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Posts Tagged Montreal Canadiens

Other Transactions That Didn’t Involve Philadelphia

Jun 24

Posted by Eddie in News | 1 Comment

With the Draft occuring tonight and the blockbuster trades and signings that occured yesterday in Philadelphia, other transactions that could have went unnoticed Thursday was the re-signing of Devin Setoguchi by the San Jose Sharks and the Montreal Canadiens coming to terms with defenseman Andrei Markov.

Setoguchi Renews Pact with Sharks

Setoguchi was a restricted free agent with San Jose, and he signed a three-year contract with the team. Craig Custance via Twitter reported the contract to be at $3 million per season but the announcement of the signing on nhl.com didn’t disclose any financial terms. At only 24 years old, Setoguchi scored 22 goals  and finished with 41 points in 72 regular-season games in 2010-11. During the playoffs, he tied for the team lead in playoff goals with seven and had 10 points in 18 postseason games. He had a niche for scoring game-winning goals as he had five during the regular season and two overtime goals in the playoffs.

While he made $1.8 Million last season, he played on a one-year deal that he signed last summer. The team wanted to see what he can prove and he did show flashes of brilliance in the second half of the season. His first half was brutal as he went 7-5-12 on the stat line the first 33 games of the season. He found his touch and lit the lamp more in the final 30+ games of the season when he went 15-13-28 in the later half of the season according to the Fear the Fin Blog.

The Sharks can only hope he can continue his consistency he brought to the table late in the season and in the playoffs. $3 million could have been a stretch to pay him, but Setoguchi played solid at the right time to drive his stock higher.

Markov Remains in Montreal

Andrei Markov will remain in Montreal for three seasons.

 

The Habs are taking a huge gamble and giving a three-year contract to a player who didn’t see any playing time last season in Andrei Markov. Markov, 32, was supposed to be the teams top player on the blue line, but he missed most of the 2010-11 season with a knee injury he suffered seven games into last season. This wasn’t his first rodeo with the injury bug as he has missed 112 games in the regular season from 2009-2011. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the top players on the blue line in the league. But the 6′, 209 lbs. Russian has to find a way to stay healthy and be productive for his team. His cap hit is reported to be $5.75 million per season. He would be interesting to see the progression of younger defensemen who was able to get playing time and experience in his absence. Markov could most likely play with P.K. Subban, who led the team in goals (14) and points (38) in 77 games as a rookie.

Things could also look good for James Wisniewski, as he joined the team via trade and will have an entire off-season and training camp to get adjusted to his new team.

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NHL Stanley Cup Finals facts and other fun trivia

Jun 1

Posted by Chris in News, Soap Box | 1 Comment

The Stanley Cup playoffs are a long, exhausting grind. The process takes nearly two months to complete with teams playing every other night in hard-fought, physical battles where players are tested to the extreme both mentally and physically. It’s no wonder that some say the Stanley Cup is the toughest trophy to win in professional sports. With the Stanley Cup Finals set to begin tonight in Vancouver, here are some interesting facts about past Stanley Cup winners and losers – including some history about this year’s combatants.

  •  The Boston Bruins, one of the Original Six teams, have one of the worst Stanley Cup track records with a dismal .294 winning percentage. In 17 previous appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Bruins have won five times with their last victory coming in 1972. This will be the team’s sixth Stanley Cup Finals appearance since their last victory.  
  • The Vancouver Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup. The team made two previous appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals since joining the NHL in 1970 – once in 1982 and the second time in 1994.
  • Only two teams currently in the NHL have never lost in the Stanley Cup Finals. The Colorado Avalanche made two appearances, winning the Stanley Cup in both 1996 and 2001, while the Tampa Bay Lightning won their only appearance in the Finals in 2004. 
  • Six teams have never made an appearance in the Finals: the Columbus Blue Jackets (nine seasons), Minnesota Wild (nine seasons), Atlanta Thrashers (10 seasons), Nashville Predators (11 seasons), San Jose Sharks (18 seasons) and Phoenix Coyotes (13 seasons, and 17 seasons as the Winnipeg Jets).
  • In addition to those teams, another seven teams have appeared in the Finals but never won the Stanley Cup: the Vancouver Canucks (two appearances), St. Louis Blues (three appearances), Buffalo Sabres (two appearances), Florida Panthers (one appearance), Los Angeles Kings (one appearance), Ottawa Senators (one appearance) and the Washington Capitals (one appearance).
  • The Montreal Canadiens are the most decorated team in the NHL with an incredible 24 Stanley Cup championships in 34 appearances. The last time the team won the Stanley Cup was in 1993, which was also their last appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals as well.
  • Henri “The Rocket” Richard has won the most Stanley Cups as a player with 11.
  • Mark Messier is the only player to captain two different teams to a Stanley Cup championship. He captained both the Edmonton Oilers and the New York Rangers to championships.  

