Montreal Canadiens Fan Page

Maple Leafs Odds to Win Stanley Cup & 2008-09 Regular Season Win Totals

2008-10-08T18:13:00.000-04:00

"Oddsmakers from online sports book SBG Global have listed the Leafs’ odds to win the 2009 Stanley Cup at 75/1. Bodog has Toronto at 80/1, while Sportsbook.com gives the Leafs an 100/1 shot."

Canadiens Odds to Win Stanley Cup & 2008-09 Regular Season Win Totals

2008-10-08T18:12:00.000-04:00

"Can the Northeast defending champion Montreal Canadiens repeat this season? Oddsmakers have established the Canadiens’ odds to win the 2009 Stanley Cup at 10/1.

The Canadiens were busy this offseason, signing forwards Robert Lang and Alex Tanguay, although general manager Bob Gainey couldn’t convince free agent Mats Sundin to join the Habs this offseason. Lang is coming off a 21-goal season while Tanguay finished with 40 assists in 2007.

The Canadiens will rely on Carey Price to protect the net and while he’ll be playing in his first full season, he did finish with a .920 save percentage last year. If the youngster can step again this season, Montreal should repeat as Northeast Division champs."

SID SHAVES!!!

2008-10-04T15:50:00.001-04:00

Just finished watching the Rangers vs Pens game, nice to see Sid without that girlie beard from last year's playoffs

Toronto Maple Leafs News, Scores, Schedule, Stats - Yahoo! Sports

2008-10-04T15:41:00.000-04:00

"The Maple Leafs could end up disappointing a lot of their critics—and some of their own fans—by not finishing last overall this season.

While most have pegged 2008-09 as the season the Leafs finally pay the price for pre-lockout spending sprees, no-trade contracts to fat cat players and lack of emphasis on draft and development, they might not be as bad as their own forecast.

Even as general manager Cliff Fletcher predicted 'rocky days ahead' and said he only had one top-six forward (Nik Antropov), it's conceded the Toronto defense is as good or better than last season, the Leafs' goaltending is top notch and new coach Ron Wilson has a pretty good track record at confidence-building.

'People have been telling me, 'Good luck with that team,'' Wilson"

Rookie shines in Habs win over Cup champs

2008-10-01T18:41:00.001-04:00

Montreal 2, Detroit 1

DAVE STUBBS, CANWEST NEWS SERVICE

PUBLISHED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

MONTREAL - Conventional wisdom has Montreal Canadiens rookie left-winger Max Pacioretty starting the season on the farm in Hamilton.

But there seems little doubt that this impressive, popular bulldog will be one quick phone call from joining the NHL club.

Pacioretty, 19, scored two nifty backhand goals, one in the second period and another in the shootout, and earned the game's first star in lifting the Canadiens to a 2-1 pre-season win over the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

Montreal improved to 5-2-0 in the pre-season, with their final two exhibition games at home Wednesday against Boston and Saturday against Minnesota.

Goaltender Carey Price was brilliant in his second consecutive shootout victory, his 28 saves including a couple of dazzling stops late in the game and in overtime, then two more in the shootout.

Habs looking great for new season: Cherry

2008-10-01T18:39:00.001-04:00

There's no reason to believe that the Montreal Canadiens won't be contending for the Eastern Conference crown, according to Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry.

The colourful HNIC commentator said the coaching staff, led by Guy Carbonneau and Kirk Muller, is top-notch and the acquisition of Robert Lang was a key move for the club.

"I don't see [that] they need anything," Cherry said.

Cherry made his comments during a media conference call in which hockey analysts across North America assessed the upcoming season.

Hockey Night in Canada presents the beginning of the 2008-09 NHL campaign with a pair of games from Europe on Saturday.

Leafs Short Sighted?

2008-09-28T11:42:00.000-04:00

"In the article on Globesports.com, David Shoalts discusses the words of Part Owner Larry Tanenbaum and the insistence of an experienced, veteran GM whenever they find someone to eventually replace current GM Cliff Fletcher.

One of the candidates Tanenbaum completely ruled out was none other than the great Steve Yzerman. The reasoning? He would be a rookie GM thus not meeing the standard of experience set.

