Player Spotlight: Josiah Didier

Out of the 2011 NHL draft, the only seemingly surefire future Habs is first round selection Nathan Beaulieu.  But during this year, you've undoubtedly heard about the hot start (and less about the subsequent cooling off) of Magnus Nygren, about the impressive play of Darren Dietz, about the disappointment of Olivier Archambault, and the World Junior appearance by Daniel Pribyl.  But the Canadiens selected another player in the draft, even before all of the above names aside from Beaulieu.

That player, who most have forgotten, is Josiah Didier, a defenseman who made his debut for the University of Denver as an 18-year old this season.  The 6'2", 200 lbs blueliner's stats far from jump off the page, scoring just 3 assists in 41 college games, but how was his overall game?  Today we look at a collection of reviews on the play of yet another prospect in Montreal's overflowing defensive pipeline.

To begin, let's learn a little about who Didier, taken in the fourth round, 97th overall, is:

If you would like to ask him how he thinks he's like Niklas Hjalmarsson, or why he would rather have super strength than the ability to fly, you can follow this possible future Hab on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/#!/JDidier4

Didier is considered a physical yet mobile defensive blueliner, completing his sophomore season with a +6 rating.  He led the club with 68 blocked shots, and recorded 115 hits - a strong total in the generally less physical NCAA.  Denver decided that, despite his young age, he was ready to make the jump this season, and assigned him a fifth year student/teammate, John Ryder (undrafted, frequently Didier's partner on a bottom pairing), as a mentor.  Ryder was immediately impressed with Didier, citing him as a quick learner who will stand up for a teammate and never back down from anybody, sentiments echoes by the team's head coach George Gwozdecky.

Didier showed some of his trademark toughness as, despite suffering a relatively serious injury late in the season, he was back in the lineup a week later, playing through the pain.  Based on all of these traits, it may sound to you like the Habs found another Josh Gorges to add to the system, and while the comparison speaks to Didier's ceiling, let's not get carried away.  Didier is still a long-term project at best and far from a sure-thing to make the NHL some day.  Most see his maximum potential as a defensive third pairing guy.  But toughness and a right-handed shot will be welcome in the Montreal system, and as such his college career over the next few years should be interesting to follow.

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.

Canadiens Fire Pierre Gauthier

In a move that no one - and by "no one," I actually mean everyone - saw coming, the Montreal Canadiens today announced the firing of General Manager Pierre Gauthier.

Announcement: http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=624765&navid=DL|MTL|home

The other parts of the news are that Serge Savard has been appointed an advisor for the selection process of finding Gauthier's replacement - a strong move given that for all of Geoff Molson's passion and concern, he isn't truly a hockey guy. The official appointment of Savard, long speculated about by many, indicates that along with Gauthier, Bob Gainey's time of influence on the organization is also be at an end. Gainey occupied the role of special advisor to Gauthier since he stepped down as GM. Finally, the temporary Larry Carriere behind the bench experiment has come to a close, as he returns to his role as Assistant GM, taking on hockey operations (e.g. call-ups) duties until a new GM is in place.

Why was it right to fire Pierre Gauthier? I think anyone who has read this site has seen my enumerate reasons on many an occasion. Mismanagement of assets, a lack of back-up plans that forced the team to give up 2nd round picks year after year, this season's inexcusable inexperienced defense, the Scott Gomez trade likely having been one of the worst trades in the last decade or more, this season's Tomas Kaberle deal saddling the club with another big contract, the lack of class with which Gauthier handled some issues, and so much more. Gauthier's "plan," if there really was one big picture, failed. He tried to adapt on the fly, to bring in more size, to fix holes, to acquire future assets... but it was too little too late, and it was certainly time for him to go.

Why now? Well it didn't make sense to rush the process and get Gauthier out the door prior to the trade deadline, since it was important to have a hockey person in place to manage that busy time. The Canadiens need to search high and low to find the best possible replacement, and there are far fewer candidates available mid-season than during the summer. We'll go over candidates for the new GM in the coming days, but today Geoff Molson indicated winning and finding the best person for the job are top priorities (though language is also important), while Serge Savard indicated that - without doubt - the new GM will be capable of speaking French. Why not wait till season's end? At this point, it makes little difference. With Greg Pateryn signed, there are no upcoming close deadline for the Canadiens from a player management perspective, so the search is completely free to get underway.

More to come, now that we're back up and live on Dan's Daily Dose - Your Canadiens!

#ThirdLineProblems

Over the past few seasons, it seemed the Montreal Canadiens offensive depth had evolved to a point where the team could - with some degree of success - roll three scoring-oriented offensive units. This represented a transition from the traditional model of two scoring lines, a defensive line, and an energy trio. It seemed that after the dark era of the early 2000s, the Habs now had sufficient skill to threaten opposing teams with a diversified attack.

Having players who otherwise perhaps could have been in a top 6, like Sergei Kostitsyn, Andrei Kostitsyn, Robert Lang, Guillaume Latendresse, or Matt D'Agostini, provide additional offensive support from a third line helped to alleviate the problems the team's "stars" over the years have seemed to encounter with scoring slumps.

Of course, injuries have a sizeable part in it, but flash forward to the Canadiens third line last night against the Buffalo Sabres:

Louis Leblanc - Ryan White - Mike Blunden

No offense intended to any of these three players, all of whom could help a National Hockey League team win games, but they are far from the type who "should otherwise be in a top 6" on any given team. Some would argue that both Blunden and White might be scratches on any other team, while Leblanc may someday have top 6 potential but is still at an early point in his career.

Again, yes injuries have something to do with it: add back Brian Gionta and Travis Moen to the line-up, and you might be looking at a line of

Travis Moen - Lars Eller - Louis Leblanc

Better, but still seemingly lacking. I love Moen, but in a normal year, he isn't a goal-scoring threat. And Eller is still developing, but if his finish can't be improved, he's stuck in a no man's land of not quite a defensive player and not quite offensive enough either.

Realistically, it's a problem the team needs to address. The above line means you're playing Rene Bourque in the top 6. Bourque is a guy who has shown few signs of offensive life in Montreal, and should be considered a downgrade (though for less money as well) on Andrei Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn is a player who started the year on that third unit with Eller, so it is evident the caliber of the team has slipped in the wrong direction.

This may be normal in a year of tanking/selling, even though the team wasn't successful in finding buyers for too much of its yard sale scrap. The issue is that many hope/expect this to be simply an off-year and for the Canadiens to bounce back next season, which means problems in the roster need to be addressed pronto. So where is the help going to come from?

