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.

What Yesterday's Trade Means for Habs

Let's talk about yesterday. I'll save you the painstaking process of reading more about another embarrassing home loss, this one by a 3-0 score at the hands of the Dallas Stars. Could this one be blamed on a flu virus running rampant through the dressing room? Perhaps in part, with Tomas Plekanec sitting out due to illness, David Desharnais said to have been sick all weekend, and Mathieu Darche unable to finish the game because of his symptoms. But either way, the Canadiens Bell Centre record fell to 11-14-8 on the season despite playing in what is considered one of the best - if not the best - home rinks in the league. With Tampa Bay and Buffalo posting wins last night, and Winnipeg picking up a loser point, the Canadiens took another step towards a lottery pick with their dismal effort, currently in position to draft fourth overall, with Carolina just one point behind them and holding a game in hand (plus the tiebreaker). Simply put, it was a good night for the Blow for Grigorenko campaign.

Enough about that right now. The focus this week is primarily on General Manager Pierre Gauthier and what he may or may not do in the time leading up to the trade deadline, as it should be. Playoffs are out of reach; the important thing now is to be building for next season and beyond. In that light, Twitter was abuzz with Hab-related Tweets following a three team transaction. If you missed it, here is the move as it went down:

Colorado sent defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Tampa Bay Lightning in return for pesky forward Steve Downie; the Lightning then sent Qunicey to the Detroit Red Wings in return for Detroit's 2012 first round pick and - for contract limit reasons only - minor league defenseman Sebastien Piche.

Let's start with a little background. Quincey, if you'll recall, was originally a Red Wings draft pick. He was considered a solid prospect, but eventually lost out the in numbers game, unable to crack a deep Detroit blueline. As such, the Wings had to place him on waivers, where he was claimed by Los Angeles, and eventually traded to Colorado. Yes, you read that right. Detroit waived him. 3 and a half years ago. And yesterday gave up a first round pick to get him back. Imagine if Pierre Gauthier made such a move; Habs fans would lynch him. Yet Ken Holland was being praised by some for acquiring an underrated player who could help to fill a gap if Brad Stuart opts to leave Detroit as an unrestricted free agent this summer. (that's not a jab at Holland; more so one at Habs fans, who need to relax and understand that circumstances change over time)

If Piche's name sounds somewhat familiar to you, it's because he was invited to Habs' rookie camp back in 2007, but was never offered a contract. He was never drafted, and since signing a deal with the Wings as a free agent, has bounced between the AHL and ECHL. Nothing to see there.

Many fans were quick to take this trade and jump to conclusions about the worth of some Canadiens players that may be on the market. If Kyle Quincey could be dealt first for Steve Downie and then for a late first round pick, then surely there must be a market for Chris Campoli or Tomas Kaberle. If Downie was indirectly worth a first round pick, then a guy who plays a similar role but is better in the locker room like Travis Moen should be worth the same if he were healthy. And a much more skilled forward like Andrei Kostitsyn is likely worth even more!

Not so fast - let's not get carried away. The cases are completely different. Both Quincey and Downie are set to become just restricted free agents this summer, meaning that they are assets beyond the next 20 games plus playoffs. Downie is only 24 and has a 20-goal season under his belt. He plays with an edge and can drop the gloves. He was phenomenal in the playoffs last year, scoring 14 points in 17 games. The downsides, of course, are that he crosses the line at times, having received numerous suspensions, and has been rumoured to be a poor teammate. His offensive numbers to date may be inflated by having Steven Stamkos and/or Vincent Lecavalier as centers. That Quincey would be worth as much as Downie, or worth a first round pick, was surprising to many, and may say something about the demand for defensemen - always hot commodities at this time of year. But he's also only 26, has good size at 6'2" and 206 lbs, and has had seasons of 38 and 29 points, with 23 in 54 games this season.

Moen, Kostitsyn, and Campoli are all pending unrestricted free agents, meaning their value should be pegged to other rentals rather than younger or contracted players.

For Moen, if he were healthy, the closest comparable seems to be Dominic Moore. Some 5 days ago, the Lightning traded Moore and a 7th round pick to San Jose for a 2nd. For what Moore brings in face-off ability, Moen compensates with size and toughness, plus whereas Moore was having a subpar season, Moen might have set career highs if he stayed off the IR. Thus, I would say Moen's value is slightly higher than Moore's, in all likelihood worth a mid-to-late 2nd round pick by himself, and *perhaps* a tad bit more. He isn't Downie, and wouldn't get a 1st from anybody. Of course, there is a good chance that with his injury, he stays with the Canadiens. Then we'd just have to hope he can come to terms on an agreeable contract with Gauthier so as not to lose him for no return in July.

For Campoli, I do agree that the prices paid for d-men thus far would indicate that someone is probably willing to part with *something* for his services. The Quincey trades, however, have nothing to do with setting a value for him. There are many pending-UFA defensemen that teams could opt for over Campoli, meaning the Canadiens are not in a position of strength when it comes to brokering a deal. Even after the moves they've made thus far, looking at the Tampa Bay Lightning's roster alone, pending free agents Brett Clark and Matt Gilroy are likely to generate as much buzz as the much-malgined Habs' defenseman. No, not every team has quite as many players to offer up, but if you got excited thinking Montreal might end up with as much as a third round pick for Campoli, then a reality check is likely to come (though crazier things HAVE happened).

