Tag Archives: Marc Bergevin


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First Place For Another Day

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Regular season game #38

In the season’s final game of the long-running rivalry between the Bruins and Habs, it was the home team that finally broke through to claim victory, in the tightest of margins and the most stressful of manners.

Clinging to a one-goal lead with less than two minutes to play, Lars Eller grabbed a fistful of Zdeno Chara’s jersey and spun him to the ice. Whether the big ape helped himself to the ground is irrelevant; Eller, who had played a strong game to that point, showed a lack of judgement. Luckily it didn’t cost the Habs because the dismal Bruins powerplay was still dismal, even with the addition of Jaromir Jagr. They threw the puck around the ice and desperately hoped the big old Czech would fix everything for them. The final siren blared with the puck on Jagr’s stick and with no urgency from him at all.

The best Habs players list is starting to sound like a broken record. PK Subban had another two assists and had a Fenwick score of +16. For the #fancystats uninitiated, take my word for it: that’s really good (hat tip to @Heymynameiswill). His case for the Norris trophy continues to grow by leaps and bounds as he piles up the stats, minutes and defensive prowess needed to earn votes from the powers that be. Whether he wins the Norris or not isn’t all that important in the grand scheme of things. What is important is that the Habs have one of the league’s premier defensemen…if that hasn’t been obvious for a couple years already.

Carey Price was also stellar, turning aside from 26 of 27 shots and kept the Bruins third period push at bay. His rebound control was outstanding and the poise for which he’s become known for was on full display. It’s odd that it was his first win against the Bruins since October of 2011, but facts are facts, and with the playoffs around the corner, it’s a good confidence booster for Price to have should they face Boston in the postseason.

After suffering a reported groin injury on Wednesday in Philadelphia, Tomas Plekanec was back in the lineup and looked like his former self. He won 70% of his faceoffs which is key considering his Bruins counterpart, Patrice Bergeron sat the game out with yet another concussion.

It was a busy week for the Habs that saw them play five games in the last eight nights. Posting a 4-1 record during that stretch is absurd, and is only made more absurd by the fact that they surrendered just three goals in the four wins. This team navigates fatigue, travel and injury perfectly, and for that Michel Therrien, who has not had a full practice with his team in 8 days now, deserves an enormous share of the credit.

Next week is decidedly slower, with a home game against the resurgent Capitals on Monday, followed by two road games in Buffalo and Toronto.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

Ryde On!

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Regular season game #37

Just 24 hours after the apocalypse, the fallout has cleared, the sun has broken through, and the world has righted itself. Situation normal.

While nothing went right in Philadelphia, everything went right against the Jets. With major concern swirling around Plekanec’s absence, Habs fans wondered how their team would conduct itself minus their most important centerman. We’ll concede that while the Jets aren’t hockey’s Harlem Globetrotters, the Habs did pretty damn well, especially the two young centermen with the spotlight on them: Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk. Eller had a goal and an assist, and looked much more like the active, versatile player we’ve become accustomed to while Galchenyuk emerged from a prolonged slump to score his 4th goal of the year. It’s not abnormal for a rookie, even one with Galchenyuk’s gifts to lose their way a bit during their first season as a pro, but on his goal, he was circling like a shark in chummed waters. He found a dead spot eight feet in front of Pavelec and waited for the inevitable. Slump = over. Michael Ryder continued his torrid pace, with two goals and an assist, and P.K. Subban was up to his usual tricks with another two assists to vault him in to the NHL’s top scoring defenseman with 30 points. Peter Budaj for his part turned in another strong performance as Price’s backup, turning aside 33 of 34 shots in front of members of his family. He was well deserving of the second star, and should strongly be considered for a contract extension. It never fails to entertain me when fans denigrate his work by saying he only plays “weak teams”. Newsflash: he’s designated, and paid as a backup…of course he plays the “weak teams”! (Let’s conveniently forget that he’s 2-0 against the Bruins this year.)

We could be worried about the Habs two-game trend of taking minimal shots on goal in the third period, but with the team as battered as it is, it would probably make more sense to cut the team some slack considering they actually won the game quite handily and kept their grip on first place in the North East with just 11 games to go.