The Habs don't lack in the third line department. The problem is much the opposite: too many players who are no more than third liners on an ideal team, and not enough who should be playing above that. David Desharnais has had an unbelievable year, but there is no guarantee he will continue to produce at a top 6 level. Bourque and Eller's inconsistencies mean they aren't dependable top 6 contributors. Was Brian Gionta's season an outlier, or has his production declined below that of a first or second line winger? It doesn't seem like any of Brendan Gallagher, Michael Bournival, Danny Kristo, Louis Leblanc, or Aaron Palushaj would be able to immediately jump into a starring role, though any of the first four may someday be top 6-able. And what of Scott Gomez (if he returns)? Is he even a third liner? Travis Moen, Ryan White, and Mike Blunden are likely ideal fourth liners on a stacked team, even if Moen is an acceptable player to slot higher.

So lots of third liners to battle it out for just three spots, no problem there. And even if there weren't, these third line types are quite often available at the expense of a draft pick or as a free agent signing. This article may be misleading in that sense; the problem isn't improving the third line by bringing in "better" third liners. The goal needs to be to improve the third line by bringing in better first and second line talent to have other first and second line caliber players dropped down to the third line. That is how you improve a hockey team, and something that hasn't been done often in Montreal, apart from the great signing of Erik Cole last summer to allow Andrei Kostitsyn to slide down. This quality depth is critical in case of injury, slump, or simply to allow for chemistry experiments.

The availability of such players is where the problem lies. The Canadiens dealt away two top 6 players this season in Mike Cammalleri and Kostitsyn while not receiving any back. Yes, the team's 5 second round draft picks over the next two Junes will help, but it won't help in 2012-13. The UFA market doesn't hold many answers. Teemu Selanne and Ryan Smyth are unlikely to leave their current homes. Even if only for political reasons, the odds of Shane Doan joining the Canadiens are nil. At their current career development stages, none of Alexander Semin, Dustin Penner, Brad Boyes, Jarret Stoll, Oli Jokinen, or Jiri Hudler cry, "Play me in your top 6!" That leaves buyers with few options, and thus players like Zach Parise and Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau are sure to be able to pick from top dollar offers from many possible suitors. For this summer, the supply isn't there.

This shows how critical finishing the year on a "low note" is. The Habs desperately need a player with star potential in June, and even if there is no guarantee a Mikhail Grigorenko or Alex Galchenyuk would have an instant impact (or even immediately make the NHL roster), they would fall in line with a strategy of adding to the top rather than stuffing the bottom of the line-up. The solution is letting talent trickle down through the forward ranks rather than supplementing average forwards with more Radek Bonks, Bryan Smonlinskis, Glen Metropolits, and Dominic Moores. As much as shedding the deals of Tomas Kaberle and Scott Gomez would be nice, it isn't even about cap space at this point. Free dollars don't automatically equate to top notch talent, and there is no abundance of first liners available to be had.

So what's the move, Habs fans? We can only hope that the Canadiens ownership trust understands a new direction is necessary, and thus the Pierre Gauthier regime comes to a close. Pick a new GM - one who will see that the present situation calls for aggressive moves to be resolved; not simply incremental third line upgrades. Let him choose a coach with whom he agrees on a vision for the future, and staff the team accordingly. It's going to take sacrifice; if the team wants to turn it around quickly by bringing in top players, given the barren UFA market, the Canadiens will have to give to get. They may not end up holding on to all 5 of those second round selections, and a Danny Kristo or Michael Bournival might be moved before his prime, but to shake up the culture of the Habs organization quickly, something drastic will need to happen. If we want to avoid another painful season like this one, it will soon be time for serious action.

Your Canadiens for March 21, 2012

As usual following a couple of days where I was unable to post, here's a recap of the latest buzz from the Habs' realm.

- The Race for the Bottom Heats Up

Your Montreal Canadiens have been a little too hot as of late, collecting points in each of their last 6 games (3-0-3). Fortunately, some of the teams around them have won a few games as well, and so the Habs haven't gained much ground on the teams ahead. Montreal remains 28th overall in the league, but let's hope some losses are to follow, as you can see in the graphic below that there is quite a logjam going all the way up to 22nd position. Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota are the teams falling the quickest, so it is important to hope they pick up a few points along the way as well.

As for the prizes for the teams that fail hardest, Nail Yakupov was limited to only 42 games this season between the World Juniors and injuries, but still scored 69 points, improving his points-per-game average from 1.55 last season to 1.64. Mikhail Grigorenko finished 8th in QMJHL scoring as a CHL rookie (and 5th in goals with 40), second on his team with 85 points in 59 games. Alex Galchenyuk played only the final two games of the regular season for Sarnia, held off the scoresheet in each. Certainly there will be the eyes of many scouts on him entering the playoffs.

- Bulldogs Sample Three College Players

The Hamilton Bulldogs shuffled up their lineup for the stretch run, releasing two forwards - Joey Haddad and Eric Lampe - from tryout contracts, and signing three others to similar agreements.

Haddad, 23, had interesting size at 6'2", 200 lbs, but managed only a single goal in his 11 games with Hamilton. Lampe, 25, scored two over 13 games.

The three new bodies are Travis Novak, 23, Ryan Flanigan, 23, and Jesse Todd, 25, about whom you can read more in the Bulldogs' official release HERE. None are considered top prospects, so they shouldn't be looked at as much more than roster plugs filling in for injured players in Montreal and Hamilton, but it is still a chance for them to impress and possibly earn an AHL deal for next season if the Canadiens decide more depth is necessary. Flanigan and Novak made their debuts last night, with neither recording a point but the former leading all Dogs' players with 4 shots on goal.

- Injury Updates

When Tomas Kaberle first missed a game last week, it was blamed on the birth of his child. Thus, people became a little skeptical when he didn't quickly re-join the team in the days that followed, with the Habs eventually citing an upper body injury for his absence. Kaberle is one of 6 players to not join the team on their trip to Buffalo for this evening's game.

Raphael Diaz is not expected to return this season. The 26-year old rookie is on schedule in his rehab, but is likely to run out of games remaining before he reaches 100%. Diaz impressed beyond expectations this season, and it will be interesting to see how the Canadiens decide to shape their defense in preparing for next season and where the Swiss native will fit in. He is a capable bottom-pairing player, able to take a shift on a second powerplay unit. If he isn't to play another game this year, his 16 points in 59 games are nothing to scoff at as a starting point.

Similarly, captain Brian Gionta continues to work to get back, but isn't expected to be at 100% before May, meaning his disappointing and frustrating season is at a close. Gionta's 31 games are the fewest he has ever played in an NHL season, while his 15 points are the fewest since his rookie year (11 points in 33 games in 2001-02). He is another case where the Habs' brass will have to consider how he fits into the plan moving forward.

Mathieu Darche continues to skate, though is also not in Buffalo. Travis Moen is expected to resume skating today. A return for either is possible, perhaps even likely for Darche, and with both pending unrestricted free agents this summer, decisions will need to be taken in their cases relatively soon.