Kostitsyn is easily the toughest of the three to gauge at this point, as it is hard to find comparables who have been moved. Alexei Ponikarovsky was dealt for a 4th round pick a few weeks ago, but his play has declined the past few seasons, so surely Kostitsyn is worth considerably more at this point. A 6'0" (but thick) goal-scoring winger who can play physical at times and, having just turned 27, with many productive seasons ahead (though as a pending UFA, they are no guarantee to any club) should draw some interest from around the league. In fact, the Canadiens would be wise to attempt to get him signed since replacing the skill set he brings would likely cost a bigger cap hit on the free agent market this summer. But if that's not to be, and/or if they are done with waiting for his inconsistencies to normalize, then he must be moved before the team loses him for nothing this summer. So perhaps we can get a value estimate by looking at the 2011 deadline. Former Hab Chris Higgins was having a similar season to Kostitsyn's when he was dealt to Vancouver last year, and the Canucks ponied up a 3rd round selection and a reasonable prospect in defenseman Evan Oberg. Dustin Penner has been similarly inconsistent over his career, but had already scored 21 goals by the time he was dealt last season, returning 1st and 3rd round selections, along with prospect Colton Teubert. The Buffalo Sabres gave up a 2nd round pick to acquire Brad Boyes, a player softer than Kostitsyn, but who had already scored 41 points by deadline time (compared to Kostitsyn's 24), has 40- and 30-goal seasons on his resume, and had one more year remaining on his contract.

So what is Kostitsyn worth? Likely somewhere in the middle of all of that. I think the return Boyes got is probably the closest, meaning the Habs might be able to get a 2nd round pick for him. Perhaps add a decent prospect to that, but not likely more. Fans dreaming of a 1st round pick ++ are likely doing just that - dreaming.

So in short, what did yesterday's trade mean for the Habs? Not a whole lot. With players like Hal Gill and Pavel Kubina being moved, we have some indication of what the market value for d-men is, but there are many dominoes left to fall between now and Monday.

Habs Trade Talk - Who's Next to Go?

Montreal Canadiens General Manager Pierre Gauthier shocked Habs fans earlier this month when he pulled sniper Mike Cammalleri out of a game against the Boston Bruins as a deal sending him to the Calgary Flames had been completed. In making the trade, Gauthier was clearly thinking about the future, as the Flames got the best overall player in the deal in Cammalleri. But Rene Bourque's cap hit comes in at $2.67M less per year, and Gauthier upgraded a 5th round pick to a 2nd in the process. This is the kind of trade that seldom goes unfollowed (one exception being the trading of Craig Rivet for Josh Gorges and the pick that became Max Pacioretty a few years back), and so it is likely that a number of other veterans will leave the city between now and the February 27th trade deadline. Here we look at the players most likely to follow Cammalleri out the door:

1) Hal Gill

It's hard not to love Hal Gill. The friendly giant has been a welcome presence in the Habs' locker room the last few seasons, serving as a quality mentor for younger players and the star of nearly every funny "Get to Know Your Canadiens" PR video. But it is clear that Gill's best days are increasingly far behind him as the 36-year old has struggled to keep up with the pace of play at 5-on-5 this season. Still, he is no small part as to why the Canadiens are tied for the best penalty killing efficacy in the league with the New Jersey Devils at 89.2%. For this skill alone, plus his Stanley Cup-winning experience, Gill is likely to draw interest from a number of teams hoping to contend prior to his becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. Demand for his services will heat up as the deadline approaches, but early rumours have linked him to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers. The expected return is likely to be a 2nd or 3rd round pick, or prospect of similar value.

2) Chris Campoli

Campoli is the second most likely player to leave the city within the next month as he certainly won't fit into the team's plans beyond this season. A late training camp UFA signing, Campoli went down with an injury in the season opener and hasn't looked particularly good since returning, struggling to stay in the line-up. The only reason he wouldn't be traded is if the Canadiens can't find a taker, but there is typically a market for experienced, mobile d-men on cheap, one-year contracts. When he is moved, not much will be expected back. It is more likely he is dealt for a late round pick (4th-7th) than he is packaged for something better. Possible suitors include the San Jose Sharks and Philadelphia Flyers.

3) Travis Moen

Like Gill, Moen is a locker room leader and has performed above and beyond expectations throughout the majority of his contract in Montreal. Signed to be a third or fourth line big body, Moen has been forced into top 6 roles on a regular basis and has always given a consistent effort. With 9 goals and 16 points already in 46 games this season, the 29-year old is well on pace to set career highs in production, sure to increase his value on the open market as a UFA this summer. Thus, if Gauthier can't ink him to a deal before the deadline, he should be shipped out for the best possible return, sure to be a draw after playing an integral part in Anaheim's Stanley Cup win in 2007. A second or third round pick would not be out of the question for Moen (see the price Gauthier paid for Dominic Moore in 2010) with destinations being any playoff team lacking forward depth (think San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, or Los Angeles Kings).

4) Andrei Kostitsyn

The final member of this group of four significant pending unrestricted free agents, Kostitsyn is perhaps the most likely to be re-signed. A product of Montreal's own system, a lack of consistency has meant that Kostitsyn has never lived up to his pre-draft billing that had the Canadiens select him 10th overall in a stacked 2003 1st round. Still, he is a thick, 6'0", goal-scoring winger who is capable of delivering bone-crunching hits when he feels like being physical and could look like one of the game's most skilled forwards if you assembled a reel of only his highlight-calibre markers. Proper asset management would indicate Gauthier must speak with Kostitsyn's agent as soon as possible, and if the two sides aren't heading for a deal, send Kostitsyn out at the deadline and worry about replacing him later on. He is a good fit as a top 9 forward in Montreal, but could likely land a 2nd round pick and good prospect from a team that wants to add some punch for the playoffs. An obvious fit might be the Nashville Predators where Kostitsyn could join his younger brother Sergei, though low scoring playoff teams like the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, or Los Angeles Kings could equally put offers forward.

