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.

More News Than You Can Shake A Stick At: September 12, 2007

(Robert L Note: Finally we are into the thick of hockey talk that isn't just print and rumour based. We can now start sinking teeth into the actual blood, sweat, tears and high sticks that games are made up of.

I must admit that it is quite the change of pace from the slower trickles of the summer and I will be hard pressed to keep up on every detail between games and days off. Long elaborate posts on singular subjects must now give way to more concise summations of fact and opinion.

The shifting of gears means that I must now crank it up from the casual mode into that of a multitasking ambidextrous schizophrenic cockeyed splitscreen scribbler with a mental notepad of unlimited space and proportions.

Occasionally, I will be posting in a random news style in order to tackle batches of subject matter at once. In stretches between games, you may find me jutting out these quickies, as I like to touch on just about everything that occurs with the Canadiens, from perimeter matters to the analysis of games and players.

So in that spirit, here is the first of many "More News Than You Can Shake A Stick At" columns. Enjoy!)

FORGOTTEN CAPTAIN REMEMBERED

Last week the Canadiens official website paid tribute to former Habs captain Pierre Turgeon on the announcement of his retirement, which I found extremely odd and uncomfortable.

Apologies accepted if you blinked and missed Turgeon's captaincy. The player nicknamed the "Tin Man" is best remembered as the captain who carried the torch from the Forum to the Molson centre in a ceremony of great fanfare over a decade ago. Turgeon spent less than two full seasons with the Canadiens, enjoying a great 1995-96 campaign before bolting early in the following season.



In 104 games with the Canadiens, Turgeon notched a dandy 50 goals and 77 assists, adding another 6 points in 6 playoff games. Playing with the likes of Vincent Damphousse and Mark Recchi, and rookies Saku Koivu and Valeri Bure ( both 20 goal men that year), Turgeon was the last supreme offensive talent the Habs have had.

Early next season, with Koivu rising to the top of league scorer's, Turgeon dropped down to 3rd line center behind our present Finnish captain and Damphousse, and the pressure of playing in Montreal got to him. He approached weak kneed GM Houle and his trade wish was quickly exorcised.

He proved he meritted the nickname in that gutless moment, and would never again achieve such heights in the remaing 10 years of his career.

Greatest Hockey Legends has a succinct write up on Turgeon that squarely opens up the question of what would have been, had he only been more mentally tough. Maybe "Scarecrow" is a more fitting moniker.


TIME FOR BERTRAND RAYMOND TO SWITCH PAPERS

Le Journal De Montreal columnist and Hockey Hall Of Fame honouree Bertrand Raymond has been one of my most profound influences as a writer. Despite that he writes French columns, his usually balanced perspective made him a french Red Fisher in my thinking. Fair, to the point, and honest, were his trademarks. I've read and enjoyed him for decades as a refreshing read, a trusted and well informed source. Compared with the bombastic La Presse writers who pounced on every linguistic issue of the Canadiens fabric, often "creating" their own headlines, Raymond always saw a bigger picture and perspective.



The Raymond I know now, is not the same enshrined and honoured writer I grew up respecting. He takes timely swipes at the Canadiens management for every language issue and does not seem to envision the team beyond its present season. He previously gave it good to the Habs for passing on Angelo Esposito at the draft, and is now kicking up dog dropping over the Canadiens passing over of David Perron in favor of Max Pacioretty.

In successive columns this week, he questions the Habs modus operendi and seems particularly ticked at the teams favoring of American prospects in recent drafts. Not once does he bring into the equation the 5 five year waiting period the Canadiens benefit from by choosing U.S. college grads. Raymonds pieces of late have all have that similar tendency to leave arguments balanced in his favor by omitting such crucial facts.

I call that irresponsible writing.

Anymore and I'll call him a closet separatist.

Nowhere does he make note that 3 of 4 players receiving invites to the Habs camp are QMJHL players either.

It's one thing to be proud when players of your own heritage succeed. It's quite another to almost demand the team favor locals over superior talents. Perhaps it is Raymond's mistrust of the Gainey - Timmins - Gillett triumvirate that runs the team that snorkles mustard up his nose.

