Replacing Markov Cheat Sheet For A Procrastinating GM

Yesterday we had quite a discussion and it became clear that we can all agree on one thing: we're not happy. We can't agree on anything else.

In the collective vent, it came to light that many (myself included) were not very happy with Gainey's performance this season, specifically since the fall of Markov. My sentiment was that he should have done something to replace the best player on the team, who he knew would be out for 50 games. Others thought that was unreasonable for some reason.

Towards the end of the conversation, MathMan laid down what I took to be a challenge when he said:

It's easy to say "think outside the box", but without some inkling as to what that thinking would entail, it's a pretty empty demand. And allow me to doubt very much that Philly would have made a move by now if Pronger went down... for fear of crippling their cap situation even more.

He was talking in response, of course to my plea that Gainey could have done more than sign the available French Canadian UFA on D. To be absolutely fair, I did ask Gainey to think outside the box, claimed that's why he was paid millions and then came up with something like: "Why didn't he keep Dandenault?"

Not very out of the box, I'll admit. So with the challenge down. And despite the fact I have to do it for free, I'll put some effort into the out-of-the-box thinking for Gainey. Maybe he can give me a ten minutes of his wage or something...


Poach a Russian

Specifically, Emelin?

They wouldn't hesitate to do it to us, there's no transfer agreement. What's the problem?

It might finally show the KHL that the NHL means business.

Not, perhaps the best idea from outside the box...


Pay a transfer fee for a European or a Russian

On a more serious note, why not ignore the fact there's no transfer agreement in the strictest sense and come to an agreement team-to-team with a partner in Sweden or Russia. All that money being saved from Andrei Markov is only being mothballed otherwise.

How about $500,000 to Frolunda for Christian Backman? A few rubles for Valentenko?

These transfers happen all the time between Euro leagues and it's normal operating procedure. Just because the NHL is backwards in its thinking doesn't mean the Habs should be.

Bettman would be angry, but would he have recourse? Probably. Maybe shelf this idea?


Chris Chelios

This is no longer an out of the box idea, this is a press-reported strategy. Chelios, even at 47 would probably offer a lot more savvy than #47 ever could. And he'd probably be able to last a game, as he's likely more fit than all 6 of our current group.


He's playing in Chicago now with the AHL Wolves and is doing a pretty decent job of it. Unlike all the options listed to now, he's the only one to have played on a defending Stanley Cuo champion team last year.


Unsigned UFAs

We've tried this route once, and look where it got us right? But imagine this time, we don't take the RDS suggestion and look for a player who actually plays defence.

I mentioned Dandenault, who we know isn't great, but also know is better than the cross-crease pass every other time he touches the puck. Greg DeVries isn't signed, probably because of his 2008-09, but has had some decent efforts in past years, including 2007-08, so might not be terrible. He's also not 5'9", but 6'3" and could probably handle a much diminished role.


Waiver pick up

The day after Markov's tendon was bisected, the Thrashers picked up Christoph Schubert off waivers. Since that time only one defenceman has been exposed (Randy Jones), but he was claimed by the LA Kings.

Randy Jones is nothing special either, but let's face it, at this point we're talking about replacing some pretty unspecial people on the blue line. 6'2", 205 lbs and NHL experience on a better team than ours, that's something. There's no telling if he would have helped, but then we'll never know if we sit here satisfied with the status quo.

People go through waivers all the time. We've had Begin off waivers, Beauchemin was lost off waivers. Most recently we claimed Metroploit off waivers – there are worthwhile players to be had. I'm sure Gainey's on it, though.


Andre Benoit

We haven't mentioned him at all, but Bob Gainey signed Andre Benoit from Sweden in the spring to play for the Bulldogs. He's not an old man, but already has a lot more experience than say Weber or Subban and has played very well for two seasons in Europe in pro leagues there.

He wouldn't be a much better option than Bergeron, but he may be. Bulldogs fans?


A forward on D

Our problem is a forward stuck in a defenceman's contract. Maybe the solution is a defenceman stuck in a forward's body.

You asked for outside the box, you got it. Chipchura has been an off and on pretty good performer this season. Most nights he's been invisible, which is an improvement on a sometimes painful 4th line. At times, he's been quite good on the puck.


But even with all that, let's be honest, he's never really looked like scoring a goal. Perhaps with better linemates he'd have some points by now, but even a generous soul wouldn't be allocating him more than a couple. In short, Chipchura as a forward isn't really working out for us. He's just not a great asset to the team. And this blogger can't see how he holds off Ben Maxwell, if the younger centre shows any improvement at all this season.

So defence?

I say why not? He has some skills that I'd value in a defender – some decent puck control, a decent basic sideways pass and legs that might appreciate waiting around a bit on a shift. I don't know how he skates in reverse or whether he can rap a puck off the glass first before sending it into the stands, but he's in the NHL, so he might be able to put something together there.

Obviously rolling out this move is a practice only experiment for a few weeks. But he really wouldn't have to be that good to stand in as a 7th for us right now. If things clicked, he might overtake MAB in a week or two.

If not him, how about Pacioretty? Goodness knows it wouldn't cost us a single goal for.


A trade?

OK, I'll admit, most of those are bit wacky, and were I not going through an exercise, I'd have scrapped them long ago. The real option is, and probably always was: trade.

The minute Markov went down was the minute I thought Gainey should have been working a trade. A lot of people assume that I intend to replace like with like here, something in the ilk of Brian Campbell, but really I don't. In fact, I think a 3rd defender to help alleviate the pressure on the top 4 would be fine.

I'll get into trouble if I go through too many scenarios, but one I'd explore if I were GM would be the possibility of acquiring Aaron Ward from the Hurricanes. They need a change, we need a defence first defenceman. He's not the answer to the world's problems, but you can ask Boston if they're happy about opting for Derek Morris instead. He's adequate and has been for a long time. He makes mistakes, but also makes sound plays once in a while. In short, he's now a 3/4 Dman.

Beyond Ward there are many candidates if Gainey frees the grip on the "prospects". Having seen a few camps now, I don't see why anyone but Subban and maybe Weber shouldn't be up for discussion. If someone thinks Ben Maxwell is worth a defender, it's a great blessing for us, as the chance of him blossoming into something we'll regret losing is pretty minimal at this point (he once score 28 goals in junior!).

