Canadiens Confirm Michel Therrien is New Coach

As reported during the night, the Montreal Canadiens confirmed that Michel Therrien is the club's new Head Coach.  Official announcement: http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=633838

There will be a press conference at 2:30 PM today.  We'll be Tweeting live quotes, and then have the highlights up here.

I've spent considerable time discussing the negatives of a possible Therrien hiring, so here are some positives.  He's a good tactician who adapts his strategies in-game, playing whoever has been impressing on a given night by going with gut feelings.  In stark contrast to Jacques Martin, he is quite emotional, and displays his feelings behind the bench.  So while it is a first Marc Bergevin move that leaves me feeling uneasy, let's give it a chance.  And hope for top notch candidates as his Assistant Coaches.  Early discussion has Guy Carbonneau and Martin Lapointe has leading candidates to assist Therrien behind the bench, but I hope at least one person hired will come in with a longer history and established specialties.

UPDATES:

Some takes on Therrien's hiring:

Former Montreal Canadien Terry Ryan:
"Nice [expletive] pick Habs. Who's going to be the Assistant Coach, Darth Vader?  He was ignorant then, and how do you know he has evolved now?  He would chain smoke on the team bus.  I hated playing for him more than any other coach.  I would fly home to my family at year's end crying; they had me go see a psychologiest.  But he knows hockey very well.  I hope for the sake of the Montreal Canadiens - and the New York Yankees are baseball's Montreal Canadiens - that he has learnt something."

Canadiens captain Brian Gionta:
"Therrien has an excellent reputation in the league.  I've played against his teams on numerous occasions and they're always tough to play against.  He's proven in the past, notably with Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate, that he is good at developing young players, and that looks good for our group."

Former Habs GM Andre Savard, who was one of Therrien's Assistant Coaches with the Penguins:
"Michel deserved to be back, to have another chance.  His background is as impressive or more than many coaches around the league.  I didn't hire Michel in Montreal; I was named by the President after his hiring, and I haven't spoken with him in a little while.  But if he were to call me about a possible position, I'd be happy to listen."

Pascal Dupuis, who played for Therrien with the Penguins:
"He gets the most out of his players.  Everyone describes him as a tough guy, but if you give him your best, he's ok."

KEY POINTS FROM PRESS CONFERENCE:

General Manager Marc Bergevin says he interviewed "a lot of candidates" for the coaching position, later specifying "less than 10."  He chose Therrien - a decision that he ultimately made himself - because he has leadership, has enjoyed success at all levels, and sees himself communicating/working well with him.

Therrien himself repeated a few phrases frequently, citing that what he would most importantly look to change is the work ethic of the team.  He said it's important for fans to be able to applaud a team that is outworking its opposition every game; a team that is disciplined on and off the ice.  As a coach, he said it's important for him to be adaptable and flexible, saying he's learnt from his experiences in Montreal, Pittsburgh, and the AHL, and feels far more prepared to take this job today than when he first accepted it some 12 years ago.  Acknowledging that he didn't like the results last season, he sees potential on this team, and has as a short-term goal getting back into the playoffs.

Therrien says its important the leadership core on this team leads by example. His first call will be to captain Brian Gionta, who he understands had a frustrating season with injuries.  He likes the first line in place, the responsibility of a Tomas Plekanec, having a great young goaltender in Carey Price, and that the team will have a healthy Andrei Markov (the only player still around from Therrien's last tenure) out of the gate.  He looks forward to an exciting challenge of coaching a young P.K. Subban who he sees as full of potential (calling him a thoroughbred, the kind of guys you win with), and with good guidance, a future leader.  Lastly, in an interview after the press conference, he also named Lars Eller as a player headed in the right direction, a good sign since some were worried about his critical comments towards Eller as an analyst.

With regards to his Assistants, Therrien said he admired the work done by the guys in place (Randy Cunneyworth, Randy Ladouceur, and Pierre Groulx), but that it was only his first day and he hadn't gotten to that point yet.  He discussed a "profile" with Bergevin, and it's something they would work on in the coming days and weeks.  No names.

Perhaps most importantly was a quote by Therrien where he said that not all players need to be treated the same.  "Some need taps on the back all the time, some just once.  Some need to be taken a harder stance with."  This was another area of major concern with how he would handle his players, so at the very least, he's saying the right things for now.

Like him or not Habs fans, he's Bergevin's choice. Let's give him a chance - at least half a season before we really criticize - and hope for the best!

Bob Hartley Announced as Flames Head Coach

The coaching candidate pool in Montreal took a blow today as the Calgary Flames announced that Bob Hartley will be the team's next Head Coach.

Hartley was considered a frontrunner for the Montreal job, though we may never know if GM Marc Bergevin opted for another candidate, or if it was Hartley who turned down the Canadiens interest to join the Flames.  Many fake Twitter insiders took an educated guess that Hartley would be Bergevin's man, announcing it as fact over the internet during the past week, which should be a lesson to many in trusting certain sources.  It seems Hockey Insider 101 has become make a pre-emptive announcement then hope it comes true so you can claim yourself an insider.  If it doesn't, just say your sources were wrong or some parameter changed.  Appears to be a great recipe for gaining followers, but not one this site or Twitter account will ever endorse.

With Hartley out of the equation (and reportedly Patrick Roy out of consideration as well), that leaves Guy Carbonneau, Michel Therrien, and Marc Crawford as the most widely-discussed Montreal coaching candidates.  Other bilingual names mentioned include Martin Raymond and Benoit Groulx, though many hope an unheralded candidate ends up winning out, unimpressed by these names.

Bob McKenzie appears to believe it's down to Therrien and Crawford for the job:

UPDATES: A few tidbits from Hartley's press conference in Calgary this afternoon.

- Yes, he had met with the Canadiens, and had several phone conversations with them.
- When Alex Tanguay was with the Habs, and the team was looking for a coach, Tanguay phoned Hartley (the two had been together in Colorado) to say that he'd appreciate if Bob came to Montreal, as he was the type of coach he needed.
- Hartley had a meeting scheduled with the Canadiens for "later this week," but phoned Marc Bergevin this morning to inform him he'd opted to take a deal with Calgary.  Bergevin was quoted as wishing Hartley good luck, indicating that while they had spoken, he wasn't ready to name a coach just yet.

So from this, we can gather that Hartley was one of Bergevin's final candidates.  It remains to be seen what he'll do now that Hartley is out of the running.

Habs Sign Nathan Beaulieu to Entry-Level Deal

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

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

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

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

Habs Name Mellanby Director of Player Personnel

In yet another poorly-kept secret, the Montreal Canadiens officially announced today the appointment of Scott Mellanby ad Director of Player Personnel.  See the official announcement here:  http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=632943

Mellanby, 45, is a veteran of 1,431 NHL games, split between the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, and Atlanta Thrashers.  A Montreal native, he was a teammate of Marc Bergevin's for two seasons while in St. Louis.  Also of note is that for his final two seasons during which he captained the Thrashers, he was coached by Hab head coaching candidate Bob Hartley.  After retiring following the 2006-07 season, Mellanby first joined the Vancouver Canucks as a scout and special advisor to General Manager Mike Gillis.  He moved to St. Louis as an Assistant Coach for the last two years, prior to stepping down days ago, claiming that hockey operations were more of a passion than coaching for him.

This is the latest in a series of moves as Bergevin - as he puts it - surrounds himself with good hockey people, of which you can never have enough.  His group now includes two Assistant General Managers - Rick Dudley and Larry Carriere - a Director of Amateur Scouting and Player Development in Trevor Timmins, and Mellanby.  We don't know the exact division of labour yet, with speculation that Timmins may focus on scouting, leaving development tasks to Dudley and Mellanby.  In any case, it's hard not to be excited about the team Bergevin is building, with lots of experience and well-respected throughout the hockey world.

Recapping the Memorial Cup - Congrats Bournival + Ellis!

Last night, the Memorial Cup Final was played to determine the 2011-12 champion of the Canadian Hockey League.  After a great week of hockey, the host Shawinigan Cataractes emerged victorious, with an Anton Zlobin overtime goal allowing them to get past the London Knights 2-1 to win the first Memorial Cup in franchise history.  The Cup was presented to Montreal's own Michael Bournival, as captain of the Cataractes, so congratulations to both him and future Hab defenseman Morgan Ellis, who was also named the game's second star.  Let's recap how our Habs fared during the tournament.

