his new teammates. Plekanec with 3 penalties is not a good thing; could it be we are seeing signs of fatigue from a player that has been used in every aspect of the game since the beginning of the season? I also liked the fact Coach Martin finally used Desharnais more often on the power play, for the first time since he was called up he finally had more ice time on the power play than Gomez, and all this on the road.
         I'd also like to point out the balanced ice time the coach gave the defensemen last night. All defensemen had between 15 and 23 minutes with Subban and the Wiz with the most and Mara and Sopel with the least. This will give a well deserved break to Hamrlik and Subban who were having to play way too much, considering the habs are going to need them in the playoffs, keeping some energy for the spring is always good.
        I'll put a little negative point here in the middle of my blog just because I have to point it out, a sniper like cammalleri should never miss open nets like the one he missed on the 4 on 3 in the last seconds of the second period. But I'll forgive him for that one, because he has played well since his return from injury.
       On the Canadiens first goal which was on the power play, Desharnais drives to the net with the puck, spots the wiz coming down the wing but misses his pass, but thankfully Kostitsyn was there to get it and make the pass to Wiz for the Goal. That is what I want to see from Gomez, drive to net when he comes into the offensive zone and players will follow him and then he could feed them, and not just lose the puck or dump it. I also liked the fact Pouliot came from the neutral zone to defend Desharnais that had been savagely hit from an Atlanta player behind the net. Pouliot is starting make a reputation for himself as a player that won't back down from anybody and will defend his teammates when they need it, and that I really like, continue the good work Ben !
     This morning the habs worked hard at practise and I am sure they will be more disciplined in Sunrise against the panthers. But for me the game of the week will be against the bolts which will be the real test to see if the habs are on the right path to the playoffs.
        So Saturday be prepared for a big and amazing game, and if you want to have an amazing time watching it, I suggest you go watch at the best place in Montreal to watch a habs game at 5301 St. Laurent, at the fabulous bar Chez Serge, where you come for the game and stay for the party!

Montreal Fans and Media!

        The fans reaction to yesterday's trade deadline and the fact Gauthier didn't make a move is just them not knowing any better. What they want is excitment, they want moves to be made everyday, they want controversy, they want arguments at practice, fights in the locker room, what they want is drama. Take for example a lot of fans that only start watching the canadiens' games when there are 25/30 games left to the season cause they say that's when it starts counting and that's when it gets exciting and interesting. How do you want them to fully understand the new NHL and it's salary cap when all they know about the league and the canadiens is what they see in the newspapers and on TV and what they hear on the radio, they can not form their own opinions. 
         Now don't get me wrong I'm a fan also, but I have been following the Habs for about 20 years give or take, from training camp to last game of season or playoffs. I won't always agree with coaches and management but I know my hockey well enough to UNDERSTAND their descions and why they made them. I won't go into why Gauthier didn't move yeasterday because I explained that in yesterday's blog.
          Now the Media should know better. They are all experienced guys but I think they get brainwashed by the the callers and e-mailers. They know how it works, but yet they like to add fuel to the fire because they want the ratings to stay high and negativity sells. I don't know why but talking about the bad things is what people want to hear and talk about. Instead of talking about how the trade deadline has become the wrong time to make trades, cause prices are too high. They talk about how Gauthier was sleeping and if he really wanted to make a move he could of of done it. Come on guys seriously? The experts use the example of Peter Chiarelli the bruins general manger, saying he made the moves he had to do to make space on the cap for Kaberle. They had to move Wheeler and  Stuart to make space for Kaberle. Do you seriously think the Habs had the luxury of making that type of move? I don't think so, cause after all we need the players in place to play because we have no other ones to take their place. And also I don't think moving 3 or 4 players at this time in a season  is the right move. One of the strong weapons of the habs are their chemistry and making a move like that  might of broken that up. Plus to fit in to the team they got to fit in the system and play well on both sides of the ice, and not many players available fit that description, cause teams won't let those ones go. In my humble opinion the radio stations here should have less call-in shows and more analyzing, I know a lot of people call in and they think that equals ratings, but the people will still listen because they want to know what is going on with the team, and hear the so called expert's opinions. Take sports radio shows in the states for example like the Jim Rome's or the Dan Patrick's or even Mike and Mike, they leave little space in the middle and end of the shows for callers, cause they don't want to give them too much space because after things get out of control. After all they're the hosts and they are the one getting paid to talk and comment on what is going on.
        I could sit here and start bashing this guy and that guy, but that is not my style and will not change anything. But you guys probably have an idea of who I am talking about.
        As for the fans, I know not all of you guys are that way, and that the majority of them know what they are talking about, So then let's make our voices heard or else outsiders will think we are all like that. When we have something to say about something we heard, that we don't agree with, let's call in and make them understand our point of view. Because we are the real fans that should be representing our city and our team. Let's not give these fake fans all the space and make us look bad.
        Let the revolution begin and support our team the way they deserve to be supported and not just jump on the bandwagon after they pass the first round!

