Liveblog: Coyotes beat Kings 2-0 in elimination game

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Los Angeles hadn’t lost since Game 4 of the Kings’ opening series against Vancouver.
Shane Doan scored twice and Mike Smith made 36 saves to hang a goose egg on the Kings in their own building.
It was Smith’s third shutout of the postseason.
The Coyotes have been outshot in 13 of the 15 playoff games they’ve played.
But the Western Conference final is going back to the desert.

The Kings had not been shutout in these playoffs.

L.A.’s punchless power play went 0-for-6.

• Feature on Jarred Tinordi

Liveblog: Coyotes 2 Kings 0 after two

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Shane Doan has both Phoenix goals, the second coming off Antoine Vermette’s clean faceoff win.
Doan’s shot went in off Dustin Penner’s hand and rebounded right out of the net.
L.A. is not accustomed to trailing in the playoffs.
And the great hockey-loving city of Glendale may see another home game.

• Feature on Jarred Tinordi

Dave Stubbs: Odds stacked against any team matching Canadiens' playoff record anytime soon

Source: The Gazette

The earliest the Canadiens’ most remarkable Stanley Cup playoff record can be challenged will be in 2016.

Liveblog: Coyotes 1 Kings 0

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Shane Doan was allowed to stroll out of the corner and beat Jonathan Quick with a nifty backhander.
The goal was a playoff rarity: It came on the pwer play.
The home team had a 10-5 shot advantage, but the Coyotes played with more poise and confidence after getting on the board.

Quick’s first-period save percentage was about 150 points below his playoff average.

• Feature on Jarred Tinordi

Liveblog: Coyotes 1 Kings 0 after one

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Shane Doan was allowed to stroll out of the corner and beat Jonathan Quick with a nifty backhander.
The goal was a playoff rarity: It came on the pwer play.
The home team had a 10-5 shot advantage, but the Coyotes played with more poise and confidence after getting on the board.

Quick’s first-period save percentage was about 150 points below his playoff average.

Czech Prospects for 2012 NHL Entry Draft and Beyond

Source: All Habs by AllHabs

Written by Radoslav Vavřina, Czech Correspondent for AllHabs.net

Brno, Czech Republic —  The Czech Republic is the birthplace of many ice hockey legends, current stars and future NHL’ers. From Jaromír Jágr to Dominik Hašek to Tomáš Plekanec, every Czech who is or was in the NHL would like to see more of their fellow countrymen playing in the world’s best league. This article will take a look at the top three Czech prospects for the upcoming draft, and then review those who led the team at the 2012 U-18 World Championship. Then we will have  a deeper look into future Czech hockey prospects, which may be bright.

Radek Faksa, Kitchener Rangers

At one point in the last regular season, all three scouts on NHL.com agreed that the Montreal Canadiens should draft Radek Faksa from Opava, Czech Republic.  Since then, the Habs moved down in the standings and up in the draft positioning meaning that they will probably draft someone who is ranked higher. However, Faksa is still a piece of art.

Posting more than one point per game average in his OHL rookie season, Faksa was the biggest Czech surprise in the CHL. Unfortunately, he played with his Kitchener Rangers long into the OHL post-season, robbing us from the chance to see him at the U-18 Championship. I’m pretty sure though that the announcers will have fun with his name — the “Fak” part of the name is pronounced like one of the words that rhyme with “puck.”

In the Czech Extraliga, an 18-year-old forward stunned the entire competition and eventually was named the rookie of the year. Tomáš Hertl is three inches shorter than Faksa, yet he is very solid with the puck. Hertl knows how to keep possession and just looks like one of those players only guys like Alexei Emelin or Zdeno Chára.

Hertl has a good shot and excellent vision on the ice.  Many scouts were amazed when he actually outplayed Faksa at the U-20 Worlds in Alberta. If Faksa is ranked around the 15^th place, Hertl should be that high, too.

Another player to mention from the Czech Extraliga league is Nathan Walker. Just keep an eye on him — Walker is a gifted Aussie, who might as well become the first Australian to ever be drafted into the NHL perhaps being selected in the 4^th or 5^th round.

Martin Frk, Halifax Mooseheads

The last of the big trio, Martin Frk, is considered to possess a complete package of skills. One might say a typical European player, even though he’s added some body mass during the last two seasons, playing for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. Sure he’s going to be a precious prospect, but does he have enough will to get into the big league? It is hard to forget watching him slash Erik Gudbranson over the gentlest parts of a man’s body at the 2011 U-20 Worlds.

After focusing on the top three players, here are some brief comments about the best of the rest.

Goalie Marek Langhamer was injured early into the tournament, but is a very talented netminder. Langhamer already has some professional experience and has the potential to become a quality NHL backup. Dominik Simon shared the scoring lead of the team, but he still has me wondering “where one earth has this guy come from?” I have little praise for Dominik Volek and Patrik Machač, both playing in the CHL, but who were very disappointing at the tournament. Keep an eye on these skilled forwards leadership abilities: Vojtěch Tomeček> and Euvstathio Soumelidis (who is of Greek origin and plays in Finland.) Finally, defenceman Petr Šidlík of Victoriaville Tigres is a good offensive blueliner and tall Ronald Knot is a Czech bulldozer at his own end.

Jakub Vrána

And now,let’s  look into the future. Turning heads at an Under-18 World Championship just shortly after turning sixteen is a sign of good things to come. A year ago, smallish, technical and gifted forward Jakub Vrána left his youth team in a suburb of Prague for Linköping, Sweden. Not only has he successfully adapted to Swedish hockey, Vrána also got his first sips of the Swedish SuperElit junior league. And after that, coming back home to simply amaze all the scouts with incredible eight points in six games as the youngest player at the event — forget Walker and Frk, maybe even forget Hertl and Faksa — if things don’t go south, Vrána is the next generation talent for the Czechs. Now, we just need to sit back and wait until 2014, because that’s the soonest he can get drafted!

It has been my pleasure to contribute to All Habs Hockey Magazine for this six-part series.  I hope to bring you updates about Czech prospects in the Fall, including Canadiens 2011 late-round pick, Daniel Přibyl. And if the Habs draft another Czech-based youngster, including Hertl or Walker, you can be sure that I will be watching them too.

 

Liveblog: Kings go for second straight sweep

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

The playoffs’ hottest team will be looking to wrap things up on home ice Sunday afternoon. The Los Angeles Kings, seeded eighth in the Western Conference, are 11-1 in the playoffs. They would be undefeated were it not for a spectacular 43-save performance by Corey Schneider in the opening round. The win in Game 4 salvaged some dignity for Vancouver, and perhaps Mike Smith can work similar magic for Phoenix.