First, of the four Canadiens prospects in the tournament, the only one not appearing in the Finals last night was Nathan Beaulieu, whose favourited Saint John Sea Dogs lost in the semi-final to QMJHL rivals Shawinigan after having beaten them in the round robin two days earlier.  Though he did have 4 assists, 13 shots, and an even +/- rating in his four games, Beaulieu's overall performance in the tournament could be described as disappointing.  His silky smooth skating was on display, as he never hesitated to jump into the rush, or create chances on the transition, but he has two major areas where significant improvement is needed: his defensive zone play and his mental game.  With regards to play in his own end, he was notably a -4 with multiple turnovers in that semi-final matchup against the Cataractes. He is prone to giveaways and his positioning in his own end is sometimes questionable.  In terms of mental game, Beaulieu is prone to lazy or frustrated penalties, often for hacks and slashes, which we saw on numerous occasions during the Cup.  If we remember back to this year's World Junior Championship, one could blame Beaulieu's "giving up" on the play on a delayed penalty call that ultimately led to the winning Russian goal on gaps in his mental game as well.

Don't be discouraged by the above paragraph; I'm by no means calling Beaulieu a bust, or suggesting he has any less potential than he appeared to when the Canadiens made him a first round selection.  But I am suggesting the guy remains a project, needing time to develop before he becomes a real NHL player.  He is very naturally skilled, and the issues in his game can be worked on in Hamilton.  In fact, the issues he is facing aren't unlike the doubts many had about P.K. Subban as a prospect.  I'm not saying Beaulieu will necessarily be as good as Subban, but he's a mobile blueliner with size who can put up points, with enough balance to his game to project as a top four rearguard.

The sting of defeat is still fresh for London Knights' captain Jarred Tinordi, but he has nothing to be ashamed of in his own game, being named to the tournament's all-star team.  Tinordi and d-partner Scott Harrington played upwards of 30 minutes on a regular basis, and he was generally a beast in his own end, intercepting passes, blocking shots, and rubbing forwards out.  I maintain that offense is an underrated part of Tinordi's game (when you look at his OHL production, it's certainly underwhelming), and he showed some nice flashes with a couple of sequences yesterday where he jumped into the rush.  He'll never be a powerplay quarterback, but I don't think he's a Hal Gill either; in London, his role is very focused on its defensive aspect, but in another situation he might put up more points.  Tinordi finished the event with no points, but five shots on goal and a tied-for-team-lead (with forward Matt Rupert) +2 rating.

On to the winners.  Captain Michael Bournival started the Memorial Cup slowly, and fears rose that his poor QMJHL playoffs might carry over to this tournament.  But he silenced doubters with a strong performance, ranking fourth on the Cataractes with 7 points and tied for 3rd with three goals in 6 games.  While a natural center, he most frequently played the wing in the tournament, adding to speculation that he may have some kind of injury which will require repairs during the off-season.  Of course, playing on any sort of injury would make the intense, aggressive, speedy game he played all the more impressive, and bodes well for his professional future.  Bournival likely projects to a third liner at the NHL level, though it will be interesting to see if his goal-scorer's touch can carry over to the AHL next season.

Lastly, Morgan Ellis has opened a lot of eyes during the course of this season.  A mostly unheralded prospect, he served as the captain of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, a bottom feeder in the QMJHL.  When the contending Cataractes traded for him this season, he took his game to a new level, producing at a point-per-game clip for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs, while playing on the team's top defensive pairing with Brandon Gormley.  Ellis, a 6'2", 200 lbs right-handed buleliner, continued his responsible play into the Memorial Cup, tying for fifth on the Cataractes with five points in 6 games, firing 17 shots on goal and finishing a +3.  Of the three d-men in the tournament, Ellis appears to have the most mature and complete game, meaning he may actually be the most NHL-ready of the group.  That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be the one to have the best career of the three, but he is likely the one that will soonest be ready to fill-in for spot duty on a third pairing in case of injuries.

All in all, the Memorial Cup was a fun tournament for Habs fans to follow with four prospects in the fray, and we should be quite happy with the showing.  Yesterday's game marked the final game of the 2011-12 season for any player in the Hab organization, and also the final game of the junior careers of all of Tinordi, Bournival, and Ellis.  The three of them, along with Beaulieu, Brendan Gallagher, and Patrick Holland, will graduate from the CHL to the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Fall, as they continue their development towards becoming NHL players.  It is important to be patient with these youngsters and not expect too much from them too quickly, as for each to reach their full potential, the organization mustn't rush them.

Canadiens Officially Announce Hiring of Dudley

The Montreal Canadiens let another of the hockey world's worst-kept secrets out of the bag today as the club officially announced that Rick Dudley would become an Assistant General Manager with the club.  You can read a bio of Dudley - a very well respected hockey man and a phenomenal talent evaluator - in the official announcement here: http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=632679&navid=DL|MTL|home

Bergevin also remained true to his word regarding Larry Carriere, announcing that his contract had been extended and that he would stay on under his old title of Assistant GM.  So yes, that means both men carry the same title, though it is still unclear how the tasks may be divided between the two.  Having Carriere on board - a guy who spent part of last season on the bench with the current players as an Assistant Coach - will certainly help introduce Bergevin to the roster he is taking over.  It isn't unthinkable that Carriere's main responsibility, once things settle down, is one of GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs.  As for Dudley, per his release from the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is unable to work this year's Entry Draft for the Habs.  But you wouuld have to imagine the amateur side will remain Trevor Timmins's show anyway, while Dudley focuses on Pro Scouting and Player Personnel.  If we take the press release at face value, it is also interesting to note that Bergevin says he is thrilled to have both Dudley and Carriere with him for several seasons, meaning they are likely multi-year deals in both cases.  This seems like a natural decision for an organization that has preached wanting stability.

After hiring a new scout in Bobby Kinsella yesterday (who, by the way, you can follow on Twitter here: @DFS_BobbyK), Bergevin continues to round out his "cabinet" if you will.  I take this as a positive for Habs fans, as the team has the resources to bring in the right hockey guys to build a large and strong front office, but has opted not to for many years.  As ex-Hab Jaroslav Spacek said, "It was only Pierre's (Gauthier) way."  All of these new perspectives bring a breath of fresh air to the organization, and fans should be excited to see where it goes.  The team still has room and need for a capologist (role currently filled by Patrick Boivin), additional scouts (at least one for Quebec, but hopefully also at least one more in Europe), and of course a new coaching staff, so the announcements are far from over.  This is the one area where I fully embrace adopting a Toronto Maple Leafs model of bringing in as many talented and knowledgeable hockey people with specific roles as the team can.

Bergevin and Dudley will address the media by means of conference call at 1:30 PM, and we'll have updates for you via our Twitter feed here: @DailyCanadiens.

Habs Hires Update

Whenever prompted, Montreal Canadiens General Manager Marc Bergevin continues to utter that he has no specific deadline or timetable for making any hire.  He wants to go through a thorough process, he'll say, and examine all possible candidates.  That's all fine and good, but it has left Hab fans everywhere itching for news on a daily basis.  Who will be hired as coach?  When will his new front office staff be announced?  What about his scouts?

Well, the coaching situation appears to be at a standstill.  Darren Dreger on TSN Sporscentre last night indicated that there is no clear frontrunner for the position at this time, though he did mention the widely speculated names of Marc Crawford, Bob Hartley, and Michel Therrien.  One hold-up could be that Gerard Gallant, a popular candidate and my personal choice, is still currently coaching the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Memorial Cup, meaning any interviews with him would likely still be a few days away.  The caveat with Gallant is that he doesn't really speak French, though he can understand a fair bit after coaching several seasons in the QMJHL.

There is some movement on other fronts, however.  Thanks to Twitter follower @HabsLinks, an article HERE has confirmed today that the Canadiens have hired Bobby Kinsella (pictured at left) as a new scout for the mid-western United States.  He will be based in Chicago, covering primarily the USHL, but also the NCAA, and top-tiered high school and midget programs.  Prior to this move, the Habs had Ryan Jankowski scouting both western Canada and the western U.S.A., while also having Pat Westrum focused on amateur scouting in the west of the U.S.  No indication as of yet how the hiring of Kinsella will impact the geographic coverage, but adding additional scouts was one of Bergevin's missions from day 1, and will likely only help Montreal at the draft table moving forward.  I suspect the move will be good for Canadian scouting as well, with one likely option being that Jankowski now devote all of his energies just to the WHL, though Elmer Benning currently has that focus as well.

Kinsella most recently served as both Assistant Coach and Director of Scouting for the Dubuque Fighting Saints.  There are some interesting ties here, as the team's General Manager and Head Coach is former Hab Jim Montgomery, and the club just selected top 2012 prospect Mark Jankowski - nephew of the aforemention Hab scout Ryan - in the USHL entry draft.  (Might Kinsella push for the team to take Mark at pick 33?)  Moreover, Kinsella spent five years as an Assistant Coach and Scout with the Sioux City Musketeers, one of which was during Max Pacioretty's season there in 2006-07 just prior to his selection by the Canadiens.  In between these two stints, Kinsella also spent two seasons as Head Coach and GM of the Boston Junior Rangers, a Midget AAA-U18 club, so all in all, he seems to be a good hockey person well experienced at working with and watching younger talent, while still young himself with room to grow in the organization at age 37.