The Trade Deadline has come and gone!

        The trade deadline has come and gone and the Habs haven't made a move to improve the team. This year's deadline confirmed something I have been seeing in the last couple of years, which is teams acquiring players at the deadline over pay. General Managers know that desperate teams will pay a bit more than market value if they really want that player, cause after the 3pm deadline they will not be able to improve their team for a playoff push.
         With Kostitsyn's good play of late, the habs didn't want to take the chance that he goes to another team and becomes the elite player they thought he was gonna become when they drafted him. That being said I am sure Gauthier was in the Penner derby, but never was he gonna pay what they wanted and what LA paid for him, and thank god he didn't. That false report that was announced on twitter saying Penner was coming to the habs for Jared Tinordi and a 1st round pick, was about what Edmonton was asking, give or take, and that was way too much for Penner even if he is a 30 goal scorer. Also another player Gauthier was interested in was Jason Arnott and the Capitals over paid for him also. I believe Steckel and a 2nd round pick is way too expensive for a player that is not getting any younger and has passed his prime. Now I know fans wanted the General manager to make a move but seriously were we ready to pay that much for those type of players.
         Like I wrote in Saturday's article I think the canadiens are a better team than they were last spring. And I think Price can make a difference in the playoffs like Halak did last year. Of coarse I would of  liked Gauthier to add some weight and goal scoring ability on the top 2 lines, but I also didn't want him to give away a Tinordi, Leblanc or a Weber. You should never mortgage your future if your not going to improve the present considerably. 
         Now the Canadiens are going to have to play disciplined and use their power play to have a good finish to their season, and start the playoffs with momentum. If I was the coach I would make the players read and hear all negative things the fans and montreal media are saying about them not going far in the playoffs and give them the "us against the world" speech to motivate them and see how they react. Because I believe the habs are united and would react well.
        With 19 games left in the regular season anything is possible including catching up to the bruins for the division lead who are 6 points ahead of them. We're just gonna have to have faith and wait and see how this turns up. Because patience is virtue Montreal fans don't usually have.
         On this note I would like to wish my readers an exciting end to the season and a long playoff run.

Are the habs really that worst than they were last spring?

     People here in montreal are all ready to press on the panic button, but really, are we that worst a team then the one that made it to the conference finals last spring? I don't think so, and here are the rosters of  last year in comparison to this year's.
      The team that finished in the top 4 last year was composed as follows:
Forwards were, Cammalleri, Plekanec, Kostitsyn, Gomez, Gionta, Pouliot, Moore, Metropolit, Lapierre, Darche, Pyatt and Moen. So basically the habs replaced Moore, Metropolit and lapierre by Desharnais, Halpern and Pacioretty. So right there I see that as an improvement.
      Now for the defencemen, the regulars that played the most were, Hamrlik, Subban, Bergeron, Gorges and Gill with Markov, Spacek and O'byrne playing 8, 10, 13 games respectively. Markov was out in the first game of the second round. But yes he was an important factor in the habs eliminating the Capitals.With Markovand Gorges out and Bergeron gone to tampa, the canadiens added Wisniewski, Sopel and Weber. I think the Wiz is better than Bergeron. Yes Sopel is older than Gorges but Sopel won the stanley cup last spring filling the same role as Gorges, rallying up important minutes on the PK and getting in front of the shooting lanes and blocking shots. I know Weber will never be able to replace Markov but Subban has stepped up enormously this year and I think he can help fill that void. And we can't forget that Markov only played 8 games in the playoffs last year.
         As for our miracle man last spring Halak, even if he was amazing in the playoffs, the shots he was getting weren't always dangerous shots  because of the amazing job of the D-men in front of him. And let's not forget he wasn't that good anymore when they faced the Flyers, letting in some soft goals here and there. That being said I am sure Price can do the same job halak did and maybe even better cause he seems focused and hungry to prove he is an elite goalie in this league.
        The habs are if I am not mistaken 7 points ahead of last year at the same point in the season. With 8 games out of 20 left being played at home and 4 points back from a division lead, anything is possible. But to catch up to boston, the canadiens will have to win more games on the road and most importantly be more disciplined, if they are, they will be a hard team to beat until the end of the season.
      Now with all that being said, I do think they can add a big and heavy top 6 forward able to score some important goals, and win some battles in the corners against the big defencemen on opposing teams. A rental type like Penner or Arnott, would be great, but let's leave the managing to the men in place, after all they are experienced guys and we are just looking in from the outside, what do we know right?
     So i'd like to wish a good game tonight against the Canes to all the fans that read this blog, and get all the rest needed to be up early on Monday because it should be a good and interesting day for all hockey fans!

Habs lose another oppurtunity!

