10 Teams Habs Fans Should Follow at WHC

The 2012 IIHF World Hockey Championships open this Friday with 16 countries set to battle it out for the title and valuable points  for the 2014 Olympic tournament seedings.  While a country like Kazhakstan enters with the expectation of getting blown out in most of their games, the following 10 teams should hold some intrigue for Montreal Canadiens fans to watch as the tournament gets going.

10) Belarus

Over the last few seasons, Belarus was somewhat of an adopted club for many Hab fans, as Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn as well as Mikhail Grabovski spent time in the Canadiens' system and represent three of the very few NHL'ers the country has.  It is likely that there will be fewer allegiances for the nation this time around, since all three have moved on to other NHL clubs, and the Kostitsyn brothers remain in the NHL playoffs with the Nashville Predators.  Thus, the challenge will be a big one for Toronto's Grabovski with no other current North American pros on the team.  Belarus is currently 11th in the IIHF standings, with the top 9 teams getting automatic Olympic invites.  They will need a deep run to make up the 115 points that separate them from Norway.

9) Switzerland

The Swiss could have been a favourite of Canadiens fans, but both Raphael Diaz and Yannick Weber had to pull out of the event as they continue to nurse injuries.  By watching Switzerland, however, Hab fans will still be able to get reacquainted with long-time National Team captain and former Montreal swingman Mark Streit, who will be supported by Anaheim Ducks defenseman Luca Sbisa and young New York Islanders forward Nino Niederreiter (who Canadiens fans will remember from his preseason altercation with Mike Cammalleri).  Another name some Hab fans might remember is Goran Bezina, a 6'4", 220 lbs offensive blueliner who played 3 games for the Phoenix Coyotes back in 2003-04.  At various points over the past few seasons, there were some reports that the Canadiens might attempt to ink the 32-year old d-man, though as he has remained in Switzerland, the odds of a return to North America for him have become increasingly small.

8) France

We covered why France is an interesting story yesterday, with the main reason being starting goaltender Cristobal Huet.  Huet last played for the Canadiens during the 2007-08 season, and left the NHL after winning the Stanley Cup (albeit as a playoff back-up) with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, becoming the first player from France to achieve the accomplishment.

7) Slovakia

I'm sure most Canadiens fans can never watch Zdeno Chara lose enough for it to get old, so the Worlds may be a great opportunity to see Chara and an undermanned Slovak club get their rear ends handed to them.  But if spite isn't enough for you, two forwards have names that should ring a bell.  First is Marcel Hossa, younger brother of Marian, who began his NHL career in Montreal as a highly touted goal scorer.  Little Hossa lacked the consistency of his older brother, however, and never found a home in the NHL, moving from Montreal to the New York Rangers and finally a brief stint with the Phoenix Coyotes, before crossing over to the KHL where he has had a fine career as an offensive star.  Next is Juraj Mikus, who never played a game for Montreal, but was selected by the team in the fourth round in 2005.  Despite putting up decent numbers for the QMJHL's Chicoutimi Sagueneens, the Canadiens elected not to sign the 6'1", 205 lbs forward, so he returned to Slovakia.  He gave North America one last shot, spending the 2009-10 season with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs, but could not earn a call-up, and headed for the KHL.  He spent the latter half of this season with Saku Koivu's former club, TPS Turku, in Finland, where he scored 10 points in just 17 games.  Mikus is still only 25, so it isn't impossible that a strong Worlds encourages an NHL team to give him a look.  In the "what are they doing now" column, Slovakia's roster includes some former NHL'ers such as Miroslav Satan and Branko Radivojevic.