A bit of news announced yesterday was that Scott Mellanby was stepping down from his role as Assistant Coach with the St. Louis Blues to pursue other opportunities, stating that his hear was in hockey operations rather than coaching.  TSN's Bob McKenzie was quick to Tweet that it wouldn't be a surprise if Mellanby - a Montreal native who speaks at least a bit of French - surfaces as one of Marc Bergevin's Assistants in Montreal.  After completing his playing career of over 1,400 games in 2006-07, Mellanby worked for three seasons as a Scout and Special Consultant to the GM with the Vancouver Canucks, before moving on to spend the last two seasons behind the bench in St. Louis.  Given his relative inexperience, it would be interesting to see what kind of role Montreal might offer him and what this means for Rick Dudley joining the organization - a process that appears mysteriously stalled, though the team might simply be opting to wait until after the draft to avoid any accusations of tampering (though Dreger Tweeted this morning that it is likely to happen prior to draft day).  One likely scenario is that if both are to join the organization, Mellanby might gain experience by being tabbed GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs, while Dudley would cover Pro Scouting.

These are the names being thrown around as of today, but the talk is only likely to intensify as we move towards the draft and July 1st, or particularly as Bergevin has had more days on the job.  Whatever the case, with more and more negative perceptions of the old Gauthier / Gainey / Martin regime coming out all the time, all of these new names are a breath of fresh air.

Your Canadiens for May 15, 2012

Since I was unable to post yesterday as mentioned on Twitter, we'll start today playing catch-up before getting into more new features!


COACHING UPDATES
It's been quiet on the Habs' front the past few day, which is to be expected as new General Manager Marc Bergevin settles into his role and assessed what he has in place in terms of staff and players.  A Tweet from TSN's Bob McKenzie yesterday indicated the Canadiens were still in the early stages of their coaching search, in the process of contacting candidates on the list they've assembled.  Some of the names he mentioned included Bob Hartley (who is also linked to the vacancy in Calgary), Marc Crawford, Michel Therrien, and Guy Carbonneau.  As I've mentioned previously, there is no rush to find the right man for this job, though it would be preferable to have a coaching staff in place prior to July 1st, since a UFA is more likely to sign if they have an understanding of the environment they'll be walking into.

Also on the coaching front, New Jersey Devils' Assistant Coach Larry Robinson refuted a report of last week (coming directly from his agent) that said he had interested in joining the Canadiens.  It could be speculated, however, that he is denying his interest only to avoid distraction since his current squad is playing in the Conference Finals at the moment.


THE DUDLEY SITUATION
A week ago, it seemed like Rick Dudley joining Montreal's front office was imminent, but the situation grew increasingly complex and we are still waiting on action.  The biggest issue of contention is that, though Dudley has an out clause in his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he has put in significant work preparing the team for the upcoming Entry Draft, where they select 5th overall in each round to Montreal's 3rd.  As such, he has been privy to a lot of sensitive information, and it has been stipulated that if/when he does join the Habs, he will be unable to work this year's Draft on their behalf.  That said, his escape clause has been confirmed by Leafs' GM Brian Burke, meaning that the only other remaining detail is for his contract with the Canadiens to be worked out.


WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATES
It's been a tough World Championship for Denmark who finally got their first win by beating Lativa 2-0 yesterday, but were then thumped by surprising Norway 6-2 this morning.  Montreal's Lars Eller finished the preliminary round leading his team with 3 goals and 5 points, and the club's 1 win and 1 overtime loss were enough to keep them ahead of Italy (despite losing to them in that overtime game) and avoid relegation.  Eller led all Danish forwards (and ranked third overall on the team) in ice time per game, averaging 20:56 a night.

Habs' Max Pacioretty has figured amongst the tournament's leading scorers throughout the preliminary round, with an impressive 2 goals and 10 points in just 6 games, some 3 points ahead of the second leading scorer on his club, defenseman Justin Faulk.  The Americans close out their preliminary round later this afternoon against Switzerland, though their spot in the quarter finals has already been confirmed.

The Russian squad rattled off an impressive 7-0-0 record in the preliminary round to win their group, and their squad will be bolstered by the additions of Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin for the quarter-finals.  After missing part of a game due to injury, and being held out for another cause of a suspension for a spear on Sweden/Detroit's Johan Franzen, Alexei Emelin has slotted back in as an important defender for the squad.  He plays on the team's top pairing and has produced 1 goal and 1 assist in 6 games, while tying for a team-high amongst d-men with a +7 rating.  Sticking with this team, former Canadiens forward Alexander Perezhogin has been impressive in the tournament, racking up 3 goals and 8 points in 7 matches.  The Habs' lost the rights to Perezhogin, 28, last summer, meaning that if he were to ever consider returning to North America from the KHL, he would be an unrestricted free agent.

The Czech Republic has also locked in a quarterfinal berth, though their final game against Germany this afternoon impacts where they'll finish.  Montreal's Tomas Plekanec leads all Czech players with 5 points in 6 games thus far, and his average ice time of 17:47 per game ranks second among forwards on the squad to only David Krejci of the Boston Bruins.

In other Worlds news, Canada finished the preliminary round with a 6-0-1 record to win their group.  Despite a moral victory of taking Team U.S.A. to overtime, Kazakhstan finished last in the division, meaning like the Italians, they will be relegated next year.  The impressive/surprising story on this side has been Team France, led by former Habs' netminder Cristobal Huet, which currently sits at 3-3-0.  They are playing against Slovakia at the time of writing, tied 2-2 in the second, and if they can win in regulation, they will qualify for the tournament's quarterfinals by having beaten the Slovaks, thus ending the tournament for Zdeno Chara and his countrymen.

HABS INTERESTED IN DAMIEN BRUNNER
It has been reported that at least three NHL clubs have made offers to Swiss forward Damien Brunner, including the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, and your Montreal Canadiens.  Brunner, 26, isn't the biggest player at 5'11", 176 lbs, but is highly skilled, becoming the first Swiss-born and trained player to lead the Swiss A league in scoring in over 30 years this past season, with 24 goals and 60 points (a full 21 points ahead of his nearest teammate) in just 45 games as a teammate and regular linemate of ex-Hab Glen Metropolit.  Though Switzerland failed to qualify for the quarterfinals at the IIHF WHC, Brunner was a big part of their offense, leading the team with 3 goals and 6 points through 6 games.  No, another undersized forward is not exactly what the Habs are looking for right now, but we're talking about a player with a lot of potential who could be had without sacrificing any assets.  There is very little risk, and significant potential reward in getting Brunner under contract, so we can only hope that Metropolit and Swiss countrymen Raphael Diaz and Yannick Weber talk the city up to him.

UPCOMING CONTENT SCHEDULE
Quick announcement that tomorrow in our Around the League(s) segment, we'll be previewing the Memorial Cup which gets underway Friday.  Next week, as we approach the one-month mark till the NHL Entry Draft, we'll begin to discuss in greater detail the options and players the Canadiens have available to them.

Top 10 Habs Coaching Candidates

With the General Manager search having reached its conclusion with yesterday's hiring of Marc Bergevin, the new Canadiens frontman can now turn his attention to filling out his staff.  There has already been talk about Bergevin's friends and acquaintances, notably Rick Dudley and Martin Lapointe, being added to the staff, but he will also have to address the coaching situation in the coming weeks or months.  Yesterday, Randy Cunneyworth was reassigned to an Assistant Coaching role.  Randy Ladouceur remains employed as an Assistant Coach, Pierre Groulx as Goaltending Coach, and Clement Jodoin as coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs.  Any and/or all of these positions may change over the course of the off-season as the new GM evaluates his staff and how they fit into his short- and long-term plans for the club, while, as Bergevin put it, the final supporting bench staff will be determined by the new Head Coach.

With the departures of the likes of Guy Boucher and Kirk Muller, we are left looking outside the organization for coaching replacements.  Unfortunately, if we assume that being bilingual is a prerequisite, we are short on highly qualified candidates, but here are 10 who might fit the bill.

10) Denis Savard
While he may not be seen as a top candidate for head coach, don't be surprised if Savard joins the Canadiens organization in some capacity.  Savard is a Quebec native who spent most of his playing career with the Chicago Blackhawks, but also suited up for the Habs in three years, being a part of the 1993 Stanley Cup winning team (though he was hurt for much of the playoffs).  After his retirement following the 1996-97 season (with 1,196 regular season games and 1,338 points under his belt), he was made an Assistant Coach with the Hawks and remained in that role through the 2006-07 season, when he took over as Head Coach after 21 games.  Chicago failed to make the playoffs that season or the next, and as such 4 games into his third season in the role, Savard was fired from the organization.  Since that time, the Hall of Fame forward has served as a Scout and Ambassador for the organization.    Bergevin played with Savard for five seasons in Chicago and for two more years with the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Bergevin also served as Savard's Assistant Coach in 2008, with the two forming part of the Hawks' staff together for many years.  They are thus very familiar with one another, which is sure to earn Savard a look for the position if he is interested, and while he may find himself outclassed since he has at least temporarily left the coaching gig, it would be a logical conclusion to think he may factor into Bergevin's plans.