Scott Gomez is unlikely to return this season given he remains off-ice with concussion issues. It has been a terribly turbulent season for Gomez who, in addition to his lack of production, has been in and out of the lineup with various different ailments.

- Prospect Report

Joonas Nattinen paced the Hamilton Bulldogs to a 3-1 win yesterday with a goal and an assist. The 21-year old AHL rookie has had a very streaky season, but has scored 7 of his 9 goals on the season in the past 15 games, which hints at a good learning curve and some remaining potential to develop further next year.

CHL playoffs get underway this weekend, which means a wrap on some impressive regular seasons for Canadiens' prospects. With a goal in his final game, Patrick Holland enters the post-seaosn riding a 20-game point streak. He finished his WHL season with 25 goals, 84 assists, and 109 points in 72 games, ranking 6th in league scoring. His Tri-City Americans finished 1st in the Western Conference, meaning a first round matchup against the Everett Silvertips will begin in the coming days.

Brendan Gallagher's Vancouver Giants earned home ice for the first round (also in the WHL's Western Conference) and will face the Spokane Chiefs in the 4th-5th seed matchup. Gallagher finished the season with 41 goals, unable to match last year's 44, but did play 12 fewer games. He hopes for a longer playoff run this season after injury limited his participation to just 4 games last year (in which he still contributed 2 goals).

Finally in the WHL, Darren Dietz and the Saskatoon Blades finished 5th in the East, meaning they will play the Medicine Hat Tigers. Despite being known perhaps more for his rough style of play, Dietz finished 2nd in points amongst Saskatoon defensemen, with 44 points in 72 games.

Over in the OHL, Jarred Tinordi's London Knights finished as the league's top seed, drawing a first round matchup with the Windsor Spitfires. Held off the scoresheet in 6 games last year, Tinordi is still seeking his first OHL playoff point.

In the QMJHL, the two most important clubs for Habs fans are the first and second seeds, and with second seed Shawinigan already assured a Memorial Cup berth as the host, Canadiens fans can hope neither is upset on route to the finals. Nathan Beaulieu's Saint John Sea Dogs won the regular season championship, with Beaulieu finishing 5th on the team in scoring and 12 points ahead of the second most productive d-man. Saint John draws 16th seed Cape Breton in the opener in what should not be a fair fight.

Shawinigan captain Michael Bournival finished the year fourth on his team in scoring due to missed time during the WJC and with injury, but had the top points-per-game average with 56 in 41. Teammate Morgan Ellis was a point-per-game player after being acquired by the Cataractes, ending the year matching Beaulieu with 52 points, the pair tying for 5th in league scoring amongst defensemen. Shawinigan will play the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the first round.

In the NCAA, after being held pointless in North Dakota's opening round 2-game sweep of Bemidji State, Danny Kristo scored a goal and 2 assists over a three game set that saw the Fighting Sioux crowned WCHA Final Five Champions. As such, they earned the top seed for this weekend's NCAA West Regionals (#4 nationally) where they will open against Western Michigan. Kristo's numbers are impressive, but he was outshone by rookie teammate and fellow Hab prospect Mark MacMillan, who is currently on a 6-game point streak over which he has accumulated 3 goals and 7 assists.

Greg Pateryn and Mac Bennett's Michigan Wolverines are the top seed in the Midwest Regional meaning they will play Cornell. Michigan was kind enough to post a link to this chart to show how the final 16 schedule plays out:

http://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/files/icehockey-men_d1_2011.pdf

Habs Activate Andrei Markov Off IR

News big enough to warrant posting on a Saturday evening here in Barcelona: this morning, the Montreal Canadiens have activated defenseman Andrei Markov from injured reserve.

Yes, you read that right. No longer is Markov on the team's injured list. This means he can return at any point, possibly as early as tonight! The announcement has excited Canadiens fans around the world who will, undoubtedly, also be holding their breath any time an opposing player skates near the Russian rearguard. He may or may not play this evening, but the news means he can be considered a game-time decision every game from now until he does play.

If he does play this evening, the team is likely to go with 7 defenseman to ease him back into action. And based on comments by Randy Cunneyworth after practice, and later a radio interview given by Pierre Gauthier during today's Hamilton Bulldogs broadcast, it sounds like he will indeed make his debut.

All of this is great news and one can't help but be very happy for a man who has worked so hard to get to this point. Here's a nice video on Markov's 10+ years with the Canadiens:

Andrei Markov Cleared for Contact

There was surprising good news out of Montreal Canadiens practice this morning. Confused journalists witnessed defenseman Andrei Markov lead the team out on to the ice, wearing a standard white jersey just like the other healthy defensemen. Gone was his burgundy sweater that signifed "no contact."

Some journalists were quick to quip, "They must have accidentally forgotten the burgundy jersey when doing laundry," or "Maybe he's been wearing it for so long that the colour has faded completely away."

But Markov proved them wrong, practicing alongside fellow Russian rearguard Alexei Emelin on a regular pairing. No, Markov didn't participate in every one of today's drills, but it's still a huge step forward for the man who has yet to play a game in 2011-12. Following practice, Markov confirmed the suspicions, indicating that he'd been given a green light to test contact in practice. We still don't have a specific timetable for his return, but he stated confidently that he will be back this season. It seems, for once, the rhetoric "he's progressing well," which has been fed to us ever since July is finally true.

This is an interesting issue as many Hab fans have expressed their concern over him returning to play "meaningless" games down the stretch, with the Canadiens sure to miss the playoffs. "Why not just hold him out till next year?" many have wondered. If - and only if - Markov is 100% healthy, then I would be strongly in favour of getting him into as much game action as possible over the final weeks of the season. If the knee is going to give out again, it won't make a difference whether it's this March or next September. What is more important is that The General of the team's powerplay gets into some game action now to begin to rebuild his confidence on the ice. Playing a few games will help to show him anything he may have lost in his time off so that he can work on it over the summer, while keeping him motivated in his rehab.

Plus, we can all admit, in what has been a horribly painful season, watching Markov back on the ice will be a small pleasant treat for Canadiens fans.

LIVE Coverage - 2012 NHL Trade Deadline

As we did for the 2011 NHL Draft and Free Agent Frenzy, we will be bringing you live coverage with all the latest trades as they happen, plus instant analysis all day long. There will be a Habs-focus to this live blog, no doubt, but we will still cover news from around the league.

Monday, February 27th

Trade Deadline - 3:00 PM EST

Pierre Gauthier press conference - 6:30 PM EST

- 9:00 AM - The Habs officially cancel practice this morning.

- 9:19 AM - Bob McKenzie points to Habs as a team to watch for possible off the chart surprises today.

- 9:19 AM - Some players named this morning in play: Steve Staios, Antti Niemi, James van Riemsdyk. Samuel Pahlsson, Jaroslav Spacek. The New York Islanders are said to not be dealing pending-UFAs Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau or Evgeni Nabokov.

