Game #42 Halak Takes Another Win at Bell Centre

Details

Date: 10/01/2012
Opponent: Blues
Location: Montreal

Loss: 0-3

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Halak (W)

Habs goalscorers:
Opposition goalscorers: Arnott, Backes, Stewart

Play of the game

It's always tough trying to pull a play of the game out of a night like tonight. I'm going to go with the short-handed chance on the Blues' 3rd-period power play that saw Eller creating a rush that caused some chaos in front of Halak. Darche collected the loose puck and lifted it high over a sprawling Halak, who deftly robbed Darche of a well-executed shot with a luckily placed glove hand.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Lars Eller
Helped create some of tonight's most dangerous chances, even if they were futile efforts. Took a bit of a dumb penalty, but at least it was early. Didn't drop the ball on defence.

Andrei Kostitsyn
The other half of what is likely our most effective on-ice duo right now. These guys play well together, I've said it before. Hopefully they'll be given the chance to do so a bit more over the coming weeks and we'll see some success come from whatever line forms around them.

Tomas Plekanec
Some nights, it's really tough to fill out the dome. This one. Pleks makes it in tonight basically because he was about the only forward who seemed to smell any offence over the first period. He opened the second with some nice pressure with linemates Gionta and Cammalleri, but they were consistently shut down through the duration. As always, his penalty-killing remains outstanding.

Defencemen

PK Subban
Yeah, I know he shouldn't have let Reeves beat him on the outside like that on the first goal. However, that was the only one he was on for despite playing over 22 minutes. He also delivered the hit of the night (and what a hit it was!) and led the team in shot attempts.

Josh Gorges - Game Puck
While the rest of the defence seemed to be experimenting with their skating and puck-handling (was that a Subban-style spin from Hal Gill in the first period?), Gorges quietly went about his business, as per usual. He was on for almost 22 minutes and kept the puck out of the net while setting the tone for the other defenders, even if it went unheard. It was exactly the kind of simple, effective, blue-collar hockey we want from Gorges, and that's why he doesn't get many game pucks. He delivered tonight, and that's why he gets this one. Plus those hip-check clinics he's been giving, that Subban hit had Gorges written all over it!

Goaltender

Carey Price
I wanted to put Halak in here for old times' sake, and he did make some spectacular saves in his shutout bid. Price did make some good saves, and I felt like he was let down by the guys in front of him a couple times. The Blues were handed some good opportunities to score, and they executed. Budaj wouldn't have helped us tonight, and even the best goalie in the world can't steal one for you if you can't put the puck in the net.

Comments

While we had a couple good-looking moments, they were few enough and often far between. A strong Blues squad showed us why they moved into first overall in the West with this win by playing some smart, possession-based hockey. They did a great job of working the body and clogging up the neutral zone to take away our speed and transition game. Their forecheck was aggressive and caused problems for us the whole way through, and they won the majority of the battles in their own end.

This was a tough game to watch, as we were simply and thoroughly outplayed. There weren't many positives to take away from this one. We came out of the locker room very strong in both the 2nd and 3rd periods, but we were unsuccessful in building any kind of momentum. One of our few strong points was the penalty kill, which shut down a red-hot Blues power play (9 of last 26 coming into this game; 0/4 tonight) and arguably had 2 of our best scoring chances tonight. I'm sure this game just goes to show something, but I'm not sure what yet.

Fun fact: Halak has the best all-time record in the history of the Bell Centre: 38­-15-3 including tonight.

Eller's Burden

From the moment he became a member of the Montreal Canadiens, Lars Eller has been tied to expectations. It was an unusual situation for a young man of 21 years to step into in the biggest hockey mad city in the world. Made more unusual by the fact that he was coming in from Peoria.

The expectations are both good and bad ones. The certainty being that a lot of people feel they have a lot at stake in the case of Lars Eller.

The history that preceded the acquisition of Lars Eller is well known.

Montreal's highest draft pick in years gets his start, "wins" the starting role and a boatload of fans, experiences growing pains, is outplayed for a season and a half, and is unseated. Those were the real-life events.

The history of the sideshow that accompanied it saw the spawning of a fierce debate that raged for the whole period, placing an oft united fanbase in different camps.

The culmination of the story was that Eller trade, or so one would have thought. That was of course the end of the real-life events in this saga.

But the sideshow lingered and lingered long. Camps did not disband quickly and a summer of questions about rodeos, autograph signings and organizational priorities raged.

The sideshow once seemed to have its end too.

Carey Price had a season for the ages, getting everything but the Vezina nomination and playoff round victory he roundly deserved. Jaroslav Halak was starter, but not starter extraordinaire for St. Louis. Perhaps this chapter of it has ended. It seems fair to me, if not a bit early given our lectures about looking beyond single seasons, to deem that of the two goalies Montreal made the right choice. At least I feel that Montreal in this docket made a right choice, both goalies likely to be capable starters for years to come.


But for Lars Eller, it seems the book is not closed.

After Ian Schultz, despite a brief rush to his side, predictably became a forgotten Canadien, Lars Eller remains the return for a trade of one of the hottest trade chips that a Montreal GM has held in years.

For this reason, and because Halak had gathered quite a camp calling for his long future with the club, Eller continues to face judgment. For this reason, and because planting seeds of doubt about Halak constituted a major political strategy of those in parts of another camp, Eller continues to be held to lofty heights.

To further vindicate this following, Eller has to be good.

To hold back the disgruntled, Eller has to be good.

To prevent stories about how Ottawa pried the hot commodity, David Rundblad, from St. Louis days after Gauthier's transaction, Eller has to be good.

To put off thoughts of a Colorado high first rounder taken for an RFA goalie, Eller has to be good.


Every time, I read a review of Eller, I am given to thinking about inflation of events. The question of whether he is good, or will be good, or can just be good at being average seems forever be coloured by these concerns.

I like a good battle in the corner as much as the next guy, but rarely have I seen Habs fans get too excited about a young man who can do this effectively. I enjoy a winning match-up on the fourth line, but seldom have I seen ink spilled on the topic till now. Little steps in the right direction for Eller don't go unnoticed, little they may be.

My take on the poor guy is that there is no question he is good enough to make a living in the NHL, but there is a lot of question as to whether that living will ever be made as a top 6 forward. My take is that he has some laudable talents, notably his willingness to take scrub roles, but that like all prospects he may not last the onslaught of those coming behind him.

My take is that he could probably do without all this baggage that is attached to his name, but that it would take a bit of doing to uncouple himself.

For Lars Eller, it's a consequence of changing from Peoria blue to Montreal red.

But us fans, forever in red. Should we just not abandon these thoughts and move on? Should we not forego the battlefields already won/lost? Should we not just let Lars Eller be the player he looks like he will be? Lift his burden?

Game #68Emotional Couple of Days Ends in Loss to an Old Friend

Details

Date: 10/3/2011
Opponent: Blues
Location: St. Louis

Loss: 1-4

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Halak (W)

Habs goalscorers: Halpern
Opposition goalscorers: Backes, McDonald, D'Agostini, Oshie

Play of the game

We worked very hard for our only goal, all five players did. In fact, I think that it was our best burst of effort all game. Cammalleri got the ball rolling by controlling the puck very well in the Blues' end. Pleks then took over and did a good job to get in to Mara. Paul quickly got the puck to the pinching Picard. Alex then skated in and instead of shooting made an amazing pass to a wide-open Halpern who merely had to re-direct the puck in the open side.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Mike Cammalleri
Montreal didn't look too strong in this one so it is a hard dome to choose. I did, however, like Mike's effort on the goal and thought that he did an OK job the rest of the way. With Patches out we really need him to pick it up as I doubt anyone from the 3rd or 4th lines is going to score at a higher rate than they have. To me, he is a player that we must focus on in the last 14 games.

Jeff Halpern
He was our only goal-scorer tonight and that has to count for something. Any goal, in fact, from him seems like a bonus as he isn't the one you would expect to be scoring. He was also OK in our own end and on the PK.

David Desharnais
David played a good game, but I felt that we didn't use him enough tonight. Just because he is on the 4th line isn't reason enough for him to get the least amount of ice-time. I am not asking for him to be used 15+ minutes a game, but when he is on relative to the rest of the group this must be recognized.