The more likely scenario has Jonathan Quick stoning the Coyotes. The Kings’ goaltender leads the postseason with a 1.41 GAA and 95.1 save percentage.

Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar are within striking range of Claude Giroux’s 17 playoff points.

Martin Hanzal, who has not been a difference-maker in this series, returns to the Phoenix lineup.

A Kings win would seal one-half of Gary Bettman’s dream Stanley Cup final.

Puck drops 3:10 ish.

Check back later for live game blogging.

• Larry Brooks on King Henryk

Tinordi, Knights stun Beaulieu, defending champs with 5-3 win

Source: All Habs by czechtacular

SHAWINIGAN, QC– In the second installment of MasterCard Memorial Cup round robin action, the Saint John Sea Dogs did not play like the team that took home Memorial Cup honours last year, or even the team that won it all in the QMJHL this year. It has to be said, of course, that their only challenge was overcoming a 5-4 overtime loss against the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the league semi-finals, but they did not appear fully prepared for the OHL champion London Knights, who went home Saturday night 1-0 in the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup after beating the Sea Dogs 5-3.

Only 16 seconds into the game, Saint John captain and Florida Panthers’ 2011 1st rounder Jonathan Huberdeau went to the penalty box for elbowing.  However, his team’s penalty-killers got the best of London’s attack and a Charles-Olivier Roussel slapshot found its way into the net for the first goal of the game. Huberdeau tried to avenge his penalty some time later, but London goaltender Michael Houser was up to the task.

Jarred Tinordi had a large part in snuffing out the Sea Dogs’ generated offense, and was rewarded with a +1 when Max Domi tied the game at 14:11 of the first. Soon afterwards, Vladimir Namestikov tapped in a wild deflection for a  2-1 Knights’ lead. Tinordi found himself in the penalty box with 27.9 seconds remaining in the opening frame for hooking down Huberdeau, which translated into an opportunity for fellow Habs’ prospect Nathan Beaulieu to try and even the score once again, but the end-to-end play he tried to generate on his own, with time winding down, ended with the puck in Houser’s possession.

In the second period, Saint John’s struggles continued. London forward Seth Griffith found himself in front of the net, and eventually the prime benefactor of a scramble play that ended up behind Mathieu Corbeil for a two-goal Knights’ lead. With 2:27 remaining in the period, Danick Gauthier took a penalty that once again mistakenly wound up benefiting his own team. Jonathan Huberdeau was credited with a shorthanded marker, the Sea Dogs’ second of the game, and the score heading into the second intermission was 3-2 Knights.

Knights' captain Jarred Tinordi. Photo: AllHabs.net

They would have to wait until 10:49 of the third to restore their two-goal margin, as Austin Watson made his way in front of the net and  tapped home a Ryan Rupert pass. The Sea Dogs would counter on their own power play this time, as Ryan Tesink deflected a Charles-Olivier Roussel shot. The play went up for review, but was not ruled to have a high stick and the Knights once again had to operate with only a one-goal lead. However, the Sea Dogs’ frustrations would culminate to their end, as Jonathan Huberdeau fell victim to London’s Rupert brothers, awarding himself a four-minute roughing time-out with 2:04 left in the game. Gerard Gallant took a bench minor and the London Knights suddenly found themselves with a 5-on-3 opportunity that saw Namestikov score his second goal of the game with less than a minute remaining.

With one (fairly important) win in the bank, London’s task is to remain grounded. ”No celebrations right now, it’s still early in the tournament,”  Tinordi, who finished +3, said after the game. ” We have a big game tomorrow, we’ll concentrate on that.”  The Knights will next face the host Shawinigan Cataractes on Sunday night at 7 p.m. For their part, Saint John will try to beat the Edmonton Oil Kings on Monday, also getting underway at 7 p.m.

Kings can polish off Coyotes today, NYR up 2-1

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Dave Stubbs

New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider celebrates his goal, the Blueshirts’ second in Saturday’s 3-0 win over New Jersey.
Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

The Los Angeles Kings can advance Sunday to their first Stanley Cup final since 1993 with a win on home ice vs. the Phoenix Coyotes.

If they do, the Kings will have a little time off to prepare for an opponent they don’t yet know; on Saturday, the New York Rangers used the shutout goaltending of Henrik Lundqvist to beat the Devils in New Jersey 3-0 and take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference final.

Knights upset defending champion Sea Dogs

Source: NHL.com

SHAWINIGAN, Que. -- Austin Watson had a goal and two assists as the hard-working London Knights upset the defending champion John Sea Dogs 5-3 at the MasterCard Memorial Cup on Saturday night. Watson's goal at 10:49 of the third period turned o...

Video: Habs Prospects Bournival, Ellis warm-up at Memorial Cup

Source: All Habs by AllHabs

Forward Michaël Bournival and defenseman Morgan Ellis of the Shawinigan Cataractes warm-up at the 2012 Memorial Cup prior to their game against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Edmonton won the contest 4-3.

Videographer: Kathy K.  AllHabs.net

Oil Kings wins Memorial Cup opener

Source: NHL.com

SHAWINIGAN, QUE. (PC)—In a hectic third period that could have gone either way, the Edmonton Oil Kings found the will to pick up their game and come out on top. Henrik Samuelsson broke a tie 13:42 into the final period as the Oil Kings downed t...

Liveblog: Rangers beat Devils 3-0, take series lead

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

For 40 minutes, New Jersey dominated on home ice.
But the great Henrik Lundqvist kept the Rangers in the game.
Then the visitors got a power-play goal from Dan Giradi early in the third period and an insurance goal by Chris Kreider, his fifth of the playoffs.
The Rangers rookie redirected a point shot by Ryan McDonagh, who played another excellent game.
With Martin Brodeur on the bench, Ryan Callahan scored to make it 3-0.
The Devils squandered five power-play opportunities.
And King Henryk stopped TWO Ilya Kovalchuk breakaways.

Shots were 36-22 in favour of New Jersey.

Lundqvist racked up his third shutout of the playoffs.

McDonagh played 28 minutes, Girardi 27:23.

One step closer to Gary Bettman’s dream Stanley Cup final.

• Bill Beacon on Michaël Bournival

Liveblog: Rangers 0 Devils 0 after two

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Two of the best goaltenders in hockey are pitching shutouts at the Pru.
Henrik Lundqvist has been busier: the Devils have 26 SoG to 14 for the Rangers.
But Martin Brodeur is sharp when he has to be, and his puckhandling is a worth the price of admission.
Brodeur has three assists in the playoffs: More than nine Rangers.
The second period featured some excellent end-to-end hockey.
And the third should be a dandy.