- 9:26 AM - Darren Dreger now suggests Parenteau is on the market (after Renaud Lavoie said opposite moments ago), though Nabokov still not available.

- 9:38 AM - Twitter rumour monger Incarcerated Bob says Andrei Kostitsyn has been traded and trade call is going through. PLEASE note that Incarcerated Bob, El Cloun, El Chouin, DeepthroatCH, Eklund, Hockeyy Insiderr, The Creasy, and others are NOT legitimate sources. Stick with mainstream media today.

- 9:45 AM - Renaud Lavoie indicates the New York Islanders' asking price for P.A. Parenteau (UFA rental) is a first round selection.

- 9:49 AM - The Montreal Canadiens have a war room in Tampa Bay, where Pierre Gauthier, Bob Gainey, and assistant coach / assistant GM Larry Carriere work on deals.

- 10:06 AM - Bob McKenzie indicates the Habs are the favourites to be the first team to make a deal today.

- 10:08 AM - Darren Dreger puts Ryan White's name out there as generating interest from other GMs. He's been added to our big board at the bottom of this post.

- 10:10 AM - Bob McKenzie says there are unconfirmed reports Andrei Kostitsyn is heading to Nashville. No word on return yet. Stay tuned.

- 10:14 AM - From the "what?!" file, former Canadien tough guy Georges Laraque has told the French media that a Tampa Bay Lightning player informed him that Rick Nash will be traded to Tampa.

- 10:16 AM - Louis Jean of Sportsnet says he has heard anyone NOT named Carey Price, P.K. Subban, Josh Gorges, and perhaps Max Pacioretty is available.

- 10:21 AM - Per Renaud Lavoie, Andrei Kostitsyn "knows" he's been traded to Nashville, but hasn't spoken to Pierre Gauthier yet. No word on return yet.

- 10:45 AM - Kostitsyn deal done. See completed trades list below.

- 11:10 AM - TSN reports former Hab forward Mikhail Grabovski is in play in Toronto. They claim there is a late 1st round pick on the table for him, but Brian Burke wants more.

- 11:13 AM - Darren Dreger says Boston is looking at either Winnipeg's Johnny Oduya or Colorado's David Jones to reinforce their blueline.

- 11:44 AM - Indication is Leafs trying hard to get pending UFA Grabovski signed. GM Brian Burke says doing nothing today would not be the worst thing possible. Says he received a trade offer for goaltender James Reimer days ago but turned out down flat.

- 11:47 AM - Here's a funny little scoop. The Columbus Blue Jackets pulled down a Rick Nash banner from outside their arena today. Proof is on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNiyz8EYGN4&feature=youtu.be Is a deal closer than we think it is? Nash played for the Jackets yesterday, and participated in the team's morning skate today.

- 11:50 AM - Montreal journalist L.A. Lariviere reports that he expects Chris Campoli to be next player out of Montreal. This, as predicted (see Habs big board at bottom of this post). Other Montreal journalists Tweeting that no Hab seems particularly surprised or upset about Kostitsyn's departure.

- 11:58 AM - Always reliable Columbus reporter Aaron Portzline indicates world from Jackets senior advisor Craig Patrick is that the team has "more than 15" open offers on a "handful of players," but nothing they like just yet.

- 12:02 PM - Less than 3 hours till deadline. Reports that Bryan Allen and Tomas Vokoun were pulled out of practice with Carolina and Washington, but nothing confirmed as of yet. Do we have more action coming?

- 12:04 PM - The Montreal Canadiens have claimed d-man Brad Staubitz off waivers. Winnipeg claimes Grant Clitsome. More below in confirmed deal section.

- 12:11 PM - Brian Burke talks to TSN on the phone, saying Grabovski is officially off the table today. The contract doesn't have to get done today, but he believes it'll get done. He also mentioned the prices for goaltenders today are far too high for him, and/or involve contracts extending beyond this season. Says he would be ok with not making any moves today and believes that's the most likely scenario right now.

- 12:15 PM - La Presse journalist Richard Labbe indicates that neither Travis Moen nor Mathieu Darche has received medical clearance yet, and thus neither is on the trade market today.

- 12:51 PM - Andrei Kostitsyn addresses the Montreal media before leaving to join the Preds. Says he has yet to speak with his brother Sergei since the trade. Doesn't like country music. Scott Gomez was his best friend on the team. He and Randy Cunneyworth didn't have the best rapport, as he was unhappy with his ice time / usage.

- 1:03 PM - Another strange rumour as the Detroit Red Wings may have a deal in place to send pending UFA Brad Stuart to the New York Rangers for picks, per NewsDay's Steve Zipay. That would be a 2nd d-man leaving the Wings for future assets today, indicating they must have something bigger in mind. Lubomir Visnovsky, perhaps?

- 1:09 PM - Renaud Lavoie gives us a bit of REAL insight into the Canadiens' braintrust (hi, Tony Marinaro) by indicating that Geoff Molson remained in Fort Lauderdale with the players, while Pierre Gauthier, Bob Gainey, and Larry Carriere are together in Tampa Bay.

- 1:15 PM - Bob McKenzie indicates Carolina will retain Bryan Allen, even if a new contract can't be agreed upon today. Pierre LeBrun chimes in that former Canadiens d-man Jaroslav Spacek is expected to be dealt away from the Hurricanes within the next hour, however.

- 1:45 PM - Bob McKenzie indicates Colorado may be close to dealing Daniel Winnick, who has received considerable interest. San Jose in the lead.

- 1:46 PM - Sportsnet's Louis Jean has a Travis Moen update. No contract talks have yet taken place, but he'd like to stay in Montreal and the team would like to retain him.

- 2:50 PM - 10 minutes till the deadline and we have confirmation from JF Chaumont that Habs Chris Campoli and Yannick Weber are both on the team bus presently being boarded. It seems - for now anyway - that Pierre Gauthier couldn't find a taker for their services.

Today's Latest Completed Transactions Around the League

- 10:45 AM - The Montreal Canadiens traded Andrei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators for a 2013 2nd round pick, plus the conditional 5th round pick Montreal sent Nashville in the Hal Gill trade.

This is a deal that had to happen. I would have liked to see Kostitsyn get a little bit of a bigger return, and it's unfortunate he goes to a team that doesn't hold a 2012 2nd rounder (Habs have it already from the Gill trade). But needed to get value in return for Kostitsyn before losing him for nothing on July 1st. The Canadiens now hold two 2nd round picks in 2012, and three 2nd round picks in 2013, after not having a second round pick in any of the last 3 drafts. For the Preds, a team that lacks offensive fire power, they are rolling the dice that reuniting Andrei with his brother Sergei creates some kind of a spark and no off-ice issues.

