Koivu Rejuvenated In New Habs Scheme

Five games into the 2008-09 season, the Canadiens leading scorer, with 2 goals and 6 assists, is none other than captain Saku Koivu.

Raise you hands, and grab your deodorant, those who saw this coming!

"Why is Koivu off to such a good start?", you might ask.

"Will it continue?"

As the Canadiens prepared to face the upcoming season, there was much talk that acquisition of a third offensive centerman to complement Koivu and Tomas Plekanec was just what the Habs needed going forward.

After Canadiens GM Bob Gainey realized that Mats Sundin's mind was somewhere between Waldo and Jimmy Hoffa, he settled on bringing in Blackhawks pivot Robert Lang as a plan B.

What the acquisition of Lang has produced so far, is pretty much the same scenario that was envisioned in targeting the bald headed meatball of indecision. Lang has given the Canadiens three well structured offensive trios.

So far in this new season, Montreal has hit the net 20 times in just five games. Lang with three goals, matched by Gainey's other summer steal in the name of Alex Tanguay - also with three - have accounted for close to one third of the club's total goal production.

It could get even better than this.

The theories of a trickle down effect from having a well balanced offensive game have so far proven true. Consider that injured forward Chris Higgins - the team's third leading goal scorer from last season - has yet to make an appearance, and that the perceived top line of Plekanec, Alex Kovalev, and Andrei Kostitsyn has yet to get untracked.




















At the moment though, it seems that captain Koivu has so far been the most beneficial contributor to this new offensive scheme. While no one likely saw such prowess returning to Koivu's game, it is interesting to examine the reasons why it is happening. It is also imporatnt to note that there a very good reasons why it ought to continue.

Put me down as one who believes the soon to be 34 year old Koivu just might just have a career season in 2008-09.

The most obvious explanantion would be that the acquisition of Tanguay, who seems to have gelled nicely with Koivu, has expanded what Koivu is capable of doing as a linemate. Tanguay's quickness and vision enable Koivu to be less of a one dimensional player. As a member of a line in possession of the puck more often, rather than continuously battling for it, Koivu is freed both creatively and energetically to offer a different set of skills to his line.

Over the past few seasons, Koivu has been saddled and shackled with both seconding Higgins in working the corners and providing the one dimensional Michael Ryder with scoring chances. At present, he is actually working less and accomplishing more offensively.

As a centerman, what Koivu is capable of, has often gone underappreciated. Over the years, it was generally a given that he overworked himself and tired easily. In approching this season, in adding Lang, it was assumed that Koivu's load would be lightened, and that is how the changes have so far unfolded.

While Tanguay has been all that was expected and more, the emergence of Guillaume Latendresse on the trio has helped the line gel even quicker.

I've watched Latendresse studiously for two seasons, and often proclaimed at this site that he has all the tools - size, shot, intelligence, and dedication - to become a solid NHL forward. His biggest deterrents over two campaigns have been his skating, his hesitancies, and his linemates. Despite all of what I felt where holding him back, Latendresse managed a pair of 16 goal seasons, which to me, was all that was needed to understand that better times would come with increased possibilities.

That time is now at hand for Latendresse, and is making the most of it, and turning disbelieving naysayers into word chewing converts.

I've noticed a pair of skills from Latendresse of late, that I only ever caught in inconsistant glimpses previously. Firstly, he's becoming increasingly difficult to budge from the puck along the boards and in corners. He has started by heading there with the threat, promise, and delivery of a crunching hit, and is making it a habit of emerging with the puck on his stick.

More importantly, he has gained the required confidence to manage his puck time rather quickly and efficiently, and is revealing himself to be a rather smooth setup man. Everything saw the perfectly feathered pass to a charging Roman Hamrlik against Toronto and likely assumed it was an aberration of sorts, but Latendresse has been slipping all kinds of passes to his linemates that have been turning into scoring chances of late.

Against the Coyotes last night, Latendresse stunned me with a pair of moves that led to goals by Tanguay and Koivu. Both plays featured him skating backwards while passing the puck off. He was not credited with an assist on the second. Clearly, playing with top line players has brought about a different perception of Latendresse's game skills, even from a believer's point of view.

While Tanguay and Latendresse may be clicking with Koivu early on in this season, it should be pointed out that more often than not their timing isn't yet up to mid season standards. Fanned shots, missed passes, and overall cohesiveness still aren't yet in synch.

Imagine, that as time passes and communication improves, the trio should only get better.
























Older Habs fans might recall Koivu being in a similar scenario before. Going back to the 1996-97 season, in Koivu's sophomore year, he was also one of three offensively gifted centres, and he started the season on fire.

Koivu at that time, was seen as the club's third center, behind Vincent Damphousse and Pierre Turgeon, who each were coming off ninety plus point seasons. Damphousse was the center best matched against other teams top lines due to his two way hockey senses. Turgeon, at the time, was becoming increasingly pointed out in Montreal for his defensive liabilities.

Koivu, meanwhile, slipped through this scrutiny and was battling for first place in the NHL scoring race.

No way?

Way. Look it up!

Nine games into the season, Turgeon was so humilated at being retrogated to third line center, he went bawling into Rejean Houle office demanding a trade. He was captain at the time, a choice rubber stamped and steamrolled by Habs president Ronald Corey.

Had Houle had the backbone of an experienced GM he would have advised Turgeon to grow some balls and battle for his stature on the club, but instead he buckled, and dealt the infamous "Tin Man" to the St. Louis Blues for Shayne Corson and spare parts. It was like like the Patrick Roy fiasco's second domino.

Turgeon, for the record, played his final game in a Habs uni on Koivu's left wing. He notched four assists.

Shortly thereafter, Koivu was injured in a knee on knee hit in a game against Chicago. The Habs went from having three productive centerman, to having just Damphousse in his prime. Hell beckoned!

When Koivu returned, the scenario was quite different. Much could be said about the next decade of Koivu's time in Montreal, but the tale is an exhausting, detailed, and fruitlerss one.

Suffice to say that this current edition of the Canadiens is the best team that Koivu has been a part of since the first 20 games of the 1996-97 campaign. We might now get to see what may have occurred had he not been injured after one of the club's top centerman was traded off.

The Finnish player deemed finished by many, might just finally fullfill his potential.

Now wouldn't that be a gas!


Photos courtesy of the Montreal Gazette and Habs Inside Out.

Progressing Habs Unveil New Layers

What was most likeable last night's sixty minutes of hockey against the Flyers, and in Saturday's win over the Leafs, was in witnessing how certain Canadiens players have evolved over last season. The progression of the young players is often a thing taken for granted, but watching them gel with equally motivated veterans is purely a thing of hockey beauty.

In just three games, I've noted some significant differences in the way players are approaching and embracing their roles on the club.

Alex Kovalev, has had a handful of great flashes already, but he doesn't appear as burdened with the notion he has to carry the team on his back like before. The translation of an urgent Kovalev into a more relaxed and defined attacker could prove to be addition by subtraction.





















