Price helps Habs snatch victory from Leafs

It wasn't pretty, but the Habs found a way to pull out a victory over the Leafs in the opening game of the 2009-10 season . Josh Gorges scored the winning goal with just 12.8 seconds remaining in overtime, capitalizing on a rebound from a nice Mike Cammalleri rush. Carey Price was solid in nets, making 43 saves to get the win over the Leafs in what looks like will be a heated rivalry this season. Former Hab Mike Komisarek played his first game for the Leafs, and although he made his presence felt with some big hits, his lack of discipline cost the Leafs as the Habs scored 2 goals with him in the sin bin. Komisarek had 15 penalty minutes in this game, and he probably should have been called for at least another 2 minor penalties.
The Leafs totally dominated the Habs in the first 2 periods, out shooting them 30-13 after 2 periods. They controlled the play and were much faster on the puck than the Habs. Paul Mara and especially Hal Gill struggled in their Habs debut. Gill's troubles cost the Habs 1 goal, as he was stripped from the puck behind the net, resulting in a goal for Alex Ponikarovsky. Gill's lack of foot speed was obvious throughout the match as he was continuously beaten to the puck by speedy Leafs forwards, and it is definitely a concern for the Habs. Of more concern is the injury suffered by Andre Markov in the 3rd period. Markov left after apparently being cut by Carey Price's skate after a Leafs goal. Lets hope it isn't serious. Hopefully Roman Hamrlik will join the Habs for their next game. Hamrlik is desperately needed to log minutes in key situations, relieving pressure from Gill and Mara. Ryan O'byrne had a solid game and showed poise in this match. Lets hope his progress continues.
Newcomers Brian Gionta and Travis Moen scored for the Habs, and crafty center Glen Metropolit scored the goal that sent the game in to overtime in the third period. Metropolit also made a nice play on Moen's goal, stripping a Leafs defender behind the net and feeding Moen in front of the net who put it past Leafs goalie Vesa Toskala. Enforcer George Laraque also assisted on that goal, and also fought with newly acquired Leafs tough guy Colton Orr, earning a decision. This line was consistent throughout the match with their effort and grit. Maxim Lapierre's line was largely invisible, Guillaume Latendresse had a few good shifts, but they need more from their third line. Tomas Plekanec was all over the ice, and his effort was rewarded with an assist on Gorge's winning goal. Camallerri, who had 2 assists, and Gionta were impressive in their debut's, and Scott Gomez had his best period in the third. The Habs definitely need to be better, and coach Jacques Martin must be vigilant in order to make any adjustments necessary. The Leafs definitely controlled the flow of the game, but the Habs showed a lot of heart and team unity in coming up with the win. Carey Price made this possible. Lets hope he can keep it up...

Sergei Kostitsyn To Ride The Bus in Hamilton

New Habs coach Jacques Martin is sending a message by demoting talented winger Sergei Kostitsyn to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. The 22 year old heads to Hamilton after an inconsistent training camp which saw him get publicly berated by coach Martin during drills. The demotion comes right before Martin and his troops head to Teen Ranch in Caledon, Ontario, in a move Martin hopes will bring the team closer together. “This type of team building is something I’ve always done with my teams,” said Martin. “I think it’s a great way for the guys to get to know about each other and develop their leadership skills. There will be training sessions in the morning, both on and off ice, and then in the afternoons and evenings we’ll do some activities, including some physical ones, which will be aimed at developing responsibility and leadership.”
By excluding the younger Kostitsyn, Martin is sending a message to the team; including older brother Andre, that a poor work ethic and inconsistency will not be tolerated. This should include some of the younger Habs who seem to enjoy their new-found fame. Carey Price needs to put last season behind him, and he will be pushed by Jaroslav Halak if he doesn't. Maxim Lapierre is a hard worker, good skater with decent hockey skills, but he occasionally takes games off. I find it laughable that people are anointing him the next captain. Max should maybe take some tips from junior rival Maxim Talbot, who won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer. Although smaller and probably not as fast, Talbot plays a bigger game and is more of an "in your face" type of player. While Lapierre has 0 goals and 3 assists and is a minus 8 in 16 career playoff games, Talbot took his game to another level during the playoffs, scoring 8 goals and 5 assists during last seasons Stanley Cup run, including the glorious Cup winning goal in game 7. I like Lapierre as a player, he brings energy and is hard to handle down low with his speed, but I didn't like what i saw in the last 2 playoffs series: Max disappeared. Giving him the captaincy will only put more pressure on him and inflate his ego even more; stick to Hockey Max.
I don't know what to say about Lapierre's sidekick Guillaume Latendresse. I think people are putting up too many expectations on this guy... I don't think he's that good. He's not Guy Lafleur and never will be. Don't get me wrong, Guillaume has size and soft hands for a guy his size... but unfortunately he doesn't use it. Newcomer and one of the league's smallest players Brian Gionta plays in traffic more than Latendresse. I think he can be an effective guy from the blue line in... lets hope he can become something like John Leclair. The Habs sorely need a power forward, and Latendresse has to start crashing the net and start making a name for himself in the NHL. Other guys like Matt D'agostini must also keep up their work ethic. I think coach Martin will not have much patience with guys on the bubble... and the boys in Hamilton better be ready if their name is called, because there will be opportunities to play with the big club.
Opening night is 3 nights away in Toronto, and hopefully the Habs will have gotten to know each other better, and will stick up for each other when the going gets tough. One things for sure, the Maple Leafs will not make it easy on the Habs, lets hope the Habs show up for the challenge and prove who I feel is the superior team. Until next time...