If you are underwhelmed at the return, before being mad at Pierre Gauthier, be mad at Andrei Kostitsyn himself whose horrid play of late turned off a lot of potential takers and damaged his value. Also note that the 2013 draft is expected to be deeper than the 2012, so that pick may hold more value.

- 12:04 PM - Noon means waiver time. The Montreal Canadiens have claimed forward Brad Staubitz off re-entry waivers from the Minnesota Wild.

Staubitz, 27, is a 6'1", 210 lbs defenseman who isn't known for his offensive game, but is a tough, physical customer. Staubitz played 43 games for the Wild this season (no points, 73 PIM, -7) before being sent down to play 4 games in the AHL. Staubitz is a competent fighter and will be a UFA at year's end. Since he was on re-entry waivers, the Canadiens get him for half-price, meaning his cap hit this season is just $287,500. His acquisition allows the Canadiens to bring in a warm NHL body if they trade d-men elsewhere (likely Chris Campoli) later today. Staubitz is capable of playing the wing as well.

The Winnipeg Jets claimed defenseman Grant Clitsome off waivers.

Clitsome has one more year on his contract at over $1M. Surprising he wasn't worth any sort of draft pick to Columbus, but a depth defenseman at best.

- 12:43 PM - The Detroit Red Wings have dealt defenseman Mike Commodore to the Tampa Bay Lightning in return for a conditional 7th round pick.

Strange to see the Wings "selling" a player at this point, but Commodore hasn't been effective since signing with Detroit. He has played only 17 NHL games this season (hence the very low return). The Lightning adding a d-man for "nothing" lets them moving pending UFAs Brett Clark and Matt Gilroy if reasonable offers come in.

- 12:58 PM - The Edmonton Oilers trade defenseman Tom Gilbert to the Minnesota Wild for defenseman Nick Schultz.

Interesting trade of an offensive-oriented d-man from the Oil for a solid, more defensive guy in Schultz. Similar contracts, similar age. I'd score this as a win for Minnesota for now, as I like Gilbert's all-around game better than Schultz's.

- 1:43 PM - The Toronto Maple Leafs trade defenseman Keith Aulie to the Tampa Lightning for prospect forward Carter Ashton.

This one comes a little out of the blue, but is a pretty big move. Aulie looked good last year but was passed in the depth chart by Jake Gardiner, making him expendable. The Lightning are in need of younger d-men to build around. Ashton is a 20-year old AHL rookie who has scored 19 goals and 35 points in 56 games. His offensive upside is unclear, but he has good size at 6'3", 205 lbs, is a solid skater, and plays a strong two-way game. Tampa selected him in the first round, 29th overall, in 2009. Seems like a solid move for the Leafs to deal out of depth and bring in a big, young forward. Hard to admit it, but really like it for Toronto.

- 1:56 PM - The San Jose Sharks have acquired forwards Daniel Winnick and T.J. Galiardi, and a 7th round pick from the Colorado Avalanche for Jamie McGinn, Michael Sgarbossa, and Mike Connolly.

Winnick and Galiardi are good depth forwards entering the post-season. Sgarbossa is an impressive junior-aged prospect, while McGill - a 6'1", 210 lbs winger and still only 23 - has scored 24 points in 61 games with San Jose this year. A clear deal of future assets for present ones, with the Sharks gearing up with grizzled vets for a deep playoff drive.

- 1:57 PM - The Ottawa Senators have traded defenseman Brian Lee to the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Matt Gilroy.

Gilroy is an upgrade on Lee for the present season, but will be a UFA this summer. Tampa gets an asset with some staying power, though Lee has far from lived up to the hype that once made him a first round selection.

- 1:58 PM - The Vancouver Canucks have acquired center Samuel Pahlsson from the Columbus Blue Jackets for 2 fourth round picks.

Pahlsson is a great pick-up for the Canucks, not unlike Maxim Lapierre and Chris Higgins last year. Centering a line with Travis Moen and Rob Niedermayer, Pahlsson was an integral piece to Anaheim's Stanley Cup championship. At age 34, it will be interesting to see what he has left in the tank, but the price is cheap to rent him before he becomes a UFA this summer. I'd call it a very good pick-up for Vancouver.

- 2:07 PM - The Chicago Blackhawks acquire defenseman Johnny Oduya from the Winnipeg Jets for 2nd and 3rd round picks in 2013.

Oduya will be an unrestricted free agent this summer but is a decent rental on D (though he has gone down hill the last year and a half) for a team that is struggling mightily of late. The price paid for a guy whose best hockey seems behind him (though he's still only 30) seems excessive, but such has been the nature of the defenseman market leading up to the deadline.

- 2:55 PM - The Boston Bruins have acquired Brian Rolston and defenseman Mike Mottau from the New York Islanders for Yannick Riendeau and Marc Cantin.

The B's add a veteran for their playoff push. Rolston cleared waivers at noon. A salary dump from the Isles for no real return.

- 2:59 PM - The Nashville Predators have acquired center Paul Gaustad and a 4th round selection from the Buffalo Sabres for a first round pick.

There was mass interest in Gaustad in the days leading up to the deadline, as a big, two-way fourth line center is the kind of guy teams like to stock up on before the post-season.

- 3:00 PM - The Boston Bruins acquired defenseman Greg Zanon from the Minnesota Wild for defenseman Steve Kampfer.

The Bruins trade a younger defenseman still trying to establish himself at the NHL level for a veteran shotblocker for their playoff drive.

- 3:00 PM - The New York Rangers acquired tough guy John Scott from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 5th round pick.

- 3:35 PM - The biggest trade of the day (arguably) comes in after the deadline. The Vancouver Canucks have traded forward Cody Hodgson and d-man Alexander Sulzer to the Buffalo Sabres for prospect Zack Kassian and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani.

2 promising young talents dealt for one another in Hodgson and Kassian. Interesting move that comes in late. Hodgson has tons of potential, but Kassian is a mean big body with offensive upside.

