dlbalr

Kaleta a healthy scratch as well for the Sabres, a little less dirtiness to deal with. Sounds like a lower body injury for Spacek, he'll be a game-time decision.

Darche will play, Eller will sit as I predicted at the bottom of the GDT. No real surprise though. Also, HW's preview: HW's preview: http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2383

I wasn't reading into the who was called up element but rather the why part of it. Still a good point to make though. I kind of wonder if Henry would have been better here, assuming they could qualify it as an emergency callup. He played with Subban last year so they have some chemistry. We'll see soon I'm sure if Spacek missed practice for precautionary reasons or if he's actually hurt (I'm not lending any credence to the speculation he's been traded).

Well, since you said it, Dumont was the player I was hinting at. Halpern doesn't make a lot of sense either side, the Habs need him as their faceoff/PK specialist and the Preds are alright down the middle with O'Reilly due back fairly soon. Kostitsyn for Dumont smells more like the deal Nashville would want, with the Habs taking a risk that Dumont's struggles are due to having just an off year and that he isn't finished.

Now we know why Nash is up, Spacek isn't on the ice at the morning skate.

Brendon Nash recalled...okee dokee.

<p align="center"> <img border="0" src="http://img.allvoices.com/thumbs/event/609/480/64488230-montreal-canadiens.jpg" width="493" height="378"><br> </p> <table align="center"> <tr> <td align="center" width="250"> <img src="http://www.jerseydatabase.com/jerseys/fronts/0/0/87.png" border="0" width="158" height="131"> <p>26-22-6, 3rd Northeast</td> <td align="center" width="250"> <img src="http://www.jerseydatabase.com/jerseys/fronts/0/0/69.png" border="0" width="158" height="131"><p> 30-20-5, 2nd Northeast</td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="500"> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000080"><font color="#FFFFFF"><b>Projected Lines:</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="250"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center">Vanek - Hecht - Pominville</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Ennis - Connolly - Stafford</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Gerbe - McCormick - Byron</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Niedermayer - Gaustad - Grier</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Myers - Sekera</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Butler - Leopold</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Morrisonn - Weber</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Enroth</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p align="center">Lalime</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><i>Scratches:</i> Rivet, Ellis, Kaleta, Miller</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><i>Injuries:</i> Roy, Montador</td> </tr> </table> </td> <td align="center" width="250"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center">Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gionta </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Moen - Gomez - Kostitsyn</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Pouliot - Desharnais - White</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Darche - Halpern - Pyatt</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Hamrlik - Wisniewski</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Nash* - Subban</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Picard - Weber</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">Auld</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p align="center">Price</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><i>Scratches:</i> Eller</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center"><i>Injuries:</i> Spacek*, Gill, Cammalleri, Markov, Gorges</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000080"><font color="#FFFFFF"><b>Scoring Leaders:</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"><b>Goals:</b> Drew Stafford (23)</td> <td width="34%" align="center"><b>Goals: </b>Brian Gionta (21)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" bgcolor="#EAEAEA"><b>Assists:</b> Thomas Vanek (26)</td> <td width="34%" align="center" bgcolor="#EAEAEA"><b>Assists: </b>James Wisniewski (31)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"><b>Points:</b> Thomas Vanek (48)</td> <td width="34%" align="center"><b>Points: </b>Tomas Plekanec (45)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" bgcolor="#EAEAEA"><b>+/-:</b> Mike Weber (+12)</td> <td width="34%" align="center" bgcolor="#EAEAEA"><b>+/-: </b>Tomas Plekanec (+13)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"><b>PIMS: </b>Cody McCormick (114)</td> <td width="34%" align="center"><b>PIMS: </b>P.K. Subban (86)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#000080"><font color="#FFFFFF"><b> Game Info:</b></font></td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="500"> <tr> <td width="186"><b>Puck Drop:</b> 7:30 PM EST</td> <td width="155"><b>TV: </b>RDS, TSN-Alt</td> <td width="155"><b>Radio:</b> <a target="_blank" href="http://cjad.player.amri.ca/">CJAD</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ckac.com/webradio/">CKAC</a></td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="500"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080"><font color="#FFFFFF"><b> Last Meeting:</b></font></td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="500"> <tr> <td width="186"><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="490" height="306" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/83colBV7AVA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></td> </tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#111111" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="500"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#000080"><font color="#FFFFFF"><b>Other Notes:</b></font></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center">Darche will be a game-time decision. If he plays, I'm guessing Eller comes out but I frankly don't know. Enroth is the confirmed starter for Buffalo, no Miller tonight who apparently is merely a healthy scratch and will play tomorrow.</td> </tr> </table>