Habs Brisebois Retires Graciously

I never thought I'd be writing anything about Patrice Brisebois. As a former Hab hater, Brisebois was one of my favorite whipping boys. Brisebois retired today after an 18 year career which saw him play 1009 NHL games and win a Stanley Cup in 1993 as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. The former Habs and Colorado Avalanche defenceman showed class and was very gracious in his retirement speech this afternoon. He thanked his family, former teammates, his trainers and the fans; as well as Habs GM Bob Gainey for giving him a chance to return to play for the Habs in 2007. . With tears in is eyes, Brisebois appeared a sympathetic figure who seemed humbled and privileged to have had such a long career. He finished his career with 98 goals and 322 assists for 420 points, including 371 points for the Habs; good enough for 5th place all time on the team for defencemen. Unfortunately for Brisebois, this wasn't always the perception the Habs faithful always had of him, and neither was mine. By all accounts, the former 30th pick overall in the 1989 NHL entry draft had a good career, however, it wasn't always easy.
After a successful Junior career which saw him win 2 gold medals as part of Team Canada's Junior Championship team, Brisebois joined the Habs with lofty expectations; playing his first game during the 1990-91 season and became a regular during the 1992-93 Stanley Cup winning season. Many people had high hopes that local boy Brisebois would be their next superstar, but despite his accomplishments, he was never destined for greatness. Brisebois did have talent; he was a very good skater with a hard and accurate low shot, and he was an excellent passer. However, Brisebois was prone to many defensive miscues in his own zone, and was often over matched and out muscled by forwards in the corners and on the boards. He added muscle later in his career, but was not much of a hitter, although he would surprise the crowd with a big hit every once in a while. But no matter how he played, Brisebois bled the red white and blue of the Montreal Canadiens; and his effort was always there. His game was at his best when he kept it simple: crisp outlet pass to the forwards and good positional defensive play. The Habs fans wanted more however, and they were merciless on him, booing him relentlessly and sometimes undeservedly. I never really liked Brisebois during his first tour with the Habs. I always felt he was a whiner, and he tended to hit his opponents when they weren't in the best position to defend themselves. Late in the 1990's, I witnessed some of Brisebois's antagonistic attributes first hand during a game at the Bell Centre vs my favorite New York Rangers. As aging superstar Wayne Gretzky skated in the corner, Brisebois crosschecked the NHL's all time scoring leader in the back, drawing the ire of the Great one and causing a scuffle. Although it wasn't a dirty hit, it was a cheap one...and it ended up being the motivation the Rangers needed to win the game. Gretzky emerged from the third period scuffle with fire in his eyes, and he victimized Brisebois in OT with a sweet pass between Breezer's legs to a Ranger in front of the net for the winning score. It was classic Gretzky moment, his third assist of the game on a beautiful pass.
With the media and the fans all over him, Brisebois left the Habs after the lockout in 2004, and joined the Colorado Avalanche for the 2005-06 season. With all the weight of the world off him, Brisebois excelled in the thin air of Colorado. He played a career high 80 games and added a career high 38 points. His next season was injury plagued, lasting only 33 games. During his exile in Colorado, a strange thing happened. Fans, media and myself alike, earned a mutual respect for Brisebois. By 2007, he was ready to return to the site of his Stanley Cup triumph; now a seasoned veteran looking to add some experience to a young team. Bob Gainey signed the veteran to a contract, and during the 2007-08 home opener, Brisebois received the loudest ovation of all the players. During the past 2 seasons, Brisebois played a steady game, adding a veteran presence on a team full of youngsters. His career had come full circle, the fans and media alike appreciating his 16 years of service he had given, his contributions to the team overshadowing some of the lower points in his career. He was the victim of unrealistic expectations placed upon him at a young age, and the more he tried to appease the fans, the more he was prone to errors, the louder the boos. He showed great courage and perseverance in overcoming this, and was even The Habs Masterton Trophy nominee in 2008. Thanks to Bob Gainey, Brisebois got to finish his career with the Habs with dignity and class, claiming the Jean Beliveau Trophy, which recognizes a player’s effort, enthusiasm, involvement and time invested in collective and personal initiatives. I can honestly say that I wish the guy well... he went through some rough times, but the true Habs fans appreciate effort, and he always gave it his best. Hopefully he will be remembered for his effort, courage, and perseverance, and for his love of the game of hockey. He is a true Montreal Canadien, with a Stanley Cup ring to prove it. Good luck Pat....