As the team's most offensively gifted player, the focus on Kovalev has always been extreme. With the progression of linemates Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn into forces of their own, the focus on Kovalev has been lessened. The reduced puck time could show Kovalev to be equally dangerous without it, as he now becomes a delicious option for his linemates, rather than it consistently being the other way around.

It used to be that if a team were able to grind Kovalev into a quiet game, the entire line was shut down. That's not likely to happen much anymore.

As the Habs lineup has suffered little turnover in the past few seasons, players have adapted more to all that Kovalev does. Again, in the less is sometimes more analogy, it has freed him up to do different things. A Kovalev with more options, and an added split second to play with, is a scary proposition for opposing teams.

In Toronto on Saturday, Plekanec found Gretzky's office, and the immovable Kovalev was an unlikely recipient parked on the edge of the goal crease. It was quite the unfamiliar scene.

So was him finding a dashing Roman Hamrlik early in the third for the game tying goal.

Hamrlik is obviously comfortable moving up on the play, even in four on four action. It takes a level of confidence in team mates to pull such risks, and his security in knowing he is covered speaks well for the team as a whole.



















Andrei Kostitsyn made a pair of great individual plays to begin the second period. They showed his game reading skills to be progressing quite nicely.

On a Flyers breakout, he was in deep flattening Mike Richards to break up the play and turnover the puck. As soon as he recognized his team's possession, Kostitsyn got onside, received a pass, and fired a screened bullet through a defender past a stunned Martin Biron.

Last season's Kostitsyn might have taken a second or two longer in getting up and onside, and likely would have tried to beat that defenseman one on one, turning over the puck.

Don't be at all surprised to watch the elder of the Kostitsyn brothers hit for 35 to 45 goals this season. His confidence and hunger almost predict it.

Robert Lang has so far brought what was expected of him, and it has been a treat in getting to learn what it is he is all about.

Lang has all kinds of talent. He has a wicked shot, and above average passing skills. The knowledge of how to find open space in a hurry, or recognize when another player is about to gain it. He does not seem as slow or as hesitant as was advertised, but actually seems awfully motivated to deliver the goods.

The impression I get of Lang, is that while he is perceived as a one year rental player of sorts, he is poised to make himself an indispensable asset on the club. It's as though he is saying that he's comfortable as a third line center, and by the end of the season, he'll show that the Canadiens won't find a better suited one.

Alex Tanguay has had some roadbumps getting in synch with Saku Koivu so far, but it is only natural for two players whose games are so carved out and defined after many years in the league to take some getting used to each other.

What has revealed itself so far, is that it is Tanguay's play that commands the line. Koivu's workload is in the process of being redefined. As a center who in the past often had to do much of the winger's work as well as his own, it will take the trio some time to get used to the makeover.

In previous years, Koivu has not only had to be the setup man for Ryder and Higgins, but he has also consistently been the second man into corners. It has led to him taking many seemingly desperate penalties over the years - hooks and slashes behind the play - and contributed to wearing him down earlier in the game than anyone would like.

With Tangauy able to work the puck as well as Koivu can, the line is freed up to approach things differently. Similar to Kovalev without the puck, Koivu is now able to complement his linemates in a different fashion, by being the recipient or the player on the edge of the crease.

Having Guillaume Latendresse use his better assets on this line also enables more options for Koivu and Tanguay. Latendresse has more size and reach than Ryder had or Higgins has, and with that he is better suited for one on one battles in the corners. How difficult he is to move off the puck is an often underrated facet of the big winger's game, but it can now be adeptly used to buy time for his mates.

Depending on where the puck placed, and the tightness of that possession, either Koivu or Latendresse will be heading for the net and bringing a player with them. As the line has the skills for better battling, passing and shooting options, it makes them more chameleon - like, and harder to pigeonhole as per tendencies.

It will take some time for Koivu to get used to not running interference for Higgins cycling out of the right boards, or having but Ryder as a triggerman on the opposite side in the high slot.

So far, even through some miscommunications between Tanguay and Koivu, one can already see the potential in the line developing. Fans will get to see a whole set of unfamiliar moves from Koivu this season, and they will begin to understand what a set of shackles having Ryder as a line mate was.

Perhaps the biggest blooming of a player I've seen so far, has been in the play of young Sergei Kostitsyn. I actually cannot rave enough about him so far.

It is difficult to see yet where he fits in best on the team, as he actually gels and plays great with just about anyone. He can bring a whole different set of skills to Koivu's line, just as he has so far done playing with Robert Lang.

When employed on the powerplay, his workspace involves his entire side of the ice, from the circle to the net, and back to the point. What enables him to be so dangerous is his vision. That he can adapt and play with anyone is quite a skill card, but the fact that he actually uses all his options is even more threatening.

Added to that whole package, is an obvious keeness to shoot more and go head first into rebounds. Throw in that he is brazen little bugger when it comes to battling for the puck and that he is defensively sound while being offensively unlimited, and you have yourself a player who has likely only showed the tip of the iceburg so far.

His training camp was a touch on the quiet side, but there he is after three road games, leading the club in scoring. There will be no sophomore jinx here!

Photos by Dave Sandford / Len Redkoles NHLI via Getty Images courtesy MontrealCanadiens.com and Tim Shaffer / REUTERS courtesy Habs Inside Out.

Habs Make Leafs Early Thanksgiving Turkeys

Take your pick: was last night's Canadiens dismantling of the Leafs more reminiscent of Thanksgiving, Christmas or April Fools?

I suggest Thanksgiving merely because the Leafs served up a turkey of a game to the Habs on a silver platter. Their indiscipline offered the Canadiens a feast.

Christmas, maybe? Toronto goalie Vesa Toskala sure looked to be in a giving mood, going so far as to gift wrap a third period debut for backup Curtis Joseph.

Perhaps it might best be a very early April Fool's joke. The Canadiens looked overpowering at times, but it is neccessary to ground oneself in excitement and consider the weakness of the opponant. While some might term this year's Leafs team a joke, 82 games will tell if the Canadiens have the last laughs.


















If truth be told, the 2007-08 Toronto Maple Leafs are not the foe that the Canadiens are best judged against.

The Leafs in fact, had some good moments in the game. Coming off a win against the Cup champion Red Wings to open the season, Toronto began the game with some semblance of confidence. Along the way, Toronto hit posts numerous times, were disallowed a goal, and were robbed by a stellar Jaroslav Halak more than once.

While Halak was the early difference in the game, the contest was settled when the Leafs indiscipline brought out the Habs killer instinct.

For Toronto, this one game might just play over like the Groundhog Day movie. Leafs coach Ron Wilson looked very Bill Murray-ish and befuddled behind the bench in this one.





















Several Canadiens players made the most of their evenings work, and in assessing the positives it is important to remember that things will not be this easy most nights.

A multi point night for the likes of Alex Tanguay, Sergei Kostitsyn, Saku Koivu, Guillaume Latendresse, and Andrei Markov, will be how most watchers recall this game, but while their performances were stellar under the circumstances, it must be pointed out that the Canadiens were simply not firing on all cylinders.