       It seems like every time the canadiens have a chance to get closer to boston, they find a way to lose the game. I keep three reasons for Last night's loss. First Auld was weak and I'm sure he would like another look at 2 out of the 3 goals he allowed. Second, like I have mentioned in this blog before the habs need to be desciplined if they are going to win games, and last night they were not, I know there was some sketchy calls from the refs but thats not an excuse, the habs can't put themselves in that position.  And third, if the canadiens are going to be in the penalty box alot, the penalty kill is going to have to be better, with Gorges gone, Gill is often left by himself. But Brent Sopel's arrival is going to help in that department. One thing is for sure, with 20 games left to the season I don't see Auld in net more than 2 or 3 times.
      Enough about the game. I would like to write about the trade Gauthier made yesterday. In my humble opinion it was a good trade, Ben maxwell was obviously not in the future plans of the organization, and Gauthier found somebody that was interested in him. Sopel is a stanley cup winner that led the the Hawks in blocked shots and averaged about 18 minutes of ice time. He will help alot on the penalty kill and be a big factor in a playoff push. He seems happy in coming to montreal and is motivated in making the habs a cup contender.
      As for Nigel Dawes he is a strong 5 feet 8  190 pounds forward, he will go to hamilton but might be called up anytime. With the Rangers, he was a good "pest" and he might be able to throw the gloves when needed. Plus he has 27 goals in the minors this season, so he can also score goals and he has some speed. I would like to see him on a forth line with halpern and Moen.
      I believe Gauthier is not done dealing. He might make a major deal involving Kostitsyn and maybe another player to try to get a top 6 forward. Sources say he is active on the phones and  trying to maximise a deal that might almost be done.
    So keep your eyes and ears open for a move cause something has got to give.
    Monday I will be following deadline day and trying to bring you insight and breaking news on twitter follow me at @saltita_costa. I will be writing my blog a bit later on monday at around 3:30pm so i can write about the trades made on deadline day.
      Tomorrow's blog will preview the game against the Canes and any moves Gauthier might be making before the deadline.
Have a nice and trade full day!

What is Gauthier doing?

       What is Gauthier doing? That is the question. Rumors have been going wild and in all kinds of directions, fans have no idea what is credible and what is not. If the General Manager stays in hiding and doesn't address the media to but things straight, people can only speculate. Even if i don't like Brian Burke at least he talks to the media and says what are his intentions and if  there is any truth to the rumors out there. Because if he doesn't all these rumors might or might not distract the players. I agree he can't come out and say for example he is in negotiations with a team for a trade, cause that may break a deal, but at least say if you are in talks with teams and what you are looking for or that you are looking to improve you're team.
        In January Gomez was starting to play better, and then all of a sudden February began with all these rumors and suddenlly he became invisible again. All those talks of Gomez being shopped and that a deal was almost made in him going to Pheonix for Ed Jovanoski (which I don't believe) might of disrupted his concentration a bit. Or all the trades involving Kostitsyn in the last month, with the latest one coming out this morning at 1am, saying a deal was made with Nashville and was just awaiting confirmation. With a simple 5 minute conference call Gauthier could stop all the speculation and make things clear. Another nonsense rumor was one sending Cammy to anaheim in a package deal with the Habs getting Bobby Ryan in return. Let me be perfectly be clear if Bob Murray were to make this trade he would be the laughing stock of all the NHL and Gauthier would be a genius, so don't even dream about Bobby Ryan in a habs uniform.
So to conclude in this gauthier story, all he has to do is come out and say something, like is he looking to improve his team or he thinks his team is good enough the way it is? That would calm down the fans a bit and cool off all of the rumors and speculations going on, because like this we have no idea what is going on.
     Now for tonight's game against the leafs. Just confirmed that Auld will be in net today, I might of preferred Price be there to try to get his 3rd shutout against the leafs but I understand the canadiens need to keep Price fresh and ready for the playoffs.
     I don't want people to say I always talk about Desharnais but I predict he will have a good game tonight with more ice time that he's going to get at home with Martin getting the last change. The Leafs are making a push to make the palyoffs, ( who would of thought) so they will be very dangerous for the rest of the season. Lookout for kessel, he's starting to heat up! But the canadiens need to beat teams behind them and show they are dangerous also and start making a claim for a 5th, 4th or even 3th place in their conference. So expect tonight's game to be an high scoring game with over 5 goals.
Should be a good game to watch.
      As I was about to finish my article, a trade has been confirmed sending Kovalev to Penguins for a late round pick, so at least there will be no more rumors involving Kovalev coming to the habs. So thank you for clearing that one up even if it wasn't Gauthier doing it!

Habs Give Vancouver their 5th defeat of the season at home!

