Getting Carried Away With Carey

(Robert L Note: Photo's are from Habs Inside Out, upon the unveilling of the new Carey Price mask.)

It's hard not to get caught up in the hype of a goalie having played all of one NHL game when the Canadiens have not had a prospect this bright in twenty years.

The commotion speaks for the Habs fan's thirst and desperation in hopes of a 25th Stanley Cup.
Habs fans are actually going way out on a limb to predict greatness and glory for Carey Price and the future hopes that ride along with it. The attention given to Price's every move and whim must perplex the non Habs fans to no end.

It's like this: Excuse us, hockey world, we've just never dealt win a 14 year Cup drought before!
It's not as though we are Leafs fans, preparing to hand a 40 year losing stench down to a third generation.

So we are getting carried away with Carey. Blame it on the fact that he has happened to live up to his billing as announced, been better than merely just good, and exceeded expectations to the point that his play has created the associated fanatacism and frenzy.

Can all this hype be considered illogical in light of what's been but one solid game?

Not when it is all about promise. Not when promise gets delivered at each successive step.



I've been guilty of riding on the Price bandwagon since he was named MVP at last year's World Juniors. I understood what it meant to take an unreknowned squad unfavored to win and backstopping it to a Gold Medal.

Watching that drama unfold, and taking note of how unflappable Price seemed, spoke large for his potential. I was convinced of his ability, reading stories about his youth and upbringing, and of the perceptions of the big picture between his ears.

Not only is this young man solid in goal, he's grounded between the temples as well.

So he wins at the WJC, and I start to thinking that he has the capacity to lift good teams to greatness. It is a trait I've witnessed beforehand with goaltenders who have the coolness of mind, the talent, and the presence to allow a team to focus forward. It's not easily explained.

You just know it when you see it, from having seen it before.

It is something goalies the likes of Dryden and Roy and Brodeur and Bernie Parent and Billy Smith and possibly Roberto Luongo have.

Analizing it might be science more complicated than explaining why some people can dance about architecture.

Whatever it is, Carey Price has it.



Many goalies have laid claim to being great at the WJC. Names such as Kidd, Potvin, Luongo, Fernandez, Legace, Pogge, Theodore, and others have helped sell pacemakers across the country, so I put that into perspective when placing Price amongst contenders and pretenders.

It's a positive launching pad to a promising career, was the most honest spin I could put on the WJC win at the time.

But then he did it again - on a less national stage, but at a higher level, and with even more dominance.

He guided the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs to a Calder Cup championship.

When I suggest the words "even more dominance", I wish to imply that it wasn't merely shutting down a team that faced him but once - it was winning a series where the opponant faced him in several consecutive games without being able to solve him.

Another championship, and another MVP award.

Accidental? I doubt it.

You can counter an argument based on the truth that teams win championships as opposed to merely just hot goalies winning it for their teams. Yes, that is the rule - but there are exceptions, and being a Habs fan you should not need to be educated in those instances. A common denominator would be that certain goalies enable certain teams to greatness.

Having watched Price yank the same rabbit from the hat twice in one calandar year defies coincidence. I am convinced he is the real deal.

I make no apologies for getting carried away with Carey.

Whilst many hockey sites, bloggers, and respected hockey writers opined that another NHL season would benefit Price's career progression most, I did not feel I was out there in proclaiming before it was official that Price was to begin the season in Montreal.

It was simple for me to state it - he had clearly dominated at the previous level given he'd faced the strongest of challenges.



Starting with his first NHL win yesterday, the media is all prepared to tag along with the trivial details that tie him into Hab greatness. Who could blame them in their search for headline copy?

As with Dryden and Roy, Price also won his first NHL game in Pittsburgh's Mellon / Igloo Arena.
Who knows for sure whether history begs foresight's destiny - but it's a cool coincidence.

Speaking of cool, one writer mentioned Price's calm demeanor in reference to Georges Vezina, the former Habs goalie and NHL legend who was nicknamed the Chicoutimi Cucumber.

If Price developes a habit of throwing up before games, knitting between periods, and a fear of flying, his Canadiens bred threadline will be complete.

Of course, this is getting completely ridiculous, even for the mecca of hockey to consider.



Watching Price in interviews after his first win assured me that he is something different.

