Question: What does Jacob Fowler, the Montréal Canadiens hot rookie goaltender, have in common with Habs Hall of Fame* all-star goalies Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, and Carey Price?
Ummmm... Can we have a clue? Who's Jacob Fowler? Ed.
Try to keep up, Hed! Jacob Fowler (born 24 November 2004) is an American professional hockey player who tends goal for la Sainte Flannelle. He was selected by the Habs in the third round, 69th overall, in the 2023 NHL entry draft, and played his first regular season game last night in the Canadiens' 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Here are the RDS video highlights.
Answer: Last night Jacob Fowler became the fourth Habs goalie to play and win his first NHL game in Pittsburgh. His predecessors were Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, and Carey Price, all of whom went on to become superstars.
*OK, unlike Dryden and Roy, Price never had his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup, and has not yet been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. But next year he's a sure-fire bet to be elected to the HHOF, on the first round of voting. For sure!
Ed. here. It is less than a month until the opening of the National Hockey League's 2025-26 hockey season. We expect Poor Len Canayen's preview about two weeks from now, but have had to call on him today in the sad circumstances which he will now relate. Over to you, Len.
Tank youse, Hed. It is my sad duty to report to fans of the world's best sport, and the Montréal Canadiens in particular, that Ken Dryden, one of the best goaltenders of all time has died, after a long battle with cancer, at the age of 78.
Ken burst on the scene late in the 1970-71 season, when the Canadiens called him up from their Halifax AHL affiliate to lead the underdog Habs to one of the greatest upsets in hockey history. Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr led the Boston Bruins that year to one of the best regular seasons in NHL history but Montreal took them out in a seven-game semi-final series.
He won the Conn Smythe trophy as MVP after les Glorieux beat Chicago in the final in seven games. He went on to win the Calder Cup as rookie of the year in the following season, and six Stanley Cups in his eight seasons with Montréal.
He and Tony Esposito backstopped Canada to that improbable win over the Soviet national team in 1972. He said after the series that during the eighth and final game, in which Canada trailed 5-3 before coming back to win, he feared waking up the next day and being the most hated man in Canada.
After hanging up his skates, Dryden went on to practise law before being elected to the Canadian House of Commons as Member of Parliament for the Toronto riding of York Centre.an MP. He was also, briefly, President of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his heart was always in Montréal.
In 1983 he authored The Game, widely acknowledged as the best hockey book ever written. The Game is a reflective and thought-provoking look at a life in hockey, capturing the essence of the sport and what it means to all hockey fans. Dryden gives us vivid and affectionate portraits of the characters --Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Guy Lapointe, Serge Savard, and coach Scotty Bowman among them --that made the 1970s Habs one of the greatest hockey teams in history.
Geoff Molson, le propriétaire et président du Tricolore, a décrit Dryden comme "un athlète exceptionnel, mais aussi un homme d’exception. Derrière le masque, il était plus grand que nature.
"Nous pleurons aujourd’hui non seulement la perte d’un pilier d’une des plus grandes dynasties du hockey, mais aussi celle d’un homme de famille, d’une personne attentionnée et d’un gentilhomme qui a profondément marqué nos vies et nos communautés à travers les générations. Il était de ces légendes qui ont façonné notre Club pour en faire ce qu’il est aujourd’hui."
The Montreal Gazette’s Red Fisher, called the Hall of Famer "one of the truly great goaltenders in Canadiens history." On wishing Ken Dryden a happy 65th birthday, Mr Fisher wrote, "Dryden, a winner of 258 of his 397 regular-season games (2.24 goals-against average) and 112 playoff games (80 victories) who started his NHL career with a 5-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1971. And who can forget that after playing in only six regular-season games, Dryden was GM Sam Pollock’s stunning choice over Rogie Vachon to start in the playoffs against the heavily favoured Boston Bruins.
"Dryden didn’t merely contribute to this team winning the Stanley Cup that year – in seven games against the Bruins, in six against Minnesota and in a seven-game final against the Chicago Blackhawks. They would not have won it without him in a string of postseason performances for the ages – with the Canadiens winning all of the series-deciding games on the road.
"There are so many reasons why he was a member of six Stanley Cup teams in eight seasons. He had the size. He had the hockey sense. He had the passion. So many reasons why he was so special, not the least of which was – and is – his massive intellect.
"You don’t lead your team to the Stanley Cup and win the Conn Smythe Trophy after only six regular-season games unless the goaltender is your most valuable player. This team was blessed with a number of great stars, but throughout his brief career he was my MVP. And make no mistake about it: he was also the players’ most valuable player. They, better than anyone else, understood what he was made of and what he meant to the team."
A glowing tribute indeed, and well-deserved. Comparing himself to Carey Price, a guaranteed first-ballot Hall of Famer, Ken Dryden said he (Dryden) was a good goaltender who was fortunate to have an excellent team in front of him, whereas Price was an excellent goaltender playing behind a good team.
It is noteworthy, that through good times and tough times, winning and losing, la Sainte Flannelle has resisted the temptation to employ foreign goaltenders. All their greats have been Canadians, and many of those canadiens. One thinks of Patrick Roy, Jacques Plante, and, of course, Georges Vézina, who started their tradition of excellence. One hopes that Ken Dryden will smile down on young Samuel Montembault as he carries the torch passesd to him.
Our National Sports (i.e. Hockey) Editor, Poor Len Canayen, has just sent us this FLASH. Angela Price, wife of Carey Price, Montrèal Canadiens greatest goalie of the 21st century (so far) announced in a Q&A session on her Instagram Stories page that she has already voted for Donald Trump!
But (Walt hears you ask), how come a Canuck vote in an American election? According to her bio, the Internet personality was born in Washington state, but apparently that (and being blonde) doesn't make her a Dimocrat.
Ms Price said this week that she has "reservations" about Vice-President Kamala Harris becoming the first female President of the United States. She couldn't vote for the Cackler, she wrote, because "I have been very vocal about my support for (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.), left or right he was going to get my vote. His dedication to improving healthcare aligns with my own values, as I believe that our health is the most important issue. If we do not address the rising rates of chronic disease, everything else becomes insignificant. We owe it to our children to fight for this."
She continued, "While I do believe that Trump would be a strong leader for our country, I have also been impressed by Vance and his potential. As for the possibility of Kamala becoming the first female president, I have reservations. I envision our first female president as a powerful, intelligent, and capable individual who will make a lasting impact. Unfortunately, I do not believe that Kamala embodies these qualities."
Well said, Ms Price! Poor Len and all of us here at WWW look forward to seeing you and your husband and kids back at le Centre Bell when Carey's #31 is retired. Your MAGA hat will look just fine with the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge sweater!
BONUS VIDEO: It occurred to us as we looked at that fine photo that we have never before posted "The Sweater", written and narrated by Roch Carrier. The story is based on his boyhood experiences in rural Québec. Imagine his chagrin when his only Canadiens hockey sweater wears out and "Monsieur Eaton" sends him a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater by mistake! Enjoy!
We welcome back our National Sports Editor, Poor Len Canayen, for his first look at the 2023-24 edition of Canada's Team, aka the Montréal Canadiens. Actually we had to twist Len's arm more than a bit. It took a case of Crown Royal to get him to promise to endure what looks like being a repeat of last year. Over to you, Len.
Tank youse, Hed, for giving away my punch line. What do you want me to say now? Let's start with this. One of the reasons the Habs got into the draft lottery this spring (read: finished near the bottom of the standings) was injuries.
There were times last season when half the regulars were in sick bay. Paul Byron and Carey Price didn't play at all. Others -- e.g. Brendan Gallagher and Kirby Dach -- missed so many games that we kind of forgot they were on the team.
