Montreal Canadiens
How to fix the Habs? Oh, and there’s a game today
The Habs play the Jets today in a game that means a lot more to the Jets. However, if the Habs lose, that’s four in a row and I have to believe a house cleaning may come tomorrow. We shall see.
As for the state of the Canadiens, I’ve had a few “what would you do” emails. So, quite simply: I wouldn’t “tank,” as a) the Canadiens can’t finish last, and b) a true rebuild won’t work in Montreal. People will stop going to the games. It’s been proven before, and it would happen a game. No, I’d edge much more towards the Philadelphia Flyers model, which is try to retool. The Canadiens problem isn’t drafting – I believe there are more Habs picks playing in the NHL in the past decade than any other team’s. The problem? Most of them are playing, and thriving, with other organizations. No, the problem is management. Gauthier, Gainey, etc. The Habs need a clean start.
Step One: New management
I have heard many call …
And with Carolina’s victory over the Kings…
As of 9:26 EST, the Montreal Canadiens are alone in the basement of the Eastern Conference.
It’s dark down here. And lonely.
But seriously, how could anything go worse this year? A lost season, indeed. Will it be enough to cost jobs/cause trades in the near future? I have to believe it does.
There’s bad, and then there is this. Woe, Montreal.
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Canadiens D Markov skates again Saturday
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Andrei Markov skated for 39 minutes Saturday on his surgically repaired right knee.
Markov has been sidelined since suffering an ACL and MCL tear against the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 13, 2010.
He appeared ready to return to the lineup earlier this season but needed to undergo another surgical procedure in December.
The Canadiens signed the 33-year-old Markov to a three-year, $17.25 million contract in June.
In 623 career games, Markov has collected 81 goals and 285 assists.
How the Canadiens Season Should End: A 10 Point Plan
Things are getting ugly in Montreal. This has been a nightmare of the season for the Canadiens, and frankly, it seems that just when you think it can’t get any worse, it always does. The problems with the team are well documented, so I don’t want to waste your time giving my opinion on why this team is not performing. In fact, rather than harp on negatives, I prefer to look at how they can make the best out of this bad situation.
In a nutshell, the organization needs to start thinking about the future, and not about how they can maybe squeak into the playoffs and get run over by New York, Boston, Philly or Pittsburgh. It’s not going to happen. Even if it only took 92 points to make it in, that would mean the Habs would have to go 21-7-3 the rest of the way. This team is simply not good enough to pull that off.
Now that we got that out of the way, here is my 10-point plan for the remainder of the season, which would hopefully act as the starting point for a successful 2012-13 season….
P.K. Subban blasts Adam Larsson
P.K Subban welcomed rookie defenseman Adam Larsson to the NHL last night with this big open ice hit as the Swedish rookie crossed the blue line with his head down. The hit was good, clean hockey but the hit propelled Larsson into the boards resulting in a back injury. This is a great example of what Subban should and could be, a physical defenseman with a bomb of a shot and good skating abilities. He, like Brad Marchand, is too good to resort to the slimy, cheap tactics that so often overshadows his game.
If Subban cuts out the turtling and cowering he’d be one hell of a player.
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Scott Gomez: Needed Now, Needed Tomorrow
As the one year anniversary approaches commemorating the last time that Scott Gomez scored a goal in the NHL, an overwhelming sense of emotion overcomes by body to think of that joyous occasion. To think, that it was just one year ago that he scored, man how time flies.
Enough of the sarcasm.
I am not going to sit here and tell you that everything is going well with this squad right now…
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Habs fans: Pierre McGuire for GM? A solid argument by Mitch Melnick
Mitch Menlick, known to Montrealers as a longtime radio personality and host of the daily afternoon drive show on TSN 990, has a very good blog. I have linked to it before, and I will again. But this is the most controversial blog post I’ve seen him write, and I urge you to read it:
Bring Pierre Home
So, Pierre McGuire as GM of the Montreal Canadiens? I’ve touted him as a potential candidate many times before, and I continue to believe he’d be a great GM. I think Melnick is bang on here. McGuire would be a great GM as he stands by his comments, he’s accessible so fans would love him, and the quotes over the years prove that his assessments of players are generally right on the money. Are you sick of the ghostly appearances by Montreal management, and the lack of clarity around, well, just about everything? I am.
There’s a change coming. There has to be. This team is a mess. Pierre McGuire for General Manager? You decide.
