habsguy26

What a shame. Looks like a great hockey city will be leaving the NHL soon. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=407598

@hf101 The entire first line played for Montreal last season. Brenden Gallagher appears to be the only NHL ready prospect, but lock out or not, the Habs want him to have atleast 1 year of pro experience due to his small frame. I don't think so. The have an AHL all star goalie in Desjardins, WHL 50 goal scorer Gallagher, Holland who amassed 100+ points in the WHL, Bournival, Ellis, and Beaulieu have won the Memorial cup in the last 2 years and Tinordi is an absolute BEAST! The only thing this team really lacks is veteran leadership which may hurt them in the long run but every where else, the team is absolutely stacked. Last year was disappointing for the Dogs', yes, but last year they didn't have good depth, and now they are being called "too deep"...

The Montreal Canadiens’ organization will be competing for a Cup during the 2012-2013 season. Am I a crazy “homer” of a Habs fan? Have I been drinking the Kool-Aid on the Brandon Prust and Francis Bouillon signings? No, I’ve been pretty straightforward with my expectation of another potentially difficult and long season in Montreal, barring a succession of 2-3 significant trades (unlikely.) However, that won’t deprive Habs fans of following what looks to be a promising and highly intriguing playoff drive next Spring. Your 2012-13 Hamilton Bulldogs – the Habs’ AHL affiliate – are absolutely stacked. Combine a high-profile incoming class with the likes of Brendan Gallagher, Jarred Tinordi, and Nathan Beaulieu with some established AHL stars such as Aaron Palushaj, Blake Geoffrion, and Frederic St. Denis, and you have the recipe for the best American Hockey League team the organization has iced since their last Carey Price-led Calder Cup conquest in 2007. While there is much to be decided during this Fall’s training camp (assuming the CBA issues are resolved on time for an October start), we do have a picture of – as of today – the players who will make up the Bulldogs’ roster. NHL teams cannot carry more than 23 healthy players, and barring injuries, the Canadiens already have 13 forwards, eight defensemen (once P.K. Subban is signed), and two goaltenders on one-way deals. That’s not to say that a Petteri Nokelainen couldn’t be waived and sent down if beaten for a roster spot, but it’s unlikely out of the gate, meaning we’re looking at something like the following in Hamilton barring spots created by Marc Bergevin moves: Blake Geoffrion – Louis Leblanc – Aaron Palushaj Patrick Holland – Joonas Nattinen – Brendan Gallagher Alexander Avtsin – Michael Bournival – Steve Quailer Ian Schultz – Gabriel Dumont – Mike Blunden Jarred Tinordi - Frederic St. Denis Brendon Nash - Morgan Ellis Greg Pateryn – Nathan Beaulieu Cedric Desjardins Robert Mayer The top trio centered by Louis Leblanc was utterly dominant when together in short spurts last season. Ideally, Leblanc would line up at right wing, where he projects in the NHL, but the club both lacks scoring depth at the center position and has an abundance of right wingers already, so it’s likely he fills this role when not in Montreal. And before anyone asks in the comments, no I don’t expect him to swap places with Scott Gomez. Blake Geoffrion is in a final season of not needing to clear waivers to be sent down, while Aaron Palushaj will need to be passed over by all 29 other clubs to join the ‘Dogs, but I do believe that to be possible. Both make little enough money once in Hamilton to not require waivers to be called back up to the Canadiens. Coach Sylvain Lefebvre may choose to sprinkle these known quantities throughout his lineup, but alternatively, keeping them together would give him a line he can depend on, meaning he wouldn’t have to rely on rookies for production at all times. Joonas Nattinen will get a chance to improve on an inconsistent rookie season, but one which showed promise as he adapted to the North American game, also using his 6-foot-2 frame to make room for smaller wingers. On his wings, Patrick Holland may be a quality set-up man for sniper Brendan Gallagher, with Holland’s set-up game looking easier to translate to the left side from his natural right than Gallagher’s to me. A third scoring unit has Michael Bournival between two big bodies in Alexander Avtsin and Steve Quailer. For Avtsin, this season may be a final chance to prove that he can consistently play in an offensive role in a professional league, or else his fate may include a return to his native Russia. Quailer’s size and physicality should work nicely with Bournival’s grind-and-cycle style game. Don’t consider that “fourth line” a true bottom trio, as there will undoubtedly by games and situations where they play more than either the second or third lines. Part energy line, part shutdown unit, the experience and physicality of all three of Ian Schultz, Gabriel Dumont, and Mike Blunden are what truly cements the ‘Dogs as a serious threat for a championship drive, beyond the skill players and exciting rookies on the roster. Another key improvement over last year’s Bulldogs is the depth this team has. If injuries or call-ups should take their course – which they will at some point – the club can still count on Alain Berger (likely to battle hard for a top 12 job in training camp) and Philippe Lefebvre (likely to start with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers) before having to dip into tryouts and others who may be signed to AHL contracts. On defense last year, the ‘Dogs were a patchwork group of career AHL’er types. While the team may miss the experience of Alex Henry, Garrett Stafford, and Joe Callahan at times this coming season, they’ve upped both the skill quotient and depth considerably. While it’s possible Jarred Tinordi will require the same time and adjustment period as he did in transitioning to the OHL, he is a natural to pair with a veteran like Frederic St. Denis as a shutdown duo, even if it means sticking two lefties together. Many see Morgan Ellis as one of the more complete, NHL-ready defensive prospects on the team, so playing him with a veteran as well – in this case Brendon Nash - might help fast-track his transition to the pro game. There is a lot to like about the skill and skating of Nathan Beaulieu, but he also has clear areas where his game needs improvement. His defensive prowess, mental game, and maturity have all been called into question at times, so I’d see him starting on a bottom duo, while getting plenty of extra work on the top powerplay unit. This will take the pressure off, as he has been known to also try to do too much at times, while he works closely with staff like Sylvain Lefebvre and Patrice Brisebois to make the leap on and off the ice. Competition for Beaulieu’s partner will be between Greg Pateryn, Joe Stejskal, and Kyle Hagel. Hagel may dress as a 7th defenseman at times in place of a forward due to his talents as a pugilist, something generally required more frequently in the AHL than in the NHL. The organization has been pretty honest about its “empty” goaltending pipeline, with neither Robert Mayer or Peter Delmas projecting as future NHL’ers. Repatriating Cedric Desjardins serves as a fine starter fill-in for Nathan Lawson who struggled with injury issues much of last year. Desjardins had his best two seasons wearing Bulldog colours back in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and is coming off a year with even better numbers, posting a sparkling .932 save percentage and 2.11 goals against average for the Lake Erie Monsters. All in all, this group should easily be on par with any other team in the American Hockey League. It has everything one could want, with a mix of veterans and rookies, skill and grit, and offense and defense. During the regular season, Bulldog and Hab fans will have to hope for fewer injuries than a year ago to avoid decimating the roster, but a bit of good news is that further reinforcements could join the club come playoff time. Assuming that either (or both) of Danny Kristo and/or Alex Galchenyuk‘s college and junior seasons respectively come to an end before Hamilton’s, they would be eligible to join the ‘Dogs on Amateur Tryout Agreements for the stretch run. That added scoring should be sufficient to put this team over the top and make them favourites to bring a Cup to the Canadiens’ organization in 2013.