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Three Games on the Docket Tonight

Apr 26

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Should be a fun filled night of hockey playoff action tonight as two of the games are do-or-die game 7′s and one is bound to be. Here are the match-ups and why you should or should not tune in.

Boston Bruins @ Montreal Canadiens

More drama than a soap opera, the Montreal Canadiens look to tie up the series at 3 a piece. Starting in the regular season with the Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty, the Habs fans tried to get Chara in hot water by calling the police to investigate the action. Failing to have Chara serve hard time before the series, the show continued. Game four brought another bit of excitement as Boston Bruins Andrew Ference was fined for displaying the California howdy to the Montreal crowd. Ference took a Janet Jackson defense claiming a wardrobe malfunction.

The games have been quite abnormal with a win-on-the-road series for the first four games. The  Boston Bruins have finally won one at home to lead the series 3-2. This was of course without lack of excitement as the win came in the second overtime. Expect Montreal to come out flying fast and peppering goalie Tim Thomas with pucks. The series is set-up to be going to game 7.

Buffalo Sabres @ Philadelphia Flyers

The Buffalo Sabres had the Philadelphia Flyers on the brink of defeat, only to lose on home ice in 5-4 loss in overtime. Traveling to the sea of Orange, the Sabres have a tall order to fill to win.

On a bright note, the Sabres look to bring back secret weapon Derek Roy after suffering a torn left quadriceps tendon. This will however be at the offsetting loss of Tim Connolly. Connolly was driven into the boards from behind by Flyers Mike Richards. Some might even call it a boarding. Richards, who you could say started the whole reason for taking blindside hits to the head more serious with his hit on David Booth, will not receive any suspension. After reviewing the tape, it was difficult to decide the severity of the hit and if it warranted a suspension…. if your name is Helen Keller. Connolly knocked out the for the series, hit from behind, can NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell be fired yet? I think the weather man/woman gets more calls right.

Regardless of the outcome of the game, one team needs to advance only to be eliminated in the next round. Watch if you have nothing better to do.

Chicago Blackhawks @ Vancouver Canucks

Welcome to the maiiiiiin event!

That’s right, the defending Stanley Cup Champions Chicago Blackhawks look to eliminate the season leading record Vancouver Canucks. After losing the majority of their team in the offseason to salary cap issues, the Blackhawks barely made it into the postseason only to give the Canucks a run for their money. Losing the first 3 games and winning the last 3, momentum looks to be on their side.

Vancouver is in a panic and rightfully so. On the verge of being called the new San Jose Sharks with their lack of ability to produce in the postseason, the “untouchable on paper” Canucks can be eliminated. Media outlets are trying to pin point the turning point, saying the Canucks Raffi Torres hit on Blackhawk defender Brent Seabrook woke up the giant. I don’t quite buy that, but I do buy that Vancouver General Manager Mike Gillis is trying to deflect media attention from net-minder Roberto Luongo with his claim that the referees are out to get them. Sure Chicago has had 27 power-plays to your 16 in the series, 22 to your 12 in the last 4 games, but hey, who’s counting? OK, maybe Gillis has a point, but still, Luongo looks bad, real bad. With a career 2.57 goals against average and .915 save percentage for the playoffs, I think we know who to point the finger at and it is not the refs.

Should be a fast paced game and worth watching, even worth staying up late on the east coast. Either one of these teams very well could be in the championship this year, which one though will be decided tonight.

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Habs have Bruin’s Backs Against the Wall

Apr 17

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

In an unlikely event, the Montreal Canadiens have taken a 2-0 lead in their series against the Boston Bruins.

The Bruins are in a bad situation, and if history tells a story, the Bruins have yet to come back from a 2-0 deficit in all of their 26 attempts.

One positive that Boston fans can look forward to is the return of their Captain and big defensive presence Zdeno Chara. It has yet to be stated that he will return, but with 2 games down, it would be near improbable that he will not. In game two, Chara was hospitalized overnight after being dehydrated. It was an unfortunate event, as having the proper food and nutrients is pivotal to NHL players’ ability to play. Chara did skate for the pregame of game two yet felt dizzy and incapable of playing.