With a huge showdown on Saturday night against the Bruins, this was a home win the Habs simply had to have, and it’s par for the course to see them rally minus their best center to get the job done. Michel Therrien has kept a stern hand on the wheel and his decisions continue to work out remarkably well. He may not win the Jack Adams trophy, but he sure as hell deserves to be a finalist.

With Plekanec listed as day-to-day, Bourque scheduled to practice with the team, and Diaz skating for the second consecutive day, Bergevin showed that sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make. And in Ryder’s case, he showed that sometimes the best deals are the ones you DO make.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

Flying Low

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Regular season game #36

Let’s all take a collective deep breath….and exhale.

With the Habs turning in one of their worst performances of the year just hours after the trade deadline elapsed, it would be easy to slide in to a panic attack and question Bergevin’s decision not to make any moves to shore up the team.

Settle down.

Every team lays an egg once in a while. No, that’s not to say that it’s acceptable, because getting six shots in the final 40 minutes certainly isn’t acceptable. The fact is the final score flatters the Habs, since they did somehow manage to score twice in the second period. If not for the sloppy netminding of Ilya Bryzgalov, this game would have been a laugher.

The real concern following tonight’s game is the status of Tomas Plekanec, who left the game with just over 12 minutes left in the second period with a lower body injury. I’m only going to loosely make the connection, but without Plekanec, the Habs managed less shots during his absence than Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds had for the entire game on his own. If Plekanec is out for any length of time, the Habs are in serious trouble, since Eller, Desharnais, Halpern and Galchenyuk cannot replicate what Plekanec brings to the team. You can disagree, but you’d be wrong.

The Habs are a resilient bunch, and losing has not been their thing this season. All bets are off if Plekanec is seriously hurt, but considering how more than one goal deflected off of Habs defensemen and behind Price in to the net, I expect a livelier effort from the Habs tomorrow against Winnipeg coupled with a little more puck luck.

So with nothing more to talk about, the only thing to consider is what the plan becomes if Plekanec IS seriously hurt. Well, for starters, Lars Eller will take on a bigger role, and will hopefully be better than he was tonight. Jeff Halpern will also take on more minutes, especially when it comes to defensive zone faceoffs. Other than that, Desharnais will have no choice but to put points on the board on a consistent basis, and Galchenyuk will have to contribute a bit more than he has.

Again, let’s not let one loss set us on the path of despair. Until poor play becomes a pattern, assume that the Habs will bounce back, as they always have this season. If they lose the Jets tomorrow, raise an eyebrow. If they lose to the Bruins on Saturday…ok…go ahead and riot.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

Snuffed Out

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Regular season game #35

Except for giving up the first goal of the game less than four minutes in to the opening period, this game probably went exactly as the Habs coaching staff drew it up. They played a solid game at even strength, got a powerplay goal, surrendered nothing on the penalty kill and their only real power forward got back on track with a pair of goals.

If we’re being honest with ourselves, the Hurricanes needed a win tonight much more than the Habs did. Although both teams are locked in a battle for their respective divisions, the Canadiens aren’t the team in danger of falling out of the playoffs entirely should they not win their division. This being the case, it’s hard to imagine that the Hurricanes were not motivated to get Kirk Muller a win in his old barn, especially after opening the scoring. We’ll just have to chalk it up to the Habs absolute mastery of the Southleast, as they are now 10-0 vs teams from that division.

In a season that has gone as perfectly as one could ask for, the Canadiens can look beyond the extra two points and see a 5-for-5 performance on the penalty kill, and only gave up two shots on goal in the process. In their last three games the Habs have gone 9-for-10 on the penalty kill. Again, if we’re being honest with ourselves, the Habs recent success on the penalty kill can be attributed to the fact that they played teams holding the 24th, 25th, and 30th ranked powerplay in the league. Sometimes the legwork gets done for you. Still, when you are nearly perfect, you take that for face value and use it to whatever positive means that you have to.