6) Finland

Unfortunately, neither Saku Koivu nor Teemu Selanne will take part in this event for Team Finland, but many eyes will be on the Finns since they enter as both defending champions and the IIHF's top seed.  Saku's younger brother Mikko Koivu will wear his country's colours, joined by the likes of Kari Lehtinen, Valtteri Filppula, Jussi Jokinen, and top prospect Mikael Granlund.  While Lehtinen will be the club's starter, a player of interest for Canadiens fans is goaltender Karri Ramo.  The Habs had acquired his rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning for AHL goaltender Cedric Desjardins, but he opted to remain in Europe, where he gets an opportunity to start.  He was included in the deal that sent Mike Cammalleri to Calgary this year, so he is no longer Canadiens property.  Still, if he sees any action, it will be interesting to see how he fares against international competition.  Hab forward Petteri Nokelainen was with the club for some exhibition games, but was cut from the final roster in favour of some players currently playing in Europe, though many have NHL experience (Niko Kapanen, Jarkko Immonen, Jesse Joensuu...).

5) Denmark

Montreal's Lars Eller should feature in a starring role for the Danes, though he will get help from NHL'ers Jannik Hansen, Frans Nielsen, and Philip Larsen.  It will be a tough role for Eller who has struggled with his offensive consistency, but certainly it is a good experience for the soon-to-be 23-year old all the same.  Denmark currently ranks 12th in the IIHF standings, and while climbing into the top 9 for an Olympic berth won't be easy, if they can maintain a top 12 spot, they will get to host one of the final qualification events, giving them an edge in that tournament which will take place next winter.  Denmark is only 5 points ahead of 13th place Latvia, but also only 15 points back of Belarus, so this is an important tournament for them.  Lars's younger brother, Mads Eller, played for Denmark at this year's World Junior Championships despite being only 16, but is still too young and inexperienced to make the Men's team for this event.  He most recently had 3 assists in 6 games at the World Under 18s.

4) Czech Republic

The Czechs have a dynamic offense, led by a one-two center punch of the Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec and Boston's David Krejci.  They will be flanked by the likes of Ales Hemsky, Milan Michalek, Michal Frolik, and Tomas Vincour.  After Montreal was eliminated from the playoffs last year, Plekanec joined the Czechs and had a sensational tournament, scoring 6 goals and adding 4 assists in just 8 games.  Banking on that success, the Czechs named Plekanec their team captain for this year's Worlds.  One other interesting story on the Czech roster is 40-year old Petr Nedved.  Yes, that Petr Nedved.  Nedved - who had obtained Canadian citizenship - won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 1994 Olympic Games.  The veteran of just under 1,000 NHL games left North America following the 2006-07 season and has since played in the Czech Elite League where he has been a dominant offensive player.  Aside from the 1995 World Cup of Hockey, this event will be the first time he has played for his homeland, though based on his five goals in six European Hockey Tour tune-up games, it may very well not be his last.

3) United States

The American entry into this tournament is lacking in starpower, but contains enough depth that they are sure to battle hard against any opposition.  The team will count on Montreal's Max Pacioretty to carry over his goal-scoring prowess from a great NHL campaign, playing on the top line with Paul Stastny and Bobby Ryan.  While that line may be impressive, there is a steep drop-off to the second line duo of Jim Slater and Kyle Okposo, though they were rather dominant in an exhibition game win over Sweden this morning (Sweden played without most of its NHL contingent).  The team should be solid on the back-end, with Cam Fowler, Jack Johnson, Alex Goligoski, and Justin Faulk anchoring a top 4 in front of Detroit netminder Jimmy Howard.  The U.S. sits sixth in IIHF rankings, 150 back of fifth place Canada and 55 ahead of 7th place Switzerland, so the event is unlikely to change their Olympic ranking either way barring some inspired performances.

2) Russia

Montreal's Alexei Emelin figures into his National Team's top 4 on the blueline, currently paired with former NHL'er Dmitri Kalinin, who now plays for St. Petersburg in the KHL.  Emelin, who just celebrated his 26th birthday, is coming off his rookie campaign in North America where he quickly became a fan favourite thanks to his thundering body checks.  With only one NHL season under his belt, he is no stranger to the large ice surfaces, and he has played for Russia in this very tournament three times before.  Another top d-man for the team will be Konstantin Korneev (Korneyev in Russian).  At 5'11", 181 lbs, he doesn't have Emelin's size, but he is solid defensively and has a more developed offensive game, making him a true two-way d-man.  Korneev was a 9th round pick by the Canadiens in 2002, but remained in Russia ever since rather than attempting a transition to North America.  This will be his sixth straight season taking part in the World Championship for his country, but though he is still only 27, the odds of seeing him in blue-blanc-rouge someday seem very minimal.  Offensively, Russia boasts superstars Evgeni Malkin and Pavel Datsyuk, but the team is largely composed of KHL veterans.  One such player is former Canadiens Alexander Perezhogin, who as a first round pick in 2001 was once seen as an up-and-coming star, but left North America after the 2006-07 season and currently plays for the KHL's Avangard Omsk.  He had a bit of a difficult year, with 27 points in 53 games being a career low for him in Russia.