Habs News and Rumour Big Board

Player Name	Photo	Pos	Contract	The Scoop	Status
The Hot Seat (Most Likely to be Moved)
Campoli, Chris		D	0 yrs remaining (UFA), $1.75M	- Healthy scratch yesterday - Little trade value - Numerous teams interested in adding depth D	Unchanged
Kostitsyn, Andrei		RW/LW	0 yrs remaining (UFA), $3.25M	- Played yesterday, limited minutes - Poor season, but Wojtek Wolski had value - Stated wants to stay in Montreal	Dealt to Nashville for 2nd round pick in 2013.
Nokelainen, Petteri		C	0 yrs remaining (RFA), $550K	- Little talk of him, but healthy again - Playoff team may want his face-off ability - RFA but doubting fit in long-term plans - Can recoup late pick spent on him	Unchanged
The Rumoured (Mid-Long Shot Deals)
Moen, Travis		LW	0 yrs remaining (UFA), $1.5M	- Injured, not yet skating, no return date set - Bob McKenzie claims Habs not making him available - Would be a hot commodity if healthy	Unchanged; Not cleared for contact; allegedly unavailable
Plekanec, Tomas		C	4 yrs remaining (UFA), $5M	- Rumoured yesterday to be available by mainstream media - Agent denies wanting a trade - Only to be moved in an "upgrade" deal	Unchanged; Name continues to be floated
White, Ryan		LW	0 yrs remaining (RFA), $625K	- Darren Dreger indicates many teams are calling about him - Unclear if Gauthier considers him part of core moving forward	Unchanged
Darche, Mathieu		LW	0 yrs remaining (UFA), $700K	- Currently sick/injured, but returning soon - Two-way depth guy for playoff team - Little value, but doesn't hurt to add a pick	Unchanged; Not cleared for contact; allegedly unavailable
Subban, P.K.		D	0 yrs remaining (RFA), $875K	- Sportsnet says may be available - Other team sources say haven't heard he's on market - Trading now would be a huge mistake	Unchanged
Kaberle, Tomas		D	2 yrs remaining (UFA), $4.25M	- Is there a market for him? Zidlicky trade hints yes - Production may interest some clubs - Will PG deal him before Markov's return? If taker, he should!	Unchanged
Speculation (Others who Could be Available)
Weber, Yannick		D	1 yr remaining (RFA), $850K	- Re-joined Top 6 on D yesterday with Campoli sitting - Hasn't earned full time D roster spot - Still has potential + some value	Unchanged
Desharnais, David		C	1 yr remaining (RFA), $850K	- IF Plekanec is on market, DD could be as well - Team wants to get bigger - Value MAY be as high as it will ever be	Unchanged
Gomez, Scott		D	2 yrs remaining (UFA), $7.36M	- Let's call this one wishful thinking - Definitely available, but unlikely any other team bites	Unchanged
Palushaj, Aaron		RW	1 yr remaining (RFA), $850K	- Hasn't shown he can play consistently in NHL - Will be waiver eligible next season - Young + cheap for team needing forward depth	Unchanged
Eller, Lars		C	1 yr remaining (RFA), $850K	- Only IF the Canadiens need to sacrifice a player of value to acquire a big name - Cunneyworth hasn't loved him this season - Very skilled, but inconsistent effort	Unchanged

Habs Fans: How to Scoreboard Watch Effectively

Does a losing season have you confused? With the Canadiens hoping more for a top draft pick than a playoff spot at this point, are you unsure who you should be cheering for down the stretch? Then you've come to the right place!

Personally, I have two major goals for the remainder of the 2011-12 regular season, which are:

1 - For the Montreal Canadiens to finish as low as possible in the overall league standings, thus earning as high a draft pick as possible.

2 - For the Toronto Maple Leafs to miss the playoffs.

The second one might sound petty, but I can only imagine the taunting that would follow if the Leafs made the post-season while the Habs did not.

So how do we achieve these goals? Here's my take on the hierarchy in which you should want teams to win, starting with the teams that need to win most:

1) Carolina Hurricanes: Currently 28th overall with 57 points in 60 games. Objective - finish higher than Montreal. Expected to sell off more parts on the deadline.

2) New York Islanders: Currently 26th overall with 58 points in 60 games. Objective - finish higher than Montreal.

3) Tampa Bay Lightning: Currently 23rd overall with 60 points in 59 games. Objective - finish higher than Montreal. Already in firesale mode, having traded Dominic Moore, Pavel Kubina, and Steve Downie for draft picks. More departures expected, which will mean falling lower.

4) Buffalo Sabres: Currently 25th overall with 59 points in 60 games. Objective - finish higher than Montreal. Depth cast-offs expected.

5) Washington Capitals: Currently 10th in the East with 63 points in 60 games. Objective - finish higher than Toronto. Rumoured to be trying to sell off some pieces, but sit only 2 points back of the 8th place Leafs in even games played.

6) Winnipeg Jets: Currently 9th in the East with 65 points in 62 games. Objective - Finish higher than Toronto. They'll go for it; let's hope for a good story of them getting there. Tied with Leafs in points, but Toronto holds 2 games in hand + the non-shootout wins tiebreaker.

7) Anaheim Ducks: Currently 24th overall with 60 points in 60 games. Objective - Cheer for Saku Koivu... erm... finish higher than Montreal. The Ducks have had a very hot second half so hopefully that trend continues and they stay above the Canadiens in the league standings.

8) Edmonton Oilers: Currently 29th overall with 52 points in 59 games. Objective - Longshot to finish ahead of Montreal. The Oilers have 2 games in hand on the Canadiens and sit 6 points behind them. It would take a major streak from all of their young talent to see them rise up the ladder, but might as well hope for that if they're not playing any of the above teams.

9) Minnesota Wild: Currently 22nd overall with 61 points in 59 games. Objective - Finish higher than Montreal. If the Oil are a longshot to pass the Habs, the Wild are a longshot to finish below them. But with 20 games remaining, a cold streak is still a possibility, so when not playing teams 1-8, let's hope Minnesota wins.

10) Florida Panthers: Currently third in the East as the Southeast Division leader, with 65 points in 58 games. Objective - Finish higher than Toronto. Florida is up 2 points on the Caps with 2 games in hand, but if they start to skid, Washington winning won't be enough to keep Toronto out of the post-season. Thus, Florida needs to win some games down the stretch as well.

So now you know who you should get behind to help us achieve 2 key goals. To make sure it's clear, if any team on this list is playing a team that isn't on it, we should want the team listed above to win. Further, if team 8 is playing team 2 on this list for example, you should want team 2 to win, and so on.

One obvious caveat is that, while in most years, if the Habs were in, say, 8th place at this point, we would absolutely dread 3-point games between teams in 7th and 9th place, this year we want as many 3-point games between the above teams as we can get. The more points to spread around, the better!

What makes this list interesting is that, of the Canadiens' 21 remaining regular season games, 14 are either against one of those 10 teams or against the Leafs. Games on March 3 and April 7th against Toronto are the big ones that I would love to see Montreal take, while the 12 games against other teams either trying to make the post-season or near the bottom of the league's standings are ones it won't hurt so badly if the team drops.

Habs Trade Talk - Deadline Dos and Don'ts

There's a big week in store for your Montreal Canadiens. And it has absolutely nothing to do with 3 winnable games against the Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, and Florida Panthers.