Byron hung up the skates, and got a long standing ovation when we was introduced during the first home game last Saturday. The others are still on the roster. Price is (justifiably) on the LTIR, which brings us down to two. Gallagher is getting old and even slower than before, but he still leaves it all on the ice and is truly the heart and soul of la Sainte Flannelle.
Which leaves us with Kirby Dach, who impressed during the Habs' first game vs Toronto, and then for a couple of shifts in the first period of Saturday night's game vs Chicago. Then this happened.
Dach was checked into the Blackhawks' bench by defenceman Jarred Tinordi. After being pushed back onto the ice, he was able to skate just as far as his own bench. He then headed to the locker room and never came back. Merde!
In the 3 1/2 periods Dach played this year, he had two assists, slotting in as the Habs' second-line centre behind Nick Suzuki. Last season -- his first with les Glorieux -- he recorded 14 goals and 24 assists in 58 games, missing the last 24 games due to a lower-body injury followed by an upper-body injury. Before yesterday's game vs Minnesota, the Habs announced Dach had sustained injuries that will require season-ending surgery.Shame....
Now let's talk about last night. Montréal always seems to have trouble with "the Wild". (What kind of a name is that for a sports team? It should be something plural -- animals or birds or even fish.) Last night was no exception. The first two goals of the game were scored by Minnesota... short-handed... on the same penalty! That's all ye know and all ye need to know, except that....
Kaiden Guhle was forced to exit late in the first period due to an upper-body injury. So far the team hasn't given any timeline for his return, leaving us fans with serious concerns about the impact his absence will have on the Canadiens' defensive lineup.
Looks like Justin Barron is the likely candidate to step into the lineup if Guhle is unavailable for the upcoming game vs Washington. Barron played for the big team in a couple of games last season, faut de mieux. I watched him during this year's exhibition games and have to say that, if he's called up, coach Martin St. Louis had better keep him off the ice during power plays and penalty kills.
In summary... The Canadiens are 1-1-1 in the first three games of the 2023-24 season. That's .500 hockey, about the same as last year. And they've already lost two "regulars", with not a whole lot of talent waiting in Laval for their big chance.
Pray to St-Jean-Béliveau that nothing happens to Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield. One more serious injury will open wide the door to the cellar.
Commentaire de la Presse: Le mauvais film - [Nom du joueur] s’est blessé dans une défaite de [xx à xx] du Canadien face à [nom de l’adversaire].
Ed. here. Canada's team, the Montréal Canadiens, open their 2022-23 National Hockey League season on October 12th, against the Toronto Maple Leafs. We've had to ask our National Sports (as long as its hockey) Editor, Poor Len Canayen, three times for a prognostication. Here it is.
Tank youse, Hed. Da truth, and da hole truth, is dat I've watched the Habs in three pre-season games this week, and can't find anything positive to say, so I was hoping you wouldn't call on me. The outlook isn't brilliant. Or good. It's grim.
Here's the record. On Tuesday, the Habs lost to New Jersey, 2-1. On Wednesday, the Maple Laffs shut them out, 3-0. Last night, Winnipeg scored with 18 seconds left in regulation time for a 4-3 win -- third loss in three nights for the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.
It must be said that the teams on the ice were a quick mix of one or two veterans and (mostly) AHL players and rookies who are unlikely to be with the big team after the final selection is made. From front to back, here's why the Canadiens will struggle to stay out of the NHL cellar.
Forwards: The Habs were outshot in all three games, and held scoreless in the second. Three of their four goals came from superstar-to-be Cole Caufield (2) and old pro Brendan Gallagher. Kayden Guhle [Who he? Ed.] scored the fourth. Jonathon Drouin didn't play, nor did Nick Suzuki.
Rookies Juraj Slafkovsky (first draft pick in June) and Filip Mesar played but we didn't see enough of them to make any predictions. Management would be smart to let Slafkovsky get some experience in Laval before rushing him into the breach.
Gallagher will have to stay healthy (let us pray) and Drouin will have to get healthy, physically and mentally, for the team to have any real scoring punch. That wouldn't matter if the Habs had a solid defence.
Defence: What keeps de cows in de field? De fence! What don't de Habs got? De fence! With Shea Weber retired, Joel Edmundson, who played only a few games towards the end of last season, was expected to anchor the blue line. Alas, his back is bothering him again and he could wind up on the LTIR.
The alleged defencemen who played this week are hasbeens (Denis Savard), rookies destined for the AHL, or some who belong in the AHL (maybe) but played with the big team last year, faut de mieux. That wouldn't matter if the Habs had reliable goaltending.
Goaltenders: Jake Allen looked good, allowing just one goal in two partial games, with a save pct of about .925. But remember, when the Canadiens brought him over from St. Louis, he was expected to be the backup goaltender, to relieve Carey Price. Things turned out differently. Price is on the LTIR and I predict he won't play at all this year. Which makes Allen the started. Can he go 50 or 60 games? If not, then what?
For two seasons now, management has been saying [hoping. Ed.] that Cayden Primeau was the heir apparent, the next hot French-Canadian goalie, the future Patrick Roy. He hasn't lived up to expectations, allowing the winning goals in both Tuesday and Thursday's games.
Last year's backup, Samuel Montembeault, of whom nothing was expected, is showing signs of progress, if you don't count letting one go through the five-hole on the first shot he faced on Wednesday. He'll be OK as a backup to Allen this year, but they both still need a decent defence in front of them.
Let me close with a word of encouragement to young Kevin Poulin -- three out of four goalies are francophones -- who allowed two goals in Wednesday's game, both of which were caused by the inability of the defence to handle the penalty kill. If Allen or Montembeault falters, Poulin, not Primeau, would be the man to be called up.
All in all... what can I say. I predict the Canadiens will miss the playoffs for the second straight season. Lifetime pct .980.
Poor Len Canayen here [over there, in the corner. Ed.] with my take on the worst first quarter of any Montréal Canadiens team that I can remember. And my memory goes waaaaay back!
La Sainte Flannelle have played 20 games out of their 82-game NHL schedule. They sit at 7th in the 8-team Atlantic Division, 29th overall. They have 5 (count `em, five) wins, 13 losses, and 2 overtime losses worth a point each, for a not-so-grand total of 12 points and a .300 average.
What's the matter with the Canadiens? GM Marc Bergevin admitted, in a recent press conference, that to get into the post-season you have to have a first-rate goalie and a robust defence. Unfortunately the Habs have had neither, so far this year. Carey Price and Jake Allen were supposed to be 1A and 1B. Price has yet to play a game and is currently "day-to-day" on paper, but yet to take part in a practice. Jake Allen got run over by two 200-pounders a few days ago. It is hoped (but only that) that he will be well enough to play sometime in the three games scheduled for this week.
For the last three games, then, it's been 1C and 1D -- Samuel Montembault and Cayden Primeau. Both have done their best, but have been unable to stop 30 to 40 shots (or more) per game, which is what the defence is allowing. And they haven't had any goal support either. At least Primeau got a win before being sent back to Laval.
The defence woes come down to the absence of Shea Weber and Joel Edmundson. Edmundson has been slow to recover from injuries and surgery, but at least he's on the ice, and may return before Christmas. Weber is likely to be gone for good -- an absolute lock for the Hall of Fame, but leaving big skates to be filled.
It wouldn't be so bad if veteran D-men Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot had been a reliable top two defence pair. But they haven't. It's hard to say what's wrong with Petry. Last year he was solid on defence, but also (knowing that he had partner Edmundson backing him up) a real threat on the power play, with almost 60 points, after three consecutive seasons of more than 40 points. So far this year he has two assists -- that's all.