1) Canada

Looking at the rosters, there should be little doubt that Canada enters the event as the favourites, solid at every position.  Certainly Canada is always a point of focus for Hab fans, but even moreso when there is a Canadien on the squad, which we have this year in P.K. Subban.  Subban started the first exhibition game on a top pairing with Chicago's Duncan Keith, but suffered a minor lower body injury early on, and did not return, also set to sit out today's tune-up.  The team won't confirm whether or not Subban will be available for Friday's WHC opener, but it seems he shouldn't miss too much time if any.  Canada has a deep and dangerous offense, and should get solid goaltending from Cam Ward.  To give you an idea, here is a projected line-up:

Alex Burrows - Ryan Getzlaf - Corey Perry
Jamie Benn - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Jordan Eberle
Jeff Skinner - John Tavares - Patrick Sharp
Evander Kane - Ryan O'Reilly - Teddy Purcell
Andrew Ladd

Duncan Keith - P.K. Subban
Marc Methot - Dion Phaneuf
Jay Bouwmeester - Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Luke Schenn

UPDATE: Unfortunately, it was announced this afternoon that Subban's injury will keep him out two weeks, and as such he is returning to Montreal and will miss the World Championships.  Unfortunate for him as undoubtedly he was looking forward to again representing his country, but at least it isn't anything too serious that will derail his summer training.

10 Habs Players Who May Not Be Back Next Year

This off-season could mean big changes for your Montreal Canadiens.  As the month of April nears its end, the team still finds itself without a General Manager or Head Coach.  The club has a third overall selection at this year's entry draft which will significantly alter the prospect pool, even if the likelihood that whoever the team takes at that spot won't make the team straight out of training camp is high.  Whoever does take over in a Management role is most certain to want to put their own stamp on the team, meaning as of right now, no one is necessarily "untouchable."  Thus the team that ended the year in disappointing fashion may be drastically different than the one that opens training camp in the Fall, even if a shallow UFA pool would under normal circumstances leave few acquisition options for the team.

But before we start looking at who the Habs might bring in, today we look at who might be jettisoned elsewhere.  Since we went over next year's Hamilton Bulldogs on Friday, today we'll include only players who played at least one game for Montreal during the 2011-12 regular season.

10) Petteri Nokelainen

When it became clear that Andreas Engqvist wasn't ready for full-time NHL duty, the Canadiens scrambled to find a new fourth line center.  After a waiver claim gone bad in Blair Betts, the team dealt for Nokelainen, who was serviceable in the role, but far from spectacular.  He has decent size (6'1", 202 lbs), can play on the penalty kill, and is a right-handed shot, but didn't show much of the toughness the team also needs out of a player in that role, and has little in the way of hockey skills.  He'll be a restricted free agent this summer and is only 26, so he could be retained, but the team may very well opt to seek an upgrade on the UFA market since once identified as a need, that type of player isn't hard to acquire in July.

9) Rene Bourque

Bourque was one asset acquired in the Mike Cammalleri trade (I would argue the 2nd round pick was the primary asset) to help balance out the salaries.  Yes, Bourque did have consecutive 27-goal seasons prior to this past year's 18, but I would say he is more suited to be a third line player on a top team due to his inconsistencies, rather than a frustrating second liner.  He could replace - to an extent - an Andrei Kostitsyn in the line-up; he can't fill the void left by an on-his-game Cammalleri.  The problem is that Bourque was borderline terrible after being acquired, with the toughness and physicality in his game evaporating and showing weak hands around the goal.  Thus, a GM coming in and wanting to do a clean-up may try to ship Bourque out, but the 4 years remaining on his deal at $3.33M per season may throw a wrench in the plans.  I'm ok with giving Bourque another chance on Lars Eller's wing, and his cap hit isn't particularly prohibitive to finding a better winger for Tomas Plekanec, but it also wouldn't surprise me if Montreal tries to deal him elsewhere.

