Dave from Vancouver

First, you never addressed the fact that there have been times when Huet was the starter and allowed a significant number of goals, including a span of 8 goals in 2 games. Second, to clarify my statement, you can't compare Huet to Theodore to make the case that Huet is a great goaltender. Its like saying that Kovalev is one of the better players in the league because he's better than Sundstrom. Yeah, obviously he's better than Sundstrom, but who cares? He is expected to be better. Just like I would expect anyone to put up better numbers than Theo has this year. The imporant point: If we believe that Huet is an elite goalie, one who is deserving to be the MVP of Les Glorieux, that he should be compared to the standard of other elite goaltenders. So my statement is not nonsense. Third, you said that the team has been on a roll since the New Year, when Huet started to play on a regular basis. Again, your statement is incorrect. Since the New Year, the Canadiens have 18 wins and 17 losses, basically playing .500 hockey. Some roll. And that's after our recent 4-game winning streak. So I ask that we have some perspective and evaluate the truth. -Dave

This statement is simply incorrect. Huet was in nets when we lost to Toronto 5-3 on March 7. Huet was in nets for back-to-back 4 goal games against Washington and Atlanta back at the end of December. Yes, Theo was involved in a lot more blowouts than Huet, but Theo has been one of the worst goalies in the NHL this year. So we can't use Theo as the standard for evaluating Huet. -Dave

Habs Rookie of the Year: Chris Higgins Habs Most Valuable Player: Andrei Markov Higgins should be a unanimous pick for the ROY, so I'll jump straight to the Markov for MVP argument. I think the "recency effect" is having some effect, enhancing Huet's value. While he has been phenomenal, there is no doubt about that, one must consider that Markov has played in 57 games, while Huet has only played in 30. In fact, he's only started 37% of the team's games. I have to give the edge to the guy who's played in significantly more games. Even more telling, is the team's record with and without Markov in the lineup. Since the Olympic break, its almost been as simple as: if Markov's in, we win, if not, we lose. Also, he makes his defensive partner exponentially better, as the recent case of Komisarek has shown. Finishing with Markov's stats, he logs the most icetime of any Canadien, leading 2nd place Rivet by a whole minute. His 41 points put him 5th on the team, and he leads the team with a +9, even though a lot of his points come on the PP. While Huet has been one of the best goalies in the NHL, the team has won 15 of his starts, while losing 12 (8 in regulation, 4 in OT). This doesn't mean Huet isn't valuable, but it adds some perspective, showing that the team has only 3 more wins than losses when he starts. Keep in mind this race is very close, and could change between now and the end of the year. The part about Huet I like the most, is his ability to provide a calming influence for the rest of the team, a true sign of a valuable player. Only time will tell... Until then, Go Markov, Go Huet, Go Habs Go! -Dave

So to reiterate your argument, are you saying that Montreal fans should just be patient and Koivu, Kovalev, et al. will eventually leads the Habs to the cup? As for Redden, yes has not won a cup yet, but he is exactly the type this team needs. Guys who will do whatever it takes to win, and wear the CH with pride (a la Craig Rivet). -Dave