The Devils have 45 shot attempts to 20 for the Rangers.

But it’s anyone’s game.

• Bill Beacon on Michaël Bournival

Boston Bruins at the World Championship Update for May 19: Fan's Take (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Boston Bruins fans, our captain and first-line center are trying hard to win some precious metals and some bragging rights for us--Zdeno Chara and David Krejci are both still in the hunt for medals at the IIHF World Championship.

Liveblog: Rangers 0 Devils 0 after one

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

New Jersey’s aggressive forecheck ground the Rangers into the ice for most of the first period.
The visitors had one shot in the final 11-plus minutes of the period and ended it with five, to 10 for the Devils.
But no goals.

• Bill Beacon on Michaël Bournival

Montreal Canadiens: 7 Reasons the Habs Could Be Playoff Bound in 2012-2013

Source: Bleacher Report

The city of Montreal lives, breathes and often dies with its hockey team. When the Habs make the playoffs, there's a whole new life to the city. When they aren't, you can't help but feel something in the air is missing.

The Canadiens are coming off perhaps their most embarrassing season in franchise history. Montreal finished with a disastrous season—they went 31-35-16, for 78 points. They finished 15th in the Eastern Conference. It was the first time they missed the playoffs since the 2006-2007 season and the first time they finished last since 1941-1942 when they finished 6th back in the Original Six days.

However all hope is not lost for the future. This season may have been a blessing in disguise for the Canadiens as it exposed longtime weaknesses in the organization which have started to finally be addressed this offseason.

While the Habs are overall a team of gaping holes, it is not a team that is as bad as 15th in the East. This team can make it back to the dance next year. That's not to say they'll be a Cup contender but there are ways they can gain their respectability back.

Begin Slideshow

Bournival, Ellis fall 4-3 to Oil Kings in Memorial Cup opener

Source: All Habs by czechtacular

SHAWINIGAN, QC–In front of a raucous crowd at the Centre Bionest that hadn’t seen them play for a month, the Shawinigan Cataractes opened up the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup tournament with a nerve-ridden, abnormally bloody 4-3 loss against the champions from the Western Hockey League, the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Opening jitters got the best of both teams as Edmonton’s Kristian Pelss opened the scoring at 2:41 of the first period, after which Shawinigan countered on their second power play opportunity. Columbus prospect Michael Chaput got his club on the board with a one-timer off passes from Brandon Gormley and Canadiens’ prospect Morgan Ellis. Fellow future Hab Michael Bournival generated a pair of two-on-ones in the first period, the two teams headed into their dressing rooms tied at one.

The second period yielded nothing of note except a fight between Shawinigan’s Dillon Donnelly and Mitchell Moroz. In the late moments of the opening frame, Islanders’ draftee Kirill Kabanov got a puck to the face and left the ice after painting an eighth of its surface red with blood. He would return in the second, but after all the cleanup, the fans at the Centre Bionest would have to wait until the third period for another goal.

Goaltender Alex Dubeau, a Canadiens' combine invitee, made 20 saves in a losing cause on Friday night against the Edmonton Oil Kings. Photo: AllHabs.net

It was the 2012-eligible Griffin Reinhart who broke the tie between the two clubs with an unassisted goal at 1:01, after yet another Cataractes player left the ice bleeding after a missed high-sticking call.  Martin Gernat doubled the Oil Kings’ advantage less than five minutes later and Shawinigan scrambled to recover. Anton Zlobin and Loik Poudrier combined for a chance that initially looked like it had been blown dead before the puck squeaked across the line, but video review allowed the goal to stand and the deficit was cut down to one. Then Michael Chaput punched in an unassisted goal of his own to send the home team’s fans into a frenzy, bringing the two clubs back to zero. However, that enthusiasm would be extremely shortlived as Edmonton’s Henrik Samuelsson popped in the eventual game-winning goal just half a minute later. Shawinigan would be granted a power play with 5:06 remaining in the game, but with no result, the Edmonton Oil Kings became the first team of the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup to come away with a win, albeit one even they later admitted had its share of hiccups.

Tonight, the Ontario Hockey League champion London Knights and Jarred Tinordi take on Nathan Beaulieu and the defending MasterCard Memorial Cup champion Saint John Sea Dogs at 7 p.m. Host Shawinigan next plays on Sunday night against the Knights.

Liveblog: Rangers at Devils Game 3

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

This is turning into an interesting series. Unlike the Western Conference final, which is an exercise in the divine right of Kings. Having earned a plit in Manhattan, the Devils return to Newark with the chance to go one up in the series. It is a sunny and warm Saturday in Montreal, but dedicated hockey fans will be indoors for the absurdly scheduled game.

NBC has the Preakness Stakes on late in the afternoon, so Game 3 starts early so that hockey is out of the way to accommodate horse racing.

Hockey Day in Canada features a 1:10 p.m. puck drop.

Check back later for live game blogging.

• Bill Beacon on Michaël Bournival

Pat Hickey: Habs GM Marc Bergevin holds coach cards close to vest

Source: The Gazette

Search for the Canadiens’ new head coach is moving forward, but general manager Marc Bergevin is playing his cards close to the vest

Rangers rookie Chris Kreider making it look easy in impressive jump from NCAA title to NHL playoffs (Yahoo! Sports)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Kreider went from big man at Boston College to a rushed-in rookie on a tight-knit Rangers team, but his power-forward skills and quietly confident ways have eased the transition.

Rangers rookie Chris Kreider making it look easy as he jumps from NCAA title to NHL playoffs (Yahoo! Sports)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Kreider went from big man at Boston College to a rushed-in rookie on a tight-knit Rangers team, but his power-forward skills and quietly confident ways have eased the transition.

Canadiens legend Jean Béliveau regaining health

Source: The Gazette

Canadiens icon Jean Béliveau was in strong voice and excellent spirits Friday noon-hour, back home and getting stronger by the day.

Change in roster philosophy the key to Rangers, Kings success (The Hockey News)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

A turn to drafting and development, rather than simply throwing money at free agents, has the led to wins in New York in L.A.

Prospecting..

Source: Habs Blog by Mats Naslund

I’m too lazy to track down where or when I read it, but at the end of the season I remember reading a post-mortem on the Canadiens season which lamented that the Habs had suffered through a devastating season, made worse by the lack of prospects in the system. Clearly the author was referring to the equally trying season that the Hamilton Bulldogs experienced en route to a 2nd last finish in the Western Conference of the AHL.