8) Tomas Kaberle

Speaking of players not pulling their weight, Tomas Kaberle has 2 years left on his deal at $4.25M per season.  Jaroslav Spacek's expiring $3.8M had already been earmarked for raises to the likes of Carey Price and/or P.K. Subban, so by taking on a contract with remaining term in its place, the Habs will have to make cuts elsewhere.  The problem isn't Kaberle's production - his 22 points in 43 games after joining the Canadiens would mean a 40-point season averaged out, which isn't terrible for the salary he's making.  The problem is more the fit.  The Canadiens have enough puck-moving offensive blueliners with Andrei Markov, P.K. Subban, Yannick Weber, and Raphael Diaz, and given this, spending $4.25M on a soft, one-dimensional scoring d-man doesn't seem like a good deal.  Even if, say, Weber isn't back next year (see lower down the list), the need for Kaberle isn't there on this team, and if he is on the club to safeguard against a Markov injury, the team has a much bigger need for a more two-way guy like a younger Roman Hamrlik instead.  Like with Bourque, finding a taker may be an issue, but he could be a good fit on a team with bigger defensive d-men to compensate for his weak play in his own zone.

7) Mathieu Darche

Darche has been a good story in Montreal as a local boy who took a long route to end up living his childhood dreams.  He has given the Habs all they could have hoped for on bargain basement contracts, and at 6'1", 210 lbs his size his welcome as a 12th or 13th forward.  However, his production and consistency took a step back this season, and he is far from irreplaceable.  There are only so many roster spots to go around, and at age 35, Darche's useful days are nearing their end.  The spot might be better going to a true enforcer, or a younger player trying to establish himself as a roster regular.  Darche will be a UFA this summer and there is likely to be work for him somewhere in the league if he's willing to leave the city, but his three year run with the Canadiens could very well be coming to a close.

6) Brad Staubitz

Staubitz seemed like a random waiver acquisition on trade deadline day, a move many thought would simply fill a hole following numerous other trades.  Those deals didn't materialize, so many assumed Staubitz had just been a security policy and wouldn't see much action.  But he did; playing 19 games and becoming the team's go-to enforcer.  He seemed to be a good teammate, with his fellow Canadiens noticeably excited when he scored the club's final goal of the year into an empty net.  Staubitz, 27, is a big and tough customer at 6'1", 210 lbs, but he is short on hockey skills outside of dropping the gloves.  The Habs haven't carried a true enforcer in quite some time, though many have proclaimed a need for such a player.  Staubitz could do the job, though if he is back, I'd rather see him scratched more frequently than he was down the stretch and only used in games where there was felt to be a need for his toughness.  More ideally he would be let go (he's a UFA this summer) and replaced with an enforcer more capable of taking a regular shift (such as fellow UFAs Brandon Prust, Jordin Tootoo, Tom Kostopoulos, or even George Parros).  The current Canadiens staff seem quite enamoured with Mike Blunden, so it is possible it comes down to keeping only one of the two (along with pending UFA Travis Moen), and I would rather see Blunden back over Staubitz, but we don't know what direction the new staff will take.

5) Aaron Palushaj

Palushaj, 22, was acquired from the St. Louis Blues for Matt D'Agostini a little over two years back.  He is a proven AHL superstar scorer, notching 35 points in 35 games for the Bulldogs this season.  But the NHL points weren't coming until quite late on this season, with him finally scoring his first goal and adding 4 assists on a total of 38 games.  Palushaj has very average size at 5'11", 187 lbs, and has little physicality or intensity to his game, while also not being any kind of defensive specialist, meaning he will contribute in an offensive role or simply not make the cut.  He hasn't shown any reason to be given a shot in the top 6, and already has his hands full battling Louis Leblanc for a third line job.  Add to this the imminent arrival of Brendan Gallagher, Michael Bournival, and likely Danny Kristo at the pro ranks, and Palushaj will be quickly dropping down the depth charts.  He is waiver eligible in the Fall, so while there is no real reason not to at least qualify him and bring him to training camp, if he doesn't make the starting roster in the Fall, another organization may very well take a chance on him as a still-developing player.

