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.

Your Canadiens for May 21, 2012

With two tournaments to update on, this is likely the last installment of "Your Canadiens" till next year, as we may have only a single story to discuss daily moving forward.  (or, if there are multiple stories, they are likely to be of big enough quality to have independent pieces on them!)  So here's what went on over the weekend.

IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRAP


Two Habs concluded their IIHF World Championship participation with medals yesterday.  Tomas Plekanec and the Czech Republic beat host Finland in the Bronze Medal game by a 3-2 score.  Plekanec had no points yesterday, finishing the tournament with 7 points in 10 games, one behind team leader Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers.  Plekanec, the team's captain, averaged 17:58 of ice time per game, second to only Boston's David Krejci amongst Czech forwards.  For his efforts, he was named one of his team's top 3 players by the coaching staff.

Winning Gold yesterday were Alexei Emelin and his Russian teammates, topping Cinderella Slovakia 6-2 to complete an undefeated tournament.  Emelin finished the event with 2 goals and 2 assists in 9 games (he missed one with a suspension) and an impressive +12 rating, which was the best among Russian d-men, and fourth best overall in the tournament behind three forward teammates.  He averaged 18:35 per game, which was second on his team to only Ilya Nikulin.  Also winning Gold was former Hab Alexander Perezhogin who played a starring role for the squad with 4 goals and 9 points in 10 games, finishing third on the team.  Don't get too excited however; there is word that he is close to signing a 2-year extension in the KHL, and even if he were to at some point return to North America, he'd be an unrestricted free agent.

MEMORIAL CUP UPDATES


The 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup began Friday night in Shawinigan with four Hab prospects in the mix. On opening night, the host team, featuring Montreal's Michael Bournival and Morgan Ellis, was downed by the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3 with neither Canadien collecting a point.  Ellis played a strong game, particularly at the point in the offensive zone, while Bournival was noticeable but not particularly impactful, finishing the night a -2.

On night 2, OHL champion London Knights and their captain Jarred Tinordi beat pre-tournament favourites Nathan Beaulieu and the Saint John Sea Dogs 5-3.  Beaulieu recorded an assist in the loss, and was named the game's second star behind only London's Austin Watson.  Tinordi, meanwhile, was a game-high +3.  Good night for both first round selections.

The host Cataractes got on the board with a win on night three, besting London by an impressive 6-2 score. Captain Michael Bournival turned in a much better performance, with his goal, assist, and +2 rating earning him first star honours.  Ellis finished a tied-for-game-high +3, while in the loss, Tinordi was a -1.

Saint John faces Edmonton tonight, and if the Sea Dogs win, all four clubs will be tied with 1-1 records.

Around the League(s): Memorial Cup Preview

Beginning this Friday in Shawinigan, four Montreal Canadiens prospects get to play a little bonus hockey, competing in the country's most prestigious national tournament: The Memorial Cup.  For those new to the event, the Memorial Cup is the final CHL championship; an event pitting the winners of each of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Western Hockey League against one another, with a fourth competitor being the team selected as host for the event.

This year's teams are the WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings, OHL winner London Knights, back-to-back QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs, and host Shawinigan Cataractes, who were upset in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs, and have thus had a long break between their last game and the start of the Cup.  With four players in the event, the Canadiens have more already-drafted participants than any other NHL teams, and have Nathan Beaulieu as a returnee from last year's Memorial Cup, where he won the title with Saint John.  Here's a look at the four clubs, and what to watch for from a Habs perspective if you catch any of the games live, or on Sportsnet / TVASports.

Saint John Sea Dogs


Winning back-to-back Memorial Cups is a difficult and rare accomplishment, and yet the Windsor Spitfires did it in 2009 and 2010, and now Saint John has the opportunity to win two straight directly thereafter.  A big part of last year's winning core is back, including Montreal's Nathan Beaulieu on defense, and future Florida Panthers star Jonathan Huberdeau up front.  Other names you should know up front include Charlie Coyle, a top prospect drafted by San Jose in the first round but dealt to Minnesota in last summer's Brent Burns trade, and Zack Phillips, a Minnesota first round choice from last June.  Stanislav Galiev - a 3rd round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2010 - was limited to just 20 regular season games this year, but exploded for 16 goals and 34 points in 17 playoff games.  The Sea Dogs are a veteran team with no top prospects for the upcoming entry draft, but just finished off a dominant playoff drive to the Q championship with a 16-1 record.  Though his French is questionable at best, the team's head coach Gerard Gallant has been speculated as a possible candidate for a job in Montreal.

London Knights


The Knights are captained by towering Habs' prospect d-man Jarred Tinordi who took his game to another level this season, particularly in the playoffs where his dormant offensive instincts awoke, producing 3 goals and 8 points in 19 games en route to the OHL crown against a tough Niagara Ice Dogs squad.  Tinordi and his partner, 2011 Pittsburgh second rounder Scott Harrington, form one of the CHL's most formidable shutdown pairs, while the Knights get offense from the back end in the explosive Olli Maatta, a 2012 draft eligible 6'2" blueliner who scored 23 points in 19 playoff games.  2010 Nashville first rounder Austin Watson is a 6'3" power forward who collected OHL playoff MVP honours thanks to his 10 goals, though it was undrafted 19-year old forward Seth Griffith who led the club (tied with Maatta) with 23 points in 19 games.  Another big contributor up front is 2011 Tampa Bay Lightning first round choice Vladislav Namestnikov, while Toronto 2010 third rounder Greg McKegg had a great regular season but his production dipped come post-season.  Scouts will be keeping an eye on center Andreas Athanasiou, a 6'0", 175 lbs 17-year old likely to go in one of the first two rounds next month.  Another player who may go in June but isn't on many draft lists is goaltender Michael Houser, an undrafted 19-year old who was named the OHL's most outstanding player this season.  The Knights don't have the firepower of the Sea Dogs, but they are sound defensively with a top notch keeper.