With no more games to be played before the trade deadline passes on Wednesday afternoon, we can assume that Bergevin has made up his mind on what he believes his team needs – if anything. Surely any team has holes to fill, but the only question to be asked is whether or not what Bergevin wants can be had at a small enough price. With shrewd pick ups like Jeff Halpern (who scored the game winning goal) off of waivers, it’s clear that Bergevin is not in the mood to part with any valuable assets without a very good reason. With Colby Armstrong going down with what looked to be a fairly serious injury, is that enough of a loss to force Bergevin’s hand, or can he rely on a recovering Ryan White, Gabriel Dumont, or, should they choose to recall him, Petteri Nokelainen?

We will have our answers soon enough. In the mean time, the Canadiens and their fans can savour at least a couple more days of first place in the North East division. With games against the struggling Flyers, Jets, and Bruins on deck, this runaway train doesn’t look to be stopping any time soon.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

 

A New Tradition

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Regular season game #34

The only real question to be asked after the Habs once again blanked the New York Rangers at the Bell Center is whether or not Coach Torts was sufficiently entertained this time. Following a similar 3-0 loss back on February 23, the friendly Rangers coach bemoaned the lack of excitement to the game. He was particularly frustrated with the lack of intensity displayed by his own players, and one can assume that his pre game message was to not let the Canadiens get out to a quick start.

Oops.

Just 47 seconds in to the game, Michael Ryder beat Rangers backup Mathieu Biron for what would count as the game winning goal. Coach Torts probably took no comfort in his team’s substantially better effort this time around, as they out shot, out hit, and one could perhaps say outplayed the Canadiens for most of the game. The result was the same; another loss in what looks like a lost season for the Rangers, and perhaps the last for Coach Torts behind the Rangers bench.

The game story for the Habs was one that fans of the bleu-blanc-rouge hope to see replayed for years to come: brilliance from Carey Price, a three point night for P.K. Subban, and a nail-in-the-coffin goal from potential Calder trophy candidate Brendan Gallagher.

As hard as the Rangers pushed to get the game back on even terms, Carey Price’s precise movements and poised control left anyone who watched with the impression that any kind of comeback was not in the cards for the visiting team.

The game was also a career first for Habs 2011 first round pick Nathan Beaulieu, who did not look out of place in his 17-plus minutes of ice time. He showed flashes of the slick offensive defenseman that he was touted as when the Habs selected him 17th overall. Although the Hamilton Bulldogs are having a miserable season, Habs fans have to be encouraged by the three auditions of Greg Pateryn, Jarred Tinordi and now Beaulieu. It’s doubtful that either of the three youngsters will fill the void that GM Marc Bergevin would like to fill before the April 3rd deadline, but there’s little doubt that all three are legitimate NHL defensemen in waiting, perhaps as soon as next season for at least one of the three prospects.

While the game vs the Rangers was Carey Price’s 18th career shutout, it was another exercise in predictability, as the Rangers are 0-9-1 in Montreal in their last 10 visits, and have been shut out four times during that span. The two points put the Canadiens three points clear of the slumping Boston Bruins, who hold one game in hand in the chase for the North East division title.

With the Hurricanes in town on Monday, the Habs have another good chance to pad their stats even further. It’s also Bergevin’s last chance to gauge what he believes his team may or may not need before the trade window closes.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

Everything Happened

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Regular season game #33

I’m not going to lie to you: I don’t know where to start. When you look up the definition of a roller coaster game, whatever is currently in the hockey dictionary is going to be supplanted by this game. The Habs blew a 2-0 lead, then came back from a pair of third period two goal deficits, finally tying the game with just seconds to go in regulation.

To paraphrase Stefon: “This game had everything”.

Fans of both the Habs and Bruins experienced the full gamut of emotions that hockey has to deliver; everything from despair to exhilaration.

With the Habs having played just one night earlier in Pittsburgh, many wondered how much gas the Habs would have in the tank. The answer is plenty, though Therrien may want to check that  Markov and Emelin aren’t having their gas cut with water. Markov is still a key cog for this team,and did score the game-tying goal, but it’s clear that his mobility has been affected by knee surgeries galore.

It isn’t often that we see Carey Price get pulled, but when Budaj came out to start the third period it was less an indictment of his play as it was a message to the team to get the lead out and to try and change the momentum. Message received, and Budaj was spectacular in Price’s stead, shootout included, as he did not surrender a single goal.