“Steve needs to be a general manager some place (else),” said Tanenbaum, who stopped by the Leafs' practice on Thursday. “We don't want a rookie.” said Tanenbaum.

The short sightedness of the Maple Leaf organization continues to boggle the mind of many."

RDS Streaming Games

2008-09-20T09:23:00.000-04:00

RDS has made it official: the all-sports network will offer its Canadiens telecasts on the Internet at rds.ca this season.

RDS is selling a season package for $80. Subscribers can also buy 30 days of streaming for $20 or individual games for $3. RDS is taking orders at http://www.rds.ca/zonedematch

Two pre-season games, on Sept. 23 and Oct. 4, will be streamed for free.

Because the NHL holds rights to streamed hockey in the U.S. the RDS feed is available to North American fans only in Canada. But the service, which RDS is calling La Zone du MatCH, will be available in most of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

• In conversation with François Gagnon, Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault heaps praise on Alex Tanguay, says he killed the Canucks every time they played Calgary.

Training Camp Notes

2008-09-20T09:19:00.000-04:00

• François Gagnon of La Presse looks like he spent the summer on the Carey Price diet.

• Highest number on the training camp roster: 98, worn by 28-year-old RW Mike Glumac, a free agent signing.

• Alex Tanguay will wear number 13, Georges Laraque 17, Robert Lang 20.

• Canadiens are still listing Josh Gorges as 6-foot-1, 195.

• 15 d-men in camp, 14 centres, 9 RWs, 6LWs, five goaltenders.

• Practices at Sportplexe 4-Glaces in Pierrefonds are open to the public. They run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow, 11 to 2:30 on Sunday. Get there early: parking will be brutal.

• Most penalty minutes last season? You're guessing Laraque ... and you're wrong. Big Georges racked up 141 with the Penguins, but d-man Alex Henry, a free agent signing, had 142 with Milwaukee in the AHL.

• Best GAA? Cédrick Desjardins, 1.91 in 22 games with Cincinnati. It ballooned to 3.04 in 12 games with the Bulldogs.

Montreal Canadiens Camp Day One: And So It Begins | Bleacher Report

2008-09-16T17:57:00.000-04:00

"Among the less new Habs, new father Guillaume Latendresse sees this season as a fresh opportunity to make things right and clinch a regular spot somewhere in this crowded bench. It seems Carey Price hasn't been the only one dropping some weight and working on his mobility during the summer. I bet waking up in the middle of the night and fixing the baby car seat have something to do with it!

'I corrected a few things. My skating is a bit different now. I have a better balance,' said the Sainte Catherine native. Well, thank God you do. It was about time before you drop this piano you seem to carry every time you get on the ice."

Another Leaf Original Move

2008-09-15T16:49:00.000-04:00

"On the Fan 590 'Hockeycentral' this afternoon, Ron Wilson was in studio being asked a few questions. One that came up was the question of if Mats Sundin retired or moved on else where, who would be the captain? Wilson answered with the solution of rotating captains, similar to the system he had in San Jose before giving it to Marleau or of what Minnesota has, unless he found a strong, talented leader who would be ready to take the 'C' and flourish with it for a long time. He didn't sound too confident he would. He said the rotating system works like so: Each month the players will vote- along with the help of the coaching staff- to determine the select amount of players who are the team leaders.

Nick Kypreos came back with the valid point that Minnesota and San Jose can't compare to the legacy, and prestige of the Captains role on the Leafs, and that to hand it off to different players on a monthly basis would basically be a mockery.
I think the logical choices for Captain would be: Steen, Stajan, Kaberle, Kubina, or even the darkhorse IMO of the captain race, Jason Blake. Blake may have not had the best statistical year based on points last year in his first go-around with the Buds, but he showed drive, and perserverance by coming back from his diagnosis of cancer, he has be"

Canadien's Prospects

2008-09-15T16:39:00.001-04:00

MONTREAL - There's no room for young guns like Max Pacioretty and Ben Maxwell on the Montreal Canadiens roster going into training camp, so if they want a spot on the NHL club, they'll have to make one.