In fairness to Raymond, he wrote to his previous standards in a column dated September 6, 2007 in defending the idea of retiring Gainey's number. The balance of seeing the coins two sides are well exemplified here. It was a great masterstroke of pulling apart a conundrum in Gainey's heart.

Should Raymond not continue in this latter vein, he will be more suited to La Presse's divide and conquer journalism style. Retirement can't come soon enough.


LEAFS UNVEIL SAME OLD LOOK

Kudos to the Toronto Maple Leafs for sticking with tradition!

Oh wait, did they?

What tradition is that you ask?

Talk about a low key unveiling! These new Leafs duds (I won't even picture the boring scan!) look like practice pullovers, the are so scant in detail. They have lost the horizontal color bars at the base and gone for a big blue meanie look. Not sure that it works without the proper team to fill them. For now they remain smurfish to me, and will always look this way in either regard.



Granted, they could have done a lot worse, as other teams have.

Or could they?


ENOUGH ABOUT BRIERE

Are you like me in that you sick as a dog reading about Daniel Briere?

Enough already! Go to the above link for the Turgeon retro piece at Legends, read it and insert Briere's name each time you read Turgeon's.

I like Briere. He plays with character, but unfortunately doesn't think with it. Count me in with those that believe he would only have added to the Canadiens an element they already possess - small forwards with speed.

While Briere would surely have been the best offensive talent in our ranks, he cannot be a difference maker on the Canadiens. We need size, muscle, strength, and character. Briere just doesn't score ten on ten in any of these categories.



At the cost he would have come with, the risks simply weren't worth it. Briere surely paid attention to what happened last season when Samsonov tanked in the spotlight and got goosebumps. If the player can't get past the Montreal pressure question, it tells us all we need to know about whether he has the required character to succeed in the land of 100 Million Pucks.

What gets my snot in a ball is the constant second guessing and analyzing that has followed his "thanks, but no thanks" to Habs brass. The Habs made all the effort required to sign him.

So what if the team prez Gillett tags along to meet him, or whether he was or wasn't guaranteed a certain standing on the team's line's. The player choosing the easier road is not the kind we need.

Now why isn't anybody writing about that?


GREAT HABS BLOG ALERT

Check out Roen Weiss and Yakcov Rifki's Puckmania. It's subtitled "Habs Insiders and Perspectives".

While the "insiders" word makes me twitch a little, the site is quality from top to bottom. It has interviews with players, Q & A's, prospect analysis, and more. Favorite them today!

1990's Habs Captaincy A Revolving Door

I was recently writing about current Canadiens captain Saku Koivu's legacy wearing the "C", and did a little research in order to find out exactly how many games, as captain of the Habs, each of its 27 captains has played.

As is always the case with research, several interesting points and memories come forth. The statistics below tell an abundance of stories covering 98 years of team history.












While many Canadien's greats were given the captaincy, for several, the role seemed to end their tenure with the team.

This was extremely prevalent in the 1990's when the team passed through no less than 7 captain's in 10 years. Though many of those choices were worthy leaders, team president Ronald Corey always had his fingers in his GM's and coaches business. Corey had the perception that a Canadiens captain must practically resemble Jean Beliveau in all his glorious demeanor.

















What Corey failed to understand was that Beliveau was a one-of-a-kind leader. Finding another like him, is a fruitless search. Barring that, the perception of the captain, in Corey's eyes, was often more important that what the player actually brought to the team.

It is no small coincidence the, that the curse of Canadiens captains being traded did not end until Corey himself was replaced once owner George Gillett brought some stability onto the team.




















Below is a statistical listing of the Canadiens captains and their games played. In chronological order, you can see the career line of each as captain and you can refer to the legend as to what the asterisks, plus signs, etc mean.

Following that, you can read on about how and why each captain in the 1990's was sacrificed.

Joe Pelletier's Legends Of Hockey network has recently added Bob Gainey and Sprague Cleghorn, two Habs captains, to his long list of Montreal Canadiens legends. Clicking the links on their names will bring up Joe's definitive profiles on the men who led the Habs. (Need I mention his site is a wonderful rare photo recource as well?)



