Thinking outside the box on the trade front is really what Gainey needs to be doing at this point. If you want to know what I mean, it's something like this:

– When the Wild lose Sykora and Bouchard, they need scoring

– Fletcher scours the league and homes in on Chuck Kobasew, 2-time 20 goal man for the Bruins in 2 years

– He completes the trade for Kobasew in return for Craig Weller (minor league, non-scorer), the rights to Alex Fallstrom (a 2009 4th round pick) and a 2011 2nd round pick


It's just an example of how you can get something (a new 20 goalscorer) for pretty much nothing if you find the right partner and the right trade. It's been a month, time for Gainey to unearth one of these soon.


Those are the possibilities as I see them. I wonder what you crazy guys can come up with...

Canadiens Season Preview Outgoing Forwards

After a long summer, the season is just about upon us now. And no season could possibly go forward without a season preview, could it?

Being as this was such a special off-season for the Canadiens organization, we have taken a slightly different, dare I say more factual, approach to the preview. By comparing like statistics against like and contextualizing with a sense of league standing, we hope to show how newcomers might fit in and even change the face of the team. I have done a legend and hidden it in the past.

Anyway, enough rambling, on to the preview.

As I said yesterday, we will begin from the top down, so to speak. From forwards to defence to goalies and each from the top of the depth chart to the bottom.


Outgoing forwards

No preview of a team undergoing such a massive refurbishment could possibly be complete without examining the rubble that were cleared away before the new foundation was laid. First up then is a brief look at the forwards from 2008-09 that will not be back to begin this season.


Saku Koivu

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	65	16	34	50	+4	5	5	0.87	2.71	123	13.0	44
07-08 (MTL)	77	16	40	56	-4	8	3	0.69	2.41	150	10.7	93
06-07 (MTL)	81	22	53	75	-21	11	4	0.90	3.07	154	14.3	74

Even-strength profile
	Top tier offensive performance at even strength Below average defence at even strength Bottom 20% in terms of preventing chances at even strength Negative CORSI: -4.5

Legend

There's plenty to lament with the loss of a teammate like Saku Koivu. It's simplistic to see him as just a captain, because he was also the link to a past generation, an icon in the community and the team. After last year's more pleasant end, I mused on handing Koivu a lifetime extension, something which I supported thus:

Players like Koivu are rare and cannot be obtained easily in this league. He is a leader, a consummate professional and an excellent forward to boot. His ability to elevate his play come big games is well documented and completely invaluable to this team.

Well that's Koivu the full package. What of Koivu the first line centre in regular season action?

What the statistics show me, and have just about always shown is that Koivu is first and foremost about generating offense. Though he flirted with the top of the scoring list in Montreal, both regular season and playoffs, he never came near a Selke trophy nomination. He, like many a first line centre, opted to create offense at the expense of leaving the door open at the back sometimes. As his even strength profile shows, he was a top tier producer at the attacking end, but allowed a raft of chances against. His best statistical season (of 75 points) drives home this lesson with the glaring -21.

Finally, it is this fact that will make Koivu the centre an easier piece to replace. Although Gomez or Plekanec may struggle to put out 3.00 goals for every 60 minutes his line is on the ice, the balance of their output may yet exceed Koivu's by tipping the defensive chances into the green.

Koivu will be missed. Of that I am certain. But until the playoffs kick off, his loss will be easier to cover than after.


Alexei Kovalev

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	78	26	39	65	-5	11	4	1.03	2.57	209	12.4	74
07-08 (MTL)	82	35	49	84	+18	17	5	1.31	3.14	230	15.2	70
06-07 (MTL)	73	18	29	47	-19	8	5	0.81	2.12	197	9.1	78

Even-strength profile
	Average offensive output at even strength Strong defence at even strength (among team leaders) Bottom 20% in terms of preventing chances at even strength Negative CORSI: -5.7

Legend

Kovalev was a master of puck control throughout his time in Montreal. His final masterstroke, however, was a PR deke that made him the man who will be most missed by Canadiens fans across Montreal. While Komisarek continues to be vilified for accepting a few hundred thousand more (several hundred thousand after tax), Kovalev makes the same move and comes out as the man hard done by. It really does speak to the skills he possesses to make something spectacular when given very little.

Making something spectacular out of little is the thing we will surely miss most about Alexei. When you talk about game-breaking skill or dam-busting moves, his were something we have come to count on in Montreal for years now. No longer can we necessarily be assured that the PP will take the zone as the defenders back off, no longer can we assume a man on the left will be left free as Kovy takes double coverage. His highest points will be missed.

But what about the average Alexei Kovalev?

Statistics tell us that the average Kovalev is actually not that gamebreaker, but that he's actually a bit of a dampener. Although his 26 team goals were team high, while he was on the ice, the Canadiens were actually less inclined to score than they were with many other options. Equally (and to Alex's credit), though, his dampening effect extended to defensive play – with among the best GA/60 on the team.

At its best, his patient puck control leads to years like 2007-08 where goals for him and linemates flow and wins naturally follow. At its worst, he is a very good player to have on the ice, though perhaps one getting too much ice time when chasing a lead.

Kovalev, like Koivu will not be easily replaced. But, by virtue of the fact that his game is not without cracks, it does leave room for alternative solutions. If I've read Gainey correctly this off-season, it seems like he hopes his team will be taking a lot more shots this season, and that is something that excluding Kovalev should help to accomplish, simply by vrtue of style.


Alex Tanguay

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	50	16	25	41	+13	5	3	1.19	3.06	76	21.1	34
07-08 (CGY)	78	18	40	58	+11	3	3	0.74	2.38	121	14.9	48
06-07 (CGY)	81	22	59	81	+12	5	0	0.92	3.39	107	20.6	44

Even-strength profile
	Outstanding (and team-leading) offensive performance at even strength Strong defence at even strength (among team leaders) Among league worst in terms of preventing chances at even strength Negative CORSI: -8.5

Legend

In the summer, I suggested that Tanguay's not signing was a puzzle. The more I look into this player, the more confident I am in saying that puzzle is a word that infuses his entire career.

