Habs Sign Nathan Beaulieu to Entry-Level Deal

The Montreal Canadiens announced today the signing of defenseman Nathan Beaulieu to a 3-year entry-level contract.  While it was a matter of time / a formality, since Beaulieu will certainly be making his pro debut in the Fall rather than returning to the QMJHL as an overager, the signing is notable as he becomes the first player given a deal by new GM Marc Bergevin.  Official release: http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=633263

Beaulieu, Montreal's first round selection last June, had an up-and-down year, but one full of good experiences.  His Saint John Sea Dogs won the QMJHL championship for a second year in a row, and thus returned to the Memorial Cup, where they were unable to repeat as winners, falling in the semi-final to host Shawinigan.  Beaulieu also got to represent Team Canada at this past winter's World Junior Championship, though he spent much of his time as a powerplay specialist / 7th defenseman.

Beaulieu will join the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Fall as part of a strong in-coming class of rookie pros that includes Jarred Tinordi, Morgan Ellis, Michael Bournival, Brendan Gallagher, Patrick Holland, and Greg Pateryn, all already under contract with the team.  Fans should temper their expectations in his regard, as while he has good size, amazing skating ability, slick passing, and good offensive instincts, he still has a lot to work out in his game, notably in his own end and in maturity.  But he has time.  He'll be one of the youngest players in the AHL when the season begins at age 19, eligible to play because of his December birthday.

Congrats Nathan!  Feel free to send him your best wishes via Twitter, @n8theggr8.

Player Spotlight: Alex Henry

Why, you may wonder, am I devoting a spotlight piece to a defenseman who has played only 2 games in a Canadiens uniform, and those being back in 2008-09?  It's because after four seasons of reliable service for the Hamilton Bulldogs - three spent as the team's captain - Alex Henry is moving on.  It was announced yesterday that the tough 6'5", 220 lbs blueliner has signed a deal with the Dusseldorfer Eislauf Gemeinschaft (DEG) Metro Stars of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) for next season.

Henry, 32, is no stranger to Germany, having suited up for Kaufbeuren ESV of the 2nd tier league there during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.  The DEG Metro Stars were Germany's top club in the 1990s, winning championships in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, and 1996, but none since, losing in the finals in both 2006 and 2009.  Brendan Shanahan played three games for the team during the 1994 NHL lockout, scoring 5 goals and 8 points.  The team's roster today includes former Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jean-Sebastien Aubin, one-time New York Ranger Jeff Ulmer, short-term St. Louis Blue Andy Roach, and recent signee Michael Catenacci, who spent this season with the Kitchener Rangers.

Before joining the Canadiens' organization, Henry had played 175 NHL games, split between the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, and Minnesota Wild, the last of which he even briefly served as captain of.  Not the swiftest of foot, he had been relegated to an AHL role for two full seasons before Montreal signed him, so it was of little surprise that he would be spend most of his time with the club in Hamilton.  While he has little offensive game to speak of, Henry is a tough customer, racking up 127, 154, 96, and 94 penalty minutes in his four seasons with the Bulldogs respectively.  He brought leadership to a team that saw the likes of Yannick Weber, Ryan White, David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty, and P.K. Subban graduate to the NHL during his tenure there.  For this reason, I wish him all the best in pursuing his career overseas.  He could have been a valuable asset with Nathan Beaulieu, Jarrred Tinordi, Morgan Ellis, and Greg Pateryn all set to make their pro debuts with the Bulldogs in the Fall, but their arrival also means less available time for a guy like Henry, so the Canadiens will have to look elsewhere for a veteran presence on the AHL blueline.  He was about to become one of three 'Dogs veteran D UFAs this summer along with Joe Callahan and Garrett Stafford, and it is possible that one of the other two is retained to fill this role.

As a parting tribute to Henry, here's a look at some of his spirited bouts:

A Day as Habs GM: Rebuilding the Bulldogs

While it was a disappointing season for the Montreal Canadiens and their fans, it was equally hard for the faithful of the Hamilton Bulldogs.  The 'Dogs finished with a 34-35-7 record, leaving them 14th in the AHL's Western Conference.  The reasons for their failures are many; injuries to players both in Montreal and in Hamilton, additional call-ups following trades, and - perhaps most importantly - a lack of skilled depth caused by the Canadiens trading their second round picks (and even once first round pick) away the past few seasons, with few AHL vets signed to fill the void.  The latter reason hurts/thins out a team's prospect pool over time, and Montreal will need to draft carefully to refill the ranks with their 5 second rounder over this summer's draft and the next.

So are the 'Dogs stuck with being a mediocre team until some of those future picks mature?  Not necessarily.  In fact, 2012-13 should be quite an exciting season for those that follow this team that has become accustomed to strong finished as a feeder club to the Habs.  With the obvious exception of those about to be drafted with the Canadiens' top picks this June, nearly all of the organization's top prospects will make their pro debuts with the Bulldogs next season.

Let's start by seeing what it might look like.  I'm going to take a conservative assumption that most of the guys who finished the year in Montreal will either start next season there, or otherwise have left the organization.  For this exercise, then, I'll exclude Aaron Palushaj, Louis Leblanc, Blake Geoffrion, and Frederic St. Denis.  That would leave the Bulldogs with the following:

___ - Phil DeSimone - Danny Kristo
Ian Schultz - Michael Bournival - Brendan Gallagher
Olivier Fortier - Gabriel Dumont - Patrick Holland
Joonas Nattinen - ___ - Andrew Conboy
Philippe Lefebvre, Alain Berger

Jarred Tinordi - Morgan Ellis
Nathan Beaulieu - ___
Brendon Nash - Greg Pateryn
Joe Stejskal

___
Robert Mayer
Peter Delmas

The words young and inexperienced are some of the first that come to mind when looking at this team, but there is no denying the huge amounts of talent and potential here as well.  The lack of experience is a reason I left blanks ( ___ ) in some spots rather than filling them with players I have as reservists, as to put together a competitive team, some quality vets should be added.


At forward, Brian Willsie, a 34-year old with 381 NHL games under his belt, had a decent season in Hamilton, but will be a UFA this summer, so his return is uncertain.  Then 6 forwards will be restricted free agents this summer, meaning the Habs will need to make decisions as to whether or not they have futures in the organization.  The first is Andreas Engqvist, the two-way forward who shared co-team MVP honours with Willsie this season.  Montreal has nothing to lose re-signing Engqvist and placing him on waivers if (when?) he doesn't make the NHL club out of training camp; if he gets claimed, no real loss there.  The question will be whether Engqvist wants to stick around in North America, or if he'd rather head back over to Europe as a free agent given his inability to stick in the NHL thus far.

Next is Olivier Fortier, another two-way guy who has impressed in spurts, being used on top trios and even on the powerplay at times despite his less than impressive career offensive outputs.  Staying healthy has been a challenge for the versatile forward who can play both center and wing, limiting him to just 37 games this past season.  There were times where he might have been near the top of the call-up list, but was unfortunately unavailable.  For his usefulness, I expect the team to come to terms with him.

Third is Andrew Conboy, a player many were high on some three years ago when he made his pro debut.  He was seen as a reckless, wild and crazy goon, with good size and perhaps enough hockey sense to play a regular shift.  Conboy had  a decent season in 2010-11, scoring 13 goals and 23 points to go with his 116 PIMs in 64 games, but this past season injuries meant he could only play 10 games, in which he did little to get noticed.  As a result, this could be the end for him in the organization, as his role has been usurped by Ian Schultz, but it is possible he is retained for his 6'4" 200 lbs frame on the 'Dogs fourth line.

The last three, Dany Masse, Robert Slaney, and Hunter Bishop, are all reasonably likely to be let go to create some room under the 50-contracts-per-team NHL limit.  Masse is just 5'10" and scored 19 points in 58 games this year, while Slaney - acquired from the Nashville Predators for added AHL depth in the Hal Gill trade - has generally struggled to establish himself as more than an ECHL'er.  Bishop showed a glimpse of perhaps a little promise a year ago, but missed this past entire season with injury, derailing his development.