Regular season and playoff game totals played by Canadiens captains since 1909.

1-Jean Beliveau 712+ (1961-71)
2-Bob Gainey 663+ (1981-89)
3-Emile "Butch" Bouchard 512+ (1948-56)
4-Hector "Toe" Blake 422+ (1940-47)
5-Saku Koivu 416 (1999-2007)
6-Guy Carbonneau 409*&+ (1989-1994)
7-Sylvio Mantha 407+ (1926-32, 1933-36)
8-Henri Richard 265+ (1971-75)
9-Yvan Cournoyer 242+ (1975-79)
10-Vincent Damphousse 228& (1996-98)
11-Maurice "Rocket" Richard 216+ (1956-60)
12-Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde 150+** (1910-11, 1912,13, 1916-22)
13-Babe Siebert 136 (1936-39)
14-Serge Savard 128++ (1979-81)
15-Pierre Turgeon 81& (1995-96)
16-Sprague Cleghorn 74+ (1922-25)
17-Doug Harvey 64 (1960-61)
18-Chris Chelios 53*& (1989-90)
19-George Hainsworth 48# (1932-33)
20-Walt Buswell 46 (1939-40)
21-Kirk Muller 33& (1994-95)
22-Billy Coutu 33 (1925-26)
23-Jack Laviolette 29 (1909-10, 1911-12)
24-Bill Durnan 28# (1947-48)
25-Mike Keane 18& (1995)
26-Howard McNamara 18+ (1915-16)
27-Jimmy Gardner 17 (1913-15)

+ Won Stanley Cup as captain.
++ Served as captain, in Yvan Cournoyer's absence in 1979. Was named captain following Cournoyer's retirement in the off-season.
* Prior to the 1989-90 season, Guy Carbonneau and Chris Chelios were voted as co-captains for the Canadiens by teammates. Carbonneau played 68 games that season, while Chelios appeared in 53. The intent of the co-captaincy was for Carbonneau to wear the "C" for home games, while Chelios would wear it on the road. Injuries made this even split complivated and it is difficult ascertain which captain wore the "C" when, and for which number of games. For simplicity sake, the "C" in these totals has been awarded for games played during that tenure.
** Edouard "Newsy" Lalonde was also the Canadiens coach from 1915-16 to 1921-22.
# George Hainsworth and Bill Durnan were goaltenders who served as captains, both for one season each.
& Mike Keane, Pierre Turgeon, Kirk Muller, Vincent Damphousse, Guy Carbonneau, and Chris Chelios were all Canadiens captains during Ronald Corey's reign as Canadiens president. All six were traded for a variety of reasons during the Corey years.
















Chris Chelios was the first captain to be dealt while Ronald Corey was the Canadiens president. Corey was always concerned with the teams image in the eyes of the public, and Chelios was percieved, even back then, as a loose cannon. GM Serge Savard hardly wanted to deal off the former Norris trophy winner, his admitted favorite player on the team, but his hand was forced by ownership, concerned with off ice incidents involving Chelios.


















At the time, Chelios had been brought into the news for his drinking and partying habits, and Corey scoffed at how it tarnished what he perceived as the Canadiens "saintly" image. He did not approve of his players becoming media fodder. What Corey failed to understand, is that certain players perceived as beligerant and sometimes arrogant bastards are what often enables teams to win on the ice. The same mistake was repeated with Claude Lemieux, Shayne Corson, and Patrick Roy. The Chelios deal, which was the true downspiral beginning for the franchise, was enabled by Chicago Black Hawks GM Mike Keenan, who was more than happy to offer up an aging Denis Savard in return. Corey thought he's realized a public relations coup, in finding a centerman to feed Habs 50 goal man Stephane Richer. The two never did fit. While the Canadiens would win one more Cup under Corey's reign, Denis Savard was an injured and sidelined player, and Richer had been traded for Kirk Muller.
