So says coach Guy Carbonneau, a former Chicoutimi junior star who bulled his way onto the Canadiens roster and made Dan Daoust redundant in the early 1980s to launch his 19-year NHL playing career.

'You've got to steal a job from someone,' Carbonneau said Monday as the Canadiens' four-day rookie camp opened at the Bell Centre. 'That's what I did.

'It's a jungle.'"

Bitter Leaf Fan Page: Cliff Fletcher's Asset ManagementBitter Leaf Fan - A Toronto Maple Leafs Blog

2008-09-07T11:10:00.000-04:00

"A look at Cliff Fletcher's transacations as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs

Picks Acquired
2008 – 2nd (PIT for Gill)
2008 – 3rd (FLA for Kilger)
2008 – 5th (FLA for Belak)
2008 – 5th (PIT for Gill)

Picks Traded
2008 – 3rd (TOR) to NYI for Schenn
2008 – 3rd (FLA) to STL for Mayers
2008 – 5th (TOR) to MTL for Grabovski
2009 - 2nd (TOR) to NYI for Schenn
2009 - 5th (PIT) to NYR for Hollweg
2010 - 2nd (TOR) to MTL for Grabovski
2010 - 4th (TOR) to FLA for Mike Van Ryn

Net Picks traded
2nd
3rd
4th

Net Picks Gained
None

Toronto Maple Leaf Draft Picks Remaining

2009 NHL Draft
1st (TOR)
2nd NO PICK: (NYI for Schenn)
3rd (TOR)
4th NO PICK: (SJ for Toskala, traded by JFJ)
5th (TOR)
6th (TOR)
7th (TOR)

2010 NHL Draft
1st (TOR)
2nd NO PICK: (MTL for Grabovski)
3rd (TOR)
4th NO PICK: (FLA for Van Ryn)
5th (TOR)
6th (TOR)
7th (TOR)

UFAs
Niklas Hagman $3M/4yrs.
Jeff Finger $3.5M/4yrs.
Curtis Joseph $700K/1 yr.
Jonas Frogren (contact in dispute)
Josef Boumidienne (two-way deal)

London Free Press - Other Sports - McCabe doesn't give a hoot

2008-09-07T10:04:00.001-04:00

"If you want to know why the Maple Leafs gave up on and gave away Bryan McCabe, here it is in a nutshell: McCabe got to pick where he wanted to play and he chose the Florida Panthers. Translation: He doesn't give a hoot whether he wins or loses and the Leafs were well aware of that. Who would want an apparent leader who is happy playing for a team in a messed-up market that never contends? ... The feeling around the Leafs after the Mats Sundin face-to-face is this: 1) Going against his words of June, Sundin likely will play a shortened NHL season; 2) That season will be no longer than 60 games in length; 3) It's not likely to be played in Toronto"

TheStar.com | Hockey | Sundin's Hamlet act plays on and on

2008-09-06T13:30:00.002-04:00

It's fair to ask where the leadership will come from, in the Leaf dressing room, but to hear Ron Wilson tell it, there hasn't been much of that lately anyway, which was a clear shot at Sundin. The incoming coach had said, on Thursday. "Where was the leadership the last three years? You can answer that question any way you want, whether it's the captain or the other veteran leaders."

When those quotes were relayed to Sundin last night, he seemed genuinely taken aback.

"I don't know what to say about that. I'm very happy to have been the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. We've had a good dressing room some years and a not-so-good dressing room other years."

Sundin claimed the comments – and whatever the hell Wilson meant by them – would have no influence on his Hamlet-like indecision about what to do, what to do.

Montreal Canadiens Rookies Look to Make Impact in 2008-09 | Bleacher Report

2008-09-02T17:50:00.000-04:00

Montreal Canadiens fans were treated with a bountiful crop of young players last year who played beyond expectations to help the storied franchise reach lofty goals that many never though possible for the ailing franchise.

Now, with those rookies cementing much of the core of the Canadiens lineup, Montreal is once again on many NHL analysts' contenders list.

Players such as Carey Price, Sergei Kostitsyn, and Ryan O'Byrne had breakout rookie seasons, with room for improvement. That's a deadly combination.

