jordy11

Here's today lineup: Goalies: David Aebischer Yann Danis Defensemen: Ryan O'Byrne Mathieu Dandenault Dan Jancevski Danny Groulx André Benoit Andrei Markov Forwards: Ajay Baines Chris Higgins Steve Bégin Kyle Chipchura Maxim Lapierre Andrei Kostitsyn Aaron Downey Garth Murray Mike Ribeiro Michael Ryder Guillaume Latendresse Jonathan Ferland

Here's tonight's line-up: Sammy-Ribs-Kovy Latendresse-Pleky-Ryder Bégin-Bonk-Downey Perezhogin-Locke-Ferland Markov-Rivet Jancevski-Komo Groulx-Dandenault

Just to know... Is anyone here going to go camping at Bell Centre Sept. 16th? And if yes, at what time?

Should have no problem against Florida... Lots of tickets will be available!

So I go to Archambault today, looking to buy The Hockey News Fantasy Guide. Not there. So I finally buy The Score 2006-2007 preview, thinking that it's better than nothing... False! So I get home, open it at the Habs page, only to see at the top: Predicted Northeast Division finish: 5th. without even reading what was written about my favorite team, I flip the pages back to fing the predicted order of finishing. Then, I started laughing. Eastern Conference 1-Buffalo 2-Tampa Bay 3-New Jersey 4-Carolina 5-Ottawa 6-Rangers 7-Boston 8-Flyers 9-Atlanta 10-Washington 11-Florida 12-Toronto 13-Islanders 14-Montréal 15-Pittsburgh Is that a joke or what? Then I read the Habs' analysis, only to find the usual ''lack of size, need a no.1 Dman...'' crap. Not only this, but putting Buffalo no.1? They have the same kind of team as our, with offensive depth, speedy forwards, 6 reliable defensemen, 2 good goalies... Just to give you an example, here's the ''Bottom Line'', according to The Score: This version of the Habs is too similar to the 05-06 model-aside from the arrival of Samsonov- to suggest any significant improvements.While there's plenty of talent down the pipeline, the club needs to revamp its veteran core in order to surpass the likes of Ottawa and Buffalo. Unfortunately, both the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs improved themselves in the off-season, and have inched closer to Montreal. Making the playoffs this time around will be a struggle for the Habs, while even avoiding the division cellar won't be easy. Look for a battle between the Habs and Toronto for the 4th place in the northeast. So, the real bottom line is: DON'T BUY THE SCORE 2006-2007 PREVIEW, unless you really, but really have $10 to throw away.

What about Price????

Here's some exclusive Saku Koivu pics while training with his ex-team TPS Turku, down in Finland. In an article published in La Presse today, it says that the Montreal Canadiens expect Sak to be ready for the start of Training Camp. Koivu

Chances of this happening are close to 0%... I mean... which Habs fan wouldn't do this trade RIGHT NOW? Malkin repalces Ribeiro as our 2nd line center ... We lose Ryder but get Dumont, not that I'd take Dumont before Ryder, but he's a pretty good replacement... We lose Aebi who's our backup goalie... We lose Souray, but chances are that he'll look to sign with a Western Conference team this summer and we lose a 1st rd DP, but hey, maybe that guy won't even make it to the NHL... Anyways, keep dreaming because Mike Milbury isn't the Pens GM...

According to an NHL.com article, the newly retired Eric Desjardins had a contract offer from Bob Gainey. He chose to retire, citing it was important for him to retire as a Flyer. Knowing that Bouillon is going to miss at least the month of November, does that mean that Mark Streit's knee injury is more serious than expected? Who would you sign as a 7th defenseman if you were BG? Desjardins finishes as a Flyer

According to La Presse, Saku Koivu hit the ice for the first time since he suffered an eye injury in the 2006 playoffs. Still according to La Presse, it was planned that Koivu would start his on ice training this week. The Habs' medical staff said that everything is fine with Saku's eye. Koivu chausse les patins GREAT NEWS!!!!

As much as I'd like to see another Quebecer with the Habs, I don't see where Dumont would fit. He's a good 2nd winger at best. I think that Ryder, Higgins, Samsonov, Kovy are better fits than him. The only way I'd see him come to Mtl is if Sak is out for at least 2 months. I could see Higgins going back to center (where he played before) and have Ryder and Dumont as wingers.

Kostitsyn is the next forward to get a regular spot in one of the top 3 lines. If Sak isn't ready for the start of next season, Andrei should get a spot in the lineup. He's had 2 years in the AHL and is IMO NHL ready.

Bouillon will be ready for training camp. Here's an article from Radio-Canada. Bouillon opéré? It says that Bouillon might have an arthroscopic knee surgery (Same as Kovy last year), but that he should be ready for training camp, the recovery time of this kind of surgery being 4 to 6 weeks.

According to the Habs official website, the latest free agent acquisition, Sergei Samsonov, will wear number 15, who was last wore by Darren Langdon. Newcomer Mike Johnson will take Zednik's #20.

The real training camp starts September 14th.