9) Bob Boughner
Boughner was also a teammate of Bergevin's for one season in Pittsburgh (2000-01) and, though young at age 41, he has established a pretty distinguished coaching resume.  He was named head coach of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires in 2006, and stayed in the role for four seasons, leading the team to OHL Championships in both 2009 and 2010.  He was recognized as the Ontario League's top coach in both 2008 and 2009, earning the same recognition for the CHL as a whole in both of those seasons.  Boughner made a leap to the NHL for the 2010-11 season as an Assistant Coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but decided it wasn't for him and resigned last summer citing family and business commitments in Windsor.  He returned as Head Coach of the Spitfires this season, but the club struggled, barely scraping into the playoffs before being swept in the opening round by Jarred Tinordi's London Knights.  Is Boughner, one year later, now ready to leave his hometown of Windsor?  Would the possibility of an NHL Head Coaching job woo him away?  Perhaps.

8) Clement Jodoin
Jodoin is the current coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs, before which he led the QMJHL's Lewiston MAINEiacs and then Rimouski Oceanic for four seasons.  If his name is more familiar to you than one season in the AHL would indicate, it's because he was an Assistant Coach with the Canadiens between 1997-98 and 2002-03.  He's also held jobs as a Head Coach of the Halifax Mooseheads and Halifax Citadels, and Assistant Coach of the Quebec Nordiques and Pittsburgh Penguins, going back to 1987-88.  Despite his lengthy career, Jodoin hasn't been able to lead a team to a championship, with two third round exits being his best finishes.  But he was twice named the QMJHL's Coach of the Year in 1997 and 2007, and of course is bilingual, plus has familiarity with some of the organization's younger players, so his name will come up in discussions.  He is an older guy, however, and if the signing of Bergevin and Geoff Molson's stated interest in bringing stability to the organization hold true, the team may want a more youthful coach to grow with the organization and be around long-term.  Jodoin once coached Bergevin some 30 years ago at a junior level.

7) Marc Crawford
Prior to his days as a TSN Analyst, Crawford was a successful Head Coach.  Starting in the OHL, and then moving to the AHL, where he took the St. John's Maple Leafs to the Calder Cup Finals and was named Coach of the year a season later, he became an NHL bench boss just five seasons after his playing career had ended.  Crawford first took over at the helm of the Quebec Nordiques, and despite a first round exit, became the youngest coach ever to win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.  In his second season behind the now-Colorado Avalanche's bench, Crawford won the Stanley Cup.  He remained with the Avs for two more seasons, before moving on to coach the Vancouver Canucks for 7 years without ever making it out of the second round (including in 2003-04, when Bergevin played 9 games for Crawford's Canucks).  His coaching resume concluded with two seasons in Los Angeles and two in Dallas, with neither yielding a playoff appearance.  He was fired by the Stars just over a year ago on April 12, 2011.  Crawford speaks French and has experience, which makes him a candidate with the right credentials.  However, many see his record as troubling, claiming that anyone could have won a Cup with the stacked Avs roster of the mid-to-late '90s.  His performances following that season were far from impressive.

6) Patrick Roy
Habs fans of course need no introduction to Roy as a player, but he has already completed his seventh season as Head Coach (and Owner and General Manager) of the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.  In his first season as coach, he led the Remparts to the Q finals, where they lost, but they got the last laugh by winning the Memorial Cup that season.  He has not since returned to the finals, but has twice reached the third round.  At age 46, he fits the bill as a young coach who could remain in the post, has matured (at least to an extent) since his playing days, knows all about what it is to be in the spotlight in Montreal, and is seen as a future NHL guy by all.  So what's the problem?  Simply put, his attitude.  Roy is self-centered and likes to hog the attention.  He has an impressive CV, but is full of himself.  In a way, he might be a coach not unlike John Tortorella in New York.  He's also tended to have off-ice distractions follow him every so often.  Could that work in the NHL?  Sure, Tortorella is a candidate for the Jack Adams this year.  But would it work in Montreal with the organizational culture and media pressures?  I have my doubts.  Especially with Bergevin's stated collaborative "no one individual is greater than the team" mantra.  Doesn't strike me as a fit.

5) Bob Hartley
Hartley has been a coach since 1991-92, when he led the QMJHL's Laval Titan.  He won a Championship with them in his second season, then moved on to be Assistant and after a year Head Coach of the AHL's Cornwall Aces.  He moved to coach the Hershey Bears in 1996-97, winning an AHL Championship in his first season there, and spent one more year with the team before jumping to the NHL as Head Coach of the Colorado Avalanche.  After third round exits in his first two seasons with the Avs, he won a Stanley Cup in 2000-01, before losing in the Conference Finals for a third year the following season. With the team off to a shaky start in 2002-03, he was fired, but quickly rebounded at the helm of the Atlanta Thrashers.  Despite being a winner at every level, Hartley's reputation took a turn for the worse in Atlanta, where while missing the post-season in his first three years, he was often accused of unethical tactics, such as sending his enforcers after certain opposing players.  The 2006-07 season had Hartley take the Thrash to the post-season for the first (and only) time in franchise history, but they were swept in four games by the New York Rangers.  He was fired early on the following season when the team lost all of its first six games.  Hartley left North America for Europe just over a year ago, signing a two year deal to coach the ZSC Lions of the Swiss league.  In his first season there, he led them to the league championship, but is said to have some form of out clause from his contract for certain NHL offers.  A true winner, but how true also are the rumours about his questionable tactics?

4) Andy Murray
Murray first became an NHL Assistant Coach in 1988-89, the first of his two seasons in Philadelphia, before two seasons in the same capacity with the Minnesota North Stars, and another two with the Winnipeg Jets.  He finally got a shot at being a head coach with the Los Angeles Kings in 1999, and led the team for six seasons, qualifying for the playoffs on three occasions.  What you may not know or remember is that when he was let go by L.A. in 2006, he was hired by the Montreal Canadiens.  Not as a coach, but as a Front Office Consultant, a role he held for just a few months before leaving to coach the St. Louis Blues, but one which meant a lot to him as he had been a Habs fan growing up.  Murray was coach of the Blues for four seasons, but only had one playoff appearance, getting the axe during the 2009-10 season.  At 61, he is beyond the ideal age for a coaching candidate as it is questionable how long-term a fixture he would be, but he remains an active head coach, currently at the bar of the CCHA's Western Michigan University club in NCAA hockey.  Murray is an experienced, long-time hockey guy, with his greatest successes coming on the international stage, having won three gold medals from the IIHF World Hockey Championships as Canada's coach in 1997, 2003, and most recently 2007.  Are his NHL days in the past?  Maybe, but if he isn't to be a head coach, if the Canadiens opt to go the inexperienced route for the man in charge, Murray's wisdom might be a welcome addition in an Assistant Coaching capacity were he interested in such a role.

3) Pascal Vincent
Vincent, a Laval, Quebec native, is young - only 40 years of age.  He became Head Coach of the QMJHL's Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in 2000 and spent 8 seasons in the position, getting as far as the third round on two occasions.  In 2008-09, after being named QMJHL Coach of the Year the season prior, he became coach of the Montreal Junior, leading the club for three seasons and coaching forward Louis Leblanc in 2010-11.  Some saw him as a candidate to move on to Hamilton as Head Coach, graduating to the AHL along with Leblanc, but instead he jumped straight to the NHL this year, joining the Winnipeg Jets staff as an Assistant Coach.  Vincent is young and inexperienced, never having played professional hockey after his days in the QMJHL, but he seems to be on a fast track to head up an NHL club in the next few seasons.  If the Canadiens want stability, then now would be their only chance to tab Vincent their man, as by the time they are again searching for a Head Coach, he is likely to be employed elsewhere.  With the right mix of experienced Assistants (see: Andy Murray), Vincent might bring a fresh and refreshing perspective to what was seen as an Old Boys' Club in Montreal just one year ago.