Bruins Will Miss Kessel

The Phil Kessel saga is finally over. After only 3 years with the Boston Bruins, the Phil Kessel era is over. The Bruins finalized a trade with the Conference rival Toronto Maple Leafs in which the Leafs give up a first and second round draft choice in the 2010 draft, and a first rounder in 2011. By all accounts it seems that the Bruins wanted to keep their speedy 2006 first round draft choice. However, as is almost always the case when an agent and big dollars are involved, Kessel bolted and signed with the leafs. Recent reports indicate he signed a 5 year 27 million dollar contract with the Leafs.
In the short term, the Bruins will definitely miss the speedy Kessel. Besides being only 21 years old and missing 12 games due to injury, Kessel led the Bruins with 36 goals last season; 9 more than runner-up Michael Ryder. The Bruins lost their game-breaker, Kessel's blazing speed and accurate shot made him the most dangerous of all the Bruins. Kessel was a mainstay on the Bruin power play and added something the Bruins sorely lack; speed. While the Bruins have some decent skaters in Patrice Bergeron, Chuck Kobasew, and the returning Marco Sturm, none of them posses Kessel's offensive arsenal. Kessel was a perfect fit with the Bruins. With punishing hitters such as Zdeno Chara and Milan Lucic, the offensive mastery of Marc Savard and David Krejci, and with Kessel being the ever present danger in the opposing zone, the Bruins could have made another serious run at the Stanley Cup again this year. Even though the Bruins pounded the Habs in to submission in last season's first round playoff series 4 games to none, the speedy Carolina Hurricanes exposed the Bruins lack of team speed in winning a thrilling series 4 games to 3. With Kessel gone, they will not be any faster, although the return of Sturm will help. Although the future draft picks will help, this transaction will not help them this season. Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara and Vezina Trophy winner Tim Thomas had career seasons last season, and the Bruins will need an encore from their aging veterans in order to have the same success this season.
For the Leafs, Kessel, who will be out of the line up until November with a shoulder injury, will add another dimension to the Leafs offence. Time will tell whether Brian Burke paid the right price in acquiring Kessel. As a hockey move, Kessel will definitely be playing on a weaker team and in a city where the pressure to play is matched only in Montreal and New York. Kessel and his agent obviously went for the big bucks, and it remains to be seen if Kessel can improve on his success from Beantown. Can he lead the Leafs in to the playoffs??... Despite the Leafs numerous acquisitions this season...unlikely.

Heatley Trade Will Benefit Both Sharks and Senators

The Ottawa Senators finally traded disgruntled star winger Danny Heatley. Heatley was packaged along with a fifth-round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for former 56 goal scorer and Richard Trophy winner Jonathan Cheechoo and the talented Milan Michalek, as well as a second-round draft pick. Heatley was said to be unhappy with his "reduced role" under new coach Corey Clousten and had asked to be moved. The irony of this is that the Senators finished the season strong under Clousten... so much for the team player. In any case, the Senators had to make this trade...Heatley would have been a dark cloud and a distraction at Senators training camp and would have alienated some team-mates. In any case, I feel this trade will benefit both teams.
There is no denying Heatley's talent; the former second overall pick and Calder Trophy winner has scored 180 goals in the past 4 seasons, including a pair of back to back 50 goal campaigns. He also registered over 100 points in his 50 goal seasons, establishing himself as one the NHL's top offensive stars. With soft hands and a deadly quick release, Heatley is tailor made to play with Joe Thornton, one of the NHL's premier play makers. Along with the young and speedy Devon Setoguchi, this line will be among the NHL's best in the following season. Look for Thornton, who has 2 seasons of 90+ assists to his credit, to reach the 100 point plateau for the first time in 3 years. Heatley will be the recipient of many of Thorton's pinpoint passes, and may very well surpass the 50 goal mark.
As for the Senators, besides ridding themselves of a player who didn't want to suit up for them and a potential year-long headache, they will be receiving Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek. Both players are coming off sub-par seasons, and there is only room for improvement. Cheechoo has been in a total tail-spin since leading the NHL in goal scoring in 2005-06. He scored a paltry 12 goals in 66 games last year, and there is not much room to get less!! Cheechoo is a tough and rugged forward with a good shot, and I'm pretty sure he'll bag at least 20 goals for the Sens, depending on his linemates and time on the power play. Michalek, a former sixth overall pick in the draft, is entering a crucial year in his career development. He has all the tools to be a great player in the league. A rare combination of size, speed and skills, Michalek will look to take his career to another level in the coming year. Newcomers Cheechoo, Michalek, and the newly acquired Alex Kovalev all have something to prove in the coming year, and look for solid seasons from all 3. If the Sens get solid goaltending and solid offense from Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza as well as their new faces, look for a much improved Sens team in 2009-10 that will challenge for a playoff spot.