Looking toward this upcoming season, there are other rookies who are looking to make an impact. Only playing 36 games last season, Kyle Chipchura has had another year to develop into the two-way centre the Canadiens so desperately need.

Chipchura's weakness in the faceoff circle last season is the main reason why he was sent back down to Hamilton, even despite his four goals and seven assists in 36 games. Chipchura is looking to cement his position in the Canadiens lineup for good, just as former Hamilton teammates Price, O'Byrne, and Kostitsyn did.

Greg Stewart made his presence known in the Canadiens organization by playing an inspired game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 5. Not only did Stewart have chances all game, including a partial breakaway that just slipped wide of the net, but he held his own against the Leafs' Bryan McCabe in a fight.

Stewart has the ability to be a Tom Kostopolous-type player, which is something the Canadiens could use. Yet Stewart also has a good pair of hands and quick feet. He will look to get a regular spot either this season or next.

Matt D'Agostini also had a strong outing against the Boston Bruins the game before Stewart made his NHL debut. D'Agostini had a lot of chances himself, including a few nifty passes playing on one of the top lines against the Bruins.

D'Agostini, known for his gritty play, also has offensive upside, posting two 20-goal seasons in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs. Look for D'Agostini to make the fourth line this season; if not, he will be a healthy scratch most nights.

Mathieu Carle (not to be confused with Matt Carle) might get his shot this season. With Mathieu Dandenault's contract up at the end of this season, Carle may be able to fill in a spot on defense with the freed up room in the payroll. At 6'0", 206 pounds, Carle is a great puck-moving defender with offensive upside.

Along with Carle, Pavel Valentenko also has a good chance of impressing at camp. Last year, Valentenko impressed many of the Canadiens brass by his consistent stay-at-home style of play. He may get some time with the big club this season.

Shawn Belle should also get some time with the big club. He has already had over three seasons in the AHL with the Minnesota Wild's farm club in Houston, as well as some NHL experience, so Belle should be a regular seventh defensemen.

Yet the Canadiens blueline is hard to crack since the top six are already cemented in Andrei Markov, Mike Komisarek, Roman Hamrlik, Josh Gorges, Francois Bouillon, and O'Byrne full-time now that Mark Streit is gone. However, with injuries, look for Belle, Carle, and Valentenko to be called up regularly.

Don't expect the rookies this season to be as big of an impact as last season in Montreal. Yet, never say never in Montreal.

"NHL: Sundin says there will be no decision this week

2008-09-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

Posted: September 02, 2008, 3:28 PM by Michael Traikos
Hockey, GTA, NHL

Mats Sundin is returning to Toronto on Friday to participate in a charity hockey game at Air Canada Centre. But the former Maple Leafs captain is not expected to use the forum as an opportunity to announce his plans for next season.

'I'd love to tell everybody what my intentions are and what I intend to do,' Sundin told Toronto radio station AM 640 on Tuesday. 'I just do not know yet. So I can't say anything about it.'"

LIKE A YANKEE

2008-09-02T05:08:00.000-04:00

Former Calgary Flames winger Alex Tanguay will meet his new Montreal Canadiens teammates for the first time today -- on the golf course.

'But I'm really looking forward to training camp,' Tanguay said. 'This is the most mythical hockey team. I feel like a baseball player just traded to the Yankees.

'Twice last season, I asked the Flames to trade me and Montreal was on my wish list both times,' he said, vowing to carve a permanent niche in his home province.'"

TorontoSun.com - Hockey - McCabe will cost Leafs draft pick

2008-09-02T05:05:00.000-04:00

"Getting rid of Bryan McCabe apparently will cost the Maple Leafs a draft pick as well, TSN reported last night.

The deal between the Leafs and the Florida Panthers, which is expected to be made official at 11 am this morning, will bring defenceman Mike Van Ryn to Toronto.

The framework of the trade was worked out last month but the transaction was delayed until McCabe received a $2 million US bonus due Sept 1.

The Leafs wooed Van Ryn back in 2000 when he first turned professional, but the London native opted to sign with the St. Louis Blues.

'We were right in there for him at the time but for whatever reason he opted for the Blues,' said Bill Watters, who, as the Leaf assistant GM at the time, spearheaded the failed attempt to land Van Ryn."