Perhaps a jittery opening night shootout loss to Buffalo was on the minds of several Canadiens players wishing to make amends against the Leafs.

As much as the Sabres game looked like what it was - an opening night contest - this second game of the season also looked exactly like what it was.
















Midway through this game, the Canadiens led by five goals, and by that point, all focus on doing the simple things correctly was shot to hell. Looking to pad their stats, several Habs took the padal off the gas, became individualistic, or simply expected the Leafs to cave.

Montreal should have won this game by a 10-1 score.

Defensemen Markov and Mike Komisarek were not their usual selves. They seemed at times too keen to think transition before looking up ice and reading the defensive coverage.

Rhino Burn had an up and down game, but the second year player seems to be in a process of learning what he can and can't do in this league. When he gains possesion of the puck in an area of space, he seems to want to become Larry Robinson, but he might be best off sticking to remaining what Craig Ludwig once was - a stay at home bruiser.

Patrice Brisebois still makes me nervous. His propensity for firing shots into oncoming shinpads on the powerplay is a rookie mistake he should have corrected sixteen seasons ago. I'll buy the Brisebois experience argument once he wears a suit and tie behind a bench of a team with the lowest GAA in the league. In the interim, hell will freeze over and there will be peace in the Middle East.






















The Canadiens best blueliners last night were Roman Hammer Lick and Josh Gorges. Hammer had one bad shift on the penalty kill, but otherwise astutely read when to pinch and when to sit back with veteran perception. Gorges was faithfull to his perutation. All game long he took hits to make the proper plays and bounce back in Gumby like fashion, as he is becoming known to do.

Up front, the Canadiens forwards were a rabid bunch, but were often failed by their own blueliners zest. The multitude of broken plays and cutoff passes up ice, were hardly their blame, but after the game's outcome was settled, too many of them were frothing to participate in the rout.
























One forward who particularly stood out in this was Maxim Lapierre, who twice turned breakout two on one's into dead end saves by Joseph in the third period. Lang and Sergei K were also guilty of looking too hard for the cherry picker play in the final frame.



























It is tempting to detail all the goodness that emerged from the line of Koivu - Latendresse - Tanguay, but the quality of the opponant keeps me in check here.

The Canadiens next rivals are the Flyers and Bruins. Once passed those tests, we will all have a much sounder assessment of where this season's edition of the Canadiens truly sits.

Until then, it was nice to participate in the Leafs recurring Groundhog Day nightmare. There is still much work to focus on, and the Habs would be best served not to use last night's illusion.

Photos of the Canadiens / Leafs game courtesy of Getty Images / Dave Sandfield and MontrealCanadiens.com

Game Highlights

T.C. Denault's take on the game at the Canadiens Hockey News blog

Dennis Kane's viewpoint on the game.

Habs Begin New Season Looking For A Difference

In 2007-08, the Montreal Canadiens were the surprise team of the NHL - by a longshot!

Such a surprise cannot happen a second year running, as teams will be better prepared to face the Canadiens this time around.

With such a notion in mind, the Canadiens were busy tinkering with their powerplay over the last few practice sessions, trying to remain a step ahead of the adjusting competition.

It might seem odd to some, that the Habs would be focusing on the one perceived part of their game that is unquestionably not broken. The old adage of "why fix it if it ain't broke" must have crossed many a hockey mind upon learning of this. I know that it did mine.

What the Canadiens have been doing, is moving elements of the powerplay unit around in order to find ways to adjust to opponants having figured out how to stiffle the Habs deadliest of weapons.

Assistant coach Doug Jarvis, a former defensive specialist who guides the club's powerplay, is not trying to reinvent the wheel, but merely seeking to keep it round and rolling.















During last season's playoffs, Boston and Philadelphia, due to a growing familiarity with what players such as Andrei Markov and Alex Kovalev bring do best, began to shut down their passing lanes and play both men much tighter.

The result was significant enough for the Canadiens to look into ways of adding new wrinkles to their power play game plan.

Should the idea of having Markov work the left point produce sparks, the opposition would then be faced with being not only concerned with which players are sent out to work the power play, but also which setup will be employed.

Over the past few seasons, the Habs PP has been one well greased gear. Teams were just about keened on ways to grind Sheldon Souray to a halt two seasons ago. Last year, Mark Streit's precision ably replaced Souray's blast and kept opponants guessing.

This time around, the Canadiens can explore the talents of Alex Tanguay and Sergei Kostitsyn in different setups, or utilize Guillaume Latendresse on the crease's edge in a Tomas Holmstrom manner, to keep teams on their toes.

Over the past seasons of power play success, the Canadiens were known for hardly practicing that aspect of their game at all. With the successive departures of Souray and Streit, what makes the unit tick has inevitably been broken down for the opposition to see. Hence the idea of throwing them some curves to keep them dazed and confused.

Whatever the method or solution, the importance is in keeping options open and keeping ideas from becoming stagnant.




















As I thought of all the possibilities the Canadiens could employ in new powerplay alignments, it brought to mind some interesting observations about the team, it's coaching staff, and overall goals.

When last season began, the goal was to win as many games possible and hopefully not have to wait until the final date of the season to clinch a playoff berth. Along the way, that goal changed, and when the Canadiens won the Eastern Conference, sights were set on the Stanley Cup.

This season, or more precisely - this off season - the goal was squarely to win a 25th Cup.

Canadiens management set out to fill specific needs, and they addressed issues of team toughness, increased offensive versatility, and third line center depth.

The combined acquisitions of Georges Laraque, Alex Tanguay, and Robert Lang received a rare round of raves from a normally critical fanbase.

The result - for the first time in ages, the Canadiens begin a season as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.


















Refreshingly, it is not only the self contained rabid fanbase and media that thinks so. Publications outside of CH central, in print and online, as well as a recent GM's poll, all figure the Habs to be thick in the mix.

A quote from Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau this week, stating that there were no more strictly defensive lines on the club was a definite eyebrow raiser. It was quite in contrast to a quote Guy Lafleur ate and regurgitated early last season, having to do with the team being nothing more than four fourth lines.

What it all adds up to - these new angles and perceptions - is that the Canadiens are not willing to play the part of predictable foes.

As teams are surely now gunning for what they believe is a sized up opponant, the Habs are now talented and deep enough to explore their own possibilities while others watch and wonder.



























Some changes the Canadiens make along the way are sure to frustrate even the fans who have them pegged, but it's all the Habs should do with a lineup that has had little variation over a season.

The cards are the same, but the order in which they are played will be shuffled periodically. In a deck loaded with aces, the odd joker up the sleeve keeps opponants off balance.

Tonight in Buffalo, we will begin to be refamiliarized with this hockey club. Initial stutters and slips will make us fans nervous. New experiments will cause perspiration temporarily. Newness will await the comfort of a win streak to settle us all in.

After a month of training camp reports, great rookie showings, cuts and more cuts, a groin pull or seven, and a dizzying array of new line combinations, there was one quote from coach Carbonneau that summed up the hunger of the entire organization for me.