Chris Wideman was one of the "expendables", as I called them, hired by Marc Bergevin to pu their fingers in the dike. Wideman has been helpful on the power play, but is risky defensively. The same can be said of David Savard, who has failed to live up to expectations. Brett Kulak, a holdover from last year, is doing no worse than expected, but no better either. Alexandre Romanov has improved, learning to throw those big checks like the second coming of Alexei Emelin, without getting caught out of position on more than one or two goals... per game.
All in all, a dismal defence, made worse by the absence of Phillip Danault, whose lack of scoring last year seems to have caused Bergie to forget how important he was at the faceoff dot. He didn't get the new contract he deserved, and jumped to the LA Kings. His loss has been a greater factor than any other in the Canadiens' poor showing so far this season.
Not only did M Marc underestimate Danault, but he overestimated the capability of his replacement, Christian Dvorak. He has contributed very little to the attack -- 3 goals and 5 assists in 20 games -- and has proved a liability on defence. You can put that down to the difficulty of adjusting to a new team, but he's not the only forward having problems.
Because of departures -- my, how we miss Corey Perry! -- and injuries, the Habs have had seven newcomers in the lineup. That's more than a third of the team! But instead of keeping lines constant and giving the new guys a chance to find some chemistry with the veterans, coach Dominique Ducharme keeps mixing them up -- looking for an instant miracle perhaps -- to the point where guys don't know who they're playing with, not from game to game but from shift to shift!
Jake Evans, who was supposed to be the Danault-in-waiting, has been better this season, but still not good for 6 or 7 out of 10 faceoff draws. Nick Suzuki also isn't reliable at the dot, but is showing real talent otherwise. He and Tyler Toffoli are Habs' scoring leaders. Cole Caufield, still technically a rookie, had his confidence checked out of him at the start and has just rejoined the team after a few games in Laval.
The Habs' heart-and-soul, Brendan Gallagher, is giving his all, but is slowing down, and has but 4 goals and 9 points in 19 games, the same as Josh Anderson in 20. Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia have a goal each, while the once-great-hope Ryan Poehling got 2 in one game out of the three in which he's played.
In short, the Canadiens' ship is sinking, and this year's crew is unable to bail fast enough. The conventional wisdom is that a team that isn't holding a playoff spot by American Thanksgiving isn't going to climb into one in the remaining three-quarters of a season. Anyone who wants to bet the Habs will make it should contact Walt at the usual address. Odds 50-1. Lifetime pct .992.
Ed. here. In Walt's absence (he will return this weekend), we asked Poor Len Canayen to write about the Montréal Canadiens' prospects for the coming hockey season. He has just sent us what looks like the biggest story of the week or even month, at least for fans of la Sainte Flannelle. Over to you, Len.
Tank youse, Hed! The lead story on the CBC national news, both on radio and TV, last night was the shocking news that the Canadiens all-star goalie, Carey Price, has entered the National Hockey League's player assistance program.
He will be away from the team for a minimum of 30 days, that being the duration of the program, but Habs GM Marc Bergevin said his absence "could be longer", as he will still have to deal with issues arising from this summer's surgery, and also get himself into game shape.
The player assistance program is available to players suffering from issues such as substance abuse and mental health. Carey Price has never been the subject of the slightest rumour about problems with alcohol or drugs, but has appeared, from time to time to be distracted or somehow not fully engaged with the game, so may well have emotional problems, which wouldn't be surprising considering the constant stress of carrying a frankly mediocre team on is back.
Price's wife, Angela, hinted at emotional problems, when she posted a personal message on Instagram to express the importance of putting mental health first. "No matter what is on the line, we hope we can communicate the importance of putting your mental health first not just by saying it, but by showing up and doing the work to get better," she wrote yesterday. "Carey's showing up for himself and our family and making the absolute best decision possible for us."
The problem is certainly more than just recovery from off-season knee surgery and what head coach Dominique Ducharme had described as a non-COVID-related illness that kept him away from training camp Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. MM Ducharme and Bergevin met with the media at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard shortly after the announcement was made. Here's some of what they had to say.
"Today," the GM said, "I’m not thinking about Carey Price, the goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, but Carey Price the human being." All of us at WWW share those sentiments, and wish Carey a speedy recovery. Maybe it's a bit flippant to say, "Don't worry! Be happy!", but that's how we feel. We're with you, Carey, all the way!
But still... we can't help but think of the old line "The price is right." Canadians of a certain age may recall it as the strapline of ads for a chain of supermarkets. Americans will remember it as the name of a dumb TV game show. But in the case of the Canadiens, if the Price (Carey) is not right, their prospects for hockey success look rather dim, and that's how it appears this morning.
Last night the Habs played their sixth and (mercifully) last pre-season game, losing 5-4 to the Ottawa Senators in a shootout. Their pre-season record was 2-3-1 -- .416 in baseball terms -- at which rate fans can expect a pretty sad season, with no chance of their making the 2022 playoffs.
The Canadiens lost two key players during the summer. Captain Shea Weber, who played hurt for a good part of last season, is out for all the coming season while doctors and therapists try to rebuild his worn-out body. He will be sorely missed. The team's best centre, Phillip Danault, couldn't agree with Bergevin on a new contract, so went to Lalaland, leaving a big gap in both the offence and the penalty kill.
When you lose key players, you hope that you will see some new talent -- players acquired in the off-season, or promoted from the AHL farm team, or rookies coming up from junior -- who can be slotted into the vacant positions. Just wind `em up and watch `em play. Over the last month I saw lots new faces and numbers, but not a lot of talent.
To make matters worse, the club's infirmary is SRO, with several established players unable to answer the bell for opening night next week. Here"s how things look as Canadians head into the Thanksgiving Day weekend.
Goal: Carey Price and Jake Allen were spozed to be Goalies 1A and 1B. Now there's just Allen, with the putative backup, Cayden Primeau, appearing "not quite ready for prime time". Samuel Montembeault has been picked up from Florida on waivers, but on paper looks like a stop-gap at best.
Defence: At the close of this year's Stanley Cup finals, the Habs had four (4) reliable blue-liners: Weber, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry and Joel Edmundson. Edmundson is on the sick list, which leaves Petry and Chiarot. How long can Petry -- horse that he is -- continue to play 25+ minutes per game? What do do about last year's great rookie hope, Alexandre Romanov, who has yet to live up to expectations? Who's down in Laval that might be able to help? No names spring to mind.
Forwards: Les Glorieux really need at least one top-line centre, preferably a big one. Fan favourite Nick Suzuki is getting better at the faceoff dot, but still struggles on defence. Jonathon Drouin, returning after missing the last half of last season in a situation (possibly) similar to that of Carey Price, hasn't yet appeared to be "back to normal". Besides, he's not a great centre, plays better on the wing. Jake Evans is game enough but a bit fragile. He suffered a concussion in last year's playoffs, and got the stuff knocked out of him last night. Newcomer Christian Dvorak looks OK, but will need to find some chemistry with his new teammates.
The good news is that the problem up front appears to just at centre. The Habs' top goal-scorers are all back, looking healthy and ready to play. Josh Anderson impressed with three goals in the pre-season. Brendan Gallagher looks set to the new captain on the ice, even if he doesn't get to wear Weber's "C". Nick Suzuki still has the scoring touch, and Cole Caufield, still technically a rookie, is a rocket ready to explode. Tyler Toffoli could hit 30 goals this year, and old pros Arturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia are in form.
That's seven guys (or maybe eight, if Drouin conquers his nerves) who can put the puck in the net. The question is, can they average 4 goals or more per game, because that's what it's going to take to offset a defence which is probably going to allow 3... or more. The Canadiens will open the regular season next Wednesday night in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. As Walt would say... stay tuned!