      Like I wrote yesterday in my article, I thought the habs were going to bounce back against the Canucks with a strong defensive performance, even if I wasn't sure it was going to be enough to win. But obviously it was. 
      The game started with a beautiful pass from Poouliot to Desharnais that showed his speed to beat out the defencemen to get a breakaway and score a nice five hole goal on Luongo. Alot of  so called experts had said Desharnais didn't have the speed to play in NHL but that's not what I am seeing. By getting that important first goal of the game that heleped the canadiens stick to their defensive system and not play catch up hockey, Desharnais gets rewarded with 5:03 minutes of ice time. I can understand Coach Martin limiting his ice time on the road, because he is scared of the match ups the home team might put up against him, but at least he should make him play on the powerplay. And  people will say his limited ice time  was because  the coach wanted to protect the lead, if that is so then why was Gomez on the ice for 18:00 minutes when he is one of the worst in the plus-minus category with a minus 18.
      In my humble opinion Gomez doesn't fit the habs system cause he slows down the game by carrying the puck from behind the net to the offensive zone and then looses the puck or gets a weak shot off to the net. The habs do well when the D-men make a quick first pass and the habs utilize their speed to counter attack. Plus Gomez can't score a goal if his life depended on it, a perfect example is on a canadiens powerplay with a wide open net he misses completly over the net.
     Another negative fact would be that stupid penalty that Pouliot took in last 2 minutes of second period when he cross checked Ballard behind the net when Ballard didn't even have the puck. If the Canadiens are going to make a big push in the last stretch into the playoffs the team is going to have to be disciplined. Because with Georges out, they want to keep Gill's energy for the playoffs, because in last night's game we saw the importance of Gill. In the 6 powerplays the canucks had he was on the ice for 5 of them, and in those 5 they only allowed one goal. Gill did a tremendous job in front of the net against Kessler. In the other powerplay the canucks scored cause nobody was able to move Kessler out of Price's face. And what can I say about that icing call Gill got in the last minute of the game, that play kept the Canucks from pulling their goalie and forced the canucks back in their zone for a faceoff.
      I also like what I saw from the Eller line with Kostitsyn and Moen. I now can say that Eller needs to be developed as a center with the way he plays when he is in that position. That goal Kostitsyn scored was a result from Eller's hard work and AK46's ability to take a hit and go to the net. With a give and go with Eller, he scored a nice goal in between Luongo's pads. See what happens when you don't play with Gomez, good stuff happen, and Kostitsyn can use his size and shot to score some goals. I just hope Gomez doesn't make Pacioretty lose his confidence. And instead that Pacioretty helps Gomez start showing he can play like he played in the playoffs last year.
     Since last year's playoffs the habs have shown thay can beat the top teams in the league if they stick to the game plan and limit the scoring chances, that way they make life easy on Price, and he can win us alot of games that way.
   That being said we all wait the day Gauthier goes and get a Big defenceman or a big forward to help the habs with his physicality in the playoffs. The general manager has 5 days to make a move, the clock is ticking and i will wait to see if he does anything before I criticize him. So let's wait and see what happens!

Tonight's the night!

        Once again habs fans went crazy yesterday learning of the Pens- Stars trade but wait a minute, do the habs even have a James Neal or a Niskanen to give ? Giving away a Neal is like giving away a Pacioretty and Gauthier doesn't want to mortgage their future for a playoff push  when he doesn't see the habs has a strong Cup contender. And even if the the habs wanted a Neal- Niskanen combo, they only guy the habs could give to get that kind of combination in return would be P.K Subban and that is a big no-no.
        So wwhat is left for the canadiens to pick up that wouldn't be too expensive, Maybe a Penner for Weber? Or Bran Mcabe for a draft pick or prospect? I don't know anymore. With 6 days left till deadline anything is possible. I've even heard of a John-Michael Liles, I wouldn't mind seeing him in montreal. But people don't think any of these defencemen are Kaberle material.
        Let's forget about the rumor mill for a bit and talk about the habs-canuks game tonight at 10pm est. After a hard time at practice yesterday and a face to face meeting, I think the habs will bounce back defensively tonight, the game will be a low scoring one, but that being said I don't know if that will be enough for a habs victory. Once again Coach Martin played with the lines yesterday in practice with Halpern on the wing with Pleky and Cammy, Gionta and Pacioretty back with the invisible man Scott Gomez, Desharnais with Pouliot and White and Eller centering Kostitsyn and Moen. Sometimes switching the lines can kick start the team, but doing every other game, doesn't help the team it might actually make things worse, because players become confused and as we come closer to end of the season in my humble opinion the players need some stability, and to be shown some confidence in them.
     So one way or another lets hope tonight's the night, either it's the night Gauthier moves or tonight's the night the canadiens get a win on the west coast!

Habs stunned by Flames!