2) Gerard Gallant (pictured at top)
Gallant, 48, played 615 NHL games, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings.  He was a teammate of Marc Bergevin's in 1993-94 with the Tampa Bay Lightning.  His playing career ended after the 1995-96 season, and debuted as a coach in 1999, in the Assistant role with the AHL's Louisville Panthers.  The P.E.I. native was appointed an Assistant Coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets prior to the 2001-02 season, and eventually took over Head Coach'ing duties in 2003-04.  The Jackets would fail to make the post-season that season and the next, and as such he was relieved 20 games into his third year in the role.  He became an Assistant Coach with the New York Islanders the following season, and remained for two years before jumping to the QMJHL to become a Head Coach again, at the helm of the Saint John Sea Dogs.  He lost in the finals in his first season, before winning the title and the Memorial Cup last season on a team that featured top Hab prospect Nathan Beaulieu.  Beaulieu and Gallant have returned to the Q finals with a stacked roster for a third straight season, with the series against Rimouski getting underway Friday.  Even though he has benefited from very talented teams in Saint John, many see it as a matter of time until Gallant returns to the NHL ranks.  He was named the Coach of the Year in both the Q and CHL each of the last two seasons, and as such was considered a top candidate for coach of the Ottawa Senators last summer.  Undoubtedly his name will come up in discussions once his team's season is over, but it may be a while if they win another championship (they are the favourites) and advance to the Memorial Cup.  However, despite a name that might make you think otherwise, his French is limited.

1) Alain Vigneault
Ten seasons of NHL Head Coach'ing experience, 4 of which were in Montreal, and came within 1 game of winning a Stanley Cup just one year ago.  A Jack Adams Award winner in 2006-07.  A French speaker from Quebec City.  Vigneault seems like a perfect candidate to take over the team in a return to the city that gave him his NHL Head Coaching debut after 8 years coaching in the QMJHL and 4 years as an Assistant with the Ottawa Senators.  The problem?  Well, he's still employed by the Vancouver Canucks.  Some eyebrows were raised when Vigneault did not attend the Canucks' end-of-season press conference, though GM Mike Gillis was quick to indicate it was merely his preference to do it alone, giving Vigneault a "vote of confidence."  Some compare that statement to a kiss of death, just being the politically correct statement even if a guy's days are numbered.  This is most often true when in the middle of a season, where a few more games in the wrong direction turn that "confidence" into "it was the right time to make a move."  With little to change Gillis's opinion between now and the opening of training camp, it is perhaps unlikely that Vigneault is fired, and more likely that he'll be on a short leash in October, but you never know.  If he becomes available before a new Coach is named in Montreal, he skyrockets to the top of the candidate list.

Canadiens Hire Marc Bergevin as GM

It has been revealed this morning that Marc Bergevin will be the next General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens.  It seems he, Pierre McGuire, and Julien Brisebois were amongst the final candidates, and McGuire spoke to Geoff Molson this morning, being given the news.  Brisebois, who had been in Montreal for a final meeting as well, also revealed that he had not been offered the job.  The Canadiens later made if official, announcing that a press conference will be held at 2PM this afternoon, available live on TSN.ca, RDS.ca, and RDSInfo.

Perhaps most satisfying in this is the knowledge that Geoff Molson and Serge Savard took their time and did their research.  They seemed to investigate every lead.  In addition to Bergevin, McGuire, and Brisebois, they looked at Jim Nill, Pat Brisson, Vincent Damphousse, Blair Mackasey, Ron Hextall, Luc Robitaille, Claude Loiselle, Patrick Roy, and undoubtedly a number of others we may not have heard about as part of the process.  And they settled on Bergevin, a guy with the experience necessary to succeed in the role.

Bergevin, 46, is a native of Montreal and  former National Hockey League defenseman who played 1,191 games split between the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, and New York Islanders (but never the Canadiens).  In an interview in 1992, he actually comically stated that growing up as a Habs fan, he never felt he was "good enough" to play for the Canadiens:

He retired in 2004 and joined the Blackhawks staff, first as a Pro Scout, then an Assistant Coach, then the Director of Player Personnel, and finally Assistant General Manager last summer.  Though he has never been at a team's helm, he has experience in all relevant areas, and as such I named him as my pick for the GM job (outside of Jim Nill) from the search's get-go.

Rick Dudley, currently serving in Toronto's front office, knows Bergevin well, and stated that in his eyes, Bergevin is in the top 1% of talent evaluators around the league.  While the Habs have been blessed with a pretty good set of eyes on the prospect front in Trevor Timmins, the team's Pro Scouting has been spotty over the years, so Bergevin will be a welcome addition to the management team.  Bergevin has a strong book of contacts around the league and is well-liked and respected, important traits iin a General Manager.  Plus, on a personal level, he is known to have a good sense of humour with a joker/prankster reputation, which may be a welcome change from the dry Pierre Gauthier.

Speaking of the management team, what we don't know yet is what will happen to the rest of the front office.  I hope Trevor Timmins is given the respect he deserves and that the club keeps him in his post, but this will have to be discussed with Bergevin.  There is also Larry Carriere to consider, currently in the role of Assistant GM, but it is customary for a General Manager to bring in his people to surround him.  Thus, it isn't impossible that there may be movement on that front in the coming hours or days as well.  Stay tuned, but for now, this is a move in the right direction to restore the Canadiens as a Glorieux organization.

And as if the appointing of a new GM wasn't big enough news, SportsNet's Louis Jean announced on radio this morning that the Habs would buy out Scott Gomez's contract.  But not so fast.  First, Louis Jean claimed Dave Morissette of TVA Sports was his source, and Morissette is far from a credible or reliable news-breaker.  Further, the NHL buyout period doesn't open till June 15th, so there is no sense in making such an announcement today.  Not only that, but the current NHL CBA expires at season's end, and who knows what buyout clauses may be included in the new convention.  So don't buy this one, Habs fans.  It is possible the brass has concluded Gomez won't be back, but how they'll get rid of him remains to be seen.


UPDATE: Some early takes on Bergevin:

- Pat Brisson, a good friend of Bergevin's, and influencial NHL agent whose client list includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, the Sedin Brothers, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane:
"One of his biggest strengths is that he knows what he knows, and also knows what he doesn't know.  When he doesn't have an answer, he'll look to find it quickly.  He has a great personality, which is something the Canadiens really needed.  He's gone through all the steps, from being a player for 20 years, to being an amateur and pro scout, to an assistant coach and assistant GM.  It's like as if the Habs hired someone out of Harvard.  I'm very happy for him and proud of him."

- Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks GM, who last summer made Bergevin his assistant:
"It's never easy to lose someone of Bergevin's calibre, both professionally and personally.  It is a tremendous opportunity for him and his family.  He has played a significant role in our success over the last several years as a member of the front office and coaching staff.  I want to personally thank him for his dedication to our organization and certainly wish him all the best in Montreal."

- Darren Dreger, TSN Hockey Insider:
"Tough task of first firing coaching staff.  Can't leave Randy Cunneyworth and Randy Ladouceur hanging.  The Leafs haven't yet been asked by the Canadiens about speaking with Rick Dudley (Assistant GM since last June), but expect Dudley and Martin Lapointe (Pro Scout in Chicago since 2009) to be among Bergevin's early hires."


UPDATE: MARC BERGEVIN PRESS CONFERENCE

If his inaugural press conference was a first test, it seems Marc Bergevin passed with flying colours.  He was funny, making jokes that included:
- "I played for 8 NHL teams. I changed teams so often that my luggage was usually a team behind."
- "Thanks to Geoff Molson for his praise, even if he went a little overboard."
- (journalist says, "I sent you an e-mail a while back, not sure if you got it.") "It's probably in my Spam folder."

Signed to a five year contract, Bergevin repeated consistently that it's only his first day on the job and thus he couldn't comment much about specific players, though clearly indicated that Carey Price, as one of the game's top young goaltender, was a cornerstone to build around and would be a top priority this summer.  "When you have goaltending like that, you're a step ahead of the game."

Some other "reveals":

- Randy Cunneyworth has been relieved as Interim Head Coach and returns to the Assistant Coach role (along with Randy Ladouceur).  A new Head Coach will be hired, and it will be that person's decision as to who they want beside them on the bench.

- Bergevin likes Trevor Timmins's work, and Timmins will still be at the Habs' draft table in June.

- Bergevin calls Larry Carriere a good and respected person who knows his hockey.  Says Carriere will remain a part of his staff, but that he isn't opposed to bringing in absolutely anyone else that could help the organization in any capacity.  Wants to build a team around him, and decisions will be by committee.  First step is to analyze people who are currently in place.

- Bergevin says that yes, it is important for there to be French players on the Montreal Canadiens.  Says number one goal is to win, but there are good Francophones around the NHL.  Indicates that the QMJHL is in the team's backyard and there is presently just one scout there; that has to and WILL change.  Having more scouts in the area decreases chances of the team missing out on homegrown talent.

- Confirmation that the TVASports story about Scott Gomez this morning is pre-emptive and garbage.  No decisions have been made about Gomez yet, and Bergevin, who repeatedly reminded reporters that it's his first day and he only saw the team play twice this past season, will evaluate all cases in the coming days and weeks.  In an interview with RDS, Geoff Molson added that money isn't an object when it comes to re-structuring the team (specifically in regards to Gomez).  Says there is a Salary Cap, but will do whatever it takes to win.