Great piece by Hindle and I agree 100%.

Price had those exact numbers when I just won the cup again, glad I didn't trade him! Although I think I will need to this year, Malcom Subban is too good to be my back up again. Canuck goalie situation ftw!

@Podein25 LOL Good ol' Defoy :') Price's trading value is actually very high, but no one will take him because they aren't willing to trade away a top 2 defender. It sucks. Subban is only top 4.

@Podein25 @PHI Flyers10 Price is 90 overall, wins 40 games a year but his save % is around .905% and GAA is 2.98 or something, its stupid... Malcom Subban is 86 overall in 2019, He is ready to take over the reins from Price, but, I want a top 2 defender from someone and no one is on the trading block. It is seriously almost impossible to acquire anyone who isn't on the trading block.

LOL, this is true. But its really stupid. Offense: 5 stars. Defence: 5 stars. Goaltending: 5 stars. I ended up finishing 9th. 9th. I was the best ''overall'' team in the NHL and I finished 9th. In a tie with Buffalo who lost 20 games in OT. I have been trying to trade Price because I have Malcom Subban coming up, but I can't get what I want for him. That being a top 2 D man. Trading is SO much harder in this instalment, not sure if I like it or hate it...

My team is 5 stars in every category but still manage to come in 8th...

He stinks like poo in the CHL. Maybe he will transition well into the pros, but I also remember him winning a gold medal. He's not a bust until the bitter end my friend!

Left the Roster untouched eh? Interesting.The Blues are beastly in my GM mode.