Danny Kristo, who I included in the line-up at the top, has not yet been signed, and has options to either return to college for a final season or to hold out and become an unrestricted free agent.  However, it would seem to be in the best interest of both himself (for development purposes) and the Canadiens (since he has nothing left to prove in college) to get him under contract and have him go pro.  He turns 22 this summer, so is more physically mature than some of the other youngsters and should be able to step right into an important role.  Along with Kristo, the trio of CHL'ers in Brendan Gallagher, Michael Bournival, and Patrick Holland have some exciting upside and will have a very interested audience in Canadiens' fans.  All have some questions around them, however.  Is two-way, goal-scoring center Bournival's current post-season slump a fluke (or injury-provoked)?  Will the diminutive yet fierce sniper Gallagher's size hold him back at the pro level (and might playing with a big body like Ian Schultz, coming off a good season with 23 points and 104 PIMs in 60 games, help)?  Can the playmaker Holland produce without the two star linemates he's had all year?  Time will tell, but there is no real need to rush any of the three at this point.

One last interesting case is Alexander Avtsin, who is still under contract for next season, but who I've left off the roster for now.  Certainly he could take up one of those fourth line slots to start the season, but the 21-year old skilled Russian's compete level and play without the puck saw his production decline from his rookie season, going from 20 points in 58 games to 14 in 63.  There's lots of potential under his 6'3", 188 lbs frame, but based on this regression, it wouldn't surprise me if the Canadiens end the experiment and assign him to Europe.  If he is happy to stay, however, it may have been the case of a pro sophomore slump and learning experience for Avtsin, and I'd be happy to keep him around and see what happens.  He's already signed, so there is nothing to lose.

Aside from that, the team will be buoyed by returnees.  The center depth lacks a little (which may encourage the signing of a UFA), banking on Phil DeSimone building on a 14-goal, 33-point rookie campaign.  Gabriel Dumont (pictured at top) finished the year in Montreal and will have a shot at sticking with the Canadiens, but as he's undersized, I expect him to remain in an injury call-up role.  Joonas Nattinen had an up-and-down first season in North America, so he'll need to work on his consistency to keep ice time with the newcomers.

On defense, a trio of CHL'ers are also ready to make their debuts.  The towering and punishing Jarred Tinordi is used to playing big minutes, since he regularly plays close to 30 minutes a night for London.  He had a great World Junior this year, and is presently having a very strong playoffs.  Offensive d-man Nathan Beaulieu isn't yet signed, but spending another season in juniors would make no sense at all for him with how dominant he has been, so it should be a matter of time, despite the fact that he's still only 19.  Morgan Ellis impressed many this year for more than just some flashy offensive numbers, but for using his solid 6'2" frame to play a good defensive game and get physical when called upon.

Greg Pateryn has completed his college career, and the 6'3", 214 lbs blueliner is well-suite to a shutdown role.  One of the bigger knocks against him is his skating, so the team will have to see if that holds him back at the next level.

The Canadiens have 3 pending UFA's on Hamilton's blueline in captain Alex Henry, and veterans Garrett Stafford and Joe Callahan.  Henry is a quality tough, shutdown guy, who at 32 has played 177 NHL games (including 2 with the Habs in 2008-09).  If he is happy to stay, then he certainly could be retained, but if he wants another shot at the NHL, he has to realize that he's about to be passed in the depth chart by a strong incoming class this Fall in this organization.  Stafford is probably the most attractive to keep, more of a two-way player who is a perennial AHL star.  The fact that he's a right-handed shot would give the 'Dogs a perfect balance of three and three based on the above depth chart which doesn't hurt either.  Callahan was signed after Jeff Woywitka was lost on waivers to provide added depth, and there isn't real reason to expect him back.

Two RFAs will also require decisions in Brendan Nash and Mark Mitera.  Nash, like Hunter Bishop, missed this entire season with injury after showing promise last year.  But whereas Bishop showed some potential as a long-term forward project, Nash seemed reasonably close to NHL-ready on the blueline, and as such remains a legitimate prospect and should be retained.  Mitera was acquired last summer in return for Mathieu Carle, but the former first round selection had a rather rough season in Hamilton and could be left unqualified and replaced.

Lastly, in goal, the pipeline remains quite empty.  Neither Robert Mayer nor Peter Delmas appear to have NHL potential, nor are either amongst the AHL's top netminders.  As such, it is likely the team again hits the UFA market in search for a veteran AHL starter.  Nathan Lawson - when healthy - wasn't bad this year, but there are many free agent options including Drew MacIntyre, Jason Bacashihua, Cedrick Desjardins, Yann Danis, and Dany Sabourin.  It shouldn't be hard to fill this spot, and the team should look to a guy who would be ready to play limited NHL minutes in case (knock on wood) of an injury.

How ever the Habs new management team decides to fill out the roster, it looks far better than what the 'Dogs played with this season, and while it isn't inconceivable that the youngsters struggle to adapt off the hop, there is enough talent there that Hamilton supporters can hope for a playoff berth a year from now.

The Cases of Danny Kristo and Nathan Beaulieu

With less than one week remaining in a painful regular season for Montreal Canadiens fans, the organization has taken care of the business of signing most of its prospects for next year well ahead of their respective deadlines.    In fact, only two dossiers remain open in the post-Pierre Gauthier era, being those of Danny Kristo and Nathan Beaulieu.  Each is different, and each is slightly out of the ordinary, so here we look at what the hold-ups might be, and why it is important for them to be addressed in the near future.

Danny Kristo


As an NCAA prospect, Kristo is subject to different rules than those in the CHL or European leagues.  The Canadiens will retain Kristo's rights throughout his NCAA playing career, giving them more time to evaluate him as a prospect before having to make any decisions.

Kristo was Montreal's first selection in 2008, in the 2nd round, and spent the following season playing alongside Louis Leblanc with the USHL's Omaha Lancers.  Following a strong WJC for the American team and a good first year in College with 36 points in 41 games, he rose to be one of the Canadiens' top prospects, but the following season, rumours of off-ice issues and a scary bout of frostbite derailed his development a bit.  He rebounded in 2011-12, putting up his best offensive performance to date with 45 points in 42 games, which should put the crafty 5'11" winger back into the Habs' plans for the future.

Kristo has one year left of NCAA eligibility, meaning he doesn't have to be signed this summer.  However, as an individual player, he has little left to prove at that level, so the best thing for both him and the Canadiens would be to come to an agreement this summer and start next Fall with the Hamilton Bulldogs.  There is a little wrinkle in this plan, which is that a strange clause in NHL rules for NCAA prospects gives Kristo an out.  The native of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has a window of until June 1st by which he is permitted to notify the Canadiens that he is dropping out of college but will not sign with them, which would make him an unrestricted free agent and thus able to sign with any NHL club.  Of course, doing so can speak volumes about a young man's character, and Kristo himself has recently stated that if he is to leave College this summer, it would be for the Canadiens (though he also said he has yet to make up his mind about going Pro), but it is still a legitimate threat and a good reason to get him signed as early as the team can.  If Kristo does not exercise this option, however, the Canadiens will retain his rights until August 2013.

The Canadiens have a few other college prospects they may consider signing, but with a lot of fresh faces already set to join the Bulldogs in September, it is likely that Steve Quailer, Dustin Walsh, and Mac Bennett remain with their respective teams for another year.

Nathan Beaulieu


For a CHL prospect, the "typical" path is to play two years in the league after being drafted before signing a pro deal and moving on to the ECHL/AHL/NHL.  This is because of an AHL rule for this category of player whereby they need to turn 20 by the end of December of their AHL rookie season to be able to start a year in the league.  As a late birthday for his draft class (December 5th), though he was only selected last June, Beaulieu meets the criteria necessary to go pro over the summer and join fellow prospects Jarred Tinordi, Morgan Ellis, and Greg Pateryn with the 'Dogs in 2012-13.

Like with Kristo, the Canadiens are in no true rush with Beaulieu, having the option of returning him to Saint John as an overager while retaining his rights for another year.  But for a defenseman who won a Memorial Cup last season, represented Canada in the World Juniors this year (and will be ineligible next year due to age), set personal bests in assists and points (nearly a point per game) this season, and is likely to compete in the Memorial Cup with one of the CHL's top teams again this year, there would seem to be little left to achieve at the Junior level.

While Beaulieu looked good in training camp last year, I'm not suggesting rushing him to the NHL.  I am suggesting beginning his first pro contract in the Fall, however, though - unlike with Kristo - there are no early deadlines that prevent the team from waiting to evaluate him at one of their summer rookie development camps.  Not signing him would be a strange move that would almost certainly delay the Ontarian's path to the big league.

With Beaulieu signed, the 'Dogs defense will undergo a complete overhaul from the current disappointing season, helped by the addition of four high potential young men, two of the offensive variety and two primarily defensive.