There is no doubt that Alex Tanguay has top-line talent, and that he can fit right into that position on any team today. But why then have two teams in two seasons replaced him with Mike Cammalleri?

The answer is difficult to uncover. If you look at results, Tanguay is a stud. Last year, for example, his 3.32 GF/60 and 2.28 GA/60 when on the ice at even strength was head and shoulders above what anyone else came close to on the Habs. However, looking at chances (and if you extrapolate that to mean what should be happening nine times out of ten), Tanguay is a mess. His line barely generates an average output of shots, many of which don't reach the net, and he is among the very worst in the whole league while allowing 60 chances against per 60 minutes.

If we hadn't watched the player, we could only conclude that he got lucky – that his average shot generation led to more goals than it should and that goalies bailed him out of embarrassing defensive undressings. While I'd be comfortable saying his offensive contribution is not driven by luck, but rather an uncanny timing and skill. I can't remember anything he did on defence that made me think he would merit such high save percentages – I suspect he benefited greatly from missing the two-month goaltending meltdown in this regard.

All told, we are losing a great offensive contributor in Tanguay. But once again, the less than perfect all around package means he's not completely irreplaceable. We're about to find out whether his offensive skills, and those of the first line will be replaced or not.


Christopher Higgins

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	57	12	11	23	-1	2	1	0.74	1.42	151	7.9	22
07-08 (MTL)	82	27	25	52	E	12	5	1.10	2.12	241	11.2	22
06-07 (MTL)	61	22	16	38	-11	8	3	1.21	2.09	159	13.8	26

Even-strength profile
	Above average offensive output at even strength Average defence at even strength Bottom 20% in terms of preventing chances at even strength Negative CORSI: -4.7

Legend

It's hard to nail down Chris Higgins the player with just one stat. The NHL doesn't keep track of good foot positioning when going into the boards, nor good positioning after the break up of play. Equally, the league doesn't track unmissable opportunities misfired or absolute sitters banged wide.

What the stats from last year do show for Chris is that he was no special member of last year's team. His offensive production was above average with a decent defence, but he came out on the wrong side of chances taken and given (aka CORSI score), just like many of his teammates.

I think it's fair to say that the player we once called an untouchable and a bargain is not the player we traded back in June. And, while he was a great skater, a hard worker and a great penalty killer – the simple fact that his stats show how he let as many chances as anyone in the bottom 5th of the league get to Carey Price on his shifts, shows that his loss as a defensive forward is not one to be sulking over. I expect him to continue his career as a good 2nd line sub/third liner in his new home. I'm comfortable in attempting to upgrade on him.


Robert Lang

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	50	18	21	39	+6	8	3	1.28	2.77	101	17.8	36
07-08 (CHI)	76	21	33	54	+9	7	3	0.90	2.31	172	12.2	50
06-07 (DET)	81	19	33	52	+12	6	4	0.84	2.29	166	11.4	66

Even-strength profile
	Top tier offensive performance at even strength Below average defence at even strength Bottom 20% in terms of preventing chances at even strength Negative CORSI: -2.5

Legend

Like Koivu, Robert Lang is a red-blue type profile. That's to say, all the offense he provides comes while the back door is being left open. A positive balance in goals produced and another negative CORSI balance for Lang.

Replacing Lang at his 2008-09 best would be a difficult task indeed. However, take a look at his historical stats – last year was a bit of a departure for him. 1.28 G/60 and 2.77 Pts/60 were pretty massive jumps. His 17.8% shooting was not sustainable (as history showed).

Therefore, think not of replacing that Lang, but rather the Lang that may have been around this year. A 39-year-old with plenty of sense cunning to offer, but a player whose decline is probably set to continue this year and into the next. Even at his Chicago best, we may not have been too happy about him taking space that could be occupied by a learner like Chichura or Pacioretty, and hurting Plekanec's PP minutes.

Of all the free agents, Lang's release was the least surprising to me. I'm happy we got a good year from him, and I wish him the best in his recovery from injury. But as a unit moving forward, our assets are now better directed elsewhere.


Tom Kostopoulos

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	78	8	14	22	-1	0	0	0.43	1.20	121	6.6	106
07-08 (MTL)	67	7	6	13	-3	0	1	0.56	1.03	98	7.1	113
06-07 (LA)	76	7	15	22	-2	0	0	0.48	1.50	90	7.8	73

Even-strength profile
	Average offensive performance at even strength Average defence at even strength On the ice for a high number of chances at both ends Negative CORSI: -3.6

Legend

If you're like me, you look at Kostopoulos's ES profile here and think how did I get duped? We thought you were good Tom. I believe the fact we saw Tom Kostopoulos as such a bright light speaks not to how good he was, but rather how consistent his play was as those around him fell apart.

To be frank, a team like the Canadiens aspiring to better things is best not resting their laurels on players like Tom. Though he is a good guy and a hard worker, ultimately he is a tough guy that no one is afraid of, a shooter with below average success (7%), and a defensive forward with minus numbers.

If I believed, as Brian Burke does that 6 places on the roster should be reserved for players who can't play hockey going forward, then maybe I'd settle with Tom. But as it is, I don't. I think the fourth line can be a good staging ground for a youngster with the right coaching, and the third line can be as dynamic as you make it. As such, Tom needed to be let go at this time, if only to make some space after so many signings risked clogging the pipeline at the exit from Hamilton.


Mathieu Dandenault

NHL Season	GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PPG	GWG	G/60	Pts/60	Sh	S%	PIM
08-09 (MTL)	41	4	8	12	+7	0	0	0.50	1.49	46	8.7	17
07-08 (MTL)	61	9	5	14	-11	0	0	0.79	1.24	69	13.0	34
06-07 (MTL)	68	2	6	8	-8	0	0	0.11	0.44	54	3.7	40

Even-strength profile
	Above average offense and defence at even strength Good chance creation, balanced with low chances against (among team best) Neutral CORSI: +0.8

Legend

Dandenault is another shocker. And after looking through all these pie charts, you'd be forgiven for thinking we've let a great one go.