Other laurels go out to P.K. Subban, who played over a half hour of hockey, had a goal and an assist and was a +3 . Brendan Gallagher was also a difference maker, as he scored the goal that gave the Habs renewed life, was in Rask’s kitchen on the game-tying goal, and scored the shootout winner. He continues to make a name for himself, and his buzz saw style has inserted him in to the conversation for rookie of the year. Plekanec quietly had three assists and continues to be the glue that holds the team’s top six together. Captain Brian Gionta also had a pair of assists to go with his three shots on goal. Michael Ryder, who hit nothing but post in Pittsburgh last night had fortune in his favour last night, scoring two more goals. He now has 13 points in 13 games since rejoining the Habs (Erik Cole is stuck on two goals, and is a minus 9 in 13 games with Dallas, and he continues to make Marc Bergevin look like a genius.

You’ve got to wonder what Therrien told his team during the second intermission, but once again it worked. He also had the good sense to not put the struggling David Desharnais out for the last minute powerplay. Desharnais, plucky chap that he is, is useless on the powerplay on the road.

All in all, it was a badly needed win, and goes to show that winning ugly trumps losing while playing well.

And yes, the Habs can run with the big dogs.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

Habs and the trade deadline: The Bergevin dilemma

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The following is Cowhide & Rubber contributor J.F., otherwise known as Gimchihabster on twitter’s take on the options the Habs have open to them leading up to the trade deadline. Should you have any comments, feel free to leave a comment below, or to contact J.F. directly via twitter. Like all of us, he has a passion for Habs talk.

by @Gimchihabster

With the April 3rd trade deadline fast approaching, Marc Bergevin has some decisions to make. His club sits first in its division and second in the Eastern Conference. This has to be well ahead of what management expected going into the season. Fans and media wonder what the new GM will do and he (Bergevin) is faced with a few options, I will discuss three of them here and then provide my own prognostic as to what Bergevin will do.

A brief situation report
Before delving into the scenarios, let us look at what Bergevin has done since the season started:

Trades:

  • ·Acquired Michael Ryder and a 3rd round pick in 2013 for Erik Cole.
  • Picked up Jeff Halpern off waivers.
  • Traded goaltender Cedrick Desjardins for goaltender Dustin Tokarski.

The Ryder trade was a cap savvy move that also meant to add scoring punch from a right handed winger. The Halpern and Tokarski moves are depth moves meant to shore up Montreal and Hamilton.

Habs needs:

  • Grit and size up front
  • Size and toughness on the defensive core

The grit & size issue up front may have just become more critical with the relapse suffered by Rene Bourque. No one wants to hear it but perhaps LTIR is in the cards for Bourque and even d-man Raphael Diaz. These would be serious blows for the Habs. The return of a healthy Brandon Prust will ease the grit issue somewhat but Bourque leaves a big hole.
On the back end, the play of Jarred Tinordi and his 6’6’’ 200 pound frame may plug a need but we are talking about a 21 year old d-man.

So what are the assets in Bergevin’s poker hand?

  1. A plethora of draft picks: 1 first rounder, 3 second rounders and 1 third rounder.
  2. Extra defensemen in Weber (if healthy), Kaberle (questionable value due to cap hit) with the big club and at the AHL level.

Let us now look at 3 trade deadline scenarios; all of these depend on how Bergevin and Therrien see this Habs team…

Scenario 1: go for broke or just win baby
This would be the ‘win now’ option and would include going for a big splash on the trade market. Bergevin has the picks and cap space to make moves. It would mean he and his management team feel the current roster has the makings of a deep playoff run.
In such a scenario, the GM would not hesitate to make an Iginla-like trade or to adopt the Nashville approach from last year when they acquired Gill, Kostityn and Gaustad for a playoff run. We all know how that turned out however.

Scenario 2: the fixer upper
This would be the plugging holes option but without mortgaging the future of the club. In this case Bergevin would look for depth acquisitions and would avoid rentals unless he could be fairly certain of re-signing them. That could mean a gritty third liner or a depth defenseman with size. The status of Rene Bourque comes into play here. Bergevin could also be looking for a Brandon Prust in bigger format. Once again he has the assets to make such moves.