A Habs Outsider... How It Began

As most kids my age growing up in the mid to late 70's, I was a huge hockey fan. Street hockey was a way of life, and so was Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday nights. Goalie pads were usually the foam from old discarded sofas, and our nets were often 2 cans of coke. We later became "hi-tech" and started using real nets, and then graduating to the school yards to apply our trade! Unlike most kids however, I was not a Habs fan. My older brother was a New York Rangers fan, and being almost 9 years younger, he had a lot of influence over me, so I became a fan too!! My Dad was a Red Wings fan, and always spoke of the "old days" with Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Terry Sawchuk. My older cousin was a Philadelphia Flyers fan. The Broad Street Bullies had won consecutive Stanley Cups a couple of years earlier. My younger brother became a Bruins fan, and this became another one of our countless excuses to fight!! Collectively though, we cheered against the Habs. The whole family was passionate about Hockey. It was a way of life. We even had a table hockey league complete with statistics and playoffs!!!
I knew all the Rangers; Rod Gilbert, Brad Park, Vic Hadfield, Jean Ratelle, Steve Vickers, Ed Giacomin, etc, before I even started watching hockey. Among my first favorites were Ron Greschner, Phil Esposito, Mike Mcewen, and big John Davidson in the nets. Swedish imports and WHA superstars Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson were there too, as was Don and Dave Maloney, Ron Duguay, Walt Tkaczuk and Pat Hickey. Unfortunately for me, the period from 1975-1979 was an era dominated by the Monteal Canadiens; A hockey dynasty which would go down as one of the best teams in the History of the NHL.
I didn't only dislike the Habs, I hated them!! I hated them as much as 7-8 year old kid could hate at the time. I hated them the same level I respect them today... they were "that good!" The Habs of that era were a real wrecking crew, in one season they lost only 8 games, in another they lost 12. On Saturday nights, they almost never lost. The most I could hope for was a tie on some nights, which was a real moral victory. They had all the stars; Guy Lafleur, Jacques Lemaire, Steve Shutt. I particularly remember how dangerous Lafleur, Shutt, and Pierre Larouche were around the opposing nets. All 3 had 50 goal seasons for the Habs. There was "the big 3"; Larry Robinson,Guy Lapointe, and Serge Savard on D... and of course Ken Dryden in the nets. I remember being frustrated countless times as pucks bounced harmlessly off the larger than life Dryden, he made it look easy. He usually didn't have to work too hard, but he always made the key saves. There was also the tenacious Bob Gainey, Mario Tremblay, and Doug Risebrough. I still remember a crunching body check Gainey gave to the late Dave Magnuson of the Chicago Blackhawks. The rugged and tough as nails Magnuson wanted to challenge Gainey to a fight, but it was obvious the defenceman was a little woozy and had to be restrained by his teammates.
In late spring of 1979, the Habs won their fourth consecutive Stanley Cup, beating my Rangers 4 games to 1, despite relinquishing Game 1 by a 4-1 score. The Habs were just too strong. It wasn't easy in school, I was taunted mercilessly by friends who were Habs fans, but I would stay loyal to my team. It wouldn't be until 1994, with Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, and Mike Richter leading the way, that the Rangers would win their first Stanley Cup in 40 years, and the first in my lifetime.
The last few years, my feelings are a lot more mellow towards the Habs than before. I am a staunch follower and I support them on most nights. Last season was a big disappointment and obviously Bob Gainey shook up the house. I was a bit skeptical at first, and I feel that the Habs might have paid a bit too much for some of their free agents, but I ultimately feel they will field a better team this year. The Defence is undoubtedly better, and with some consistent goal tending and timely scoring from their high priced acquisitions, I feel the Habs will make the playoffs.