The reality is, in many he will be missed. His versatility, for one thing, is something you can't teach. His French is something RDS will be longing for after two weeks of exclusive Max and Gui time. And his defensive play up front isn't replaced by anyone coming in, with a positive CORSI to boot. However, there are a few reasons he had to go as well. Not least among them is his habit of complaining at his ice time.



Turning the page

Statistically speaking, the players Gainey let go here were a solid bunch. Their offensive capabilities in particular will be hard to find from other sources. But by this point in time, I think we have all gathered that what Bob did on July 1 was two-fold:

1) To hollow out the core of a team he thought was rotting from within, and
2) Do his best to replace the skills he lost in the purge

I think his purge was pretty determined and unforgiving. In other circumstances, I'm sure Koivu could have been signed, Tanguay could have been given another chance, Higgins could have been taken more under the wing. But in Gainey's plan, this one time, the clear out had to be as deep as this or risk losing all assets across the organization.

Judging the decisions will be complex, since Koivu won't decline, Tanguay may thrive and Kovalev will probably be inspired by the damage to his pride. But try to remember May 2008 against Philadelphia and April 2009 against Boston when making your full assessment. Try to remember that all was not right – and that even if the diagnosis was not done with care, the intervention was warranted.

I go on next with a much more positive spin to preview the players we do have. First up will be the first line of forwards – that's tomorrow...


Statistics adapted from nhl.com, behindthenet.ca, Olivier

An Ode To Heroes

On the very eve of free agency, some thoughts go to the players who may be leaving and whose skills we will have to replace in order to progress:


Saku Koivu
Lasting memory (Game 6 return vs. Bruins 2008):

"It was a triumphant return for the skipper tonight and all that was really missing was the most important piece of the puzzle - the win. He had 2 assists, was 71% in the face-off circle and was just one of 3 forwards to end with a positive +/-"

Alexei Kovalev
Lasting memory (Show of pride in Game 60 2009 vs. Ottawa):

"Alex's truly magnificent return to the line-up was highlighted by his first 3 point game in over a year. Unlike RDS (who's evidence are stats alone), I wouldn't immediately claim that this was his best game in a year, but I think it was a very strong performance. Aside from the strong offensive play, which also included a few other very dangerous chances, there was also some very strong defensive play. He was our best penalty-killer and played a very responsible 2-way game."

Alex Tanguay
Lasting memory (Game 73, the reunion):

"What a game for Alex! He scored 2 goals and assisted on 3 others for a whopping 5 points. He looked very comfortable playing with Kovalev and Koivu as the 3 players seemed to click right from the start of the game. Tonight's Tanguay was the one we saw in October and, although we have seen glimpses recently, it is great to have him back. What I liked the most about his play was the puck movement and the vision. At heart I believe he is a play-maker who sees the ice like few others, but he obviously has great hands and can score too."

Mike Komisarek

Robert Lang

Francis Bouillon

Mathieu Dandenault

Patrice Brisebois
May the nightmare end. For all of us.

Tom Kostopoulos

No doubt we'll see some of you again. To those that must go, fare well.

No Emelin: The Implications For A Weak D

Dreams of not seeing O'Byrne toss a few into Carey and Jaro's net?

Dream no more. It seems that the Canadiens have spent one of their more realistic chances at getting a professionally experienced replacement for the fumbling giant.

Emelin calls the Canadiens on their low ball
Marc De Foy of Rue Frontenac cites Don Meehan, who says his client was simply offered better remuneration and guarantees in the KHL. Read: the Canadiens low-balled Emelin with an AHL/NHL contract and he called them on it.

The immediate response is, oh no, too bad. My next response was to ask why?

Not why Emelin rejected the Canadiens low ball offer – that seems clear enough to anyone who can't count in dollars and rubles. Rather why the Canadiens didn't make a better offer. After all, this team was dismal on defence and need all the help they can get from guys not named in their 2008-09 media guide. The Canadiens also have a track record at coming up ludicrously short at free agent time.

The possible answers vary from:

1) The Habs management don't think Emelin is that good

to

2) The Habs management have a better option in place (i.e., Beauchemin or Oduya)

to the downright scary

3) They never expected him to turn them down


We probably won't know the definitive answer to this question for at least another month, but if a year in which Pavel Valentenko was allowed to fly and where Alex Henry played, a trade was made for Doug Janik and Brisebois played more than 50 games, then you might be forgiven for leaning towards option 3.

In principle, I agree with the policy of paying for value, and to avoid overpaying for unknowns. However, experience has shown me that the Canadiens are willing to pay for unreliable defence in the form of Dandenault, Patrice and even O'Byrne. I find myself asking why our managers couldn't take a chance on a young Russian known to be quite adept at defending with a rugged and tenacious reputation; why they couldn't commit to giving him a 1-year chance as one of their 5th/6th/7th defencemen.

Emelin would have been a rookie, but a mature one. Instead of promoting Subban who has played against juniors or Weber who has honed his skills against Jason Krog and the Manitoba Moose, Gainey could have employed an option who had faced Jagr, Radulov, Morozov and other grown men for seasons now. The signing would have been on a par with signing another team's 5th defenceman. The risk being that Emelin might not adapt. The benefit that he might in fact step into a bigger role.

This must surely be the end of this prospect.


Implications

The implications for the Canadiens defence do go beyond Emelin. The team currently has 4 defencemen with NHL experience under contract. One more (Weber) who could be tried. That leaves 2 spaces to be filled, and likely 3 for cover of injury.

My guess is that Gainey and co. will be signing some marginal defencemen to cover the work. After a good look around, it's more than likely that the managers will opt for familiarity and we'll be seeing Defence 2009 Edition once more.

The implications are wider than that, though. As others have suggested, this will likely leave a sour taste in the mouth of the contract makers. In other words, we shouldn't be expecting to see many Russian names come up during the draft in Montreal for our Habs. This might not be such a big problem, were it not for the fact that Russia have been perennially hanging around medal podiums in junior, youth and senior international tournaments; or that the very best players in the league at this point in time are coming from Russia – look no further than game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals.