Edmonton Oil Kings


The Oil Kings are the only one of the four clubs without a Canadiens prospect on their roster.  On paper, they lack the established star power of the other three participating teams.  17-year old 2013 draft eligible Curtis Lazar scored 31 points in 63 regular season games this year, but the 6'0" centreman led his club with 19 points in 20 playoff games.  Tied with Lazar was the team leader from the season, Michael St. Croix, a 5'11" fourth round pick of the New York Rangers one year ago, who put up 105 points this year.  Perhaps most intriguing about the Oil Kings is the presence of several top-rated prospects for the upcoming draft, a group led by defenseman Griffin Reinhart.  Reinhart has a huge 6'4", 202 lbs frame, but is more of a two-way guy than a bruiser, and most scouts see him as a top 10 candidate.  Swedish import Henrik Samuelsson started the year in the Swedish Elite League, but made it in Edmonton in time to score 23 point in 28 games.  The 6'2" right winger is also an alumni of the U.S. National Team Development Program, so he is well traveled, and seen as an intelligent player with some questions on his skating but expected to be taken in round 2. Lastly, a second  defenseman on the prospect radar is Cody Corbett, just a little smaller than Reinhart at 6'1", 210 lbs, but plays more of a tough defensive game, and is projected to likely go in rounds 2 to 4.

Shawinigan Cataractes


The host Cataractes loaded up in anticipation of this tournament, but it didn't help them get past Chicoutimi in the second round of the Q's post-season, falling in a 7-game tilt.  The team is captained by Montreal prospect Michael Bournival, who had an up-and-down season that saw him set a career high with 30 goals, while totaling 56 points in just 41 games.  His playoffs, however, were disappointing, with just 7 points in 11 matches.  Hopefully the month off the team has had allowed him to refocus and heal up any possible bruises.  Acquired prior to the trade deadline, fellow future Hab Morgan Ellis has been a revelation on the team's blueline, often paired with Phoenix Coyotes first rounder Brandon Gormley.  The 6'2" Ellis was tied for third in team scoring in the post-season with 11 points in 11 games, while also leading the Cataractes with a +14 rating.  Enigmatic New York Islanders third rounder Kirill Kabanov led the team in playoff scoring with 13 points, just ahead of Philadelphia third round choice Michael Chaput.  A wildcard for the upcoming draft, 19-year old 5'11" forward Anton Zlobin led the team in the regular season, while most expect 6'1" blueliner Justin Hache to be a top 100 choice this June.  Seventeen year old netminder Alex Dubeau has already received an invitation to Montreal's pre-draft combine, indicating the club will be watching his performance as well.


The tournament opens this Friday night with a game between Edmonton and Shawinigan.  For full schedule and all the details, check the event's official website here:
http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/

Your Canadiens for May 7, 2012

Catching up on a few stories to start the week.


RICK DUDLEY TO JOIN HABS' FRONT OFFICE

Based on many reports, the worst-kept secret of the past week looks like it'll be imminently resolved.  Even before Marc Bergevin was officially announced as the new General Manager of the Montreal Canadiens, many felt that if he were to get the job, he'd bring his good friend Rick Dudley (pictured left) - currently employed by the Toronto Maple Leafs - with him.  Well it has become public that Bergevin is in discussion with Toronto GM Brian Burke about bringing Dudley to Montreal, so it seems like only matter of time.  How much time, however, may be complicated, as it seems that Dudley has put in significant work in preparing the Leafs for the upcoming entry draft, where Toronto holds the 5th pick in each round just two after Montreal's third selection.  Thus, Burke would love for Dudley's transfer to be delayed till after June 23rd, but it also appears that Dudley has an out clause in his contract with the Leafs which may permit him to leave earlier for another opportunity.

In either case, this is phenomenal news for Canadiens fans.  Dudley is a top notch talent evaluator and brings a wealth of experience in supporting Bergevin as an Assistant General Manager.  If Montreal's front office is to include Bergevin, Dudley, and Trevor Timmins, with potentially a capologist to be added as well (unless Larry Carriere assumes those functions), the Habs' future is in good hands.


CONFIRMED COACHING CANDIDATES

At his inaugural press conference, Marc Bergevin indicated that he wanted to keep his coach search confidential, just as the GM search had been.  Well we know that in the end, GM candidate names leaked out one by one (and were subsequently eliminated one at a time), and it does seem we will get news on the coach front in the same manner.  A first report indicated that Marc Crawford was set to meet with Bergevin, and now per an Elliot Friedman report, Bergevin is talking to his former team about their intentions on head coach Joel Quenneville.  There has been talk of the team not being happy with Coach Q, as he is known, and some fans have even indicated they'd be happy to see him axed.  There is no guarantee that he'll be available, since he still has 1 year remaining on his contract, but if he were let go, he would immediately become a top candidate for the Montreal job given his wealth of experience.  Before you ask, he attended a French school growing up in Windsor, Ontario, so has a basic understanding of the language, but isn't fluent.


CHL PLAYOFF UPDATE

Two Hab prospects are currently playing in their league finals, with Nathan Beaulieu and the Saint John Sea Dogs facing Rimouski in the QMJHL, and Jarred Tinordi and the London Knights playing Niagara in the OHL.

The Sea Dogs are up 2-0 in their series, with Beaulieu scoring a goal and being named first star in the series opener.  Montreal's 2011 first rounder has 13 points in 15 games this post-season, after scoring 17 in 19 in the playoffs a year ago.

London and Niagara are even at a game apiece, with Tinordi scoring a goal and finishing a +3 in his team's game 2 5-3 win.  Tinordi's goal is already his third of the playoffs (and 8th point) in just 16 games this season.  Over two regular seasons, in 111 games, he also scored a total of 3 goals, so he has clearly elevated his game offensively.