The more I think about it, the more I realize that with our current core, this team will never win the Stanley Cup. And this is the line that makes me realize why: 8 GP 3 G 11 PTS +5 Yes, those were Saku Koivu's stats during the Olympic games. And yet, this is a guy who hasn't scored an NHL goal since January 28...19 games ago! And he just recently signed a contract for how much? And this was supposed to motivate him to play better? Well, we're still waiting. It is not a controversial statement to say that many European players would, if forced to choose, would rather win a Gold Medal than the Stanley Cup. Players like Mats Sundin readily admit this. Then really, it should come as no surprise that the captains of all the past Stanley Cup winning teams were either Canadian or American. Fans of the Canucks, Leafs, Panthers, Senators, Kings, and yes, Canadiens, don't hold your breath. Some may find these words unfair to European players, but I am only stating the facts. European players can bring a very valuable aspect to the team (think Jagr in Pittsburgh, Kurri in Edmonton), but I would only want someone on the Habs if they understand the importance of being a Canadien and would be willing to do anything to win the Cup. This standard applies to any player, regardless of where they call home. It really surprises me, especially in places like Montreal and Toronto, where fans practically live off the success of their team, that fans don't demand players that place winning the Stanley Cup at the top of their list. Given that these same players rake in millions of dollars annually, is this too hard to ask? Its all the more frustrating when you consider the legends of days gone by: Richard, Beliveau, Geoffrion, Lafleur, Plante, Blake...who did whatever it took to win the Cup...and worked a 2nd or 3rd job!!! These guys considered donning a Montreal jersey as a representation of an entire nation, be it the French Canadian nation, or even Canada as a whole. Something tells me guys like Bulis, Streit, and Kovalev, who just seem so opposed to skating hard every shift and getting their noses dirty, don't feel the same pride. Montreal fans are often criticized for being too harsh on their team. Bogus! Since they have such a strong emotional attachment to their team (and pay the high ticket prices), it is their right to only expect the best, to expect players who value the 'CH' with all their heart. Unfortunately, not enough of the current Habs do. So I'm taking bets that the Canadiens won't win the Cup for a while, especially after Gainey continues to foolishly toss money and over pay guys like Kovalev and Koivu. Why pay a guy (I'm talking Koivu here) who has never really done anything, both statistically and in terms of winning. We should have let him walk and then shown the money to guys like Richards and Redden (pay them and they will come). Maybe some are content with these 8th seed shenanigans, but I want to win a Cup, and to do so, you need winners. -Dave

Great video, tons of fun, the 23 minutes went by like that! Two observations based on this "video session": 1) Why in the world doesn't Gainey play Begin more?!?!?! Not just in PK situations, but 5 on 5, leading by a goal, behind by a couple, whenever...this guy makes things happen! 2) With our playoff hopes hanging in the balance, I think its time to reunite Koivu-Kovalev-Zednik. These guys are our top guns, they have shown they can play together (think Round 1 vs the B's), and I'd rather go out knowing our top line had a chance to make things happen. Don't think it would hurt, the line has been more or less broken up this year and each is having one of their worst seasons ever. What do you guys think? -Dave

From my "general manager" perspective, trading Theodore out of Montreal for Aebischer is a great deal, providing the team with generous cap space, and arguably, the better netminder. I wrote a post multiple pages ago that details this very fact. But I also cannot ignore the fan inside of me that is very sad to see Theo go. Even as I begged and pleaded that Gainey trade him away, I never truly believed that his departure would come true. He is one of the biggest reasons I'm a Habs fan today (no, I haven't been a Canadiens fans as long as some of the people on this board), and I can't deny the impact he had on the "hockey fan" aspect of my life. I will always remember him winning the Hart and Vezina, stealing the show against Boston in '02, wearing the touque in the Heritage Game, shutting out the Bruins 2-0 in Game 7 of '04, making the All-Star team with Souray, and the time he rushed to the blue line to fight some guy that had hit him behind the net in '03. I will always remember him winning key games, eventhough he usually stood much smaller in stature, but not confidence, than the opposition. And yeah, I'll always remember those Ford commercials. I remember visiting Montreal for the 1st time, purchasing a Theodore jersey and proudly wearing it within the city's many pubs and bars. I remember playing street hockey in the very same jersey, doing my best to do the CH proud. I remember meeting classmates in the bar, and although they may not have known my name, they always knew that I was the guy with the Theodore jersey. I remember hitting up memorabilia shows to collect his cards, always looking for the nicest one. I remember always looking forward to his interviews, as for some reason, they always seemed more exciting than the rest. Eventually, he began to let us down, both on and off the ice. Eventually, his teammates had lost faith, and it was clearly affecting his play. Eventually, knowing that he was making far more than he deserved took its toll. But now he's gone, that won't change. So let's remember the good moments, the ones that made us proud to call the Rouge, Blue, et Blanc our team, and cheer this team as they continue their quest for the cup. So for the last time: "La premiere etoile, the first star, Jose...The-o-dorrrre!!!!!!! -Dave

