Restocking the Cupboard #2: Movin' on Down

[This is the second of a five-part series, going live every Wednesday on http://www.YourCanadiens.Info/, previewing possible Hab selections for the 2012 Entry Draft.  See Part 1, about who the team might pick if they hold steady at #3, HERE]

Last week, we discussed the four possible candidates for the Canadiens' first draft choice if they are to remain at 3rd overall come June 22nd.  But as I went over, none of them are without their issues, and even at that, whichever of the four that the Columbus Blue Jackets sees as the best for them won't be available by pick three, leaving the Habs to take the best of the rest.  This year's draft has more questions than answers.  So let's say that, for all the reasons specified, Trevor Timmins, Marc Bergevin, and co aren't convinced that the players who will be available at, say, pick 6-10, project with less certainty or less potential than those available at #3.  What happens then?

Yes, the team could still keep the pick, as at 3rd, they can go with "their guy" out of a greater number of available prospects.  But it's also possible that "their guy" isn't one of Mikhail Grigorenko, Filip Forsberg, Alex Galchenyuk, or Ryan Murray.  In this case, rather than just go off the board with a lower-ranked name, the team could trade down, swapping with a club that holds a pick later in the first round in order to collect other assets (like say an additional 2nd round choice).  While there are other options (trading up or trading the pick outright), today we'll look at where the team could trade down to, and who they might fancy at that slot.

The order of the first 28 picks of the draft have been locked in, and they are as follows:
1. Edmonton Oilers
2. Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Montreal Canadiens
4. New York Islanders
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
6. Anaheim Ducks
7. Minnesota Wild
8. Carolina Hurricanes
9. Winnipeg Jets
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
11. Washington Capitals (from Colorado Avalanche)
12. Buffalo Sabres
13. Dallas Stars
14. Calgary Flames
15. Ottawa Senators
16. Washington Capitals
17. San Jose Sharks
18. Chicago Blackhawks
19. Tampa Bay Lightning (from Detroit Red Wings)
20. Philadelphia Flyers
21. Buffalo Sabres (from Nashville Predators)
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
23. Florida Panthers
24. Boston Bruins
25. St. Louis Blues
26. Vancouver Canucks
27. Phoenix Coyotes
28. New York Rangers

Might the third overall choice be worth Tampa Bay's 10th and 19th?  Washington's 11th and 16th?  Buffalo's 12th and 21st?  Perhaps the Canadiens want to stay a little higher up than that, but could poach picks 6 and 36 from Anaheim or 8 and 38 from Carolina (Minnesota doesn't have its own 2nd round selection).  For this exercise, let's focus on the 6-12 range and some of the names that might interest the Habs.  The good news is, there is very likely to be a run on defensemen early on in the draft, since they make up a big part of the top rated prospect group.  So by trading down, the Canadiens should still be able to snag one of the top prospects at forward, an area where they have the far greater need.

If the team does opt for such a strategy, here's a look at five forwards and three d-men to consider with a later pick.


Radek Faksa - C - Kitchener Rangers, OHL
6'3", 202 lbs - Shoots L
Rankings: Central Scouting - 7th (North America); Future Considerations - 13th; The Hockey News - 11th

Faksa is a native of the Czech Republic who made the jump to the CHL this season after several years in Czech junior leagues.  Scoring 29 goals and 67 points in 62 games for Kitchener had him finish as runner-up to young phenom Aaron Ekblad for the Ontario League's Rookie of the Year.  In tournament play, Faksa scored 2 goals in 6 games for Team Czech Republic at this year's World Juniors (where he was the youngest player on his team) after a disappointing U18 a year ago had him pointless in 6 contests.  His production in these small-sample events dipped in the OHL playoffs as well, where he netted only 6 points in 13 games.  Those numbers may have been hurt by a head injury suffered in March, causing him to miss some playoff action, and potentially scaring a few teams that have or had interest in him who must now worry about concussions.

So what's to like?  If the Canadiens weren't drafting as high as they are, most fans would be clamouring to find a way to land Faksa.    A big and strong center, Faksa offers the kind of complete package scouts dream of: size, skill, good skating ability, and a willingness to backcheck hard.  He is built in the mold of a power forward and has success winning battles in the offensive zone, which is more his game rather than one of finesse.  His frame and reach make him difficult to contain for opposing defenders, which means as he fills out further he could become a dominating offensive presence.

Concerns about Faksa's play are relatively minor and can mostly be attributed to it being his first year in North America.  He started the season a little slow, normal for a player adjusting to a new country and league, but then picked it up, earning ice time and becoming one of Kitchener's top players.  However, later on in the year, whether it was a lack of endurance and conditioning in his own game or just struggling to deal with other teams keying on him more, he was less noticeable, which has kept him out of the top 10 in final rankings.