4) Andreas Engqvist

Engqvist, 24, falls under a similar category as Palushaj being an AHL star that struggles to produce at the NHL level.  Like Palushaj, he is an RFA this summer meaning the Canadiens need to make a call on him.  But then there are notable differences as well.  First, Engqvist brings size (a skinny 6'4" frame, even if he doesn't use it particularly effectively) and a right-handed shot to the equation, things the Habs are short on at the center position.  Engqvist also excels (at least at the AHL level thus far) in a defensive, shutdown, and penalty-killing role, making him a more versatile player well suited to a third or fourth line job.  But he hasn't shown that he deserves even that kind of ice time in the NHL level as of yet, and wasn't even amongst the late-season call-ups following the trade of Andrei Kostitsyn and numerous injuries at the forward position.  Was he left in Hamilton just to help the Bulldogs (he was named team co-MVP this year)?  Or was it a sign that he is out of the plans for the future?  The fact that he himself may choose to return to Europe this summer regardless of the Canadiens' intentions may indicate the second is more likely, though he is another guy who there seems little reason not to qualify and retain rights to... just in case.

3) Yannick Weber

Weber, 23, a third round pick of the Canadiens in 2007, was a star for the OHL's Kitchener Rangers and seen as an up-and-coming offensive blueliner.  The Swiss native showed all of that potential in the American League as a top player for the Bulldogs, but he has struggled to prove himself in the NHL, largely due to his small stature (5'11", 193 lbs) leaving him manhandled in his own end.  He has at times looked effective on the powerplay with decent passing and a big shot, but he is also prone to giveaways and mental lapses, meaning frustrating inconsistency.  Last summer, the Habs snagged a very similar player in Raphael Diaz, 26, as a European UFA, and he and Weber put up almost identical numbers this season.  It is likely the team should choose between one of the two in their top 6 for the coming year, and if this past season's usage provides any clues, then Diaz seems the favoured son.  However, it is far from a certainty as the team's new management group may have a different evaluation of the players.

2) Scott Gomez

If the jury is still out on whether or not a lot of the above players can help the Canadiens moving forward, this one should be clear.  Gomez was given a chance to make amends for a poor 2010-11 campaign this season, and did little to impress.  He said all the right things off the ice a year ago, and he can't be entirely blamed for a season that was in large part derailed by multiple injuries, but a 32-year old 5'11" center who was on pace for 24 points over an 82-game campaign has no spot on this team.  He is not a fourth liner, isn't big or tough, is far from a defensive specialist, and the team is better off with David Desharnais, Tomas Plekanec, and Lars Eller down the middle.  And notice all of these arguments against him before we even get to the big one: his $7.357M annual burden on the club's salary cap.  The cap hit makes him entirely untradeable, so there are only a couple of options if he is to be gotten rid of prior to the final two seasons on his deal.  The optimist Habs fans hope for a one-time amnesty buyout permitted by the new CBA, where he could be bought out with no cap hit, as a traditional buyout handicaps the club moving forward.  The alternative is to put him on waivers and send him to Hamilton, where Geoff Molson would still be on the hook for his full salary, but the Canadiens could spend that money on other players for their NHL roster as well if ownership was willing to stretch the budget.

1) Chris Campoli

Of the 10, Campoli seems the most certain to be gone in the coming months.  He will be an unrestricted free agent again this summer and is somewhat of a 'tweener on the blueline.  Not an offensive guy, not a defensive guy, and not a particularly dependable player, but a reasonable depth defenseman who picked up his game over the final weeks of this season after an injury-filled and rough start.  Despite joining his fourth team, Campoli is still only 27 and will find a contract somewhere on a team wanting an extra body on D, but depth is not what the team will lack at that position.  They need to use this spot for an upgrade on the back end with a guy who can step up and reliably play top 4 minutes in case of an injury.  A guy who is bigger than the average-sized Campoli and can throw a hit without ending up out of position.