Defencemen

Roman Hamrlik - Game Puck
This wasn't the best game that Roman has played this season, not even the best in the past few weeks, but I did feel that he was there to compete. He made quite a few very solid plays in his own end that stood out to me and likely saved the Habs a few goals-against. He had the most ice-time on the team which I think is encouraging as we need him to be on his game now more than ever and we need him to be ready to play big minutes down the stretch.

Alexandre Picard
Alex stayed out of trouble in his own end and made up a decent first-time partnership with Mara. Those two would likely be the two I would sit if given the choice, but it is nice to know that they are ready and capable. His pass to Halpern on the goal was fantastic and was another reminder that he indeed has some decent offence in him.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey started with some great saves and kept the Habs within striking distance for most of the game. The third goal was very nice and confirmed the loss that we were all expecting. It was a slow, unemotional and somewhat dull game, but Price was there, as usual, to give his team a chance.

Comments

I think that the players, like me, found it hard to get into this game. We have all spent 48 hours worrying about Pacioretty and questioning our faith in this league and this game. To then have to travel halfway across the continent and face a good team and good goalie is a tall task. We certainly had our chances and could have won, but I think on this night the better, more focused team won. I can, however, live with this loss as it is a no consequence game really. My focus really has shifted away from results over the past few hours and I still need a few days to start thinking that they really matter. I am happy with our spot in the standings and feel that we should make the playoffs. I do expect that my interest and the players' passion and energy level will return, though as it can only go up from here. This game, however, did offer one bright spot as it was a chance to see Halak again. Jaro played a solid game and deserved the win. His season, and the Blues', isn't what he had hoped for, but I think that that team will improve over the next few years and it will be interesting to see if he'll do for them what none of us can forget he did for us.

Halak Stats That Will Surprise You

Halak's coming home.

We're not finished discussing Pacioretty and the NHL, but I thought you might still like to see some wacky stats.

What the mainstream journalists will tell you is that Halak is having a bad season (we accept that being below average is being below average this year) with a 0.907 save percentage and a pretty high GAA.

What they'll tell you is how far he and Carey Price are apart in form and stature.

It's all verifiable. But remember there's many ways to get to a 0.907 save percentage, just as there are many to get to a 0.939 save percentage. Because of that the two players actually have some numbers that bear quite a resemblance, and these are the fun ones to consider:

1) First period stats

Price (up to game 66): 2.13, 0.929
Halak: 2.02, 0.921

Both pretty good. You wouldn't turn either set away.


2) Shorthanded numbers

Price (up to game 66): 6.44, 0.877
Halak: 6.56, 0.877

Couldn't be much closer, both meshing well with their PK units.


3) Starting games

Price (up to game 66): 12.02 saves before the first goal, 23:26 before first goal
Halak: 11.58 saves before the first goal, 24:42 before first goal

Both have been excellent at starting games and in being prepared for games. This is a continuation of a trend for Halak and is the single biggest turnaround for Price.


INteresting to see where they converge. Halak has been largely as good as Carey to start games. This should point to a goaltending duel that lasts until the ice is cracked about 5 minutes into the second (on average).


Where they diverge most:

1) Third period stats

Price (up to game 66): 2.20, 0.917
Halak: 2.85, 0.896


2) Even strength numbers

Price (up to game 66): 2.03, 0.931
Halak: 2.40, 0.915

Halak is OK (actually below what you'd want) to Price's excellent here.


3) Finishing games

Price (up to game 66): 0.922 after he has been scored on in a game
Halak: 0.902 after he has been scored on in a game

I think this is Halak's biggest drop off. he used to be like clockwork with his save percentage, same all the time, any situation. Now he seems to melt under pressure. Haven't watched him, but this number speaks to that. Price as we can see is Mr. Steady now.

Pierre Gauthier''s Year

Apparently today marks the first anniversary of Pierre Gauthier's time as the man officially in charge of the Montreal Canadiens.

Round and about, it seems to be the thing to give some kind of retrospective on him. At first, i thought I had no interest in doing this. That was until I read the glowing reviews he's been getting. I think the internet is calling for some balance.

Trades

The place everyone seems to start is with trades, so I'll start there too. Gauthier has made a total of nine of them in a year. In doing so, he has traded 5 players that were on last year's roster as well as a first, 3 second round picks and a 5th rounder with one prospect for two players on the current roster, 6 prospects, 2 free agents that are gone now, a first rounder, a 4th and a 5th.

Here are the trades:

1) 2nd round pick (TBD) in 2011 traded to Florida Panthers for Dominic Moore

2) Matt D'Agostini traded to St. Louis Blues for Aaron Palushaj

3) Jaroslav Halak traded to St. Louis Blues for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz

4) 1st round pick (Mark Visentin) in 2010 and a 2nd round pick (Oscar Lindberg) in 2010 traded to Phoenix Coyotes for a 1st round pick (Jarred Tinordi) in 2010 and a 4th Round pick (Mark MacMillan) in 2010

5) Sergei Kostitsyn and future considerations traded to Nashville Predators for Dan Ellis, Dustin Boyd and future considerations

6) Cedrick Desjardins traded to Tampa Bay Lightning for Karri Ramo

7) Ryan O'Byrne traded to Colorado Avalanche for Michael Bournival

8) 2nd round pick (TBD) in 2011 and a conditional 5th round pick (TBD) in 2012 traded to New York Islanders for James Wisniewski. 2nd round pick was NHL compensation for 1st round pick David Fischer not being signed

9) Maxim Lapierre traded to Anaheim Ducks for Brett Festerling and a 5th Round pick (TBD) in 2012


Trades 2) and 6) I'll call neutral. Basic prospect for prospect swaps. Factors like age and popularity of the players might play into this over time.

Trade 1) was a rental that paid off. So that's a victory. A 2nd round pick is steep for Dominic Moore. But a second round pick is cheap for a forward that significantly helps your team knock off two powerhouses and make the best playoff run the franchise has had in near two decades.

Trade 7) is another win for me. O'Byrne was essentially a dead-end prospect. Subban and Weber progressing properly made his worth to the team drop. Add in Picard who is at least as good, if not as big and there wasn't much place for Ryan in the future. Turning this guy into a potentially very exciting Quebec-born first rounder (who narrowly missed making team Canada) was very good for a Canadiens GM.

Trades 5) and 9) are widely viewed as addition by subtraction. As is standard procedure in these trades, the GM went to another conference. The problem is addition by subtraction is ultimately still subtraction. These can't really be viewed as wins, because other GMs have done more with less value. Gauthier needed to be more alert to the good trades out there and hold his cards. Andrej Meszaros was had for a 2nd rounder, Chicago was dumping players like Andrew Ladd. Even if we throw that out the window, the Canadiens GM in making these trades is just continuing the lazy tradition of jettisoning problems as opposed to facing them. 50+ point Ribeiro and 40+ point Grabovski join Kostistyn on the list of talent thrown away of late. Even though I fully subscribe to the idea that these players needed to go, I cannot endorse trading players for just anything. Talent has to be either managed or managed until value can be found in return. These trades are in the needs improvement column.

Trade 8) was a clear win. Wisniewski is a good fit and just what the team needed at the time. The price was OK considering the rental was long, and better if you consider he's auditioning for a future place.

The last two trades are examples of trades gone wrong.

The trade up for Jarred Tonirodi was a miscalculation, I think. For one thing there were more than 5 players of Tinordi's standard out there. And you know how I feel about taking defensive defencemen in the first round. To spend a second rounder for a fourth to get one on top of wasting the pick on one is pretty poor. I understand the scouts liked him and that's how it worked. But tell me, didn't the scouts see anything in say Tyler Toffoli who now has 44 goals in 50 OHL games (47th)? Or other second rounders who they might have been able to take as well as Tinordi if they risked him falling?

The Halak trade is being viewed at the moment through some mighty rosy glasses. From all the comments, you'd think that Halak was made of kryptonite to halt Price's superman. Let's assume for a moment that they are in fact separate people, and only made of organic matter that doesn't emit debilitating auras. Price if was going to be good, was going to be good. Halak had just come off an outstanding playoffs that laid to rest a lot of the thought at the time that his previous two seasons were flashes in the pan. He was an asset.