Definitely a top candidate for the Canadiens if they choose to move down, for the same reason the tools brought by Alex Galchenyuk and Mikhail Grigorenko make them likely picks for the team at #3.

Teuvo Teravainen - RW - Jokerit, Finland
5'11", 165 lbs - Shoots L
Rankings: Central Scouting - 2nd (Europe); Future Considerations - 8th; The Hockey News - 12th

The first thing you'll undoubtedly notice is the size issue; right away something that means Teravainen might not be an ideal choice for a team wanting to get bigger like Montreal.  But it's hard to ignore the elite level of skill and creativity Teravainen displays on ice, which makes him a dangerous threat who scored 11 goals and 18 points in 40 games in Finland's men's league this past season.  He was dominant against peers his own age, notching 12 goals and 20 points in just 11 junior league games, and adding 2 goals and 8 points in 6 games in this year's World U18.

His shiftiness with the puck is the skill that stands out the most, just as competent a scorer as he is a playmaker.  He isn't a dangler, but his vision and quick hands allow him to create room in the offensive zone.  He has quick feet, though isn't one to blow people away with his speed, which is a potential issue given that smaller players often need elite quickness to compensate for their lack of size.

This is basically what it comes down to with Teravainen: on the one hand, he has the ability to control a game, to patiently slow it down and create chances with the puck that always seems to find itself on his stick (all abilities scouts looking for in judging a player's upside), but on the other, adding strength to his frame is a real concern.  5'11" isn't "too small" for the NHL, but Teravainen is skinny, which makes battling along the boards and protecting the puck concerns for his future.  Ultimately scouts will have to determine if his huge offensive upside outweighs the concerns, and most seem to think it does, with McKeen's even ranking him in their final top five.  For these reasons, despite the team's need to get bigger, he becomes an option for the Canadiens whose biggest need is a top-flight superstar.

Brendan Gaunce - C - Belleville Bulls, OHL
6'2", 215 lbs - Shoots L
Rankings: Central Scouting - 13th (North America); Future Considerations - 18th; The Hockey News - 17th

Does Gaunce have enough upside to satisfy Hab fans in a year where the team starts off at third overall?  He did score 28 goals and 68 points in 68 games this season for Belleville, but how will that project in the long run?  These are the kind of questions scouts will have to consider if trading down for him is an option.

If Montreal were drafting 17th overall as they did a year ago, then Gaunce might be a perfect fit as a 6'2" center already possessing a thick enough frame to compete against men.  His big body lets him play a power and puck protection game, while also being an adept puck handler.  He possesses the leadership traits and intangibles that the Canadiens have historically loved to draft, and plays a good two-way game, reliable defensively, also a trademark of a Trevor Timmins pick.

While Gaunce sounds like an ideal center to build a team around, he isn't without fault.  Most notably, scouts are concerned about his skating, lacking both in top-flight speed and first-step quickness.  While he is a reasonable finisher, there are also concerns as to whether his offense will translate to the professional ranks.  Finally, while he is capable of being a physical, dominant player, there are times where the has lacked a bit of that intensity, so consistency is something he'll also need to work into his game.  This has polarized many scouts as to his future, some seeing him as a top 10 prospect from this draft class, filling out to be a top 6 power forward, while others see him as a later safe pick, projecting as a two-way third liner.  Based on this evaluation, it wouldn't be unfair to compare him to a Kyle Chipchura pre-draft, though Chipchura's development after being selected was largely derailed by injuries.  And just because Chipchura didn't pan out as Montreal had hoped, doesn't mean Gaunce will follow the same trajectory should he land with the Canadiens.

Zemgus Girgensons - C - Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL
6'1.5", 200 lbs - Shoots L 
Rankings: Central Scouting - 18th (North America); Future Considerations - 19th; The Hockey News - 16th

There are a lot of similarities between Girgensons and Radek Faksa, also included on this list.  Future Considerations has Faksa 6 slots ahead of Girgensons, while McKeen's has Girgensons one spot ahead of Faksa.  Both are big European centers - Girgensons being Latvia - who came over to play hockey in North America prior to their draft year.  Girgensons has already been on this side of the ocean for three seasons, most recently playing the last two years with Dubuque of the USHL.  If you're hearing a lot about Dubuque lately, that is because there is a tie to recently hired Canadiens scout Bobby Kinsella, who served as Director of Scouting and Assistant Coach for the club for the past two years, meaning he has one of the better informed opinions of Girgensons of anyone out there.

Girgenson's 44 points in 43 games last season were a modest improvement from his 49 points in 51 contests the year prior, which has some scouts worried about his offensive upside.  He can play a physical power game, producing 2 goals at this year's World Juniors on a weak Latvian squad, and has the type of build that fast-tracks youngsters to the big league.  The question will be what role he can fill once he gets there.  While a natural center, many feel he lacks the skill set to project in that position long-term, with puck distribution not at the top of his list of skills, making some question his hockey sense.  His skating - while powerful and not a huge weakness - is also a bit of a concern, lacking a top gear.