- Bergevin feels there's a good nucleus in place, but talked a lot about a team mentality requiring all sorts of players, with everyone contributing.  Says he won't stand for individualist approaches; everyone needs to put the betterment of the team first.  Can't build a team with all toughness or all skill; need the right amount of everything.

- Bergevin says the Head Coach will be a group decision, but he wants someone who is well-respected and a natural leader.  Looks at Joel Quenneville as an example.  It's important for the head coach to be bilingual.

- With regards to the upcoming draft, all options are on the table.  The pick could be used, traded, or anything else, whatever Bergevin and staff feel is best for building a winning team.  He doesn't believe in rushing prospects to the NHL; if they're ready, then no problem, but doesn't like promoting a player too quickly.

Habs Prospect Playoff Update

As mentioned when we unveiled the summer schedule, it will occasionally be interrupted to bring you Habs news, so - while waiting for the World Championships to kick off - today we look at the few members of the organization still playing for their respective clubs.

QMJHL


Nathan Beaulieu (pictured left) and the Saint John Sea Dogs have been on a long break after sweeping Baie-Comeau, which brought their record this post-season to 8-0.  What makes it such a lengthy wait is that all three other remaining match-up have gone to 7 games!  Beaulieu has scored 2 goals and 8 points to go with a +15 rating on the dominant Sea Dogs.  How good has his team been?  He ranks only 10th on the club in scoring at the point-per-game mark (second amongst d-men), and fourth in +/-.  Saint John will face Chicoutimi in round 3 because...

If the Sea Dogs have been coasting, Michael Bournival and Morgan Ellis's Shawinigan Cataractes had their hands full with Chicoutimi in round 2.  The Cats held a 3-2 series lead, but fell by a 2-0 score in game 6, and were bested 3-2 in the decider.  Bournival has had a pretty miserable playoff, scoring just 1 goal and 7 points in 11 games, leading many to believe he is playing injured.  His ice time didn't seem to be dipping, however, based on his face-off stats, and in an interview he said he was disappointed with his own lack of production.  Ellis on the other hand has been a force for his club, recording 11 points in the 11 games.  With the loss, Shawinigan is out of the QMJHL playoffs, but they are the host of this year's Memorial Cup, so they get to play in that tournament anyway.  As they were eliminated in the second round, they will now be off for 31 days while the other CHL teams try to fight their way in.  If Bournival is hurt, this will give him time to rest and heal up.

OHL


Captain Jarred Tinordi and his London Knights survived a bit of a second round scare, eliminating the Saginaw Spirit four games to two.  Tinordi - a notoriously tough customer in his own end - has been a huge surprise offensively in the post-season, with 2 goals and 5 points in 10 games, to go with a +6 rating.  His 2 goals match his regular season total, scored in 48 games this season.  The Knights will play Kitchener in the third round starting Thursday.

WHL


Patrick Holland and the WHL's top-ranked Tri-City Americans were unable to close out their series in game 6, despite a Gordie Howe Hat Trick from Holland himself (a goal, an assist, and a fight), losing 4-3 in overtime to the Spokane Chiefs.  Holland has 3 goals and 12 points in 9 playoff games.  The Americans host game 7 this evening.

AHL


There will be no playoffs for the Hamilton Bulldogs this season, though the situation might have been very different if there were fewer injuries throughout both the Canadiens' and Bulldogs' rosters this season.  The 'Dogs, reinforced by a number of players once the Habs' season was over, won their final game by a 3-2 score.  Robert Mayer made 29 saves and was named second star behind Andreas Engqvist who had 2 assists.  Blake Geoffrion and Aaron Palushaj each had a goal and a helper.  Here's a glance at the team's final scoring leaders this year from The AHL's website:

The 'Dogs also handed out a number of awards at year's end, with Andreas Engqvist and Brian Willsie being named team co-MVPs (as voted by their teammates).  Aaron Palushaj won the 'Dogs' Molson Cup for being named a top star most frequently, Frederic St. Denis was named top defenseman by the media, and despite spending much of the season in Montreal, Louis Leblanc was recognized as the club's top rookie.

The battle for top rookie will be an intense one next season, and we'll look at what Hamilton's vastly improved roster might look like next year in a piece this Friday.

Your Canadiens for April 13, 2012

A few quick hits to send you off to the weekend.

VOTE FOR P.K. SUBBAN FOR NHL 13 COVER


If you haven't heard, the NHL and EA Sports are running on a contest right now that lets people vote for who will be on the cover of the NHL 13 video game.  In the first round, fans had to vote between two players on each team, and P.K. Subban defeated Tomas Plekanec for the Canadiens.  Now in the second round, you can vote for between 1 and 16 of the remaining 32 candidates.  For maximal efficiency, I'd recommend voting for just Subban so that you don't help his competitors!  Vote here:
http://covervote.nhl.com/

ALSO VOTE FOR CANADIENS AWARDS


If that got you in a voting mood, though it's a little less exciting since there is no possible reward, the Habs are currently hosting a vote for numerous team awards.  Check out the categories and pick your favourites on the team's official website here:
http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=79507&navid=DL|MTL|home

KOVALEV FOUNDATION ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCED


The Fondation Kovalev announced its annual charity golf tournament for this year, set to take place on June 18th at the St-Raphael Golf Club in Ile Bizard.  Last year's even included appearances by both Alex Kovalev himself and Tomas Plekanec amongst others.  See their website for last year's info here: http://www.fondationkovalev.org/ or you can e-mail info@fondationkovalev.org to inquire about participating this year.

MEET HAB LEGEND ELMER LACH MONDAY IN POINTE CLAIRE


Dave Stubbs announced today that fans are invited to come meet him and former Canadiens superstar Elmer Lach on Monday for the kick off of the Pointe Claire Oldtimers Charity Hockey Tournament.  The event begins Monday at 3 PM at the Bob Birnie Arena.  Details here: http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/monday-come-meet-habs-icon-elmer-lach-at-pointe-claire-oldtimers-tourney

EX-CANADIENS STAFF JOINING TEAM CANADA


Hockey Canada announced that former Montreal Assistant Coach Kirk Muller and former Hamilton Bulldogs Head Coach Guy Boucher will serve as Assistant Coaches to Brent Sutter for the upcoming World Championships.  P.K. Subban was previously announced as one of the team's initial 17 members, and I'm certain he'll be happy to see a pair of familiar faces behind the bench.

GM Search Updates

**UPDATE: Following response to this post, I've added a GM Candidate Tracker to the sidebar of this site which will be kept up to date as things progress.**

Seeing bits and pieces of General Manager news all over the place and having trouble keeping tabs on all of it?  Then you've come to the right place!  Today we consolidate all the news as to where the Canadiens are at in their search for a new head honcho.

First, know that the team is in absolutely no rush to conclude the GM-hunt and name a new manager.  The next real "deadline" is the NHL's Entry Draft on June 22nd, and the Habs' scouting staff is already hard at work preparing for it.  If the Canadiens end up hiring someone serving in another role for another club, then there is little doubt that person is also preparing for the draft as well.  Thus, the new GM likely doesn't need more than 3-4 weeks with Montreal's staff to be prepared, meaning the search could go on for another month or so.  It is also possible that within that timeframe, some other GMs are fired, increasing the candidate pool beyond what it is today.

Next, know that the earlier rumour of Serge Savard being named a permanent Senior Vice President to whom the new General Manager would have to report has not been confirmed, even being denied by Savard himself. This doesn't mean it won't eventually happen, or that Savard won't remain a permanent part of the staff in some capacity, but officially his role remains a temporary advisory one for now.

As for the candidates themselves, here are the names we have confirmed and their statuses.

CURRENT CONFIRMED CANDIDATES


Marc Bergevin: Bergevin is the Assistant General Manager in Chicago and a guy who has been a part of the club in various capacities through their full revival as a top NHL franchise.  It is confirmed that the Habs asked the Blackhawks for permission to speak with him, though it is likely that even if he is the team's guy, any announcement would come at the end of the Hawks' playoff run, or if it is a deep one, at least during a small break between rounds.

Julien Brisebois: Brisebois is the former Canadiens Capologist and current Assistant GM to Steve Yzerman in Tampa Bay.  He's another guy that the Habs have been confirmed as wanting to approach, though one highly unconfirmed source stated that Brisebois would have passed up the opportunity.  Many consider Brisebois one of the top candidates at this point, though personally I think his work with the Lightning has been quite overrated.

Claude Loiselle: Claude Loiselle is an Assistant / Capologist within the brain trust of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He's another guy that Darren Dreger has confirmed the Canadiens have asked for permission to speak with, and given he works in Toronto, a playoff run is no barrier in his case (heh).  Toronto's salaries haven't been the best the past few seasons, so Loiselle's work far from speaks for itself, but he is considered an up-and-comer and should be part of the process.