Hey all, I don't want to give it away, but Pierre had some comments to make regarding fans who believed that Theo should not be the #1 goalie in Montreal...and that was before the trade occured. Be sure to tune in Friday Morning at 8:30, 90.1 FM in Vancouver, www.cjsf.ca (click Listen Live) worldwide. Cheers, Dave

Anyone who is currently bashing this trade HAS to consider the cap implications. When someone like Theo is eating up close to 5.5 million of your cap, then theoretically speaking, he should be 10x better than Huet, who makes close to 500k. Yes, this is an oversimplification, but I'm making a point: this isn't like the Roy trade, because with Theo off the books, we can acquire a player deserving of a top-flight contract (ie. Richards, Luongo). What I like about this trade is that it signifies to me that Gainey has a plan, not just for the rest of this year, but beyond. Comparison to Roy? Please...Theo has not won 2 cups and I don't believe he has it in him. Theo was a huge block in the way of developing solid team chemistry. Based on hands-on, face-to-face experience, Theo was not the most well-liked guy on the Habs, and the team clearly put their support behind Huet. Theo got caught up in his own hype, the team will be better without him. Take Rivet as an example, notice how much more he interacts with Huet during a game. Sames goes for Koivu. I'm loving Gainey's vision. Theo is a small goalie who couldn't adjust to the new equipment...what reason did we have to believe that he would adjust at some point in the future? Especially at his salary. Which was only increasing! So to sum up, if you want to bash this trade, which is obviously a fair point of view, all I ask is to include thoughts about the big picture, long-term future, and cap implications. Cheers, Dave

Hey everyone, Been a while since I posted here, I think my last post outlined the "behind the scenes" ongoings of the Canadiens. Seeing where the team is now, is does not surprise me in the least to see an improvement in work ethic and desire with Theodore out of the lineup (hopefully for good). Anyways, I'm posting today because Pierre Maguire will be on my show "It's Outta Here!" this Friday. "It's Outta Here!" airs every Friday Morning from 8:30 - 9:00 Pacific, on CJSF 90.1 FM in Vancouver or worldwide on the web at www.cjsf.ca (click Listen Live). So, definetely tune in to hear Pierre's thoughts on the state of hockey, the Canadian clubs, and of course, Les Canadiens. I will be talking to him on Wednesday, so post here if you have any questions you would like to have asked. Keep in mind, I'm talking to him Wednesday, but it will air Friday, so let's stay away from specific trade questions. Cheers, Dave

I understand your point of view; in the end, its all about the results on the ice. However, the point of this post was to examine if off-ice behaviours are a predictive indicator of on-ice results, in addition to providing devout Habs fans with insights to their favorite players. For instance, the passion Rivet displayed in the locker room (re: Bulis incident) demonstrates the leadership he shows on the ice. Also, Bouillon's focus shows the seriousness with which he takes his profession and potentially leads to improved play on the ice (remember this is a guy that no one predicted would ever play a regular shift in the NHL, so an extreme work ethic was his only road to success). That is why I purposely avoided discussing the players "skirt chasing", as you put it. -Dave

