Subban holdout an insult to organization, teammates

 This soap opera has gone on too long.  First the lockout, and now the holdout by Habs defenceman P.K Subban and his agent Don Meehan.  The 48 game NHL season begins today, and it appears the Habs will be without their talented and cocky blueliner to begin the season.  Lets look at some facts.

  First of all, how can you justify holding out to new management, the fans, and most importantly your teammates, in a shortened season after your team finished next to last in the whole conference and missed the playoffs??  Maybe P.K  wants to be paid among the elite defenceman in the league, but he still has a lot to prove, and now he is holding out on his team for money!!!  I don't understand the sympathy the city is giving to this player.... yes he is talented, well spoken, and an exciting player...but he is not Erik Karlsson or Drew Doughty, two of the best young defencemen in the game today.    He needs a big season to get the big contracts teammates Max Pacioretty and Carey Price just received.  I applaud new GM Marc Bergevin for not giving in to his demands.  Bergevin played the game for a long time, and he knows what it takes to win.
  Another fact is that the Montreal Canadians are one of the most successful and most revered organizations in all of professional sports.  How can a player with only 2 years experience hold out on an organization who has won 24 Stanley Cups??   Beliveau, Richard, Lafleur, Harvey, Robinson....  the list of Hall of Famers and legends in this city goes on an on...  but Pk Subban is holding out for money after his team  finished next to last and they missed the playoffs.  Maybe selfishness has something to do with it??  I've seen Subban play...  he's exciting, talented, but he plays for himself... He's a "hotdog".  I dont think hes the best teammate either.  How many mistakes did Subban make last season that cost his team a goal??    That being said, Subban played much better in the seasons second half, but it was too late by then. 
  There  is something that Subban can do to win back  everybody's respect...sign the Habs offer and show up to play!!  We all know players take advice from their agents...  but the players are paying the agents!!!  This is Montreal, not Nashville or Columbus!!!  The season is short and everyones patience will start wearing thin, starting with teammates and the fans.   Fire your agent if you have to, but missing games is inexcusable...  starting with tonight's opener against the Leafs.  Do the right thing P.K....  sign up and come to play!!  Its not only about you!!!

Price is right; Habs lock up goaltender : 6 yrs/39mil

  The Habs have their man in the net.  If all goes well, we will not have another goaltender controversy in Montreal for the next 6 years.  New GM Marc Bergevin signed  goalie Carey Price to a six year, $39 million deal, making him the third highest paid goalie in the NHL after Nashville goalie  Pekka Rinne, and New York  Rangers  Vezina trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist. 
  While many, including Montreal Gazette writer Jack Todd, questioned  the length and  wisdom of such a deal;  I feel that locking down Price was an absolute necessity... even if  it was a bit too rich.  The time is now.  Price is only 24, and is a proven NHL goaltender who is only going to get better.  Price has the talent to be one of the top goalies in the NHL year after year.  I feel he can be a perennial Vezina candidate with the right team in front of him.  Todd makes several comments in his article; claiming both Kings Jonathan Quick and Canucks goalie Corey Schneider are both "far better" than Price at this stage in their careers.  While there is no argument with Quick; who  won the Stanley Cup and was the backbone of a suffocating Kings Championship team, but Corey Schneider??  Are you serious??  Far better??  He has played in 68 NHL games vs 271 for Price.  He has also played for far better teams than Price has; I feel this argument is utterly ridiculous.  Price is a Blue-chip prospect, a 5th over pick in the draft and I agree with Todd that his time is now!  Price has to solve his consistency issues and be a leader on the team.  I also think he should show some more emotion, anger, anything...but I don't think he lacks "fire in his belly"...  Price has shown he can win, as evidenced in the World Junior Championships. 
  We shouldn't expect Patrick Roy or Ken Dryden, or Jacques Plante...Price doesn't need that pressure, and those goalies also had legendary teams in front of them. But we should expect someone who will be the backbone of the team for the next six years, and I think Price is up for the challenge. I  don't think we should bring up comparisons to Jose Theodore either.  Even though Theodore caught lightning in a bottle and won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 2001-02, his career fizzled after that and he is now an average NHL goalie.  I feel Price is far better than that, and Habs fans should be excited they have a top level goalie under contract for the next six years.  Only time will tell if it was  the right thing...  but I think Marc Bergevin paid the right price!

Prust signing is Habs gain, Rangers loss



New Hab Brandon Prust lands a right hand vs Bruins Milan Lucic while a member of the Rangers.

  New Habs GM Marc  Bergevin  made a bold  move this weekend with the free agent signings of Brandon Prust, Colby Armstrong, and Francis Bouillon.  The Prust signing has given the Habs another gritty forward, one who can skate very well, kill penalties, and fight if need be.  Prust brings a lot of intensity and attitude to his game, something the Canadians have lacked in recent years.  As a Rangers fan, I am dissapointed to see him go...  he hadn't missed a game in two years with the blueshirts, and had developed very good chemistry with buddy and linemate Brian Boyle, especially while killing penalties.   Prust brings a lot of passion to his game, and I think it will not take long for him to become a fan favorite.  Even though he is not the biggest guy, Prust will not back down from anyone and he will protect smaller teammates.  Another key factor is that Prust has gotten used to winning, and Im sure he will like to continue this for his new team.    I'm sure the Habs will "play bigger" due to his addition.  The price was steep for a guy who only scored 5 goals this past season, but as I said earlier; it will not take Habs fans long to realize this was an excellent acquisition.
     I hope Glen Sather made a reasonable offer, because this is definitely a loss for them.  They will miss his intensity and chemistry he created with his teammates...  a team I feel will contend for the Stanley Cup for the next 2-3 season. Several key players are very young;   Michael Del Zotto, Chris Kreider, Marc Staal, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, and Derek Steppan are all under 25.  Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist  is only 30,  and key returnees Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik, Ryan Callahan, and Dan Girardi are all either in their prime or just past it.  
  A Rangers-Canadians playoff matchup is very possible in the coming year, since I think the Habs will make it this year.  With Brandon Prust on the other side, it might not be so easy for the Rangers.  Only time will tell...Welcome Brandon Prust!