In other news, as this year's host, though they've long been eliminated from the QMJHL playoffs, the Shawinigan Cataractes continue to wait to find out who their Memorial Cup opposition will be.  It was revealed Friday that former NHL head coach Bob Hartley will join the team's staff for the tournament.  If he is to be considered a candidate to take over in Montreal, then getting some North American experience again after a year in Switzerland, and getting to work with Hab prospects Michael Bournival and Morgan Ellis certainly won't hurt his chances.


WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE


Max Pacioretty is among the early scoring leaders at the IIHF World Hockey Championships with a goal and 4 assists through 3 games for Team USA.  He plays on the team's top line with Paul Stastny and Bobby Ryan.

Tomas Plekanec has been productive for the Czech Republic, with 3 assists in 3 games.  That ties him for his team lead with the Oilers' Ales Hemsky, who has 3 goals.

Denmark's lack of depth has seen them struggle at the Worlds, but Lars Eller has gotten on the board with two goals and an assist through 3 games.  He is averaging over 20 minutes a night.

Also averaging 20 minutes a game is Russia's Alexei Emelin.  In 2 games, he has recorded an assist, and is tied for the team lead with a +4 rating.

Among former Canadiens in the tournament, as usual, Mark Streit has been a key cog for the Swiss, with 2 goals and an assist in his first 2 games.  Alexander Perezhogin has been an offensive spark for the Russians, with a goal and 2 assists also in 2 games.

At 2-0-1, Team Canada was happy to see Slovakia beat the United States in regulation today, after Canada had lost to the Americans in overtime.  This allows Canada to still aspire to win their division, though Finland remains in their path, having posted consecutive 1-0 shutout wins thus far.

Your Canadiens for April 25, 2012

Getting caught up on a few bits and pieces as the NHL's first round of playoff action nears its conclusion.

DANNY KRISTO TO RETURN TO NORTH DAKOTA


Habs prospect Danny Kristo announced officially yesterday that he would return to the University of North Dakota for his senior year.  There could be many reasons for his doing so; a desire to win a National Championship, the want to finish his degree, or perhaps uncertainty over where the GM-less and coach-less Canadiens currently stand.

From a development standpoint, the move seems counterproductive for Kristo.  He has nothing left to prove at the NCAA level, having just set career highs in games played, goals, assists, and points, averaging more than a point per game.  But there is a big jump between college hockey and the NHL, and it would have been nice to see Kristo cutting his teeth at the American Hockey League level starting in the Fall to begin making his adjustment.  As it stands, assuming he signs once next season is over, he'll only begin his first pro season at the age of 23.  Of course, him signing at all remains a question; he could have dropped out of school to become a UFA this summer, but can still opt for unrestricted free agency if he doesn't sign with Montreal at next season's conclusion.  Thus, this isn't good news, but it's too early to say the sky is falling as well.


MAX PACIORETTY A FINALIST FOR MASTERTON


After previously being named the Canadiens nominee for the award, forward Max Pacioretty was named one of three finalists for the award, technically given to the player best exemplifying the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey, but almost always awarded to the year's best comeback story.  The other finalists are Toronto's Joffrey Lupul and Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson.  I don't get to vote, of course, but my money would be on Max taking this one.


CHL PLAYOFF UPDATES


Patrick Holland and the Tri-City Americans find themselves in a 2 game hole after losing the first two outings by identical 5-4 overtime results.  Holland has certainly done his part, however, with 2 goals an an assist in the series opener (named second star), and a goal and a helper in game 2 (named third star).  Holland now has 6 goals and 17 points in 12 games as Tri-City looks to get back in the series tonight.

Jarred Tinordi's London Knights are up 3 games to none in their second round matchup following a 5-2 win last night.  Tinordi entered the series with a surprising 5 points in 10 games, a revelation compared to his limited regular season offense.  He has kept it going with 2 assists through the first three games this round (including one last night) as the Knights look like they will coast through to the OHL finals.

Nathan Beaulieu's dominant Saint John Sea Dogs suffered their first post-season loss last night, 5-4 in overtime, but still lead their series 2-1.  Beaulieu had a powerplay goal in the game but finished a -1.  The offensive blueliner has remained at the point-per-game pace with 3 points in three games this round, now giving him 11 in 11 post-season contests.


NILL SPEAKS ABOUT TURNING DOWN HABS POST


Detroit Red Wings' Assistant General Manager Jim Nill spoke yesterday about his talks with Geoff Molson about taking over as Montreal Canadiens GM.  Nill expressed that he had interest in the job, and based on two interviews, saw that the Habs were interested in him, but he decided that it simply wasn't the right time to make such a move.  This talk confirms not only that Detroit had in fact granted Nill permission to talk with Montreal, but both that the GM job in this city remains appealing and that the Canadiens are looking beyond the language factor to find the best man for the job.  What is the actual reason for Nill wanting to end the process?  We'll never know for sure.  He has in the past turned down opportunities for family reasons to remain in Detroit so it may just be that.  Or perhaps he doesn't feel ready to step into such a strong spotlight as that in Montreal.  Or maybe, just maybe, he isn't so keen on the idea of having to take French lessons on the side.  Who knows.

Prospect Playoff Update

Apologies to all this site's readers (to whom I'm personally very grateful) for a slow week lacking content. As I Tweeted a couple of times, I was off in the remote region of the Canary Islands for the past 7 days, limiting my computer access.

Soo let's get started! After mentioning today's biggest news of the firing of Pierre Gauthier earlier, the other latest bit is the strong performance of some young Canadiens prospects in their respective post-seasons.

WHL

Patrick Holland and the top-seeded Tri-City Americans swept their opening round against the Everret Silvertips. Holland ranks fourth on the Americans in scoring with a goal and 3 assists, having an incredible 22-game point streak snapped in the third game after he was ejected in the first period for a clipping incident. The match penalty meant he missed the final matchup of the series as well.