Thank you all for the positive feedback, its nice to know that collecting and reporting all that information was worthwhile. One correction to note, it was Plekanec, not Streit, who carried all his sticks and bags by himself, while signing autographs for the kids. However, as stated above, it was Streit who demonstrated unexpected leadership and motivational skills. Also, I forgot to touch on Higgins/Komisarek. Eventhough Higgins was dressed and ready to go at the end of practice, he waited behind for Komisarek, and they then proceeded to head to the bus together. Lastly, since its probably not fair to group Ribeiro and Theo together as though they're one person (they're not completely identical!), I did notice a greater focus out of Ribs than from Jose, both before and during practice. To you answer the questions, post by post: - I did notice guys like Bonk, Zednik, Bulis, Plekanec enter the arena together, but I didn't see anything that demonstrated any sort of close friendship between them (although they may very well be, I just didn't see clear evidence like Higgins/Komisarek or Theodore/Ribeiro). - While Souray may very well be an ultra-conservative politically-speaking, he didn't show any real interest in politics, and he admitted that he wasn't going to vote. Same goes for Dandenault, he mentioned that he still hasn't read up on Canadian politics/issues after spending all that time in Detriot. They both said, "we'll just leave the voting decisions to the public". - I could tell that Kostitsyn's lack of comfort with English did act as a barrier to interacting with other players. Same with Zednik (very difficult to understand), and to a lesser extent, Huet (very soft-spoken). - Rough stuff? Well, neither Ivanans or Downey were with the club either time I was there, but I did talk to Garth Murray a little bit, nice guy, quite modest. In terms of sheer size, both Souray and Rivet carried quite the intimidating presence. Bonk stood out for being quite tall, but he always had this goofy grin on his face, so he wasn't very intimidating. - Bertuzzi for Theo? Won't happen, as I don't think Vancouver believes Theo is the answer to their goaltending issues, plus, Gainey et al. wouldn't quite welcome Bertuzzi with the open arms some seem to believe. That being said, you never know... - Yes, Ribeiro and Kovalev take the pre-game skate without a helmet, but Souray does as well, so I don't know if that's an indicative factor of heart and motivation. I think that covers them all, have a great evening. -Dave

Thank you for those kind words; truly much appreciated. As for the show, here's the details: "It's Outta Here!" Friday Mornings - 8:30-9:00 PST CJSF 90.1 FM or www.cjsf.ca Studio: 604.291.5797 Its always great to have new listeners and feel free to call in to voice your opinion (and win stuff). We're often talking Habs, and if not, we're talking hockey, and if not, we're talking sports, and if...you get the idea ;-) -Dave