The next game will be in Montreal on Monday night. Expect the Habs fans to be in full effect with loud chants and an overall increased intensity for the game. If Boston wins game 3 they still have a fighting chance. If not however, it will be the end of the Bruins for this year, an end that not too many people saw coming, and an end to a series that fans would have liked to of seen gone 7 games.

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Five first round playoff matchups we want to see

Mar 24

Posted by Chris in Soap Box | 2 Comments

With the playoffs roughly two and a half weeks away, there are still a lot of points to be had as teams jockey for positioning and try to solidify themselves with the best seed possible – or a playoff berth in general as many teams are still fighting for the coveted 8th spot in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.

In the East, Buffalo is clinging to a three-point lead over the Carolina Hurricane for the 8th spot while the Toronto maple Leafs are right on their tail with 76 points. In the West, the Ducks are securely in 8th place but the Stars and Flames are one and two points behind respectively, meaning Anaheim has to play top-notch hockey for the remainder of the season to maintain their playoff aspirations.

With the standings changing on a daily basis, here are five of the first round playoff matchups that we would love to see happen in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

Matchup: Vancouver vs Calgary

Not only does this have the potential to be the only all-Canadian matchup if the first round, and perhaps of the playoffs in general, but Vancouver and Calgary are also division rivals which could make for a very physical and intense matchup between two teams who are very familiar with one another. It would also pit two seasoned goaltenders against each other in Roberto Luongo and Mikka Kiprusoff. Neither has had much success in the playoffs recently and both would look to step up to the challenge and backstop their team to victory.

Will we see this matchup? Perhaps, but the Flames need to play much better down the stretch if they intend to catch the Ducks, who are 8-2-0 over their last 10 while the Flames are a mediocre 4-4-2.

Matchup: San Jose vs Chicago

Goaltender Antti Niemi won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks last season before the team had to forgo resigning him due to salary cap restraints. The Sharks quickly snatched him up and Niemi has put up good numbers in San Jose with a 2.48 goals against average and a .916 save percentage while accumulating 30 wins with the Sharks. Chicago, meanwhile, has had to rely on rookie goaltender Corey Crawford since Marty Turco, who was brought in as a veteran (and cheaper) replacement to Niemi, has been an absolute bust. But goaltending isn’t the only issue. Both teams are fighting to remain relevent and prove that they have what it takes. After losing a significant amount of talent in the offseason, Chicago has exceeded expectations in a very tightly contested Western Conference. On the other end, the Sharks want to show that they are more thasn just regular season superstars and look to make a significant push to a Stanley Cup this season. This would be quite a matchup to see in the first round.

Will it happen? It could. There is still a significant amount of position-swapping going on in the Western standings, and if San Jose vs Chicago doesn’t happen we would gladly take the other likely alternative of Chicago vs Detroit.

Matchup: Washington vs New York

The Capitals always draw fan fare because of the likes of Alexander Ovechkin and his dynamic goal-scoring abilities. But the real reason why this would be an appealing matchup is because it would come down to whoever executes their game plan better on any given night. Both teams are in the top-5 for the fewest amount of goals allowed per game on average and Henrik Lundquist is finally getting due credit this season as many are already lobbying for him to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender. The real kicker, however, is that the Rangers actually score, on average, more goals per game than the Capitals. This would be a very tightly contested matchup where the winner will be the team that shows up and brings their A-game every single night of the series. It might not be high scoring, but it would sure be fun to watch.

Will it happen? The 8-Ball says yes. If playoffs started today, this would be one of the opening round matchups in the East.

Matchup: Boston vs Montreal

There is clearly a disdain amongst both parties for one another in this divisional rivalry – something that could potentially go to the next level thanks to Zdeno Chara’s bone-crushing hit on Max Pacioretty two weeks ago. The good news is that Pacioretty very well may be back for the playoffs. The bad news is that Montreal now has a good cause to ride behind as they look to overthrow the Bruins for the division lead. The Bruins are feisty and the Canadiens are hungry after falling just short of a Stanley Cup Finals berth last season after losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Conference Finals. These two teams certainly do not like each other and a best-of-seven playoff series could really elevate this rivalry to the next level.

Will it happen? It’s highly likely. If playoffs started tonight, Boston would be taking on Montreal in one heck of a seven-game classic.