Your Canadiens for February 7, 2012

I haven't recapped general Habs news in a while, so a few bits and notes as the Canadiens prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins this evening.

-Yesterday, the Canadiens sent forwards Aaron Palushaj and Ryan White down to the Hamilton Bulldogs. For White, this is just a conditioning stint, representing a final step in his long-awaited return to the line-up from a groin injury and sports hernia. The Bulldogs have a game tomorrow morning at 10 AM, which should be White's first match of the season assuming he has received sufficient clearance. Palushaj being sent down is a little surprising since he played a strong game on Sunday, even recording his first NHL point. More surprising is that after the move, there remain only 10 healthy forwards (plus swingman Yannick Weber) in Montreal. Is there another move on the horizon? Will we see a surprising return from Mike Blunden, Petteri Nokelainen, or Travis Moen? Moen and/or Blunden could be back in the line-up within the week, though I'd be surprised if any of the three dressed against Pittsburgh.

- If you missed it: Sunday also marked the one year anniversary of Scott Gomez's last regular or post-season goal. He did score 3 during this year's pre-season (and I'm sure he has scored some in practice), but it didn't stop fans on Sunday from singing him a chorus of Happy Birthday at various points of the game.

- Nathan Beaulieu was the hottest Canadiens' prospect this past weekend, putting up back to back 2 assist performances. With 34 points in 39 games, he is back on pace to eclipse the 45 points he produced in each of the last two seasons.

Just as productive was Patrick Holland, the prospect acquired from Calgary in the Mike Cammalleri trade. The 6'00, 175 lbs 20-year old has shattered his previous season's product by scoring 71 points through 51 games (62 pts in 71 games last year). He currently ranks 8th in WHL scoring, but is no bluechipper. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the quicker game at the next level next season.

Hab prospect and London Knights captain Jarred Tinordi is a +31 this season while logging huge minutes for the CHL's top club. His +/- rating is tied for best in the Ontario Hockey League.

- The play of Habs' prospect defenseman Morgan Ellis since being traded to the Shawinigan Cataractes earned him the Prospect of the Month title from website Hockey's Future. Read about that here: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/13732/hockeys_future_prospect_of_the_month_january2012/

- This bit comes from last week, but if you missed it, there was talk of the Habs possible relocating their AHL affiliate from Hamilton to Laval. The news got out there as Laval announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art arena. The update to this story is that, like what happened with Quebec City, the federal government refused to fund the project. A week ago Saturday, Quebec Premier Jean Charest said he would press Ottawa on the issue, but the availability of federal funding for the project remains unlikely.

Hope on the Horizon - A New Frontier

Yesterday, I essentially covered my plan if I were the GM of the Canadiens moving forward with life after Mike Cammalleri. I talked about my biggest want: a true #1 scoring center with size. But let's say the Canadiens can't land a Ryan Getzlaf and don't finish low enough to draft a Mikhail Grigorenko. All hope still won't be lost. In fact, even if the Habs enter next season with a roster that looks very much like the current one, there is some reason for optimism. Let me explain.

It starts with Andrei Markov. If Markov gets and stays healthy, he is the caliber of player that can take a team to another level. For many years, a Markov injury would spell doom for the Canadiens as the team's back end was so reliant on his services. This season, his being out has meant great experience and responsibility for the likes of P.K. Subban and Raphael Diaz. Markov's return, perhaps on a pairing with Josh Gorges, will take difficult minutes and roles off of some other rearguards which should allow them to also be at their best. I'm hopeful and expectant that another veteran defenseman will also be added this summer on a short-term deal to round out the top 4 (and as an insurance policy for Markov, since many will say the IF he stays healthy is a big one), but in any case, the team's D will be better than this year's.

The other perhaps more important reason is depth. Injuries were an issue this season, and when you are playing without quality players, your depth is looked upon to carry the load. Unfortunately, it was not a good season for the Habs to be reliant on talent stowed away in the AHL, with the Bulldogs being quite thin. Aaron Palushaj and Andreas Engqvist got repeated looks despite their poor play at the NHL level (though they're both having dominant American League seasons), and Louis Leblanc - though impressive - was pressed into service far sooner than anyone had intended. Outside of those guys, however, with Mike Blunden likely up in Montreal for good, there are no legitimate prospect forwards on the farm to be called up. With Brendon Nash undergoing shoulder surgery during training camp, there were also no blueline prospects to be called up, though Frederic St. Denis served well during his stint with the Canadiens.

Next season, however, will be different. Brendan Gallagher and Michael Bournival have already been signed and will make their pro debuts either in Hamilton, or possibly Montreal for one of the two. Danny Kristo is likely to forego his final year of university to also turn pro, though there is no guarantee at this point. The three represent young two-way players who could slot in virtually anywhere in the Canadiens line-up when needed, and all have high ceilings. Additionally, guys like Leblanc, Alexander Avtsin, and Phil DeSimone will have another year of experience under their belts, hopefully being closer to NHL-ready. All of this means that the team will have forwards that can be counted on when the time comes.

If the forwards are getting a boost, the back end is getting an even greater injection of talent. The team's last two first round picks, Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu, should both start the year as Bulldogs, with a minute possibility that Beaulieu plays an overage year in the QMJHL since he'll only turn 20 next December 5th (meaning he'd be among the AHL's youngest skaters). Morgan Ellis, a two-way character guy who has been on fire offensively since being dealt in the Q, and Greg Pateryn, the long-forgotten other piece in the Mikhail Grabovski to the Leafs deal who is in his final year of College, will also earn contracts, meaning the bulk of the 'Dogs' D will be made up of new faces. Most importantly, new faces with NHL potential.

Thus, even if we look at a "worst case" based on what the team has under contract:

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole

Rene Bourque - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta

Scott Gomez - Lars Eller - UFA/Aaron Palushaj/Brendan Gallagher

Mike Blunden - Petteri Nokelainen/Andreas Engqvist - Ryan White

Andrei Markov - Josh Gorges

Alexei Emelin - P.K. Subban

Tomas Kaberle - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

Peter Budaj

Again, this being a "worst case scenario" with all UFAs walking (or being dealt) and none being signed, with health and a little luck, the return of Markov and the added AHL depth means fans can expect a better season than the present one.

Your Canadiens for December 31, 2011

A very Happy New Year to all Montreal Canadiens fans who are kind enough to stop by and read this site with any regularity. May the New Year bring all the best in health and happiness to you and those in your life. And to our Montreal Canadiens, of course. On the occasion of the New Year, I have put myself in the shoes of a number of members of the organization to make some resolutions on their behalf. Here they are:

Randy Cunneyworth - To learn Russian in order to communicate with Alexei Emelin... and to piss off the French media.

Scott Gomez - To score more goals than I did in 2011. In other words, more than TWO!

Andrei Markov - To play more games than I did in 2011. In other words, to play a game!

Andrei Kostitsyn - I go net, I score goals.

Alexander Avtsin - To play in 10 games with the Canadiens... or to go back to the KHL.

Josh Gorges - To improve my financial situation. Specifically on July 1st.

Carey Price - To score more goals than I did in 2011. I mean, if no one else is gonna do it...

Raphael Diaz - To get the team to play me at forward so I can have a 50-point season and cash in.

Tomas Kaberle - To catch Mike Sillinger for most NHL clubs played for (12)... By the end of 2012.

Brendan Gallagher - To set what must be some kind of record by taking 4 goaltender interference penalties in a single game.

Mike Cammalleri - To learn to speak French. Maybe then fans will stop trying to trade me.

P.K. Subban - To finally get my darned lightswitch fixed. It's been stuck... #AlwaysOn. I'll be so happy to have it fixed that I'll never turn it on again. #AlwaysOff for 2012. And I'll be sure to Tweet about it all the time. Ohhhh... you guys thought that had something to do with hockey!

Aaron Palushaj - To continue to follow in the Ben Maxwell model, meaning I should get to play for at least 4 different NHL clubs in 2012.

Lars Eller - To be a little less Danish by working on my Finish.

And some final updates as the Canadiens prepare to take on the Florida Panthers this evening:

- No changes again to the Habs' line-up, despite their loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's good to at least see some consistency from the coach. Carey Price will get the start.