Scenario 3: stand pat
This would mean Bergevin decides his club is decent as it is and that just making the playoffs after finishing fifteenth last season is more than reasonable outcome. This would also indicate that Bergevin has a mid-to-long term plan and he feels now is not the time to make big moves but rather that the summer with the draft and Free Agent season will be a richer environment for trades and key acquisitions.

My prediction: Bergevin will make small moves
When I listen to Bergevin and look at his body of work thus far I see a GM that is gradually locking up his core, not mortgaging the future and that knows the value of cap space at the right time (summer and draft). I also hear a guy who does not want rentals at this point. One could argue that Ryder is a rental but that trade also came with cap relief this year and unloaded two years of contract in the process.

The joker in this poker game has to injuries to Bourque and Diaz. These could potentially alter Bergevin’s mindset, especially if the club keeps winning. I expect smaller trades that will bring in depth for the third and fourth line. I do not see Bergevin chasing a guy like Iginla due to the astronomical cost. Then again, if Boston gets Jarome, the arms race may be on! It is clear now that Morrow and Murray with the Pens is first blood in the eastern conference waters.

My targets would be a gritty winger that can drop em but also play quality hockey. A guy like Ryan Clowe would be the prototypical target but the fact he is a UFA come seasons end seems to rule him out. You therefore have to look at clubs that are out of the running or nearly so. These are few at this point. I also think Bergevin could surprise us as he did with the Cole for Ryder trade. Teams like the Panthers would be logical targets but Bergevin has to find players he sees as a fit for his team. I am not sure what Bergevin will do with the defensive core. Tinordi may be the solution and perhaps giving the kid valuable playoff experience is something the organisation sees as a good thing at this point.

All this being said, the next week will be a wild one full of crazy trade stories and well know how maniacal Habs fans are, some with a clear case of chronic tradeholicism! The silly season begin…oh and let’s not forget the Habs have to play the Penguins, Bruins and Rangers this week too.

When Facing an AHL Goalie…

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Regular season game #30

The Islanders have long been a doormat, but in recent years they have been a thorn in the Canadiens’ side…at least that’s the popular belief. Once again, a quick glance at recent history says that the Habs are 5-3-3 against the Islanders since the 2010-11 season. Certainly not what I’d call “owning” a team, but a .591 win percentage hardly qualifies as something to whine too much about when perception is out of whack with reality.

After leaving a point on the table on Tuesday against Buffalo, it was important for Montreal to get the win against Long Island. In the early going, things looked iffy, as some sloppy play from both teams led to a 2-2 game. The ingredients were present for the Habs to let another one slip away, but once again, the third period came along to save their bacon.

That, and one Kevin Poulin. The Islanders backup looked about as confident and graceful in goal as Martin Short did in his short career as a synchronized swimmer. He looked like he was terrified at the sight of the puck all night long, as pucks bounced off him in every which direction. Scrambling to stay on his feet and in his crease, Poulin finally gave up the ghost in the third period; surrendering three goals on 10 shots. The lesson? Shoot the puck at jello-legged AHL goalies.

The usual suspects were stirring the drink for the Habs tonight. P.K. Subban, Brendan Gallagher, Max Pacioretty, and newcomer Gabriel Dumont. Just two nights after being publicly admonished by his coach, Subban simply scored another pair of goals, and now has 22 points in 24 games. The cost to resign him goes up by the day. Rookies Gallagher and Dumont were busy raising hell and keeping the Islanders off their game all night long. While Gallagher’s a permanent resident, Dumont looks poised to unseat one of Travis Moen or Colby Armstrong with his in-your-face style.

We would also be remiss not to mention David Desharnais’ 100th and 101st NHL points, as he assisted on Brian Gionta’s game winning goal early in the third period, and also assisted on Gallagher’s tally. It was also his first point since signing his contract extension two weeks ago. Interestingly, Desharnais was finally held accountable by Michel Therrien for recent lacklustre play, as he saw less than four minutes in both the second and third periods. Let us stow the talk that he’s ben getting a free pass for now, yes?

