30 Teams in 30 Days: Montreal Canadiens

Posted by Ezra Ginsburg in Columns,Montreal Canadiens,Season Previews,Uncategorized on September 3, 2008 — 3 Comments

The Montreal Canadiens head into training camp in a few weeks with a radically different set of expectations from a year ago. After finishing 1st in the Eastern Conference last season, the Habs are a team that will no longer play second fiddle to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators of the world, believing a lengthy Stanley Cup run is well within their cards. Montreal only made two significant moves during the offseason, adding veteran forwards Alex Tanguay and Georges Laraque, as general manager Bob Gainey showed confidence in a solid forward group that scored 257 goals last year (second only to Ottawa’s 258 goals). The Canadiens feel their team is much better than the one that bowed out to the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round of last year’s playoffs and that is why the bulk of the roster was untouched.

Forwards:

Montreal boasts one of the most talented forward groups in the league. When you consider that the Habs scored the second most goals in the league last year without the luxury of a Top-10 scorer (Alex Kovalev finished 11th in the NHL with 84 points), you know that this bunch is special. Coach Guy Carbonneau and his staff believe in a balanced approach when it comes to offense, which means that Montreal typically ices three solid scoring lines and a hard-nose checking unit. Whether Carbo rolls out the A.Kostitsyn-Plekanec-Kovalev line, the Tanguay-Koivu-Higgins line, or the Latendresse-Lapierre-S.Kostitsyn line, you know that you will have to skate, because this team is fast and aggressive. Expect Montreal to contend for most goals in the league once again.

Defense:

To say that Montreal’s defense corps is young would be an understatement as 34-year-old Roman Hamrlik and 32-year-old Francis Bouillon aren’t exactly dinosaurs. Nonetheless, the Canadiens defense is willing and able, with a healthy blend of size and speed. Russian dynamo Andrei Markov elevated his game during the 2007’08 season (16 goals, 58 points), while Hamrlik and Bouillon provided a calm and steadying influence for talented young big man Mike Komisarek. The Habs lost Mark Streit and his 62 points to free agency in the summer, which will hurt, but this is a team that will be more focused on their own end this year. Josh Gorges is ready to take the next step and will be looked upon as a shut-down option along with Komisarek. To round out this group, 24-year-old Ryan O’Byrne takes over from regular Patrice Brisebois as the team’s sixth defenseman.

Goaltenders:

21-year-old Carey Price heads into training camp as Montreal’s undisputed top goalie and should play 55+ games this year. Sure, Price was shaky in the second round playoff series versus Philadelphia but he is young, and will learn from his mistakes. Some are quick to forget that Price won 24 games and had an impressive .920 save percentage as a rookie last season. Jaroslav Halak is one of the more talented back-up goaltenders in the league and is a viable option should Price struggle.

Prediction:

Ceiling: 1st in the Eastern Conference.

Floor: 5th in the Eastern Conference.

Vive les Habitants!

Bob Roberts

Well, it’s risky making anything that even remotely resembles a negative remark about the Montreal Canadiens in the “Comments” section of an article penned by Ezra “Vive le Habitants” Ginsburg, but…

Lots of NHL players have had impressive rookie seasons and mediocre careers. Is Carey Price one of them? 24 AHL games and 52 NHL mean it’s too early to tell, isn’t it? Bob Gainey has really rolled the dice here, but he’s hedged his bet with Halak, it’s true.

The loss of Mark Streit is more than losing his 62 points (a D-man who is 3rd in points on the team) — it’s his versatility that’ll be missed most. 1st PP (point and wing), PK, D or W: which players will Carbo call on to fill these spots where he used to call on one? I think that he made that PP go; he’ll be missed all over, but especially there don’t you think? Markov the dynamo might experience a bit of a brownout sometimes without his one-timer setups, eh? And Kovalev will miss those cross-ice tape-to-tapers too, yes?

And Kovalev. Yes,…Kovalev. Which Kovalev will show up this year? At 35 you hope he’s finally found consistency and can finish his career as a show-up-every-night leader. If he does the sky’s the limit. If not…? One thing, though: do you think he’ll remember this year that playoff series include away games and maybe provide some production in them? And that in those road playoff games he needs to show up in his own end occasionally? Hope so if a lengthy Stanley Cup playoff run is to be well within the cards. There’s that gambling motif again.

And Carbo. Will he show any flexibility this year? The my-way-or-the-highway thing wears a bit thin after a while. Players have been known to quit on guys like that.

It’s nice to see someone who’s so unabashedly a fan of a team, and probably wishes he lived in “hockey-mad, Habs-crazy Montreal” (“the best hockey city in the world” [What does that mean? Does it have anything to do with a city where the GM has to lecture the fans about courtesy and respect for players and the flags and anthems of other countries?]) — but remember Ezra, “die-hard” fans are either on top of the world, or they…well..die hard. Hope you end up on top with your Habs.
Bob Roberts

Guy Carbonneau, aka “Mr. Flexible”

Re: Yannick Weber, after exhibition game vs. Florida

“I don’t think [he] changed my mind. I was pretty set on what I wanted to do before training camp,…”

Canadian Press

Alex Kovalev, aka “Mr. ?”

Re: Yannick Weber, after exhibition game vs. Florida

“I think he’s ready.”

Canadian Press

“We shall see. That’s why we watch.”
Bob Roberts

Guy Carbonneau, aka “Mr. What Do I Do For An Encore?”

Sunday November 9, 2008, The Gazette

“It (6 – 3 loss to the Leafs) was the most embarrassing game I’ve ever been associated with…”

Good thing he wasn’t a Hab when Patrick pulled himself…

Good way to lose the respect of your players, too.