When asked to qualify the performance of many an impressive rookie along the training camp way, Carbonneau responded that it was the play of the veterans, who arrived focused and driven, that made the hopefuls look as though they belonged.

This season, from all appearances, the Canadiens are approaching it with an edge.

That might be all the difference between a team that wins a regular season conference title, and one whose gaze is focused squarely on a big silver mug.

Photos of Montreall Canadiens in practice courtesy of Habs Inside Out and the Montreal Gazette.


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Max Pacioretty On Everyone's Lips

The name of 19 year old Montreal Canadiens rookie Max Pacioretty will be pronounced often between today and the beginning of the Canadiens 100th regular season on October 10.

Pacioretty announced himself in a big way last night, scoring the game's opening goal early in the second period, and notching a second goal to knot the shootout session on the way to the Habs 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

The New Canaan, Connecticut native did so with a panache and style , and was named the game's first star for his effort.

Both Pacioretty goals came on backhands. If Wings legend Gordie Howe, a great empoyer of the back side shot, happened to be watching from Detroit, his thoughts likely echoed those of 21,000 plus fans at the Bell Centre in thinking that "this kid's got game!"

In post game interviews, Pacioretty showed both humility and glee in an assessment of his nights work.

First claiming that he felt he'd played no better than he had so in previous exhibitions, he explained his goals were the benefit of some good luck combined with his linemates solid work. He stated that he felt no particular additional nervousness when asked to be the games first shootout contestant.

In assessing his evening, the young budding star noted that he felt turnovers were still a concern that needing working on.

Being named the games first star capped a dream night coming out party of sorts for the kid, whose father learned of inclusion in the lineup at morning, and drove seven hours from Connecticut to take it in.

Pacioretty's quick rise in the scheme of Habs hopefuls presents the type of dilema every hockey GM wishes to have. The Canadiens, with a lineup practically set in stone, have little room for Pacioretty unless they clear space.

The easy solution would simply be to send the player to Hamilton while letting injuries open the door for him. The problem is that the youngster is ready to play and contribute now, in possibly bigger dividends than current spares the team will carry.















Fans and talkshows in Montreal will be lit with discussions of how Canadiens manager Bob Gainey will proceed on this. Expect names such as Mathieu Dandenault, Steve Begin, Tom Kostopoulos, and even 21 year old Guillaume Latendresse to heat up debates.

It is doubtfull that Gainey bails on Latendresse, a third year player whose upside is still to be determined. Those understanding Gainey's method of decision would be stunned to see him part with future assets in light of 10 looming free agents come the 2009-10 season.

In many eyes, the Pacioretty scenario reminds some of a similar excitement over the rushed assessment of Latendresse three seasons ago. The players attributes have common traits, but Latendresse graduated to a weaker club three seasons prior.


















Should there be an odd man out at forward, it could be Kostopoulos. Not as rugged as Begin, and with less tenure on the club than he or Dandenault, Kostopoulos still has an interesting enough upside to attract a suitor.

Anyone watching how Gainey operates, will see three possible scenarios for making room for Pacioretty.

The first would be the trading Kostopoulos. The second is sending Dandenault down to the minors. The third would involve Pacioretty's patience in Hamilton, while waiting for doors to open.

With respect to veteran Dandenault, Gainey would treat him very professionally and perhaps allow him a say into his own destiny. Gainey is that way with those who rumble not in hard times.


















With respect to veteran Dandenault, Gainey would treat him very professionally and perhaps allow him a say into his own destiny. Gainey is that way with those who rumble not in hard times.

The question will be put to Dandenault whether he wants to remain on the big club in a spare part capacity, play in Hamilton, or be put on waivers.

Dandenault will likely choose a role where he gets to play and be seen, as he is without a contract beyond this season. Gainey will let him address the option while painting a very realistic picture of what awaits him this season in Montreal.

Dandenault has been with the club several seasons, and has a Stanley Cup ring and experience to pass along.

Kostopoulos, for his worthiness and dedication is a consumate pro, but yets a bubble player on this rising club. He has some worth for Gainey in a transaction that Dandenault does not. As he has been with the club but one season, my gut tells me he's the odd man out.

Phil Carpenter, Peter McCabe, and Paul Darrow photos courtesy Montreal Gazette and habsinsideout.com



Amazing save by Carey Price

Latendresse Continues To Impress, Joins Kovalev Lang Line

Article transcribed from François Lemenu's column in today's La Presse

A pleasant surprise was awaiting Guillaume Latendresse on the first day of the Canadiens training camp. The young 21 year old winger found himself on the left side of Robert Lang and Alex Kovalev during the first of three scrimmages Saturday at the Sportsplex in Pierrefonds. The line will be together come Wednesday, when the Habs face the Red Wings in Detroit.

"It's just one practice, but it's quite the beginning. I recall lining up alongside topline players at my first training camp in Montreal, but when you find yourself playing with Kovalev, it's hard to top. I have to seize the opportunity in front of me".

Saturday's lines aren't carved in stone. Coach Guy Carbonneau will pass through many experiments during the six preseason games. This first trial run is an interesting proposition for the skater from St. Catherines, Quebec.


















"Our group our centers has never been this strong. I'l be content to play nomatter who I play with ", said Latendresse, alluding of course to Saku Koivu and Tomas Plekanec.

Over the course of the summer, Latendresse improved his skating stride and shed a few pounds.

"I want to take my career in my hands. I don't want to find myself toiling between the third and fourth lines any longer. I'm at a new stage in my career."
Canadiens conditioning coach Scott Livingstone has notice a difference in Latendresse.

"He's satisfied with what I accomplished over the summer months, but I don't need to be reminded. I notice a difference myself. It doesn't feel as though I am battling myself as much on the ice. I have more energy. I still feel fresh enough to have a second practice, no problem."

It was the first time Lang skated with Latendresse. The Canadiens new centreman offered this startling revelation.

"I don't really know him. I only met him for the first time last week, but he is quick", Lang said sincerely. "he looks like a very good player to me."


















Kovalev also appreciates the efforts made by Latendresse.

"He's working much harder. He wants to improve and become a better player. I hope he become more regular in that he is more focused on what he needs to do."

Carbonneau himself has been pleasantly surprised by Latendresse's progress.

"It's surprising. He's come a long way. Guillaume has recognized that he needed to improve several facets of his game."

"Even though he's been limited to eight or nine minutes of icetime per game, he still managed to score 16 in both his two seasons", the coach added. "Myself, I've always had confidence in his talent."

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Will Latendresse Now Be Called Roadrunner....and more camp news

Last week at this site, I had an overwhelming reponse to a piece entitled "Adjusting Latendresse". The pro Gui rant hammered out in frustration to his naysayers received the largest one day traffic hit this site has seen since it's inception.

What I enjoyed most though, were the many returning positive comments from readers who "got it". The piece also made its way to several message boards where, and the response there wasn't the usual snarly remarks either.

Makes me hope that the kid turns some heads this season, and has a strong campaign.

If his first few days at camp are any indication, he's grooved into the right track.

Why do I like Latendresse so much?