Guy Carbonneau became the sole captain of the Canadiens after the trading of Chelios. He showed true leadership in the 1993 Cup finals, sacrificing himself offensively to play the role of Wayne Gretzky's constant shadow. It worked to perfection, as both the record and "The Great One" have stated. Two years later, after the strike shortened season found the Habs missing the playoffs, Carbonneau made an unconcious gesture that ended his career as a Canadien.













days after the Boston Bruins had bounced the Canadiens from the playoffs, perhaps largely due to Patrick Roy missing a key game to have his appendix removed, the media descended upon captain Carbonneau, in of all places, a golf course. A quick interview ensued, a quote ot two was taken, and then Carbonneau teed off and went up the fairway. As he was about to set up a second shot, a media person yelled something out. Carbonneau, hundreds of feet up the fairway, jokingly flipped a bird at the media scrum, who had caught the finger on camera.


















The next day, Le Journal De Montreal stupidly ran the photo - front page! Corey freaked and the fickle finger of fate led to Carbonneau being dealt off to St. Louis for Jim Montgomery.

Kirk Muller was seen as an ideal captain for the Habs following the Carbonneau trade. His off ice demeanor was Beliveau-like in its complying and gentlemanly nature. There were only two problems - he was not french, and he was entering the twilight of his career. GM Serge Savard loved captain Kirk, but also recognized a declining asset when he saw one.



















When the opportunity presented itself for Savard to aquire the Islanders Pierre Turgeon, two years removed from a 58 goal season for Muller, he couldn't pass it up. Matthieu Schneider, another of Corey perceived bad boys, was also offed in the mega deal that had the Habs adding Vladimir Malakhov. While the added players brought an abundance of talent to the team, they sacrificed heart and character. Corey loved Turgeon's quiet and timid personality, and envisioned his as a future catpain for all the wrong reasons.


















In the wake of Muller being dealt, the Canadiens players voted gutsy Mike Keane as their next captain. Keane was a leader in every sense of the word, but had little star quality about him. The press again grumbled that he was another english-only captain, which made their relations in regard to post game interviews somewhat tense and uncomfortable.













Corey recognized this, and Keane was gone at the first opportunity, which was the Patrick Roy to Colorado fiasco. The Avalanche were thrilled to aquire the future Hall Of Famer, and were pleasantly surprised when the Canadiens wished to add Keane in the deal. The amount of leadership added with those two players manifested itself into a Stanley Cup for Colorado in little time.
















The Canadiens were moving from the legendary Forum to the Molson (Bell) Centre that winter, and Corey could not foresee Keane taking part in the grandiose closing and opening ceremonies he had planned for the event. Corey had a different captain in mind.

Pierre Turgeon, as per Corey's wishes, was then annointed the Canadiens new captain. Coming off an excellent 96 point season, he seemed to have everything in Corey's mind, a Habs captain needed. He was quiet, clean, and a star player. Only Turgeon didn't have the heart for the job.

After the Canadiens were ousted of the 1996 playoffs after one round, the criticism of all that Turgeon wasn't, came to a head. Turgeon was simply an offensive talent, and little else. He was a puppet captain, in a sense, and his leadership and desire were often being questioned. He has a "tin man" reputation that he couldn't shake, and quickly became terribly unhappy in his role as Canadiens captain.

What was also nagging at Turgeon was his demotion to third line center. The Habs started the 1996-97 season off well enough, and second year centerman Koivu was leading the league in scoring after 10 games. Top line center, Vincent Damphousse was also producing well and was employed in a two-way role totally alien to Turgeon.

Turgeon balked at the decreased ice time and complained to GM Rejean Houle. The team tried to up Turgeon's minutes by having him on the left side of Koivu, and he registered 4 assists in his final game as a Hab. Houle, never one to show much patience with unhappy stars, dealt Turgeon to St.Louis in a package that returned a temporarily rejuvenated Shayne Corson to Montreal.

In the wake of the deal, Damphousse, an excellent choice, was made captain. He was a decent all around player just approaching a slight downslide in his production. He was currently being paid a lofty salary over two seasons, with his deal about to expire. Contract negotiations began toward the end of the 1998-99 season, and Damphousse made it understood that taking the same salary for next season was out of the question. The Canadiens organization was appeared to fall on hard times, as playoff failures and a weak Canadian dollar were setting up what would soon be the sale of the team.