Just won the cup! Mackinnon is the Smythe Winner with 26 points, I beat Dallas in 7 games. Dallas was an awesome regular season team, 60-20-2, Jack Campbell is a beast!

That is where I got the idea of tanking the first season! I like him

My Habs lines in 2017 Be a GM. Mackinnon(85) - Galchenyuk(87) - Kessel(87) Dominik Volek (84) - Sam Reinhart(85) - Tyler Toffoli (82) McGinn(80) - Aaron Zafiris (82) - Steve Downie (80) Prust (76) - Talbot (78) - Gallagher (78) Josh Morrissey(89) - Subban (86) M.Staal(84) - Nathan Beaulieu (83) Jarrod Tinordi(78) - Peter Hermengeildo (81) Price (90) Fred Anderson (81) Year 1, I traded away pretty much all of our vets for prospects and draft picks and the team has evolved from there. Took Mackinnion 1st overall (with my original draft pick, purposely went 19-51-12... ouch!) Morrissey (if available) is a must draft. He is in the 2013 class and by 2017 he is an 89 overall OFD and has won the Norris for 2 straight years.

Great Work.

Subban is pretty close to signing a 3 year deal with Montreal.

Hey guys, just a little blog here to get you into the hockey mood! If you love trivia then this one is for you! Just something to keep your eyes happy! 1) Who were the first three Canadiens to score 500 career goals? 2) Who leads the Habs in career playoff games played? 3) I was the first European captain for Montreal. 4) I am 4th in team wins as a goalie. 5) I was drafted 10th overall and traded for a 2nd round pick 9 years later. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 NHL Questions 1) Who will win the Labour wars? Bettman or Fehr? 2) Bruins signing Seguin and Marchand to multi-year contracts. Love it or hate it? 3) Who will be the Flyer's next captain? 4) Sidney Crosby will score ___ points next season. 5) NHL in Seattle? Yay or nay? 6) _______ will lead next season with __ fighting majors. 7) Will Ilya Bryzgalov be the first goalie to allow a goal in zero gravity (in the humangous universe)? 8) Will Roberto Luongo's next game be as a Canuck or a Panther? 9) Taylor Hall will score ___ points next season. 10) Will Alex Galchenyuk crack the Hab's next season? *******BONUS QUESTION FOR 1 TRILLION TOKENS**************** Can you believe it's not butter?

Hmm... I think Marc Bergevin and Mr. Timmins would have something to say about this

Haven't the Leafs been in need of a bounce back since '68? Anyways, good read.

Hey, I hate the song probably more than the next guy... my senior year I was social coordinator of the students council (meaning I put together spirit assemblies, dances, etc) and at the last spirit assembly, I had to perform the entire dance... it was so awful and embarrassing! That, and the fact that the music is shotty, lyrics are dumber than Bettman and the fact that he earned money from this garbage makes me hate it even more.

Kyle Palmieri has played more than 25 NHL games, which was why I didn't put him in. But thank you Jammer for the comment!

Thought you guys would like it. Its a reference to the incredibly annoying song "Crank That" by equally annoying hip hop artist Soulja Boy. Here's a link if you've never heard it.

Get yo popcorn ready folks!

-Taken from TSN.CA- A large section of the roof blew off the top of Montreal's Maurice Richard Arena on Thursday, apparently by the force of powerful winds. Part of the roof, about the size of a couple of school buses, tumbled down the side of an exterior wall onto some trees. Officials did not report any injuries. Sylvain Cuillerier, a spokesman for Montreal's fire department, said a 20-metre by 30-metre section of the roof was blown off the top of the arena. Several members of Canada's national short-track speedskating team, which trains at the arena, gathered outside the building to survey the damage. They wondered whether their training session on Friday morning would still be a go. "Nothing's confirmed yet, I have no clue, but my guess is they might have to test the roof to make sure," said Liam McFarlane, a team member for the last six years and a former Olympic alternate. "Maybe we'll be off a day. We're heading off to Calgary in a week so either way we'll have ice." The sounds of twisting, vibrating metal still echoed through the area hours after firefighters said the incident occurred. At one point, a piece of sheet metal, around the size of a small coffee table, bounced down the street at high speed like a tumbleweed. The rink, adjacent to the Olympic Stadium, has served as the home of Canada's national short-track speedskating team. It opened in the early 1960s, was a venue for events at the 1976 Summer Olympics and has hosted junior hockey over the decades. The arena has a capacity of 4,750 and is perhaps best known locally for the statue of Richard in front of the building. Dozens of people in the residential area gathered at the scene behind the police tape. Police closed a nearby subway station and structural engineers were inside the building. Scaffolding could be seen outside the building and McFarlane said construction crews had been doing work in recent days. "It's slightly disconcerting, that's for sure," he said, staring at the mangled metal strewn on the arena lawn. "But it's the outside (of the building) and the winds are pretty strong, so it probably could have happened anywhere."