Darren Dietz's Saskatoon Blades - an underdog club - were unfortunately swept in the opening round. In 3 games, the blueliner had one assist and finished a -1, a disappointing end to a phenomenal year.

Brendan Gallagher and the Vancouver Giants are locked in quite a battle, with their series against the Spokane Chiefs knotted at 2 games a piece. Gallagher picked up right where he left off in the regular season, notching 4 goals and 9 points over the first 4 games.

OHL

Jarred Tinordi's London Knights are up 3 games to none on the Windsor Spitfires with a chance to close it out tonight. Tinordi is even, with no points and 7 penalty minutes thus far.

QMJHL

Nathan Beaulieu's first place Saint John Sea Dogs swept their opener against Cape Breton, with all four games ending in blowouts. Beaulieu scored 2 goals and added 3 assists while finishing a +9. The Sea Dogs will face surprising Baie-Comeau in the second round.

The Shawinigan Cataractes also swept their first round series. Captain Michael Bournival was somewhat quiet with "just" a goal and 4 helpers to his name, but defenseman Morgan Ellis was on fire with 2 goals and 5 assists (tied for team lead in points).

Olivier Archambault's Drummondville Voltigeurs find themselves down 3 games to none to Quebec. Archambault has 2 assists but is a -4. On the other side, Mikhail Grigorenko is tied for his team's lead with 7 points in games.

NCAA

A disappointing end to the season for Mac Bennett and Greg Pateryn with the University of Michigan, as their year ended with an upset by Union who has since qualified for the Frozen Four. Pateryn completed his NCAA eligibility and was signed to a 2-year deal by the Canadiens, while Bennett can return to school for another season (a likely scenario given the number of new young bodies already joining the pro organization this summer).

Similarly, after beating Western Michigan, Danny Kristo and Mark MacMillan's University of North Dakota was beaten by Minnesota, failing to reach the Final Four this time around. After an assist in the round of 16, Kristo scored a goal in his final game of the season as well, ending a strong season. Kristo could return to college for one more season, but I am hopeful the Canadiens get him under contract to join the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Fall. After an assist against Western Michigan extended freshman MacMillan's scoring streak to 7 games, he was held off the scoresheet in the season finale. He'll look to better his offensive numbers in a bigger role with the Fighting Sioux next season.

That's where they stand as of now, with seemingly a decent shot of having all of Tinordi, Holland, Beaulieu, Ellis, and Bournival participate in this year's Memorial Cup, which could be a great experience for them (and an exciting time for Habs fans). To keep up to date on everything, now that we're back online, keep your eyes tuned to this very site!

Habs Top 10 Prospects - March 2012

With the regular seasons of most Montreal Canadiens prospects either complete or nearly so, it's time to put together an updated ranking of where those in the system stand.

The Top 10 list below was created including only players who have yet to play a game in the NHL. That disqualifies some young players like Louis Leblanc, Blake Geoffrion, Aaron Palushaj, Andreas Engqvist, and Brendon Nash who may have otherwise made the list.

Something still missing from the list is bonafide starpower (at least at the forward position), which is re-emphasizes the need for a high selection this June to draft a big scorer.

To set the stage, here's the list last time I posted one back in July '11:

http://www.yourcanadiens.info/2011/07/top-10-habs-prospects-yet-to-play-in.html

Trending downwards:

There was expectation that Alexander Avtsin would take a big step forward in his second season in North America, but unfortunately the opposite occurred, not even able to replicate last year's 20 AHL points. Avtsin remains under contract, but it wouldn't entirely surprise me to see him loaned to a KHL team for next year. Alain Berger was included on July's list as a wildcard, and his footspeed has meant a difficult adaptation to the AHL level despite a strong rookie camp back in September.

And now for the good news...

Top 10 Hab Prospects Yet to Play in the NHL

HM: Mac Bennett, D - Michigan Wolverines - NCAA

Bennett was number 5 on the previous version of this lost, but to be fair, his fall is really no fault of his own. The 5'11" American defender has set career highs in goals (4), assists (16), points (20), and games played (38), so nothing more could really be asked of him, but he falls in the depth chart because of some outstanding seasons by other members of this list. Bennett has completed two seasons in Michigan, so he is likely to return there taking on an even bigger role next season given the number of players already slated to turn pro and join the Hamilton Bulldogs this summer.

10) Steve Quailer, RW - Northeastern University - NCAA

After missing all of 2009-10 due to injury, Quailer had a disappointing 2010-11, unable to match the production of his rookie year. The 6'4", 200 lbs winger has turned it up a notch this season, flirting with the point-per-game mark throughout the year (currently at 25 points in 26 games). He is a good skater for such a big body, but isn't seen as a defensive forward, meaning he should be a boom-or-bust top 6 winger. Because of the missed season, despite the fact that he'll turn 23 this summer, he still has one year of NCAA eligibility, so the Canadiens might opt to leave him at the collegiate ranks to continue developing.

9) Greg Pateryn, D - Michigan Wolverines - NCAA

Pateryn holds steady at #9 on the list with a season that has regularly earned him his coach's praise. As a college senior, he has developed his all-around game, using his 6'3", 214 lbs frame to dish out big hits and shutdown opposing forwards on a pairing with the more offensive-oriented Mac Bennett. The Canadiens need to sign him once his season is up, but it seems like a no-brainer move and he should be an interesting player to watch as a 22-year old at the AHL level next year.

8) Patrick Holland, RW - Tri-City Americans - WHL

In a vacuum, Holland's numbers this season are certainly eye-catching. He has bested his production of last season by more than 50%, recording 24-goals and 83 assists for 107 points in 70 games. He became the first WHL player since Todd Robinson in 1996-97 to top the 80-assist mark in a single season. Are things too good to be true in the 6'0", 175 lbs winger's case? Unfortunately, there may be a catch. Though Holland is presently riding a ridiculous 18-game point streak over which he has collected 4 goals and 33 assists, he remains only third on his team in scoring, behind both of his linemates, Adam Hughesman and league leader Brendan Shinnimin. In his last two outings, for example, Holland finished a team worst -4 in a 5-4 loss despite recording 2 assists, and collected only one helper in a 5-3 win despite his linemates scoring 3 and 4 points respectively. Of course Holland's production is nothing to scoff at and he deserves congratulations on a great season, but let's wait to see how he handles himself with the Bulldogs next year before proclaiming him an up-and-coming star.