Sure, superficially one could take a bad NHL and AHL season to mean that the Habs are in trouble. Glance at the stats sheet for the Bulldogs and you realize that the team was led offensively by journeyman Brian Willsie, and the dynamo that is Andreas Enqvist. Still, this ignores the fact that “prospects” such as Louis Leblanc, Aaron Palushaj, Blake Geffrion and Michael Blunden were each forced to play much of the year with the NHL club due to injury.  Ultimately, anyone who is paying attention will realize that the Canadiens have a HUGE amount of talent about to graduate from the Junior ranks set to start their professional careers. With the Memorial Cup set to begin tonight as the Edmonton Oil Kings face the host Shawinigan Cataractes, Habs fans should take note that there are 4 prospects vying for this season’s prize.

At the end of last season there were a lot of people (who were probably justified) questioning whether or not the Canadiens had made a good choice in taking the gargantuan Jarred Tinordi with their first overall selection in the 2010 draft. Tinordi struggled at times in his first year in London, struggling from the beginning of the year to adjust to the level of competition in the OHL. He did however finish the year strongly, gaining praise for his defensive work. This season Tinordi has silenced most critics becoming a dominant defensive presence for London. He also added 16 points in 48 games while leading the club with a monstrous +39. In the playoffs thus far, Tinordi has elevated his game once more notching 8 points in 19 games while once again leading the team as a +15. While he doesn’t project to have a huge offensive game, there is little doubt that Tinordi figures to make a huge impact for the Canadiens sooner rather than later. Some are even suggesting that with some quality time in the gym this offseason, Tinordi may make a push for the NHL club given that his skill set will be required next year in Montreal.

Not to be outdone by his potential future defensive partner, Nathan Beaulieu had himself a fantastic season with the defending Champion Saint John Sea Dogs. Beaulieu scored 58 points in 59 games while ending the season as an impeccable +41. Beaulieu has continued to display down-right Markovian skills from a defender logging major minutes each night in the QMHL playoffs – scoring 15 points for a +27 in 17 games. Habs fans should be licking their chops for the opportunity to see Beaulieu on the ice at some point in the near future with Subban and Markov.

The Shawinigan Cataractes may be underdogs in this tournament, but don’t tell that to Habs prospects Michael Bournival and Morgan Ellis. Both players have been resting for the better part of a month due to their team being eliminated from the playoffs, but as hosts for this season’s tournament they’ll gain critical experience as they move towards beginning their professional careers.  Bournival had a solid year scoring 56 points in 41 games, adding 7 more in 11 playoff games.  While many Habs fans questioned giving up on the oft-maligned Ryan O’Byrne when he was traded to Colorado, I get the sense that they will be pleasantly surprised by the Tomas Plekanec-type game that Bournival seems to posses with regard to both offensive and defensive capacity. He showed glimmers of this at the World Junior Championships. He will be a key addition tot he Bulldogs next season – and may show up on the radar for the big club by 2014. Morgan Ellis was traded at the end of the regular season but surprised many with his offensive game scoring 52 points in 60 games this season. Ellis had long been thought of primarily as a defensive-first guy, but after adding 11 points in 11 games this playoff season, you get the sense that Ellis is another Habs defender with the size and transferable skillset to have a big impact on both the AHL Bulldogs and the NHL CH.

Brendan Gallagher led the Vancouver Giants in scoring this season potting 77 points in 54 games showing an elite ability to score big goals using terrific speed and incredible hands. Gallagher is one of the few small players that exist who can use their size deficit to their advantage. Who knows how that will translate to the NHL, but after a solid pre-season showing this year I do not know too many people who doubt that Gallagher will make the NHL. Gallagher will likely see some time in the AHL this season to refine his defensive skills before he sees time in the NHL, but you can bet that if the Habs require scoring help with an injury on one of the top lines, Gallagher will be in the running for an early call up.

Patrick Holland was brought to the Canadiens in the trade that saw Michael Cammalleri sent to the Calgary Flames. Like Bournival, he hasn’t made headlines with Habs fans mainly due to the fact that the club did not draft him in 2010. But Habs fans will know him soon. Holland had an incredible season for the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. Though the team fell short in the playoffs, Holland had a great year amassing 104 points in 72 regular season games and 19 points in 14 playoff games. Though Holland doesn’t possess the elite offensive skills that make him a no-doubt NHL candidate, he does have an incredibly well rounded game, which many scouts say will be more important to his ability to crack an NHL lineup. More importantly for the Bulldogs, Holland will be another capable winger with upside adding organizational depth where there was none last season.

While the Habs prospects in the CHL have all had great seasons upon which to start their professional careers, Montreal also has a few prospects of note in the NCAA. Mac Bennet had a decent year at Michigan racking up 20 points and playing solid minutes for a strong Wolverines squad. It remains to be seen whether Bennett will continue his collegiate career next season or turn pro. Danny Kristo has decided that he will stay at the University of North Dakota to play his senior year before (most-likely) joining the Bulldogs in 2013-14. Kristo had a strong bounce-back year scoring 19 goals and 45 points in 42 games. While both of these NCAA players figure to make more of a future impact contribution with the Bulldogs, Montreal is rapidly developing a solid stable of young players which had been depleted once Deharnais, Subban, Pacioretty et al were finally called up for full time duty this past season.

Ready to rebound

Source: NHL.com

MONTREAL – Rene Bourque had a rocky start to his career as a Hab, but he’s planning on using the next four years to make up for it. After arriving in Montreal under less-than-ideal circumstances in January, Bourque spent the following 38 games...

Kings edge Coyotes 2-1, inch closer to final

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

For the first time since 1993 – and we all remember what happened that year – the Los Angeles Kings are going to the Stanley Cup final. What’s that you say? They aren’t there yet? True enough. But the elimination of the plucky Phoenix Coyotes seems as a mere formality after L.A. took a 3-0 death-grip on their Western Conference final series.

Dwight King – a fourth-round draft choice, 109th overall, in 2007 – scored his fifth goal of the playoffs and his fourth against Phoenix to give the Kings a 2-1 win in Game 3 Thursday night at the Staples Center.

• Getzlaf the goat as Canada bows out of Worlds

• Pat Hickey on the rise of Morgan Ellis

• Canadiens prospects at the Memorial Cup

• Bruce Arthur on John Tortorella

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Source: Yahoo! Sports

Rearguard Morgan Ellis has exceeded the Canadiens’ expectations

Source: The Gazette

Shawinigan coach Eric Veilleux said he wasn’t sure what kind of player he was getting when the Cataractes obtained defenceman Morgan Ellis from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.

Montreal Canadiens: 7 Reasons the Habs Could Be Playoff Bound in 2012-2013

Source: Bleacher Report

The city of Montreal lives, breathes and often dies with its hockey team. When the Habs make the playoffs, there's a whole new life to the city. When they aren't, you can't help but feel something in the air is missing.