"Sundin possibly to Montreal, New York; Maple Leafs may target Bouwmeester or Weiss

2008-09-01T17:39:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, you're probably starving for fresh new trade rumors. Well here are the latest I managed to dig up.

On the Mats Sundin front, it appears that the Toronto Maple Leafs are 'turning the page' and will not have Sundin back for this season, even if they won't declare this publicly.

Eklund - the patriarch of false-alarm rumors - believes that the Montreal Canadiens are the favorites to land Sundin, considering that the New York Rangers are either unwilling or unable to clear enough salary cap space to accommodate Sundin."

Remembering Walter Killer Kowalski

2008-08-31T10:44:00.001-04:00

"Today we remember one of the greats…

(October 13, 1926 - August 29, 2008)

It is always a sad day when fans of a sport have to mourn a person that helped shape the sport that they love, and that is what we are here to do today. Walter 'Killer' Kowalski passed away Saturday morning at 2:15am. Kowalski had been taken off life support nearly two weeks ago after he suffered a massive heart attack on August 8th, and after a long battle finally left this world at the age of 81. While it is a sad day to be sure, we can be thankful that Kowalski lived a full life."

Guillaume Latendresse

2008-08-31T10:26:00.002-04:00

If THIS guy makes the team this year, he is definitely sleeping with someone in Management! Aside from his size, which he never uses, he isn't an NHL player. I have NO idea how this guy has got all the attention and playing time over the last 2 years! We HAVE to have other prospects that can skate and produce more than this guy?

Today's math problem:

2008-08-30T21:32:00.000-04:00

If Tampa Bay is giving Andrej Meszaros, who made $984,200 in Ottawa last season, in excess of $5 million per for the next six years, what kind on money and duration can Mike Komisarek, who'll make $1.9 million this season, expect in his next contract?

Hint: Make sure your calculations include Hits, Blocked Shots and the estimated sanity of the Lightning's new ownership, who evidently learned nothing from the Brad Richards debacle."

Higgy and Komi

2008-08-30T21:26:00.002-04:00

1907 Montreal Wanderers

2008-08-30T21:15:00.003-04:00

2008-08-30T21:09:00.002-04:00

Canadiens superfan Viggo shows his colours once more | Habs Inside/Out

2008-08-30T20:57:00.001-04:00

YouTube - Habs 08 Playoffs/ GO HABS GO - Speedhair

2008-08-30T20:54:00.001-04:00

Gainey knows expectations are high for Habs this season Montreal GM in Halifax to promote exhibition game

2008-08-30T20:18:00.002-04:00

By MONTY MOSHER Sports Reporter
Sat. Aug 30 - 5:50 AM

Bob Gainey believes the pressure surrounding the Montreal Canadiens in their 100th anniversary season can only be a good thing. The team’s executive vice president and general manager met the media in Halifax on Friday to promote a Sept. 22 exhibition game against the Boston Bruins at Metro Centre. (Ted Pritchard / Staff)

Title expectations are high for the 24-time Stanley Cup-champion Montreal Canadiens entering their centennial season.

Bob Gainey says there is nothing wrong with that.

"Expectations are fine," he said. "They need to be there. People need to have them or it can get pretty dismal if you’re a team that never has any expectations."

Montreal’s executive vice president and general manager made the media rounds in Halifax Friday to promote the team’s season-opening exhibition game Sept. 22 against the Boston Bruins at Metro Centre.

The Habs are coming off a 104-point season in 2007-08, tops in the Eastern Conference. They were knocked out in the second round of the playoffs by the Philadelphia Flyers.

"The Canadiens are going into their 100th-anniversary season and we’d like it to be one we could really enjoy and celebrate," said Gainey. "There are no guarantees. That’s what sports is about. But we’ve tried to direct our team to be a little stronger every year for the past three or four years mostly through the maturity of the younger players."

Montreal has only tinkered with the fabric of the hockey club, adding some scoring with former Halifax Mooseheads forward Alex Tanguay (Calgary) and grit with Georges Laraque (Pittsburgh). Right winger Michael Ryder exited to Boston in a move embraced by both club and player.