        The habs just simply didn't show up to get the 2 points yesterday. The flames who are fighting for a playoff spot, came to play and got the 2 points.Some people will blame the ice and say the canadiens couldn't play their style and use  their speed, and in a way i agree but as  professional hockey players, they have to adapt or at least show some will to win. A perfect example will be on a habs powerplay, the canadiens were outclassed and it seemed like the flames had the man advantage.
       Cammelleri wasn't ready to come back, and when he received a body check in the third period we saw exactly why he wasn't. Price once again was one of the only players to to show he wanted to win but the defence left him alone alot of times.And Price can't skate up the ice and go score a goal.
         Enough about this Heritage classic that wasn't one. Some sources out of Pheonix had Gomez going to the coyotes in return of Ed Jovanoski but Jovanoski's injury blocked that trade. The only team actually willing to get Gomez and the trade breaks down cause of an injury. It seems like injuries this year have it in for the habs.
         I still feel like Gauthier has to move and fast, this team  is going nowhere in the last 7 games and need a little wake up from management and a little support, if management makes a deal the players will feel encouraged and not like teams are improving around them while Gauthier is status guo.
      Tomorrow the habs will play the canucks, the best team in the league, and if they play like they played yesterday they will be embarrassed. But I think the habs will bounce back, because they always play well against top teams, and like to measure themselves against those teams. So let's wait and see how they will react after this embarrassing lost in front of the whole country. And let's wait and see when, what and if the General manager makes a deal to improve his team. It seems like we've been doing alot of that recently, waiting!

The possibility of seeing Chris Philips in a habs uniform, and he return of the "L'Artiste"

     I know alot  of  people will call me crazy, and to be honest, I might be. Yesterday I told a friend I had a feeling Philips was going to be a canadien by the end of the weekend, and he told me he agreed and added he thought Kovalev was coming with him.At first, I thought that was crazy and the conversation ended there. But while I was working I started thinking about it and maybe he could help as a RENTAL player. The motivation he would have in a playoff run might help the habs as a top 9 player. And if he wants to play in the NHL next year he has to show some teams that might be interested in signing him that he can still play at an NHL level. That being said he has shown some encouraging signs in the last couple of weeks.
     Now let me show you the line up I would have with both of them in the team if I was coach of the canadiens:

   Kovalev  Plekanec  Cammalleri
   Gionta     Gomez       Kostitsyn
   Pouliot    Desharnais  Pacioretty
   Moen      Halpern        White/Pyatt

 Subban         Philips
 Hamirlik        Mara/Spacek
 Weber         Gill

       Keep in mind I am not taking into a count ice time or who's 1st, 2nd or 3rd line. I think Cammy and Kovalev centered by Pleky can be that line with the killer instinct that can score that killer goal the team has lacked in games they are leading 2-0, that 3rd goal would of put those games out of reach for the opposing team.
      Gionta's hard work would maybe help that Gomez- Kostitsyn duo, that has not been doing well at all in the last few weeks if not longer.
      I have been saying for a while I would like to see Pacioretty on that Pouliot- Desharnais  line, let's call them the "new generation" line. The fact that Pacioretty and Pouliot are 6 feet plus, would add some height to Desharnais, which with all the talent and heart he has the fact remains that he is short and sometimes teams try to take advantage of that. Those three lines would give the Canadiens production from 3 lines, which the canadiens haven't had in a while.As for the 4th line, Halpern can win you some faceoffs and Moen and White can show some grit and toughness when the time presents itself.
     Now for the defensive pairings, I think the type of blueliner Philips is can help a rookie like Subban, when the time is right he can make his offensive showings, knowing he can count on Philips to back him up if ever there is a turnover. Hamirlik and Spacek have shown they can shut down the best lines on opposing teams when they are together, if their ice time is not too imposing cause the fact is they are 35 years old. As for Weber and Gill, Weber has shown he can play well in his territory and is improving every game,  Gill is an asset for the playoffs and for the penalty kill, with Philips with him on the PK they can have some of the success he had with Gorges.
     People keep in mind that Kovalev can only be a RENTAL and we shouldn't sign him come July 1st. For what we would give in return I can't tell you, cause I'm not in the negociations and anyways I'll keep that for the General Manager, after all that is his job.
      If you don't agree with me and have other suggestions, feel free to comment and I will be happy to answer back!

Jaques Martin has hard time to adjust to Game! And the Bruins aquire Kaberle for a porspect and a 1st round pick!