The Canadiens are coming off perhaps their most embarrassing season in franchise history. Montreal finished with a disastrous season—they went 31-35-16, for 78 points. They finished 15th in the Eastern Conference. It was the first time they missed the playoffs since the 2006-2007 season and the first time they finished last since 1941-1942, when they finished 6th back in the Original Six days.

However, all hope is not lost for the future. This season may have been a blessing in disguise for the Canadiens, as it exposed longtime weaknesses in the organization, which have started to finally be addressed this offseason.

While the Habs are overall a team of gaping holes, it is not a team that is as bad as 15th in the East. This team can make it back to the dance next year. That's not to say they'll be a Cup contender, but there are ways they can gain their respectability back.

Begin Slideshow

Finns, Russia go through, Slovaks upset Canada (AFP)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Holders Finland advanced to the semi-finals of the world ice hockey championships with a last-gasp winner against the United States on Thursday, but Olympic champions Canada were shocked by Slovakia.

Finns and Russia go through, Slovaks upset Canada (AFP)

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Reigning champions Finland advanced into the semi-finals of the world ice hockey championships with a last-gasp winner against the USA, but Olympic gold medallists Canada suffered a shock loss to Slovakia.

Rolling with the punches

Source: NHL.com

MONTREAL – Being limited to only 20 games in 2011-12 didn’t stop Ryan White from leaving his mark on the Canadiens’ lineup…and a few of his opponents’ faces. Sometimes, all a player can do is roll with the punches. In White’s case, his latest ...

Noël en juin: Nail Yakupov

Source: All Habs by karineprogress

par JHabs, AllHabs.net - traduit par Karine L.-A.

MONTRÉAL, QC — Bienvenue au « Nail Yakupov show! » Du moins, c’est ce que les commentateurs colorés de l’OHL disent chaque fois que Yakupov éblouit la foule par un stupéfiant ensemble d’habiletés et une vitesse de jeu qui aboutit souvent à une rondelle dans le fond du filet.

Né à Nizhnekamsk en Russie, Nail fut repêché par le Sarnia Sting, deuxième au total, lors de l’édition 2010 du repêchage externe de la Ligue canadienne de hockey. Depuis, il a retenu l’attention de tous les recruteurs, de même que les directeurs généraux de la LNH.

Nail Yakupov est une bête physique— bien qu’il ne soit ni le plus grand ni le plus fort, la façon dont il se comporte sur la glace n’est rien de moins que spectaculaire. Yakupov a démontré qu’il peut se frayer un chemin à travers les défenseurs et ce, avec une rapidité aveuglante, forçant les fans à garder les yeux ouverts s’ils ne veulent pas manquer la suite. Il peut abruptement couper sa trajectoire vers le centre de la patinoire telle la lame chauffée d’un coûteau dans du beurre et simultanément amener la foule hors d’haleine à vivre un moment pendant lequel il décoche un puissant lancer passé le gardien de but.

Yakupov possède une capacité d’élite à faire des passes, à patiner et à marquer, ce qui fait de lui le meilleur joueur disponible au prochain repêchage de la LNH. Les recruteurs le considèrent comme un prospect de premier ordre qui va probablement se définir comme un joueur d’impact au niveau de la LNH. Ce qui complémente l’excitant style de jeu de Yakupov est sa physicalité. Même s’il n’est pas le plus large spécimen en ce qui a trait au physique, mesurant 5’11’’ et pesant 190 livres, il est solide sur ses pieds, car il peut encaisser les coups tout comme il peut les rendre.

Le style de jeu téméraire de Yakupov est à la fois sa force et sa faiblesse et bien des recruteurs sont un tantinet sceptiques quant à son jeu s’adaptant correctement une fois arrivé dans la LNH; plusieurs croient qu’il devra baisser le ton d’un cran et qu’il devra miser sur la vitesse, tout en optant pour un style moins physique qui l’amène à se lancer devant le filet.  L’approche de jeu et la petite taille de Yakupov poussent quelques recruteurs à questionner l’habileté de Nail à supporter l’usure physique qu’impose le monde du jeu de la LNH, le rendant vulnérable aux blessures.

Le jeune attaquant Russe est doté de tous les outils nécessaires pour devenir une superstar couronnée de succès au niveau de la LNH et certains recruteurs ont laissé entendre qu’il pourrait même atteindre la marque des 100 points plusieurs fois au cours de sa carrière. Avec des comparaisons pleuvant de toutes parts comme quoi il serait le futur Ilya Kovalchuk, Alex Ovechkin ou Pavel Bure, Yakupov a encore des marches à gravir avant d’accéder à la célébrité, mais le jury semble s’accorder sur le fait que peu importe l’équipe qui le repêchera, elle recevra un ailier de premier choix.

Il ne sera pas long avant d’entendre Gord Miller, Bob Cole ou même Pierre Houde crier ce que les commentateurs de l’OHL ont exclamé haut et fort ces deux dernières années : « Bienvenue au Nail Yakupov show! »

 

The Memorial Cup gets rolling

Source: NHL.com

MONTREAL – The elite juniors of the hockey world get set to battle for the 94th annual Memorial Cup. When the clash for the Memorial Cup kicks off on Thursday in Shawinigan, Canadiens fans can look forward to seeing their team’s prospects soli...

Montreal Canadiens on the Clock at Hockey Wilderness

Source: Habs Eyes On The Prize by BReynolds

Montreal Canadiens on the Clock at Hockey Wilderness

Hey there Habs fans. Your friendly neighborhood Wild writer stopping by.

As we did last year, we are running a poll based mock draft, and allowing the community to pick for each team. Today, the Canadiens are on the clock, and we would love your input. Come on over, cast your vote, and let us know who we should be voting for your team and why.

That, or ignore us completely, and we will just draft the next Cam Barker for you. Hope to see you there. Voting ends at midnight central time.

Montréal Canadiens: Giving the Team a Report Card

Source: Bleacher Report

The Montréal Canadiens ended a forgettable season where the team basically fell to rock bottom. This has been one of the most storied franchises in the NHL and has won the most Stanley Cups on record.

In June, however, they will hold the third overall draft selection, and the team will be trying to right the ship back onto a winning track.

Due to the front office turnover with Pierre Gauthier fired and Marc Bergevin hired, we will look at the Canadiens' work in 2011-12 as an entire organization instead of focusing on a specific individual or general manager.

Begin Slideshow

Lockout ahead?/Devils square with Rangers

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Stu Hackel

New Jersey’s Travis Zajac (back) and Jeff Carter celebrate the latter’s goal as New York’s Ryan McDonagh skates away Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
Paul Bereswill, Getty Images Sport

While Canadiens fans wonder what Marc Bergevin’s club will look like in the fall and who will be behind the Habs bench, the possibility exists that the season might not start in October.