These are the most obvious players to be dealt in the near future, but it isn't unforeseeable that Gauthier looks to move some bodies who are contracted beyond this season as well. Here are some who might see their time in Montreal cut short:

5) Tomas Kaberle

If Andrei Markov returns to the Canadiens line-up some time in early or mid February (a big question mark at this point as it doesn't appear he has even resumed skating as of yet), then Kaberle may have served as just a quick stop-gap with the team. Undoubtedly, he has worked out better in Montreal than he did in Carolina, with his 11 points in 19 games here projecting to 47 over a full season. But in most games, he has played sparingly at even strength on a bottom pairing, while also failing to single-handedly revive the dormant Habs' powerplay. On a team full of big, tough defensive blueliners, Kaberle's salary for his production might not be a problem, but with a healthy Markov, Raphael Diaz, P.K. Subban, and perhaps Yannick Weber in Montreal for the next few seasons, the remaining 2 years on Kaberle's deal at $4.25M per will be a salary cap burden. The question then becomes whether or not the 33-year old blueliner is tradeable after the Canadiens were suckered into taking on his contract out of desperation. His output has increased the odds of finding a taker, with the New Jersey Devils and St. Louis Blues being examples of playoff teams with some cap flexibility whose powerplays could use a new look.

6) Tomas Plekanec or David Desharnais

It wasn't long ago that including Plekanec's name on this list would have made me certifiably insane, but Desharnais's strong play has made moving one of the two centers a real possibility. The Habs need to upgrade down the middle by adding a true #1 pivot at the top end. Relying on small players like Plekanec and Desharnais to center the two primary offensive units is not a good formula, and it remains unclear whether Lars Eller can contribute enough to move up off the third line on a regular basis. Thus, an ideal formation would be a player like Ryan Getzlaf on the first line, one of Plekanec or Desharnais with big wingers on the second, and Eller centering a competent third trio. Despite his big contract, there are sure to be teams interested in Plekanec's responsible two-way game. His intensity and level of play have dipped this year, but he is a proven NHL vet under contract long-term and could be dealt in a package for the "upgrade" the team is seeking. Recent rumours have linked him to a possible deal (among other assets) with New Jersey for Zach Parise, dependent on Parise signing an extension. Desharnais, on the other hand, has much smaller value, but his worth may be as high as it will ever be as the diminutive center is having a breakout season offensively. He has shown great chemistry with Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole offensively, which is both a reason to keep him, and perhaps a reason to move him since it ties up the club's two top wingers (since Desharnais would have to line-up between big bodies to be most effective). His cheap contract could make him an interesting asset and with another small forward in prospect Brendan Gallagher sure to make his Montreal debut before long, the team may explore their options with DD - something I would entirely endorse. As one of the few native French-speakers on the club, however, if I had to put money on the line, I'd wager he stays, if for language reasons alone.

7) Yannick Weber

The struggles of Montreal's powerplay have been well-documented this season; so much so that many overlook Weber's 4 powerplay markers, ranking 2nd on the club behind Erik Cole's 7. Weber appeared to have a job to lose coming into training camp this season with Andrei Markov's injury, but he was outplayed by countryman Raphael Diaz defensively, meaning Weber has been in-and-out of the lineup in a swingman role occasionally playing the wing 5-on-5. There is some redundancy to having both Weber and Diaz - similar players - in the line-up, and it makes for a small and soft overall group of blueliners when both play on the back end. Though Weber has been the better of the two on the powerplay, the Canadiens appear higher on Diaz, and Weber - having been in North America since the 2006-07 season - has the better name and reputation league-wide, likely making him the more tradeable asset. Alone, he might not fetch more than a mid-round pick, but he may be used as a chip in a bigger package to address a need.

8) P.K. Subban

Now, understand that I highly doubt Pierre Gauthier would trade P.K. Subban, and in general I would be strongly against the move. But there are reasons his name has been floating on the rumour mill this season. He seems to have somewhat worn out his welcome with guys who were his buddies in the locker room earlier on in his career, like Hal Gill, Scott Gomez, and Mike Cammalleri, and his recent exchange with assistant coach Randy Ladouceur on the bench during a game won't help his reputation with the team's management. This, combined with his lackluster play this season would be reasons for a possible exit from Montreal, though it could prove to be a costly error. Subban is a complete package; good size, mobility, physicality, and great offensive instincts. Yes, he is prone to defensive zone lapses, but he is still a young player who is learning the game at the professional level. IF - please bare in mind I said IF - he is to be traded, for Canadiens fans not to storm the Bell Centre with torches and pitchforks, it would have to be as part of a package for a young star player. It is conceivable to deal him given the upcoming depth on D, but a Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry signed to an extension, or an Eric Staal-calibre big, star forward, or *perhaps* a top end prospect like Ryan Johansen or Brayden Schenn would have to be coming back for me to consider moving him. Trading him for any kind of lower-end package would severely hurt the team's future.

These are the main players I see moving. Of course, other deals are possible, like if someone happens to phone Gauthier about a Mathieu Darche or Petteri Nokelainen for a fourth line elsewhere, then sure, they could be moved for minimal returns. But it is clear that Mr. Gauthier will have plenty of dockets to cover over the next month and with so many balls in the air, it may actually be helpful to have Jacques Martin available for special assignments (the team announced yesterday that he - still being under contract - had accepted such a role to work with the General Manager).

Your Canadiens for December 13, 2011

Updates from a reasonably busy morning in the hockey world:

- Travis Moen was back at practice this morning after taking a therapy day yesterday. He will play tonight.

- As I mentioned yesterday, Scott Gomez suffered some form of setback in his training. He was not on the ice this morning, and nor was Brian Gionta, still considered out indefinitely, at least a week.