       In today's article I don't want to go too deep into my thoughts, because it will seem like coach Martin bashing, and I don't want to go into that. That being said, the habs played poorly in the first period, and for the oiler's first goal hemsky seemed like he was alone on the ice, Pacioretty missed his coverage and Gionta was a spectator looking at hemsky go close to the slot and make his shot.
       In seeing Darche in the Buffalo game I saw right away something was wrong with him, he seemed hesitant and wasn't his old self from before his injury, so obviously he is still injured. If I saw it how could a coach with so much experience not see it and put him in the line up last night. Now for his adjustments. People will agree with me, yesterday wasn't Plekanec's best game, that being said his line has been the best line of the habs for a long time now, and I would of  kept them together, they deserve at least getting a chance to get back in the game. Kostitsyn looked ok on the ice last night. People say Gomez was good last night i would rather say that he has played so bad lately that when he plays a bit better, people will say he had a good game, he was still a minus 2, 3 shots on net with 20:51 of ice time. When Gomez was on the ice for oiler's second goal, Coach Martin didn't limit his ice time he actually improved it.But when Desharnais was on the ice 15 seconds later for the oilers third goal, Coach Martin barely made him play in the 3rd period, in a game where the canadiens needed offence and Desharnais was one of the best offensive players in the last few games i don't think he deserved to be benched the way he was. To quote Latendresse, it's not good for rookie development when the coach benches him everytime he is on the ice for an opponents goal or makes a mistake because than he plays on his heels scared to make a mistake and be benched instead of sticking to what he does good and what has rewarded him in the past. But Desharnais is an intelligent player and i don't think he is going to react that way, but still.
       As fot the defencemen, I can't blame them too much because they were short one man with the Wiz out, so that means they were 3 rookies with Picard and Hamirlik. Picard is not a defenceman that should play 23:23 minutes in the nhl, with Subban, Weber and Hamirlik all playing over 27 minutes and Nash playing 8:30 minutes, that basically means the habs played with 4 D's majority of the game, that's a big work load for that blue line.
      With all that said the canadiens didn't play they're best game last night and better bounce back sunday in the Heritage classic against the flames, because they need those points if they are going to push boston for the division lead, cause as I'm writing this article Kaberle has just been traded to boston for 6 feet 5 Colburn from Providence and a 2011 1st round pick(not the toronto one acquired in the Kessel trade)so that means boston has just improved considerably without giving anything from their line up.
      This last stretch to the end of the season will be important for a habs playoff run. Let's see what happens and what pierre Gauthier will do to improve his team, but I highly doubt he will do so. 

Habs trade for Mara!

    A lot of people are not happy with Pierre Gauthier for getting Mara back. But I am not one of those. Mara will bring Depth to the blue line, with all the injuries the habs have, he had to make a move, and since it cost barely anything (5th round pick) and that considering  cap hit with the habs will be 200k , it was a good move to make. At 6 feet 4 207 pounds he adds weight to the blue line, and he can drop the gloves and defend his teammates when the occasion presents itself.He will be better for the habs than Picard. Plus he was around the team last year, so he knows the guys and will fit right in, and won't mess with the team chemistry, which is a strong weapon of the canadiens and it seems Pierre Gauthier does not want to mess with that factor.
    Now people, don't expect Gauthier to move for a top 6 forward, cause with Cammy coming back, he sees it as a plus,. coming in to a team that is already doing fine without him, so  his return can be seen as a top 6 coming to help for a playoff run. I see more Gauthier moving for a depth 4th liner with some weight and grit to help the "team toughness" aspect of the team. People in Montreal always expect the GM will get an impact player before the deadline, which hasn't happened in alot of years, so forget that.
      Now for this trip to the western conference, the oilers tonight, the flames on sunday for the Heritage classic and then going to Vancouver for a Tuesday night game.This trip will be very important for the habs, because the habs can accumulate some points that will be detrimental for a push to finish first in the northeast division. The habs haven't had alot of success in these trips to the far west but I believe this time around will be different, cause the habs show, they always bounce back when they lose points in a game they believe they could of won. That being said as a fan I am really excited for sunday's Heritage Classic, a game outdoor with 50 000 spectators in the stands, has a kind of Ora the fans and players love.
       For tonight's game at 9pm est it will be a good open game with both teams using their speed, and talented players will shine. It will be another game where the youngsters will show their contribution to the team is a factor teams will have to start taking notice. Look for another good performance from Pacioretty, Pouliot and Desharnais.
    So I wish you all a great game tonight. And come read my article tomorrow on the Oilers vs Habs game!

Habs lose an oppurtunity to pass boston!