So trading an asset. This is stuff to get excited about? Should be. Could be. Except that Gauthier decided to cut off his own legs. He decided that it was best to trade Halak before signing him to a contract. This decision meant that a) Halak was worth less and b) Price was worth more. Now we can argue about Eller until the cows come home,and  Price's contract looks like every good value now. Heck, Halak's record makes this look rosy too. But all of that misses the point. The GM needed to turn Halak into something much more valuable than Eller and Schultz. If Gautheir really believed that he was picking the right goalie, he needed to open this up to the Eastern conference, where goalies were most required. If the trade wasn't there at that time, he should have signed Halak and played salary games like the two teams that just made the Stanley Cup final did all last season.

This was a mediocre trade with extremely bad timing.


Overall, I have Gauthier down as an average trader who seems like he might be getting better (Bournival, Wisniewski). If trading was all there was to being a GM, then he'd deserve a pat of encouragement. If you're polar opposite on that Halak trade, I can see where the rave reviews are coming from.


Free agents
In terms of new faces, Gauthier did OK last summer. Basically, he added Alex Auld, Alexandre Picard and Jeff Halpern. None of these signings sets to world on fire. Yet none creates a salary mess either. Considering they've all played well, I'd say it's a good record.

If there's a criticism to be levelled with regard to free agents, it has to be about the resigning of the team's own. Pouliot stands out, since he got a 50% raise despite basically taking 25 games off at the end of last season. Halak wasn't signed (before the playoffs?) and we know what problems I think that caused and Price got a very hefty raise despite having 18 pretty average months on a contract that was already paying over the odds.

Again in retrospect these things look OK. I can't rely entirely on retrospect. When a player plays badly, he should not be rewarded with a hefty raise. it sets dangerous precedents for when a) that player plays well and b) other players come off below average seasons. Contract structure is all about internal precedents and one can only rely on so much good will from players who wish to stay. These two contracts netting a few hundred thousand more than they should have will likely mean the loss of a real roster player this summer.


Man management

Perhaps man management is entirely the duty of the GM, but ultimately he's the man who pushes the buttons and he can tell the coaches what he wants them to do as their boss.

A big red light went up this January when Andrei Kostitsyn asked for a meeting with Jacques Martin and finally found out what the coach wanted.

This is indicative of a problem that we thought had gone the way of Carbo. An environment where players and personalities are being managed on a daily basis. It's a problem. It's a problem because players like the ones I mention above as additions by subtraction become those players worth subtracting in these environments.

In a league as competitive for talent as the NHL, it's crazy to allow an environment that consistently puts up these problem players to persist. We've lost the talent held in Ribeiro, Grabovksi, Sergei and Lapierre for little in return, and it looks precarious in Andrei Kostitsyn's case.

I understand that Jacques Martin is a grizzled vet who is set in his ways, and in many ways holds more clout and credibility than Gauthier. However, Gauthier is the man charged with managing this group of talent. When sweeping problems under the rug until a trade comes up is the standard operating procedure, it's the GM's duty to step in and speak for the talent assets of the club.

I was willing to assume this was taken care of. That is until Andrei's recent revelations. Gauthier must do better here. Else more talent (talented guys do tend o have egos sometimes) will pass on by.


Results

ON results, Gauthier looks a star. The team, fighting for the playoffs when he took over, made it there and put in a great run. This season is the team's best since 2008, and probably better when injuries are tallied. Considering that, it's been the best 12 months (Feb to Feb) for the Habs since 1993. Gauthier is reaping the good favour for this in his reviews today.

Problem is, much of this has little to do with Gauthier's reign as sole man at the helm. The core of the team was put together with Gainey in charge (or so we thought). Carey Price is better because of goaltending coaches and better defence, not that contract or Halak leaving.

Gautheir is the GM of a very good team, but let's not make the mistake in thinking that he's the very good GM of an NHL team.

February is a telling time for a GM, as it's one of the few months many of them do any work. Trades made in the next month, or trades no made will give us a fuller picture on Gauthier. Another draft will reveal more about his steel and judgment, as will the contract season.

A year is far too little time to judge a GM properly. I've been hard, but not down on Gauthier. I felt some of the stuff glossed over by others needed to be brought to light. Until now, I'd say he's been adequate, doing little to indicate he'll separate from the pack. It could be worse. But in a thirty team league with only one team winning the prize each year, being adequate might not be enough.

The Three Pillars Of Habs Defence

When you want to build something right, you want to be using pillars. Ancient buildings, even the religions they were built for are more often than not founded on pillars, stone or metaphoric.

The 1970s Canadiens were built on three big important pillars: The Big Three. The current Canadiens too are built on three important and often underappreciated pillars: Hal Gill, Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek.

Reasonable fans everywhere set realistic expectation of impending disaster this last summer. A team that had struggled to keep shots down without Markov had lost the reason most of those shots did not pierce the armour. Without Halak, and Markov on extended rehab, the feeling was dour enough, had these fans known that Markov would play but 7 games of the season and be rehabbing a second injury by December, I think the mood would have gone south rather than anywhere else.

But reasonable fans have been wrong before. They were wrong about this. Nearly three months after losing Markov (again), and nearly two month after losing Gorges as well, the Canadiens are still well placed among the defensive standard bearers of the league.

With a 2.42 GAA they sit 6th in the league. 30.0 shots against places them 15th. And their 84.2% on the PK is seventh best. This may not blow your minds, but know that these are both the best numbers and ranks that any Canadiens team since the lockout has posted – in every category. This is the best defensive edition of the Canadiens in some time.

Every time people drool over defences a couple of discussion topics rise to the top: coaching and goaltending. Jacques Martin’s system must deserve some credit, and Carey price has found a way to dominate at times, yet they must not get all the credit. Because for all the simple game plans, the players have to execute and commit to execution, and all the goaltending talent in the world still oozes goals behind a porous defensive line.

Some credit has to go to the Three Pillars: Gill, Hamrlik and Spacek.
In recent game reviews, we have alluded to their importance, but never really drilled to the point. In recognition of their lack of recognition generally, I want to remind everyone why we should still all be thankful that these three pillars prop up the structure in which Weber and Subban can learn, and based on which the Canadiens have been amassing wins.


1) They offer a first piece for building a unit
These three players have the highest minutes played at even strength of all Montreal Canadiens. On this team, without Markov and Gorges, it is clear the Jacques Martin considers the two defenders he will have on the ice and starts by putting one of each of the pillars at all times. Between the three of them, they probably offer coverage for the entire game, save a few powerplay minutes.

This is a great value to Martin, because he can be sure that at all times he’ll have a veteran player who has played in the vast majority of situations before. A system cannot be built on uncertainty, and while they have their occasional slips, Gill Hamrlik and Spacek at least provide some certainty that a system will be understood and applied throughout the games.


2) They do the complementary work, whatever it is
More than anything what impresses me about these three players has been the adaptability and their willingness to concede their previous duties to accept mundane ones, all in aid of the team. In an age where it’s not uncommon to have locker room rifts over ice time, it’s surely a relief to see Spacek taking his reduced minutes in stride, to see Gill happily in and out of first shadow pairs role and Hamrlik to concede lots of offensive opportunities to his new partner.

Rather than making their new partners change to fit with them, the vets are changing to make the best partnership on common strengths. The dividends are being paid by all three of Wisniewski, Subban and Weber, who talented themselves, would still struggle if made to play entirely unfamiliar hockey to accommodate another.

The pride of the Pillars seems to be entirely now in the winning and less in the minutiae of making breakout passes themselves or getting first PP minutes. This, I suggest, is not a pervasive virtue in the NHL these days. Certainly not on teams with lesser defensive records.


3) They offer a good example
All of that which I mentioned is good example. More than that, these three seem to be relishing their roles as mentors and guides to their young partners. Gill can be seen talking with Subban and Weber seems to be learning from Spacek. One can only assume that this would extend at least as far as the locker room, if not further off the ice.