According to Sportsnet's Hockey Hearsay, Scott Gomez, restricted free agent for the New Jersey Devils, is believed to have asked for a 7 million one year deal in arbitration. This could put Lou Lamoriello in a really tough spot, because his payroll is now at 43.9 millions and he still has to re-sign 48 goals scorer Brian Gionta. Could any Devils' player help the Habs?

Thanks for your instensity night in and night out... What I liked about Z is that he's a true playoff performer an amazing clutch scorer... Remember all those big goals? Game 7 vs. Boston, Game 2 vs. Carolina(this year)... He will be missed and I hope he'll get a nice ovation when he'll come back to the Bell Centre...

Last year, the partial plans were released at the beginning of September (6th or 7th I think) and the individual tickets were on sale during the training camp. (around September 20th).

I'd go with this : Higgins-Koivu-Ryder Samsonov-Ribeiro-Kovalev Perezhogin-Plekanec-Johnson Murray-Bonk-Bégin Reserves: Downey/Ferland 1st line : I really love this line because all 3 guys have different styles of play... Higgins plays like a power-forward, he isn't shy of going in the corners to get the puck and he goes to the net to score garbage goals... Koivu is one of the best playmakers in the league, he also isn't shy of going in the corners and to pay the price in front of the net... Ryder is a pure goal scorer, and because he plays with Sak and Higgs, he doesn't have to create plays, go in the corners, backcheck... he just has to position himself correctly to receive a pass from Koivu or Higgins and score! 2nd line: My god will this line be awesome... Kovalev is a fast and complete player who can do anything on the ice, Ribeiro can create amazing plays and he had a good chemistry with Kovy last year... Sammy is an ultra-speedy forward who can score, create plays and he'll fit amazingly with those 2 players... 3rd line: One of the best 3rd lines in the league (if not the best) with Pleky who's a good 2-way centerman with lots of speed and creativity, Perezhogin has the potential to score 20 next year, I think he's the next Afinogenov...Johnson has a good intensity level and is also a good 2-way guy who can score 20. Remember Dackell-Juneau-Sundstrom? 4th line: Also one of the best 4th line ine the league. First of all, all those players are penalty-killers, so this line is very reliable defensively... Bégin, Murray and Downey are very intense guys who play an amazing physical game and can bring momentum on our side with one shift... Bonk is reliable defensively, wins face-offs, and is the perfect foil for such intense guys... Plus, all those guys can score around 10 goals in a complete year... I'd put Ferland as the 14th forward because he's more a 4th line forward than Kostitsyn, Chipchura, Latendresse or Lapierre. Kostitsyn wouldn't fit in a 4th line, Chipchura needs a full season in Hamilton, Latendresse will go back to juniors and Lapierre should be in Hamilton to continue his devellopment. The only way that one of these forward could be in the team is by stealing Perezhogin's spot... So these are my lines, and I think we have what it takes to make a great run for next season...

Aebi is signed at $1 900 000 according to NHLPA.com... I don't think that Legace will accept a back-up role. He wants a #1 job, but I think that he could accept being in a team like St.Louis or Florida where he would be two #1.

The NHL will release its schedule this afternoon. This season, Montreal will go on the road to play opponents from the Central division (Detroit, Nashville, Chicago, Columbus, St.Louis) and will receive opponents from the Northwest division (Edmonton, Calgary, Minnesota, Colorado, Vancouver). That means Theodore will be coming back to the Bell Centre in the Avalanche uniform...

It's down to 2 teams according to rds.ca. They say that Detroit is one of them, I assume Montréal is the other one. I listened to Joel Bouchard (Isles blueliner) on the radio today, and he said that Shanny would be amazing for us. He said that he has a good touch around the net, he is tough to play against, intense, and that he's a real leader in the dressing room. He said that he could change a young player's carrer if he plays with him... I really want him with us, even if we overpay him a bit(5 millions would be OK for me). We have a lot of cap room, and I think we can afford him.

Andy Strickland on HockeyBuzz just wrote that St.Louis is very interested in Abby to back up Sanford. That's the part I don't understand. As far as I'm concerned, Aebischer is a much better goalie than Curtis Sanford. Anyways, I don't see who Bob could be interested in. Maybe prospects or picks...

I found something really interesting on the net today... Here's what was written on a blog: I was watching ESPN channel here in Boston and I found something which can interests you big time. The Bruins would be out of the Shanahan derby because of a lack of money with the upcomings signatures of Bergeron, Boyes and Tanabe. So, the only team left would be the Canadiens, who would have offered, still according to ESPN, 8.8 millions for 2 years to Brendan Shanahan with a team options for the 2008-09 NHL season. ESPN also told at the end of the report that the Montreal Canadiens should hold a press conference soon, announcing the signature of the veteran Shanahan. It makes sense. 4.4 per year is pretty good for a 40 goals scorer. I'd definitely sign Shanahan for this much. He'd bring another dimension to our offense. Shanahan to MTL?

I'd sign him. Hopefully he really changed his attitude, because he's a good hockey player when he puts his mind to it. I don't think we have anything to lose, and if it doesn't work out, we still have guys like Pleky or Ribs that can replace him on a 2nd line.