     On this beautiful wednesday afternoon, after just watching the habs game once again and breaking it down play by play, I have alot of  points I'd like to write about.
      First I'd like to point out Pacioretty continuing to do what pays off, in going to the net and picking up loose pucks around the net, and again getting a goal last night in doing so.
       Last night Coach Martin finally used Desharnais more than Gomez, even if it was only 2 seconds, I have a feeling he is starting to send a message to his 8 million dollar center, that if he doesn't start working harder and getting results, there is a little 5 foot 7 center just waiting to take his ice time on the powerplay.
       Also with all the respect we owe Darche for services rendered since the beginning of the season, I don't think he was ready to come back into the game last night, I would of perfered seeing Eller take that spot on the 4th line. Darche didn't seem himself last night, or at least wasn't doing the good things he was doing before his injury.
       On the second goal the canadiens scored last night, I loved Desharnais' vision, play making ability and speed he used to pass between the 2 buffalo defencemen to make a great pass to Pouliot, who had accelerated knowing David was gonna pass him the puck, but notice the way Desharnais' eyes never left the goalie while he made the pass to Pouliot.
        From there on, the story of the game was about bad coaching decisions and the lack of heart and determination from two veterans, Gomez and kostitsyn. The first Sabres' goal was a powerplay one and i cant blame too much Picard for leaving his man on that play. As for the second one, it was again Gomez and Kostitsyn on the ice for a 5 on 5 goal ! As for the bad coaching desicions, here they are.With 3 minutes left in the the 3rd period coach Martn tried to shake things up by switching the lines for a shift, but failed in doing so by putting pacioretty and Gionta with Gomez, waste of a shift in my opinion.
         The canadiens were 1 for 5 on the powerplay, but still didn't see Desharnais nor Pouliot much on any of them. But that being said i could live with that on 4 of the 5 powerplays, but on the last one that carried on to overtime, you have to put the players that have been giving you results and winning you games recently, and i would've like to have seen Pouliot and Desharnais on that one, especially in overtime with all that space cause of the 4 on 3, Desharnais' vision combined with Pouliot's speed and Pacioretty going to the net, probably would of given results, and anyways, the way Darche played last night he shouldn't of been there for that powerplay.
         And after that Powerplay, later in overtime, Desharnais( seems like his name comes up alot) made a great play and saw AK46 coming down the left and makes him a pass on the tape, but with Kostitsyn's lack of heart and determination he gobbles the pass and messes up the play. And anyways, what were Kostitsyn and Gomez doing on the ice with 1 minute and a half left in overtime? Seems like coach Martin didn't want to win the game with his lack of adjusting and making the right decisions on who to put on the ice in important situations.
        As for the shootout, it did go ten rounds, and at some point you have to send guys that are not to comfortable with that situation cause you are running out of options. That being said, the only thing Gomez was good for in the shootout was opening the bench door for Gionta when he came back from his missed chanced in the shootout!
        The french media continues bringing down Wisniewski every time he cause a turnover and comparing him to Bergeron. There is no comparison to be made, one plays on average 24 minutes a game and the other didn't even make it to 12 and was often used as a 12th  forward cause he was such a liability on defence, so please people, and if  I'm not mistaken the Wiz has something like 16 points in 18 games with the habs.
        Last night Coach Martin paired Weber with newcomer from hamilton, Brendon Nash, that shows the trust Martin is starting to have in weber, he is improving every game he plays, and played a solid 19 minutes yesterday. Also Subban showed again why he is gonna be a superstar in this league by playing 29:22 minutes as a rookie against the best opposing lines. No wonder his name is circulating around the league and guys don't like him, it's cause he is shutting them down!
      thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!

the speculation game!

In the past few days rumors have been runnung wid on twitter. Some suggest that a AK46 and Yannick Weber for Kaberle trade is a possibility, even though i dont believe that would happen i would still make that trade if Burke would accept it. I can't say it enough how much i would like to see Kaberle in a Habs' uniform.
     Another rumor has habs' scouts in nashville's next 3 games, I don't see that many players in Nashville that would help the habs considerably. The only ones I might take a look at are Erat, Goc and Shane O'brien, big guys that would add weight to the canadiens. I would like to see an O'Brien type defenceman next to Subban, it would help accelarate his development so much. As for Erat or Goc, I prefer Erat he is around 6 feet 200 pounds and goes in the traffic and can score goals which can help the habs. Even if he doesn't drop the gloves, he can still help the team. Cause anyways they not too many players out there, that can score goals and drop the gloves with any of the tougher guys in the league. And anyways like i wrote on my saturday article no one player will change the fact teams will try to play the intimadation game against the Canadiens.
 A little mention to that bogus rumor that sends Gomez to Pheonix, Forget it people that will never happen, nobody will take that contract the way he plays and the production he provides. Not even worth talking about a Gomez trade.
    Chris Philips is another name being thrown out there, I think he can help the Habs in a playoff run as a rental player, but not if the asking price is to high.
    We must leave Pierre Gauthier do his job, cause he has proven he does it well when it comes to trades, even if some people won't agree with me.
    So considering all the talk out there, this week should be interesting in the speculation world, but we never know what could happen and GM Gauthier always seems to surprise us.
   Tomorrow's article will be about tonight's game and the habs chase for division lead and 3rd place in the conference. Hope you enjoyed!