It has all to do with the package between his ears.

The kid is grounded and has a great understanding of his environment. He gets it, that he is under a spotlight on a constant basis in Montreal, and despite whatever one's misgivings about him as a player, he works very hard on different aspects of his game.

In the media scrum that is Montreal, it is tough for players to give special attention to fans, but I have read it on more than one occasion that when Lats is on the road, and sees fans wearing his jersey, he makes a beeline for them as soon as he's able. That's called class, folks.

There has been much written about the effort Guillaume has put in this summer to improve his skating. He's trained hard over the past couple of months in order to show up for camp in the best shape possible, and by all accounts the sweat has been worth it. Working out with skating specialist Paul Lawson, the big winger has not only impressed so far, he has in fact floored team mates at observers with great showing in tested drills. Teammate Francis Bouillon stated yesterday that Latendresse finished near the top, after being one of the slower (okay, slowest!) Habs last season.

On Guillaume's mind yesterday, was a thought offered to one journalist: "Wouldn't it be wonderful to play my whole career in Montreal?"

That's why I like this kid's thinking!

EXCITED TO BE A MONTREAL CANADIEN MUCH!

Speaking strictly for myself, the tone of this traing camp was set the moment I read that newcomer Robert Lang, upon being traded to the Canadiens a week ago Friday, hopped in his car, equipement packed in the trunk, and drove 12 hours from Chicago to Montreal.





















Once in town, Lang seemed to enjoy having 57 microphones thrust in his face, and his first juicy quote came when the name of the forever indecisive Mats Sundin was dropped.

"Good for me, too bad for Mats!"

It must be said that Lang's refreshing attitude and enthusiasm are a 180 degree, diametrically opposite reponse to the slow to get it Swede.

I admit, I wasn't too sold on Lang at first, but now I am quite pumped to see this guy play.

Players bristling with anticipation is contagious. I've rarely seen such a fever pitch for a training camp.

This Habs Inside Out clip does not contain the quote in question, but Lang is clearly juiced about the hold Habs fans have on their team.


Untitled from Habsinsideout on Vimeo.

KOMISAREK THE NEXT CAPTAIN?

RDS is reporting that the Canadiens training camp guide cover might just a peek into the future. Featured on the front page are three captains - two former and one current, namely Jean Beliveau, Serge Savard and Saku Koivu. At the top of the page sits a photo of Mike Komisarek, a not so subtle hint perhaps.

No word yet that Komisarek, an American of Polish descent, is enrolled in french classes at McGill.

KOVY PRIMED AGAIN

It seems that the Canadien off season orders from trainer Scott Livingstone have been followed and are paying great dividends. Alex Kovalev has dropped a dozen pounds in an effort to keep up with young guns. Kovy says that the Russians felt that his speed and quickness again, were not up to par.





















I like the idea of the Russian team pissing Kovalev off at the end of every season. If this latest slag motivates him as much as it did last season, we're all in for a treat. If AK27 had his way, the season would start today.

Good news, bad news was the revelation that Carey Price was overweight last season, and not by a little either. Having dropped close to 20 pounds for this camp, the notion gives much credence to reports he was pooped in last seasons playoffs.

THE PIPELINE OF PROSPECTS NEVER ENDS

I had to crack a big smile this morning, when I ventured over to Habs blogger Dennis Kane's site. Kane is one of the few good guy Habs fans online who is older than I, and his off beat tales of all things Canadiens never fail to both educate and enlighten me daily.

His latest post, is a preview of the Habs draft choices for 2027! Check it out.

Dennis lives on the west coast, a true Habs fan who never lost his roots. When I think of how much the Canadiens are loved across this country, I think of Dennis as proof posive the Habs are this country's team, from sea to sea.
















CAPTAIN KOIVU BRIMMING

Perhaps the best notion that we fans are about to go on one sweat ride this season, is Canadiens captain Koivu's uncharacteristic and unbridled assessment of the team this season.

In an interview posted at TSN yesterday, Koivu spoke about what it feels like this time around in Montreal, as opposed to previous seasons.

''When I first came here, my first two years, we had a pretty good team on paper and on the ice,'' he said. ''But this one, I think, has more youth, has more potential, and I think it's better. This is the best team in a long, long time that I think the Montreal Canadiens have had.''

I don't know about you, but my life will never be complete without seeing this gutsy warrior hoist that big silver Stanley over his head.

Feeling it could be coming this year is bliss!

Adjusting Latendresse

No player on the Canadiens club the past two seasons has been as maligned and as misunderstood as Guillaume Latendresse. His critics are many, and they often point to deficiencies in his skating and his lack of quickness

Feeding the fire is the always moronic language argument that has lead many to believe that there is favoratism involved in him being in the NHL rather than the AHL.

He's not in the NHL because he has a big league shot!

And surely he's not in the NHL because he has the physique to deliver punishing hits!

He couldn't possibly be in the NHL because he has produced goals at a rate worthy of player on the top two lines, while getting third and fourth line shifts!

Of course not!

He's in the NHL simply because he's french!

And of course, the Canadiens need all the slow footed francophones they can get their mits on in order to fill that half Bell Centre!

Right!

No one will never disputed that his skating and quickness need work - lots of it. To that point, neither does the player, as he works on that aspect of his game with great effort, both in the offseason and during the year. If you haven't read about it, it's likely because you choose not to.

That he turns with all the agility of a tank is one thing, but his top speed is a more deceptive assessment when evaluating a big man.

Lost in the mire of the coach's pet bullshit many allude to, is the fact that Latendresse has produced at an NHL level for two seasons now. Not only have his numbers been comparatively good for a player his age, but they stack up well against team mates in important categories.

What needs to be adjusted most in respect to Guillaume Latendresse, are people's expectations of what he should have given the club as a 19 and 20 year old in his first two NHL seasons. Perceptions of what he can become one day, also need fine tuning.

Who are we asking this kid to be?

For two training camps, starting when he was 18, Latendresse was the team's leading scorer during exhibition games. He produced while playing on lines involving the clubs better players, and he continued to post numbers when given lesser linemates.

Of course the local press built him up to be the next Guy Lafleur, but is that his fault?

Maybe he shouldn't have done so good?

His successes lead to the club making some tough calls. In his second try, he made the team.

Since that time, he's received more vegetables than roses because in the eyes of some, his deficiencies outweigh what game he brings.

Part of what the Montreal Canadiens have done better than many other organizations in the past four seasons is nurture talent. They've drafted good players, but they have brought them along in even better ways.

The Habs brass have a knack for assessing exactly where a player sits in terms of being an NHL'er. They have precise ideas of what challenges a player needs to be faced with to improve, and they understand exactly what form of utilization is called for in order for a given player to rise and meet that challenge.

On that note, two seasons ago, they deemed Latendresse ready for the NHL challenge. While the player has endured the expected rough spots, he has fared well enough to resist demotion.

























The Canadiens also take into great consideration that Latendresse's challenges involve more than just skating and speed issues. Trials dealing with mental toughness, defensive accountability, and adaptation are no longer facets of the game that he can profit from by toiling in the AHL.

