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Minnesota @ Montreal: 7PM EST (TVA, CityTV)


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We could be looking at a boring one folks!

The Minnesota Wild are struggling to score.

The Montreal Canadiens... are struggling to score.

Rookie Jason Zucker has five goals for Minnesota, which leads the team. Parise has four, Neiterider has four, Pom has three... and everyone else has only one or two goals.

For Montreal, they have two five goal scorers in Pacioretty and Plekanec while Galchenyuk has four and Subban, Parenteau and Gallagher have three. Falls after that. Montreal has 10 players with a goose egg for goals.

Oh yeah, Minnesota also has a worse Powerplay! 5.3% compared to our 7.9%! Their PK is a little better (86% to 84%) but both are pretty strong.

This will either be a game where one team breaks out of a slump or both break out of a slump or the more likely result? We will be enjoying (ha) a 2-1 shootout again.

Minnesota

Vanek - Granlund - Pominville

Coyle - Koivu - Zucker

Fontaine - Brodziak - Neitereider

Carter - Haula - Veilleux

Suter - Brodin

Scandella - Folin

Ballard - Dumba

Kuemper

Backstrom

Montreal

Galchenyuk - Plekanec - Parenteau

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher

Prust - Eller - Sekac

Moen - Malhotra - Weise

Markov - Subban

Emelin - Gilbert

Beaulieu - Weaver

Price

Tokarski

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Who gets their jersey retired next?

As I've mentioned before, I am lukewarm about Pointu's sweater being retired on the grounds that only the very best, all-time greatest players should receive this honour in Montreal. Lapointe was not even the greatest Montreal Canadiens defenceman of his era (Big Bird and The Senator rank ahead), let alone an all-time great D-man in the league. That said, Lapointe was a top-10 defenceman of his generation, a multiple Cup winner and part of the Big Three, so I'm not going to the wall attacking this decision.

But these observations set up my next point, which is: there's nobody else who deserves their number retired. The only all-time great player since 1980 was Roy, and #33 is already rightly hanging in the rafters. The question is whether the Habs will be able to resist the temptation of sentimental, celebratory ceremonies. That they've stooped to retiring the jerseys of "merely really good" players suggests they won't. What we'll hear pretty soon is that "the next generation" of Habs' fans deserves their retirement ceremonies too. Hello, Koivu.

Given that corporate sponsor logos will soon be desecrating the once-sacred Habs' jersey, perhaps this degeneration of the currency is appropriate anyway.

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But these observations set up my next point, which is: there's nobody else who deserves their number retired.

This is wrong because everyone, including the Canadiens, has forgot to retire Toe Blake's #6. The fact they are ensuring everyone in The Big Three is retired before completing the Punch Line is a bit odd to me.

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#79 maybe, if he makes it to 1,000games as a Hab I would guess a good bet?

I think he could be considered if he helps bring a cup to Montreal. I feel like that should almost be a minimum requirement.

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I think he could be considered if he helps bring a cup to Montreal. I feel like that should almost be a minimum requirement.

For Montreal? Absolutely.

I always call Vincent Damphousse the gatekeeper of the HHOF. He's a guy who had a fantastic career, great statistics, great accomplishments and a Cup ring being one of the best players on that Cup winning team. But that's not enough to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Damphousse could be the same for the Habs retirement. While I hate it when guys wear #25 on the Habs, truth be told he didn't have a good enough career to be retired in Montreal despite a ring, being a captain and putting up great numbers. Koivu is behind him, Naslund is behind him, Markov is behind him, Richer is behind him, pretty much the only Hab that played during or after Damphousse ahead of him has his number in the rafters: Roy. Had Chelios stayed a Canadien he might be up there, but the same could be said for Rod Langway.

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As I've mentioned before, I am lukewarm about Pointu's sweater being retired on the grounds that only the very best, all-time greatest players should receive this honour in Montreal. Lapointe was not even the greatest Montreal Canadiens defenceman of his era (Big Bird and The Senator rank ahead), let alone an all-time great D-man in the league. That said, Lapointe was a top-10 defenceman of his generation, a multiple Cup winner and part of the Big Three, so I'm not going to the wall attacking this decision.

But these observations set up my next point, which is: there's nobody else who deserves their number retired. The only all-time great player since 1980 was Roy, and #33 is already rightly hanging in the rafters. The question is whether the Habs will be able to resist the temptation of sentimental, celebratory ceremonies. That they've stooped to retiring the jerseys of "merely really good" players suggests they won't. What we'll hear pretty soon is that "the next generation" of Habs' fans deserves their retirement ceremonies too. Hello, Koivu.

Given that corporate sponsor logos will soon be desecrating the once-sacred Habs' jersey, perhaps this degeneration of the currency is appropriate anyway.

very well said

Lets hope the real PK Subban shows up to honor Guy Lapointe tonight! 1 goal and 3 assists would suffice

subbans only hat trick came against the wild.

For Montreal? Absolutely.

I always call Vincent Damphousse the gatekeeper of the HHOF. He's a guy who had a fantastic career, great statistics, great accomplishments and a Cup ring being one of the best players on that Cup winning team. But that's not enough to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Damphousse could be the same for the Habs retirement. While I hate it when guys wear #25 on the Habs, truth be told he didn't have a good enough career to be retired in Montreal despite a ring, being a captain and putting up great numbers. Koivu is behind him, Naslund is behind him, Markov is behind him, Richer is behind him, pretty much the only Hab that played during or after Damphousse ahead of him has his number in the rafters: Roy. Had Chelios stayed a Canadien he might be up there, but the same could be said for Rod Langway.

if 25 was retired it would be for lamaire

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Interesting perspective, Machine. There is no WAY Damphousse should have his jersey retired in my book. No way at all. He was a fine player, but not a "great" player on any definition of that term.