"Our focus going into the summer was to try to reinforce our group of forwards," said the NHL Hall of Famer, six-time Stanley Cup winner and former member of the AHL’s Nova Scotia Voyageurs. "We needed to replace Michael on our team and that’s where Alex Tanguay came into the equation.

"Some of our younger players really improved last year and made us a much stronger offensive team. We scored perhaps more goals than anybody else in the NHL last year and felt like the fact that many of those guys were not really physically big players, and a number of them European players, that they might be able to use the presence of a big brother. So that was the addition of Georges Laraque."

The defence is virtually unchanged and Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, along with free-agent pickup Marc Denis, will handle the nets.

One of the last vacancies is a scoring centre who could buttress Saku Koivu and Tomas Plekanec.

The Canadiens believe they remain contenders to acquire unrestricted free-agent Mats Sundin, but Gainey concedes his lines of communication with the long-time Toronto captain have gone cold and he can’t afford to be overly optimistic.

Toronto, Vancouver, Philadelphia and the New York Rangers all have a reported interest in the 37-year-old Sundin, who had 32 goals and 78 points for Toronto last year.

"There’s been no change in our contact with Mats Sundin about the possibility of him joining our team," he said. "I haven’t heard of any other change either from the other teams or from him that he’s decided he’s going to come back and play."

He said the Habs would be a good fit for Sundin. "He wouldn’t be required to do everything on his own. There’s a variety of other good players who could play beside him."

Gainey said one of the off-season thrusts of Habs’ management has been to tighten up the finances to be in position to take a run at a front-line player.

"Habs plan November ceremony for Roy

2008-08-30T19:56:00.003-04:00

Friday, August 29, 2008
THE CANADIAN PRESS

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens plan to retire jersey No. 33 of goaltender Patrick Roy in November, Montreal La Presse reported Friday.

A Canadiens spokesman would not confirm the report, saying the team does not comment on jersey retirements.

Roy, meanwhile, told the newspaper that he was unaware of any plans to retire his number.

'I don't know what's going on with that,' said the Hall of Famer. 'For sure it would be a great honour.'

Roy led Montreal to Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993 and is considered as one of the top goaltenders in NHL history, posting a record 551 wins in 19 seasons with the Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche.

However, his career in Montreal ended abruptly in Dec. 1995, when he reacted with anger when left in goal by coach Mario Tremblay while being shelled by the Detroit Red Wings. He demanded a trade and was sent to Colorado, where he won a Cup with the Avalanche that season.

The Canadiens have been retiring numbers of their past greats each year leading up to their 100th anniversary in December 2009. Roy's jersey would be the 15th to be taken out of circulation.

Roy's jersey was retired by the Avalanche in 2003.

Since his retirement as a player in 2003, the 42-year-old Quebec City nat"

Gainey Foundation collects $1M for lost daughter, late wife

2008-08-30T19:51:00.000-04:00

Gainey Foundation collects $1M for lost daughter, late wife: "Gainey Foundation collects $1M for lost daughter, late wife
Last Updated: Friday, August 29, 2008 | 4:54 PM ET Comments4Recommend9
CBC News

Bob Gainey's family has quietly raised close to $1 million for a foundation created in honour of his late daughter Laura, who was lost overboard from a Nova Scotia tall ship almost two years ago.

The Gainey Foundation is also in memory of his late wife, Cathy, who died in 1995 after a five-year battle with cancer.

The Montreal Canadiens general manager visited Halifax on Friday to talk about upcoming exhibition games the Habs will play in the city against the Boston Bruins.

Gainey also planned to meet with a group of friends to discuss a fundraising event for the foundation.

The non-profit organization aims to raise a total of $2 million for various issues, including art therapy, environmental causes and underprivileged children.

The hockey legend says the work of his surviving children and friends on the foundation has been instrumental in helping him heal from his daughter's death.

Laura Gainey was 25 when she was swept off the deck of the Picton Castle, as the ship travelled through a winter storm in the North Atlantic on Dec. 8, 2006. She was working as a deck member on the ship at the time."

2007-05-19T10:18:00.000-04:00