Either he is oblivious to his own storyline or he is the best actor this side of Jack Nicholson.

In his evaluations, there always seems to be a great absense of "self". The commom theme seems to be the next step. Wins. Goals. Perspective.

During last seasons Calder Cup run, teammate Maxim Lapierre asked him a question. Price was two wins away from adding another championship to his resume when Max queried. Price was focused and concentrated after the second win that put the Bulldogs up 2 - 0 in games.

"So, you having any fun yet!", came Lapierre's question.

A silent smile crossed Price's face.

If the words "hype, pressure, maturity, destiny, dedication, readiness, and focus" are in the question, that may be all the answer you need!

Carried away?

Carry me away!

Dogs Dig Deep To Bury Bears

If you listen closely, you can hear Bob Gainey smilling!

The Hamilton Bulldogs have done it, defied all odds, and won the 2007 Calder Cup!

They edged the Hershey Bears 2-1 tonight to take the series in 5 games.

It took a mere 5 games for the aptly named Bulldogs to dispose of the defending Calder holders, the Hershey Bears, and I can imagine that the Winnipeg Free Press' Randy Turner is munching on a toasty platter of crow right about now.

Turner, as everyone recalls, had the mental lapse and audacity to suggest that the Canadiens were hampering the Bulldogs chances by saddling them with Carey Price. Imagine that!

Turner, who became defiant upon rounding criticism, defended his position with all the verve of an 9 year old schoolyard bully. He hasn't the credibility to be working in sports journalism - simply put, he's a classic fool!



















Price's addition to the Bulldogs boosted the teams chances big time. He played huge games for Hamilton while clearly serving notice that he is in fact ready for the NHL. Price consistanly won, while the team was outshot, on the road. He didn't steal his MVP award by any means.

A decision, and an unselfish one at that, by Maxim Lapierre to return to the AHL was also key and he played a big role in the final game with a goal and an assist to pace the team to victory.

All Bulldogs players contributions were noteworthy as they dug deep in upsetting four favored opponants. With Price's heroic's to backstop them, defensemen and forwards alike were able to place all focus on their roles as team players. Price could well have the same effect on his Canadiens teammates, starting as soon as next season.

All players gained in experience with this championship and the confidence of being winners will assist them greatly in their career paths.
















As with any winning team in the AHL , this squad will be split up come next October, with some players joining the Canadiens ranks and others moving on to other AHL destinations. Bulldogs players, who will become free agents will be highly sought after, now that they are proven winners. Players who do not figure highly into the Canadiens plans of the future, will go where they are wanted most.

It is my hope, as I will most definitely be following the Bulldogs more next season, that the team is able to retain certains vets simply for experience sake. Ajay Baines, hero of the final game, and Danny Groulx quickly come to mind as players who can be positive influences to the younger generations arriving annually. Mathieu Biron and Eric Manlow are two others for whom room could also be made for.
















One also has to feel for Yann Danis, a goaltender who much good has been said about. Danis has consistantly plied his trade under the radar, starting with my hometown Cornwall Colts of the CJHL, before moving onto the collegiate ranks. From there he was signed as a free agent by the Canadiens and was quite a discovery. Since becoming a Bulldog, he has done nothing but work hard and improve. His only fault, is none of his own. He was simply overshadowed by a pair of goalies in full flight to greatness and it is a credit to him how he has handled it all without making himself a distraction. It is my belief that he will become an NHL goaltender within two seasons.

Four Bulldogs will get a shot at making the Canadiens next season. If you allow that Lapierre and Andrei Kostitsyn will be with Montreal, you can pencil into the starting lineup the names of Carey Price and Kyle Chipchura. Both players have little learning left to do at the AHL level, and can benefit more from NHL experience at this point. Some can argue that Price may be kept in Hamilton until the goal crease logjam in Montreal is cleared for him to step in.














I say if he is ready, he's ready - play him and let the chips fall where they may. Our goalie of the future can handle the challenges and roadbumps of NHL life. He has the mental capacity and moral strength to deal with whatever comes his way. His time is upon of now.

Chipchura has often been billed as a feisty defensive forward with great leadership skills in the mold of Bryan Skrudland. Chipchura has delivered in his role and has shown even more offensive upside than expected. The next stage of his grooming should be against tougher competiton.