What's more, as if the Canadiens need another geographic restriction to rule their draft day decisions – they already practice massive bias for an area that produces less hockey players than the attention suggests – Minnesota...


I have a feeling Gainey will have to shape up with his pitches, and indeed his offers, and quick if we are expecting a 100th season of play to exceed our 100th season in operation as a business.

Game #1-4Defence and Scoring, Not Toughness, Sends Boston Through

The Canadiens Game in Review

Date: Wednesday April 22nd, 2009
Opponent: Boston Bruins
Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC

Team Stripes

Final Score: 1-4 - Loss

Habs starting goalie: Carey Price (L)
Opposition starting goalie: Tim Thomas (W)

Habs goalscorers: Andrei Kostitsyn
Opposition goalscorers: Michael Ryder (2), David Krejci, Phil Kessel

Play of the game
The play you're straining to see on the press catwalk monitor...

Our lone goal had 21,273 people believing that a comeback may just be possible. The Habs started the game extremely well and managed to score that goal 40 seconds in. Nice passing by Kovalev and Koivu led to Kostitsyn having the puck on his stick just outside of the high-slot. A quick, well-placed, shot found its way through and gave the Habs the lead they so desperately needed.

Game puck
Trophies are for the end of the year, play well in the game, you get a lovely puck...

Christopher Higgins
Higgins completed what was quite a solid playoffs tonight with another convincing performance. He has gone from a player that I was ready to let go, about a month ago, to a piece that I think is crucial to our success. We will need 6 better forwards than him, that is for sure, but as a penalty-killer and third-liner he has done well. I liked how he fought for pucks in the offensive zone tonight and how he never gave up. He has played some of his best hockey of late, when it counted the most.



Dome hockey team
We're going into the last minute with these 6 (and they're attached to the ice, so they're not coming off)...

Forwards

Alexei Kovalev
Kovy chipped in an assist tonight as he was once again in on our main chances. His line played well, but went up against the dominant Chara on too many occasions. He was our best player on the PP, but we were missing the point-men to really get anything going. I think that the way he played in this series was another great indication of his true value and I hope that this wasn't his last game in le bleu, blanc et rouge.

Christopher Higgins
Chris had a look of frustration on his face all night and one would have to think he was showing a year's worth in this one. His season started with injury and only went downhill from there. He worked his way off a top-2 line by mid-season and only towards the end did he turn it around. This season Christopher may have cost himself future millions, but I think that he still belongs here. That look also showed that he cared, that he was upset about the way this all ended.

Andrei Kostitsyn
I am glad that Andrei scored tonight and only wish that he would have had another couple in him. He also played a strong game without the puck as he was quite physical along the boards. His main talent, however, is clearly his shot and it will be the new coach's challenge to find a way to get that shot off more during a game. Tonight he showed that playing alongside Kovalev is no problem as they were both two of our strongest players.

Defencemen

Mathieu Dandenault
Mat has probably (hopefully) played his last game as a Hab and tonight it was a decent one. It is unfortunate when he outplays players like Hamrlik and Komisarek, but tonight that was the case. Tonight he played for 25 minutes, blocked 4-shots, was even and joined in the attack quite nicely as he contributed 2 shots.

Josh Gorges
Josh was one of only 2 of our defencemen (Weber) not to be on the ice for a goal-against tonight which is considerable because he led the team with 26 minutes of ice. His highlight was a hip-check on Lucic during the first period, when the game was still within reach - the crowd went wild. I don't think that Josh can really be a top-3 defenceman in this league, but tonight he played with enough heart that he made up for it. I hope that he'll be back, but he needs at least 3-4 guys to step up ahead of him as 26 minutes is too much for this guy.

Goaltender

Jaroslav Halak
Carey didn't exactly cost us this game all on his own, but he didn't help the cause by any stretch of the imagination. Letting in 4 goals on 30 shots won't win you many games and isn't really what we needed to claw back into this one. There were a few key saves early on, but he never looked sure of himself all game. Aside from the goal there were posts and other near misses (on which he was beat) and my personal favorite, his arm-wave to the crowd after an easy save. It reminded me of Roy's last game as a Hab, maybe this will be the end for this 'All-Star' too.



Eye-Openers
In this new section we are going to try and shed some light on certain plays or events that would otherwise go unnoticed

The Habs were, once again, obsessed with physical play tonight. It was as if their pre-series strategy was based on TSN and CBC's false analysis which suggested that we weren't tough enough to face the Bruins. The ironic part of all of it is that while we were running around hitting them, they were the ones using their speed and scoring against us. Once those were considered our qualities, but I am no longer a believer of the myth that we art a fast team. If we were fast I would have liked to have seen Phil Kessel-like speed in at least one of the games, but I never did. Instead I saw Komisarek thinking that he was tougher than actual tough guys and I saw players who don't know how to hit getting hurt or penalized for their careless play. In the end we tried to play a new style, we tried to change our game, while the Bruins took a page from our 2008 books and beat us with goals and speed.

Overall Comments

I really liked how the game started and felt that after the first 17 minutes the Bruins were lucky to only be down by 1. We were all over Boston and I was thinking that a win tonight, coupled with some players coming back for Saturday's game could make this a real series. The Bruins, however, had other plans as they scored 2 late goals in the first to go up for good. First it was Hamrlik's turn to make the cough-up of the year to Ryder and then it was Komisarek (going to centre-ice to lay an unnecessary hit - at least he can use that to make more money when he is contract searching this summer - luckily for him no one watches hockey and they all actually think that he is good) and Higgins (getting badly beat on the half-boards) that made the mistakes on goal #2. We had a chance in the second to tie it up on the PP, but instead it was Boston who got the best chance after killing it off. The play was off-side, but that didn't stop Kessel from firing past a motionless Price. At that point the game was over and unfortunately the Habs played like it until the final horn.

I felt that some players played well tonight and some had great seasons. I am disappointed with the way that it ended, but not too surprised. Here is a team that is playing one of the worst goalies in the league on a nightly basis (the frustrating part is that we had a viable option), that has injuries to 4 of of it's top 10 players, that was up against the top team in the East (who were playing not only their best goalie, but one of the league's best and who had no major injuries) and that posted a pathetic 14 wins in the final 42 games of the year. It is of course upsetting tonight, but we all knew that this was coming, we knew it about 3 months ago. I want to thank you all, however, for what has been a fun season for me of talking and writing about hockey. I will never give up on this team and tomorrow marks the first day in a long countdown until training camp.