Matchup: Toronto vs Well…Anyone Really…

The Leafs haven’t skated into the postseason since the 2003-04 season where they made it to the 2nd round before being eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers. Things haven’t looked good since then. But Brian Burke is working on turning things around for this storied franchise and a team that was almost counted out is now only five points out of a playoff spot. With eight games left, the Leafs will have to work hard to get points from teams like the Red Wings, Capitals, Bruins and Canadiens – teams all still left on their docket before the season comes to a close. Can they do it? It’s highly unlikely, but what a story it would be if they did…

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Islanders deal Wisniewski To Canadiens

Dec 29

Posted by Eddie in News | 3 Comments

Blue liner James Wisniewski will go from one of the worse teams in the league to a team that will be in the playoff chase in 2011.

In a surprising move, the New York Islanders trade 26-year-old defenseman James Wisniewski to the Montreal Canadiens for two draft picks. This season on Long Island, Wisniewski was tied or the team lead in points this season with 21. His career-year on offense will only help the Habs, as he now moves down to the second-best scorer on a much better team. The Canadiens are without defenseman Andrei Markov for the season due to a knee injury.

The draft picks Montreal dealt were a 2011 compensatory second-round pick they were due to receive for not signing former first-round pick David Fisher. The second pick currently stands at a 2012 fifth-round pick. New York will have that selection if Montreal qualifies for the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Wisniewski plays in 50 percent of Montreals’ playoff games. If both of those requirements aren’t met, New York will receive a fourth-round pick in 2013.

This selection benefits Montral more than New York because the Habs will receive a young, solid defenseman. Wisniewski has spent his career playing with Chicago and Anaheim. Wisniewski’s cap hit is $3,250,000 and is scheduled to become a UFA next summer. New York originally acquired him from Anaheim on July 20 for a 2011 third-round pick.  Look for Wisniewski to be paired on the top line with Roman Hamerlik. If he doesn’t play on the top line, he’ll play with either Jaroslav Spacek or Alexandre Picard. They now have too many defensemen and look for either Yannick Weber or P.K. Subban to be sent down to the minors as they both have underperformed this season.

I do give credit to Islanders GM Garth Snow for essentially moving a third-round pick for a second rounder in the upcoming draft.

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Plekanec and Kostitsyn Show Best Use of On-Ice Teamwork

Dec 2

Posted by Eddie in Media | 2 Comments

In last nights game between Montreal and Edmonton at Bell Centre, Canadiens forward Andrei Kostitsyn was  struck on what appeared to be his foot by a shot from P.K. Subban. He tried to hobble to the bench but fell to the ice. In an attempt to what could be to keep play going and not have the referee stop play due to an injured player on the ice, Tomas Plekanec rolls Kostitsyn over and over to help him get to the bench.

The footage viewers watching the game on TSN can see the video here. It begins at the :55 second mark after you see Mathieu Darche’s power play goal. If you want to see just the video of Plekanec rolling over Kostitsyn, go here.

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NHL playoffs already in sight at quarter-season mark

Nov 28

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

By the end of November when the U.S. Thanksgiving arrives, most teams have had time to mesh, time to get back into the grind of the long NHL season and teams and players have had ample time to learn new systems of play. By the end of November, every team in the NHL has played at least 20 games – something that coaches and players alike will tell you is a good point of reference for how a team will do in the long run of the season. In fact, with only one quarter of the NHL season gone, statistics show that most playoff spots have already been decided and if your team is currently outside looking in, you might be in for a long summer next year.

According to an analysis done by the Toronto Star that utilized NHL statistics dating back to 1993, 77.5 percent of the teams that hold a playoff spot at the U.S. Thanksgiving end up making the playoffs at the end of the season. Only 22.5 percent of the teams outside looking in at Thanksgiving make it back into the playoff fold.

The news gets worse for fans of teams like the New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers. The analysis also found that 84 percent of the teams that had 17 points or fewer at the Thanksgiving holiday failed to make the postseason. Meanwhile, 89 percent of the teams that had 28 or more points at the same point in time made the playoffs. This statistic bodes well for teams like Columbus, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Washington, Philadelphia and Detroit.

Former NHL player Brendan Shanahan, who currently serves as the vice-president of hockey and business development for the NHL, broke down the stats and commented on the bleak outlook for teams currently outside the playoff picture.

“If you go into a third period leading the game, more often than not, you win that game,” said Shanahan.

But if you don’t have the lead, “it doesn’t mean you’re out of it. All you’re thinking about is winning. You’re not thinking about statistics. You’ve got to focus on that 22.5 per cent, that it can be me.”

With over 50 games still remaining in the regular season, there is still a lot of wiggle room for bubble teams to move in and out of contention before playoffs begin. In fact, only four points currently separate the 12th place Minnesota Wild from the 4th place Columbus Blue Jackets in the Western Conference.