While it is right that we continue to get excited about Subban and what promise he represents to the team, that we mention Weber’s improvement every game and how Wisniewski has been a great addition; it is also good to remember the other half of the equation. Those solid, sometimes boring, Dmen that are allowing this bloom to happen. To Gill, Hamrlik and Spacek, three pillars this team could not do without.

Habs in the Noughties Ten High Points

This December 31st marks the end of the first decade of the new millennium -- the Noughties according to the English, to reflect all the noughts (or zeroes) in the dates.

For the Habs fan, the decade began most inauspiciously. On New year's Day 2001, Canadiens fans were recovering from their Millennium parties while sitting last in the entire NHL after New Year's Eve. The record was 10-23-4-2 and Therrien wasn't bringing any of the usual boost that a new coach sometimes brings. The team was on its way to its worst season since the 1940s.

But there was light for Canadiens fans. Houle was gone and the repairs were beginning in earnest to the havoc he had wreaked over his tenure.

As we stand here 10 years on, it would be fair to say a lot of the damage has been patched. The team has been in the playoffs for 5 of the last 6 seasons. They have been both a conference finalist, a frequent playoff round winner and an Eastern champion. A roster that on a cold January day once sported Aaron Asham, Craig Darby, Chad Kilger, Eric Landry, Juha Lind, Gino Odjick and Patrick Poulin all at the same time has improved. There have been trophies, and trophy finalists and All-Stars (legitimate ones too).

The decade's had its moments. Here are the best ten for me:

10. 2003 Heritage Classic
The original outdoor game, and the re-acquaintance with the alumni game. It was a treat for Habs and Oilers fans alike and set off a trend that the rest of the league would follow. The Habs won, which also helped its aura.

9. Sale to the Molsons
I'm certain that in other lists like the the financial crisis of 2008 would rank as one of the biggest stories of the decade. The Canadiens never faced a true crisis, but might have been bitten had their over-leveraged owner not chosen to sell this asset first from his portfolio. It was a benefit to the team, we'll probably never know exactly how big.

8. 2009 Centennial Game
The Centennial was built up for so long and geared to deliver for a couple of years through ceremony and extra merch possibilities. If nothing else had happened but Patrick Roy skating out onto the ice in his Canadiens uniform and full gear to face shots, I don't think many would have minded. December 4, 2009 was a magical night and even ended with a magical win over the Bruins.

7. Draft Lottery 2005
The Canadiens drafted Carey Price 5th overall in 2005. The Canadiens weren't due the 5th overall pick - more like the usual 18th. The lottery in 2005, following the lockout was a great boon for the Canadiens as they vied for Sidney Crosby (or rather their lottery balls did). I vividly remember sitting there listening to the radio after pick 11 had been drawn. Destiny seemed to be in the cards as the Canadiens repeatedly weren't called. Finally, pick #5, with a tinge of disappointment, but a later recognition of great luck, was granted. The draft which followed shortly after was resumption of hockey talk beyond law and salary, full of trade intrigue and player back-and-forth. it was a high point without a successful pick. With a successful pick, even higher.

6. Mike Cammalleri signing
Would anyone ever sign with the Habs? Rafalski, Hull, Shanahan? All the stars available always seemed to go elsewhere (usually Detroit). For the fan of a team wanting (and now needing) to rebuild via the free agent route, it was a question that constantly nagged. Cammalleri was one of the best forwards available in 2009. Young, proven and certainly a star. The minute I heard he signed withe the team, i thought what a coup. The fact that it precipitated the Maple Leafs to self-destruct later in trade form, obviously only makes it better in retrospect.

5. 2004 Playoff comeback
3-1 down against the strong Bruins. A Kovalev trade that was supposed to help wasn't. The season was heading for the tubes. On a dime it turned. From playoff goat in Game #4 (Souray's obstacle as he wringed his hand in pain), Kovy turned on the jets for the very first time and it was pure magic to watch for 3 games. The fact I was there for Game #6 to take in the euphoria was something I'll not likely forget.

4. Trevor Timmins hiring
In practical terms, this was perhaps the team's biggest turning point. The Habs had never been the worst team for scouting, but they were certainly a bit haphazard. Timmins seemed to change that. Since he's been on board, it's not been uncommon to talk about depth and about a strong farm system. Though the team waits for a superstar to fall from one of his picks, that's something that requires help from the ghosts. Since his hiring the team has been playoff material with homegrown core elements. A definite high point to say that after the late 1990s.

3. 2010 Playoff run
Last year's playoffs were absolutely great. We've come to believe that making the playoffs is a chance to won the Cup. But perhaps after a whipping in 2009 we wondered if were spoiled to expect that ever again. Enter Jaroslav Halak and Martin's new Canadiens. The team threatened to lose to better opponents nearly every night yet battled hard with timely offense and some sensational penalty killing and goaltending

2. Jose Theodore's February, March and April, 2002
This was breaking the hex in a big way. From middling mid-1990s to putrid turn of the century teams, the Habs needed a statement. That statement came in the form of a goaltender who just refused to lose. Theodore's spring of 2002 won him the Vezina and the Hart trophy. it won the Canadiens a playoff berth and a playoff upset round. it won the Habs fans their mojo back.

1. Koivu's comeback
During Theodore's incredible run, Saku Koivu was quietly working out readying himself for a return from his chemotherapy-induced layoff. From weakened and vulnerable Koivu in late fall, he was fully rebuilt in body and mind by April 2002. news of his return was magical enough. The return itself was unforgettable. I'm grateful that I somehow had the presence of mind to buy up some late seaosn tickets that year in hope of attending, as we scored a winning ticket to attend the game. A whole stadium of people rarely rains down their full affection in simultaneous fashion on a single person. on this night, they did. Koivu stood there and soaked it in. He would take that affection and turn it into inspired play over the next weeks. He was incredible in playoff action. His legend was solidified.

Honourable mention: Conference Champion's Run, 2008
Like the Conference Championship for the team, I don't give this the credit it deserves. If you consider for a moment that the team plays 6 months of hockey for points in the standings and then 2 weeks vs. the same team in the playoffs, it's stunning there aren't any banners for President's trophies and now that the Conference is 15-teams large, Conference Championships. The run to win was as good as any playoff series win, without the gratification that survival provides. Carey price was excellent, and for those with long memories - Kovalev was outstanding.


Blogs were less prevalent in 2001, this one wasn't conceived, i can assure you. But I did find one amateur account of the beginning of the decade. It's fun read.

Carey Price Recognized For Sensational Week

We've been waiting for Carey Price to step up and answer Jaroslav Halak for some time. When Jaro came in to the net, he usually left a window for the replaced starter. There were times when Carey answered, but it has rarely been as emphatic as this.

Now, a couple of weeks after Jaro Halak was setting the chatlines alight with his NHL recognized work in October, Carey has answered with a first star nod from the NHL.

There's not much I can say that will speak louder than the statistics, so I'll just lay some of those out for you.


This is what you know already. 3 wins, a shutout, and some pretty heady numbers.



Broken down by period, you can see his success in a different way. Last season, there were no shutouts, and not all that many shutout periods either. 7 shutout periods, including the pivotal three shutout third periods allowed his team to reel in the victories.



Finally, some extra stats from the stats that I keep kicking around. His profile by chances on net (scoring chances with misses and blocked shots removed). You can see it's still extremely heady numbers here. Even more so when you account for the fact that good in scoring chance world is in the 0.800's.

The other two stats show shots before a goal was allowed (SBG) and the save percentage based on that number (starting save percentage). It's difficult for goalies to come in and put up high numbers consistently right from the start of a game, 0.952 is just about as good as it gets.




All in all, a good week for Carey. He certainly headed off any challengers for the next Molson Cup, and will probably wrap up the season title any day now at this rate.

Carey Can't Shake Last Nemesis

Before this season, Carey price had numerous nemeses, glove side shots, Flyers forwards, the 0 goal game, that young bull in Kelowna and Jaroslav Halak. Most have done all they can over the years to show the young goalie up, to make him question his development.

In vanquishing his rivals one by one, the 0 goal game being the latest (as he picked up the 318th NHL shutout since his last one), he should have felt extreme satisfaction and even pride.