The key in dealing with Nashville is trying to find similar salaries to work with here. They're a team often towards the floor cap wise and just made their 'big splash' last week acquiring Fisher. Gomez is not really an option for them, unless the Habs take back Legwand and his bad deal, and probably one other one as well - thing is, the two bad deals combined provide greater value than Gomez would so there's probably no fit there since the Preds aren't selling. As for Franson, I like him as well. Nashville has the D prospects as noted above and could use a guy like Kostitsyn, particularly with Sullivan being a pending UFA and the uncertainty over Lombardi. However, the salaries aren't even close which means they may not bite straight up. In fact, the Preds have 6 forwards making $3+ million already for next season, Kostitsyn (and his $3.25 M QO) would be a 7th. If they could move one of those back in the trade, then I think there could be a deal to work with here. I'm holding off on saying the name I have in mind as I'll be mentioning him on Saturday on the site in Part 2 of my Trade Deadline preview (Part 1 is tomorrow for those wondering). That all said, if the Preds get the indication that Weber won't be affordable beyond this season (pending RFA with arbitration), Franson may almost become an untouchable since he's still young and part of their core.

A shocker, the Flyers add a forward under 6'2, as they acquire Kris Versteeg from Toronto. The Leafs get 1st and 3rd round picks in return. Not as big a shocker, Forsberg's comeback didn't last too long, he retired today. Wonder what he injured this time.

If you're debating between the 2, do note the cap hit difference (you had to know I was going to chime in there). O'Brien makes $1.6 mil, Sulzer $650k. If the Habs are trying to get an impact forward, they may not be able to afford O'Brien...or any other D making around $1.5 million.

I'd imagine Eller may get this game off. With the Habs headed out West after this one, I expect White to stay up for another week or so but barring some miracle performances, he'll be back in Hamilton soon enough. They need to keep White in to evaluate whether he's ready or not though, a pair of 2-game sample sizes (1 terrible, 1 good) aren't enough to determine that.

Gill out for tomorrow vs Buffalo, Cammalleri on pace to return Sunday in Calgary (just as I figured, wasn't hard to guess really).

Good news for Pacioretty, he will be good to go for tomorrow.

You're absolutely right. Still, it's at least something to talk about.

I'm really hoping that Gauthier makes a deal or two for the Bulldogs sake since I expect them to lose another regular via trade to bring in some NHL help. Can't see Weber being sent down either considering he's a regular and Picard isn't, I'd imagine they'd waive Picard for cap reasons if they had to or just keep him up as the #8 as there are no roster limits after the 28th.

Habs are sending scouts to Nashville all week to apparently look at a d-man. The articles below speculate the names of Alex Sulzer and Shane O'Brien...and it's not from Eklund even. http://www.examiner....-home-this-week http://www.examiner.com/montreal-canadiens-in-montreal/habs-looking-to-land-a-predator

What has gotten into the Islanders? (And I don't mean the penalties this time.) After 'only' scoring 3 against the Habs (plus getting the shootout win), they've scored 16 goals in their last 2 games, 9 against the Pens in the slugfest and 7 more today against Buffalo. For a team missing a huge chunk of their better players, this is really quite impressive.

Godard got the automatic 10, Gillies 9, Martin 4. I think Martin's needed to be closer to that of Gillies and Godard but 9 for Gillies is respectable at least.

I caught parts of the Friday game, I was impressed with his skating considering his size. He's not fast, but he's not Hal Gill either. He also had the hit of the night late in the 3rd. Tinordi is once again on Sportsnet today, in a couple of hours at 2 PM, taking on Guelph. The game is available on Sportsnets East, Ontario, West, and Pacific.

Apparently he didn't have a sling on his shoulder and wasn't in any visible pain as he left the arena according to some of the beat reporters. He was held out as a precaution so I'm somewhat optimistic he'll be good to go for Tuesday.

A quick version of the 3 Stars are up, had to hurry tonight. http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2381

Don't take anything away from Gomez based on tonight's game, he had a pretty solid effort as well. Desharnais has looked quite good lately though, that's for sure.

They say it for every game that it exists, Leafs or not. Plus, if you don't believe in that jinx (I don't for one), it's not a big deal. Solid game overall, bit of a snoozer though.

Bulldogs actually did tie the game (a Carle shot) but it was waved off as the ref (the wonderful Jamie Koharski) didn't see it go in. There's no video review in the AHL, so another bad break for Hamilton.

Hamilton gets a late PP (after Mayer nearly got in a fight) but can't cash. 3-2 final, losing streak now sits at a season long 4 games. http://theahl.com/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1008112