I'd rank Koivu ahead of him, not because Koivu was a better hockey player than Damphousse, but because he was THE defining player for an entire generation of Montreal Canadiens and because he meant so much to so many Habs' fans over that span. With that said, I am adamant that Koivu also should not have his number retired.

We have to remember that we are not talking about the Vancouver Canucks here, where Stan Smyl gets retired. We are talking about one of the greatest organizations in the history of pro sports. Among the criteria should be these:

1. At least one Stanley Cup, preferably more. And the player should have played a key role in winning that Cup.

2. Playing many years - preferably the bulk of their career - in the CH. That leaves out guys like Chelios.

3. Being a defining player of their generation; not simply for the Habs, but for the entire league. One indication of this is having been awarded multiple high-prestige awards and league recognitions: e.g., repeated all-star team berths, Hart, Norris, Vezina, Conn Smythe trophies, etc.. A more amorphous aspect of this is a player's having crucially re-defined their position, which is where Plante and Gainey really shine.

By these criteria, I'd evaluate our existing retired jerseys as follows:

No brainers, fully-justified jersey retirements:

Jacques Plante

Doug Harvey

Jean Beliveau

Howie Morenz

Maurice Richard

Guy Lafleur

Henri Richard

Boom-Boom Geoffrion

Larry Robinson

Ken Dryden

Patrick Roy

Every one of these is a legendary player whose name sends a certain awed tingle down the spine. That's a less scientific, but equally valid measurement!

Tougher cases but probably deserving:

Serge Savard (Conn Smythe, prestigious captain, one [!] all-star berth, multiple Cups, highly successful GM)

Bob Gainey (re-defined the concept of 'defensive forward,' multiple Selke winner, multiple Cups, 5-time all-star, Conn Smythe, prestigious captain, eventual respected GM)

Borderline cases who probably wouldn't have made it if our standards had not dropped for marketing and sentimental reasons:

Dickie Moore (three all-star berths, two Art Rosses, multiple Cups; I could see bumping him up into the "tougher cases" category above)

Yvon Cournoyer (Conn Smythe, multiple Cups, captain for a relatively brief span; he seems to have had few all-star berths, but I can't confirm this)

Emile Bouchard (four all-star births, multiple Cups, prestigious captain)

Guy Lapointe (four-time all-star, multiple Cups)

Plausible future candidates:

PK Subban (he will need at least one Cup, preferably another Norris, and repeated all-star berths)

Carey Price (at least one Cup and at least one Vezina needed)

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We could be looking at a boring one folks!

The Minnesota Wild are struggling to score.

The Montreal Canadiens... are struggling to score.

Rookie Jason Zucker has five goals for Minnesota, which leads the team. Parise has four, Neiterider has four, Pom has three... and everyone else has only one or two goals.

For Montreal, they have two five goal scorers in Pacioretty and Plekanec while Galchenyuk has four and Subban, Parenteau and Gallagher have three. Falls after that. Montreal has 10 players with a goose egg for goals.

Oh yeah, Minnesota also has a worse Powerplay! 5.3% compared to our 7.9%! Their PK is a little better (86% to 84%) but both are pretty strong.

This will either be a game where one team breaks out of a slump or both break out of a slump or the more likely result? We will be enjoying (ha) a 2-1 shootout again.

Minnesota

Vanek - Granlund - Pominville

Coyle - Koivu - Zucker

Fontaine - Brodziak - Neitereider

Carter - Haula - Veilleux

Suter - Brodin

Scandella - Folin

Ballard - Dumba

Kuemper

Backstrom

Montreal

Galchenyuk - Plekanec - Parenteau

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Gallagher

Prust - Eller - Sekac

Moen - Malhotra - Weise

Markov - Subban

Emelin - Gilbert

Beaulieu - Weaver

Price

Tokarski

at this point what i am hoping to see a great hockey game. win, lose or draw.

pens jets game the other night was like nothing the habs have been involved in since the bruins series in may.

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Toe Blake should have his number retired but it is probably too late now. Well let's go kick Vanek and the rest of those Minny wild guys right in the a$$.

Time to break out of the doldrums. Good games for Habs. Let's make it happen.

:gohabsgo: :gohabsgo: :gohabsgo:

Oh and the forking refs be with us for a change.

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We could be looking at a boring one folks!

The Minnesota Wild are struggling to score.

The Montreal Canadiens... are struggling to score.

Oh yeah, Minnesota also has a worse Powerplay! 5.3% compared to our 7.9%! Their PK is a little better (86% to 84%) but both are pretty strong.

7-4 Habs win. Book it.

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Drayson Bowman has been recalled but isn't expected to play tonight.

Interesting-- with Bourque sitting on bench - coverage if somebody catchs flu? If it is just coverage, why not a defenseman; why a second forward--- unless you don't want to play Bourque---- conspiracy

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Beautiful to see the great Guy Lapointe with tears flowing slipping into history.


Beautiful to see the great Guy Lapointe with tears flowing slipping into history.

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Beautiful to see the great Guy Lapointe with tears flowing slipping into history.

Toe Blake should have his number retired but it is probably too late now. Well let's go kick Vanek and the rest of those Minny wild guys right in the a$$.

Time to break out of the doldrums. Good games for Habs. Let's make it happen.

:gohabsgo: :gohabsgo: :gohabsgo:

Oh and the forking refs be with us for a change.

I read a good article reviewing how the confidence we picked up on the latter part and playoffs of last year morphed with a young team into arrogance this year. We do have a good team here and we will get it going. It's not like we're Toronna after all.

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