Ryan O'Byrne will be a Canadien in 2007-08, whether it be in October or in March. His game has grown greatly as he rode over the bumps of learning the pro game. In a season where he played triple the amount of games previously played at any time in his career, he improved as the season went along, to the point of being the Bulldogs all-purpose D-man come the calder finals.

















Corey Locke was clearly a player with something to prove this season. While his regular season was no challenge for skeptics who mentioned size issues, his playoff performance was above all expectations. Considering he was switched to the wing and then led the team in playoff scoring make his exploits all that much more remarkable. He has earned and deserves a two way contract and an honest shot at making the Canadiens. The rest is in his hands.

Mikhail Grabovski is my long shot choice for the NHL next year. I am not totally convinced he is ready until he begins to dominate the AHL. It is in him to do so, and experience may be all he needs.

There may well be another Bulldog candidate for the big leagues, who, bolstered by the experience of winning the Calder Cup, will arrive at camp more confident and secure in his game. He could surprise, defy odds, and reveal something new to management that opens eyes and clears paths. That player could be Matt D' Agnostini, Duncan Milroy, Dan Jancevski, Andrew Archer or Jonathan Ferland.

All taken together, the fermenting brew of Bulldog talent will surely make its mark on the Montreal Canadiens next season. With all these prospects pushing up, pressuring veterans into more solid and consistant efforts, it can only have a positive effect on the Habs.

There should be no repeat of 2006-07. Unless, of course, it occurs in Hamilton!

Summary at the Dogs site

Dozens of Hamilton Bulldogs season highlights courtesy of You Tube.

O'Byrne Plays A Big Role In Hamilton's Roll

From Lindsay Kramer of NHL.com












The rookie barrier has been more like a giant wall of heat for Hamilton defenseman Ryan O’Byrne.

Sure, he’s already played a total of 97 regular season and playoff games for the Bulldogs this year. That figure is five more than the total number he played in three seasons at Cornell. But at least hockey is played on ice, so O’Byrne knows where to go to cool off. There was no such escape from the unlikely hockey weather O’Byrne battled in his downtown Hamilton apartment last week.

"Oh my God, it’s steaming up here,’’ O’Byrne said. "It’s 85 degrees out. I haven’t ever played hockey this time of year. I come into my room, put the fan on, turn the AC on, that’s about it.’’

O’Byrne, a third-round pick by Montreal in the 2003 Entry Draft, falls short of eliciting any sympathy for a couple reasons. First, the reason he’s playing into the summer months is that his Bulldogs are pulling off one of the most surprising runs in recent Calder Cup history. Secondly, O’Byrne himself is a primary reason for the possible shocker.

"It hasn’t been about hitting a wall. It’s about peaks and valleys,’’ said O’Byrne, 22. "Maybe you don’t have the best weekend ever. Then you re-group, get after it again. One of my goals this year was to play every game, get in the lineup, establish myself. It’s part luck and it’s part being in good shape.’’














And part a boatload of potential realized before our very eyes. The 6-foot-5, 228-pound O’Byrne is a boulder-sized chunk of a Bulldogs’ defense that’s willed the team toward the finals. O’Byrne helped lock down the Chicago Wolves, whom Hamilton eliminated in five games of the Western Conference finals. The Wolves’ offense was the best in the AHL, but O’Byrne’s work against the top line of Jason Krog, Brett Sterling and Darren Haydar helped limit Chicago to four goals combined in Games 2, 3 and 4.

"They’ve given me a great opportunity. They’ve thrown me out there against those top lines,’’ O’Byrne said. "It’s both a challenge and sometimes it’s a little intimidating. All you can do is contain those guys. We’ve just stayed in position and kept the game simple. You know the playoffs are going to have ups and downs. All you can do is roll with the punches.’’

O’Byrne has usually squared off against the opposition’s top trio most of the season, but he’s saved his best work for the brightest spotlight. After recording a minus-seven during the regular season, he was a plus-eight through the first 16 playoff games.

He was goal-less during the regular season (to go along with 12 assists), but potted the game-winner in a first-round series-clinching win vs. Rochester. He also picked up an assist on the overtime goal by Eric Manlow that sent Manitoba packing in round two.

"For these youngsters, this is part of their development, to play in these pressure situations. He’s handled it very well,’’ said Hamilton assistant coach Ron Wilson. "I’m not afraid to put him in any situation, and he responds. He’s going to play in Montreal someday, and it’s not that far down the road.’’