Hello again! Welcome back to my Future Watch! This time, we'll be scouring the Pacific division of the Western Conference for top prospects. NEW in Part 4 is NHL comparisons. I have gone back to Parts 1, 2 and 3 to put them in. Go back and check it out! Unfortunately, not a lot of big names stand out but upon digging in I found the talent is there and although the Pacific isn't quite as loaded as other divisions like the North East or the Central, it will be an exciting division to watch in the future. Anyways, don't forget to leave a comment and a vote! 10) Jamie Oleksiak - Dallas Stars drafted by DAL 1(14) in 2011 Rounding out the Top 10 is the behemoth, 2011 first-round pick (14th overall) of the Dallas Stars, Jamie Oleksiak. Oleksiak has tremendous size, agility and soft hands, and has been among the top defenders in the OHL all season. Oleksiak posted 21 points in 28 games after moving to Niagara’s stacked defensive zone in a mid-season trade from Saginaw, and is an anchor on a unit that includes the likes of Dougie Hamilton and Jesse Graham. Oleksiak may play another year in the OHL (he will not turn 20 until December), but with his superb athletic abilities and physical play, a more likely scenario would have him starting his pro career with the AHL's Texas Stars. NHl Comparison: Kurtis Foster with more offensive upside 9) Tyler Toffoli - Los Angeles Kings drafted by LAK 2(47) in 2010 Tyler Toffoli has solid hockey sense, good puck handling skills, a solid work ethic and a very quick release along with an NHL-caliber shot. For the second consecutive season, the Ottawa 67s' sniper has scored more than 50 goals and has 163 goals in his four year OHL career. He has established himself as a premier finisher at the junior level and has a sixth sense to find loose pucks around the opposition’s net. Although the offensive winger has improved his skating speed and added to his strength, he will need to work with a power skating coach and gain more muscle mass to play his game at the NHL level. Toffoli has become the Kings' best scoring prospect and could be an NHL sniper in the future. NHL Comparison: Mike Cammalleri 8) Peter Holland - Anaheim Ducks drafted by ANA 1(15) in 2009 A big, offensively talented center, Peter Holland is a noted finisher who also has the ability to set up chances for his linemates. He has a powerful skating stride and can use his 6-3, 200-pound frame to protect the puck and work through traffic. An incredibly smart hockey player at both ends of the rink, the 21-year-old Holland is well-suited to the responsibilities of a center in the defensive end and at the faceoff dot. A lack of consistency has been his biggest knock, but ample opportunity with Syracuse in the AHL led to a productive rookie season that helped even out his performance. Anaheim envisions him as an eventual top-six center, and a full-time role with the big club may not be far off for Holland. NHL Comparion: Jordan Staal 7) Tanner Pearson - Los Angeles Kings drafted by LAK 1(30) in 2012 Pearson went from being passed over repeatedly in the past two drafts to being selected as a 2012 first-round pick. His newfound attractiveness came after a monster season in which he recorded 91 points in 60 games. He also competed for Canada at the World Juniors. His hockey sense, tenacity and versatility make him a player with multiple development paths open to him. Pearson can play anywhere up front and, despite being listed commonly as a left winger, he scored more points on the right wing this season. Although the Kings’ NHL roster seems relatively set with only one unrestricted free agent remaining from their Stanley Cup-winning club, Pearson will be eligible to play in the AHL where he could help the Manchester Monarchs immediately. He said his vision was his strongest asset and while he was a two-way playmaker at the junior level, he said he would be willing to adjust his role as necessary. He is a player with skill that was undaunted by physical contact and dangerous areas of the ice. NHL Comparison: Mike Richards 6) Tomas Hertl - San Jose Sharks drafted by SJS 1(17) in 2012 The Sharks decided that the right pick for their first rounder was Tomas Hertl who can play all forward positions and has the physical game to match his offensive skills. The 18-year old Czech played this past season against men in the Czech league, scoring 12 goals along with 13 assist and a good plus-nine rating in 38 games for Slavia Praha. The talented playmaker was one of the best players for his Czech team at the 2012 WJC. Hertl has upside potential to be a centerman who can play in all situations; he can defend, has a long reach, has an ability to strip pucks, can make offensive plays, and can play very well in the