Habs Nation, As I posted a little while ago, I host a radio show out here in Vancouver, and as such, I have had the opportunity to attend Habs practices, go in the dressing room, talk to the players and so forth (and yes, I know how lucky that seems, although with these current Habs, that's debatable). Since you are all such devoted fans, I would like to share some of these experiences with you, especially because what I have seen on a face-to-face basis really helps explain the on-ice performance (read on and you'll understand what I mean). First, to contextualize the situation, it helps to understand the timeframes. I first met the Habs in Montreal, during the practice before the Ottawa game (4-1 victory) that was part of CBC's Hockey Day in Canada. More recently, I met them again here in Vancouver, when they got blown out 6-2. Here's a player by player breakdown: Kovalev: Very 'cold', as expected. Didn't talk to anyone really. Didn't practice before the Ottawa game, and left practice very early in Vancouver. I figured he was going to receive treatment or something, but no, he just left, got dressed, and sat down and drank coffee. This makes you realize the special treatment star players receive, if they can choose when practice starts and ends. Told one of my reporters he wouldn't talk to her, which is fine in its own right (that's his choice), but goes along with the theme of telling off Julien, Begin, etc. One sidenote, overheard him talking to a friend on the team, in regards to his wife going back to Europe. He did this while staring at a couple figure skating together on a different rink (yeah, it was weird, like something out of a romance movie). He seemed quite upset over the situation, and perhaps this is affecting his play, who knows. This hasn't been reported, so all I ask is to take this with a grain of salt because its possible I misunderstood. Begin and Bouillon: One word: focus. They arrived to practice early, got changed immediately, and then proceeded to study the visitors practice and work on their sticks. The consummate professionals, they clearly take their role as Canadiens very seriously, which I'm sure the fans appreciate. Not a coincidence that they lead this team in heart and community involvement. Also, Begin was extremely friendly to everyone, taking his time to talk, and so on. Ribeiro and Theodore: The exact opposite of Begin and Bouillon. Instead of focus, these guys were talking on their cell phones, making sure they looked good, talking to friends, and so forth. I don't think this is a bad thing in its own right, as its just their personality to be more extroverted, but they did not carry the same professionalism or focus. To be fair, Theo was quite friendly to the media, which carries into his dealings with the community, an important part of being a Montreal Canadien. Rivet: What can I say...very passionate. He wasn't happy with some guys effort in practice, and he wasn't afraid to show it. Funny story: in the locker room, Bulis took tape off his skate/ankle and just kinda threw it on the ground. Rivet scolded him, telling him its not fair that the equipment guys have to clean up after the players, so Bulis got up and picked up the tape. A relatively small incident, but Rivet, he sure took it passionately. He clearly commands respect, as they way Bulis reacted demonstrated that he cared about Rivet's perceptions. Huet: Quiet guy, but seemingly popular with the players. After his saves, some players began a "Huet, Huet" chant, which was funny to see. Souray: Talked to him for quite a long time. If Dandenault is the French media's 'best friend', Souray is the English equivalent, as he didn't mind sticking around to gab about movies, politics, whatever. We discussed the importance of being a habs, giving back to the community, playing with pride. Of course players can say whatever they want, its the actions that count, but having talked to him in person for quite a while, he clearly values being on the team, and the CH means a lot to him. Slick dresser, but I digress... Ryder: Friendly guy, thoughtful, nothing particularity positive or negative to say. Koivu: Didn't interact with him much, but he did have an understated confidence. Although he may be a small guy, he projected an air of leadership, but was never vocal at any point. To extrapolate to the on-ice play, this team needs him to give 110% every night, because the other players, vets and rooks alike, will follow. Streit: More talkative then expected, and did actually demonstrate some leadership, trying to motivate players. He was the only player to carry his own equipment, lugging his bags, sticks out of the arena while signing autographs for the kids. Quite the sight. Others: Don't have much to say, so I won't write something just for the sake of writing. In terms of overall chemistry, I hate to say it, because as Canadian I strongly value diversity, but having so many European players did APPEAR to create cliques. I compare this to watching other teams (especially Calgary, which is almost all-Canadian), where you see more interaction between different groups of players. I mean, Kostitsyn was literally all on his own, in the locker room and walking down the hallways. Compare this to the young guys on the Canucks (Burrows, Baumgartner, Bouck) who were interacting and jostling each other. Of course there are pros and cons, as with diversity you get a wider spread of strengths and values then out of a homogeneous group, but we'll leave that to a later discussion... I hope you enjoyed these stories; I'll finish with some caveats. First, some details have probably been omitted, as I didn't really want to be writing all night, so completeness might be an issue. Secondly, I tried to remain unbiased, but its only natural to look for positives in your favorite players and vice versa. That being said, I stand by everything I wrote. Feel free to reply with questions. Enjoy! -Dave

In all honesty, many fans showed more foresight that our GM Bob Gainey when they were calling for him to be traded way earlier in the season. Remember when he was mentioned in talks that would bring us Bertuzzi? Luongo? Those days seem long gone now, if only we had a GM with guts to make a move when we needed it, cause now its much too late, Theo's value is next to nothing. That being said, I think we still need to trade him now cause he might fetch something in a trade, wait any longer, and our only option will be waivers. A smart GM will learn from other leagues that work under a cap system. We could use cap space, so we can outbid other teams for Luongo, Richards, Arnott, etc. At this point, just get in return whatever you can, before its too late. Its time to send overpaid divas like Theo, Kovalev, Zednik, Bonk to pasture, and bring in hard-working Canadian kids. Twice I saw Kovalev give up on a play because he knew a penalty was going to be called, Zednik was guilty as well. I don't think a player on the current Calgary Flames would ever do something like that, Sutter would have none of it. Well, a bit of a ramble, but now I feel better. Thank you. ~Dave