Still, there is no doubting Girgensons's intensity and aggressiveness, which makes him a very safe prospect even if he ends up being limited to a third line role.  If Kinsella's recommendation comes in strong enough - and it likely will given that he served as Dubuque's captain this season - it is possible that the club works hard to nab Girgensons.  If it's not a trade down, maybe Girgensons's Latvian origin has him slip a little, and the club tries to trade up from pick 33 to select him late in the first round.

Sebastian Collberg - RW - Frolunda Jr. - Sweden
5'11", 175 lbs - Shoots R
Rankings: Central Scouting - 3rd (Europe); Future Considerations - 12th; The Hockey News - 14th

Like Teravainen, Collberg lacks the size Hab fans are dreaming of, but the winger packs a punch offensively.  Whereas Filip Forsberg was held to just a single assist in six World Junior Championship games this season, Collberg finished second on the squad with seven points, including four goals.  He was also dominant offensively in the World U18 tournament, where as one of Sweden's assistant captains, he scored 4 goals and 9 points in 6 games, but was also criticized for looking fatigued an umotivated at times after a long season.  Like Forsberg, Collberg spent much of the season playing against men in the Swedish Elite League, though he got very little ice time with Frolunda, held off the scoresheet in 41 games.  He spent 21 games with the team's junior club, registering 9 goals and 17 points in that span.

As a player, Collberg's quick and accurate release is probably his best attribute.  He's a great skater, and despite his size, doesn't shy away from traffic areas on the ice.  His defensive game is quite well-rounded with a solid work ethic making him a tough back checker, typical of many players coming out of Sweden and Finland the last several years.  Still, the lack of strength on his frame is concerning, limiting his effectiveness against bigger defenders, so it's something he'll need to work on if he is to produce at the North American professional level.  A final concern is his development if he remains in Sweden, as Frolunda can be tough on its younger players.  In addition to a lack of ice time, playing on a fourth unit, Collberg's game became one of puck retrieval, chip, and chase, limiting him from using his strengths in the attacking zone.

His style has drawn comparisons to the likes of Phil Kessel and Jeff Skinner, but if the Canadiens do decide that trading down for Collberg is what they're after, they might be wise to get him to join a CHL club for next year to continue his progression.  He may be on Trevor Timmins's radar, as when talking about top prospects for the upcoming draft, rather than single out Forsberg, Timmins alluded to, "the Swedes."

Mathew Dumba - D - Red Deer Rebels, WHL
5'11.5", 180 lbs - Shoots R
Rankings: Central Scouting - 11th (North America); Future Considerations - 10th; The Hockey News - 5th

The first of three blueliners on the list, Dumba is the smallest, which has undoubtedly hurt his pre-draft rankings.  However, he plays a lot bigger than the size he's listed at, which is both a compliment and a concern, causing some to fear for his longevity in the big league and his ability to handle his own in a men's league if his style doesn't translate against larger opponents.  His rankings are a little all over the place, with both McKeen's and The Hockey News having him as the #2 defenseman in the draft after Ryan Murray, while Future Considerations has four blueliners ahead of him.

So other than being a more physical player than he was built to be, what makes Dumba a top prospect?  He's got a well-rounded game, with vision that allows for great breakout passes, a heavy shot, and soft hands that help him make quick plays.  He possesses good leadership skills, rebounding after taking an early cut from Team Canada WJC camp very hard by captaining the country's World U18 team and producing a phenomenal 5 goals and 12 points in just 7 games to lead the club by a fair margin.  In Red Deer, he more than doubled his production from a year ago, scoring 57 points in 69 games to rank sixth among WHL rearguards.

Other than size, the only other real concern about Dumba is his consistency, as he can go through spells where he is less involved physically, and is caught watching the play, or being reactive rather than using the hockey intelligence he is blessed with.  But he is blessed with talent, and the rest (other than size) will mostly be worked out through coaching and maturity, so if Montreal wants to add a dynamic player - the kind who might have as good or better a career than anyone available at pick 3 - while picking up an additional selection, Dumba could be on their list.  He just might be my favourite d-man in the draft due to the exciting game he plays.  And as I've said before, I don't believe that the other top 10 blueliners are all that far behind Murray.

Griffin Reinhart - D - Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL
6'4", 205 lbs - Shoots L
Rankings: Central Scouting - 10th (North America); Future Considerations - 7th; The Hockey News - 8th

Reinhart is a consensus top 10 selection in the coming draft, blessed with the body that would make a guy like Dumba a contender for first overall this year.  Reinhart has hockey bloodlines - his father Paul is a former NHL d-man - which we know Trevor Timmins enjoys, and got added experience this year as his Edmonton Oil Kings won the WHL title and most recently competed in the Memorial Cup.