Note from Ed.: We have left virtually unedited this report from our National Sports Editor, Poor Len Canayen. Take `er away, Len.
`Ow about dat, hey, boys and girls? For the first time since 2011 a Canadian team will compete for the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the championship of the "National" Hockey League. And that team is Canada's team, the Montréal Canadiens!
Yes indeed, folks, the team that all the "experts" wrote off at the end of the regular season, when they just barely squeaked into the playoffs, defeated the much stronger Las Vegas Golden Knights last night at the Bell Centre, in a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory. Here's the video
Looking at the final standings for the abbreviated 2021 season, a neutral observer might have said, "No way!" The Habs finished fourth in the NHL's Northern (read: Canadian) Division, the only team to get into the playoffs with a negative GF/GA. The "experts" predicted an early exit, but "les vrais" (the true fans), including me and Walt [and Ed.! Ed.] remained hopeful.
Our hopes were rewarded (and smart bets duly collected) when les Glorieux defeated the heavily favoured Toronto Maple Leafs, 4 games to 3, and then swept the Winnipeg Jets in 4 straight, to become the unofficial Canadian champions.
But the naysayers and sour-grapers in Toronto refused to be impressed. "Wait until they have to play an American team," they said, predicting the Habs would get swept by Vegas. Wrong! In the immortal words of Nelson Muntz, "HA-ha!"
Looking at the reasons why the Canadiens have prevailed over three (count `em, 3!) supposedly better teams, I go back to what I wrote at the beginning of the season: "Habs off to a good start", WWW 17/1/21.
Kudos to General Manager Marc Bergevin for some very good acquisitions during the off season, by means of which he put together a well-balanced team which looked like contenders right from the first puck drop.
It's true that after a great start, the team slumped in the second half of the regular season, owing largely to several long injuries to key players including defenceman Ben Chiarot and star goalie Carey Price. Jake Allen covered admirably for Price, playing more than half the regular season games. And M Bergevin, seeing the need for more bench strength, wisely added old-timers Eric Staal (centre) and two more D-men, Jim Merrill and Erik Gustafsson.
Kudos also to assistant coaches Luke Richardson and Alexandre Burrows, who stepped up admirably after interim coach Dominique Ducharme was stricken with the kung flu before Game 2 of the Vegas series. Very smart of them to not play Merrill and Gustafsson together, but put them on the ice with stronger partners.
Throughout the playoffs, Ducharme and his helpers have had the luxury of being able to roll four forward lines, all of whom contributed to the scoring but also played well in their own zone. I will single out only rookie phenom Cole Caufield, brought in just before the end of the regular season, who has had an outstanding playoff run, including last night's beautiful goal. Caulfield's small but speedy -- reminds me of Yvan "the Roadrunner" Cournoyer, in his rookie year.
So... On to the Stanley Cup finals against either the Tampa Bay Lightning or the New York Islanders, who meet in their Game 7 tonight. (I'd prefer the Islanders but bet on the Lightning.) Four more wins will bring Lord Stanley's silverware home to Canada for the first time since 1993, when it was won by... wait for it... the Montréal Canadiens!
Oh ye of little faith! Shame on all those who thought that just because the Toronto Maple Leafs finished first in the Canadian (aka Northern) Division, and the Montréal Canadiens just barely made it into the playoffs, the latter would be on the golf links before the end of May. You were wrong!
The Leafs, as is their wont, blew a lead of 3 games to 1, allowing the never-say-die Habs to win overtime victories in Games 5 and 6, and close the series out with a 3-1 win tonight. It was actually 3-0 until the second-last minute when Carey Price was robbed of the shutout he deserved. For the moment, at least, we have the video highlights.
Poor Len Canayen gives Carey Price not just the first star, but all three stars of tonight's game. But it can truly be said that the win -- indeed all of the Habs' wins -- was a total team effort.
Goals by Brendan Gallagher (the heart and soul of la Sainte Flannelle), Corey Perry (the old pro) and an empty netter by Tyler Toffoli, who led the team in scoring this year. In Games 5 and 6, it was the kids -- Nick Suzuki, Kasperi Kotkaniemi and rookie phenom Cole Caufield -- who made the difference.
The defence registered only one point in those games -- an assist by Jeff Petry in Game 6 -- concentrating instead on shutting down Leafs superstar (?) Auston Matthews, and his sidekick Mitch Marner. That was exactly what the doctor ordered, so full credit to the D-men and to everybody else. There were no weak links.
We're nearing the halfway point of the appreviated 2021 National Hockey League schedule, so it's time to let our National Sports Editor (Canadian Division), Poor Len Canayen, assess the performance to date of Canada's Team, the Montréal Canadiens. Over to you, Len.
Tank youse, Hed. As our readers know, I had high hopes for la Sainte Flannelle as the season got under way. In "Habs off to a good start" (WWW 17/1/21), I wrote that I had trouble seeing a weak link anywhere on paper or on the ice. And for the first 11 games, it looked as if I was right, as the team posted a 9-0-2 record. Then came February.
From a couple of days at the top of the Canadian Division (aka "Scotia North" divison, but who cares), the Canadiens fell to fourth place, still good for a playoff spot if the playoffs started today. Here's how the standings sit [geddit? Ed.] after last night's impressive 5-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
How did this happen? For most of February, the Habs, who'd been scored almost at will over Vancouver in their first trip out west, seemed unable to find the back of the net. Their goals +/- stat is back up to +15 after last night, but had slipped into the single digits. Disturbingly, much of the goal production came from the blue line corps. Jeff Petry is one of the top 3 defencemen in the NHL when it comes to scoring. Fortunately he's also playing well in his own zone, and is in the conversation for this year's Norris Trophy.
Coach Claude Julien kept juggling his forward lines to see if he could get the right chemistry. It didn't help that Joel Armia and Josh Anderson were both out with injuries, although not for all that long. But when you have a good team that isn't winning, the coach's job is in danger, and sure enough, Julien was made to walk the plank a couple of weeks ago, along with assistant Kirk Muller.
I felt bad for both of them. Julien is reputed to be the salt of the earth, well liked by players and fans. Muller knows his job, and likely would have been promoted, except for his failure to learn French -- a must for a coach who has to deal with the French-Canadian presse.
Assistant coach Dominic Ducharme got the head job instead, and Alexandre Burrows, just retired from the Canucks, was brought in to help him. Those changes seem to have helped, as the club's record has improved. The first line (Tatar-Danault-Gallagher) has been reunited and have found the old magic, even Phillip Danault, who scored his first goal of the season last night.
Two of the two young centres, Nick Suzuki(pictured) and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, are getting more ice time and have rewarded the new coaches' confidence with better performance.
Arturi Lehkonen has been rewarded for his non-performance with a holiday in beautiful downtown Laval, leaving another young centre, Jake Evans, as the only forward who needs to pick up his game.
And let's not forget the old pros -- Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli and Corey Perry -- who are all making GM Marc Bergevin look like a genius for having acquired them in the off-season. Toffoli, in particular, has turned out to be a scoring machine, particularly when he plays against Vancouver!
Which brings us to the defence. The top four (average 6'3.5") have been throwing their weight around, with mixed results. Petry, as noted, is playing well, and newcomer Joel Edmundson, is solid if unspectacular beside him. Captain Shea Weber is -- let's face it -- getting old and slowing down. His partner, Ben Chiarot, is spending too much time in the penalty box. So is third-pair guy Brett Kulak. His partner, Alexander Romanov, is a very talented rookie who has shown no lack of confidence, but said confidence is occasionally a bit misplaced as he learns the hard way the things that only experience teaches.