Michael Ryder’s opening tally represented his 10th point in 10 games since joining the Habs (Erik Cole, for his part, is still mired in his season-long funk at two goals in nine games since joining the Stars). Bergevin’s trade looks better and better, doesn’t it?

At 20-5-5, Montreal has twice as many wins as combined losses. With the season 5/8ths complete, nobody on the planet could have predicted this. The Canadiens have been on a season-long run that shows no sign of slowing down.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel

Desharnais extended: when players are more than a collection of statistics

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the following is another take on the Desharnais signing by J.F., otherwise known as Gimchihabster on twitter. Should you have any comments, feel free to leave a comment below, or to contact J.F. directly via twitter. Like all of us, he has a passion for Habs talk.

by @Gimchihabster

Early on Friday, Habs General Manager Marc Bergevin signed David Desharnais to a 4 year, 14 million dollar contract extension. This works out to a 3.5M cap hit. This unleashed a veritable flood of reaction on twitter and on the radio. This tends to happen in the snow globe that is the Montreal hockey market.

Let’s dismiss something right off the bat: this is not a language issue, thinking that it is grossly misunderstanding how Bergevin has worked thus far. With that out of the way, let’s move on to the contract itself.

The contract

David Desharnais is 26 years old. The 4 year contract will bring him to 30 years of age. The cap hit for a 50-60 point centre is more than reasonable. The term may be up for debate and I would have preferred a 3 year deal. Those thinking Desharnais could have been signed for less than 3M a year are dreaming. So in terms of cap hit and term, this is a contract that works for Desharnais and for the Habs. It does not handcuff the team or ruin their cap situation. Desharnais remains a movable asset if Bergevin chooses to move him down the road. A playmaking centre making 3.5M is not going to be impossible to trade.

Let us clear up another misconception, this deal has nothing to do with PK Subban. Desharnais is coming off his bridge deal. He was on the last year of a 2 year 1.7M deal. So the Habs did not commit to him sooner than they did or will to Subban. In fact, let’s leave Subban out of this for once!

The size obsession

Habs fans have developed over the years a nearly clinical obsession with making the team bigger. This has led many to complain about how small the Habs are; at how many small players they sign. This can indeed be an issue but size is not everything in the NHL. We can all name dozens of big players that had no physicality to their games or had no heart. What matters in the NHL and apparently for the Habs GM is heart and the compete level or if you will, players that play big, regardless of their size. This is where Desharnais comes up aces. This where he, compared to other small players, has overcome the size issue in some ways. Is Desharnais a top flight center? No but then again neither is he being paid like one. I think the current Habs GM will value heart, dedication, skill and compete level over other considerations. I think the coach also thinks this way. In such a light the Desharnais deal make sense. Brendan Gallagher is another smaller player who plays big, Brian Gionta is the same.

Beyond the stats

This brings us to the core of the issue: players are more than a collection of statistics. All too often we get blinded by numbers as if they sum up a hockey player, as if they can measure all that he brings to a team. Yet most of us realize that we can make statistics say whatever we wish to. There are numerous examples of this out there but before discussing a few let’s identify a two of those intangibles that may not show up on the tally of stats.

Heart: this is defined as effort, dedication and compete level. A player can have this and that can be hard to see if you us the stats-only lens.

Leadership: this is the impact of a player in the room and on the ice and again is hardly measurable in statistics.

These two elements are considered by GMs when signing or drafting players. They mix in with the list of numbers associated with a player. It is clear that Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien wish to build a tight knit team that will compete hard and work as unit. David Desharnais is that kind of player, despite his size. He competes every night. He also leads by example and this is important too.

Chemistry is also an important issue and in the case of Desharnais, it appears to be very important. Indeed, Desharnais came up with Max Pacioretty as they had performed well together with the Bulldogs. Pacioretty was signed to a 6 year extension and has said repeatedly since then that he owed a lot of this to Desharnais. He has said many times this year that he would do all he could to help Desharnais get a new contract. This is more than some lip service declaration made to the media to look good. Patches means it and I am pretty sure Bergevin and Therrien noticed this. It is also important when building a team concept.