Reinhart may have the frame, but he doesn't play a physical, punishing game.  He is a two-way blueliner, less flashy than Dumba, having scored 12 goals and 36 points in 58 games this season, but makes up for what he lacks in toughness by playing a positionally sound coverage game in his own end.  He is strong, and even dropped the gloves on three occasions this season, but many would like to see him use his size to throw hits on a more regular basis rather than just relying on his long reach.  His skating is unique, often the case with young players who are adapting to their bodies, and while it shouldn't hold him back significantly, is an area he can strive to improve.

Perhaps the biggest positive with regards to Reinhart is that he improved significantly as the season went on. Players at this age are still developing as athletes, and it is a scout's job to project where they may be years in the future, thus to see a good learning curve is encouraging for what that future may hold.  As he gets increasingly comfortable in his role as a top pairing blueliner over time, we may see some of that toughness creep into his game with more consistency, which could make him an addition to a stacked Montreal back end some years from now.

Jacob Trouba - D - USNTDP, USHL
6'2", 195 lbs - Shoots R
Rankings: Central Scouting - 9th (North America); Future Considerations - 6th; The Hockey News - 9th

Future Considerations likes Trouba ahead of Reinhart, while both The Hockey News and McKeen's have him a little behind.  A little smaller than Reinhart, Trouba also plays an all-around two-way game.  However, where Reinhart can shy away from physical play and needs to work on his skating, both are core elements to Trouba's game.  Between his size, quickness, and toughness, he is difficult to beat in his own end, but he also possessed a hard point shot, which allowed him to score 18 points in 22 USHL games with the U18 team this season.  He was so good, in fact, that he made the American team for the World Juniors, contributing 2 assists in 6 games, and was later named an assistant captain for the World U18 squad, where he added a goal and 3 points in 6 more contests.

There is little at fault in Trouba's game, which the Canadiens might like when the players at the top of the draft all come with warning labels.  Critics sometimes worry about his puck-handling, which has many questioning whether his offensive skills can translate to the next level, but if he won't be a puck-rusher, his shot should mean it won't handicap him too badly.  He is a true competitor, but there are still some questions about consistency, though it is hard to gauge a player off such a small sample size with the US National Team Development Program.  He is expected to continue his development with either the University of Michigan or the Kitchener Rangers.

Now, if on draft day, prior to pick #3, we hear Gary Bettman utter those highly anticipated words, "We have a trade to announce," you have an idea of who it might be that the Canadiens are really looking to select.  Of this list, given the organization's needs, I'd be happy adding a Faksa or Girgensons.

However, truth be told, I'm not particularly in favour of the trade down option this year, even with a draft full of uncertainties and the need to bolster a thin prospect pool in Montreal.  It hopefully won't be often that the Canadiens get to speak so early on in an entry draft, and this gives them the opportunity to add a superstar-calibre player.  Sure, I'd be open to listening to offers for the pick, particularly if somehow Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk both go in the two spots before the Canadiens.  But in the end, I'd say draft your Galchenyuk or Mikhail Grigorenko and then hope for the best; all of the above players will make fine NHL'ers, but that's not the need.  Come June, a new star must be born to rise Hab fans out of their seats once again.

Next week, we'll look at the possibilities of trading up to nab Nail Yakupov with the first overall selection, or potentially trading the third overall pick away altogether.  The week following, we'll look at possible candidates for all of the rest of Montreal's picks in the draft.

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.

Your Canadiens for May 15, 2012

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


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

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


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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Your Canadiens for April 13, 2012

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

VOTE FOR P.K. SUBBAN FOR NHL 13 COVER


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

ALSO VOTE FOR CANADIENS AWARDS


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

KOVALEV FOUNDATION ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCED


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

MEET HAB LEGEND ELMER LACH MONDAY IN POINTE CLAIRE


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

EX-CANADIENS STAFF JOINING TEAM CANADA


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

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.

Your Canadiens for April 4, 2012

No new columns today as I'm preparing to move back from Barcelona to Montreal early tomorrow morning.  Just a brief survey of some top headlines of the last 24 hours or so.

JOSH GORGES WINS JACQUES-BEAUCHAMP TROPHY


Montreal Canadiens defenseman Josh Gorges won this season's Jacques-Beauchamp Trophy, it was announced yesterday.  The Beauchamp goes annually to a player deemed the Habs' unsung hero, or fourth star.  A player who has contributed to the team's successes without necessarily getting much attention or credit.  Roman Hamrlik won the award last year, with Gorges having previously won it the season prior as well.  David Desharnais finished 2nd in award voting, with Alexei Emelin rounding out the top 3.