- Chris Campoli practiced alongside Raphael Diaz on the second powerplay unit this morning. He will return to the line-up on a pairing with Tomas Kaberle, meaning Alexei Emelin will be a healthy scratch. Thus, this marks Campoli's regular season Bell Centre debut, since he was injured in the season opener in Toronto. I look forward to seeing what he'll bring to the table, as I thought he looked quite solid in his 1 preseason game and first half in Toronto.

It should be noted that despite being dressed on Saturday, Weber received no powerplay time. The Canadiens really only used 3 d-men on the PP: Tomas Kaberle, P.K. Subban, and Diaz.

Now about Emelin being a scratch... I'm sure anyone that reads this site is well aware of my take on the issue. I think this roster move is beyond excusable on the part of Jacques Martin. Yes, Emelin is young, and he does take risks that lead to occasional errors. Admittedly, he is far worse on the right side (where he would play when paired with Kaberle) than he is on the left. But there is no doubt that he brings a crucial set of tools that the Canadiens do not have anywhere else in their roster. His size, toughness, and physicality are important on a team full of small puck-movers. Emelin won't develop and continue to improve by sitting in the stands. He can be an important part of Montreal's future, and MUST play. Let's hope this is just part of a rotation to give Campoli some action, and that we'll see Emelin dressed again on Thursday.

- Speaking of the powerplay, the top unit at practice was:

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Tomas Kaberle - P.K. Subban

While Kostitsyn brings some size, it's interesting that neither of the team's powerforwards (Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole) are on the top unit. They flank David Desharnais on the 2nd unit, just as they do at even strength.

- Updates from Team Canada World Junior Championships Selection Camp: None of Nathan Beaulieu, Brendan Gallagher, or Michael Bournival collected points in yesterday's 2-0 Team Red win. Few players have done much to separate themselves from the pack so far, as both sides have failed to generate offense. Bournival was solid, but mostly unnoticeable, while Gallagher was noticed for bad reasons, taking two offensive zone penalties and being on the receiving end of two large hits. Beaulieu had a few good shifts on the powerplay, patrolling the blueline well, but failed to produce.

Still, as expected, all three survived the first wave of cuts, which included Mark McNeill, Zack Phillips, Matthew Dumba, Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Michael Ferland, Max Reinhart, and Brenden Kichton. With 31 skaters remaining in camp for 13 forward and 7 defensemen spots, the pressure remains on both Beaulieu and Bournival to impress tonight. Gallagher's spot is seemingly the safest of the three, likely penciled into a third or fourth line role.

A good article on Gallagher published last night can be found here:

http://www.mindentimes.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3402122#.TudxNxRusPg.facebook

- Another good prospect article today is this feature from the AHL about community work done by the injured Brendon Nash and Hunter Bishop:

http://theahl.com/bishop-nash-scoring-points-off-the-ice-p174893

Your Canadiens for December 5, 2011

Thinking today might be a relatively mundane day in the Habs' realm, I thought I might be able to wait till tomorrow for this update. But there is enough hot button news to put this out this evening.

- Most notably, minutes ago, it was revealed that the National Hockey League has agreed on a realignment of its divisions for the 2012-13 hockey season. Gone is the current divisional structure, replaced with simply 4 larger imbalanced conferences - two of 8 teams, and two of 7. They are composed as follows:

East (7): Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers

East / Atlantic (7): New York Rangers, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils

Central (8): Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild

West (8): Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche

For the Canadiens, the new schedule will see them play a home-and-home against all non-conference teams (meaning each team will visit the Bell Centre at least once a year), and then have 6 games against each club in their new conference (3 at home and 3 on the road).

For the playoffs, the first two rounds will be played strictly within conference. The top 4 teams from each conference make the post-season, with the first round being 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3, and then the winners facing off in round 2.

Per commissioner Gary Bettman, no official decision has been taken on the seeding of the final 4 for the semi-finals and finals, but it is likely that the remaining 4 teams will be seeded based on regular season standings, meaning it is possible for two teams from eastern North America or two from western North America to face-off in the Stanley Cup Finals.

This is pretty drastic, and there is certain to be a lot of opinion and discussion to go around over the coming days, weeks, and months. My initial reaction is not to like the imbalance, which essentially provides easier post-season berths to the teams in the 2 Eastern conferences. But I don't necessarily hate it. I'm willing to give it a chance.

- Elsewhere, USA Hockey announced the preliminary roster for their World Junior Championship squad. Amongst the 9 defenseman on the list is the Habs' Jarred Tinordi. He would appear to be a near-lock for the squad at this point as part of a shutdown pair, and his name has been thrown around as a possible team captain, given that he fills that role presently for the London Knights, and previously wore the C for the U.S. Under-18 team.

- Tomas Plekanec missed practice today, but have no fear! It wasn't due to an injury. He and his wife Lucia Vondrackova welcomed a son, Matthias, to the world. Congratulations to the happy parents!

- Filling in temporarily for Plekanec at practice was Andreas Engqvist, rehabbed from his recent injury. Later in the day, the Canadiens officially assigned Engqvist to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

- Also in practice, wearing a normal contact jersey for the first time, was defenseman Chris Campoli. With Andrei Markov out another few weeks, Campoli's near return to the line-up is a welcome piece of news to Habs fans and the Canadiens' powerplay. Jaroslav Spacek also practiced with the team, but in a non-contact jersey, while Ryan White skated on his own and then spoke briefly with reporters in the dressing room. Other than Plekanec, the only Hab not to skate today was Scott Gomez.