7) Darren Dietz, D - Saskatoon Blades - WHL

The 6'1", 195 lbs defender is looking like an absolute steal as a 5th round selection last June. Dietz was seen as a solid two-way d-man, able to drop the gloves and dish out some nice hits, while also never afraid to jump into the rush. He took his offensive game to another level this season, setting career highs in goals (15), assists (27), and points (42, compared to 27 last year). There is no rush with Dietz who will return for another season in Saskatoon next year (followed by at least one or more in Hamilton), but a strong rookie camp last Fall followed by a good season this year are encouraging signs.

6) Morgan Ellis, D - Shawinigan Cataractes - QJMHL

Ellis has been a revelation for many this year, stepping up in a big way in his final CHL season. Ellis was the captain of the QMJHL bottom-feeding Cape-Breton Screaming Eagles, but was dealt this season to the Memorial Cup hosting Shawinigan Cataractes. Since the deal, the 6'2", 200 lbs d-man has been a point-per-game player, improving to 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 59 games on the season. Ellis is a strong two-way player, with a big frame that he uses to play a physical shutdown role on a top pairing with top prospect Brandon Gormley. Ellis recently signed with the Canadiens and will be a Hamilton Bulldog in the Fall.

5) Danny Kristo, RW - University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux - NCAA
Is this the summer the Canadiens finally get the long-awaited Danny Kristo under contract? We can only hope so, as a fourth season in university is not likely the best path for his development. Talk of off-ice distraction and a seriously scary bout with frostbite derailed the 5'11", 180 lbs winger's 2010-11 season, but he has rebounded in a nice way, topping the point-per-game plateau for the first time in his NCAA career, with 17 goals, 23 assists, and 40 points (each a career high) in 37 games. If the Habs manage to get him under contract once North Dakota's season is done, he may hit the AHL as one of the more NHL-ready prospects given he'll be 22, but fans should remain patient since he'll still need time to adjust to a longer, tougher schedule against bigger and more physical competition. Definitely has top 6 upside, though.

4) Michael Bournival, C - Shawinigan Cataractes - QMJHL

Bournival struggled a bit at this year's WJC due to bad timing with recovering from injury. Though March has been his most difficult month of the season, with just 2 goals and 1 assist in 5 games, the Cataractes' captain has put together an impressive year with 29 goals and 54 points in only 40 games (improving his PPG average from 1.14 last year to 1.35). Bournival is quite average-sized at 6'0", 187 lbs and there are questions about his offensive upside, but he is a very safe prospect, sound defensively and playing a strong cycle game, meaning that even if he doesn't pan out as a top 6 guy, he should have a long career on a third or fourth line.

3) Brendan Gallagher, RW - Vancouver Giants - WHL
Habs fans who don't follow prospects too closely were quickly introduced to Gallagher at last Fall's training camp, where he very nearly earned an audition with the big club, and then reacquainted with him at the World Juniors, where he was among Team Canada's best forwards. The knock on Gallagher, as all are aware, is his size, at 5'8" and 170 lbs. Can a team whose top 6 centers are David Desharnais (5'7", 177 lbs) and Tomas Plekanec (5'11", 198 lbs) plus already has Brian Gionta (5'7", 173 lbs) as a top 6 winger support another miniature-sized scorer? It isn't inconceivable that Gionta is dealt at some point to create a better spot for the young Gallagher, who is likely to start the season with the Bulldogs, unless he severely outplays Louis Leblanc for a third line job in camp and depending on what other moves are made this summer. Like Bournival, Gallagher is also having his slumpiest month of the season, with just 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 games, but he has put together a third consecutive 40-goal WHL campaign, while improving his PPG average from 1.38 to 1.43 (76 in 53 GP). Everyone will be watching closely to see if he can adapt his game to the American League level, with questions surrounding the fact that he plays a hard-nosed, physical, crash-the-net style. Normally this would be a big positive, but at a higher level, given his small frame, if he doesn't change, the punishment he will take may take a toll on his small body quickly.

2) Nathan Beaulieu, D - Saint John Sea Dogs - QMJHL

Though he has yet to be signed, the Canadiens' first round pick last June is eligible to make the leap to the AHL next year already as a late birthday (turning 20 in December). And it would seem that he has nothing left to prove at the junior level, one of only three blueliners at or near the point-per-game level (51 points in 52 games) and tied for fourth overall in Q d-man scoring despite having played far fewer games than everyone above him. Beaulieu showed off his high-risk high-reward game at the WJC, looking impressive in the offensive zone but not earning coach Don Hay's trust defensively. With Saint John, he has shown improvement in his all-around two-way game, and if he adds some muscle to his 6'3", 191 lbs frame, should have no problem handling bigger competition at the next level.

1) Jarred Tinordi, D - London Knights - OHL

There is no guarantee as to who between Tinordi and Beaulieu will end up having the better career, but for his physical readiness and 6'7", 212 lbs frame, I'll hand Tinordi the #1 spot for now. Fortunately, the Canadiens don't have to choose, with two promising youngsters who look like they can play in the team's top 4 on D for years to come. Tinordi modestly bested last season's offensive outputs, scoring 2 goals (up from 1) and 14 assists (up from 13) in 17 fewer games, but more importantly asserted himself as a true leader on and off the ice, being named captain of the OHL's prestigious London Knights. Tinordi plays close to 30 minutes on many nights and is a physical force, taking the body and dropping the gloves with some regularity. He may not bring Zdeno Chara's booming slapshot to the table, but he also brings many elements that a softer Hal Gill never has and thus after turning pro this coming Fall, it may not be long before Hab fans get their first peek at him in a CH jersey.