CANADIENS CALL UP GABRIEL DUMONT AND ROBERT MAYER


Also yesterday, the Habs announced the call-ups of forward Gabriel Dumont and goaltender Robert Mayer from the Hamilton Bulldogs.  Dumont will wear #37 and is likely to play in place of the injured Petteri Nokelainen tonight.  He becomes the 805th player in Montreal Canadiens history.  Mayer will wear #65 and may or may not see action given that the Habs have two games in two nights tonight and tomorrow.  His call-up was necessitated by the mild concussion suffered by starter Carey Price that has caused him to miss practice the last 3 days and will hold him out of the final 3 games.

HABS CONTACT AT LEAST THREE IN GM SEARCH


Through sources Pierre Lebrun and Francois Gagnon, TSN is reporting the Montreal Canadiens have contacted Marc Bergevin, Pat Brisson, and Julien Brisebois about the team's General Manager vacancy.  All three have been widely talked about as possible replacements to Pierre Gauthier, and all factored into my own top 10 wish list for his successor.  Assuming this news is correct, it at least shows the Habs aren't wasting any time in searching out top candidates and have considered some of the more obvious names.  My realistic favourite for the position remains Bergevin, so here's hoping he's willing to leave Chicago.

Updates: Added to the list of contacted by the Canadiens are Claude Loiselle and Francois Giguere.

Vincent Damphousse informed the media that he told Geoff Molson he would pull his name out of consideration for family reasons.  This is good news as I had Damphousse as my #1 name to avoid due to his huge lack of experience.

A Bertrand Raymond piece on RDS indicated that the journalist heard from a source that Julien Brisebois would have also declined consideration for the post, though this is a small rumour at best at this point.

Your Canadiens for April 3, 2012

Getting caught up on a few stories around the Montreal Canadiens in the regular season's final week.

CAREY PRICE TO UNDERGO TESTS


It was revealed yesterday that following a collision with David Desharnais in practice last week, Carey Price hasn't been feeling well, suffering from frequent headaches.  Price is expected to undergo testing today to determine if he may have suffered a concussion.  At this point, there is really no reason to jeopardize Price's long-term health.  Even if tests indicate no conclusive evidence of a concussion, if he isn't feeling well, it only makes sense to start Peter Budaj for the final three season games.

This likely also puts an end to any chances that Price would represent Canada in the upcoming World Championships.  With Erik Cole also having declared he would decline any invitation to play for Team USA in the tournament, there may not be many Habs taking part despite the team's elimination.  Get well soon, Carey!


OTHER INJURY UPDATES


In other news, Yannick Weber's knee injury will keep him out the remainder of the season.  Travis Moen and Tomas Kaberle, however, are both close to returning, and should play in at least 2 of the 3 remaining contests.  Moen can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and while it is likely his injury that prevented the Habs from dealing him even more than a want to re-sign him, his toughness is a welcome presence on a third or fourth trio, so I'd expect the new General Manager to try to get him under contract prior to July 1st.

In Hamilton, Danny Masse and Olivier Fortier returned to the lineup from their respective injuries.  That means the only remaining injured 'Dogs are Brendon Nash, Hunter Bishop, and Andrew Conboy, the first two of which have missed the entire season.  Signed a week and a half ago, defenseman Greg Pateryn was eligible to join the Bulldogs for their remaining games, but was unable to reschedule his final college exams, meaning his pro debut will wait until next season.  Hamilton has not yet been mathematically eliminated from the post-season as of yet, but the team doesn't have a realistic shot of qualifying.  They would likely need to win all 6 of their remaining games AND get plenty of help in the form of the many teams above them losing a majority of their games.


GALLAGHER DONE FOR SEASON


Top prospect Brendan Gallagher's Vancouver Giants were eliminated in the first round of the WHL playoffs, 4 games to 2, with Gallagher recording 5 goals and 5 assists in the 6 games.  Since he is under contract, Gallagher could have joined the Bulldogs for the remainder of the season (and/or been called up to Montreal), but it was revealed yesterday that he would not do so.  It is unclear whether this was a Canadiens decision or if Gallagher needs the time to rest and heal up any minor bangs and bruises.  He did suffer a shoulder injury late in the regular season, and it is possible he returned with it at less than 100% (though his production would indicate otherwise).


JUNIOR PLAYOFF UPDATES


Though Gallagher is out, the Habs have a number of other CHL prospects moving on with contending clubs.

In the WHL, Patrick Holland's top seeded Tri-City Americans will face the Spokane Chiefs in the second round.  Spokane eliminated Vancouver, so we'll hope that one Hab prospect can avenge another's elimination.