- On the Andrei Markov front, he underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee in Florida today. Though Pierre Gauthier initially stated the expected recovery time would be 3 weeks, the team revised this estimation to something more realistic today, offering a prognosis of 4-6 weeks. Did Gauthier float the 3 week number just to minimize criticism when face-to-face with reporters?!

- Lastly, there is a bit of a public dispute going on between Max Pacioretty and Brendan Shanahan. Pacioretty spoke out disagreeing with Shanahan's decision to suspend him for 3 games, claiming that Shanahan had compared his hit to Matt Cooke's on Marc Savard. Shanahan disputed this claim on the Team 990, saying that not only had he not compared it to that hit, but he went out of this way to explain that he wasn't drawing that comparison. This line is a little tough to follow; if he wasn't comparing the hit, why bring it up at all?! By saying that he explicitly stated he wasn't drawing a comparison there, it means he must have at least mentioned it! And Pacioretty agrees, as he repeated today that he feels the comparison was made, and made unfairly. He and his agent preferred to compare the hit to Ryan Malone on Chris Campoli, a dirty hit which went undisciplined by Shanahan.

Your Canadiens for November 21, 2011

While the attention of the rest of the league is on the much-anticipated return to action of Sidney Crosby this evening, Habs fans have a big game of their own to watch. After ending the New York Rangers' 7-game win streak on Saturday night, the team will have a chance to put a stop to Boston's 8-game run this evening.

- Your Montreal Canadiens for tonight:

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Scott Gomez - Lars Eller

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Aaron Palushaj

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Frederic St. Denis - Yannick Weber

Alexei Emelin - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

- Carey Price was today named the NHL's first star of the week for a second time this season. Despite Peter Budaj getting a start mid-week, Price put up a 2-0-1 record with a .972 save percentage and a 0.67 goals against average. His last two starts have represent the first time in his young career that he has recorded back-to-back shutouts, with his current streak at 127 minutes. Congratulations Carey!

- Tonight marks the 100th game of P.K. Subban's career. The young blueliner has stepped up his game in the wake of injuries after a slow start to the season.

- Hal Gill, released from hospital on Friday, rejoined his teammates for practice for the first time this morning, but will not play tonight. His return shouldn't be far away, however.

- Gill skated in practice with Andrei Markov, who was wearing the same white-coloured jersey as his teammates. This led to speculation that he may have received medical clearance for contact in practice, but it was later clarified that he has yet to get that green light. It is expected that it may come later this week, though. There is still no specific timeline for Markov's return, but Jacques Martin had mentioned it won't be before the California road trip which is in early December.

- Chris Campoli and Andrei Kostitsyn also skated this morning, but with a team trainer as opposed to their mates. While Campoli being a ways off is hardly news, it seems Kostitsyn isn't progressing as quickly as many had hoped for.

- Turning our attention to the prospect ranks...

After a great game with a goal and 3 assists on Friday night, Brendan Gallagher was held off the scoresheet Saturday and then collected an assist on Sundy, now giving him 36 points in 21 games, but falling off the 50-goals-in-50-games track for the first time, stuck at 19.

Fellow WHL'er Darren Dietz scored a goal yesterday, giving him 15 points in 24 games and a team best +18 rating.

Despite finishing the night a +2, defenseman Nathan Beaulieu had a 6-game point streak broken yesterday. Montreal's first round pick last June has 20 points and is a +17 in 23 games.

Michael Bournival has played three games since returning from injury. He was twice held off the scoresheet (and finishing a -2 on both of those occasions), but Saturday night he picked up 2 goals, to now give him 12 in 10 games played.

Danny Kristo was held off the scoresheet for a second consecutive weekend (with a bye weekend in between), cooling off after a rocket start. He is now back at the 1 point-per-game mark with 12 points in 12 games.

Also in the NCAA, Mac Bennett scored his 3rd goal of the season, passing the 2 he notched last year. In his rookie season, the defenseman put up 12 points in 32 games, while now as a sophomore he has 10 in just 14 contests.

Hockey Day in Winnipeg! (Reminder: 5:00 PM EST Start!)

Today marks a historic moment that many old Winnipeg Jets fans have been dreaming about for years. Yes, Winnipeg, NHL hockey returns to your city this afternoon as the Montreal Canadiens visit your Jets for their season and home opener.

To properly set this up, here's a look at the last meaningful NHL game played in the city, some 15 years ago:

Expect a rocking building this evening and a Jets team that will come out all fired up. From a Habs' fan perspective, we can at least hope for a better effort/performance than we saw in the season opener in Toronto.

- Habs' expected lines:

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Erik Cole

Max Pacioretty - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta

Mathieu Darche - David Desharnais - Andrei Kostitsyn

Travis Moen - Andreas Engqvist - Yannick Weber

Hal Gill - P.K. Subban

Alexei Emelin - Josh Gorges

Jaroslav Spacek - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

Peter Budaj

- Lines this afternoon for the Winnipeg Jets:

Andrew Ladd - Bryan Little - Blake Wheeler

Evander Kane - Mark Scheifele - Kyle Wellwood

Brett MacLean - Alexander Burmistrov - Nik Antropov

Tanner Glass - Jim Slater - Chris Thorburn

Ron Hainsey - Tobias Enstrom

Dustin Byfuglien - Johnny Oduya

Mark Stuart - Zach Bogosian

Ondrej Pavelec

Chris Mason

- As per Amanda Stein of TSN Radio 990, there is a rumour out there that Blair Betts will officially be returned to the Philadelphia Flyers due to his undisclosed injury at the time he was waived and his failing to pass a physical as a result. A number of sources have since reported the same, so it seems official, but stay tuned for confirmation from the league or either team.

- Jacques Martin has said that the injury to defenseman Chris Campoli may take months to fully heal from a torn hamstring. This is certainly not good news for Montreal's blueline, and it will be interesting if Pierre Gauthier decides to be active now to replace both him and Betts.