- World Junior Championships Updates:

Jarred Tinordi and Team USA were upset for a second consecutive game, falling 5-2 to the Czech Republic. When Finland beat Denmark later in the evening, it officially knocked the Americans out of the medal round and into the relegation tournament, a huge disappointment for a pre-tournament medal favourite. Despite finishing a -2, Tinordi had a solid game, throwing some big hits and not being responsible for the goals he was on the ice for. He has had a very solid tournament and it is unfortunate he won't get a chance to compete for a top 3 position.

Michael Bournival missed practice again yesterday, after sitting out Thursday's game with a flu. In his absence, Nathan Beaulieu has been playing/practicing at forward.

Daniel Pribyl had a nice assist, taking a hit to make a play, in the Czechs win over Team USA. Pribyl, still recovering from his leg laceration, played limited minutes but looked good in finishing the game a +3. His assist means all five Habs prospects in the tournament have collected at least a point.

- Despite being outshot 39-30, the Hamilton Bulldogs overcame 2-1, 3-2, and 4-3 deficits to defeat the Rochester Americans 5-4. On loan to the Bulldogs for the remainder of the season, forward Mitch Wahl scored his first 2 goals for the club, earning first star honours. Aaron Palushaj and Andreas Engqvist each had a goal and an assist (all on the powerplay), and Gabriel Dumont's 5th goal rounded out the scoring. Defenseman Frederic St-Denis had 2 assists in the win.

- The Canadiens' CHL prospects didn't fare quite as well last night:

Olivier Archambault was the only Drummondville player to finish a -2 in his club's 4-2 win over Chicoutimi.

After a hot start to the season, defenseman Darren Dietz has cooled off in a big way. He had no points and an even rating in Saskatoon's 9-4 victory last night.

Morgan Ellis (pictured above) had no points and finished a -1 in Cape Breton's 6-4 loss to Halifax. But the bigger news came at game's end, when it was announced that Ellis has been dealt to the Shawinigan Cataractes (where he'll join Michael Bournival once back from the World Juniors) in return for a first round pick in 2013, a second round pick in 2012, and Bronson Beaton. This will be a great experience for Ellis, as Shawinigan will host this year's Memorial Cup. That tournament should be another interesting event for Canadiens fans to follow, with Bournival and Ellis guaranteed to be participating, and a strong likelihood of Nathan Beaulieu and Jarred Tinordi's clubs winning their leagues to make the Cup as well.

- Moving along to the college ranks:

Greg Pateryn and Mac Bennett's Michigan Wolverines won the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) mini-tournament, defeating rivals Michigan State 3-2 in overtime in the championship game.

Steve Qualier had an assist to extend his current point streak to 8 games (5 goals, 8 assists) in a 3-3 tie against Princeton. On the season, this gives him 17 points in 15 games.

Danny Kristo generated a number of quality scoring chances but was repeatedly stopped, unable to snap a 4-4 tie between North Dakota and Harvard.

Dustin Walsh recorded an assist, returning to the Dartmouth line-up in a 3-2 win after a 6-game absence due to injury. Walsh now has 8 points in just 6 games played this season. He recorded 20 points in 34 games for Dartmouth last year.

Your Canadiens for December 29, 2011

The Canadiens will not make any changes to their line-up for tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which means the following roster:

Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mike Cammalleri - David Desharnais - Louis Leblanc

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Michael Blunden

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Tomas Kaberle - Alexei Emelin

Hal Gill - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

- Starting in goal for Tampa will be former Canadien Mathieu Garon. Garon last played for the Habs during the 2003-04 season. Only two players who were on the team that year remain in Montreal, being Andrei Markov, and Tomas Plekanec who played his first two NHL games that season.

- Also playing for Tampa Bay, in his third game of the season, will be J.T. Wyman. A defensive forward (who actually started out his hockey career as a defenseman), Wyman spent 4 seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs, playing 3 games for the Canadiens in 2009-10.

- Today was an optional skate for the Habs, but all players were on the ice except for Michael Cammalleri and Travis Moen. A Tweet from J-F Chaumont prior to practice indicated that Carey Price and Mathieu Darche were catching up with Lightning forward Tom Pyatt, while Max Pacioretty chatted with Martin St. Louis. The connection with Pyatt may be obvious to you, seeing as he played in Montreal last year, but the St. Louis - Pacioretty friendship is a little more obscure. This past July, Pacioretty's first "game" following the infamous hit by Zdeno Chara was a charity match in Connecticut in which Pacioretty skating on a line with St. Louis.

- World Junior Championships updates from yesterday:

Jarred Tinordi played a strong game for the United States, earning his team's player of the game honours, despite the Americans dropping a 4-1 result in an upset to Finland.

Michael Bournival improved on his first performance for Team Canada, playing the third/fourth line center role well in Canada's 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic. And this improvement despite the fact that a bad cold almost meant Bournival had to sit the game out. Bournival's assist in the game means 4 of 5 Canadiens prospects in the tournament now have at least a point.

Brendan Gallagher, on the other hand, didn't have as strong a night as in the opener, missing two great scoring chances (one shot directly into the Czech goalie, and the other a whiffed one-timer) and taking two penalties.

Nathan Beaulieu continues to receive limited ice time in the #7 defenseman role, serving mainly as a powerplay specialist. With the man advantage, Beaulieu's shots frequently missed the net, plus for a second consecutive game, he took a third period penalty. Beaulieu has played well enough to deserve more ice time, but he'll need to step it up further to earn his coach's trust.

Daniel Pribyl was officially named to the Czech Republic's roster yesterday afternoon, recovering from the leg laceration that made him questionable for the tourney. He made his debut in a limited role against Canada last night.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs were also in action last night but were shut down by former Canadiens goaltender David Aebischer. Despite outshooting the St. John's IceCaps in each period (and 40-26 on the night), the 'Dogs fell by a 3-1 score. Andreas Engqvist had Hamilton's lone tally, his 8th in just 16 games. He had only 10 in 71 games last season.

- The last few weeks have seen many trade rumours about Canadiens prospect defenseman Morgan Ellis jumping to another CHL team, but it seems all have reached a stalemate for the time being. This would have nothing to do with his NHL rights (he would remain a Hab), but the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, the team he captains, sit 14th of 17 teams in the QMJHL. Ellis is expected to turn pro next season as he makes the leap to the AHL (or at least the ECHL) but could prove a hot rental for the remainder of this year for a Memorial Cup contending team. He picked up 1 assist in a 5-4 shootout win last night, giving him 25 points in 33 games. A lot of the discussion has involved him joining a team of another Hab prospect, possibly to play with Nathan Beaulieu on the stacked Saint John Sea Dogs, or solidifying the defense of Michael Bournival's Shawinigan Cataractes. The current QMJHL trade window closes January 7th, so a move should be completed between now and then.

Your Canadiens for December 27, 2011

Welcome back, Habs fans. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas or happy holiday weekend, and after a 4-day break, your Montreal Canadiens are back on the ice this evening. Let's hope that the team begins to play up to its potential and rattles off a win streak, or the opposite occurs and we see the kind of re-tooling I discussed yesterday. The only thing we don't want is a middle ground scenario, especially if it encourages Pierre Gauthier and Geoff Molson to trade picks or prospects to try to grab on to the 8th playoff spot.

- We saw Randy Cunneyworth roll out new lines at practice yesterday. They were as follows:

Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mike Cammalleri - David Desharnais - Louis Leblanc

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Mike Blunden

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Hal Gill - Raphael Diaz

Alexei Emelin - Tomas Kaberle

Yannick Weber - Chris Campoli

Lots to look at here. Most notable is the slotting of Lars Eller and P.K. Subban on to top lines following their one game sat as healthy scratches. Many have complained that Eller's potential is being wasted by playing him with third line wingers, pointing to this as a cause of his limited production (despite evident displays of top notch skill). He's now being given a chance with the large and talented wingers that David Desharnais has been blessed with this season (though he has played to a level worthy of their talents). It will be an interesting experiment to see if Desharnais can continue to produce without their size and if Eller can unblock offensively by playing with them. As for Subban, he will go right back to where he was before his scratch and I'm sure Randy Cunneyworth will be watching closely to see if any of the lessons he may have sent his way have been understood.

On D, Alexei Emelin seems to finally have a spot made for him on the left side. As much as Tomas Kaberle looks good on the powerplay, he hasn't earned any trust at 5-on-5. Could he really be that much worse playing the right side? At least you strengthen the left by slotting in a guy who has played like a Top 4 blueliner on the team on that side of the ice.