The NHL provided the NHLPA with notice in recent days that it intends to change and/or end the current collective bargaining agreement. The terms of the current CBA require that one of the sides notify the other it wishes to change or end the agreement no later than 120 days before the expiration of the labour agreement and Friday will mark 120 days before the CBA expires on Sept. 15.

The two sides have yet to begin negotiating the new agreement.

This current CBA was the one that ended the lockout of 2004-05 that cancelled the entire season. The main issue in the lockout was the imposition of the salary cap by ownership, to which the players capitulated after losing the season. The fact that the NHLPA did not wish to change the current agreement means that the players under Donald Fehr — who always fought against the cap when he headed the MLB players union and advised the NHLPA against agreeing to the cap — now feel they can live with it in its current form.

The overall economic health of the NHL can hardly be an issue, with record revenues of over $3 billion reported for the most recent year. And player’s salaries have gone up along with the rise in revenues, the salary cap moving from $39 million in 2005-06 to $64.3 million this season.

Just what the league wishes to change about the CBA is not known, although there has been widespread speculation over the last year that it could include matters as relatively small as allowing clubs to buy their way out of a bad contract without having it count against the salary cap, and as large as the split of revenue the players receive from the NHL-NHLPA partnership.

Prior to the lockout, the NHL claimed player salaries ate up as much as 75 percent of league revenues. Since the lockout, player salaries are fixed at around 57 percent of revenue.

According to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily, the NHLPA had no problems with the current agreement and had no intention of notifying the league it wanted changes, so this is being done unilaterally by ownership.

As Pat Hickey wrote in The Gazette earlier this week, Fehr’s brother Steve, who is an outside counsel for the NHLPA, told Mullen that the players will not agree to any further reduction of their share of revenue. Hickey noted NFL players accepted 48-49.5 per cent of revenues after a lockout last summer, while NBA players lost nearly half a season before agreeing to a 50-50 split.

“I think it is fair to say that if the approach is what many are predicting, that the owners come in and say we have to shave 5, 10, 15, 25, 30 – pick a number – points off the percentage of revenues in the cap that players receive, there may be a lot of players who say: ‘Wait a minute, we already gave at the office,’ ” Steve Fehr told Mullen.

“We made massive concessions last time that were designed to fix your so-called problems. If it has not fixed your so-called problems, we need to have a long, hard discussion about what those problems are and what we should do about it.”

But Steve Fehr added he did not know if NHL owners would follow the path of NBA and NFL owners, who asked players to take a reduced share of revenues in ’11, or if they would follow the route of MLB owners, who did not seek major economic concessions and reached a labor deal without a lockout last year.

“If, on the other hand, there is more of an approach that was taken by MLB, it may be a quick and easy negotiation,” he said. “That is actually what Gary Bettman has said, that he expects a quick and easy negotiation and he probably knows more about it than I do, so perhaps that is the direction it will take.”

In December, Sean Fitz-Gerald of The National Post asked Don Fehr, “Are we in any danger of another labour stoppage?”

He replied, “All I can say is, I would certainly hope not. In the last negotiation, there obviously was a long stoppage at the owners’ instigation. Both long stoppages in hockey have been lockouts, the players haven’t had any extended strikes. The owners insisted upon and received enormous concessions from the players, so one would hope that those days are days that people can write about in the history books, and we don’t have to look at them going forward. Having said that, I’ve been doing this too long and in too many different places to make predictions.”

—

We’ll be going five or more games in the East.

The New Jersey Devils showed they’re made of tough stuff Wednesday, the Devils beating the New York Rangers 3-2 on Madison Square Garden ice to even the Eastern Conference final at one game apiece. Game 3 is Sunday in New Jersey.

• Tonight: The Kings can go up 3-0 on the Phoenix Coyotes in Los Angeles.

Lockout ahead?

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Stu Hackel

While Canadiens fans wonder what Marc Bergevin’s club will look like in the fall and who will be behind the Habs bench, the possibility exists that the season might not start in October.

The NHL provided the NHLPA with notice in recent days that it intends to change and/or end the current collective bargaining agreement. The terms of the current CBA require that one of the sides notify the other it wishes to change or end the agreement no later than 120 days before the expiration of the labour agreement and Friday will mark 120 days before the CBA expires on Sept. 15.

The two sides have yet to begin negotiating the new agreement.

This current CBA was the one that ended the lockout of 2004-05 that cancelled the entire season. The main issue in the lockout was the imposition of the salary cap by ownership, to which the players capitulated after losing the season. The fact that the NHLPA did not wish to change the current agreement means that the players under Donald Fehr — who always fought against the cap when he headed the MLB players union and advised the NHLPA against agreeing to the cap — now feel they can live with it in its current form.

The overall economic health of the NHL can hardly be an issue, with record revenues of over $3 billion reported for the most recent year. And player’s salaries have gone up along with the rise in revenues, the salary cap moving from $39 million in 2005-06 to $64.3 million this season.

Just what the league wishes to change about the CBA is not known, although there has been widespread speculation over the last year that it could include matters as relatively small as allowing clubs to buy their way out of a bad contract without having it count against the salary cap, and as large as the split of revenue the players receive from the NHL-NHLPA partnership.

Prior to the lockout, the NHL claimed player salaries ate up as much as 75 percent of league revenues. Since the lockout, player salaries are fixed at around 57 percent of revenue.

According to Liz Mullen of Sports Business Daily, the NHLPA had no problems with the current agreement and had no intention of notifying the league it wanted changes, so this is being done unilaterally by ownership.

As Pat Hickey wrote in The Gazette earlier this week, Fehr’s brother Steve, who is an outside counsel for the NHLPA, told Mullen that the players will not agree to any further reduction of their share of revenue. Hickey noted NFL players accepted 48-49.5 per cent of revenues after a lockout last summer, while NBA players lost nearly half a season before agreeing to a 50-50 split.

“I think it is fair to say that if the approach is what many are predicting, that the owners come in and say we have to shave 5, 10, 15, 25, 30 – pick a number – points off the percentage of revenues in the cap that players receive, there may be a lot of players who say: ‘Wait a minute, we already gave at the office,’ ” Steve Fehr told Mullen.

“We made massive concessions last time that were designed to fix your so-called problems. If it has not fixed your so-called problems, we need to have a long, hard discussion about what those problems are and what we should do about it.”

But Steve Fehr added he did not know if NHL owners would follow the path of NBA and NFL owners, who asked players to take a reduced share of revenues in ’11, or if they would follow the route of MLB owners, who did not seek major economic concessions and reached a labor deal without a lockout last year.