Game #81Habs In Playoffs; Lucky That Losing Gets Rewarded

The Canadiens Game in Review

Date: Thursday April 9th, 2009
Opponent: Boston Bruins
Venue: TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, MA

Team StripesScore: 4 - 5 Loss (OT)

Habs starting goalie: Carey Price (L)
Opposition starting goalie: Tim Thomas (W)

Habs goalscorers: Alexei Kovalev, Matt D'Agostini (2), Mathieu Schneider
Opposition goalscorers: Patrice Bergeron, Phil Kessel, Mark Recchi (2), Zdeno Chara

Play of the game
The play you're straining to see on the press catwalk monitor...

Christopher Higgins was one of the only players playing to win this game once it was 4-4. He, like every fan in the world, must have realized that playing 'defensively' with 14 minutes left is the best way to get scored on. He had a great effort on a partial break, but the play of the game came a few minutes later. The play started when Weber dumped the puck into Boston's end without crossing centre (a horrible tendency of ours tonight). Icing looked a certainty yet again for a line that was getting tired (hence the dump in). Higgins, however, would have none of it and put on the jets to beat out the call. Because of that the Habs had the puck and Metropolit was able to pin it in the corner. This resulted in a Boston penalty which enabled us to avoid 1 1/2 more minutes of them coming at us with everything they had. That single play, in my mind, was a big reason why we are going to the dance.

Game puck
Trophies are for the end of the year, play well in the game, you get a lovely puck...

Matt D'Agostini
Wow, two games and two game pucks for the forgotten kid on the Habs. Matt scored 2 goals tonight, both of which showed us how much talent he has on offence. The first goal was a give-and-go with Kostitsyn which fooled Boston very well and his second was a demonstration of incredible speed as he flew up the left wing to beat his man and then placed a perfect wrist-shot.


Dome hockey team
We're going into the last minute with these 6 (and they're attached to the ice, so they're not coming off)...

Forwards

Christopher Higgins
Chris played a very strong game as he continues to thrive on the 4th line. I hope that Gainey realizes that this is the only role in which he has had success this season and therefore leaves him there for good. He may not have picked up any points, but he did play with tons of energy and passion.

Matt D'Agostini
For two games in a row now we have had a decent second line. I still think that we could get more out of Plekanec, but I at least feel that Matt's arrival has awoken Andrei. He only had 11 minutes of ice time tonight which is probably unfair considering the way he played. Does Gainey want guys on the ice that have experience like Dandenault (horrible game tonight) or does he want guys who are playing well at present? Unfortunately we all know the answer.

Alexei Kovalev
Alexei got the ball rolling when he scored a PP goal early in the second. It was another top-corner wrist-shot that was so perfectly placed. He was used for over 21 minutes tonight and played well in both ends. He looked much more comfortable on the PP as he now had 2 viable pass options on the blue-line.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
That is more like it Bob. Roman led the team in minutes with 27 which is what we need. Gorges and Komisarek had considerable trouble tonight so I glad Hammer was on. He was on the ice for a few goals against and, by no means played perfectly in his own end, but he was about the most solid. The thing that stood out to me, vs. our other D-men, was the control he had once he got the puck. He looked the least nervous out there and I think that really helped.

Mathieu Schneider
I am sure that you all know how happy I am that I can write Mat's name in here tonight. I never fully believed RDS's story, but I did admit it was the most likely scenario. I was hoping that, in this case, their pathetic journalistic values would prevail and that they would be wrong, yet again. For his part Schneids looked fantastic as he played a very calm game. He happened to be on the ice for all of our goals and only one of theirs (can't blame him on it though - was too easy to stop for Carey). He scored on our once-again clicking PP which netted three altogether tonight.

Goaltender

Jarsolav Halak
This game was a must win, we had to get into the playoffs tonight. This was by far our biggest game of the year and that meant the players had to treat it like that. As a unit our offence was productive as they scored 4 goals and took 39 shots, on the road, against the best team in the East. The defence certainly had their troubles, but managed to at least keep the shots below 35 for a change. Carey played so, so, but not well enough to beat the top-placed team in their barn. 5 goals on 33 shots just isn't the type of hockey that will win you a series. We will likely be playing a higher-ranked team than us in every round of the playoffs and that means we need some games to be stolen. Tonight was the same as we needed a steal. At the end of a tight game (tonight, next week or throughout the playoffs) I would put in our goalie who stops a higher percentage of the shots taken against him. Price had his chance, but has yet to prove that he is better than Halak. I will admit that he made some nice saves tonight, but come on, what goalie doesn't?



Eye-Openers
In this new section we are going to try and shed some light on certain plays or events that would otherwise go unnoticed

I was watching the game with a Habs fan of 30 years years tonight who made a very simple observation: how come I can't see the players in Boston's end when they have the puck or in our end when they come in, where are they? Maybe the fact we only see 1/4 of the ice on the TV had something to do with it, but I knew what he meant. For a good portion of this game we applied no pressure on the fore-check as we let Boston waltz out of their zone. This meant that they had better control of the puck and more speed as they skated through the neutral zone. Then in our end we just back up in front of them to see what they were going to do. We became so obsessed with getting caught on a pinch that we rarely attacked the puck-carriers. For some reason we thought that the way to hold a lead, or a draw, was to never get caught. Well, good teams, get caught, but then they get back and most of all they support each other. We should be able to afford two fore-checkers as we have the speed to get back. We should be able to stand someone up as he enters the zone as there should be someone covering if we get beat. It was probably more to do with nerves than anything tonight, but I'll tell you one thing, nervous teams don't win the cup.