But you know what they say: a man with nemeses must never rest.


Halak won't let it be

Even if all Montreal fans are slowly but surely sliding into the realization that icing Carey Price game after game not such a bad thing at all, the petulant child that is Halak just won't let it go.

Like a big brother spoiling for attention he needs to prove again and again that being older also makes him abler, he seems to have a pathological need to rain on Price's parade. For the Saturday game, he left it mere minutes and then thumbed his nose in doing it.

Carey can barely win an accolade for his first clean sheet in 23 months -- something about the Senators not being a threat. Yet Jaro blanks the Pens, a team he could shutout in his sleep it seems, and comes home with leaguewide honours.


It really does show a character flaw. To be unable to go humbly into the West without flaunting his gifts. I mean really and truly? Isn't it enough Jaro that you make more money? Isn't it enough that you get unquestioned starter status? That you don't have to deal with the boo-cheer roller coaster? Can't you just leave Carey to enjoy his success?

Three Star Search

Ooh they're seething in the press gallery these days. The Montreal Canadiens have teamed with Bell to usurp one of the cherished duties of the Montreal media. The three stars are to be chosen from now by the fans.

Mike Boone says he prefers the old system. Dave Stubbs isn’t quite so straight-ahead, but adds more than a tinge of lament to his article on tradition lost today.

At least Stubbs was civil. Mike Boone, as he often does, repeatedly refers to Canadiens fans as a group encompassing a significant number of “goobers” and “knuckle draggers”. At least he didn’t try to hide his elitism.

I am not altogether opposed to Boone’s position. And, I admit to being elitist enough myself to think that a fan vote in answer to the very inadequate question: “Who do you think will win the three star poll?” will undoubtedly turn up some strange vote leaders.

And the votes are bound to be very strange indeed because the question being asked isn’t the only absurdity. The system is flawed at this stage. The three stars are decided by total votes. Fans are only voting for a single player, so a unanimous choice is bound to be accompanied by some interesting third stars. Unaware, Bell seems, of the advances in online technology that allow for multiple selections.

Then there’s the game-winning goalscorer clause. The Canadiens “reserves the right to award the first star of the game to a player scoring the game-winning goal with less than minute to play in regulation time, in overtime or in a shootout.” A shootout goal? Great. Nothing like automatic selections to stir the pot a bit.

So Boone may well have a point.


But really what’s been lost?

Stubbs notes how this tradition has evolved and tells at length the road it has taken pass from media to fans. Boone again is less the diplomat. He suggests the choice has been stripped from expert hands (given to people who don't know o=hockey as well as he and his brethren). The media he says provide:

Understanding of hockey (people who do, media, people who don’t, fans)
Guaranteed expertise
Guaranteed objectivity

I’ll pause to let you recover your breath.

I think the explosion in blogging and everything else in the Habs new media world might have helped the lesson on media limits to be learned. And, if the fan vote makes the three star voting an irrelevant appendix to the game. I would suggest this continues an established tradition, rather than establishing a new one.

Let’s take last season as a mere glimpse into the guaranteed hockey expertise and objectivity employed by the former three star selectors.

The Molson Cup standing are based on home games only, keep that in mind. Keep in mind also, these results, strange as they may be, all came from media selection, no fan input.

First over the season was Jaroslav Halak, who played in 22 different home games. His statistics at home included 14-6-2, 2.32 GAA and 0.917 Save %. Not shabby. For this he garnered no less than 15 star selections, missing out seven times only.

Carey Price is even more informative. He placed second in Molson Cup standing (we know). He starred in 20 games for the Habs last season in Montreal pulling an unlikely 14 star selections from the hat to go with 6 games in which he missed. His stats were 6-10-3, 2.76 GAA and a 0.904 Save%.

We had Brian Gionta down for 12 game pucks in the regular season to go with 42 domes in 61 games played. He was not in our opinion the 4th best player on the team last season behind both goalies, no less. But then maybe that’s our elitism talking.

It strikes me that maybe their guaranteed objectivity comes only after making sure they select a goalie first. Oh, and they they abide by the OT scorer rule too. Heaven forbid hockey knowledge ever acknowledges a defensive player.


Carey Price will win anyway

Besides, what’s all the fuss about anyway?

Between the ineptly worded question, the formula, the expertise and the objectivity, I think we all know the goalie fetish in Montreal will win all. Last season’s back and forth in the three stars battle of I’m right/you’re wrong choices isn’t evaporated yet. And voters have already proven that a whiff of 0.910 is enough to bring in the votes.

He nearly won last year. With starts and the inevitable increase in wins, he’s bound to pull in votes. The fans have picked the goalie. The press have picked the goalie. Both or either will continue to do so. So let's not pretend this change matters more than it does. If you still long for definitive picks based on individual preferences and whims, then you'll always have our Domes and Game Pucks to satiate your appetite.


As for the press, they actually gain. Now in addition to locker room drivel they will have fan delusion to discuss after games. It’s actually set to be a boon to show their objectivity and expertise. Maybe they’ll see that when they’ve simmered down a bit.

Game #3Refs and Habs' Defence To Blame For The Collapse

Details

Date: 13/10/2010
Opponent: Lightning
Location: Montreal

Loss: 3-4

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Smith (W)

Habs goalscorers: Lapierre, Plekanec, Kostitsyn
Opposition goalscorers: Clark, St. Louis, Stamkos, Malone

Play of the game

Less than a minute after Tampa tied it up we went back on top with a very nice goal. The play started when Kostitsyn rubbed-out Lecavalier in our own end and stole the puck from him. He then got it to Gorges and started heading back up the ice. Josh moved it to Pleks and in he went with Andrei on a mini 2-on-1. Tom held on to it for a while before saucering it to his winger on the left. Kostitsyn was then in alone on Smith and made a great deke around him before lifting a backhand shot into the middle of the net.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Andrei Kostitsyn
Kostitsyn's shining moment was certainly his goal and the hit that led to it, but he also had other good moments throughout. He was one of our best forecheckers on the night as he seemed to be on the Lightning D more than any of our other forwards. It was nice to see him pot one as that should quiet some people out there. Next up is Pouliot; unfortunately, however, he still looks a few steps behind.

Tomas Plekanec - Game Puck
Pleks was our best player tonight as he chipped in with a goal and an assist. His goal wasn't anything special as it was a slapshot into an open net, but at least he didn't miss and at least he was there to take that pass. He played 21:53, but I still would have liked to see him out there more. He is killing penalties better than our 'specialists' and is more reliable with the puck than just about anyone on the team.

Michael Cammalleri
Two stupid penalties and Mike still makes the dome. That is because our bottom-6 were bad, Pouliot was non-December 2009 Pouliot and Gomez and Gionta didn't have much going in this one. Despite his penalties he did manage an assist on Pleks' goal and was a +2, which led the team.

Defencemen

Jaroslav Spacek
Jaro was good tonight, or at least better than most. He contributed up front by moving the puck very well in the offensive zone and by keeping plays alive at the blue-line. He assisted on Plekanec's goal as he turned a Hamrlik botch-up into a very good breakout pass to Camms. I am not sure if Subban is the right partner for him though. I seem to remember him and Markov doing very good things last year (in the pre-season) before Andrei went down, so it will be interesting to see if he'll be with Andrei, stay with P.K. or will be paired with the Hammer as he was for most of last year.

Josh Gorges
Josh chipped in with an assist and a team-high 5 blocked-shots. I didn't notice too many mistakes (or any) despite him being right there on both of Tampa's final two goals. To me, those goals had nothing really to do with him, but more to do with the players around him.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Price played well early on and made some very good saves to keep us in front for a very long time. New this year for him is the non-catching glove-save and I have to say 'what took you so long?'. He tried for a few seasons to catch it or simply let it his his glove, but there wasn't much success. This year, and tonight in particular, he is big on the glove-saves that simply hit his fast, upward-moving, glove. I think he was screened on the first goal, but the last three were all similar. The D played bad, there was a mad scramble and Price got caught way out of position. Most, if not all, goalies would be in the same boat so it will be interesting to see whether he'll consider this 4 gaol-against loss as a bad game or as a good one. I actually hope that he forgets about it and moves on as it really should be one to forget; I don't think he was a major factor one way or the other.