In the OHL, Jarred Tinordi's number one ranked London Knights open a series against the Saginaw Spirit on Friday.  Saginaw, having finished 5th in the West, was the only lower seed in the Ontario Hockey League to win its first round matchup.

In the QMJHL, Nathan Beaulieu's first place Saint John Sea Dogs will play surprising Baie-Comeau, who advanced despite finishing 13th (out of 17 teams) in the regular season.  Second place Shawinigan, the club captained by Michael Bournival and also featuring Morgan Ellis, will face-off against 8th place Chicoutimi.  Shawinigan is already qualified for the Memorial Cup as this year's hosts, but would love to add a Q championship on top of that.


BRENDON NASH HONOURED


Though he did not play a single game this season after undergoing shoulder surgery back on September 21st, prospect defenseman Brendon Nash was honoured yesterday as the Hamilton Bulldogs Man of the Year for his involvement in the local community and with charitable organizations.  The AHL's Yannick Dupre Memorial Award for league Man of the Year works much like the Masterton in the NHL, with each club submitting a finalist and one overall winner being selected from among them.  The fact that Nash hasn't played this season likely hurts his chances of winning that, but he still deserves a big round of congratulations for being so involved while rehabbing his injury.  Nash will be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Canadiens face a somewhat difficult decision in his case given the lost season of development.  Based on the promise he showed last year, a new one year contract seems a logical move for both parties.


RACE FOR THE BOTTOM UPDATE


With all NHL teams having just 2 or 3 games remaining, the Canadiens are looking good for at least a top 3 selection at this June's Entry Draft.  Here are the standings as of today, following an unfortunate Edmonton loss last night:

Edmonton is ranked 29th due to their fewer games remaining, but thanks to the rightmost regular and overtime wins column, is in fact ahead of Montreal in the standings.  This means if the Canadiens can go through their final three games without collecting another point, regardless of how other clubs fare, they will finish 29th overall, thus holding the 2nd overall pick prior to the draft lottery.

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

Your Canadiens for February 7, 2012

I haven't recapped general Habs news in a while, so a few bits and notes as the Canadiens prepare to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins this evening.

-Yesterday, the Canadiens sent forwards Aaron Palushaj and Ryan White down to the Hamilton Bulldogs. For White, this is just a conditioning stint, representing a final step in his long-awaited return to the line-up from a groin injury and sports hernia. The Bulldogs have a game tomorrow morning at 10 AM, which should be White's first match of the season assuming he has received sufficient clearance. Palushaj being sent down is a little surprising since he played a strong game on Sunday, even recording his first NHL point. More surprising is that after the move, there remain only 10 healthy forwards (plus swingman Yannick Weber) in Montreal. Is there another move on the horizon? Will we see a surprising return from Mike Blunden, Petteri Nokelainen, or Travis Moen? Moen and/or Blunden could be back in the line-up within the week, though I'd be surprised if any of the three dressed against Pittsburgh.

- If you missed it: Sunday also marked the one year anniversary of Scott Gomez's last regular or post-season goal. He did score 3 during this year's pre-season (and I'm sure he has scored some in practice), but it didn't stop fans on Sunday from singing him a chorus of Happy Birthday at various points of the game.

- Nathan Beaulieu was the hottest Canadiens' prospect this past weekend, putting up back to back 2 assist performances. With 34 points in 39 games, he is back on pace to eclipse the 45 points he produced in each of the last two seasons.

Just as productive was Patrick Holland, the prospect acquired from Calgary in the Mike Cammalleri trade. The 6'00, 175 lbs 20-year old has shattered his previous season's product by scoring 71 points through 51 games (62 pts in 71 games last year). He currently ranks 8th in WHL scoring, but is no bluechipper. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to the quicker game at the next level next season.

Hab prospect and London Knights captain Jarred Tinordi is a +31 this season while logging huge minutes for the CHL's top club. His +/- rating is tied for best in the Ontario Hockey League.

- The play of Habs' prospect defenseman Morgan Ellis since being traded to the Shawinigan Cataractes earned him the Prospect of the Month title from website Hockey's Future. Read about that here: http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/13732/hockeys_future_prospect_of_the_month_january2012/

- This bit comes from last week, but if you missed it, there was talk of the Habs possible relocating their AHL affiliate from Hamilton to Laval. The news got out there as Laval announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art arena. The update to this story is that, like what happened with Quebec City, the federal government refused to fund the project. A week ago Saturday, Quebec Premier Jean Charest said he would press Ottawa on the issue, but the availability of federal funding for the project remains unlikely.

Your Canadiens for January 25, 2012

Updates for the morning of the Canadiens' final game prior to the All-Star Break, which will be a break for everyone except Carey Price and Raphael Diaz who head to Ottawa to participate in the game and festivities. Price was named to the game itself, while Diaz will participate in the skills competition as one of the selected "YoungStars."