Your Canadiens for March 5, 2012

First, let me apologize for the lack of posts on Thursday and Friday. As some of you know, I am presently studying in Barcelona, Spain, and my schedule got in the way of the Blog. But we're back up this week!

We'll start the week with recapping some things we missed during our brief outage.

Morgan Ellis signs with Canadiens

On Friday, the Habs announced the signing of defenseman Morgan Ellis to a 3-year entry-level contract. Ellis, who will turn 20 on April 30th, plays with fellow Habs prospect Michael Bournival on the QMJHL's Shawinigan Cataractes, hosts of this year's Memorial Cup. Ellis was traded there this season from the team he captained, the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, as the Cataractes stocked up on talent in preparation for the Cup. He plays regularly with top prospect Brandon Gormley on the club's top pairing. The 6'2", 196 lbs right-handed blueliner joins Bournival, Brendan Gallagher, and Jarred Tinordi as Junior prospects already signed and expected to join the Hamilton Bulldogs next season.

Ellis has obliterated his previous career highs offensively this season, scoring 14 goals and 49 points in 56 games. Further, since joining the Cataractes, he has improved his +/- to a +21 rating on the season, a huge turnaround from his -27 last year. The negatives are a much bigger reflection on the weak team he played for rather than his own play, as he is considered a strong two-way player, even capable of dishing out heavy hits. While much of the talk has centered around two first round picks likely headed for Steeltown next year in Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu, look for Ellis and still-to-be-signed college senior Greg Pateryn to make noise with the 'Dogs as underrated d-men with NHL potential.

Ellis's deal will pay him a total of $1.92M over three seasons, signing bonus included, plus a possible games-played bonus clause, meaning an estimated annual cap hit of $640,000 should his play earn him a call-up to Montreal during that timeframe. If you want to pre-order your Ellis jersey, keep in mind that while he wore number 85 in training camp this past Fall, he may change that prior to playing his first actual game.

Coincidentally, I had posted a couple of videos of Ellis back on February 16. Check them out here: http://www.yourcanadiens.info/2012/02/player-spotlight-morgan-ellis.html.

The Injury Situation

Yes, Saturday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs is one even pro-tankers like myself wanted the Canadiens to win (I will NEVER hope for a loss to the Leafs. EVER. Though the loss definitely helped push the Habs towards securing that lottery selection.). But Montreal entered the game severely undermanned, with injuries to Scott Gomez and Aaron Palushaj necessitating the call-ups of truly the only other NHL-ready forwards in the system in Louis Leblanc and Andreas Engqvist (debatable in his case).

Fortunately, the injury situation has improved a little since then, with Engqvist able to be returned to the Bulldogs (at least for now), and even an update on Travis Moen who - in the words of LMFAO - worked out off-ice after many feared supposed concussion-like symptoms may have ended his season. The uncertainty surrounding Moen's health and return may have been one of the reasons for his not being dealt on deadline day given his pending unrestricted free agency, but if and when he does return, it will be interesting to see when Pierre Gauthier (or his eventual replacements) initiates contract talks with Moen's agent about remaining in Montreal.

**Updates from today's practice: Andrei Markov was the first player on the ice and instead of his usual non-contact burgundy jersey, he was wearing the same white colour as the other d-men. He then practiced on a regular pairing with Alexei Emelin, though he did sit out some of the drills. Hopefully we find out more at practice's conclusion; stay tuned for details. Mike Blunden returned to practice for the first time since being hurt. He and Aaron Palushaj had non-contact jerseys on amongst the forwards. Raphael Diaz was yet another player returned to practice from injury on D.**

At the prospect level, 2011 selection Olivier Archambault has resumed skating. Archambault was having a somewhat disappointing third season in the QMJHL, even though he had increased his point-per-game average from .81 to .87. A concussion has limited the 5'10" winger to 41 games this year, out since mid-January. Combined with recent returns to the line-up for Gabriel Dumont in Hamilton and Steve Quailer in the NCAA, there is some positive late-season news amongst the system's hopefuls.

On the other hand, defenseman Jarred Tinordi was injured in a game on Friday night, tweaking a knee that had previously bothered him and causing him to be held out of action both Saturday and Sunday. Tinordi is having a strong season for the OHL's London Knights, but has suffered a few bumps and bruises along the way, playing in 43 of London's 62 games (though that also accounts for time missed during the World Junior Championships).

Still on the subject of injuries, though he isn't a Hab YET, upcoming 2012 first rounder Alex Galchenyuk is expected to make his season debut in the coming weeks. Galchenyuk, an American-born 6'1" center of Russian heritage, entered the season as a possible top 5 pick. He remains widely considered a top 10 prospect, even though a knee injury suffered during training camp means he has yet to play a game in 2011-12. If the Canadiens plan to address the organizational need for a premiere scoring center with size through the draft, they should be keeping a close eye on Galchenyuk as he returns to action with the Sarnia Sting where he plays alongside top prospect Nail Yakupov. It is not an uncommon belief that had Galchenyuk remained healthy, he might have challenged Mikhail Grigorenko as the most commonly projected number 2 pick candidate. Having to pick between Grigorenko and Galchenyuk may be a good potential problem for the Habs in June, but they'll need to do plenty of homework between now and then.

Race to the Bottom Update

As of today, the Canadiens remain 28th overall in the National Hockey League, with their position helped by a New York Islanders victory against the New Jersey Devils yesterday to give them some win breathing room.

This Thursday's game against the Edmonton Oilers will clearly have major implications on the pre-lottery determination of 2nd and 3rd overall selections.