But before we speculate on where O’Byrne is going, it helps to understand where he’s been. The Big Red is in many ways a collegiate mirror image of Hamilton. Cornell harvests big, mobile blueliners like corn and tries to make its defensive zone as fun to enter as a field of barbed wire.

"I’ve always been a defensive defenseman. When I came to Cornell, I had no idea how to play defense,’’ O’Byrne said. "It’s a great program, as a defenseman. You learn how to play forwards the right way. It makes the transition (to pros) a lot easier.’’

So does a nasty attitude that’s backed up by a silo-sized frame. Looks can be deceiving in hockey. In O’Byrne, though, the Bulldogs got every inch of what they saw.

"He likes to punish guys. He’s got a mean streak in him,’’ Wilson said.

"You have to realize what kind of player you are,’’ O’Byrne said. "It’s something I’ve always enjoyed. You have to leave an impression on the ice out there. You have to make things happen. It’s something that defines me.’’

That alone might have been enough in another era of the sport, but these days defensemen the size of O’Byrne who can’t skate get defined as dinosaurs. Those issues were quickly quelled for Wilson when he saw how frequently his prospect beat his man down the wall and then slammed shut the skating lane.

It was some strong play by O’Byrne against the Wolves during the regular season that convinced Wilson he could keep up with their jetsetters in the playoffs.

"It (not being fast enough) is always something you think about,’’ O’Byrne said. "But I’ve always been confident in my skating. I knew I had it in me.’’

Plus, as it turns out, a whole lot more. Enough to help keep the Bulldogs on skates and indoors at a time when others might prefer some rollerblades and a jaunt through the park.

"The body is sore. There’s lots of ice going around,’’ O’Byrne said. "I’ll tell you, I’ve gotten this far. I’ve got room for one Calder Cup finals. I definitely have enough energy for that. The sun is out. Everybody wants to win then.’’

Read O'Byrne's Cornell Big Red profile here.

Bulldogs Go 3-0, Need A Theme Song!

Go Bulldogs!

The Hamilton Bulldogs have taken a 3-0 lead in games over the heavily favored Chicago Wolves powerhouse. They are now one win away from reaching the Calder Cup final, and giving all Habs fans something to brag about in the process.

Again tonight, goaltender Carey Price was the first star, stopping 35 of 36 shots directed his way.

The Dogs fell behind in the first before tying the game. Corey Locke netted the winner in the middle frame as Hamilton held on for the win.















The Bulldogs seem transformed and confident since the arrival of Price with two games left in the regular season. He certainly has had a steadying effect on the team. Many of the teams wins have been close games and feature a different hero each night.

The '07 Dogs look to be rewritting the story of the 1985 Sherbrooke Canadiens, when a 19 year old Patrick Roy showed up late in the regular season to lead the team to a surprising and totally unexpected championship.



















It's somewhat fitting that the highly touted Price is helping all Habs prospects gain priceless experience in this run for the Cup. Price may be the only surefire future superstar amongst the group, but his calming influence has helped each team member bring out the best in themselves.

parent Canadiens team likely cannot believe their good fortune. For prospects at this young age to learn what it takes to win so soon in their pro careers can have a tremendous effect on their developement. Leadership is a word often associated with many of the teams players and this bodes extremely well for the Canadiens next season.















Not including Maxim Lapierre, who has in essense already graduated to the NHL, and the injured Andrei Kostitsyn, there are possibly three or four players on the Dogs roster who seem primed for a very good shot at making the big club next season. Among the players whose stock has risen greatly with this playoff run, are center Kyle Chipchura who has done an awesome job of shutting down opposing offensive forces, and Ryan O'Byrne, a hulking defenseman who has progressed all season coming in from the collegiate ranks. Good things are also happening for forwards Corey Locke and Matt D'Agnostini, who've scored timely goals in these tight games.

All that's missing at the time being, is better crowds in Hamilton for the games and a killer theme song.

This track, "Hey Bulldog" by The Beatles, might give the locals something to sink their teeth into and give fans more bark.

Be sure to listen in right until the ending, to the point where the Fab Four begin growling, snarling, and barking like fools. Lennon is priceless in this one.