Comments

People will be complaining about the fact that Boyd was tripped right before Tampa tied it up. After watching the replay, however, it appears more that he fell and the non-call was probably the right call. What wasn't a good call, however, was the slashing call on Subban with 2 minutes to play. This is the typical NHL-style of 'give the trailing team a chance to tie it up'. It is a farce as nothing else was called in the third period or in OT. To say that a little slash (Subban did slash) was the worst thing that any player did during that time period is a joke. The refs and league will make arguments that Subban slashed him and that is against the rules; and, that it is. But, when is the league ever going to comment on the other 40 infractions that happen throughout a period and offer a rational, logical explanation as to why those aren't called. I am familiar with the rules and I can't seem to find anywhere in there that states a ref shall use judgement to not call most of the penalties (apart from puck-over-the glass - we all know how much time that wastes...). This league's officiating is a joke and tonight we paid the price. I do, however, know that we'll benefit from it too, so yipee.

Our defensive play, for the most part, was bad tonight. We put ourselves in too many bad situations which is why we let up 48 shots. We have to keep in mind that Halak is no longer here, so letting up our usual 40+ shots per game is no longer a great strategy. If we keep playing like we did tonight it won't matter how many goals we score as I feel we won't win that many games at all. We'll see what happens this weekend, but play like that and/or less than 2 points may be a reason to question if this is the system for us this year or was it simply the system for the roster we had last year.

It's Carey Price Day Again

Usually we do our best to set ourselves apart form the mainstream media by covering things they overlook or under-report. Not today. Today it's the midway mark of the exhibition season and few have done much of interest in camp. Today we'll toe the line with everyone else.

Today will be Carey Price Day...

After telling us to chill out, he's now telling us he won't be losing any sleep over his performance either.

Jack Todd thinks we the Habs may regret not trading Price (but only in Ottawa). In Montreal his piece on the goalie has a downgraded headline.

Someone in Toronto thinks the time has already come to give up on Carey (I was always told they were patient to a fault with losses in Toronto). These lines the most extreme:

If the organization is going to move forward and build on the momentum of their unlikely playoff run Price needs to be moved by Habs GM Pierre Gauthier immediately.

Rejean Tremblay isn't liking Price too much either and sees through his pronouncements about all that he's learned.

In Boston, they must at least be chuckling as they watch Rask. They speak some sense too:

It’s much too early to know whether the Habs made a mistake by keeping Price and trading Halak, but it’s easy to sympathize with fans who don’t think their goalie situation looks ideal.

Even people who like Price have nothing better to talk about.

Carbo is supporting his young former protege.

Martin is starting him again. Full game. Sorry Sanford.


All of this is a bit crazy. Thank goodness some cuts cam today, so fans will have something else to debate.


On where I stand on all this?

Not really sure. All I know is that I was hoping like many that the first time I saw Carey Price in action, I would suddenly see him through Gainey or Gautheir's eyes. It hasn't happened, but I'm not giving up hope just yet.

That said, I believe like many of you may that the detractors make great points, even if they aim to sensationalize and scandalize for readers. This, for me, an interesting thought from the sporadic Jack Todd:

If you thought things were going to be different with Gauthier in charge, you were wrong. It didn't take long for Bob Lite to prove that where Price is concerned, he drank the Kool-Aid.

Nothing that happens in the next few months is going to prove Gauthier right or wrong. It doesn't matter how Lars Eller plays, or how Halak fares in St. Louis.

He goes back to hyperbole after that, but essentially to say it is up to Carey to get this show together. We'd like it to be sooner (at least so we can read and talk about something else), but we'll take later if necessary.

Price's Contract In Context

Yesterday the final big news of the summer for Habs fans marked a turning point, from watching chatrooms and runour sites to awaiting for play and game reports.

An initial scan of reaction shows a mix. There is plenty of relief that this contract is on the books before camp. There is fretting about its details. And thee is praise as well.

Before taking this any further, I just wanted to present the contract as I see. The signing as I see it in context of the league, the league's goalies and the Canadiens organization.


$2.75 million a season

In a summer of low-ball offers to goalies, this number seems a little high.

Since the 2009-10 season started, 30 other goalies signed contracts with NHL clubs. Realistically, 9 of those goalies can be considered starters: Halak, Rinne, Hiller, Niemi, Lehtonen, Turco, Ellis and Chris Mason. I suppose we need to throw in Leighton, as Philly will be counting on him too.

Of the 8, 4 teams signed starters for under $2 million (Turco, Mason, Ellis and Leighton). 4 teams signed goalies for over $3 million (Halak, Lehtonen, Rinne and Hiller). Antti Niemi is signed for $2 million on the nose.

Based on these 2 lists, I think it's fair to say that Price fits somewhere in between the two -- putting his value between $2 million and £3 million. Seeing as that's where he landed, I don't think there should be big surprise. Given, there's always the hope that Gauthier pries a $2.1 million deal out of this, but at $2.75, the fretting is for half a million.

I've said elsewhere that the Canadiens own salary structure is absolutely pivotal in evaluating this deal. It is. Carey knows what his teammates earn and he knows what his teammates do to earn that money. When Benoit Pouliot doubled his salary, that immediately set a low that Carey could not possibly go under, more like a low +$500,000. That's the £2 million right there. Then there's all those $5 million plus players, they factor in. Finally, Andrei Kostitsyn who won a contract as an RFA at a similar age, albeit under different circumstances. His $3.25 must have loomed in negotiations.


2 year term

On his conference call, Carey Price asserted that both sides agreed early on that 2 years was the right term. Horse hockey.

If possible, I think Carey would have liked to have come out of this contract as an unrestricted free agent. I think both he and his agent seeing this trend in goaltending contracts might have been happy to tack on years with modest raises per season. If they really thought last season was a horrendous anomaly, they'd have been all for a single season to come out an RFA again in 2011 rather than 2012 with the chance at cashing in at a higher rate then.

The 2-year contract seems more to me like a Canadiens stipulation, and a sensible one at that. 2 years does two things. For one thing, it means Price is locked up past next season, a critical one for other signings that don't need to be clouded by more decisions (Markov, Gorges). For another, it gives the team a short enough term to evaluate.

If Carey does well and grows into his role, the team gets a cheap starter for 2 years and then negotiates for market value when that time comes. If he stutters and is still learning in 2 years, the Canadiens have the leverage, as Carey will be an RFA with more than 200 games.

3 other things will have happened by that time. The first is that the CBA will in all likelihood expire that summer after the NHLPA extends it this season. Second is that carey will might played another season with a young rival if Karri Ramo comes over. The third is that other key goaltenders will potentially come available for signing at that time. Golatenders like Rinne and Cory Schneider will be UFAs. Tuukka Rask and Pavaelec will be RFAs.

I believe the Canadiens are entirely above board here. They obviously expect Carey Price to succeed, else they wouldn't have shipped Halak and Desjardins. However, in opting for 2 years, they avoid an uncomfortable agreement that drags long for no fruit while building in flexibility.


Halak

Finally, Halak.

As you all know, I'd have chosen Halak. But that's irrelevant now. Gauthier and Gainey didn't choose Halak. Rather, they chose Halak's trade return, salary savings and Price over Price's trade return, Halak and his extra cost.

In so far as this deal goes, though, we should be a little bit thankful to those who signed Halak. While it may seem like an overpay to some who prefer to cast him as a one-season wonder, his $3.75 million a season came under what a lot expected given past deals like Khabibulin's, Huet's and Ward's. If one thing must have been clear to both the Canadiens and Price's camp, it was that Halak had earned the bigger payday this time around, and so a real ceiling was set.

There will be fretting, of course, if Halak succeeds and Price doesn't. But that would have happened with either trade. This is Montreal.


Overall

The good things that can come out of this are numerous. If Carey plays well and really puts his stamp on the team, we will probably boast the cheapest quality starter in the league. If he plays at his 0.912 levels, we'll be OK and won't have been hoodwinked by any stretch

In all then, not the worst case scenario at all. Not even that far from the best outcome. It's somewhere in the middle.