- Other than the lines, the big news out of practice was that the Canadiens now have an ad for Subway (Sandwiches) on their practice jerseys. This was met with outrage by many, including Dave Stubbs of Hockey Inside/Out / The Gazette. There have been many indications this season that the Molson family is about the cash in a big way and this is the latest move to increase their profits. Habs fans will be less angered if it is positioned as extra money going to pay for Jacques Martin's dismissal and/or perhaps sending Scott Gomez to Hamilton! And at least it's just a practice jersey right now.

- The 2011-12 World Junior Hockey Championship kicked off yesterday. If you don't follow the tournament, as a hockey fan, you are missing out. These under-20 kids play with hearts on their sleeves, representing their country and trying to be noticed on a big stage to vault their hockey careers forward. It is some of the best hockey you can watch all year. Here's how the Habs fared on opening day:

Brendan Gallagher had the game-winning goal and added an assist in Team Canada's 8-1 steamrolling of Finland. Gallagher spent most of the game on a top line with team captain Jaden Schwartz and future Winnipeg Jets star Mark Scheifele.

Nathan Beaulieu played only limited minutes 5-on-5, but was a fixture on Canada's top powerplay unit where he looked far smoother than any other blueliner. He finished the game with 1 assist. He isn't a flash player like a Subban, but he makes smart, efficient plays well and has a booming and accurate point shot.

Michael Bournival was the weakest of the three Canadian Canadiens (heh), generating some chances but also fighting the puck at times. He was the only member of Team Canada to finish a negative, of course a -1. He got looks on many different lines throughout the night after starting as the fourth line center.

Jarred Tinordi, an assistant captain with Team USA, scored a lucky goal in the first period with a shot that was going well wide but bounced in off a Danish player's skate. Still, it was a well timed pinch in the offensive zone by the big man. Tinordi played on the team's top pairing with Adam Clendenning. He took a delay of game penalty for clearing the puck over the boards from the defensive zone in the first period which was costly, as the Danes scored on the ensuing powerplay.

Daniel Pribyl is an interesting story that I don't fully understand yet. Despite a report last week that he would be named an assistant captain for the Czech Republic, according to the IIHF website, he is not a part of the final Czech team. I've yet to see any report explaining this, but the Czechs do only have 12 forwards on their final roster (most teams carry 13). I would guess Pribyl may have been injured in a pre-tournament game or practice, but we will perhaps know more when the Czechs open their tournament tomorrow.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs got back into action yesterday follow their Christmas break. They played the first period as though they were still working off their Christmas dinner, falling behind 3-0 to the Toronto Marlies in the first six minutes. But they came storming back with 6 unanswered goals to earn the win. Robert Mayer was perfect after coming in to relieve Nathan Lawson after the third goal, while Olivier Fortier passes the offense with two goals. Also scoring were Aaron Palushaj, Ian Schultz, Phil DeSimone, and Andreas Engqvist with an empty netter. Joonas Nattinen and Gabriel Dumont each collected two assists.

Your Canadiens for December 15, 2011

The Montreal Canadiens host the Philadelphia Flyers this evening at what would seem like the best possible moment. The Flyers are without their #1 defenseman Chris Pronger and also without the NHL's leading point-getter Claude Giroux, both sidelined with injuries. But we've all seen enough from the Habs to know that nothing is a given, so it's sure to still be a challenge tonight, as the Flyers come to town on a 6-game win streak and holding the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

- Travis Moen, Brian Gionta, and Scott Gomez are all out with injuries tonight, meaning the following forward lines after Mike Blunden was called up yesterday:

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole

Mathieu Darche - Lars Eller - Louis Leblanc

Mike Blunden - Petteri Nokelainen - Yannick Weber

Don't expect that fourth line to get much ice time, even with Petteri Nokelainen coming off his best game as a Hab. If all three injured forwards are going to miss considerable time, it seems that Pierre Gauthier will have no choice but to bring in some added depth.

With injuries to Gionta and Moen, the team is scrambling to find replacements for the penalty kill. It seems Louis Leblanc may have earned a shift down a man, while Blunden may be tried there as well. Leblanc's two-way play leaves little doubt that he will eventually be a strong penalty killer, but it is perhaps uncharacteristic of Martin to trust a green rookie with such duties.

Blunden's call-up poses another issue, in that after playing tonight's game he would have to clear waivers to re-join the Hamilton Bulldogs. While I don't think there is a huge risk of him being claimed by another team, given the lack of depth in terms of bottom 6 toughness at the pro ranks, Gauthier may decide to keep him in Montreal for a while rather than risk losing him.

- On defense, Raphal Diaz is out sick. That means Alexei "BOOM!" Emelin returns to the line-up, again forming the vaunted #KabBoom pairing with Tomas Kaberle. The full D looks like:

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Hal Gill - Chris Campoli

Tomas Kaberle - Alexei Emelin

Since Emelin is again stuck on his uncomfortable right side, I am very curious to know what Jacques Martin would have done had Diaz been healthy. Emelin's size, strength, and physicality are needed all the more against a team like the Flyers, so one would hope he would found a spot in the line-up either way.

I still think the team needs to find a way to play him on the left. Many are opposed to splitting up Josh Gorges and P.K. Subban, but I see no issue with it really. They may log big minutes, but they haven't even played 30 games together, so it's not like they're joined at the hip. Martin has referred to them as a top shutdown pair, but Subban doesn't belong on a true shutdown duo at this point. Gorges is the left D who is most comfortable on right, so I'd like to see more balanced pairings with him shifting over.

- The Flyers are part of this season's "24/7," the HBO documentary series that follows the two teams playing in the Winter Classic as a build up to the actual game. Thus, there are camera crews following the team in Montreal, and the Habs will be "featured" in one of the show's episodes.

- I wonder if Flyers forward Jaromir Jagr remembers this #EmelinBoom from the World Championship. Hopefully Mr. Emelin can give us a repeat tonight.

- Last night, the Hamilton Bulldogs dropped a 2-1 decision in a shootout to the Lake Erie Monsters. Alexander Avtsin, with his 4th of the year, on the powerplay, had the only tally for the 'Dogs. Gabriel Dumont was awarded a penalty shot with 46 seconds to play in regulation, but was stopped by former Hamilton star Cedrick Desjardins. All 5 Hamilton Bulldog shooters were stopped in the shootout, while notorious first round bust Hugh Jessiman was the only player to beat Nathan Lawson, good enough for the win. Despite being held off the scoresheet, leading all skaters with 6 shots on goal, Bulldogs leading scorer Brian Willsie was named the game's first star.

- As I covered yesterday, the Canadiens will have three players on Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Championships (Brendan Gallagher, Nathan Beaulieu, and Michael Bournival). This is more than any other NHL team, and is the first time the Habs have had 3 prospects on the club since 2000 (Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder, and Eric Chouinard).

Two other young future Habs seem poised to make their national teams, being defenseman Jarred Tinordi with Team USA, and center Daniel Pribyl with the Czech Republic. Tinordi should be an important shutdown d-man for the Americans with some talk he may get consideration for team captain. Tinordi, captain of the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League, previously captained the U.S. Under 18 team. Pribyl, who turns 19 in 3 days, seems penciled in for a 4th line role with the Czechs.

Your Canadiens for December 12, 2011

A few updates as the Canadiens hit the ice a day before taking on the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre.

- With an afternoon game on Saturday and a day off yesterday, today was newest Hab Tomas Kaberle's first practice with his new 'mates after picking up 2 assists in his Canadiens debut against the New Jersey Devils. Kaberle remained on a pair with Alexei Emelin, despite the young Russian's obvious struggles when playing the right side. This seems like a blatant mistake to me. Josh Gorges is perfectly comfortable on the right, and even if it would mean breaking up his pairing with P.K. Subban, any of Hal Gill, Tomas Kaberle, or even Emelin himself could fill that slot.

- Brian Gionta (out at least a week) and Travis Moen (therapy day) were absent from practice today. Chris Campoli is with the team again in a cleared-for-contact jersey. However, Jacques Martin clarified that it is uncertain whether or not he'll be in the line-up tomorrow. He was not on a regular pairing in practice.

The lines remained unchanged from Saturday's game, with Mathieu Darche filling in for the day on the Lars Eller line (with Louis Leblanc) in Moen's absence.

- Scott Gomez was on the ice with his teammates in a non-contact jersey. However, he left the ice early, and after practice, Martin stated that he had suffered a bit of a setback and remains out indefinitely. I'm sure Canadiens fans won't be too terribly heartbroken at that news.