Wildcard: Brian Gionta or Tomas Plekanec


If the new GM really wants to make an impression and change the core of this club, it is likely one of Brian Gionta or Tomas Plekanec who gets shopped (well before a guy like P.K. Subban).  Gionta, 33, may be the team's captain, but there is far from a leadership void with the likes of Erik Cole and Josh Gorges on the club, and at 5'7", 175 lbs, doesn't fit the team's need to get bigger.  Even discounting the injuries that made him miss 51 games, he had a very difficult season scoring just 8 goals and 15 points in 31 contests.  He has provided goal-scoring in his tenure with the Canadiens (his seasons of 29 and 28 were the second and third highest of his career), but his overall productivity has declined from his New Jersey days, and perhaps a bigger problem is that he doesn't seem to fit on a line with either David Desharnais (lack of size) or Tomas Plekanec (lack of chemistry).  Gionta is owed $5M for two more seasons, so the Habs may see if they can shake things up and try out a different player in that spot.

Plekanec, 29, is a different case, remaining a very valuable two-way member of the club even if his 17 goals and 52 points were south of what most had hoped for him this year.  Those numbers are more impressive when you consider he had weak and ever-changing linemates for much of the season.  The troubling number was his -15, something very uncharacteristic of a generally highly dependable defensive center.  In part it reflected the poor season of the team as a whole, but Plekanec's own intensity and tenacity were noticeably missing at times.  The reason to move Plekanec would be to add a bigger top 6 center, and the only way he could be moved is in a package for such a replacement player, but it wouldn't surprise me if that is the kind of bold deal the new GM tries to strike.

Habs Acquire Nokelainen, Stafford from Coyotes

The Montreal Canadiens today announced the acquisition of forward Petteri Nokelainen and defenseman Garrett Stafford from the Phoenix Coyotes in return for Brock Trotter and a 7th round pick.

Nokelainen, 25, is a 6'1", 202 lbs center with 194 games of NHL experience split between the New York Islander, Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks, and Phoenix Coyotes. He is a versatile, speedy two-way player who is adept in the face-off circle - likely the main reason he was targeted by Pierre Gauthier. He brings some physicality, but little in the way of hockey sense, and has a history of knee injuries / surgeries (great! fits right in!). He joins the team on a one year, one-way, $550,000 deal.

Certainly, Nokelainen will be an upgrade on Andreas Engqvist, but this is hardly a move that will turn the team's current funk around.

Stafford, 31, has played only 7 games in the NHL and will report to the Hamilton Bulldogs to add more depth to the blueline there. The 'Dogs are missing Joe Stejskal for about a month, so Stafford can step right into the line-up. He's a solid AHL vet. If the name sounds familiar, when former Canadien Alexander Perezhogin was suspended for a full season of AHL action while playing for Hamilton, it was as the result of him hitting this same Garrett Stafford in the head with his stick. Stafford is one the last season of a two-year, two-way deal, but one that pays him $250,000 in the AHL, making him the highest paid Bulldog. His deal puts the Canadiens at 49 on the 50 contracts-per-team limit.

Anti-climactic, sure, but a small step in the right direction that at least improves a weak fourth line. The trade is best news, perhaps, for Brock Trotter himself as he may finally get a shot at a full-time NHL job. Here in Montreal, it's unclear whether Nokelainen would bring more to the team than Trotter would have, given a shot, but at least he's a little bigger!

Aaron Palushaj was returned to the Hamilton Bulldogs to create roster space for the move. Given that Nokelainen is a center, Andreas Engqvist was also sent down, while Michael Blunden was called up to Montreal to provide additional size and strength to the 4th line. The real question is why it took this move for the brass to realize that Blunden would be a better fit on a small and soft team's fourth line than the offensively oriented Palushaj.

This means the Habs line-up should look something like the following (at least for a few shifts, knowing Jacques Martin):

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Lars Eller - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Michael Blunden