The News We've All Been Waiting For

Which news item is most significant for news-starved Canadiens fans?

a) Jaroslav Halak will be back in Montreal (signing autographs at Fairview)
b) Andrei Markov is skating alone
c) Sam Gagner signed for 2 years at just under $5 million

It's personal opinion, of course, but I think all three items are important.

The first item, with halak back in town is a bit of an embarassment to the Montreal executives who struggle to sign their chosen starter even with September a day away. Sure, Halak is thanking the fans and Allan Walsh is giving the Habs the finger, but this might also kick someone in those negotiations in the rear.

The second item is obviously great news. Once again it seems Andrei Markov can defy the odds and rehabilitate a serious injury in superhuman time. But in I'll believe it when I see it news, skating alone is often not the best sign of how close a player is to returning. At least Markov isn't just sitting around watching Eurovision, though.

The third item isn't Habs related, but it is RFA-related. A week ago, HabsWorld pundits told us that we shouldn't worry about Price's contract because he was just one of many RFAs unsigned. In their words:

"Everyone's waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop and that includes Price. Some of these players will have to be the first to sign - if they go short-term, those still waiting lose some leverage in shooting for a long-term deal that no one else seems to sign. If the GM's/owners cave and sign the long-term pact for some of these players, then you'll see a greater push for the longer-term deal from those still unsigned, which could really delay the process."

Not sure I agree with everything said there, but I go with the gist, which is precedent. Patric Hornqvist and Sam Gagner are forming the RFA part of the precedent for Carey price's contract. Combine that with the goalie signings of the summer and there are precedents aplenty to suggest Price's value according to league appraisors.

It will be interesting to see where that contract settles, but as more RFA deals fall into place, the NHL news should hot up, if not the Price contract resolution.

Could The Habs Do A Losing Season?

Over the weekend, I was watching TSN and was surprised to see a feature on a Canadiens prospect at the Canadian junior camp. It was Louis Leblanc again, of course, and the story revolved around his decision to pull out the stops by playing in the QMJHL. Part of the report noted that good old Louis had had a great little scrimmage at the camp. Apparently, he’s been creating some one-game chemistry with Sean Couturier.

Sean Couturier? This is when my ears piqued. Sean Couturier led the QMJHL in scoring this past season. He played on the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He was born in Phoenix, but grew up partly in Quebec to Quebecois father and former junior hockey star Sylvain Couturier. He’s 6’4” and 193 lbs, is still 17 years old and is touted to e the first overall pick in the 2011 draft.

In short, the Canadiens might be interested.

The problem for the Canadiens is that since the draft started, or at least since they had a canny GM, players like Couturier are only available through a deft trading hand or the old-fashioned way, with a bit of losing. Gauthier has shown his hand at the swaps already, and it ain’t deft, so that leaves the losing.


Could the Canadiens be a loser?

Last season the Canadiens made the playoffs by a single point thanks to an OT loss in the last game of the season. While that proved to be a critical point looking back on the conference finalist season, we should not forget that it could have been so different.

So what you say? Here’s what. Had the Canadiens missed a single point it would have been early misery for Habs fans this spring. But 14 points less and it gets really interesting – the Habs would have tied the maple Leafs in points and been in line for a top two pick in the NHl entry draft.

14 points is a lot in the NHL. But 14 points can escape quickly too.

Imagine Benoit Pouliot had not stormed the barricades upon his arrival, but rather settled into his Minnesota Wild and his latter Canadiens form. Imagine Sergei Kostitsyn had been banished on a permanent basis and the Canadiens toiled some more with Pacioretty and Maxwell. Imagine Gainey had insisted on giving Carey Price every on ice learning experience he could gather, while ignoring the value that time on the bench could bring. Imagine Andrei Markov had healed like a regular human with a completely severed tendon. Imagine the Habs hadn't won so many early season OT games as they did.

I’ll admit, it’s a lot of what ifs, and it doesn’t account for corrections that could and probably would have been made to make a salvage attempt for the season. But suffice to say, it wasn’t that far off.

So remembering all those what ifs, have a look at this upcoming season. Pouliot isn’t changing teams this year (yet) and may still be playoff Ben. Sergei is gone anyway, Pacioretty and Maxwell look due some time. There is no Halak to take starts away from Carey Price anymore. And, Andrei Markov is already injured, though he may be healing just as well as before. Everyone else is healthy as I write, but injury, late night whining on French language chat shows, is an inevitability, not a variable.

The 88-point Canadiens team that just made the playoffs last year could very well be outsiders this season, and they're not many slips away from a 14-point tumble. They could be a loser.


Could the Canadiens really be a loser?

Upstairs, I postulate that it is mathematically possible for the Canadiens to be a loser. 74 points is not out of the realm of possibility. 68 points either. The team as it stands is an 88-point team that traded its best player and looks to be relying on rookies and temperamental wingers to carry significant pressure.

But in Montreal mathematics means little. What matters more than that is tolerance for loss. The tolerance of fans, coach, GM and owners. Because the opening day Canadiens will not necessarily be the closing day Canadiens.

We know a bit about fan tolerance. It’s close to nil. If 2 losses can sway millions, imagine a hopeless February and March. Tolerance from Martin might not be at its height either. This isn’t Ottawa 1995, this could be Martin’s last stand and he’ll not relish the role of lottery leader. The same must be true of “interim” GM Gauthier. He’s inherited a job without test and has moved boldly to already put his own neck on the line. I’m not sure he could rationalize the losing to save his own hide. Finally, the owners. While it may be best to take a crack at lose-win cycle that works for other teams, it may not fit with the Molson vision for the Canadiens as a fat calf.

Decisions in a losing Montreal Canadiens organization rest on a hair trigger, with movement, perhaps at a great future cost, often seen as the perfect mean to relieve the dissonance.


Could you stomach a losing season?

For me there are two competing interests in my heart on this question. Ultimately, only the Cup remains as a goal. For one, I see the cold practicality of losing badly if the team is to lose at all (that is to miss the playoffs anyway). Juxtaposed with that is the memory that the 88-point Canadiens made the conference final and were beaten by the 89-point Flyers, mediocrity in the season means less in the arena of the playoffs. And seasons of pain don’t guarantee anything at all (hello Thrashers and Blue Jackets fans).

Still: “Leblanc. Leblanc remet a Couturier. Couturier contourne Orpik. Couturier a Dumont. Et le but.” You have to admit it has a certain ring.

What do you think?

Negotiating On Price: Opening Parry

The last Canadiens game was played more than 2 months ago now. As the sun set on the Canadiens season, there were questions everywhere, except it seemed in goal. In goal, Jaroslav Halak had been the undisputed star for the Canadiens, if not the league in the playoffs to that point, and Carey Price warmed the bench.

But the offseason has cast a new light on matters. Halak was traded, of course. But even after that lingering negotiations have led to looming questions. For a brief period on July 1, Robert Mayer was the highest ranked goalie on the Montreal payroll. He was to be bumped to NHL back-up in the depth chart by the signing of Alex Auld and later to a more sensible place as Gauthier retained Desjardins and Sanford. As Price’s contract talks drag on, the depth chart of today still has Mayer in Hamilton, with Auld and probably Desjardins in Montreal.

That situation is pure fantasy, though, as Carey Price must be as near a certainty to sign on as there ever was. But Auld, Desjardins, Sanford, Mayer. Some have said it’s not leverage for the goalie and his agent, fans who ponder their upcoming cable package might disagree.

Anyway, we put aside the possibility that Price will not be signed instead looking to the terms of the contract he will eventually sign. For fun, I thought of the negotiation as a mock arbitration setting (probably not that far from the truth) with each side presenting their arguments and counter-arguments.

For mock purposes, let’s assume that Carey Price’s team is indeed asking for the $3 million that HabsWorld comes up with in its uncited "report" (1 to 3 years). The Habs we’ll assume by the hold up are not into that, we’ll say they started at $1.7 million (2 to 4 years).

