MCeh

Thx a billion for the effort. You're definitely putting at ease any habs fan who's been antsy for news.

The same was said on the Team 990 (Mtl.) radio broadcast at about lunchtime EST.

I got a forward of a forward of a forward of a forward, etc., in the inbox recently. Here's the text: Little David was in his 5th grade class when the teacher asked the children what their fathers did for a living. All the typical answers came up, doctor, fireman, policeman, salesman, etc. David was being uncharacteristically quiet and so the teacher asked him about his father. "My father's an exotic dancer in a gay bar and takes off all his clothes in front of other men. Sometimes, if the offer's really good, he'll go out to the alley with some guy and make love with him for money." The teacher, obviously shaken by this statement, hurriedly set the other children to work on some coloring, and took little David aside to ask him, "Is that really true about your father?" "No," said David. "He plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but I was too embarrassed to say that in front of the other kids." (source unstated)

... that would be Ribeiro, actually. It wouldn't hurt for both to beef up. Neither one is Koivu.

Last night I dreamt our Habs -- with Aebi at the cage -- lost 5-3 against Ottawa. The first OTT goal was let in on a softy from our defensive corner, along the goal line. Pure buzzkill. Let me be ESP challenged.

Bulis'll be inserted into the lineup in Zed's place... BG's finally taken action re: his (and my) impatience with the duckfoot'd skating, one-hand-on-his-stick, underachieving Slovak. But Bulis will not be playing on the 2nd line -- rather Garth Murray's been rewarded with the open slot. RDS.ca link: http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/201636.html Was it with Juneau and Sundstrom that Bulis played on a successfully defensive, smothering line? If he can get back to doing that on the 3rd or 4th BG may just provide him the ice presence he wants. Then it'll be up to Jan to reassert his offensive worth. I'd like to see him pull it off...

FYI: Cristo[-wall] has matched José Théodore's 2001-02 benchmark save % of 0.931. May he stay at that level until/exceed it by the regular season's end.

The Rangers and Sens would be challenges. The Canes are a 90% probability would-be spanking. More personally, I remember being in my car in the Spring of '02, my ears witnessing the Podunk Hurricanes eliminate the Habs in the 2nd round. It would be great to get some measure of vengeance, but... Let's finish 6th in the East to increase the likelyhood of vs. Rangers in the 1st round. Let a Cinderella hopeful - other than les Canadiens - knock out the Canes. *fingers crossed* ... *fingers the Leafs* 'D

I live in Québec where TSN's sister affiliate RDS has an exclusive contract to broadcast Canadiens games. While I agree the CBC ought to televise more than Leafs occurrences, even having that intent might conflict with other, more regional NHL televising rights in VAN, CGY, EDM. SportsNet has the rights to a good number, but not all, of the Senators' games. Meh... signed the petition anyway! More 'cuz I miss the days of old, when the CBC did seem more national. It wouldn't hurt to have it back.

The fact that Tampa's been playing horribly as of late is precisely reason for the Habs not to get complacent.. we've all seen 'em lose games they were supposed to have in their pocket. ... + Lecavalier playing against Mtl., in Montreal, gets him thinking he just ate a mushroom powerup (just like the Leafs). There'll be a wave of adrenaline-injected offence that Huet and the boys can't succomb to. Plekanec et al need to provide the smothering coverage we saw against the NY Czechs. The Habs need to score first to "buzz kill".

Compiled more extensively, and delineating all types (legend @ the bottom of page) of free agents: Headache for dream shoppers really... http://www.geocities.com/floridapanthers2000/free2006.html

Given BG's inaction to acquire another player (besides Todd Simpson) with the freed cap space, here's a list of potential UFA's for the speculators of the '06-'07 season. http://www.hockeytraderumors.com/article5580.html Some of the players are evidently off the list now, namely the popular Jokinen.