Pierre Gauthier and his staff have until 3 PM EST next Monday (February 27th) to complete their final deals until after a team raises the Stanley Cup this June. For the first time in quite a while, the Canadiens appear to find themselves out of the running at the deadline, which should make them one of the league's few pure sellers. In economic terms, being one of the few is always a benefit, since by laws of supply-and-demand, the relative value of your assets increases, which means Gauthier is in a pretty powerful position. He has NHL-able talent to provide to the highest bidders.

Gauthier opened for business early in dealing Hal Gill to the Nashville Predators last week in a trade where all seem to agree he got as much as he could hope for in return for the 36-year old pending UFA. Given the number of dockets he has to manage this week, getting one off the table early is not a bad idea, particularly when it's unlikely the price for Gill would have gone up any higher a week later. If anything, by then, others teams with a need for a specialty player like him might have found their answers elsewhere.

But Gauthier still has many long nights ahead, not that he looks like he ever sleeps (or eats for that matter) anyway. The fact that the Canadiens are out of the playoff race likely means the team's future assets are safe, but that doesn't mean there are no places that Gauthier could still trip up. Here we look at some Dos and Don'ts for the man running the good ship Hab over the next 6 days.

Things To Do

1) Talk to the agents for pending unrestricted free agents Andrei Kostitsyn and Travis Moen. If Kostitsyn can be extended at $3.5M or less, and Moen at his current salary, get it done. I understand those who get very frustrated with Kostitsyn's inconsistencies, but the fact is the team won't be able to replace him with a big 20+ goal scorer who can play with physicality for any less money than he makes. If next season's third line looks something like Rene Bourque - Lars Eller - Andrei Kostitsyn, the team should be in good shape.

As for Moen, the fact that he is currently injured, whether or not it had to do with him being rushed back into the lineup inexplicably, means the team may not be able to trade him even if they wanted to. It's still possible that he'll be in the line-up Sunday vs. the Florida Panthers which would put his name back on the market, but he isn't yet skating and we've had no real updates on his health. Moen is a great guy to have on a fourth line alongside a Ryan White. Add a young player like Louis Leblanc or Blake Geoffrion, and the team's bottom 6 looks pretty sound.

The most important "do," is that if either of these guys isn't signed this week, they must be dealt elsewhere. Their value in Montreal for another 20 games is very minimal. The return the may bring in, perhaps a 2nd round pick each, will be of much greater help to the club in the big picture.

2) Try to offload some contracts. Two players in particular, to me, don't fit into this team's long-term structure. The obvious one is Scott Gomez, though moving him will be easier said than done. The team is likely going to have to wait till the summer to deal with his problem contract, whether through a possible new CBA-permitted no-cap-hit buyout, or by trading him for another poor contract given his actual dollar amount owed drops for the next two seasons.

The other one is Tomas Kaberle. Kaberle defenders will point to his 17 points in 31 games with the Habs as strong production, and they're not wrong. That pace would mean a 45-point 82-game season, which are good numbers for a blueliner. But calling Kaberle a blueliner might be a bit of a stretch; he is the furthest thing from dependable in his own end and needs to play sheltered minutes with a strong defensive partner. Seeing him on the ice beside Chris Campoli has created enough nightmares for Hab fans already. If the team was within earshot of a playoff spot, I would say Kaberle has his place here until season's end due to Andrei Markov's uncertain status between now and April. But the Russian is working hard to get back into shape, and at this point there is little reason to doubt his presence in the team's opening night line-up next October. Since our focus should be building for next season, with Markov and the likes of P.K. Subban, Raphael Diaz, and Yannick Weber in Montreal, Kaberle is redundant and should be replaced with a more complete player. His production during his time with the Canadiens might actually make up a moveable asset, even though the return will be limited (and likely less than the Habs would have gotten for selling a Jaroslav Spacek rental). That's the reason to trade him now instead of waiting to see how Markov progresses; demand for Kaberle and his contract won't always be there.

3) Trade the other UFAs. If moving Kaberle and/or Gomez may be difficult, moving Chris Campoli should be easier. He won't return much more than a late round draft pick, but depth defensemen rentals are always in demand come deadline. Another pending UFA, Mathieu Darche, may have generated some interest with his resurgent play as well, and though he would like to stay in Montreal, if anyone offers any kind of pick or prospect for his services, Gauthier would be silly to ignore it.

4) Test market interest in still-useful players. Yannick Weber jumps to mind as a player being wasted in his present role in Montreal, but who other teams may see potential in. Weber needs to either be developed properly as an offensive defenseman or sent to an organization that will give him that chance before he is completely depleted as an asset. If Petteri Nokelainen returns to the line-up this week - a possibility given he is skating again - the Canadiens should at the least be able to recoup the 7th round pick spent to acquire him, if not improve upon it from a team that needs face-off help going into the playoffs. Aaron Palushaj doesn't look to have much of a future in Montreal, especially with the addition of Blake Geoffrion and the graduation of Brendan Gallagher and Michael Bournival to Hamilton next season. Perhaps there is a club that would swap a younger prospect or draft pick for him as a more NHL-ready player.

The more controversial one, which I've mentioned before, is the idea of floating either Tomas Plekanec or David Desharnais. Trading either before having a replacement plan in place would be a HUGE risk, but it never hurts to see if there might be a can't-refuse offer out there. In case you missed my previous discussion about moving one of them, the idea is that the Canadiens should add a BIG top 6 center to improve their match-ups against bigger forward lines and bigger shutdown D pairings. As I'd like Lars Eller to remain the third line center, bringing in a large pivot would mean moving either Pleks or DD. The harder part will be finding the right player to replace one of them; say a Mikhail Grigorenko or Ryan Getzlaf.

5) Don't ignore any sweepstakes for contracted established players. Just because the Canadiens are a "seller," doesn't mean they should be out of the running if any signed veterans who could help the team become available. Marquee players don't become available every day. If a player is on the market, Gauthier shouldn't close any doors. Especially if he's already sold some players off by then, he may have considerable future assets to work with. The biggest name known to be at least "somewhat" available right now is Columbus's Rick Nash. His contract may not be the most attractive, but the package he brings to the table is one that would help the Canadiens in a big way. The more pressing need might be for a marquee center with size, but adding Nash to a team with Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole would help to make the Habs a tough team to defend against. Of course, Nash may be a moot point, as there are no confirmed reports that he would even consider waiving his no-movement clause to come to Montreal even if a deal were worked out.

Things To Avoid

1) Trading significant future assets. That means no 2012 draft picks (this year's first has to be COMPLETELY off limits), Brendan Gallagher, Michael Bournival, Jarred Tinordi (who celebrated his 20th birthday yesterday), Nathan Beaulieu, or Danny Kristo. Heck, I'd even add Morgan Ellis, Darren Dietz, and Greg Pateryn to this group. The exception is in the case of #5 of the things to do, of course, since to bring in a premiere player, a prospect or two may have to be sacrificed. But in general, these names should be considered off-limits during a poor season.