Overall Comments

Going into this game we knew we couldn't rely on other teams, but I got the feeling that we assumed that somehow things would work out. Needing at least a point to clinch one would think that a good goal would be to win this game, to play with desperation and to treat it like a playoff game. That, however, wasn't the case as we played a very cautious first period. We certainly had our chances, but at the same time had no interest in letting Boston score. They did of course score and that changed things. Soon after they potted one Kovalev tied it up on what was the first goal of a wild period. That second period, despite being scored on twice within 4 minutes of Kovy's goal, went the Habs' way. We dominated play for the last 15 minutes of the 2nd as we scored 2 PP goals and another all within 10 minutes. Once the third period started we were the cautious bunch again. 20 minutes looked like too long to hold-on to a one-goal lead the way we were playing and, of course, it was. Boston scored and then we had 14 minutes to go without conceding again. For the first part of those 14 minutes we just let them come at us, but then, with about 7 minutes to go we started going for their goal. It was Higgins that really shifted the momentum with his breakaway and thankfully the last little bit of the game then went a bit faster. With playoffs now a certainty we played a little more carelessly in OT which of course led to the loss. The bottom line, however, is that we finished the round-robin in the top-8, now we can focus on some real hockey.

Game #802 Games in 2 Nights; Apparently Too Much To Ask

The Canadiens Game in Review

Date: Tuesday April 7th, 2009
Opponent: New York Rangers
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Team StripesScore: 1 - 3 Loss

Habs starting goalie: Carey Price (L)
Opposition starting goalie: Henrik Lundqvist (W)

Habs goalscorers: Mathieu Dandenault
Opposition goalscorers: Chris Drury (2), Nikolai Antropov

Play of the game
The play you're straining to see on the press catwalk monitor...

I don't know if this was the best play tonight, but it was probably my favorite. I actually wish there was an offensive play that stood out, but alas I choose this play in what wasn't a huge game for the Habs. Completely out of position Price had to scramble as a Ranger player attempted a wrap-around. He got over to the right side with his stick and made what was quite an incredible save. The save alone, however, wasn't it as right after Avery was drilled into the net as he crashed for a rebound. Seeing that guy get hit like that makes about every hockey fan other than Avery's parents pretty happy.

Game puck
Trophies are for the end of the year, play well in the game, you get a lovely puck...

Matt D'Agostini
This was hard to choose, but not because there were a few good choices, mostly because there were none. Of the players though Matt stood out for me as he brought a certain new energy to our team. With the defence we are icing we are going to need a lot of goals and so I was glad to see goal-scorers like D'Ags and Andrei K back in and can only hope Sergei and Lang will be back soon too.


Dome hockey team
We're going into the last minute with these 6 (and they're attached to the ice, so they're not coming off)...

Forwards

Mathieu Dandenault
Mat played a decent game as he more often than not does. He was the only Hab to score tonight and, even though the goal wasn't too pretty, he was right to take that type of shot. A desperate team (like a team trying desperately to make the playoffs in a centennial year) must play with desperation. I didn't see enough of that tonight, but Dandy's goal was a good example of what we need.

Matt D'Agostini
Plekanec's line had the most jump tonight of any line even if they were on the ice for a couple of goals against. I for one will venture to look beyond the stats and claim that horrible plays by our goalie and D were hardly this line's fault. Of the three players Matt was the best and came the closest to scoring. He hit the post in the third and also put a game-high 6 other shots on net.

Alexei Kovalev
Kovy didn't play a bad game tonight, but he was neutralized a bit too easily for my liking. When he had the puck he did fine, but in the end he wasn't getting enough of the it. Without Markov we don't have that player who can find Alex at all times on the ice; instead we have guys who's passes go to the other team. Kovy needs help out there, tonight he looked alone.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik
I'm not sure that I like Roman's penalty tonight, but given the fact that about 10 worse plays went uncalled I will not complain. He was the most complete of our D-men and one of the only ones to play responsibly in his own end for the entire game. There is no way that Gorges should be seeing more ice than Roman as we need him to play close to 30 minutes if we are to have any chance at all.

Ryan O'Byrne
This just happens to be a classic case of: best of the rest. Ryan obviously didn't play too badly tonight as I didn't notice any major mistakes - on a night like tonight that means that he played well. He avoided stupid penalties and played close to 17 minutes of 'no-goals-against' defence.

Goaltender

Jarsolav Halak
Carey may have only let up 3 goals tonight, but let's face it he was lucky. That total could have easily been higher with a little more Ranger luck. A post, a shot that landed on the top of the net and another one that got through, but trickled wide are all examples of his poor play tonight. He didn't play to the level that we need right now, it wasn't playoff (on an injury-ridden team) type hockey. Over the past two months Halak has been our man - it should have continued tonight.



Eye-Openers
In this new section we are going to try and shed some light on certain plays or events that would otherwise go unnoticed

Tonight, thanks to the lack of 3 of our top 6 defenders, we had a lot of trouble moving the puck up the ice. We didn't have the guys at the back that can either carry the puck themselves or, better yet, hit our forwards in full stride. Instead our most successful zone-gains came when our forwards took matters into their own hands. This meant that these players often had to go back to retrieve pucks which in turn allowed for New York to be better prepared. Gone was anything up the middle as our new, slow approach happens along the boards and with dump-ins. I am not sure what impact this aspect of play will have on us long-term (I am hoping long-term is more than 2 games), but tonight it killed our attack. For the first time all year I am doubting whether we actually have the players in place to get the job done. Where are you Francis? That would at least be a good start.

Overall Comments

Our first period was alright, but it wasn't that good. I never got the feeling like we were trying to win the game, instead it looked like we were trying for that single point. Why on earth the Habs don't start the game as though they are a goal down with a minute to play or with the goal of beating a team by 5 goals, I'll never know. Like a high school student 6 hours from deadline we are trying to do the minimum amount of work possible. New York played into our trap in the first period, but soon realized that this game could be theirs with little to no effort. The Habs looked tired, out of ideas and worried as this game just kind of went by with little emotion. A win of course could have clinched a playoff berth, but we are now getting very close to the 'depending-on-others' stage of playoff qualification. I remember how 2 years ago we didn't take matters into our own hands in the last week and we watched as a Islander team - playing with tons of spirit - came out of nowhere to stun us and the Leafs. We have 2 more games, as do FLA and NYR, but, for heaven's sake, let's do the smart thing and win a game ourselves. 1 point and we are in, but boys, trust me, play for the win.