And then there's the "situation in goal". In theory, signing Jake Allen, an experienced goalie whose name is on the Stanley Cup, to back up Carey Price seemed like a smart move. Price would get some rest -- he's getting older too! -- and the team would have confidence in Allen, the best backup they've had in years.
In practice, it seems that having Allen, who's playing very well, breathing down his neck (so to speak) has messed with Price's head. He looked very ordinary in his last couple of starts under Julien, but in this week's two games against Vancouver seems to be back to his old "two goals is all you get" form.
All in all, I give the Canadiens a B-minus rating for the season to date, and predict (lifetime pct .986) that they will make the playoffs. If the standings in the Canadian division remain as they are today, that would pit them against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a playoff series, for the first time in decades. No matter the outcome, Canadian hockey fans would be thrilled!
Fashion footnote: Nick Suzuki is pictured wearing the Habs "reverse-retro" sweater, the latest wheeze dreamed up by (((Gary Bettman))) to prize more pennies out of fans' pockets. The sweaters look good, but they are a jinx! The team hasn't won a single game while wearing them. Let us hope they won't be seen again!
The National Hockey League's 2021 season -- shortened to just 56 games -- got under way this week. Here's our National Sports Editor, Poor Len Canayen, with his take on how our favourite team, the Montréal Canadiens, are doing.
Tank youse, Hed. I'm very happy to talk about the new look Canadiens. The players GM Marc Bergevin added to the roster over the summer are fitting in nicely, to the point where, in last night's 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, I couldn't see a single "weak link". Not one!
Goalie Carey Price put on a clinic, as he is wont to do when facing star players like the Oilers' Connor McDavid. He will be helped, this year, by having a reliable backup, Jake Allen, acquired from the St. Louis Blues during the off-season. I expect to see Allen carrying a bigger share of the workload than his predecessors, giving Price a chance to rest. Perhaps we'll see Allen in the rematch against the Oilers tomorrow night.
Price will also be helped by having a bigger and better defence corps in front of him. The Habs' top four defencemen -- Captain Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry and new hire Joel Edmundson -- average 6' 3.5", and can all shoot as well as hit. Petry had two goals last night. The third pairing is Brett Kulak and rookie Alexander Romanov. Romanov got lots of minutes in his first game against the Leafs on Wednesday, and showed no "stage fright" whatever, then or last night. He's a keeper!
New additions to the forward lines are Josh Anderson and Tyler Toffoli, both of them experienced and talented. And strong and tenacious. Anderson, in particular, looked impressive against both Toronto and Edmonton. If he can avoid reinjuring his shoulder, he should be good for 20 goals.
The usual suspects -- holdovers from last season -- all did well, particularly Tomas "Tuna" Tatar, who potted two last night. Young Jake Evans, who I had on the "possible trade" list in my yearend review, seems to be maturing and gaining self-confidence, and may find himself a regular centering the third or fourth line. Paul Byron is still incredibly fast, and made a really nice play last night to set up Tatar's second goal.
I can't find enough good things to say about this year's edition of la Sainte Flannelle. But for a couple of questionable penalties, they should have won Wednesday's game against Toronto, and last night's victory over Edmonton was entirely convincing. Right now they're 1 for 2, with 3 points out of a possible 4. I won't start planning a Stanley Cup parade just yet, but I do predict they will finish 1st or 2nd in the NHL's Northern/Canadian division. Lifetime pct .975.
Chatter around the old hot stove...
* The NHL, (((Gary Bettman))) Prop., sold the naming rights for the four divisions in the realigned league. Large corporations have paid small fortunes so the NHL will refer to the Eastern Division (for example) as "MassMutual East". The rest of us will snicker behind our hands and just call them Central, East, West, and... errr... Northern.
* Actually, real hockey fans north of the World's Longest Undefended Border (TM) will refer to the Northern Division as the "Canadian Division", which is what it is, since all the Canadian teams play in that group. Is it possible that the Canadian team owners could work up the courage to secede from the now misnamed "National" Hockey League entirely? Canuck fans hope so!
* Speaking of Canada... Hockey Night in Canada, seen on Saturdays, has got so "woke" that it should be renamed "Hokey Night in Canada". Last night's telecast started with a tribute to Willie O'Ree, the first black Black player in the NHL. They now have a token black (but not too black) guy on the intermission panel, and a Sikh (who appears without his turban) doing commentary from Edmonton. No women last night, but I expect when games originate in Montréal we'll see Cassie Campbell, who at least knows what she's talking about. Remember: Get woke, go broke!
National Sports Editor Poor Len Canayen analyses the Montréal-Philadelphia series which ended last night with the Canadien suffering a 3-2 loss.
So dat's it, den. Hard to come back from a deficit of 3 games to 1, but the Habs gave it a pretty good shot, and in the end just had bad puck luck. The Flyers first two goals (in 5 minutes of the first period) both went in off the sticks of Montréal defenders. The third one, which proved to be the winner, hit the goalpost and then caromed in off the back of Carey Price's leg.
You can't blame Price for any of those, or indeed for any of the losses in the series. The problem was not so much bad luck as lack of scoring -- pure and simple. You can't not score for over 130 minutes and expect to win. Your goalie can stand on his head and allow 1.25 goals per game (see my previous post), but if you score 0.0 goals per game, as the Habs did twice, you lose.
Getting back to what Kelly Hrudey called "bad luck"... you can't call it bad luck (entirely) for the goalie when the guys in front of him forget the basics of how to play, or at least one of them. I know, I know. It's hard to think fast when you're out there on the ice in one of the world's fastest games, and it's easy for mere spectators like moi to second-guess, but...
Don Cheery told me more than once this basic rule of defence. It you are between your goalie and the opposing team's shooter, and both you and your goalie are square to the shooter -- directly in line between him and the goalmouth -- what you do not do, as the defender, is stick the blade of your stick out to the side. Let the goalie use his stick to stop the shot. If you try to block the shot with your stick (as opposed to your body), what happens, all too often, is that the puck deflects off the blade of your stick and goes in. That's what happened on the Flyers' first two goals last night. Not bad luck.
For fans of les Glorieux, the playoffs are over. But there's a team called the Canucks, from Vancouver, I believe, who finished off the defending champion St. Louis Blues last night, so it's possible that Lord Stanley's silverware might yet return to the Great No-longer-white North for the first time since the Canadien brought it home in 1993, defeating the Los Angeles Kings.
The winning goal in that series was scored by none other than Kirk Muller, who (because of Claude Julien's heart attack) was coaching the Habs last night. We wish Coach Claude a full recovery and hope he'll be back next season. If that's not possible, the team will be in good hands with Captain Kirk.
And, with some promising prospects coming along, and Nick Suzuki emerging as a potential superstar (he scored both goals last night), I predict with great confidence that 2020-21 will be a much better year for La Sainte Flannelle than this one. And, all things considered, this year wasn't all that bad!
Here's our National Sports Editor, Poor Len Canayen, breathing a sigh of relief. He'll tell you why.
Tank youse, Hed. Let us recap. Going into last night's fifth game of their NHL quarter-final playoff series, Canada's National Team, the Montréal Canadiens, trailed the Flyers of Philthydelphia 3 games to 1. How could this could be, when the World's Best Goaltender (TM), Carey Price, had a GAA of 1.25 and a saves pct of .957 in the first four games? I will explain.
Although Price allowed only 5 goals in the first four games, the team in front of him scored only 6. So why wasn't that enough to win, 6-5? Because the Habs scored 5 of their goals in the Game 2 blowout, and 1 in a 2-1 loss in the first game. The scored NO (zero) goals in Games 3 and 4, losing 1-0 and 2-0. So there they were, not having scored in almost 130 minutes, facing elimination.