- Alexei Emelin will make his NHL regular season debut tonight. It will be interesting to see if he plays as the physical player Habs fans expected or the toned-down version of himself we saw in preseason.

- Some prospect news of last night:

Michael Bournival did not score for once, but still had an assist in Shawinigan's 4-2 victory. He now has 10 goals and 13 points in 6 games.

Nathan Beaulieu had 2 assists in Saint John's 8-2 victory, giving him a goal and 3 assists in 6 games.

In the WHL, defenseman Darren Dietz scored his second of the season in a 5-1 win. He has 6 points in 6 games.

Brendan Gallagher added 2 goals for the Vancouver Giants but was stopped both on a penalty shot and in the shootout in his team's shootout loss. Since being cut from Habs' camp, Gallagher has 4 goals in 3 games played.

The Hamilton Bulldogs opened their regular season last night with a big 5-2 win. Nathan Lawson allowed 2 goals on 32 shots, while Brock Trotter led the way offensively with 2 goals and 2 assists. Frederic St. Denis also had 2 goals, while Ian Schultz had the 5th from the fourth line. Aaron Palushaj, completing the top line with Trotter and Brian Willsie, had 2 assists.

Over in the NCAA, North Dakota lost 6-2, but both Canadiens prospects, Danny Kristo and Mark MacMillan, finished with an assist (and Kristo was even a +1 on the night).

Here's some video from that game thanks to HFBoards prospect expert Whitesnake:

Yesterday, 09:39 PM	#579
Whitesnake The perfect match Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Montreal Country: Posts: 29,058 vCash: 500	North Dakota Highlights: 1- Big hit by Kristo at 0:06 2 -Great feed by Kristo shorthanded at 0:32 3- MacMilan wins a faceoff that results in a goal at 1:08 http://www.fightingsioux.com/mediaPo...b_oem_id=13500

Your Canadiens for October 7, 2011

Minor notes from practice a day after the Canadiens' loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

- Carey Price was not at practice today, while Mike Cammalleri left early, both affected by a flu bug. Fortunately, with no game Saturday night, they'll get an extra day to recuperate before playing in Winnipeg Sunday night.

- Defenseman Joe Callahan, who signed with Montreal earlier today, is currently on waivers and will report to the Hamilton Bulldogs once he clears, per Jacques Martin. He is simply a replacement for Jeff Woywitka.

- Yannick Weber practiced at forward on the fourth line once again, while Alexei Emelin slid into the injured Chris Campoli's spot on the blueline. Martin indicated he expects Emelin to play Sunday.

- Chris Campoli, who had looked pretty good since being signed to fill in on D. will be re-evaluated by doctors today for the hamstring injury he suffered last night. Though he left the building on crutches, it is believed the prognosis might be better than initially feared (which was for a 3+ week absence).

- Lars Eller has received medical clearance and hopes to play his first game next Thursday (home opener vs. Calgary) or Saturday (vs. Colorado).

- Blair Betts was absent from practice for the second consecutive day and there is no timeline for when he might play, but his injury is still said to be minor and unrelated to his history of shoulder problems (which he claims are behind him).

- Erik Cole, who played only 14:38 last night, found himself on the Tomas Plekanec line in practice, where he finished the opening game and where most Habs fans believe he belongs. Full lines today were:

Mike Cammalleri - Tomas Plekanec - Erik Cole

Max Pacioretty - Scott Gomez - Brian Gionta

Mathieu Darche - David Desharnais - Andrei Kostitsyn

Travis Moen - Andreas Engqvist - Yannick Weber

Lars Eller

Hal Gill - P.K. Subban

Alexei Emelin - Josh Gorges

Jaroslav Spacek - Raphael Diaz

Your Canadiens for October 3, 2011 (Updates from Collingwood)

While the Canadiens enjoy their secluded retreat in the Blue Mountain resort area of Collingwood, just outside of Toronto, we bring you minor updates prior to the opening of the NHL season. (for those wondering, having been there myself, Blue Mountain is to Toronto much like Mont Tremblant is to Montreal)

- Both Lars Eller and Chris Campoli skated with their teammates today. It is not impossible that one or both be in the line-up on Thursday against the Leafs. Campoli is the more likely of the two given that, contrary to earlier reports, Eller has not yet been cleared for full contact. He is expected to meet with doctors in Toronto last this week. Jacques Martin revealed, meanwhile, that Campoli did not suffer a concussion from the Ryan Malone hit, and did not experience any symptoms of post-concussion syndrome. All practice sessions during the retreat, held at Eddie Bush Arena, are closed to the public.

- As per Nick Kypreos, Brendan Shanahan and the National Hockey League have decided not to suspend Ryan Malone for his hit that knocked Chris Campoli out of Saturday night's game between the Habs and Lightning. Cue outrage and protest in Montreal. It was pretty borderline to say the least, especially when you consider how aggressive Malone had been all night long, plus the score of the game. With the harshness with which Shanahan has ruled up till now, one must wonder if this is the first sign of inconsistency in his rulings, that for which his predecessor Colin Campbell was most frequently criticized.

Here's Shanahan's official explanation, which makes little sense if you ask me:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=590940

So, no suspension because the player being hit DIDN'T have control of the puck? Shouldn't that make it worse?

(Yes, I realize this looks at only one side of Shanahan's explanation, omitting his actual rationale; this is simply my own opinion and disagreement with his conclusions)

- Michael Bournival is absolutely shredding the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League right now. He added 2 goals and an assist to his stat line last night in a 4-3 Shawinigan shootout win (though he was stopped on his shootout attempt). Bournival now has 9 goals and 2 assists in just 4 (yes, FOUR!) games played. The QMJHL leader, undrafted Anton Zlobin, currently has 11 goals, but has played 10 games, with all of the other top scorers also in the 8-11 game range (see the leader board HERE).