Prospect Update

Another busy and successful weekend for some junior-aged Hab prospects. We'll begin in the WHL, where Patrick Holland - the forward acquired in the Mike Cammalleri trade - has continued a monster streak. With two assists on Friday, one on Saturday, and another one on Sunday, the 6'0" winger is riding a 13-game point streak, over which he has amassed an incredible 31 points.

Nathan Beaulieu was named the QMJHL's second star for the month of February. Beaulieu scored points in all but one of Saint John's games in the month, totaling 2 goals and 15 assists in 10 contests. He has continued his hot play into March, with consecutive 2 point efforts in his two games this weekend. Beaulieu has already set career highs in assists (40) and points (51), and is just one off of his previous in goals with 11, and all of this in just 49 games! He is one of only two d-men in the Q to have a points-per-game average above 1.

Danny Kristo scored 2 goals on Friday night and then added 2 assists on Saturday to pass his previous career highs in both categories in 6 fewer games. Kristo has scored 17 goals and 40 points in 35 games on the year. The University of North Dakota's playoffs begin next week as favourites against Bemidji State, though the two teams split their regular season matchup. Though Kristo has one more year of college eligibility remaining, I am hopeful that the Canadiens will sign him when his season comes to a close so that he may join the group in Hamilton next Fall.

Are you tired of hearing about Brendan Gallagher yet? Didn't think so, and nor is he done putting up impressive numbers. With two goals on the weekend, he has reached the 40-marker plateau for the third consecutive time in his WHL career. His previous best was 44 in 66 games, while it took him only 48 games to hit 40 this season. Since he missed time for the World Juniors, Gallagher has only 6 games remaining in the regular season to set a new best, but I wouldn't put it past the 5'8" fireball. He added 2 assists to his point total over three games this weekend as well, now giving him 75 in 49 matches.

Despite the aforementioned plethora of call-ups, the Hamilton Bulldogs rode Eric Lampe's 2nd goal in 8 games since being signed to a try-out contract by the 'Dogs and 25 saves by Nathan Lawson to beat the Grand Rapids Griffins 1-0 last night. Unfortunately, if you haven't been following, the Bulldogs are stuck in 14th place in their conference, a distant 7 points from a playoff position. Thus, they are likely to join the Habs on the sidelines when the playoffs get underway.

That's Your Canadiens recap for today. Over to new content tomorrow!

A Great Weekend for Tanking

To paraphrase R&B sensation Rihanna about the Montreal Canadiens weekend:

"Cheers - to the tankin' weekend.

Habs tanked that, yeah yeah.

Oh, let reality sink in.

Habs tankin' it, yeah yeah.

Don't let their losses get ya down,

They'll turn it 'round in the first round,

Draft party Montreal - Grigs or Galch - I'd tank for that.

I'd tank for thaaaaaat."

If you read my piece on who to cheer for down the stretch to ensure that the Toronto Maple Leafs miss the playoffs and the Habs finish with as high a pick as possible, then this weekend went pretty much as well as anyone could have hoped for.

Let's start with Friday. A Habs loss was important, both for dropping their own standing and also for helping the Washington Capitals to pass the Leafs. The out-of-town scoreboard featured 2 key upsets, with the East's 13th place New York Islanders picking up 2 points against the first place New York Rangers, and the 12th place Buffalo Sabres defeating the 2nd place Boston Bruins, allowing those teams to gain ground on Montreal.

The Habs may have been off Saturday, but the Leafs lost a huge one to the Caps - a result worthy of a fist pump. The Jets - also fighting for a playoff spot ahead of Toronto - nabbed a point against St. Louis, as did the Sabres against the Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes against the Florida Panthers. The 2 points for Florida also helps them to stay ahead of the Leafs should they lose their division lead to Winnipeg or Washington.

Finally, another Hab loss on Sunday has left them squarely in 15th place in the East, with the game also meaning a 2-point gain for the Panthers to give them a division lead cushion. Also Sunday, 11th place Tampa Bay beat 6th place New Jersey to earn them some more points before more of their players are expected to be sold off today.

Painful to watch the Habs blow another 2-0 lead yesterday? Maybe in the short term. But in the grand scheme of things, the weekend was a huge step towards adding a big, star center like Mikhail Grigorenko or Alex Galchenyuk to the line-up.

And the NHL results weren't the only thing to make Habs fans smile about the future over the weekend. Though recently hot Hab prospect and Hamilton Bulldog winger Blake Geoffrion was quieter with no points and just a shootout goal in 2 games, those at the junior level picked up the slack.

Let's start with Patrick Holland, the prospect acquired from Calgary in the Mike Cammalleri trade. Incredibly, he has scored FOUR points in EACH of his last FOUR games! He has 3 goals and 13 assists during that span, and totals 26-points over an active 10-game point scoring streak. Holland is far from a bluechipper, but there will be something there to watch as he transitions to the pro game in the AHL next season. Despite his current streak, Holland remains just 3rd in team scoring with 96 points in 62 games... but still good enough for 6th in overall league scoring (and first in assists)!

Sticking with the WHL, everyone's favourite little-big man Brendan Gallagher snapped a 2-game pointless streak by totaling 3 goals over a pair of contests this weekend. Gallagher is now up to 38 goals in 46 games, ranking 8th in the WHL, with all of those ahead of him having played 11 or more games more than he has.

Over in the QMJHL, Michael Bournival added 2 goals and 2 helpers to his stat line in Saturday and Sunday match-ups. Bournival has fallen off the goal-per-game track he had going, but still totals 27 goals and 51 points through 35 games. He is one goal away from his last season's total in 21 fewer games.

Also in the Q, Montreal's most recent first round selection, Nathan Beaulieu, scored his 9th goal of the season on Sunday. With 44 points in 46 games, he is only 1 point off his last season's total in 19 fewer games. He is 8th in the QMJHL for points amongst d-men, with all above him (including 6th ranked Morgan Ellis who had a quiet weekend) having played between 4 and 14 additional games.