Game #75Habs Put Up the Good Fight; Fall Short

The Canadiens Game in Review

Date: Saturday March 28th, 2009
Opponent: Buffalo Sabres
Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC

Team Stripes

Final Score: 3-4 - Win (SO)

Habs starting goalie: Carey Price (L)
Opposition starting goalie: Ryan Miller (W)

Habs goalscorers: Christopher Higgins, Alexei Kovalev (2),
Opposition goalscorers: Adam Mair, Tim Connolly, Clarke MacArthur, (Toni Lydman - SO)

Play of the game
The play you're straining to see on the press catwalk monitor...

Higgins scored his 10th of the year tonight on an incredible shot. The timing for an even-strength goal couldn't have been better with the Habs trailing 0-2. The play started with Gorges hitting Dandenault with a pass as he entered Buffalo's zone. Mathieu then looked left and saw his two linemates to his left, perfectly lined up. He fired a crisp pass to the left which could have gone to either player. Metropolit made an excellent play (which froze defence and goalie alike) when he let the puck go right by him to Higgins. I really liked what Glen did on this play as it showed some great vision.

Game puck
Trophies are for the end of the year, play well in the game, you get a lovely puck...

Christopher Higgins
Chris scored a goal, but even until that point he had been our best player. He seems to have found a niche on the fourth line and is thriving on it. He looked very comfortable in his role tonight and almost seems relieved that he is no longer being depended on for goals. The areas that really stood out for me tonight were his fore-checking, his energy and his ability to win pucks with his great positioning.



Dome hockey team
We're going into the last minute with these 6 (and they're attached to the ice, so they're not coming off)...

Forwards

Alexei Kovalev
Kovalev scored 2 goals tonight as his line was once again a major threat. His first goal was kind of lucky as Saku did all the work before the puck apparently hit his stick. The second goal, however, was pure class. Standing at the side of the net Alex stopped a shot with his skate and was then able to get the puck into the net all before Miller had time to get down.

Saku Koivu
It originally looked like Saku had scored his 16th, instead he was credited with an assist. What that change doesn't take away from the captain is that he made an incredible play to get that puck at the net. He has been very good with the puck down low lately as we are seeing just how strong of a passer and puck-controller he can be. I was very impressed with not only his face-off percentage tonight (18-9, 67%), but also by the timing of his wins as he seemed to win all of his crucial draws.

Christopher Higgins
It is funny that a demotion to the 4th line has brought Chris more ice time, more responsibility and thankfully more points. He is doing so well as a penalty-killer lately, but also is seeing some occasional PP time. I have to agree with RDS when they speak about the benefit of players knowing their role. Chris now knows that he is a defensive guy who is put on to shut-down the opposition and hopefully deliver a consistent level of energy. In Higgins' case it is so far, so good, since Gainey took over.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
I thought that Gorges and Schneider were our best pairing tonight in their own end. They were the ones that were committing the least amount of errors, and were also the ones moving the puck the best. Of the two I preferred Josh's game tonight though. He played close to 20 minutes and was hardly noticeable, to boot he picked up an assist to give him an unexpected 20 points on the year.

Roman Hamrlik
Let's get one thing straight, the Hamrlik-Brisebois pairing was weak tonight, Hamrlik was not. Patrice played one of his worst games of the year and it was poor old Roman who was often left out in the cold. Hammer, for his part, played alright on his own. When called upon to move the puck or to clean up a mess in his own end he was there. He took a penalty which led to a goal, but I don't think it was that bad of a penalty. Not knowing that Patrice was there to support him it was penalty or a Sabre in alone on Price in his head - he made the right choice.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey played alright tonight in his net. The thing that stood out for me, however, was how bad his puck-handling was. The good news is that he handles the puck more often when he is playing with confidence, the bad news is that he is pretty bad at it. The defence really let him down tonight with some pretty poor play so I won't blame him much at all for the goals. I was also happy with his shootout performance which was far better than last week against New York. It is just too bad that he couldn't have let in more tonight and none on the night where our forwards actually scored.



Eye-Openers
In this new section we are going to try and shed some light on certain plays or events that would otherwise go unnoticed

Watching the game here with an old friend made me look at certain things in a different way. A great hockey player himself he has a keen eye for positioning and for tactics and I listened and learned from what he said. Tonight the glaring problem was our defensive zone positioning. Whether this is caused by a lack of confidence in our goalie, the lack of a defensive coach or possibly just weak pieces on our blue-line is unknown. What is known is that this once strong defensive unit is having problems. Too many times was a player left in front of the net as our two D-men chased the puck or unnecessarily double-teamed a Sabre. We looked totally disorganized when the opposition is in our end and that only becomes magnified when they start cycling the puck. Unclear about where to go at certain times, or unsure if a teammate will stay with their man, seem to be the biggest problems for us right now. Of course much of this could be remedied with a little coaching (from a defenceman), but considering we are almost in April I can only assume that this ad-hoc approach will likely remain in place until next season.

Overall Comments

A lot was made about this game being a must-win for Buffalo that somehow lost in all of the reports was the fact that we too desperately needed the points. The Habs started the game very well and I felt were unlucky to go down by 2. I remember thinking at that point that there was no way we were getting shutout tonight, so we needed Price to keep us in it. Then, within a 7-8 minute span in the second period we scored 3 goals and things were looking good. In the third period Buffalo came out gunning for a goal (and some) and we seemed happy to sit on a one-goal lead and then eventually a 3-3 draw. Like we did on Thursday, we played the last portion of this game for OT. We were so worried about getting 0 points that 0 is almost what we got. Then, in OT, we were back to being the more aggressive team, but we couldn't get one by Miller. We then had 5 chances to win the game in the shootout as Price made the first 5 stops. Our top 5 guns were denied the role of hero and then Lydman scored to really put the pressure on. Lapierre didn't really get off a good chance as Miller went 6/6. I am, however, happy to report that we secured a single point and that we bagged 5 of 6 this week. We have 7 more games to go and it would be nice to get 10 points, but 8 may do it. We stayed afloat this week, but barely.