Such a scenario would only occur if he regresses or requires discipline, and Latendresse takes matters too seriously for such a thing to happen.

In his first NHL season and his second, he scored 16 goals.

His second season's icetime dropped from 1008 total on ice minutes down to 894. The 114 minute decline can be attributed to not replacing an injured Chris Higgins on the club's top line for a twelve game stretch, as he did in 2006-07.

In the 2007-08 season, the loss of those quality minutes did not drop his goal production.

If one were to do a rough calculation of his goals per ice time ratio, in 2006-07, only three players did better, and this past season, the Kovalev line and Higgins, with substancially more ice, did better.





















For his first season, Latendresse scored a goal for every 63 minutes of icetime, followed by one in every 59 minutes last season. Here's a breakdown:

2006-07

Ryder (30) 1:45
Higgins (22) 1:50
Plekanec (20) 1:58
Latendresse (16) 1:63
Koivu (22) 1:67
Souray (26) 1:72
Kovalev (18) 1:74

2007-08

Kovalev (35) 1:46
Kostitsyn (26) 1:47
Plekanec (29) 1:50
Higgins (27) 1:55
Latendresse (16) 1:59
Ryder (14) 1:66
Koivu (16) 1:87

When a player is statistically the third or fourth best shooter on the club as offensively minded as the Canadiens, it tells something.

This is especially true when the player is not benefitting from top line status, and is endeavoring to keep pace with different line mates on a constant basis.

Aside from scoring, Latendresse's game is slowly rounding out in other areas.

In both his years, Latendresse was third on the team in hits, despite his icetime. His plus minus was a brutal -20 in his rookie campaign, but a more than respectable -2 last season. Those improvements are attributable to nothing else but hard work and focus.

Considering the unjustifiable amount of pressure the kid is under as a local, his young age, and his limited skills in the skating department, I'd say the boy has done exceptionally well overall

When you figure in the atmosphere of negativity that he pursues his craft in, it could be said that Latendresse has almost overachieved in spite of it.

I think that for the player he is, he has done phenominally well for his age.

A prosperous, positive atmosphere, can only help him.

It is sickening how fans, and not just the french fans and media, treat what could eventually turn out to be a key componant in the club's offensive game. Night in and game out, he's harped on for not being what everyone wishes he was. Instead, he ought to accepted and valued for what he is.

If the Canadiens weren't grooming a player of his type, it would be demanded that it go out and get one.

As it stands, Latendresse will begin this season, his third, as a 21 year old potential 20 goal scorer. He'll continue to draw mostly third and fourth line duty while achieving that, but he's more than ready to be centered by either Koivu or Robert Lang, where he should prosper.

With improving skating and better conditioning, he'll be more adjusted to play in both ends, as well as continuing to hit like a piledriver.

What team wouldn't want a player such as Latendresse on their third line?

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Habs For Breakfast - A Game Of Deja Vu

No short, snappy intro to today's links. It began and turning into a whole other post, which you will be reading shortly.

Team's character faces biggest test this season - Gazette

"His skills and confidence haven't gone anywhere," Koivu said of Price, who watched the third period from the bench and might still now be soaking his head in the shower."You don't lose those things overnight." - Dave Stubbs

Too little too late - Gazette

"When you outshoot them 34-14, you've got to win the game," Higgins continued. "It was a tough game for Pricey and he didn't really get a whole lot of shots on net, but on the other end you don't know how much longer it's going to go with the chances we've had." - Pat Hickey

Price or Halak? Carbonneau faces goalie decision for tomorrow night - Gazette

"Does he stick with rookie goaltender Carey Price, who has struggled in the first three games of the series and was pulled last night after giving up three goals on the first 11 shots he faced? Or does he gamble and go with Jaroslav Halak, who made his first appearance since March 29 in a relief role last night?" - Pat Hickey

He was the face of the Flyers - Gazette

"At least I didn't lose the team. That has been my life, being part of being a team. If I would have been cut off ... like what (former Canadiens president) Ronald Corey did to (former GM) Serge Savard ... he should be shot for." - Herb Zurkowsky

Price is wrong - Globe Sports

"It's going to be a long series," Carbonneau said. "If we keep putting 30 shots on goal and hold them to 14, we're going to win." - Tim Wharnsby























Phildelphia Steals Game Three - Dennis Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

"The Habs were ineffective during an early-game two man advantage. They held a big edge in play in the first period. They hit three posts. Carey Price, looking shaky, was replaced by Jaroslav Halak in the third, and the team responded by outshooting Philly 16-2. But it wasn’t enough, losing in the end 3-2, and the team is now down two games to one. They need game four so badly, there’d better be focus, concentration, commitment, no late-night dinners, no over-doing the beer or wine, and a good, reasonable curfew these next two nights." - Dennis Kane

Price Shakey As Habs let Gimme Slip Away - Lions In Winter

"With about 15 minutes to go in the game Halak made what turned out to be a very key stop. It was the only time that the Flyers, in my opinion, had a legitimate scoring chance all night. The puck was fed from Halak's left to his right, just outside of the crease. Patrick Thoresen was the player who seemed to have a certain goal, but Jaro got across with a great right-pad save. It kept the game at 0-3 which at the time may have seemed like a moot point, but as it turned out gave the Habs a serious shot of getting back into this one." - Tobalev

Price n'est pas le seul à blâmer - RDS

"On ne doit pas oublier qu'il n'est âgé que de 20 ans et qu'on lui demande d'être le sauveur de l'équipe, a affirmé l'entraîneur du Canadien, après avoir avoué que le gardien recrue est ébranlé." - Guy Carbonneau

Un air de déjà vu... - RDS

"Même s’il a semblé ébranlé à la suite des deux filets qu’il a concédés en l’espace de 72 secondes, le gardien des Flyers Martin Biron a été brillant par la suite en étouffant toutes les tentatives des attaquants des Glorieux. Le cerbère québécois a réalisé un grand total de 32 arrêts – dont 15 lors de l’engagement final."