But, as the saying goes, la plume de ma tante est sur la table. When the going gets tough, the tough get going! And so they did. Starting fast and getting the first goal early has proved critical in this series, and Joel Armia hit the twine, with a short-handed goal (!) just before the 3-minute mark, letting the Flyers know that the Habs weren't going to give up without a fight.
Then, at the 2-minute mark of the 2nd period, came something I never expected to see -- a major penalty and game misconduct for boarding to the formerly mild-mannered, always-smiling Jesperi Kotkaniemi, a kid who can barely raise a playoff beard. Is it true that steroids make you cranky? In the summer of 2019 they told KK that he'd better put some pounds on his lanky frame, and he did. 20 pounds heavier now than he was at Christmas, he's starting to throw his new weight around, but this time too much so, and at the wrong time. During the 5-minute powerplay, Flyers' Voracek ended a scoring drought with two goals, and I must admit I thought that was going to be the end.
Except it waasn't. Les Glorieux came back hard, with Joel Armia leading the charge. He hit a crossbar shortly after the teams got back to even strength, said "I won't do that again", and put his next shot in, just over Philly goalie Carter Hart's shoulder, making it 2-up. Just over a minute later, Brenda Gallagher, on something like his 37th shot in this series, finally scored, making it 3-2 Habs at the end of the 2nd.
Could the Habs hang on to a one-goal lead? Errr, no. Unlike in the first four games, special units played a big part in last night's game. The Canadiens' penalty kill was not as effective as usual, and the Flyers' power play hit for their third goal of othe game at 10:37. BUT... it seemed like Montréal said, with one voice, "Damn it, we are NOT going to lose!" Nick Suzuki, who had a goal called back (offside) earlier in the period, scored what proved to the the game-winner just 22 seconds later.
The Habs put up an aggressive defence for the balance of the game, with centre Phillip Danault -- overworked in the absence of Kotkaniemi -- rewarded an empty-net goal at 19:42. Final score: Montréal 5 - Philadelphia 2. Philadelphia now leads the series 3 games to 2, with another potential elimination game scheduled for 7 ET/4 PM on Friday. Can the Habs win that one and one more, to advance to the next round? Bet against them at your peril!
Ed. here. In last week's confusion about who was doing what in the absence of Walt, our National Sports Editor, Poor Len Canayen, didn't get a chance to expound on the Montréal Canadiens chances of advancing through the National Hockey League playoffs. He is just about wetting himself with joy and optimism, so I'll turn the keyboard over to him... NOW!
Tank youse, Hed. Because of the "pause" in the NHL's regular season, the playoffs this year are different from years before, and I don't just mean playing in August! Instead of the top eight teams in each division playing down to the final four and final two, the league started with the top twelve teams in each divison. So the Habs barely squeaked into the series, as the No. 12 seed, meaning that they go against the top seeds in each round, starting with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the "play-in" round.
To the surprise of many, including perhaps themselves, les Glorieux polished off Sid the Kid and the mighty Pens, 3 games to 1. I'll turn it over, now, to Adam Susser and the gang at the Montreal Gazette's Hockey Inside Out, to analyse how they did and the outlook for the confrontation with the Philthydelphia Flyers.
That video was recorded before Wednesday night's game, which the Flyers won 2-1. The Habs got off to a slow start, as they did in the first two games against the Pittsburghers, and allowed the first goal around the five-minute mark of the first period. But they woke up towards the end of the first and proved that they could skate with the Penguins, with Captain Shea Weber finally scoring a power-play goal in the second. Unfortunately the Pens responded with a pinball-type goal just a few second later, and made the 2-1 lead stand up for the win.
The Habs played well enough to win, but only for 50 minutes or so. And sometime that evening -- if it was during the game I didn't see it -- coach Claude Julien had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital, where he had a stent put in on Thursday. Get well soon, Claude! We're pullin' for ya! That left assistant coach Kirk Muller in charge for yesterday's second game. It turned out all he had to do was say "Go out and win it for Coach Claude!", et voilà.
Yesterday afternoon's game was as lopsided as the 5-0 final score indicates, as Montréal put on a real clinic for the (perhaps) over-confident Flyers. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (mentioned favourable in the video) scored twice, as did Tomas "Tuna" Tatar, and Joel Armia potted one, so for once the Habs didn't needed their defencemen only to do their job at the blue line, which they did. Carey Price was full value for his 7th careeer playoff shutout, stopping 30 shots.
The game was a real team effort for la Sainte Flannelle, with only four skaters not getting on the score sheet. Even Victor Mete got an assist, he who has scored only two (2) goals in his entire career with the Habs. The other defenceman whose game has improved markedly (as noted by the HI/O panel) is Brett Kulak, meaning that the Habs now have four reliable D-men, with the other two -- Mete and Xavier Ouellet -- playing well enough.
I don't know that I'm ready to predict a Montréal win, but I'm mighty encouraged, and looking forward to Sunday night's close encounter of the third kind. Until next time, keep yer stick on the hice!
Got a text from a reader 30 seconds after the finish of last night's hockey game between the Montréal Canadians and the Philthydelphia Flyers. "O ye of little faith!", he said. "One bad game and you get off the good ship Habs?!" He was referring to yesterday's post headed "Poor Len Canayen loses hope for hapless Habs". Well, I blame Ed. for that.* If you read my words carefully, you will see that I did not give up hope entirely. I merely said that I wouldn't bet on a "miracle on ice" that would get les Glorieux into the playoffs.
Our reader (J-P Fou, of St-Louis-du-Ha-Ha, QC -- you can look it up) points to last night's satisfying 4-1 win over the team the Habs have to pass to get into the last NHL Eastern Conference wild card spot. And, he says, that makes 3 wins in the last 4 games. Plus a GAA of 0.67 for Carey Price, who turned aside 40 shots and was chosen first star of the game. Touché, J-P!
Add into the mix Montréal native (meaning he was born there, nothing else) Marco Scandella, recently acquired from the Buffalo Sabres, who turned in another strong performance on an improved Habs defence. Even more important, Ilya Kovalchuk, who many naysayers (Hello to the Gazoo's Brendan Kelly) said was past his prime, scored not once but twice, bringing his point total to 7 in 6 games. As P.J. O'Rourke wrote, age and guile beat youth and innocence! Good on yer, Kovy!
More good news. Tomas Tatar had a goal (his 17th) and an assist. He's now the Habs' leading goal-scorer. Whoda thunk it? Jesperi Kotkaniemiinstigated a fight which he won on points. Again, whoda thunk it? Joel Armia returned from injury and played well. Arturi Lehkonen continued his much-improved play, scoring his 11th goal this year. The Canadiens got a power-play goal and allowed no goals while short-handed.
All in all, it was a fine performance, and, while the Habs are still 7 points out of a wild card spot, hope springs eternal, right here in my bleu-blanc-et-rouge heart!
* Note from Ed. Perhaps I made a mistake when I translated Len's scribbles from the original joual. Sorry.
Allo sports fans! Poor Len `ere with an update on the falling fortunes of Canada's Team (TM).
It has been a tough six weeks for fans of the Montréal Canadiens. Le Tricolore came home flushed with success after a great road trip through western Canada, winning three and losing just one. Then came the Christmas break and the dreaded annual excursion to Florida (Canada's 11th province).
I say "dreaded" because the team seems to think it's a vacation, and don't exert themselves sufficiently, leaving the puck to find its own way into opponents' nets. Doesn't work. On 28 December, the Habs lost to Tampa Bay, beginning an 8-game losing streak, in which they collected just one (1) of a possible 16 points (an overtime loss to Pittsburgh). With that, they fell out of playoff contention, and left fans muttering darkly about which heads should roll.