“The teams that have gotten off to a good start are rewarded in some sense, with improving their odds,” said Shanahan. “It doesn’t mean the door is closed, it doesn’t mean they can rest, and it doesn’t mean the teams behind them are out.”

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Hockey World Blog Season Previews 2010: Montreal Canadiens

Sep 6

Posted by Eddie in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Jaroslav Halak, Sergei Kostitsyn, Glen Metropolit, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Paul Mara, Georges Laraque

Key Offseason Additions: Dustin Boyd, Alex Auld, Lars Eller

Last Season Ranking: 8th, East

Offense: Montreal returns its top four offensive threats. Included in that are top line of Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, and Brian Gionta. They have a top line that isn’t as flashy as some of the other teams in the East, but they do have the ability to carry the Canadiens. Their main issue last season was staying healthy. They each were effective when they played, but they don’t have the depth necessary to survive if the injuries start to climb. Tomas Plekanec returns to anchor the second line, and should be able to come close to matching his team-leading 70 points from a year ago. Further down the depth chart is where it could become cloudy. Benoit Pouliot is the top returning scorer not from the top two lines, and he posted a 15-goal, nine assist season last year. If he can improve on those numbers, it could help give Montreal the depth down the roster needed to compete. Look for new additions Dustin Boyd and Lars Eller to make contributions to the third and fourth lines.

Expect Mile Cammalleri to carry a large chunk of the offensive workload for Montreal this season.

Expect Mike Cammalleri to carry a large chunk of the offensive workload for Montreal this season.

Defense: This is the area where they lost significant at the top. In addition to Halak in goal, the Canadiens lost Marc-Andree Bergeron. This is significant because he was one of 22 defensemen who scored double-digit goals on the season. Defensive scoring the way Bergeron could is hard to come by, but they do return Andrei Markov. Markov won’t be ready until at least Thanksgiving as he underwent surgery to repair an ACL he injured in game one of the Pittsburgh series. Habsinsideout.com reported last week he resumed skating on his own, but he is still behind his teammates in terms of being in top condition for training camp. Look for top prospect P.K. Subban to make a big impact in his first full season. Subban litthe lamp several times last season in the AHL with Hamilton, and continued to do so when Markov went down in the playoffs. He finished second in team playoff points for defensemen with eight. He’s their top defensive prospect and could contend for the Calder Trophy if he can contribute the way he did in the playoffs.

Goaltending: With Halak gone, it’s do or die time for Carey Price. Price has been given the keys to the car and it’s his job to perform in net. He has to rid his inconsistency and play the entire season the way he does when he’s on his game. Because if he struggles, Alex Auld is not the goalie Halak was. Price was 13-20-5 last season. Those are the numbers you don’t expect from the goalie you signed to a two-year, 5.5 Million dollar contract last week. Just to add a little pressure on Price, top minor league goalie Cedrick Desjardins was traded to Tampa Bay last week for Karri Ramo. And Ramo will remain in the KHL this season and honor his contract before returning to the NHL in 2011.

Season Outlook: Montreal has a chance to win the division and have an encore performance to last season’s magical run to the East finals. If they can surprise everyone and improve on the defensive side of the puck, expect them to make a deep run to the playoffs. In the flipside, if Carey Price struggles, so could the rest of the team.

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Halak Heads to St Louis

Jun 17

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Goaltender Jaroslav Halak, a key component of the Montreal Canadiens run to the Eastern Conference Finals this past season, has been dealt to the St. Louis Blues according to a report by RDS.

ESPN is reporting that the Habs will receive forward Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. Eller was a first-round pick of St. Louis in 2007 and Schultz was a 2008 third-round pick. Eller appeared in seven games with the big club as he spent the rest of the season with Peoria of the AHL. Schultz played his third junior season in 2009-10 with Calgary of the Western Hockey League.

For the past two seasons, Halak split time between the pipes with Carey Price, but Halak’s game seemed to improve after his run with Slovakia in the Vancouver Olympics. He finished with a 26-13-5 regular-season record, a 2.40 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. In the playoffs, Halak had a 2.55 GAA and .923 save percentage in 18 games.

This is a risky move for St. Louis, as Halak becomes a restricted free-agent on July 1 and is eligible for salary arbitration. In two seasons, he becomes a unrestricted free-agent. This is the second goalie they acquired in consecutive summers.  They acquired Ty Conklin from Detroit last off season, and Chris Mason, who started 61 games last season. Mason does enter this summer as a unrestricted free-agent, and with his $3 Million salary and Halak’s $800,000 salary from last season, they will let Mason walk and go into next season with a Halak-Conklin duo in net.

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