- In an interview through a translator, Alexei Emelin was informed of his Boom! nickname. He said he was aware of the #EmelinBoom movement and enjoyed it. He was said to seem personable and in a generally good mood.

- Yesterday was the first on-ice day at Team Canada's World Junior Championship selection camp. In last night's scrimmage, Michael Bournival and Brendan Gallagher's Team White posted a 3-2 victory, though both were held off the scoresheet. Bournival did little to distinguish himself and will have to be better tonight. Gallagher played a pretty strong game, including hitting the post on a quality scoring chance (Gallagher hitting the post? Where have we seen that before?). Nathan Beaulieu picked up an assist for Team Red in a losing cause. Game 2 goes tonight, after which some cuts are to be expected. You can watch the scrimmage live as of 9:00 PM EST here:

http://hockeycanada.fasthockey.com/login.php

(sign-up is required, but it's free)

- At the WJC camp, a number of player interviews were conducted. We learned a few interesting details, like that Brendan Gallagher has Justin Bieber on his iPod, and would invite Martin St. Louis, Carrie Underwood, and Barack Obama to dinner. Perhaps worse is that he indicated his favourite karaoke song would be, "some ABBA." He lists Underwood as his top celebrity crush. Wonder what Mike Fisher has to say about that.

- The Hamilton Bulldogs went 2-1 in their 3 weekend games, finally getting players back from both Montreal and injury and starting to look like a real team. Yesterday's 2-1 victory included goals from Alexander Avtsin and Michael Blunden.

- There is an NHL trade freeze in effect during the holidays every year, and it begins December 19th. Expect possibly some minor activity this week leading up to that day, as GMs won't be able to make any trades between the 19th and the 27th.

- Former Habs defenseman Chris Chelios is being inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame tonight in Chicago.

- I sent a Tweet to Hamilton Bulldogs defenseman and Habs prospect Brendon Nash to see how he was recovering from September shoulder surgery. Nash hasn't played a game this season, unfortunate timing for him given the spots that were most certainly available on Montreal's back end. Nash was courteous enough to respond with the following:

Thanks Brendon! Best of luck in continuing your recovery, and hope to see you back on the ice soon!

- Speaking of Twitter, Canadiens prospects and fellow Michigan defenseman Mac Bennett and Greg Pateryn joined the social network not long ago. You can give them a follow at @Mac_Bennett and @Greg_Pateryn respectively.

To see updates from all members of the Habs' family on Twitter, follow my list here:

https://twitter.com/#!/DailyCanadiens/habs-players

Canadiens Call Up Louis Leblanc

In the wake of the Max Pacioretty suspension, the Montreal Canadiens announced that 2009 first round pick Louis Leblanc has been recalled from the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Leblanc, 20, missed the first 5 games of his debut professional season, rehabbing from off-season shoulder surgery, but has since collected 4 goals and 10 points in 14 games. Leblanc is average sized at 6'0", 180 lbs, but plays an aggressive forechecking and responsible defensive game.

Leblanc is likely to play only if Andrei Markov doesn't dress for Wednesday's game (which is the likely scenario, given that the club might not want him to return in the first half of back-to-back games). He can play either center or the wing, and is certainly a better option than playing Frederic St. Denis on the wing, but if Markov dresses, it's possible the team uses Yannick Weber up front ahead of Leblanc.

I like this move, given that it will only be for 1 to 2 games at the most. Leblanc has played well in Hamilton, and a little taste of the big league may motivate him further to work hard to earn a full-time promotion. He was quite effective in preseason games a year ago, but had to sit out this year in rehabbing his injury.

He should wear # 71, as he did in preseason a year ago, and if he does play tomorrow, he will become the milestone 800th player to play for the Canadiens in a regular season game in franchise history.

But a word of caution, Habs fans: don't expect too much from him right away. Leblanc has an NHL future, but it may be as a two-way third liner rather than a top 6 scorer. He isn't NHL ready yet, and will continue to develop in Hamilton. He's only 20, so be patient with him please. The fact that his debut comes on the road should help to lessen the heaps of pressure being lumped on his shoulders.

Your Canadiens for November 24, 2011

So how about that, ladies and gentlemen? A comeback win from down 2-0. The same old script would have had Your Canadiens stumble and take penalties after Lars Eller had reduced the lead to 2-1, before falling short of a tying goal in the dying seconds.

But not last night. If the Canadiens were a little thrown off in the first after that early "off Emelin, off posts, off Diaz, off Price, and in" goal, they didn't let off, and played well enough to get the win. The game wasn't perfect. Some might say they didn't deserve the win. But they'll take it, especially considering the several occasions this season where they lost but deserved a better fate.

Despite his production, Mike Cammalleri continues to struggle in overall play. Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty had off-nights. Brian Gionta finished the night a -3 (though we'll forgive him a little for scoring the shootout winner).

Who was good? Well Scott Gomez left the game with a lower body injury (considered day-to-day), which allowed Lars Eller to return to the center position where he has been far more effective. Eller showed us another glimpse of his immense potential, leading the charges with a goal and an assist.

If P.K. Subban and Yannick Weber had difficult evenings, it was surprisingly strong play from Alexei Emelin and Raphael Diaz that solidified the back end. Though they played less than any other blueliners (17:08 and 19:06 respectively), they both left a positive impression, something that is becoming a trend in Emelin's case. It will be interesting to see what choices the Habs' brass makes once veterans start to get healthy. Andrei Markov and Hal Gill are non-negotiable LDs, while Jaroslav Spacek and Josh Gorges are most comfortable there, and Alexei Emelin has traditionally played there and only looked good there. Oh, and when Chris Campoli is also healthy? Yep, an LD too. The logjam on the left means some guys are going to have to shift over. On the right, we have P.K. Subban, Yannick Weber, and Raphael Diaz; not exactly the strongest group. Of the lefties, Gorges has spent the most time playing on the right, followed by Spacek. So perhaps we will see something like this?

Andrei Markov - Josh Gorges

Hal Gill - P.K. Subban

Chris Campoli - X

The X is the interesting spot. I'd love for Emelin to stay in the line-up since he has shown great improvement and brings a physical element that no other player in the group does. Unfortunately, though, with the more experienced Yannick Weber, Jacques Martin's favourite Raphael Diaz, and the grizzled veteran Jaroslav Spacek all in the mix, if everyone is healthy, it will take a trade for Emelin to see any ice time. From an asset management standpoint, it would likely make most sense for Diaz to be sent to Hamilton, since he can be demoted without clearing waivers, but we'll see what shall happen.

Erik Cole should have had the game winner with 30 seconds to go which you know he would have been happy about in his return to Carolina. But oddly, both the goal was disallowed AND no penalty was called for a blatant trip from the Hurricanes.

And how about Carey Price? No, it wasn't his best game of the season, but he did manage to stop all 3 Hurricane shooters in the shootout. Prior to this game, opposing teams had scored on all 4 shootout attempts against Montreal this season. Price's career shootout save percentage is just .695. The concept of him being a good shootout goalie because of Canada's big win over the U.S. in the world juniors several years back is really a myth. Price made few saves in that marathon, and Canada was really saved by the heroics of Jonathan Toews. Now I'm not dissing on Price or anything, but the shootout is simply not his thing.

Elsewhere...

- If you, like me, avoid watching L'Antichambre like the plague, then you would have missed them making a big deal out of Darche - Subban gate last night. For those that didn't notice, there was a play in last night's game where P.K. Subban was skating the puck up ice, and Mathieu Darche was calling for a pass. Subban made an extra move before dishing the puck off, leaving Darche just to dump it into the offensive zone. Darche was enraged, emphatically waving his arms and yelling at Subban as the two skated off to the bench. The folks at L'Antichambre were divided on the issue, half ripping Subban and half ripping Darche, but certainly that kind of a display of anger towards a teammate isn't something you want to see in-game, especially not from a fourth liner plug towards your #1 defenseman. L'Antichambre went on to turn it into a "dressing room feud between old guys and young guys," citing things like Brian Gionta not being willing to pass the puck to Max Pacioretty, or Mike Cammalleri not wanting to pass to Lars Eller. Ridiculous poppycock.

- If you missed it yesterday, RDS had some fun photoshopping Scott Gomez into a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey and Sidney Crosby into a Habs jersey.

http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/330525.html

- The Hamilton Bulldogs are struggling, suffering another big loss yesterday, 5-2 at the hands of the Grand Rapids Griffins. The 'Dogs took a 2-1 lead into the third thanks to goals from Phil DeSimone and Brian Willsie, but couldn't hold on. Louis Leblanc picked up an assist in the losing cause, while Alexander Avtsin was a team-worst -4. (on the bright side, I guess it at least means he saw good ice time in the third!)