Luc Robitaille: Yesterday, it was revealed that the Canadiens had asked for permission to speak with the Kings' Director of Business Operations, Lucky Luc Robitaille.  Certainly Robitaille has a great hockey pedigree as a player, but his current job is on the business side, not hockey operations, which makes him a strange fit as a GM.  They may be interested in him as part of a team, however.

Ron Hextall: In addition to Robitaille, it was also said the Habs asked for permission for multiple members of the Kings' staff, and Hextall's name was later added to the "confirmed" list.  Hextall is the Assistant GM in L.A. and fans should not base opinions of his work on his unorthodox career as a goaltender.  He was a pro scout and then Director of Professional Player Personnel in Philadelphia, before becoming Assistant GM in Los Angeles in 2006.  He has the experience to make a move to another level.  But does he speak French?  I have doubts.

Francois Giguere: Another name on the confirmed candidate list is former Colorado Avalanche GM Giguere.  Giguere won two Stanley Cups in Colorado (while Assistant GM and Vice President of Hockey Operations), but has been out of a job since 2009.

Pierre McGuire: There is no confirmation that media star and former NHL executive McGuire is receiving consideration for the job, but his name has been popping up more and more frequently the past few days.  A reporter asked him about the situation, and he was said to have smiled, paused, and eventually responded that he "couldn't comment on the situation."

Paul Fenton: Fenton's name is far from confirmed as being in the mix, but the Nashville Predators' Assistant GM has been included in a number of speculative "contacted" lists.  Like the other playoff-bound candidates, any serious talks may be delayed by the Preds' run.  Not a French-speaker.

Patrick Roy: There is no real confirmation that the Habs have approached Roy about the job, but the media loves to throw his name in there in any capacity they can.  He is thought of more as a possible future coach, speculation added to by a Tweet from top prospect Mikhail Grigorenko who plays for him with the Quebec Remparts ("Cant wait to be drafted and maybe play for Roy again").  But some also say he wouldn't take any job in Montreal unless he had "full control," which might indicate the GM job is the one he aspires to (he fills both roles of GM and Head Coach in Quebec).

Guy Carbonneau: I think including him as a GM candidate is a little far fetched, but in the name of exhaustiveness, Carbonneau has said that he wants to be part of a solution in Montreal in any capacity. He hopes to be a candidate to return as head coach, but would consider any role.

Jack Ferreira: Here's a name that has NOT popped up in rumours, but Ferreira is another member of the L.A. Kings staff meaning the Habs may or may not have inquired about him.  He currently serves as Special Assistant to the General Manager, but has filled many roles over his career, including that of GM in Anaheim, San Jose, and Minnesota.  Most notably, however, he worked with Serge Savard as Montreal's Director of Pro Scouting back in 1993, so the two are familiar with one another and he has experience in this market (though I don't know anything about his mastery of la langue Moliere).  He seems like a logical candidate, with the main downside being his age.  He turns 68 in June, and if the Habs want stability longer-term, they may seek more of an up-and-comer.  A possible solution is to bring him in along with a younger, less experienced guy to learn under him and eventually take over.




WITHDRAWN CANDIDATES


Vincent Damphouse: Damphousse was quite unqualified for the position with very limited experience, but announced he was pulling his name out of the race anyway for personal family reasons.

Pat Brisson: Player agent Brisson was considered a top candidate, but withdrew from the process to focus on his agency, one of the biggest in the game with clients like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, the Sedin brothers, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane.

Jim Nill: Pierre LeBrun today confirmed that the Canadiens have contacted Detroit about speaking to the unilingual Nill, considered very capable of taking over a team after serving many functions including Assistant GM with the Red Wings over many years.  LeBrun adds, however, that Detroit has traditionally not permitted teams to speak with Nill, and/or Nill has declined for personal reasons, so he remains an unlikely candidate.  UPDATE: Renaud Lavoie confirms that Nill is not interested in the position.

Recap of Final Habs Media Scrums

Today, the 2011-12 Montreal Canadiens met with the media for the final time.  Here is a recap of some of their comments:

Carey Price: Starting to feel better the past week or so.  Run into on the 20th (of March) by a teammate (David Desharnais), hit in the head, and spine compressed.  Was having headaches for a week before mentioning anything, since he had played with headaches before.  But it was getting worse, so told the trainers about it.  Diagnosed with a slight concussion, never had one before as far as he knows.  Nothing serious but enough to err on the side of safety; still having a few neck and head issues.  Hanging around Montreal until he's symptom-free and will take it easy.  Things are looking good; there should be no problems going into next season.  Has a couple of small issues that may require some minor surgeries this summer, and will talk to doctors about it.  Wants to stay in Montreal for as long as he can; looking for a long-term deal.  Will not play for Team Canada in the World Championships.

Erik Cole: Each season that he doesn't make the playoffs is the same frustration and disappointment.  It will be tough to watch games in the first round.  Carey Price is very important to this team; doesn't see a reason for there to be many hang-ups in getting a contract done.  Price and Cam Ward are a fair comparison in terms of their demeanor; both calm and holds both in a very high regard.  Feels he won't be able to appreciate his own personal accomplishments this season in light of the way the team finished.  Everything in Montreal was as expected except for a lack of winning.  Declined invitation to join Team USA for the World Championships.

Scott Gomez: Disappointing season for everyone.  Doesn't know what's going to happen in the summer.  It's part of the business and will cross the bridge when he comes to it.  As a team, there wasn't really a point this season where all played together (due to injuries).  Personally, injuries were non-stop right from training camp.

Yannick Weber: Had an MCL tear, which went from first degree to second. No surgery, nothing else damaged, will fully recover in a few weeks.Will not represent Switzerland at the World Championships due to his injury.

Max Pacioretty: Team had a lot to overcome, and it's unfortunate it had to end so soon, but it will be nice to have a bit of a break. Satisfied to have a comfortable role on the team, but needs to not get too comfortable and continue improving every day.  Knows he has a lot of room for improvement.  Best way to get ready for next year is to turn the page and worry about what he can control.  Will represent Team USA at the World Championships.

Andrei Markov: Feeling pretty good, especially the last few games.  Hasn't received a call from Russian national team yet, so probably won't play in the World Championships, but if they call, he would discuss it.  Confident he'll be 100% to start next season; will continue to rehab his knee all summer and hopes to feel much better and play much better next year.  Needs to get back his quickness on the ice and to feel more comfortable with turns and pivots since he still has a little stiffness or tightness in his knee, which is normal.

P.K. Subban: Likes Pittsburgh in the East and Chicago in the West (because he's a Patrick Kane fan) for the playoffs.  Disappointed to not be in the post-season.  Had a great meeting with coaching staff and feels he made a lot of improvements in his overall game.  Everyone needs to train hard this summer and come in next September ready to start winning hockey games.  Will represent Team Canada at the World Championships.

Tomas Plekanec: Worst season here in his memory.  Injuries and a few other issues hurt the team this year; other issues are some things that the new coach and new GM would need to work on.  Hard to find chemistry without a consistent line, but it's an advantage for a player when he can play with anybody.  Will represent the Czech Republic at the World Championships.

Tomas Kaberle: Needs to work hard on his conditioning this summer.  It was a tough start in Carolina.  Doesn't like to talk about his own individual performance, but felt better and better as the season went on.  Disappointing to not make the playoffs in a market like Montreal.  Declined an invitation from the Czech Republic for the World Championships.

Josh Gorges: It's been a long year, but team will move forward this summer.  There are a lot of personnel changes to be made.  Not concerned by lowered expectations prognosticators will have for the Canadiens next year; what matters is the guys in the room.  Sees Scott Gomez as a great guy, great teammate, who all the others will support and go to war with.  Team's priority this summer is signing Carey Price.  Has not yet received an invitation to join Team Canada for the World Championships.

Rene Bourque: Disappointing for himself personally; it was a struggle and didn't go his way when he got here.  Very happy to be here and wants to help the team moving forward with a good group of guys.  He's a better player than what he showed and is looking forward to regrouping and coming back as the player he's capable of being.  Needs to be better in all areas.  Team had trouble producing outside of the first line.  What he's shown isn't what it should be; has four years left on his contract and hopes to be here for it.  It was a tough year, but no excuses, just needs to be better.  Hopes to find better chemistry with Tomas Plekanec next year if they remain together.

Ryan White: Has a concussion (suffered in a fight vs. Florida), but is feeling better now.  Has never had a concussion before.  Wants to bring his same approach next year; it's the only way he knows how to play.