Now concerning how stats do not show everything…..

Take a goaltender that lets in 2 goals on 20 shots. His save percentage would not be that great and if one were to stop at the stat line he could conclude this goaltender was sub-par. Now let’s say the two goals came on blistering one timers and that after this the goaltender was lights out for the duration and won in the shootout. That shows character and guts, neither of which can easily be shown by statistics. That was just one example, there are numerous others that could be cited I am sure.

The big picture

Where does this contract extension fit in the larger picture then? It provides the Habs with depth a centre, something they have not really had in years. I do mean quality depth at centre. It also provides flexibility to the team and gives it time to develop a player like Galchenyuk without rushing him. This is not the end of Eller or Plekanec in Montreal. Why should it be? Depth is what most teams crave and seek. Habs now finally have some at centre. Should Bergevin wish to trade a centre, Eller, Plekanec and Desharnais are all movable assets with reasonable contracts. Eller can play on the wing on occasion and one would assume Desharnais can be played there eventually. We apparently have a GM who is not afraid of making deals and of selling high. In that respect, no player is insulated from being traded if it will improve the team. This includes Plekanec, a player I have been a devoted fan of ever since he first laced them up for the Habs. For now, as Galchenyuk and Eller mature, the Habs will be able to continue to ice decent centers. This is just smart hockey management.

So in essence, this deal fits the new philosophy of the team, provides depth but not at the expense of flexibility. I would have preferred a 3 year deal but one cannot always get what he wants!

So it is time to exhale Habs fans and just enjoy this ride the bleu, blanc, rouge are on. Take pleasure in watching a hard working team that finally has some moxie, something David Desharnais is a part of.

Just Like a Vacation

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Regular season game #26

On the last game of a five-game road trip, a lesser focused team would have looked past a far weaker opponent and perhaps fallen in to the trap of taking them lightly. The 2013 Canadiens are not that team. Instead, they stormed in to Sunrise and proceeded to steamroll the Panthers, who barely put up a whimper. The Habs are a perfect 8-0 against Southeast Division teams, which is an clue to the Habs consistency and the weakness of the Division as a whole.

Nevertheless, this is the schedule that has been handed to the Habs, and their 17-5-4 record says that they are doing what they need to do to erase last year’s rotten memory.

No time was wasted in throwing dirt on the Panthers, as David Desharnais, who has  turned his season around after a terrifyingly awful start. Michael Ryder quickly followed (and added another later in the game, upping his total to 9 points in 7 games since being acquired). The second period has become synonymous with the Habs taking a nap, but in this period they turned up the heat on the Panthers, effectively ending the game before it was minutes old. Another player who had a slow start, Captain Brian Gionta, scored what proved to be the winning goal, and now quietly has 9 goals when it appeared that he had lost a step. Apparently it just takes a little longer for older legs to get going!

In what is looking like a coronation rather than a slow build, PK Subban was flat out sensational once again. Three assists, on the ice for four Montreal goals and no Panthers goals. With 18 points in 20 games since his return, he is chasing down the leaders faster than a cheetah runs down a sick baby gazelle. He’s now 3rd in league scoring among defensemen, with fewer games played, and an average TOI that ranks him 65th among NHL defensemen. Yeah, he’s been that good.

Tonight’s game was such a walk in the park that we hardly didn’t notice Brandon Prust’s absence. The truth is with a team barely capable of fighting back, he was not needed on this night. With a shoulder injury that will keep him out of action for 10-14 days, a break until Wednesday is exactly what the doctor ordered.

If there were any doubters left, the clock has struck midnight. Many realists, myself included, said that the Habs hot start was due to a home-friendly schedule. Well now they’ve played more road games than home games and have a better road record than home record, so the time has come to abandon all further reservations. This team is for real, and will play the remainder of the 2013 season with the mind set that they will chase hockey’s ultimate prize. What that means for the April 3rd trade deadline is anyone’s guess, but Bergevin’s work thus far has had a Midas Touch, so as long as he doesn’t mortgage the future, we’re good.

Follow me on twitter: @kyleroussel


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