- Little discussed Habs 2011 draftee Magnus Nygren is off to a good start to his season in the Swedish Elite League. The 21-year old defenseman already has 4 goals and 1 assist in 7 games, while he had only 4 goals in 22 SEL games a year ago.

- Prospect Steve Qualier, hoping to rebound after injury derailed his development at Northeastern University last season, will miss the season opener due a team-imposed suspension. Allegedly it has something to do with off-ice issues from last year, but in either case it shouldn't cause him to miss many games. This comes after Michigan suspended one of their top blueliners in prospect John Merill for 11 games for violating team policies. The Merill suspension will open a door for Habs prospects Mac Bennett and Greg Pateryn to take on greater responsibility.

- Not Habs related, but first round pick Mark Scheifele appears to be sticking with the Winnipeg Jets (at least for a 9 game tryout), having signed a contract today. Canadiens fans will likely get to see him firsthand when the Jets host Montreal for their home opener next Sunday afternoon. Those who have read this site for a while know that Scheifele is one of the players I really hoped would fall to Montreal's pick, as many had projected was possible, but Winnipeg snatched him up far earlier than prognosticators had ranked him.

UPDATE: - Jacques Martin refused to let reporters in on any of the off-ice activities planned for the retreat in Collingwood, but based on a Tweet by P.K. Subban, it looks like paintball is one of them:

Risky activity for a team with as many injuries as the Habs? Either way, great to see Andrei Kostitsyn hanging with the leadership core of the team. Last week, Mike Cammalleri Tweeted a shopping pick that included Kostitsyn laughing alongside Scott Gomez. Fitting in with the team's leaders can only help Andrei have a good season.

For more info and photos from the retreat, see this story put up on Canadiens.com this afternoon:

http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=590931

- On the waiver wire today, a number of former members of the Montreal Canadiens organization including Alexandre Picard, Ryan Russell, Jay Leach, and Doug Janik. In the case of Russell, the fact that he is on waivers while (at least for now) Mike Blunden remains in Montreal shows good asset management on Pierre Gauthier's part from this summer's swap.

- A minor update on the health of Andrei Markov. Doctors continue to insist that his knee is gradually improving, and while Jacques Martin won't commit to a timeline for him to resume practicing with his teammates, he says a return to action during the month of October is not out of the question. Based on after-the-fact comments by Pierre Gauthier, saying that he knew all along Markov wouldn't be ready for day 1, and the fact that the Habs gave significant money over significant term to the defenseman, Canadiens fans hope and feel that Markov had certainly better be back in action before too long.

Canadiens sign D Chris Campoli to 1 year Deal

The Montreal Canadiens announced today that the club has signed defenseman Chris Campoli to a 1-year, $1.75M contract.

With all the injuries the team has suffered this month, Campoli reinforces the group of d-men. However, it definitely raises some suspicion.

What does this mean about Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban's health? We speculated this morning that the silence around P.K.'s condition could only be a bad omen. However, both Jacques Martin and Pierre Gauthier spoke out, denying this was a reactionary move to anyone's health. Subban skated this morning with David Desharnais, which is a positive sign, and Gauthier repeated that IF Markov is to miss games, it won't be many.

In this case, what does this mean about Yannick Weber's future in Montreal? The young defenseman has had a disappointing training camp to say the least. The Habs have 8 NHL d-men on the roster now in Markov, Subban, Campoli, Weber, Alexei Yemelin, Josh Gorges, Hal Gill, and Jaroslav Spacek.

As for Campoli, if Habs fans don't expect too much, they may be pleasantly surprised. Once seen as a promising young player for the New York Islanders, his career took a downturn in Ottawa and then in Chicago, but he's still only 27 years of age - well in his prime for a defenseman.

Campoli is a mobile two-way player who scored 21 points in 67 games last season. He is a fine third pairing guy who can play 2nd unit powerplay minutes. He does have a bit of a bad reputation for turnovers, including the one that led to the overtime winner in round 1 of last year's playoffs against the Vancouver Canucks.

Just last season, his trade value was considered a 2nd round pick, so it's not like he should be considered "washed up." He adds more depth on the blueline, saving Gauthier from having to give up picks of his own to replace injured d-men during the course of the season. I had avocated during the summer for the signing of Scott Hannan, which I would have preferred, but as a depth d-man, this is not a bad move. We had Campoli at #6 on our list of remaining UFA in August.

The dollar amount feels like a lot given that we're just 2 weeks away from the season openers, and Campoli remained without a contract. It is a raise on the $1.4M he made last year, but in his defense, it is less than the $2.5M an arbitrator awarded him this summer (an amount that the Chicago Blackhawks walked away from).

Around the League: Top 10 Remaining UFA

This off-season has been anything but boring thus far. With tons and tons of UFAs changing teams on July 1st and thereafter, plus several significant blockbuster trades, there has been plenty to keep hockey fans entertained.

And yet, there could still be quite a bit more movement before the puck drops in October. For whatever reason, a number of still-productive NHL caliber players have yet to find employment for the coming season. This has led some - like former Canadien Brent Sopel - to seek deals overseas, but many more should still be expected to join at NHL team for the 2011-12 campaign.

Today we look at 10 guys still available that could provide valuable services somewhere. We intentionally left Teemu Selanne off the list, as his options have been stated as Anaheim or retirement.