Not known for his offensive touch, Jarred Tinordi set a new career high for goals in the OHL by scoring his... second... of the season. The London Knights captain has 16 points in 42 games after scoring 14 in 63 during his rookie campaign. He has continued his steady, physical play that should make him a force to be reckoned with at the NHL level. While playing on the CHL's top squad doesn't hurt, his impressive +39 rating ranks first in the Ontario League, +3 ahead of his nearest competitor (and +10 above his nearest teammate).

After scoring a goal and an assist Friday night, North Dakota forward Danny Kristo reached an important milestone on Saturday. With 1 assist, he reached the 100-point plateau for his college career, and that in just 108 games. This is his first year above the 1.00 point-per-game average thus far, as he has tied his carrer highs for both goals (15) and points (36) in 33 games, 8 fewer than he hit those numbers in during his rookie season. I am hopeful Kristo will be signed and should join the Hamilton Bulldogs next season along with all the other prospects listed above, creating an exciting incoming class.

So that's the weekend for you. But we've got a couple months to talk more about prospects and the draft. Today's focus is squarely on the Trade Deadline, with just hours remaining for General Managers to make their final moves of the season. What will happen? We'll be bringing you live coverage and analysis of moves from around the league both right here and on Twitter all day long. Stay tuned!

Hope on the Horizon - A New Frontier

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

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

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

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

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

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

Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole

Rene Bourque - Tomas Plekanec - Brian Gionta

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

Mike Blunden - Petteri Nokelainen/Andreas Engqvist - Ryan White

Andrei Markov - Josh Gorges

Alexei Emelin - P.K. Subban

Tomas Kaberle - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

Peter Budaj

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

Your Canadiens for December 29, 2011

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

Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mike Cammalleri - David Desharnais - Louis Leblanc

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Michael Blunden

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Tomas Kaberle - Alexei Emelin

Hal Gill - Raphael Diaz

Carey Price

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

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

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

- World Junior Championships updates from yesterday:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Canadiens for December 27, 2011

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

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

Max Pacioretty - Lars Eller - Erik Cole

Travis Moen - Tomas Plekanec - Andrei Kostitsyn

Mike Cammalleri - David Desharnais - Louis Leblanc

Mathieu Darche - Petteri Nokelainen - Mike Blunden

Josh Gorges - P.K. Subban

Hal Gill - Raphael Diaz

Alexei Emelin - Tomas Kaberle

Yannick Weber - Chris Campoli

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jarred Tinordi + Daniel Pribyl Named WJC Assistant Captains

In addition to having three prospects as important cogs on Team Canada, the Montreal Canadiens will have two other prospects playing big roles for their countries at the upcoming World Junior Championships. When the tournament opens on Boxing Day, defenseman Jarred Tinordi will be an assistant captain for Team USA, while center Daniel Pribyl will wear an A for the Czech Republic.

Tinordi, 19, was Montreal's first round pick, 22nd overall, in 2010. The 6'7", hard-hitting defensive defenseman is the captain of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights and should have a big role on a shutdown pairing for the Americans. Tinordi's game has very little offensive upside, but is the type of player the Canadiens sorely lack and thus will make a highly anticipated debut with the Hamilton Bulldogs next season. Tinordi had previously captained the U.S. under 18 team, but will serve as an assistant to WJC returnee Jason Zucker. The other assistant is fellow returnee and WHL star Emerson Etem.

Pribyl, who just turned 19 on December 18th, is a 6'4" skilled center who was taken in the 6th round this past June. Criticized for not using his size to his advantage in winning battles often enough, Pribyl has boom-or-bust potential but will first need to fill out his frame and work on his agility and balance. He plays in the senior league in the Czech Republic, but has limited ice time as a young player and has managed just 2 goals in 15 games despite being seen as an offensive player. He is penciled into a third or fourth line role on the Czech Juniors team, but the club will need added offense throughout the line-up as top prospect Martin Frk has had to declare forfeit for the tournament due to injury.

Your Canadiens for December 21, 2011

Updates on the morning of the third game of the Randy Cunneyworth era, as the Habs prepare to take on the Chicago Blackhawks at 7:30 PM EST this evening.

- With the Canadiens playing in a back-to-back situation, travelling to Winnipeg for tomorrow night, Peter Budaj will get the start in goal tonight. The Habs have dropped 3 games in a row, so tonight is an important game and playing Budaj is a bit of a risky move on Cunneyworth's part. However, for some time now, Carey Price has been one of the few players who "brings it" on a nightly basis. Starting Budaj is a challenge to the skaters; Carey's not there, now it's your turn to go out there and win it.

- Otherwise, the team will make no line-up changes, meaning Alexei Emelin and Yannick Weber will again be healthy scratches. I'm no fan of sitting Emelin and really think it makes little sense given the make up of this club. He's being held back because he's an LD, but a spot needs to be made for him at some point. With the top pair of P.K. Subban and Josh Gorges struggling, now would seem as good a time as any to split them and shift Gorges back to the right side.

- Team Canada continues its preparation for the World Junior Championships (which begin on boxing day) with their second pre-tournament game tomorrow night. Canada will take on Switzerland at 9:00 PM EST, live on TSN2. In the team's first game Monday night, Michael Bournival and Brendan Gallagher made strong impressions with great games. The pair is on the "fourth line" with no consistent third linemate since there are only 11 healthy forwards with the group at the moment. They still got plenty of ice time as coach Don Hay rolled four units, and Gallagher rewarded him by tapping home a Bournival rebound for a goal late in the third period. Nathan Beaulieu, meanwhile, had an up-and-down game, generating a few chances offensively while on the point of the team's top powerplay unit but not producing.

- Team USA is also holding their pre-tournament camp, dropping their first exhibition match to Team Russia last night. Jarred Tinordi was a healthy scratch for the game as the club opted to evaluate other defenders instead. Most still consider Tinordi a lock for the squad, though the Americans still have to make their final cuts by Christmas.

Your Canadiens for December 5, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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