Damphousse was dealt to the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline with an eye on next seasons budget. The team received draft choices for their captain, the best of which, was a flip-flop of 1st rounders should Damphousse sign as a Shark. That pick became Marcel Hossa.

Saku Koivu became the newest man to wear the "C" in Montreal, and not without some small controversies. First and foremost, it was perceived that Koivu had yet to put in the years of required service with the team and was too young to understand the responsabilities of being a captain in Montreal. It was also debated whether he was really the team players choice, as many voted for Shayne Corson and it was said that the vote ended in a draw with Houle and Corey siding on Koivu.

Last, and not inconsequential to the city, they had another non-french speaking captain.

When this point was brought to Koivu, the Finn didn't flinch. Instead of uttering the usual false cliche of having to sign up for french courses, Koivu stated that he didn't see the need to learn it all, and that a captain's duties were to the teammates and coaches first and everything else was secondary.

Over the years, Koivu has always, with few exceptions, made himself readily available to all fans and media, and the language issues rarely if ever became a concern again.

Despite tremendous obstacles, Koivu has aquitted himself quite well in his duties since 1999. He has in fact broken the curse of captain being traded that became a sad trend of the 1990's Canadiens.

When 500 Points Is A Big Deal

500!

It's that biggest of round numbers. Like 1000, it's a tidy, indisputable milestone in the course of a stellar career. Those numbers form an elite club that separate the gamers from the journeymen in hockey.

Looking at the members of those respectful clubs, you soon realize that it includes all the greatest of the greats - minus Bobby Orr, of course - he of shortened numbers due to the infamous Achilles knees.
Of course we are talking about 500 goals and 1000 points here.

Often we look to numbers to establish credentials and make comparisons. It's the simplest way of going about it, even for the statistically challenged.

So, why then, was a big deal made out of Saku Koivu hitting a mere 500 point plateau?
It has all to do with road travelled.

For the record, Koivu, with an assist on Michael Ryder's second goal of the game against the Thrashers on Tuesday hit the 500 point mark in his 611th game, in his 11th season. In itself, it is no lofty achievement.

Koivu has 152 goals and 348 assists so far in his career. He now sits 22nd in the Habs all time team scoring.

If you think that's of small consequence, you know little of Koivu or Montreal Canadiens history.

Koivu was drafted by the Canadiens, 21st overall in 1993, the same year that one Alexandre Daigle went first overall and was seen as the beacon to the Ottawa Senators future. Daigle, in all his 18 years of immaturity, suggested that it was important to him to be picked first, as no one ever remembers who's chosen second. That would be Chris Pronger - remember him?

Also taken in that draft were such forgettables as Todd Bertuzzi (23rd overall, NYI, 536 career points), Paul Kariya (4th overall, ANA 837 pts), Jason Arnott (7th Overall, EDM 673 pts), and Pavol Demitra (9th round, 227th overall, OTT 608 pts).
Those four, would be the only players chosen that year, with more than Koivu today.

Koivu's story and history has as much to do with what he's done as it does with what he has been prevented from doing. Koivu, you see, is not the King Farouk of good luck.

Nine of Koivu's 11 seasons have been hampered by injuries and illness - the illness being the 2001-02 campaign, where he was felled by cancer in his stomach. Non - Hodgkins lymphoma took away all but 3 of Koivu's 82 games that season. That Koivu was able to return at all, in the midst of the same season in which he was diagnosed, treated, and rehabed, remains somewhat of an incomprehensible miracle. That he returned strong enough to help push the Habs past a first round upset of the Bruins, remains completely absurd - almost legendary in Hab myth.

Teammate at the time, Doug Gilmour, who has seen a bit in hockey, called it the most incredible thing he has ever seen.

Koivu seems to have had an aura of a superhuman since.

The following season. Koivu played all 82 games for the Canadiens, and set career highs in goals, assists, and points. In the four seasons following the cancer diagnosis, he has missed but 25 games.

In 11 seasons, his total games missed add up to 262 - close to an average of 24 games missed per season.

Things didn't begin this way for Koivu.

In his initial 1995-96 season with the Canadiens, Koivu played all 82 games, amassing 20-25-45 totals as a third line center behind Pierre Turgeon (38--58-96) and Vincent Damphousse (38-56-94).

