dlbalr

Yay...an actual semi-competent backup. He really has bounced around this year, this is the 6th team he has signed with.

The good news? It's the final game of this insane road trip. The bad news? The schedule makers saved the toughest matchup for last as Hamilton takes on conference-leading Oklahoma City. The biggest mystery is who will back up Peter Delmas as he's the only healthy goalie on the team at the moment. Active scoring leaders: Goals: Andreas Engqvist (19) Assists: Brian Willsie (24) Points: Brian Willsie (40) +/-: Henry/Todd (+3) PIMS: Zack FitzGerald (235) Active scoring leaders: Goals: Phillipe Cornet (24) Assists: Ryan Keller (28) Points: Ryan Keller (47) +/-: Ryan Keller (+22) PIMS: Triston Grant (134) Puck drop is at 8:00 PM EST and can be listened to by clicking this link: http://cham.player.amri.ca/

Just so it's out there, both callups were termed as emergency leaving the Habs with one 'free' recall between now and Saturday.

Not only is he an awful skater as Commandant noted, you want to steal another defenceman from a team literally missing 4 regulars on the blueline as it is? That would be more classless in my books as you're dealing an unnecessary blow to Hamilton.

Please don't copy/paste full articles. From our side, we expect that other sites/boards will quote a few paragraphs and link the rest so we try to enforce the same standard here.

Lawson's only DTD and on the trip so I'm guessing he'll dress tonight while they look for a more realistic solution (or that DiPronio again) once they get back.

It's an undeserved recall, that's for sure. I'm hoping the logic was to hurt Hamilton as least as possible with that decision. Mayer up too, that should force Delmas in tonight.

Nokelainen may be a no-go tomorrow which, if White doesn't return, could force a call up. (And as much as certain members of the French speaking media want it to be Dumont, it really, really shouldn't be.) Of course, they could dress 7/11 again if Kaberle is good to go. I'm hoping the Habs wait until after the Hamilton game tonight to call up Mayer (for those who don't follow the Bulldog game threads on here, Lawson is injured).

Jokinen has 6 career NHL playoff games, Kaberle has 102. I know the point you're trying to make but I wouldn't use playoff games as evidence for that argument.

The team has said they haven't shut him down yet... (but if there's any sort of lingering headache, he almost has to).

Early indications are that Gallagher will not report to the Bulldogs this season.

As much as this will cause a groan from some, Ben Maxwell was also taken that draft and has some NHL experience.

If that means Delmas starts tomorrow, yippee. If they really don't want to use Delmas, then they'll have to start Mayer tomorrow as they can't get a backup for Hamilton before then. ECHL teams aren't going to be willing to loan guys out with their playoffs set to start, it wouldn't surprise me to see that part time coach/part time beer league goalie (DiPronio I think) wind up being the backup. They won't be able to get him to OKC in time for tomorrow meaning Mayer would at least have to dress tomorrow. I can't see the Habs starting him (they'll ride Budaj down the stretch) so jet lag isn't as big a concern.

That would be the logical way to do it since getting a backup goalie right now may be a bit of a challenge for Hamilton.

If true, that means we may see Mayer get called up. I feel better about Hamilton's playoff chances already...

Not necessarily. He took last night's loss really hard, I suspect the team would give him a day or two for that. If the Habs do bring him into Hamilton, it would make sense to have him ready for the next home game (tomorrow is the last game on the trip).

With him already signed for next year, I wonder if the Habs will look to get him on an ATO and get him to Hamilton now.

Last one of the year, two options to choose from: http://www.habsworld...cle.php?id=2769 A big thanks to Del Johnson for the great work he did with these this season.

After reading your previous post (below) which insinuated that you felt that Savard did great and Bob destroyed it, I find that a little surprising...

As weird and backwards as it is for a rebuilding team, I'm hoping Kaberle, Moen, and Darche (plus White with the flu) are all ready to come back for the next game to allow them to send St-Denis (non-emerg. recall) and probably Geoffrion down. That would give them another bit of a boost with the others following after the Toronto game.

It's amazing how some forget how bad of shape the Habs were in both on and off the ice before Gainey took over. Yes, Gainey made some personnel blunders along the way but I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the day he stepped down a couple years ago Montreal was in much, much better shape than the day he had his introductory press conference. It saddens me to see people forgetting this as they drag him through the mud.

I've been doing a little digging on Nill. He cannot, under any circumstances, jump ship at this time which a few on here had correctly thought to be the case. According to some, he has a clause where he could leave after the 2013-14 season while others say his non-competition clause lasts through 2015-16. The Wings quietly have denied overtures from at least two other NHL teams (believed to be Toronto and Minnesota) in past years to even interview him for their then-vacant GM positions.

Willsie had the tying goal in the 3rd and the OT winner. Schultz was also back for this one, nice to see them starting to get a little healthier. Hamilton is now only 5 points out but that's to 8th place, no longer is there a 4-way tie 6th through 9th. I'd have to think to have any sort of shot, they're going to have to win out although they'll have some key head to head matchups (1 against 8th place Rochester and 2 against Grand Rapids, a team just a single point up on them in the standings).

1-1 midway through the 1st. Lefebvre got the equalizer after Mayer let one in on the second shift of the game. Henry got an assist on the goal snapping an 18 game pointless streak while the goal was Lefebvre's first tally in 22.

Warmups have started albeit 30 minutes after scheduled puck drop. Looks like they might get this in.