- Rene Bourque (flu), Travis Moen (upper body), and Petteri Nokelainen (ribs) all missed practice yesterday. Of the three, only Bourque is expected to play tonight against the Detroit Red Wings, so the Canadiens called up Andreas Engqvist to fill in if needed. Engqvist dressed for the Bulldogs last night, but was held off the scoresheet for what has been a rare time of late. In his last 14 AHL games, he has scored 9 goals and 8 assists, giving him 23 points in 27 games to rank second on the 'Dogs behind Aaron Palushaj. Something you may not have known about Engqvist is that he is an avid Tweeter (even if some/most of his posts are in Swedish); follow him here: @aengqvist.

- Carey Price (cut) practiced yesterday, relieving any concern that his self-inflicted accidental wound might be more serious than anyone knew. He will start tonight. Ryan White, meanwhile, has been cleared for contact and practiced with his teammates yesterday. He should be available to make his season debut after the All-Star break.

- The Bulldogs were defeated 4-1 by Lake Erie last night as it appears their hot run is officially over. They will need to get hot again to remain in the tight playoff race. Louis Leblanc scored the team's only goal, his 9th of the season, with assists to Brian Willsie and Frederic St. Denis. Leblanc, who had 9 shots on goal in the game, is having a strong rookie campaign with 16 points in 23 games.

- Brendan Gallagher is expected to return to the Vancouver Giants' line-up tonight after missing just over a week with an upper body injury. The injury was sustained after he fell awkwardly into the boards on a relatively clean hit from fellow Habs' prospect Patrick Holland. The Giants had a 2-3-0 record while Gallagher was missing.

- As the All-Star break will soon be upon us, the Canadiens were forced to again answer questions about the health of Andrei Markov. The update remains that he "continues to progress," but there is absolutely no timetable for his return at this point. The Habs still refuse to acknowledge the possibility of him being shutdown for the season.

- The Habs aren't the only team struggling this season and with possibly "tanking" for a top pick on their mind. There is quite the logjam in the basement of the Eastern Conference standings. Spots 11 through 15 are being shuffled on a daily basis! Check it out as of today:

Three Western Conference teams have fewer than 45 points, so as of today (pre-draft lottery), the teams above would pick 4th to 9th (in reverse order) at the 2012 Entry Draft. If the Canadiens can't fall low enough to land the top 2 pick required to add Mikhail Grigorenko to the roster, they will be an a somewhat awkward position with the top 10 prospects dominated by defensemen (and having taken a d-man in the first round each of the last two years, it doesn't seem like the best of plans). With a top 10 pick, the Habs may consider 6'2" center Brendan Gaunce, or quick rising Russian Alexander Galchenyuk, though a lot could still change between now and then.

Your Canadiens for January 12, 2012

Greetings all from beautiful Barcelona, Spain - the land I'll call home until early April. Tell anyone you like hockey here, and field hockey is assumed. ICE hockey is a required specification. Little kknown fact, though, that FC Barcelona has a roller hockey team. But don't start picturing Messi on skates any time soon; different athletes playing in a far less popular league.

Welcome back. Regular updates and articles shall now resume. Since it's been just over a week without any Habs news on this site, I'll recap major stories that, as a Habs fan, are your NEED TO KNOW of the moment:

Brian Gionta Undergoes Bicep Surgery

It wasn't long after the Montreal Canadiens dropped a 3-0 decision to the St. Louis Blues that the club announced its captain Brian Gionta had undergone successful bicep surgery and would be out indefinitely. Gionta has played in only 31 of Montreal's 42 games this season and the game against the Blues was just his second after missing a month of action with a lower body injury. But even ignoring the time he missed, his 15 points averaged over a full season had him on pace for his lowest season total since 2003-04. This injury is the latest bit of bad news for Habs fans in a season where nothing has seemed to go right and, combined with the loss, might be the final nail in the coffin that cements the club as sellers in the mind of management.

The injury is further bad news for Mike Cammalleri fans, as I strongly believe the club planned to shop one of the two snipers. As I've mentioned previously, depending on two similar, undersized, streaky goal scorers to lead the way offensively doesn't seem like the best conceived plan given the team's lack of a big power center. If Gionta misses the remainder of the season (which is a possibility at this point), he would be off the market and unlikely to be dealt during the off-season, which might seal Cammalleri's fate with the Canadiens.

It seems, as reported by awesome French-language Habs blog Dans Les Coulisses, that Gionta's bicep injury wasn't actually a new peril, but rather the aggravating of a previous "minor" injury that occurred against the Vancouver Canucks on December 8th (Gionta's final game played before missing a month due to what the team dubbed a lower body injury). Did the Canadiens lie about it being a lower body / groin, and did Gionta return too soon from this arm injury? We don't know for certain, but it seems reasonable to guess that to be the case.