- Perry Pearn (remember him?) has agreed to take a job with the Canadiens as a pro scout. He attended the Winnipeg Jets - Washington Capitals game last night. Pro scouts have the mandate of, well, scouting other pro teams. This could be to have good information on trade targets, or simply to assess other opposing teams for upcoming games.

- And non-Habs related, but a couple of recent European hockey videos to make you giggle:

-

Your Canadiens for November 16, 2011

Updates prior to tonight's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

- Hal Gill is expected to again be out of action tonight with a bad virus.

- Jaroslav Spacek was hurt against the Buffalo Sabres and will not play tonight. To replace him, the Canadiens called up defenseman Frederic St. Denis from the Hamilton Bulldogs. St. Denis, 25, had a solid training camp and is considered amongst Hamilton's best two-way blueliners. Most recently, the 5'11" rearguard had a goal and an assist in Sunday's win over Binghamton. But it certainly goes to show how little NHL-ready depth is presently available to Montreal. Who would have imagined that the team would have to play a game with all of Yannick Weber, Raphael Diaz, Alexei Emelin, and St. Denis amongst the top 6 d-men. Even when you add P.K. Subban and Josh Gorges to round the group out, the total NHL experience of the lot is just 579 games played.

While this is far from an ideal situation, I'm quite curious to see how St. Denis will look. Neither Emelin nor Diaz has been "ripping it up" lately. So if St. Denis can play solid, mistake-free hockey, there may even be an opportunity for him to pass one or the other of the two rookies in the depth chart. Unlikely, sure, but at this point I'l ready to look at anything that might help the team's often confused play in its own end.

Per my Habs historian projects, in making his NHL debut, St. Denis will tonight become the 799th player to play for the Canadiens in a regular season game in the team's history. Wonder who # 800 will be!

- Andrei Kostitsyn is not practicing with the team, and thus is expected to miss another game this evening. The Canadiens should, however, get Mike Cammalleri back after he missed Monday night's game.

- Also in Monday's game, Andreas Engqvist seemed to suffer a minor injury that will keep him out of action. Though, realistically, he would likely have been sat to make room for Cammalleri's return in any case.

- Andrei Markov joined the team for their light practice yesterday, wearing a non-contact jersey of course. He even stayed around to share a few words with journalists afterwards with his usual dry humour. Still no timetable for his return, though.

- Tonight's game will be a big one for Erik Cole, a forward who after a slowish first few games now makes up an important part of Montreal's most productive line of late with Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais. Despite a brief stint in Edmonton (and excluding the lockout), Cole had played for the Hurricanes in every one of his 9 NHL seasons prior to this one, and thus will be facing off against many good friends.

It's also a big one for Lars Eller, who will be participating in his 100th NHL game.

- Down in the AHL, the Hamilton Bulldogs lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Peoria Rivermen last night. With an injury to Garrett Stafford and the call-up of St. Denis, the 'Dogs recalled both Olivier Dame-Malka and T.J. Fast from the ECHL. Dame-Malka, in his second AHL game this season, recorded his first AHL point, assisting on a Philip DeSimone goal. Michael Blunden had the other tally for Hamilton, while Dany Masse was the only one of 5 shooters able to beat Ben Bishop during the shootout.

- Sticking with prospects, highly-touted Michael Bournival returned to the line-up from injury for the Shawninigan Cataractes - the team he captains - last night. Bournival was held off the scoresheet and finished a -2 in a 5-1 loss, playing only his 8th game of the season after missing about a month of action. In those 8 games, Bournival has tallied 10 goals and 13 points.

Now We're Cooking: Sweet Wins for Habs, Bulldogs

Where it began,

Was with the firing of Perry,

And now we hope it's growing strong...

Was in the Fall,

The whole team was strugglin'

Who'da believed they'd come on strong?!

Hold up Habs fans, don't go planning any parades just yet (I mean, after all, we're not Leafs fans), but maybe - just maybe - we have something here. That 'something' is a big fat M word called momentum, with a side dish of confidence.

At 3-5-2, they're still in a bit of a hole, but the climb back up the ladder of respectability needs to begin somewhere. And back-to-back wins over the Philadelphia Flyers and Boston Bruins is as good a place as any.

Let's step back a moment, however. I posted earlier this week my discontent with the management team of Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin. I'm not a fairweather fan who is suddenly placated just because the club posted consecutive victories. I still feel the pair should be replaced in the near future for the very same reasons. The defense Pierre Gauthier assembled is largely soft, small, and inexperienced. There is a need for a tough, veteran, shutdown guy, and the only player who could eventually fill this role currently on the roster - Alexei Emelin - is being sat by Martin.

On the Emelin issue, after Tweeting my displeasure with his being scratched in favour of Raphael Diaz for a game against the Big Bad Bruins, I will admit that despite an overall shaky game on his part, Diaz made an incredible defensive slide to takeaway a goal after Carey Price was caught out of position with the game tied at 1. It wasn't a play anyone could make, and Martin's choice of Diaz over Emelin may thus have contributed to the team's win.

The downside to this is a legitimate concern that Emelin will never get a chance to develop in Montreal. His contract will allow him to bolt back over to Russia if the Habs try to send him down to Hamilton, but if he's kept in Montreal and sat for most of the season, he's likely headed home at year's end anyway. With a log-jam of players the organization feels to be ahead of him, it will be tough for him to find ice time, and thus Gauthier may be forced to use him as a transaction deal sweetener to at least get something for the asset he finally convinced to cross the ocean. This would be unfortunate as - like I mentioned - Emelin's skillset is not a common one within the organization.

But let's stick with the positives for now. Also deserving of some credit is Randy Ladouceur's management of his defense corps in the 2 games since taking over from Perry Pearn. With the team playing a third game in four nights (and second in 2 cities in 2 nights), Ladouceur and Martin managed to cycle d-men such that only one (Josh Gorges, who had a great night) topped the 20 minute mark. This is a rarity in the NHL, but allowed the team to stay fresh throughout the night which is critical considering the aforementioned personnel concerns on the back end. Diaz, while showing some positives, is clearly not ready for big minutes but has been seen as a "Martin favoured child" by many, joining the ranks of Mathieu Darche and David Desharnais. With Pearn in charge of the D, he played the 4th most minutes amongst Montreal blueliners Monday night. Under Ladouceur, he has gotten the least playing time of the group of 6 in consecutive outings. The team has also gone two games without a Too Many Men on the Ice penalty!

But this isn't just about Pearn, Ladouceur, Martin, and the defense. I talked about Erik Cole's improved play as a reason for hope, and for a third straight game he was amongst the team's top forwards. Cole totaled 2 goals and 1 assist while firing 18 shots on net over the week's 3 games, despite playing an average of only just over 14 minutes a night. Between the offense and some physicality, he is looking more and more like the player the Habs were excited to sign this summer.

Carey Price is playing like Carey Price needs to and can. Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta are showing signs of life. The fourth line, led by strong face-off work on the part of Petteri Nokelainen, behaves like a proper fourth line, able to cycle pucks and throw hits. And though I haven't been the biggest fan of David Desharnais's play, he is getting his touches in and picking up points (now at 6 in 10 games). I mentioned that the forward group should perform far better than they had been, hence not being concerned by early season goal-scoring troubles, and it looks like they may now be starting to click.

This is good news for Habs fans, of course, but it is less good news for Scott Gomez. Once he returns from his injury (and he has resumed skating already), Martin's next big test will be where to slot him into the line-up. Plekanec and Lars Eller are playing far better than he was, and Desharnais has been far more productive. Nokelainen plays the fourth line face-off specialist role well, so it sounds like someone is going to have to move to wing. At this point, Gomez should be the odds-on favourite to be forced to make that transition, and if he does, it may actually work out for the best. It will take some defensive responsibilities off his shoulders, and he does have some experience there, having spent considerable time on left wing during his early days in New Jersey.

So Habs fans, smile and relax a little. Stay on your #FireGauthier and #FireMartin campaigns if you will, and you have my support. But in the meanwhile, the game is being played on the ice, and the strong leadership core at the heart of this team has decided that it's time to step up to the plate and play some sound hockey. No one knows how far they'll be able to take it, but reinforcements are around the corner; "The General" Andrei Markov gets back to Montreal from his rehab stint in Florida today.