Another Version Of The Gaustad-Pacioretty Incident
From Sabres beat reporter Paul Hamilton of WGR-550,
Right after Pat Kaleta scored into the empty net Tuesday in Montreal to ice the game, he did his arm pumping goal celebration down the slot. Max Pacioretty took exception and started talking trash as he does all game. His target this time was Paul Gaustad. Pacioretty asked him “Where’s Lucic” with Gaustad countering “Where’s Chara” in reference to the hit Chara put on Pacioretty into the glass last year that started a near riot in the city of Montreal and almost ended his career.
Now the city’s fans are tougher than their hockey team because Chara is still waiting to be challenged by a Canadien. Many talk about how soft the Sabres are, but they can’t hold a candle to this bunch.
continued
Pierre McGuire A Great Match For GM Job In Montreal
from MitchMelnick.com, I’m not going to step aside over some supposed professional code. I sincerely believe that Pierre McGuire would do a terrific job as an NHL General Manager. And I think it’s about bloody time somebody in this town talked to him about the GM post of the Montreal Canadiens.
I believe that Pierre is the best hockey analyst in the business. Almost too good, it turns out, to return to work for an NHL franchise. He revolutionized the way the game is now described on television and more importantly, what hockey fans expect out of a telecast. The energy and passion he possesses is obvious. His knowledge of virtually any player anywhere on the planet, let alone an NHL ice surface, reveals his strong roots as a scout. That knowledge has never wavered from the moment I first met him, sitting in the old balcony at the Montreal Forum during a Canadiens playoff match up that I have since forgotten everything about except for the guy I was sitting next to. Regul…
Paul Gaustad Asks Max Pacioretty, Canadiens ‘Where’s Chara?’ During Montreal-Buffalo Game
Max Pacioretty and the Canadiens no longer have a problem with just Zdeno Chara and the Bruins. They now have to worry about Paul Gaustad and the Sabres, too. Gaustad ensured that he shot up the ranks on the long list of perceived Montreal villains on Tuesday night when he got into a verbal bout with the Canadiens bench. According to a number of Canadiens, Gaustad got into it with Pacioretty late in Buffalo’s 3-1 win, and he asked the Montreal forward “Where’s Chara? Where’s Chara?” That, of course, is a reference to the season-ending hit that Chara delivered to…
Markov skates, Moen sits
Andrei Markov skated today, for the first time in basically two months, a 15 minute solo session that suggests he is still quite far away from returning to the lineup. For those counting, it has been 14 months since Markov last laced them up n an NHL game.
Another missing Hab, Ryan White, actually practiced over the past couple of days and appears close to a return. However, he will not play tonight against Buffalo.
The Canadiens, as a team, have to win in regulation tonight. They are 8 points back from a playoff spot, and only 2 points up on their opponents, the lowly Sabres. By my count, the Habs basically need 6 of the next 8 points to stay in the race, and they also need to stop giving points away through OT and shoot outs. Narrow the gap to 4 points by mid-February and they’re in the race. Anything less and I suspect spring arrives early for Les Glorieux.
Continue reading “Markov skates, Moen sits”
He Said / She Said: Replacing Pierre Gauthier
With the trade deadline rapidly approaching, one question has oft been asked by both local and national media: Will Pierre Gauthier be remain at the helm for the Montreal Canadiens.
While he may survive past February 27th, it is looking increasingly likely that the Montreal Canadiens will go in a new direction with regards to its management team.
With that in mind, our resident writers…
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Video: Price Tebows during skills competition
Even though the Denver Broncos season ended two weeks ago following a brutal loss to the New England Patriots, Tim Tebow and the popular trend of “Tebowing” seems like it will never go away. In fact, Tebowing has become so popular that it was even used during 2012 NHL All Star Game in Ottawa on Saturday night during the skills competition thanks to Montreal Canadians goalie Carey Price.
As you can see in the video above, Price decided to attempt a save on New York Islanders center John Tavares while Tebowing in front of the net. Obviously, this was a pretty easy goal by Tavares, but it’s still funny to see Tebowing in other sports–especially one like hockey.
Thanks to Bleacher Report for the tip on the video.
Price shines at ASG skills, CBA negotiations, Leafs, Lightning, Rumours and more
Morning puck addicts!
So did you enjoy the All-Star skills competition yesterday? I did. Moreover, how freakin’ entertaining was Carey Price all mic’d up?
It’s funny, because most in Montreal that cover the Canadiens are pretty familiar with his sense of humour. But, yesterday, the rest of the league’s fans got a taste of Price’s hilarity during the breakaway challenge.
After the…
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