David Desharnais: Happy about what he accomplished, but knows that when a team struggles, changes have to come.  Need to make sure this type of season for the team doesn't happen again.  Feels that if there weren't injuries, he may not have received as good a chance as he got.  No matter what you do in a given year, you always have to work on improving.  Has not received an invitation from Team Canada for the World Championships, but would attend if he gets a call.

Raphael Diaz: Had groin injury since beginning of December; wanted to keep playing but at one point had to stop.  Next season is a new season, and in training camp it doesn't matter how he played this year.  Will have to train hard and come back strong to be ready to make the team.  Will stay here for a few weeks to rehab, then go back to Switzerland, before returning to Montreal to prepare for next season.  Will not represent Team Switzerland at the World Championships due to his injury.

Mathieu Darche: Has been cleared by doctors though it took a while to recoup.  Hopes to be back next year, but it'll be up to the guys in charge.  Team needs to not be satisfied to win 2 out of every 4 games.  There is nothing worse than being at home while the real season starts for 16 other teams; this mentality needs to return to the Montreal Canadiens.  No disrespect to other organizations, but 15th place is unacceptable for the Montreal Canadiens.  Will be an analyst with RDS during the playoffs.

Peter Budaj: At the beginning, thought he could play a little more, but it's not in his control.  Disappointing season for the team, even if he was able to play the last few games and the team fared better.  Declined an invitation to play in the World Championships.  Feels the talent and character on the team is a reason to be optimistic for next year.  Team beat some good clubs this year, just needs to do it on a more consistent basis.

Lars Eller: The season was difficult, facing a lot of adversity in the room and outside, but it's been a valuable learning experience.  When a team is winning, things are easy - you learn more during the tough teams of losing.  Hopes to stay in Montreal and wants to be part of the future going forward.  Waiting for new GM to sort things out with his agent, but is optimistic.  Looks at Tomas Plekanec as a role model, able to play a strong two-way game, on the powerplay, on the PK, when the game is on the line, etc.  Will play for Team Denmark in the World Championships.

Brian Gionta: The season was frustrating; nobody was happy with how things were this year.  Expectations in camp were to make the playoffs and compete for a Stanley Cup.  Current state of mind is a holding pattern, waiting to see what's going to be with the GM and coach.  Coaching staff that was thrown in there did a good job in a tough situation.  Feels team is not that far off even though points in standings don't show that.  Everybody in the organization tried things to turn it around and make it right, but team couldn't get it going.

Travis Moen: Disappointing to not reach goal, but have to focus on next year.  Once everything is sorted out with the new GM, will talk.  Wants to come back, has enjoyed his time in Montreal.  With a few additions, the Habs can be a great team.  Doesn't feel his role would change even if both he and Brad Staubitz both return.  A key to success would be to stay healthy.

Chris Campoli: It was a difficult season.  Experiences you go through make you better as a person and professional.  Playing in Montreal was special for him; hockey is a religion here.  That's something he'll take with him as a positive.  Hopes to build off the good whether it's in Montreal or elsewhere next year.  Has learned a lot on the business side of thing and is optimistic about the future, but doesn't know what could happen.  Playing 7 defensemen, with 3 of the 7 playing 12 or 13 minutes a night, made things difficult on the guys.  Things got better towards the end of the year.

Your Canadiens for April 9, 2012

News from around the world of Habs for today.

CANADIENS TO APPOINT SERGE SAVARD VICE PRESIDENT OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS


While the story has thus far been dismissed as simply speculation by the Montreal Canadiens organization, a story broke yesterday that the Habs were to announce the official appointment of Serge Savard as the team's Vice-President of Hockey Operations - a new position in the club's hierarchy.  The idea was said to be that the new General Manager to-be-hired would report to Savard, who in turn would report to President Geoff Molson.

Savard, 66, was retained as an advisor to Geoff Molson for the selection process of the new GM following the firing of Pierre Gauthier.  While Savard hasn't been an active manager in the league for quite some time, he has a strong pedigree, helping the Canadiens to their last Stanley Cup conquest in 1993, and able to provide Molson with an experienced viewpoint in picking the right guy.

If he is in fact confirmed as a Senior Vice-President, there will be many questions to answer.  Will this new "boss" scare away some potential General Manager candidates, worried that their freedom to act might be limited?  Will Savard's role be limited to more of a co-President along with Molson, being the hockey guy while Molson is the business guy (what I expect/hope)?  Will having the French-speaking Savard nearby open a door for the hiring of a unilingual GM if such a person is deemed the best candidate (e.g. Jim Nill, Paul Fenton)?

Regardless, I would view this move as a step in the right direction.  While it may be blasphemous to make such a statement, I would fully endorse moving towards a model like that of the Toronto Maple Leafs, with a strong GM at the helm, but a team of qualified individuals around him who could be GMs in other markets.  Brian Burke is supported by Dave Nonis and Claude Loiselle, guys certain to get consideration for openings league-wide if they are willing to leave.  Especially given that it appears the Canadiens will be hiring someone without experience as a General Manager proper, having a team of individuals to work with him and support each other with different strengths seems like the best recipe for success.

PAT BRISSON OUT OF THE RUNNING?


According to CBC's hot stove panel Saturday night, despite being honoured to be considered, Pat Brisson would have turned down any opportunity to become Montreal Canadiens General Manager.  The CBC panelists indicated that Brisson is happy where he is at with his player agency CAA (which he co-heads), and certainly the Canadiens would have a hard time matching his current salary representing the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Daniel & Henrik Sedin, Daniel Briere, Daniel Alfredsson, Jonathan Toews, Claude Giroux, Patrick Kane, Shane Doan, Dany Heatley, and more!

While only Vincent Damphousse has officially pulled out of the process, the loss of Brisson would remove one of the team's top candidates.  Best remaining fits include Marc Bergevin, Julien Brisebois, and Claude Loiselle.


PROSPECT PLAYOFF UPDATE


Four teams of interest remain for Canadiens fans in the CHL's second round, and this round is proving much more difficult than the first for most.

In the WHL, regular season champions Tri-City split the opening two games with fifth seed Spokane.  Patrick Holland collected an assist in each game, improving to 6 points in 5 post-season contests.

In the OHL, top contender London also split the two first games with fifth place Saginaw.  Captain Jarred Tinordi scored his first OHL playoff goal and was a +3, being named second star, in the series opener, but was then a -1 in a 5-2 loss in the second game.  Game three goes tonight.

In the QMJHL, Shawinigan has also had its struggles this round, dropping the opener 7-6 in overtime to Chicoutimi before rebounding with a 7-2 win.  A little worrisome perhaps for Habs fans is that despite the club's 13 goals, captain Michael Bournival has registered just 1 assist this round.  His 6 points in 6 games ranks just 7th on his squad.  Teammate defenseman Morgan Ellis is faring quite a bit better, with 9 points over the 6 playoff games and a team-high +10 rating.

Finally, defending Memorial Cup champions Saint John are the team that has been most dominant thus far, up 2 games to none on Baie Comeau by 9-3 and 10-2 scores.  Nathan Beaulieu has 3 assists and a +4 rating in the second round, totaling 8 points in 6 playoff games.  His +13 rating ranks fourth in the QMJHL, behind three of his teammates.

The Hamilton Bulldogs have been eliminated from any possibility of qualifying for the post-season, though the team has three games remaining even after yesterday's 3-1 loss to the Toronto Marlies.  After Montreal's final game on Saturday, the club sent down Louis Leblanc, Aaron Palushaj, Blake Geoffrion, Frederic St-Denis, Robert Mayer, and Gabriel Dumont, but the tired additions weren't enough to help the 'Dogs earn a win.

PACIORETTY AND PLEKANEC TO PLAY IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS


Both Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec have confirmed they will participate in the upcoming World Championships for Team USA and the Czech Republic respectively.  Both Carey Price and Erik Cole indicated they will decline invitations to the event, preferring to rest up and heal bangs and bruises following the Canadiens' failure to qualify for the post-season.  Similarly, Raphael Diaz and Yannick Weber, both of whom would have been locks to make Team Switzerland, will have to withdraw due to their injuries.  As Habs players meet with the media for the final time in Montreal today, we may get more confirmations on other players who could be invited to participate in the event (e.g. Alexei Emelin, Andrei Markov, David Desharnais, P.K. Subban, Josh Gorges...).

LARRY CARRIERE TO REPRESENT HABS AT DRAFT LOTTERY


Normally, clubs are represented by their General Manager at the NHL's draft lottery (tomorrow at 8 PM EST, TSN), and thus it makes sense that interim GM Larry Carriere will be attending for the Canadiens.  Montreal finished 28th overall this season, meaning, as outlined last Friday, they currently hold the third overall pick and have a 56.1% chance of remaining in that spot.  They have a 14.2% chance of winning the lottery and moving up to #1, and finally a 29.7% chance that a team in the four spots below them wins it, thus dropping the Habs to the fourth overall selection.