tight and dirty areas of ice. The big, agile Czech has good quickness and when combined with his excellent hockey sense, has shown the ability to adjust his skating speed with ease. NHL Comparison: Johnathon Toews 5) Jack Campbell - Dallas Stars drafted by DAL1(11) in 2011 Athletic goaltender with great reflexes. Never gives up on plays and competes hard on every shot. Sometimes he overplays the on-coming rush and can get into trouble. Has a very good glove and blocker. Stickhandles very well and is a fine outlet passer. Shows up majorly in big game situations throughout his career. Loves to compete, has a winning attitude, confidence and is always looking to improve. Consistency of any young goalie can be called into question and Campbell is no exception, maturity should ward off those untimely soft goals. NHL Comparison: A more talented (and less injury prone) Rick DiPietro 4) Hampus Lindholm - Anaheim Ducks drafted by ANA 1(6) in 2012 Lindholm competed for Rogle’s junior and senior Allsvenskan clubs, coming on strong in the second half of the season. He projects as a puck-moving defenseman with NHL size, solid mobility and respectable defensive ability. Lindholm was projected in the 20's in many mock drafts, but some scouts identified him as an appreciating commodity as the draft neared. Yet even Lindholm was surprised that he was selected a No. 6 overall. In a top 10 that featured eight defenseman, one could not identify Lindholm as the most excellent in any particular area. That said, his well-rounded ability, physical maturity and growing professional experience may have been attractive to the Ducks. Lindholm is projected to be a top 4, power play defenseman with two way upside. NHL Comparison: Sami Salo 3) David Rundblad - Phoenix Coyotes drafted by STL 1(17) in 2009 Expectations were high for David Rundblad heading into his first season of hockey in North America after being named the SEL's top defender in 2010-11. After he made the Senators roster out of camp, Ottawa needed more immediate help offensively and traded the gifted defender to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for center Kyle Turris. The 21-year-old Rundblad spent a majority of his season with Portland in the AHL following the transaction, but he still boasts a high offensive ceiling. The Swede's vision and passing ability make him a threat at any time and he can also unleash a heavy, accurate shot from the blue line. He skates well and is capable of leading the rush as well as running the power play. At 6'2, he also has a sizable frame and a solid build. More attention to his defensive game will be necessary if he is to become a complete defenseman, but Rundblad's offensive skills put him head and shoulders above most other blue line prospects. NHL Comparison: Mark Striet 2) Emerson Etem - Anaheim Ducks drafted by ANA 1(29) in 2010 Bet this one hurts, eh Flyer fans? This was the pick the Ducks acquired in the Pronger trade. Anywho, Emerson Etem flat out dominated the WHL circuit this season, becoming the first WHL player to hit the 60-goal mark in 11 seasons. He finished the year with 61 goals and 107 points in 65 games for the Medicine Hat Tigers. He did have an underwhelming showing at the World Juniors, but he wasn’t the only American to underachieve there. One of the best skaters outside of the NHL, Etem not only uses his speed to score, but also uses it to aggressively forecheck and pressure the opposition into making mistakes. There might be a slight adjustment period for Etem when he turns pro next season, but it seems like it’s only going to be a matter of time before he’s frequently lighting the lamp at the NHL level. NHL Comparison: Dany Heatley circa 2006 1) Brandon Gormley - Phoenix Coyotes drafted by PHO 1(13) in 2010 Brandon Gormley has the patience and calmness with the puck to make the smart decisions on whether to pass, hang on for the opening or carry it himself. The talented two-way defenseman has sound defensive instincts and plays with a maturity far beyond his age. He's a solid puck mover with good mobility who can add offense with his precision passing skills and hard, accurate point shot. Gormley finally received the chance to represent Canada at the 2012 WJC tournament where he was named the best defenseman of the tournament for his excellent play in the shutdown role and on both specialty team units. The all-round defenseman will need to get physically stronger and add more toughness to his game in order to maximize his NHL potential. Gormley will have a chance to crack the Coyotes' NHL roster when he starts his professional career next season. NHL Comparison: Shea Weber Anyways guys, thats it! Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to comment and vote!