Hopes were revived this past weekend when Les Glorieux squeaked out a 2-1 OT win over the Ottawa Senators. Carey Price was in form and was awarded the third star. Ageing superstar Ilya Kovalchuk, the team's latest acquisition (and last hope) scored the OT winner and got the first star. He has earned a place on the top line and in fans' sometimes-fickle affections.
Monday night's win over a stronger team, the Calgary Flames, was even better! Price starred in a 2-0 shutout, his 46th in a Habs uniform, typing him with Ken Dryden for third place in the list of Habs goalies with the most shutouts. (Jacques Plante is No. 2 and the all-time shutoutingest goalie is... wait for it... George Hainsworth.) The team in front of Price played well and was full value for the win.
Then came last night, a home game against the Chicago Blackhawks, which the bookies favoured the Canadiens to win. It was not to be. "Jumpy Charlie" Lindgren played goal, since Price will be needed for tonight's game vs Philthydelphia. Mistaking himself for Price, he played the puck from behind his net to Tomas Tatar, who wasn't expecting it, allowing the opponents a tap-in from about a foot out. Things just got worse after that and the final score was 4-1.
So, what now? Mathematically, Montréal still has a chance of getting into the playoffs, but I'm not betting on it, nor should you. I'm starting to hear talk that, with the playoffs out of reach, GM Marc Bergevin may be prepared to sell some assets as part of his 5-year building plan, now well into its 8th year. Names mentioned include Tatar, Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron. The last two are on the IR, not expected to return until after the all-star break. IMHO, trading any of those guys would be a mistake. Trading Price or all-star D-man Shea Weber will be impossible because of their hyuge contracts.
If I were GM, I would try to trade a lesser light and maybe a pick or two for a reliable backup goalie. Even that isn't really necessary as Cayden Primeau is developing nicely with Laval and could be tapped for that position next season. And the team has two other rookies -- Cale Fleury and Nick Suzuki -- who are playing well and should be protected and nurtured. That leaves underachievers Jasperi Kotkaniemi and Ryan Poehling, both of whom are disappointingly mediocre, as trade bait, if Bergie feels the need to make a deal to keep his job.
In summary... I'll keep watching the Habs -- how could I not? -- but am not expecting any "miracle on ice". If the team's many injured scorers can return for part of February and March, it's possible la Sainte Flanelle could finish with a respectable record. And then... there's always next year. À la prochaine...
Ed. here, welcoming our hockey-lovin' buddy, Poor Len Canayen, back from his summer hibernation. (He burrows into the sand around the 29th of June and pokes his head out on Labour Day to see if there's ice in the Bell Centre yet, in which case he puts on his hockey sweater.) He watched the Montréal Canadiens first pre-season game at the Bell Centre last night and send this report.
Tank youse, Ed. Last night's game -- New Jersey Devils @ Montréal Canadiens -- wasn't good hockey, but you wouldn't expect that for the very first game, eh. Both teams looked as if they'd just met during the warm-up.
There was a noticeable lack of cohesion, loads of errant passes and turnovers, plus a certain lack of physicality. More like a scrimmage than a game. But hey, no-one wants to get hurt right out of the gate, and everyone wants to impress the coach and GM to avoid getting sent down to the farm. Click here to see the TSN/NHL video highlights.
Going by shots on goal, the Devils had the better of the play, especially in the second half of the game, but Les Glorieux emerged victorious, with 4 goals to the Devils' 2. Carey Price allowed one goal on 9 shots in 30:08, and rookie goalie Cayden Primeau, who played college hockey in the USA last year, looked good in stopping 16 of 17, including a spectacular save on NJ's Nico Hirschier just a minute or so after he took over from Price in the 2nd period. Keith Kinkaid is slotted to be the regular backup to Price once the season starts, but Primeau will make it a three-way fight for the starting position with the Laval Rocket farm team.
Habs' scoring came from Arturri Lehkonen, Nate Thompson, Jake Evans and an empty-netter from Nick Cousins. I cross my fingers that Lehkonen's late-season improvement of last year will carry over into this year. Thompson is a solid player (take that two ways) and should be a fixture on the third or fourth line. Cousins looks like a good bet to stay with the big team. About Evans, I'm not so sure, need to see more of him.
I'm betting on Charles Hudon to be sent down to Laval, again. Poor guy just can't finish. In the first period he had a glorious opportunity, standing unmarked about two feet to the left front of the NJ goalie, and fanned on the shot. Story of his life. Joining him on the bus will be Dale Weise, who just doesn't have the speed or finesse for the young and speedy Habs. Rookie Nick Suzuki, up from the juniors, has finesse and puck smarts, but needs to work on his skating, and -- let's face it -- is a bit on the small side. Maybe a season in the AHL, rather than with the big team, would do him good.
It was good to see Shea "Dad" Weber healthy and solid on the blue line, playing over 21 minutes without breaking a sweat. He got the assist on Lehkonen's tip-in. Brett Kulak looked out of shape, and should know that there's a rookie, Cale Fleury, who will be a contender for a regular start. So will another rookie, Josh Brook, and old(er)-timer Xavier Ouellet, who I like a lot.
All in all, I'm mildly encouraged. I don't see any glaring deficiencies at any position, and I do see some promising youngsters. No predictions yet, but good performances by a couple of talented rookies, backstopped by Weber and Price, could be all it takes to get the Canadiens into the playoffs.
BONUS VIDEO: By popular request, here, once again, is the excellent story of "The Hockey Sweater", written and narrated for the National Film Board video by Roch Carrier. No subtitles. If you gonna come on top da country `ere you better learn to talk like we do!
Poor Len here with a few thoughts on the Montréal Canadiens' 2018-2019 season, which came to an end last night with a thrilling shootout win (6-5) over the Toronto Maple Laffs. Thanks to the vicissitudes of the NHL's playoff "system", they missed the last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference by just two points -- one loss back in the dead of winter -- even though they finished with more points than three of the teams who will compete in the Western Conference series. Go figure.
But les Glorieux gave us fans a great season, better than anyone predicted or even hoped, and I, Walt [and Ed.! Ed.] wish them a well-deserved rest and better luck next year. See you in September!
Now some suggestions for Habs General Manager Marc Bergevin about improving the club's roster and prospects for 2019-2020. I give Bergie full credit for some good acquisitions over the course of the last year, and for getting rid of some of the duds who started the season wearing the bleu-blanc-et-rouge, and are now gone and forgotten. Let's see who's left.
Goal: Star goaltender Carey Price can take a good deal of credit for the team's commendable comeback from the low to which they had sunk in 2017-18. For want of a reliable backup goalie, he played 13 games in a row, before Charlie Lindgren's season debut in last night's finale. Before the game he was presented with the Molson Cup -- first star of the year -- which he richly deserves. See ya next year, Carey.
After one heroic game, backup Antti Niemi folded up like an accordion. He must shoulder the blame for a couple of the mid-season losses that denied the team entry into the playoffs. We won't be seeing him again. But is Charlie Lindgren the right man to sit in the shadows at the end of the bench while Price shines? I say not. He allowed five goals last night and redeemed himself only by a couple of good stops in the overtime and shootout. I don't have much confidence in him, and am not sure the players do, either. A better bet would be Michael McNiven, who dressed as backup once this season but didn't get into the game. He's da guy!