The following season, Koivu hit his stride, and after 20 games, was the unlikely NHL scoring leader.

The future looked so promising at that point, that Koivu inevitably became the teams number one center, much to the dismay of Turgeon. Along the way, with Damphousse often employed in both checking and offensive roles, Turgeon balked first. Unproductive and relegated to third line duty, Turgeon requested a trade and GM Rejean Houle unwisely complied, shipping him to St. Louis for Shayne Corson and Murray Baron. In Turgeon's last game as a Canadien, he was employed as Koivu's left winger, and notched four assists, before being dealt the very next day.

Funnily enough, in the whole of the city of Montreal, only Patrick Roy was quietly furious.

Koivu stayed atop of the league leaders until a knee injury against Chicago stopped him in his tracks.

For years, he would be hard pressed to become the same player again.

Injuries and a depletion of team depth, spirralling downward as a result of Roy's trade to Colorado, made it so that Koivu would never play for such a strong team for quite some time.

Between that time and now, Koivu reinjured both knees more than once, had a shoulder separation, became the team captain in 1999-00, and endured both the focus of being the number one center and go-to-guy, and the pressures that came with failures of his surroundings.

Twice since, he has had to deal with career threatening ends.

First there was the aforementioned stomach cancer, and last seasons playoff eye injury, that has left him with less peripheral vision in his left eye.

Koivu has developed a cataract, that will need off season surgery, arising from the injury.

From the opening dates of training camp this season, Koivu has played as if his injury history were inexistant.
He has battled and grinded in his usual uncompromising stylestyle. He has forged a compatability with three revolving linemates. His play in several facets of the game have improved, namely penalty killing, faceoffs, and powerplay proficiency. He leads the team in scoring.

The 32 year old captain may well be a beneficiary of happy circumstance, finally.

The Canadiens team is deep on many levels, like it hasn't been since 1996. He finally has linemates that can measure his dedicated effort with their own pasion. Those with whom is he not on the ice, are a capable, talented and unified group - alleviating the often burdensome load he carried in the past.

When all things add up, Koivu is well on his way to a career year on 2006-07.

Prior to him reaching his 500th point on Tuesday, Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau heaped praise upon his captains accomplishments, if not in an awkward spot, while asked to comment on Steve Yzerman, earlier in the week. The Red Wings great had just had his jersey retired by the team in an unprecendented and glorious ceremony in Detroit.

Carbonneau happened to mention both captains in the same breath - much to the misappropriation of several media eyes and ears with pens scribbling on paper in hand.

What Carbonneau suggested, in merely a passing manner, was that Montreal had in it's midst, the same type of captain.

His comment ended there. To say it went over somewhat crooked, would be sizing it up fairly.

Carbonneau did not compare numbers, ultimate achievements, or stature in his passing remark.

It wasn't the first time Carbonneau has been outspoken - and surely not the last.

A day later, after Koivu's achievement, he was brought back to his initial quote.

For full marks, Carbonneau didn't back down on his initial statement, rather he zoomed in on the original intent of his words.

"Saku Koivu has the city of Montreal, the Canadiens team, it's fans, and the ultimate goal, in his heart", Carbonneau summised.

In stating that way, the allusion to Yzerman became clearer without doubt - to hell with goal and assists!
After setting up the Canadiens fourth goal, the house announcer quickly parlayed what many in attendance already knew.

While the crowd cheered and quickly stood to aknowledge and applaud, the camera zoomed into a focused but distracted Koivu.

A game was still on the line, with a few minutes remaining.

The applause grew to a standing ovation while play went on - with Koivu seated on the bench, nodding accordingly, gaze focused on the ice.

Chants of "Sa-ku, Sa-ku, Sa-ku" rose, then faded, right until the games final seconds, as the Thrashers came within inches.

After the game, it was revealed that Koivu had forgotten to get a hold of the puck. Luckily, an official had taken it to the bench without his knowledge.

This 500th point, is just one mountain peak on the way to Everest!

(For the sake of facts, in 611 games played, Koivu has averaged .820 points per game. Had he participated in all games in 11 seasons, his points total would be 716.)