Mike Cammalleri Calls the Habs "Losers"... or Does He?

Speaking of Mike Cammalleri, a big fuss was made of his comments after the Canadiens most recent loss. Depending on the media source you choose to follow, he mentioned that the team currently has a "losing mentality," or "prepared" and "played" like losers. Perhaps more enraging to some was an absolution of his own responsibility in the team's current troubles, claiming that he feels he is always getting better and continues to play good hockey. He even tossed some very public heat towards head coach Randy Cunneyworth in partly blaming his costly errors against St. Louis on the fact that he had only gotten limited ice time prior to those shifts, not allowing him to properly get into the game's flow and magnifying those instances. He also indicated that not playing as much during games means he needs to work harder in practices just to stay in shape; not something you want to hear from a guy who has been taking "optional" days off virtually all season.

Of course, as all athletes do, the next day Cammalleri claimed to have been misquoted, indicating his comments were meant as nothing but to indicate the team was frustrating with losing, and that it was the media who had blown them out of proportion. Whether that's true or it's just Cammalleri regretting his little rant is of course up to you to decide.

Scott Gomez Nears a Return; Ryan White Not So Much

Scott Gomez is back at practice with the Canadiens, and while he won't play tonight, there is a very good chance he could be in the line-up on Saturday. Ryan White, however, appears to still be a ways off. White was visibly frustrated when talking with the media, given that his recovery is taking far longer then anticipated. All he could say was that his skating is virtually 100%, but he had absolutely no timetable for a return to full action other than not being close.

Carey Price Named to NHL All-Star Game

Carey Price will unsurprisingly be the only member of the Montreal Canadiens at this year's All-Star game in Ottawa. Raphael Diaz and/or (though less likely) Alexei Emelin might have had a chance to make the game's rookie additions, but only two defensemen were chosen being Justin Faulk and Adam Larsson. Faulk is the only member of the Carolina Hurricanes at the Game at all, securing his spot.

Hamilton Bulldogs on a Tear

The Hamilton Bulldogs struggled out of the gate this season, losing key players like Aaron Palushaj, Andreas Engqvist, and Louis Leblanc to injury-replacement call-ups in Montreal, and dealing with injuries of their own. But with these 3 back in the AHL, the team is on quite a roll of late, winners of three straight and 10-2-3 in their last 15 games. Palushaj and Engqvist have been amongst the most dominant in the recent surge. Palushaj is riding a 5-game point streak, totaling 4 goals and 6 assists over that span, while Engqvist has 8 goals and 5 assists on a current 8-game point streak. The team has four more contests before the big one: The Steeltown Showdown, an outdoor game in Hamilton against the Toronto Marlies on January 21st.

Brendan Gallagher and Morgan Ellis Dominant in the CHL

Brendan Gallagher was one Canada's standout performers at the recent World Junior Championships and certainly earned every bit of that bronze medal the team won. No one would have thought badly of Gallagher if he had a modest slump immediately upon his return to the WHL's Vancouver Giants, but much the opposite has transpired. After a season-high 7 (!!) points (3 G, 4 A) in his first game back, he followed it up with a goal and an assist in his other game since to give him 28 goals and 55 points in just 30 games. He is on a much better pace than last season, when he scored 44 goals and 91 points in 66 matches.

But Gallagher isn't the only Hab prospect to be enjoying strong performances. Morgan Ellis, a 6'2", 200 lbs offensive defenseman, was recently dealt from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles - the team he captained - to fellow Canadiens prospect Michael Bournival's Shawinigan Cataractes. This in and of itself is good news as Shawinigan hosts this year's Memorial Cup, guaranteeing the participation (barring injury) of both players before they make their Hamilton Bulldog debuts next season. But Ellis, who had 25 points in 34 games with Shawinigan this season, has exploded offensively since the trade in scoring 3 goals and 4 assists over three games played (with at least 2 points in each game). Ellis is often overlooked when discussing Montreal's bright future on the back end, but he does have potential to be a future Raphael Diaz with size.

Lack of Updates for Next Week

Dear awesome loyal Habs fan readership,

I regret to announce that for the next few days to a week, beginning tomorrow (January 5th), I can't promise much - if any - new content. No, this has nothing to do with the Canadiens performances this season.

Rather, it is for personal reasons that I'll be away, as I am moving from Montreal to Barcelona, Spain for the next 3 months to finish of my MBA. Once I'm all settled in there, I'll catch back up on following your Montreal Canadiens... time difference and all!

I apologize for the outage, and sincerely hope you return to my site once new articles are flowing! Your readership is greatly appreciated and what motivates me to keep this site running!

Thanks,

Dan Kramer