Carey Price camp opening arguments

1. Starting goalie money

The average goalie salary (cap hit) in the NHL is $2.51 million
The average among starters is $3.75 million
Removing entry level for starters gives $4.1 million

You want Carey to be a starting goalie in one of the biggest fanbases with some of the biggest revenue in the NHL. He shouldn’t be far below average.


2. Comparables

Carey Price (3 seasons)
Season: 2.77, 0.912
Career: 2.73, 0.912

Jonas Hiller (3 seasons) ¬ $4.5 million
Season: 2.73, 0.918

Jaroslav Halak (2 full seasons) ¬ $3.75 million
Career: 2.62, 0.919

Kari Lehtonen ¬ $3.55 million
Season: 2.81, 0.911
Career: 2.87, 0.912

Pekka Rinne (2 full seasons) ¬ $3.4 million
Season: 2.53, 0.911


Their average salaries going into the next contracts are $3.8 million, so the $3 million we ask for is very reasonable considering Carey’s closest peers.


3. Pedigree

Drafted 5th overall
CHL goaltender of the year
WJC winning goalie and tournament MVP
Calder Cup winning goalie and tournament MVP
NHL All-Rookie team
NHL All-Star Game


4. Save percentage

Save percentage is the only number that can be trusted among goalie statistics, as it is the only number that belongs to the goaltending performance alone. 0.912 this season and for his career are excellent at his age. It was a single tenth of a percent behind Roberto Luongo.


5. Alternatives

Having traded Halak, without Carey you would look to start the season with Alex Auld in goal and Cedrick Desjardins at back up. Carey offers a massive upgrade to that tandem, replacing the completely NHL-naïve Desjardins from the roster and providing a better start option than Auld.

The Kovalchuk Deal

Coming back from holiday, I heard the news that Ilya Kovalchuk had signed with the New Jersey Devils on one of the most piss-taking deals yet.

I was neither surprised that the Devils won this pursuit, nor that the deal took advantage of a cheating opportunity in the CBA. The Devils are on top of things like this, and it's a big reason they are on top of the conference year after year.

From a Habs point of view, the deal isn't good. With Washington and Pittsburgh already decked out, Philly a better team and others on the rise, the Eastern also rans like the Habs needed a Parise-Kovalchuk 1-2 like they needed a kick in the teeth. The fact that it is now viable long-term due to contract craftiness is more disheartening.

I would write morw on what I think the Habs should do about it, but JT at The H Does Not Stand For Habs has done a good mind reading job on me.


Other thoughts and questions

Why is Plekanec signed at $5 milli9on a year for a mere 6 years? Wouldn't $50 million for 15 years have made more sense?

Was Halak unaffordable with this contract math?

Will the Habs be on the insdie or outside of this loophole before it gets closed? (And Gomez doesn't really count...)

Don’t Hold Your Breath for Dan Ellis

Dan Ellis’ rights, acquired as part of the Sergei Kostitsyn trade were just window dressing as far as I’m concerned. Ellis is both too good and too close to a free agent payout to accept any sub-par offer for his services, no matter what his twitter account says.


Robert L is already penciling Ellis in at $1.8 million in his ideal world. But I ask why a goalie like Ellis, who earned $2 million last season, would sign a day early to become a certain back-up at a lower salary. If he is really a man with no ambition, then perhaps we’d be better with Cedrick Desjardins. If, as I suspect, he does have aspirations, then $1.8 million won’t do it. Nor will a promise of 14 games.

Bob McKenzie agrees with my take on this (or rather I with his), and thinks Ellis has much more attractive options elsewhere. Others agree too.

To make it attractive for Ellis to miss the free agency he’s so far been determined to test, the Habs will have to make an attractive offer. Playing time is nice, but in this world attractive means $$$. Let’s assume then that Ellis and his agent are looking for somewhere in the neighbourhood of $3 million. The Habs with their tax, and the pressure of a single day to trade would do well to lock him up at that price even. At $3 million, this potential acquisition looks a whole lot different.

Now I know Halak hasn’t signed yet. And I know we’ve been told that Pierre Gauthier assumes he knows the market, and that he assumes he knows what Halak will be asking for, and that he assumes he knows what he will sign for. But with a $3 million range Dan Ellis suddenly sitting on the books, this lays the non-call to Halak as an even greater nonsense from the wayward GM. If Gauthier has to make a deal to stay under the salary cap because Ellis and Price push him over, it also makes mockery of the budgetary argument for trading the better goalie in the first place.

Anyway. We all knew that was smokescreen from the minute it was proposed. That the Halak trade had less to do with cap room than it had to do with other considerations. So let’s get on with it.

Coming out of the Halak trade we all made our own assumption. The assumption, based on sound bytes from a GM, was that a good goalie was traded for prospects because the organization felt it had another good goalie, possibly even a better goalie, to throw its money and effort behind. We all thought Price is the bona fide number one goalie now.

This facet of the Halak:Price decision was panned in some quarters, but by and large lauded by the denizens of this fair site. It was lauded for the transaction of potential (one ceiling alleged to be higher than another) and most importantly for its cost-saving realism.

I need some convincing on the former theory, but I am relatively comfortable with the latter. After all, even if we assume Carey will show a consistent level of modesty to match his 3-year introductory period, he still won’t wrangle the biggest raise out of the Habs. Yet even his $2.X million could be a problem under the cap. Should Halak have been around, most commenters seemed to gravitate to the conclusion that this team could no longer afford to pay two useful goaltenders. One would assume the same thinking would logically apply to the perhaps slightly cheaper Ellis.

There's the rub. Price and Ellis together is not a league-cheapest goaltender combination, despite what optimists may dream. Two free agents holding all the cards does not generally result in fiscally responsible signings. My guess would be that the two of them together would not be a $4 million combination but closer to a $6 million one. At this point, my annoyance over the original Gauthier (Gainey) decision on back-end direction is coming to boil again. Price/Ellis wouldn’t be cheap, and though it would provide the necessary insulation against a year of growing pains ¬ I thought that luxury was too rich for the team.

Perhaps then the Ellis maneuver is more to do with an impasse with Price than it is to do with Ellis himself. Perhaps it’s not Halak or Price, but neither Halak nor Price. I think even the most embattled goalie supporters among us might agree that if that is the case, then the Habs management needs to be reined in.

So between the salary cap and pending free agency, I don’t think there are many scenarios where Dan Ellis signs a contract in the next few hours. Certainly not many where both or even one of the two camps - Halakkies and Pricites - come out happy.

Plekanec Too Good To Expose

Today, we received confirmation that at least some of the Canadiens management team watch the same games that we do, and even share some of the same notions about winning hockey.

Tomas Plekanec won a hefty raise by repeating his 20-odd goalscorer, 70-odd point man routine from a couple of years ago. He earned the privelege of Pierre Gauthier's phone call with an offer with his outstanding contributions throughout his tenure, the season, and particularly the Pittsburgh series.

This case draws a line in the sand between Plekanec and Jaroslav Halak for value to the team. Whereas the management figures they can do almost as well with Carey Price or someone else with adjustments to other positions, the Plekanec signing tells me they haven't seen an offensive centreman capable of playing as many roles as Pleks becoming available in the very near future.

Largely, I agree with this assessment. And, I'm glad that some other erroneous contracts didn't force this one off the books before a phone call could be made. $5 million a season is a lot for a number two centre (if reports are correct), but Plekanec himself earns this money (relative to high paid players in the NHL).

The move does however make the prospect of free agency less of a reality this summer. Looking down the list of players, this probably isn't a bad thing. That said, if a large scoring winger must be brought in, then the GM will have to get creative. Time for him to earn his money, I suppose.

What If Those Were Price's Numbers?

26-13-5, 2.40, 0.924

9-9-0, 2.55, 0.923

56-34-7, 2.62, 0.919

Those are the numbers at issue here. Regular season, playoffs and career to date. They look pretty good. Too good apparrently for the Canadiens in their cap situation.

I can accept that argument (I don't like it), but humour me here. What if those numbers belonged to a first round draft pick from 2005 named Carey Price?

Would the Canadiens have been able to get away with trading him for a package? (I think we can all admit, it would have been an even better one)

Or, would the Canadiens have been forced to find a way to fit in his millions?


Is it worth thinking about?.