Defence: What keeps de cows in de field? De fence! And the Habs didn't have a lot of it at the start of the season. We were left wondering when Shea Weber would return, and who was capable of playing alongside him. He did come back in December and was for the rest of the year the pillar of strength we expected. Good scoring numbers too. And (almost) rookie Viktor Mete has the speed and talent to partner Cap'n Shea. If only Mete could put the puck in the net! (He has yet to score his first goal.) But he's a keeper, and so are Brett Kulak and Christian Folin [a Swede? Ed.], so I'd say the defence is pretty well set. Xavier Ouellet and Mike Reilly are OK for reservists. Karl Alzner and Noah Juulsen might be traded for a bag of pucks.
Forwards: Marc Bergevin's critics were silenced over the season when not one but SIX (6) of his trades and pick-ups turned out to be good players. Max Domi, Tomas Tatar, Joel Armia, Nate Thompson, Jordan Weal and first-round pick Jesper Kotkaniemi all contributed to the Habs' unexpected rise to the ranks of playoff contenders, more than making up for the loss (?) of Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty. [Who? Ed.] Brendan Gallagher would have a C on his sweater if Weber wasn't there. Andrew Shaw had a career year. And Phillip Danault deserved to win the Molson Trophy, awarded to the player who makes a great contribution without receiving any special honour.
On the other side of the coin we find the face of Jonathan Drouin, who failed for the second year to live up to expectations. Not that he had a bad year, but he'd have done better if he'd showed up for every game. Know what I mean? Bergie would do well to trade him, maybe to Arizona where he could play with Galchenyuk. Artturi Lehkonen suffered from prolonged bouts of depression (or something) and seemed incapable of finishing plays or finding the back of the net. On one occasion he passed the puck rather than taking a clear shot at an empty net. On the plus side, he's very responsible in his own zone, and good on the PK. And he's a Finn so can make up a line with Kotkaniemi and Armia. Keep him. He might turn out to be another Bob Gainey.
And then there's Ryan Poehling, pictured above doing the first-bump after scoring THREE (3) goals in the score-fest vs the Leafs. The Minnesota native has been gaining experience (and weight) in the NCAA signed with les Glorieux last weekend and played his first NHL game last night, scoring not only the hat-trick but the winning goal in the shootout! Could he be the big, classy centre that the Habs have sought for lo these many years? I and Walt [and Ed.! Ed.] hope so.
In summary, I think Marc Bergevin can afford to stand pat -- more or less -- this summer. If he can move Drouin for a decent winger, and maybe find a reliable and experienced backup goalie, all well and good, but even without major changes, I predict better things for la Sainte Flannelle next year! See you then!
Poor Len, again. [Hey, that rhymes! Ed.] I'm pleased to report that les Glorieux -- the Montréal Canadiens -- won last night's game against the Detroit Red Wings by a score of 3-1.
The win was important as the Habs fight to make it into the Eastern Division playoffs. See yesterday's post, below. More noteworthy, though, is the fact that this was Price's 315th victory wearing the bleu-blanc-et-rouge colours of la Sainte Flannelle. That makes him the winningest Habs goalie of all time, with 315 victories, one more than the legendary Jacques Plante. Third and fourth on the list are Patrick Roy and Ken Dryden. To appreciate Price's skill check out the spectacular save at 1:30 of this highlight reel.
Now we have the reality check. Columbus also won their game last night, so remain in the second and last wild card spot for the Eastern Division playoffs. They are tied with the Habs for the number of points, but are ahead by virtue of having a better won-loss record. The Canadiens will need to play like this for every one of their 12 remaining games to avoid hitting the golf course in April.
Ed. here. For the Montreal Canadiens, aka "the Habs", it's now three games past the half-way point of the NHL season. I've been bugging our sports editor, Poor Len Canayen, to get his report in, but he wanted to wait a bit to see if he could discern a trend sufficient to enable him to make a prediction. Monday and Tuesday nights' games yielded mixed results so he has given up. He writes:
Tank youse, Ed. Let's start with the trend. The Canadiens are up and down like a toilet seat at a mixed party. After 44 games, they are 23-16-5, for a total of 51 points, or, in baseball parlance, .579. If the playoffs started this morning, they'd have the second and last wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the New York Islanders are right behind them with 50 points and three games in hand. Will les Glorieux be there for the post-season? Hard to say.
What I can say, with pleasure, is that the Habs are having a much better season than anyone, including moi, predicted. GM Marc Bergevin made some major deals in the summer which are paying off handsomely. Notable are the acquisitions of Max Domi, Tomas Tatar and whiz kid Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who are all contributing to a much improved offence.
The defence corp is still iffy. Stalwart (and now captain) Shea Weber returned from injury in December -- not a moment too soon -- to relieve the pressure on Jordie Benn and (especially) Jeff Petry, but finding three more reliable D-men seems to be a challenge. Star goalie Carey Price has stayed healthy most of the season so far and seems to be regaining his form, albeit a bit slowly. According to the stats, backup Antti Niemi is the worst goalie in the league (starting 10+ games) but has more wins than losses to his credit.
Now for a closer look...
Forwards: Playing alongside Max Domi seems to be helping Jonathan Drouin, who last year delivered much less than expected, but this year is one of the Habs' leading scorers. Still need to play better in his own zone, though. Tough little guy Brendan Gallagher plays his heart out every night and has the goals (and bruises) to show for it. Deserves the "A" on his chest. Andrew Shaw, another scrappy little guy, has finally got his temper under control and is playing the best hockey of his career, IMHO. More Irishmen on the team, please!
M Bergevin got rid of the Russians and brought in Finns. Apart from Niemi and Kotkaniemi, there's Joel Armia, who's a decent 3rd or 4th liner, and Artturi Lehkonen, who IMHO plays like a Swede and should be traded to a team like Vancouver. One of the few authentic Canadiens on the team, Phillip Danault, is improving every year and has earned his spot at centre of the first line. Compatriot Charles Hudon is only playing because of injuries to others, and can be relied on only to choke, as he did last night.
Paul Byron, who missed quite a few games due to injury, still has his incredible speed but doesn't always have the finish when he gets to the opponents' net. The 4th line is a work in progress. Kenny Agostino works hard but hasn't got much to show for it. Matthew Peca is a defensive liability, and Michael Chaput has discipline issues. The guy I like is Nicolas Deslauriers; every team needs a tough forward and Nic's da man!
Defence: It's great to see Weber back after missing over a season with a game leg. He still has the cannon shot from the blue line, and still dishes out fear-inspiring checks, but his passing seems a little off, compared with yesteryear. He brings solid leadership to the team and is a great mentor for the others. But can he teach guys who don't want to be taught or don't have the talent? Veterans Karl Alzner and David Schlemko have been waived through the league and sent down to the Laval farm club. They will not be missed.
That leaves the youngsters -- Victor Mete, Brett Kulak and Mike Reilly -- who have all done time in Laval and are with the big team "on trial"... and because the Habs don't have anyone else. Mete has speed but not size. Kulak has the size but not the smarts, same as Reilly. Mete seems like the best bet for a permanent spot on the blue line, but Bergie still needs to find a couple of good, big, fearsome guys to beef up the defence. Hint: Alexei Emelin is cooling his heels in Russia and would surely welcome a phone call.
Goal: To what I wrote above, I will only add that, as we saw a week ago, if Carey Price gets sick or injured, putting all the work on the aging shoulders of Antti Niemi, the Canadiens will be in big trouble. Charlie Lindgren is the No. 1 goalie on the Laval Rocket, but IMHO is not the one you want behind the Habs' D. Too "hot", compared with the ultra-cool Price. Young Michael McNiven sat at the far end of the bench when Niemi started three games in a row at New Year's, but (in spite of being endorsed by Don Cherry) is an unknown quantity. A seasoned, reliable backup goalie is needed... soon!
To all the Habs fans who read WWW, our best wishes for the New Year! Les Canadiens seront là!