10) Kyle Wellwood, C

Wellwood's commitment, intensity, and conditioning are often called into question, but his scoring touch is not. After two years with the Vancouver Canucks (scoring 18 and 14 goals respectively), Wellwood started last year in the KHL, before signing with the St. Louis Blues at mid-season, then being plucked off waivers by the San Jose Sharks. In San Jose, he managed 13 points in 35 games, which would project to 30 points over a full season (which would have been his highest total since 2006-07). So long as he doesn't have to play big minutes 5-on-5, Wellwood could certainly help out a team's powerplay and kick in a bit of secondary scoring on a cheap contract.

9) John Madden, C

A feared shutdown defensive center during his time with the New Jersey Devils, at age 38, Madden is nearing the end of his NHL career. Still, he has topped the 10 goal mark each of the last 2 seasons while playing third line minutes (an average of 15:20 of ice time in 76 games last year). On a cheap contract, Madden would be nice depth for a contender's fourth line, able to kill penalties and with the experience of three Stanley Cups (including most recently in 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks) under his belt.

8) Brad Winchester, RW

A 6'5", 215 lbs former second round pick, Winchester certainly never lived up to his billing as a potential stud power forward. He became a bit of a journeyman after the Edmonton Oilers lost patience with him, but he has established himself as a solid enough fourth liner, able to use his size to his advantage and drop the gloves occasionally if needed. His nose for the net is still there, with the potential to chip in 10 or so goals for whoever ends up signing him. He seems like he would be a good fit for the Habs, but Pierre Gauthier may decide he has sufficient depth and want to leave a spot for a younger body.

7) Nikolai Zherdev, RW

Thought to be a bluechip future star when drafted 4th overall in the incredibly strong 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Zherdev's career took a tailspin after his inconsistencies saw him moves out of Columbus. After a very respectable 58 point season with the New York Rangers in 2008-09, the club didn't want to pony up the needed cash to retain his services after he was held pointless in 7 playoff games. Thus, he spent 2009-10 in the KHL, before re-emerging with the Philadelphia Flyers this past year. He proved little more than what was already known of him, managing 16 goals in just 56 games, but falling so out of favour with his club that he was waived late in the season and saw time in the press box as a healthy scratch. His agent has stated that his first choice is to have another shot at the NHL (rather than return to Russia), so perhaps he will find a fit elsewhere on a club looking for offense and willing to overlook his defensive and soft play weak points.

6) Chris Campoli, D

Campoli had a falling out with the Chicago Blackhawks which led to his becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. An offensively gifted average-sized blueliner, Campoli still managed 19 minutes of ice a night last year and is a solid #5 (at worst) defenseman on a good team. His defensive zone coverage may not be the best and he is on the soft side, but paired with a physical partner he could be a great value signing at this point. A warning, however, that while he could still improve having just turned 27, he shouldn't be counted on as a true powerplay quarterback, since he has shown inconsistencies in his productivity.

5) Chris Drury, C

Handed a ridiculously inflated contract by the New York Rangers (along with Scott Gomez), Drury was just bought out of the final season of his deal. His contract became a disaster when his offense trailed off after his first two seasons in New York. At this point in his career (he'll be 35 when the season begins), he should slot in as a third or fourth line center. He's a reliable vet who can play at both ends of the rink, and in the right situation may have a bit of a revival offensively if given the chance. The fact that he's a right-handed center alone - a valuable commodity - should earn him a job somewhere.

4) Colin White, D

The newest player on the UFA market as a salary cap casualty in New Jersey, White is coming off likely the worst season in his career. As a purely defensive defenseman, it isn't his 6 points in 69 games that were concerning, but rather the dip in his play is best exemplified in a drop from over 20 minutes of ice time a night in 2009-10 to under 19 minutes in 2010-11. At 6'4" and 215 lbs, White uses his body effectively and can bring a physical component to any club on a cheap short-term contract. Despite his poor play on an inconsistent Devils club, he still led the team in shorthanded time on ice per game last season by a whole 25 seconds over his closest teammate. For my money, he'd be a great pick-up to round out the Canadiens defense.

3) Cory Stillman, LW

At age 37, Stillman is also nearing the end of a long and successful career, most of which was spent as a highly underrated and under-appreciated journeyman winger. To his credit, wherever Stillman has played, he has been productive, though he was limited to 39 points last season (BUT he spent most of it on a poor Florida Panthers team, putting up 16 points in the final 21 games after being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes). A bit on the soft side, his offensive instinct and playmaking ability is undeniable, and he is likely just waiting for the "right" offer before deciding where to continue his career. He will bring his new team a wealth of experience, having won Stanley Cups in back to back seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Hurricanes, notching 26 points in 25 playoff games in 05-06 with the Canes.

2) Bryan McCabe, D

After numerous teams were interested in his services at the trade deadline, it is a bit of a mystery that Bryan McCabe remains unsigned. Perhaps his salary expectations were too high after a disappointing 6 points and -1 in 19 contests after joining the New York Rangers last season. What he lacks defensively he makes up for with a booming pointshot, and so if Sheldon Souray can find an NHL spot, there is no reason McCabe can't as well. He's a good vet who averaged over 19 minutes last year and would be best playing with a mobile defensive d-man at even strength, plus on a top powerplay.

1) Scott Hannan, D

Hannan is a very similar player to Colin White, slightly less physical and smaller but more mobile as a result. Like White, he has seen better days at the NHL level, never developing into the player the San Jose Sharks had initially hoped for after leaving for Colorado. He still did play close to 20 minutes a night last year, including 2:40 per game shorthanded, and at age 32 should still have some mileage left in the tank. Another alternative for a player I'd love to see Montreal pick-up with their remaining cap and roster space to play on a bottom pairing with a youngster (where he'd be a better fit than the weaker defensively Jaroslav Spacek).