Canadiens's young guns part 2

On this beautiful St. Valentines day I felt compelled to write a follow up on my article on the Habs's young players.Cause once again on saturday's game against the Leafs it was the young players that showed they can carry this team on any given night, i have to add Plekanec and Gionta to that list thought, cause those two have showed heart and show up every night to play.
    Let's start with one of my favorites, he is David Desharnais and this guy has alot of heart and a great vision of the game, I can comfortably say he has been one of the best players on the team since Jaques Martin benched him at the end of the Habs- devils game, using his own words, he is starting to feel comfortable and having confidence on the ice. He is also forcing the hand of the coach by playing the way he is. On saturday he might of played his best game since his arrival in the nhl, he is also starting to show that he likes making plays out of the "office",(behind the net) his pass to pouliot from behind the net threw traffic in the slot was a great one and not many players would be able to do that. Thanks to Guy Carboneau for reffering David to Gainey 3 years ago as an undrafted player.
     I couldn't write an article on the young guns without mentioning Max Pacioretty. He is the kind of forward the habs have been longing for a while. His character and hard work has been paying off, he goes to the net and is not intimadated by anyone and everytime he is challenged or bullied he answers back with a great play and sometimes with a goal. His confidence is building every game and he will be an important factor in the playoffs.
    Next will be Benoit Pouliot, this 4th overall pick in the draft has shown what alot of scouts had seen in him. Of coarse playing witrh Desharnais helps alot and when Cammy comes back from his shoulder injury i would like to see Coach Martin put him alongside Desharnais and pouliot, and im pretty sure the habs would finally have 2 productive lines producing at the same time. And please don't get me wrong with this cause i love Gionta, but Pouliot has played 120 mins less on the power play and 230 less 5 on 5, gionta has 21 goals and 31 points while pouliot has 12 goals and  23 points.
      Now for P.K Subban, this guy is so good he is getting under the skin of alot of players around the league. Players don't like him cause he's a rookie playing 25 minutes a game and shutting down the best lines on opposing teams. This story with Lupol is such a story of a player whinning cause he couldn't do anything on the ice when Subban was checking him. Both players started taking off their visors when Lupol advanced towards Subban and like my father told me when i was young, it's not good to fight but if you have to, make sure your the first one to hit. What did Lupol expect Subban to do, wait till he punched him first. Everbody knows how good Subban his, and the good things he does on the ice so i don't have to say much more!
      A little deserved mention goes to Yannick Weber, he is impoving every game and is showing he can play in the NHL.
      I also would like to ask coach martin why AK46 played 16:20 mins and pouliot only played 12:30 mins against the leafs?
And now for Colin Cambell after the suspensions given out after the Pens vs Islanders game and the comments he made to justify the suspensions, i would like to know where was he after the assault the bruins made on montreal's players last wednesday, What a joke the NHL is when it comes to discipline on big U.S hockey markets that bring the league alot of ratings and money like boston.
      To finish, the habs look good for the future and have promise in the comming years with players like Leblanc, Tinordi, Gallagher and Mikael Bornival. We should have some interesting hockey in the years to come! Go Habs Go!

Do the canadiens need help? And if yes who?

I 'll start by saying one thing, no 1 player will change the whole team and it's philosophy, now that being said i would like the habs to have a big and heavy top six forward that insore some respect from other teams, like who you ask? Well that is the problem none of those players are available and i dont think the sens would trade Neil to the same division. Who is available and could help the habs in a playoff run would be a player like Jason Arnott he's big, can score goals and works hard every night. People that know me will say that again i bring up this player and that is not going to move from columbus but Jakub Voracek is the perfect type of player i would enjoy seeing in a habs uniform, he is 6 feet 1 205lbs he palyed two seasons in quebec junior and tore up the league and has had two respectable seasons in the NHL  , plus he is 21 years old and i would think Plekanec would be the perfect mentor for him. And also he would be well surronded by guys like hamirlik and spacek, it wouldn't take alot of time for him to feel part of the team. But maybe it's just me and i'm dreaming!
      Now on defence, the two first players that come to mind is Kaberle and Andy Green. Kaberle is the perfect fit in the montreal system he makes a good first pass and is considered a good puck moving defencmen, plus he has some size and is reliable in his territory, he is only a minus 5 in a team that allows alot of goals. I good only dream of the habs 2 powerplay units with Kaberle in the team! Now for Andy Green he has also size and is also a good puck moving defencemen he could play reasonable minutes and has learned from one of the best coaches in NHL history in Jaques Lemaire, plus he wouldn't cost too much money so maybe GM Gauthier would be more inclined in aquiring him.
     Now with all that said I still think the habs can have a reasonable playoff run with the team in place now, as long as they stick to the system and use their speed and capatalize on their powerplay oppurtunities.Of coarse this would have to be with Cammy in the line up.
   And once in the playoffs like they say, anything can happen!

Canadien"s young guns!

For my first blog i would like to write about the habs'  young players: Pacioretty, Eller, Desharnais, Subban and Weber.
These players have been showing alot of promise in the last couple of weeks, the only problem is Coach Martin doesn't like to use young players alot cause he says they are a liability on defence but in the new NHL it's a young man's game and  to look back at the last 5 years  who are the teams to win the stanely cup other than the red wings, the Hawks the canes and the pens all gave the space and ice time needed to let the young players show their talent, all their  point getters were lead by the "new generation" of the nhl even the ducks had a good mix of veterans and young guns in Getzlaf and Perry!
   Here in Montreal the organization and the media are always on the young player's case and are trigger happy on bashing them every time they make a turnover, but it's only normal they will make mistakes once in a while they are still learning aren't they, but at least they make it up with points, heart and character! If Gomez was 21 years old and called Desharnais he would of been in the press box or worse in hamilton!
    So to end my first blog on a good note let's support our young guns and let them flurish! Also keep in mind that I am just a fan like anyone else but have been following hockey and the habs daily since 1990 and think i can express my opinions in a way people will identify with what i"m saying!
  Thanks to all my readers and supporters!