2) Dealing recklessly with Columbus. Yes, Rick Nash *could* be a nice addition. But he also comes with a cap hit of $7.8M per season until 2018 which is a big chunk of change, even for a 60-point player. I would still take Nash, but wouldn't be willing to sacrifice anything and everything to acquire him. If that means the Habs are outbid for his services, so be it.

It's not just Nash who is allegedly available from the Blue Jackets though. They may also seek to part with Jeff Carter after acquiring him last June. Carter has appeared unhappy to play in Columbus since the day he was traded, the issue has gotten worse as a nagging foot injury has limited him to just 38 games. If you had asked me prior to this season if I'd have interest in Carter, I'd have said absolutely. A 6'3" goal-scoring center seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. But now consider his injuries, combined with his scoring just 22 points in those 38 games in his first season outside of Philadelphia, and - most importantly - the fact that his $5.3M cap hit extends until 2022 (when he'll be 37). Yes, Carter is a much better player than Scott Gomez, but his contract is also much longer and could handicap the team in a similar way. Thus, I would stay far away from any trade talks involving him.

Another Jacket with an unfavourable contract and likely on the market is Derick Brassard. Again, a 6'1" offensive center would appear to fit the bill nicely, but after setting career highs with 17 goals and 47 points as a 23-year old last season, his play has gone way south this year, undoubtedly making the Jackets regret his $3.2M annually deal that ends in 2014. Brassard has just 24 points in 51 games and was even a healthy scratch at times. The obvious connection to Montreal is a language one, with Brassard hailing from Hull, QC. But unless the Jackets are going to return the favour and take a contract like Gomez or Kaberle's from the Canadiens in the deal, I would be very hesitant to bring in Brassard.

3) Trading core pieces to address needs. If Gauthier does find an available player that fits into the team's plan, he must avoid the trap of addressing a need while creating another. The following roster players are my untouchable list which should not be included in any transaction: Carey Price, P.K. Subban, Alexei Emelin, Lars Eller, Josh Gorges, Max Pacioretty, and Erik Cole. This is my core, while there is flexibility for the remainder.

4) This last one is not for Gauthier, but for Habs fans. Avoid following made-up internet rumour mongers. That means Eklund, Incarcerated Bob, Hockeyy Insiderr, The Creasy, El Cloun (and his Vestiaire gang)... and Bruce Garrioch... If you follow them for strictly entertainment purposes to read whatever nonsense proposals they put out there, then fine. I follow some of them for that purpose as well. But please PLEASE don't take any of their alleged "rumours" too seriously. Most of it is either made up for some, or simply re-posting whatever any random anonymous source "leaks" to them for others.

If Gauthier can abide by all of this, it should be a relatively successful week. One "do" for Hab fans: Hang in there, and stay tuned to http://www.yourcanadiens.info/ and/or our Twitter account @DailyCanadiens for all the latest insights and analysis as the transactions unfold. I'll be in Madrid over the weekend, so posts are more likely to be after-the-fact analysis depending on timing, but I will be stationed in my European workspace Monday ready to bring you all the news as-it-happens.

One Week 'till D-Day

If you had spoken to me two weeks ago, I would have told you I held only excited, optimistic views about the quickly approaching NHL trade deadline. Every game seemed a struggle for the Canadiens, and the team was tumbling towards last place in the Eastern Conference. A re-tooling and aiming for a top draft pick looked poised to begin any moment. I was excited at the prospect of acquiring, well, more prospects, whether directly through moves or trading for future draft picks. I was hopeful that some salaries, such as that of Tomas Kaberle, could be moved elsewhere.

That was two weeks ago. With the deadline now just a week away, if you had spoken to me prior to last night's game against the New Jersey Devils, the main word I would have had to describe my feelings would have been scared. With a 5-1-1 record over their previous 7 games, remarkably, thanks in no small part to skids by both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals, the Canadiens had a chance to move to within just 4 small points of the 8th and final playoff spot if they had beaten New Jersey. Even I, who has repeatedly said I don't see the playoffs as a possibility this season, would have had to concede to the belief/dream of a miracle run that sees the club squeak in.

So why be scared of this? Because as much as I always would want the team to make the playoffs, even as an 8th seed with long-shot odds of advancing, given my doubt in their ability to qualify this season, I feared Pierre Gauthier sticking with a "going for it" mindset and thus not trading assets while he could get reasonable value for them. Assets like pending UFAs Andrei Kostitsyn, Chris Campoli, and Travis Moen (if he gets healthy). Worse, might Gauthier even have been tempted to deal an excess prospect or pick for a rental to try to help push the team upwards?

That positive view comes from looking above the Canadiens in the standings, but the truth is, if you look at their rank and below, despite the hot streak, nothing much has changed. The teams in 9th and 11th through 15th have all performed much better of late than the 8th place Leafs and 10th place Caps, so the Habs haven't actually made up much ground. Last night's loss, then, was a huge blow to that playoff dream, and should set the team back on the re-tooling course. With 58 points in 60 games, Montreal would draft 5th overall as of today (pre-lottery), which could be 4th if Buffalo wins its game in hand. The team to sell is nigh.

I hear what you're saying. "Don't be silly Dan. It's clear they were going to be sellers. They traded Hal Gill!" Yes, they did, but keep in mind that Gill's role with the team had been greatly reduced as the season went on. He was typically playing 13-14 minutes a night of late. Getting the amazing package they did for him was a no-brainer move whether going for a playoff spot or not. The Habs should be seeking more deals of that type if it truly is as much of a seller's market as the value obtained makes it appear to be. A 2nd round pick and solid prospect in Blake Geoffrion will go along way to help securing the team's future. In his first 2 games as a Hamilton Bulldog, Geoffrion has collected a total of 1 goal, 4 assists, and 13 shots on goal, being named 1st and 2nd star on Saturday and Sunday respectively. If Gill (16:23 of ice and a +2 in his first Nashville game - a 3-2 win - by the way) can get such assets, Chris Campoli must be worth something as well. I mean the Habs themselves did once give up a late round pick for Todd Simpson, or Paul Mara just last season.

So let's enjoy what should be a fun week for those like me who love the NHL draft and following young prospects. For the first time in many, many years, the Canadiens should come out of deadline week with some nice assets in the bank. It seems set in stone that Pierre Gauthier will be plenty active anyway. There are still a few pitfalls to avoid, of course, and so tomorrow I will look at some moves the team must avoid.

[By the way, if you haven't read Dave Stubbs' piece on Hal Gill and his leaving Montreal, do yourself a favour and check it out here:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Gill+fell+love+with+Montreal/6178715/story.html

Would be nice to see him join the Habs staff, or sign as a depth d-man for next season. Staff is unlikely as he still has a few miles in the tank, but playing here again as a #6 or 7 could be a solid fit.]