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If the action in Montreal doesn't satisfy you, then be happy there is more good news on its way from Hamilton. The Canadiens' first round pick in 2009, Louis Leblanc, returned from injury to make his professional hockey debut with the Hamilton Bulldogs last night, and boy was he impressive. Many questioned his offensive upside, seeing him more as a responsible, determined, and energetic two-way third-line type. The 'Dogs eased him in for his debut, allowing him to play that very role by lining up on Andreas Engqvist's wing, opposite Andrew Conboy.

It certainly didn't take long for Leblanc to make an impact, picking up an assist on an Engqvist powerplay goal just 4:18 into the duel with the Rochester Americans. He would add another assist on a second period Conboy goal, before saving his coup de grace for overtime, scoring the game winner to finish his first game with three points and earning first star honours for his efforts. Leblanc also led all of his teammates with 5 shots in the 3-2 win and was a +2.

Let's not begin clamouring for a call-up just yet (keep in mind Engqvist also had 3 points on this night and we know how he has looked in Montreal), but it is a highly encouraging start for a highly anticipated prospect.

Check out highlights from the game here:

http://www.hamiltonbulldogs.com/video/index?id=539&autostart=true

Your Canadiens for October 15, 2011

The Canadiens are back at it this evening as they try to erase a poor home opener from their memory banks. Here are some updates to set the stage:

- It seems at last our prayers have been answered. At yesterday's practice, Tomas Plekanec was removed from the point on the top powerplay unit. The failed experiment has finally come to an end, as the two units were:

Max Pacioretty - Tomas Plekanec - David Desharnais

Yannick Weber - P.K. Subban

Erik Cole - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta

Alexei Emelin - Raphael Diaz

Looking better, much better!

- The even strength lines were shaken up a bit as well as another of our hopes came to fruition. Travis Moen was taken off the Plekanec line, making for the following:

Travis Moen - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta

Lars Eller - Tomas Plekanec - Erik Cole

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mathieu Darche - Andreas Engqvist - Aaron Palushaj

Hal Gill - P.K. Subban

Josh Gorges - Raphael Diaz

Alexei Emelin - Yannick Weber

I like these units. Even if I'm not a fan of Moen in the top 6, he has played alright with Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta in the past, so it's the best of a bad situation while Mike Cammalleri is sidelined. Further, it creates a very interesting third line with Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais being reunited. The two formed a dynamic pair with the Hamilton Bulldogs and, with Andrei Kostitsyn on the right, should be able to provide some secondary scoring. Lars Eller is deserving of time on a scoring line after the spunk he showed in his season debut and hopefully he can find some chemistry with his new linemates in the short term.

- Carey Price is the confirmed starter for this evening.

- Colorado Avalanche lines for this evening:

Joakim Lindstrom - Matt Duchene - Milan Hejduk

David Jones - Paul Stastny - Chuck Kobasew

Gabriel Landeskog - Ryan O'Reilly - Daniel Winnik

Cody McLeod - Jay McClement - T.J. Galiardi

Shane O'Brien - Kyle Quincey

Erik Johnson - Jan Hejda

Ryan Wilson - Ryan O'Byrne

Semyon Varlamov

J.S. Giguere

UPDATE: - The Hamilton Bulldogs announced today the signing of defenseman T.J. Fast to a professional tryout agreement. The agreement will allow him to play with the Dogs but does not guarantee him a contract for the duration of the season. P.T.O. agreements have a maximum duration of 25 games but can be terminated at any point. The Bulldogs have 7 healthy d-men on their roster, so this signing provides some additional depth. Youngster Olivier Dame-Malka was a healthy scratch for last night's game, so it's possible they want to give him some playing time down in Wheeling (ECHL) and sit Fast as a spare blueliner instead.

- We've gotten clarification as to what is keeping gritty forward Ryan White out of the line-up (and why he wasn't even on hand for the team's home opener). The fourth liner underwent surgery for a sports hernia and thus will be out long-term. Keep track of all injured players in the Canadiens organization with our tracker on the sidebar of the page.

- Want to meet Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais, Yvan Cournoyer, Chris Nilan, and a whole host of ex-NHL'ers (for a fee)? Do you collect hockey cards and/or other memorabilia? Head on over to the L'International des Collectionneurs - a biannual weekend-long hockey-best collectibles show that takes place at the Centre Pierre Charbonneau by the Olympic Stadium. Find out more here: http://mtlccexp.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/2011lrandreoct2.jpg

- The Hamilton Bulldogs played their second game of the season last night, a 4-0 win over the St. John's IceCaps, to improve their record to 2-0-0. The Dogs' lines were the following:

Joonas Nattinen - Brock Trotter - Brian Willsie

Andrew Conboy - Philip DeSimone - Alexander Avtsin

Mike Blunden - Gabriel Dumont - Phillippe Lefebvre

Ian Schultz - Dany Masse - Alain Berger

Mark Mitera - Joe Callahan

Frederic St. Denis - Alex Henry

Zack Fitzgerald - Joe Stejskal

Philip DeSimone scored twice - the first two goals of his professional career in just his 2nd game - while Dany Masse and Joonas Nattinen (also with his first pro goal in his first game) rounded out the offense. Brock Trotter continued his strong play with 3 assists, giving him 2 goals and 7 points through 2 games. He certainly looks like he wants a call-up to Montreal soon! But even better may have been the 'Dogs netminder Nathan Lawson stopping all 40 shots for the shutout victory.

Not looking so good in goal for the IceCaps was former Hab David Aebischer. Aebi is making his return to North America after 3 seasons in the Swiss league. He previously played 39 games over parts of the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons with the Canadiens after being acquired in a trade for Jose Theodore.

Also on scoresheet for St. John's with a fight in the third period was former Canadiens tough guy Garth Murray. Murray has bounced around the NHL, AHL, and even ECHL since leaving the Habs during the 2007-08 season. He played 80 games over 3 campaigns in Montreal, collecting 7 goals and 2 assists.

- In the NCAA ranks, North Dakota defeated Maine 3-1, with Danny Kristo picking up an assist. Though held pointless, rookie Mark MacMillan saw time on the top line with Kristo. Kristo has now collected 4 assists in 3 games

Playing his first game of the season after serving a short team-imposed suspension, Steve Qualier had 1 assist in a 4-0 Northeastern win.

- Over in the WHL, Brendan Gallagher added a powerplay assist to his strong start to the season despite his team's 3-2 loss. He is now up to 7 goals and 10 points in just 5 games, with at least one point in each match.

- In the Ontario Hockey League, London Knights captain and Hab prospect Jarred Tinordi dropped the gloves against Johnny McGuire and then could not return, seemingly suffering a cut to the head. Tinordi was a +2 in the game's first period prior to leaving. After the game, a member of his coaching staff was quoted as saying he'd be re-evaluated today but that they don't want him changing his style or holding back because he is at his best when he's most physical.

- In the QMJHL, defenseman Nathan Beaulieu added one assist to his stat line in a 9-4 victory. The points had been slowing down recently for Beaulieu, but the defenseman had dropped the gloves in each of the two previous games. The assist now gives Beaulieu 7 points in 9 games.

- Also in the Q, there was a big trade yesterday that may impact Habs prospect Michael Bournival. Bournival, you will recall, was off to a very hot start but has been sidelined for the next 3-4 weeks due to an injury suffered in practice. His club, the Shawinigan Cataractes, traded for talented forward Kirill Kabanov, a prospect of the New York Islanders. Kabanov has been regularly criticized for his poor attitude, but his size and skill are undeniable. He scored 28 points in 37 regular season games for the Lewison MAINEiacs last year before turning it up with 20 more points in 15 playoff contests. His rights for this season belonged to the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada but he refused to report to the team after being cut by the New York Islanders and seemed destined to spend the season in Sweden before this last minute trade. He will help to replace Bournival's offense for the Cataractes in the short term, and once Michael is back, he could be a strong potential linemate.

- Lastly, a bad omen for those (LIKE ME) who collect Montreal Canadiens figurines and similar memorabilia. Figure producer McFarlane shutdown their official online fan forum for good yesterday, a sign that times may be tough at the company. A number of cost-cutting measures over the past months and years indicated a decline in profitability, but this is perhaps the move that struck collectors hardest, as the forums were a popular place to trade figures and swap "haul" stories. A replacement unofficial fan forum has been set up here:

http://spawnforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?