Koivu: "Nous faisons face à un gros test" - La Presse

"Car si on peut imputer une large part du blâme sur la piètre performance de Carey Price, ses coéquipiers n'ont pas le droit de s'en tirer aussi facilement. Pourquoi? Parce que si le Canadien a perdu, hier, c'est aussi parce qu'il a été incapable de profiter des occasions qui se sont offertes à lui." - François Gagnon

Brière: "On gagne avec du caractère" - La Presse

"Les Flyers ont en effet passé près de 12 minutes en infériorité numérique. Ils ont esquivé avec succès un désavantage de deux hommes durant deux pleines minutes, mais ont donné au Canadien ses deux buts pendant la punition de cinq minutes infligée à Derian Hatcher. "Le secret de notre force en désavantage numérique? C'est Marty! C'est ça la recette", a lancé Umberger, qui a lui-même effectué du travail colossal en infériorité en plus de marquer un autre but. - Marc Antoine Godin

"Habituellement, un club gagne quand il n'accorde que 14 tirs...": Chris Higgins - Le Journal

"L'attaque massive du Canadien a finalement produit deux buts en troisième période pendant que Derian Hatcher purgeait une pénalité majeure pour avoir dangereusement mis en échec Francis Bouillon contre la rampe." - Pierre Durocher

"On perd et on gagne en équipe" - Le Journal

"Les coéquipiers de Carey Price se rangeaient dans son coin après sa contre-performance contre les Flyers, hier soir. Le contraire aurait été étonnant. Il ne fallait pas s'attendre à voir un joueur le montrer du doigt, quoique Price ne s'était pas gêné pour lancer une flèche à ses coéquipiers après le match de samedi dernier." - Marc De Foy

"Guillaume mérite d'être là": Guy Carbonneau - Le Journal

"Je recherche un meilleur équilibre dans nos lignes d'attaque, a poursuivi Carbonneau. Smolinski et Kostopoulos jouent avec beaucoup de confiance présentement et cela facilitera l'arrivée d'un jeune comme Latendresse, qui a hâte de jouer."
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Something Special Here?

Robert L Note: Of all the Canadian Press media scribes who cover sports, Pierre LeBrun has always been of the fairest in his assessments of the Montreal Canadiens over the years. His criticisms and his general awareness of the Habs has always gone beyond the usual surface glances and delved into the actual heart and psyche of the team. This reprint of his Sportsnet column shows he knows what's going on.

By Pierre LeBrun, Sportsnet.ca

I've gone on record a few times saying I don't think the Canadiens have enough experience to go deep into the playoffs. And yet, I've got an unshakable feeling about this team ...

First Calgary, then Edmonton and last spring it was Ottawa. Will the Montreal Canadiens be the fourth consecutive Canadian team to reach the Stanley Cup final?

I've gone on record a few times on Hockeycentral saying I don't think the Canadiens have enough experience to go deep into the playoffs. And yet, I've got this unshakable feeling about this team ... like something special is going on here.

First of all, the Eastern Conference is wide open. There is no San Jose or Anaheim or Detroit in the East. Just a bunch of good teams. There isn't a team in the East where if Montreal beat them in the playoffs you would call it an actual upset.

Then you've got this rookie goaltender Carey Price, who seems to fight off a yawn at the most critical moment of a game. He's that calm. You saw it with his world junior hockey performance and last spring with an AHL playoff MVP award, Price is as cool as a cucumber.

The blue line is underrated. We all know about Andrei Markov, Mark Streit, Mike Komisarek and veteran Roman Hamrlik, but lesser names such as Francis Bouillon and Josh Gorges are solid performers. Rookie Ryan O' Byrne is a keeper.














A possessed Alexei Kovalev is the difference maker up front. He's taken the team on his shoulders this season with his inspired play, so much so that he's garnering some attention as a potential Hart Trophy candidate. He sounds even hungrier heading into the playoffs.


The skilled and speedy Montreal attack is hard to handle because it has more than one line. No doubt Kovalev's top unit with Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn is the most dangerous and consistent producer, but there are other waves. Saku Koivu (when healthy again), Christopher Higgins, Michael Ryder, Sergei Kostitsyn, Mikhail Grabovski and Guillaume Latendresse also chip in offensively.


Montreal also carries the top-rated power play in the NHL into the playoffs but perhaps just as importantly has improved on a penalty kill that was ranked near the bottom for most of the season. Now they're middle of the pack, really buckling down over the last month. That's a good sign for the Canadiens.





















Montreal also carries the top-rated power play in the NHL into the playoffs but perhaps just as importantly has improved on a penalty kill that was ranked near the bottom for most of the season. Now they're middle of the pack, really buckling down over the last month. That's a good sign for the Canadiens.


Even strength scoring has also improved. Last season, despite the best power play in the NHL, the Habs ranked 27th in the league in five-on-five scoring and that really hurt them down the stretch as they missed the playoffs on the final weekend. As of Thursday afternoon they were 10th in the NHL in that department, a dramatic improvement that will prove valuable late in playoff games where perhaps the whistles are put away and that the only way to prevail is at equal strength.


Are the Habs too soft? That's one criticism levied at them by a NHL GM who requested anonymity. But how much will that be a factor in the East? It certainly wouldn't be against Pittsburgh in a potential Eastern Conference final. There, you're talking skill-on-skill.


You might argue Boston is among the toughest teams out there. A lot that did for the Bruins against the Canadiens this season, the Habs, as most hockey fans know, going 8-0-0 against Boston this season.


No, the major concern is not lack of toughness but rather the lack of experience. This is a young Canadiens squad and one has to wonder how it will react when the stakes are so much higher. How will they react if the visiting team goes up early in Game 1 of their playoffs? How will they react in their first overtime game? How will they react if the mighty power play falters? How will Price react if he lets in a softy?

Impossible to know at this point. The only thing we do know is that the Bell Centre will be shaking with excitement next week. And it's hard to ignore the feeling that the party will last for more than a week.
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Looking Back On A Successful Regular Season

What a difference one year can make!

Last season, the Canadiens rode the hot goaltending of Jaroslav Halak, in for the injured Cristobal Huet, trying desperately to cling to an elusive playoff spot.

In 11 games from March 10 to April 3, Montreal were 9-2, and saw their hopes of advancing to the post season vanish with consecutive losses in their final two games.

The 6-5 heartbreaking loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 5th did them in.

That final game was a fair representation of what 2006-07 was to the Canadiens. It all about breaks, bounces, and unpredictability.

For certain followers of the team, the ending result was dubious - a happenstance of the oddball calamities that inflicted the team. Some knew the Canadiens were a better team that the record showed.

For others, it was testimony that the Habs were still at square one. Faith, in the big picture for doubters, was fleeting.

So, what happened this season? What were the causes of behind the Canadiens launching from tenth place a year ago into the top spot in their conference this season?

It all started with the believers in the team, the GM, the coach, and the entire organization, understanding that the end result last season was not a true reflection of where the Canadiens were at.

No one panicked, no one was fired, the blueprint was not blown up.

Instead, the continuity of faith in the plan was reaffirmed.























General manager Bob Gainey hit the summer free agency period with a Plan B that might have worked out better than his Plan A.

When the homerun swing for Daniel Briere and the attempted resigning of Sheldon Souray failed, Gainey went for depth. Subtracting Souray, Radek Bonk, Mike Johnson, Janne Niniimaa and David Aebischer from the starting lineup, the Habs GM latched onto Roman Hamrlik, Bryan Smolinski, Patrice Brisebois, and Tom Kostopoulos, and with them, brought in character and experience.

Gainey's best moves may have involved doing his homework in regards to the Canadiens youth corps.

With over a half dozen prospects ready to contribute in Montreal, he managed every case perfectly.

Young players on the table in off season discussions included Price, Halak, O' Byrne, Grabovski, Lapierre, Latendresse, the Kostitsyn brothers, and Kyle Chipchura.

Many organizations follow structured means and motto's where each player is treated the same, when it comes to making it to the National Hockey League.