“If, on the other hand, there is more of an approach that was taken by MLB, it may be a quick and easy negotiation,” he said. “That is actually what Gary Bettman has said, that he expects a quick and easy negotiation and he probably knows more about it than I do, so perhaps that is the direction it will take.”

In December, Sean Fitz-Gerald of The National Post asked Don Fehr, “Are we in any danger of another labour stoppage?”

He replied, “All I can say is, I would certainly hope not. In the last negotiation, there obviously was a long stoppage at the owners’ instigation. Both long stoppages in hockey have been lockouts, the players haven’t had any extended strikes. The owners insisted upon and received enormous concessions from the players, so one would hope that those days are days that people can write about in the history books, and we don’t have to look at them going forward. Having said that, I’ve been doing this too long and in too many different places to make predictions.”

Liveblog: Devils win 3-2, even series

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Suggested first question at John Tororella’s press conference:
“John, why did you bench Marion Gaborik for the first 11 minutes of the third period?”
End of press conference.
The Rangers’ superstar and many of his teammates were non-factors in a game the Devils on David Clarkson’s third-period goal.
It was the rugged winger’s third game-winner of the playoffs.

The Devils also got goals from Ilya Kovalchuk and fourth-liner Ryan Carter.

The home team got goals from Marc Staal and Chris Kreider, both on power plays.

Shot blocks were down: 16 by the Rangers (half of that total by Ryan McDonagh), seven by the Devils.

But there were 74 hits, 39 by the Rangers.

The series shifts to New Jersey for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

Liveblog: Devils 2 Rangers 2 after two

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Deuces are wild at MSG.
2-2 after two in Game 2.
The Rangers power-play produced goals by Marc Staal and Chris Kreider before fourth-liner Ryan Carter brought the Devils even.
New Jersey began the period by going eight minutes without a shot on goal as the home team shook off their first-period doldrums.
Shots are 17-17, hits are 30-28 Rangers.
Ryan McDonagh has five hits and five blocked shots.

The period was interrupted for eight minutes when a penalty box door malfunctioned.

Liveblog: Devils 1 Rangers 0 after one

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

Peter DeBoer shook up his New Jersey lines, moving Ilya Kovalchuk up to play with Travis Zajac and Zach Parise.
So far so good.
Kovalhuk scored the game’s only goal – a rising wrister to Henrik Lundqvist’s glove side – on a Devils power play.
And New Jersey had the best of even-strength play in a fast-paced 20 minutes.
The Rangers, who blocked 26 shots in the series opener, had six in the opening period.

NHL Coaching Changes: Predicting What Will Happen in the Canadian Cities

Source: Bleacher Report

Three cities with three very different situations are in the market for new bench bosses for the 2012-13 season.  The Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames suffered through seasons of regret.  Coaching changes are what both the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames are facing, with the Edmonton Oilers likely joining them. That's where the similarities end.

The Edmonton Oilers have a future unparalleled with the rest of the league, the Montreal Canadiens will be expected to win at least one playoff round next season while the Calgary Flames likely will continue their strategy of "get in and see what happens."

 

Calgary Flames

 

GM:  Jay Feaster

Previous Head Coach:  Brent Sutter

Reason for Dismissal:  Mutual parting of ways with team

 

In his three seasons in Calgary, Sutter guided the team to 90, 94 and 90 points respectively.  The franchise is under the mandate from ownership to win now, and its position has been that anything can happen in the playoffs, which is true to a certain extent.  The team has also relied on goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff and his ability to steal games. 

Sutter and the team mutually parted ways following this season's 9th place finish in the Western Conference. 

Last year's roster was the 7th oldest in the league, with stars Jarome Iginla and Mikka Kiprusoff aging.  WHL star Sven Baertschi will make the team next season and likely be given a scoring role.  Roman Cervenka, signed after a brilliant KHL season, will also take a scoring role with the team. 

Next year's group will be expected to make the playoffs after three consecutive early summers.  A candidate with previous NHL coaching experience should be favoured.

 

How will they win?  The Flames, lacking young scoring forwards and being one of the older teams in the league, will have to rely on sound defence as opposed to fire wagon hockey.  The team still has one of the better goalies in the league, and a solid group of defencemen that includes Mark Giordano and Jay Bouwmeester. 

 

Names to Consider:

-Bob Hartley, Head Coach, Zurich Lions (Swiss-A)

-Dallas Eakins, Head Coach, Toronto Marlies (AHL)

-Craig MacTavish, Head Coach, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

 

Of all the names, Hartley's name has been the most talked about, and he is my prediction to become the Flames' next head coach.  He brings plenty of NHL coaching experience having won 329 games with the Colorado Avalanche and Atlanta Thrashers.  He won a Stanley Cup with the Avs in 2001. 

Recently he guided the Zurich Lions to the Swiss-A league championship this year. 

Hartley's style is defence-first, with a premium being placed on play away from the puck.  He is also known to be a disciplinarian, and a coach that demands accountability from his players.  A defence-first style is what needs to be implemented given the conditions of the Calgary Flames roster and the mandate to win now, and Hartley brings that along with a wealth of experience and a Stanley Cup ring. 

 

Edmonton Oilers

 

GM:  Steve Tambellini

Previous Head Coach:  Tom Renney

Reason for Dismissal:  Renney's contract has expired; team has not indicated whether he will return

 

This may be the NHL's most attractive coaching vacancy should Renney not be back.  The roster brims not with average, but elite young talent that promises to contend soon.  The Edmonton Oilers have fallen on hard times recently, but feature the NHL's best collection of young talent led by Taylor Hall. 

The team, after three seasons in the bottom 10% of the league, will be expected to challenge for a playoff spot next season.  Anything beyond that will be a bonus. 

In this case, a coach with NHL experience isn't a top priority.  With much of the team's core still unable to buy a drink in the US, the ability to teach and work with young players will be a vital trait.

 

How will they win?  The Oilers will win by using their strengths, which are a group of young, offensive forwards.  The new head coach should implement a system that allows Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Hall and others to exploit their offensive talents while still being accountable defensively. 

The coach also needs to know how to work with young players, making candidates from junior hockey more attractive perhaps.  

 

Names to Consider:

-Brent Sutter, Head Coach, Canada (World Hockey Championship)

-Todd Nelson, Head Coach, Oklahoma City Barons (AHL)

-Todd McLellan, Head Coach, San Jose Sharks (NHL)

 

While McLellan is a long shot, Brent Sutter is the leading candidate to take over behind the bench in Edmonton.  The situation has been set up perfectly:  Sutter gets names Head Coach of Team Canada by Kevin Lowe, who is the Oilers President. 

The team features Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Devan Dubnyk.  Ryan Murray, thought of to be the Oilers main target at this year's NHL Entry Draft, also makes the team despite being a tender 18 years old.  Add in Sutter's experience in the WHL where he coached Nugent-Hopkins and there's a definite trend.  

 

Montreal Canadiens

GM: Marc Bergevin

Previous Head Coach: Randy Cunneyworth

Reason for Dismissal: Was relegated to assistant coach after being in term head coach during regular season 

 

After suffering through one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the Canadiens will look to regain a playoff spot next year.  The team already has several building blocks in place, including Carey Price and PK Subban.  Max Pacioretty is another young player that brings reasons for optimism.  As seen by the backlash surrounding Cunneyworth, the new head coach will need to be bilingual. 

The Canadiens will not be entering a rebuild, and have good reason to expect to contend next season.  

 

How will they win?  The last three seasons have seen the Canadiens ranked 12th, 8th and 14th in the league in terms of goals against.  A younger roster composed of talented but not overly skilled forwards, the team will win by playing a complete, two-way game.  Grit will be a key factor as well. 

Louis Leblanc and Brendan Gallagher will push for roster spots in training camp.  

 

Names to Consider:

-Patrick Roy, Head Coach, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

-Marc Crawford, TSN Analyst

-Joel Quenneville, Head Coach, Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)

 

While Roy is the sexiest of the names, Quenneville may be the leading candidate for the position.  Elliott Friedman of CBC has reported that Stan Bowman has given the Canadiens permission to talk to Quenneville.  It has been reported that Bowman and Quenneville don't have a great working relationship, and Bergevin knows Quenneville from his days as the Blackhawks Assistant GM last season. 

Quenneville has a Stanley Cup ring.  His teams are known to be more offense-oriented, and unlike Chicago he will have a proven netminder in Carey Price.  Quenneville's hiring would almost ensure a return to the playoffs in La Belle Province.  

 

Follow Salim Valji on Twitter 

Read more Montreal Canadiens news on BleacherReport.com

A Big Thanks from Us and Some Evening Habs Links

Source: Habs Eyes On The Prize by Kevin van Steendelaar

We hit a milestone last week here at Eyes On The Prize, when we had visitor number 2 million pass through our little part of the Habs blogosphere. It marries up nicely with us hitting over 3 million page views last month.

It's a minor number to compared to other larger sites on the good ole WWW, but for our group of guys (Andrew, Stephan, Chris, Bruce, Robert, Francis and myself) it's a nice little number to be proud of. Thanks to the gents for their work, research and contributions to the site that keep you reading and commenting.

Most importantly, we would all like to thank you, our readers, for your support to hit this mark, and hope that we can continue to carry on whatever it is that brings you back.

We'll be

The Bergevin Bunch – Who should be on the Canadiens’ Shortlist?

Source: Habs Eyes On The Prize by HabArik35

One would think that I would sit down to write this article with loads of confidence. After all, coming off of correctly predicting the three finalists for Canadiens General Manager, I’m practically the Maggie the Monkey of Habs personnel decisions. But compared with the set of five or six competent candidates for GM, the coaching pool is a group of has-beens and may-never-bes.

I’ve taken the 15 names that have been suggested in several places, and grouped them into three categories. I’ve outlined their cases, and made initial judgments as to whether I’d give them more than a first

Liveblog: Devils at Rangers Game 2

Source: Hockey Inside/Out by Mike Boone

What’s the over/under on blocked shots?
The Rangers blocked 26 in the Eastern Conference semifinal opener, New Jersey 15.
That was five more than Henrik Lundqvist had to stop in posting a 3-0 shutout.
Dan Girardi and Marc Staal had five blocks each.
Michael Del Zotto, for some reason, had none.
Of Ilya Kovalchuk’s 11 shot attempts, three were on goal, two missed and SIX were blocked.
Suppose the Rangers scouted him?
Probably more thoroughly than the Canadiens scouted Scott Gomez, eh?

The home team will try to go two up on Wednesday night.

Puck drops 8:10ish.

Check back later for live game blogging.

Canadiens: Will Marc Bergevin Get Carey Price under Contract Without a War?

Source: Bleacher Report

Carey Price is without a doubt one of the best goalies in the NHL, and this past season he was one of the few bright spots on a Montreal Canadiens team that finished dead last in the Eastern Conference. 

Price finished last season with a goals against average of 2.43, which landed him tied for 18th among all goalies. This number was influenced by the shaky defensive played in front of him throughout the year. 

As the goalie for a struggling team, Price faced 1,914 shots this season, which was the eighth most in the league. The constant pressure from opposing offenses wore Price down throughout the year, and he missed the final four games of the season due to a concussion. 

Although Price did struggle at times this season, he was terrific in 2010 when he finished ninth in the league in goals against average (2.35) and first (tied) in wins with 38. 

Price is an excellent athlete, and his 6'3" frame allows him to cover the net well. The greatest coaches in the world cannot teach size, so Price has a natural advantage over smaller goaltenders. He can make plays that smaller netminders can't make.

This postseason has made it clear that a hot goalie can carry a team a long way in the playoffs; just ask the Los Angeles Kings. 

Price has the ability to lead the Canadiens into the playoffs every season, so it is imperative that general manager Marc Bergevin gets him to re-sign with the team. 

Luckily for Bergevin, Price wants to work out a long-term deal with the Habs. This means that the biggest obstacle has already been overcome, and the two sides just have to get the money aspect right. 

Price told the Montreal Gazette the following:

“I’m pretty confident we’ll get something done. I’m really not the type of guy who’s going to push everything to get (a contract) done faster. We’re trying to build a team here and we want to build it the right way. Rushing decisions isn’t the right way to do it.”

In a world where so many athletes want to renegotiate their deals as fast as possible, often at the detriment of the team, Price is willing to wait.

This says a lot about Price's character and demonstrates how loyal he is to the organization that drafted him. 

Canadiens GM  Marc Bergevin should be able to retain his goaltender at a fair price.

According to Mark Easson at mynhltraderumors.com, executives expect Price's new contract to pay on average $5.5 million per season. 

This would mean that Price would move inside the top 10 for goalies in terms of yearly salary. 

Price deserves to paid like a top 10 goalie, and he should only continue to improve in the upcoming years. 

In a talented Eastern Conference, the Canadiens will need Price to keep their young squad in games. That, along with the pressure of playing goalie for such a legendary franchise, makes Price more than deserving of a big contract. 

It may take a few years for Bergevin to build the Canadiens into a true contender in the Eastern Conference, but re-signing Price is a step in the right direction.  

Read more Montreal Canadiens news on BleacherReport.com