Gainey treated every player scenario individually based on a progression expectation. He tested skills, maturity, and and compatibility in each player, and learned exactly where each one stood.

When training camp broke, Gainey dispatched Lapierre, Halak, O' Byrne and the younger Kostitsyn back to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Many thought all four had earned a spot - but there are only so many openings.

Opinions were divided over the camps of Latendresse and Sergei Kostitsyn, and the cases of Price and Grabovski making the big club caught many by surprise.

In certain cases Gainey was examining reaction and adaptation. He kept a pulse on maturity and an eye on domination in the AHL.

The fate of the Hamilton Bulldogs be dammed - Gainey wasn't in this to win back to back Calder Cups!

The tests that Gainey layed out for individual players paid great dividends. Eight of the nine players are currently with the Canadiens - save for Chipchura, who likely a victim of depth.

Price played well, but not steady enough to satisfy the team. A stint, a reality check of sorts, in Hamiltom at mid season served him well. He has been a different netminder since his callback, to the point where Gainey did not bat an eyelash in dispatching Cristobal Huet to the Capitals so that Price could assume his destiny.

Max Lapierre coasted when he should have been focused in camp. His easing off the gas pedal cost him a Hamilton reminder. He returned to the Habs with renewed dedication.

Halak brooded upon his send down, a victim of numbers. No fault of his own, the Canadiens needed to learn what Price was capable of at an NHL level, as they had an impending free agent goalie to assess. After a shakey start, Halak reaffirmed his AHL dominance and his NHL worthiness.

Andrei Kostitsyn and Guillaume Latendresse shared a similar microscope. Both had qualities worthy of being solid NHL'ers, but their work habits represented question marks.

For Andrei Kostitsyn, it was an application to a more physical game that was being looked at. Intensity and a willingness to pay the price were his faults, and patiences were tested when he was sat off on occasion.

For Latendresse, the Canadiens organization kept a close eye on his dedication to learning. Not blessed with wingers of size, the Canadiens needed the big winger for his physical element as much as his scoring. A different approach was applied to his learning curve and there was a marked improvement in his on ice awareness while he maintained his offensive numbers.




















Grabovski and Chipchura were left to duel it out as fourth line center and eventually both were sent back to Hamilton.

Grabovski had lost his spot with the team initially for two main reasons. The first, which had nothing to do with his play, involved the Canadiens getting good offensive contributions from everyone to the point where he was not really needed. The second was the fact that Chipchura had outplayed him and it didn't do any good for him to be sitting around.

Chipchura's half season was a positive one, where he often looked very instinctive for a player of his young age. He did a lot of things well, but when measured against Maxim Lapierre in a similar role, his role and roster spot became expendable.

Sergei Kostitsyn was a revelation of sorts. He had been scoring at a point per game pace in Hamilton when called up and he has never looked back. He offered a physical dimension Grabovski did not have and also was a most compatible winger on whatever line he was given to play on. He also had a profound effect on his older brother, and somehow having the two together brought out the best in Andrei.

O'Byrne came as advertised and hasn't disappointed. He is a patient and poised defender who does not try to do to much. His size and his reach demanded a big league tryout and he passed it with steady play. O' Byrne seems to improve with each passing week, and I recently heard one assessment by a former NHL coach who said that O' Byrne is ahead of Mike Komisarek at the same stage.























In the grand scheme of things, it was important for Gainey to find out exactly what he had in all this youth. They were all tested at the NHL level and though trial and error Gainey and Carbonneau learned what their youngsters were capable of bringing to the team. Seeing each indivudual player as a piece of a larger puzzle, enabled the team to find out exactly where other individuals fit.

What helped speed up the process for Gainey was the Hamilton Bulldogs surprise Calder Cup win in 2007. That bought players experience they could not have gotten otherwise, and not only was it beneficial to their progression as professionals, it also expediated Gainey's evaluation of his best prospects.

An abundance of talented youth injects a great faith in a team when every player understands their role. It can cause division and individualism if players feel their jobs or roles are threatened.

None of this seemed to occur with the Canadiens this season. Most players who were sat out for a game or two were quickly brought back into the lineup to contribute. One has to assume that Carbonneau understood how to manage not only his players, but their personalities.

Dealing with the ego's of third and fourth line players, as well as the extra defenseman the team carried, was crucial to not causing a division and the creation of player cliques.

It is obvious that both Carbonneau and Gainey learned a great deal about how to proceed with this from the Stanley Cup win of 1986.
















The storyline of the Canadiens 23rd Cup will always center around the exploits of Patrick Roy's rookie season, but in truth it had as much to do with how a team with 9 rookies at any given time learned the hard lessons of bonding for the betterment of team goals. Veterans and newcomers that season ran into conflict upon occasion, but this season the Habs seemed to steer right by such problems.

The tales of Alex Kovalev playing big brother to many of the European talents on the team is but one example of possibly many in regards to how this team gelled almost from the start. Veteran players such as Koivu, Hamrlik, Markov, Smolinski, Brisebois, and others surely were as supportive of the team first scheme.

Much has been made of Gainey's off season chats with Kovalev and the dividends they have paid, and rightfully so. For a player to show up with a freshened attitude, and who turns himself from a team cancer to it's most outspoken leader, it has an unestimable trickle down effect on the overall chemistry of a team. Leadership needs to come from many areas on a winning team, but when it is sought and found where it should be is most reassuring, especially on a young squad seeking guidance in their initial seasons.

Many decisions were made by team managemant throughout 82 games. There are always lineup substitutions, line mate changes, callups, demotions, off ice incidents, and game plan alterations. Players all have their opinions on what they believe works and doesn't work. When decision made by Carbonneau or Gainey produce the desired result time after time, players cease to question the motives or means, and simply place faith in those decisions as being best for the team.























When Bob Gainey chose to part with Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline, he had to consider many evaluations. Gainey had to not only know for certain that Price was ready to handle the starters role, but also have a solid idea how the players themselves would react to it.

Huet was obviously a respected and appreciated team mate. Many mourned his trading away, but few doubted Gainey in knowing that it was the right thing to do. There were no players questioning the risk of the move or Gainey's bravery in being so decisive at a crucial time.

Gainey obviously has his thumb on the pulse of team, otherwise he would not have risked such a trade. He had to now that his team had faith in Carey Price and the character to soldier on.
In the 19 games in the post Huet era, the Habs went 14-4-1 to finish out the season.

In looking back over what has been the 2007-08 regular season, you will find all kinds of individual benchmarks, career years, and shining statistical notes. Numbers are spit out about how the Canadiens have not done this or that since whenever, and it all adds up to one big sexy spin.

The angles and views build great confidence, from players down to fans, but it is wise not to get too caught up in the allure.

What the Montreal Canadiens did best in this season was build, gel, and progress.

They are getting closer and closer to that Holy Grail destination, and if 2008 doesn't turn out to be the year, we can be comforted in the knowledge that a foundation has been poured, secured, and cemented for the future.

Regardless of how far the Habs go into this playoff, what has been learned along the way should serve them for years to come.
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