Markov de retour

Well, the Canadiens may have a lost season.
They may be 15th in the Eastern Conference, with a unsatisfactory 67 points and the fans are fed up.
But don't lose hope! Not just yet, there is always a positive.
After returning to the game about 5 times in the 2011-2012 season, on March 10th, Markov finally made his year-long awaited appearance against the Vancouver Canucks.
To his and my amazement, the Habs won 4-1 against the Canucks, with goals from Geoffrion, his first in a Habs uniform, 2 from Cole and Pacioretty.
I guess there isn't a Hockey God, because as I write this article, I have just received an alert from RDS Hockey advising me that Markov is absent from the team's practice today.
Lord knows if he'll be back for Friday's game as the Habs head into their second of a double header against  the Senators.

I leave you on this note, as the Canadiens have 11 regular season games remaining, and they will most probably be the Habs last 11 games of the 2011-2012 season.

Happy Thirsty Thursday.

'Nough said..

MONTREAL CANADIENS JOKE OF THE DAY:
Where does Scott Gomez bring his date out for supper?

Scores

1 year Scotty.. 1 year

Le verre à moitié plein ou à moitié vide pour le Canadien?

Le verre est cassé. Quoted by last night's Antichambre. 

When you use Scott Gomez during penalty shots, needless to say, the third penalty shot to help keep your team in the game, we need help. The Candiens need a power house top 3. Just like in every team, the best line always starts, and when it is most needed, there is always the go-to line. The Habs are missing that, and as said again on Antichambre last night, "c'est le festival de l'improvisation chez le Canadien." 

Jacques Martin left his position as head coch behind the Canadiens bench when the team was in shambles, and Randy Cunneyworth is supposed to play the role of Ghandi and put all the pieces back together. All he is doing is trying out whatever possible combination/trio/duo he can come up with. This season is basically 82 games of trial and error. 

The Canadiens are taking on the Toronto in Leaf Nation tonight. Like Josh Gorges, we could always pray for a better outcome. 

Bon match,
sort of. 

Are you convinced?

What to say about our Montreal Canadiens this season: average. Nothing much to write home about, to say the least. Apart from being extremely inconsistent, winning one and losing 3, they're really just a mediocre NHL team, floating amongst the bottom of the pack with the Islanders, the Lightning and the Hurricanes.
Yes, they did receive a well deserved W against the Rangers on Sunday, one of the best teams in the league, giving us a little hope.
Although, if there's something I have learned from hockey, that's don't get your hopes up. You'll get discouraged in the long run, sooner or later. With a record of 17-21-8  record of late, that leaves Montreal with 42 points, 10 points out of a playoff spot. Mathematically, it is possible for the Canadiens to make the playoffs, although they would need one heck of a stretch. According to TSN at New Years during their mid-season assessment, the Canadiens were to win 7 of 10 games to make it. With poor performances and "group losses" as Vincent Damphousse called it last night on Antichambre, their chances are slim.
My opinion: same as 2minutes4roughing. Forget the playoffs. The Canadiens focus should be placed towards bettering their team, signing some epic snipers, getting rid of players who can't lay the body, and completely rebuild the team. The Montreal Canadiens have not given themselves a "threatening" name, as Pierre Gauthier pointed out in his press conference after the Cammalleri trade, we have a very small team, especially with rookies coming in. Our team needs some body.
How many of you guys were pumped after Rene Bourque's fight last night? I know I was. I hadn't seen that in who knows how long. Everyone loves a good fight to set the mood, and I think Bourque was a great addition to our team.The opponents aren't supposed to like us, they're supposed to hate us. Right now, the Canadiens aren't giving much to hate about, as they aren't giving much of anything, really.
Tomorrow: the Canadiens face Pittsburgh and the Leafs on Saturday. Laugh all you want, but the leafs are 3 points out of a playoff spot, landing in 9th place. They also have some good guys on their team, with Kessel on fire this season, Lupul putting in a few when it's needed. You never know. You really never know.

2minutes4roughing- Fail for Nail!

Some Habs fans are on board to "fail for Nail".  What does this mean you might ask?  Well the team that finishes last in the league drafts first overall in the NHL entry draft, and the player that is projected to go first overall is Nail Yakupov.  So fail to draft Nail!

Honestly at this point if the Habs can't win two of their next three then I think we should start shopping around everyone whose last name isn't Price, Subban, Pacioretty, Eller, Gorges or Plekanec.  If the rebuilding process happens then we need to try to trade everyone who isn't young to try to stack up on draft picks and prospects.  I would also keep Erik Cole, I love the way he plays.  So make trades like the Mike Cammelleri one to get prospects and draft picks for the future.

Also, bombing the season means we can get an excellent player.  Most top 5 players tend to create a big impact in the NHL.  For example Carey Price was drafted 5th overall in the 2005 draft.  Another example is Matt Duchene who was drafted by Colorado in 2009 3rd overall, he has already developed into one of the top two way forwards in the game and produced 67 points last year in just his second season in the NHL at 20 years old.  So getting any top 5 player in the draft is a player who is almost guaranteed to make an impact.

Rebuilding and drafting very high toget star players for a few years has proven to be very effective.  In Chicago and Pittsburgh they both were terrible for a few years, drafted very high two years in a row (first or second overall) and won the Stanley Cup 3-5 years after drafting these players back to back. Edmonton is the team that is currently doing this with back to back first overall picks in the past two years, Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and I GUARANTEE a Stanley Cup for Edmonton in the next 5 years based on the assumption that they find something younger than Nikolai Khabibulin and better than Devan Dubnyk.  I'm not saying they need an outstanding goalie, just a good one.

I think it's time for the Habs to admit defeat and to start to follow the same path as Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Edmonton.

Ça va mal à la shop

Where do I start?
Jacques Martin getting fired?
Hiring a uni-lingual coach behind the bench?
Watching a team that doesn't win?
Getting a false hope for 2 games that the Canadiens can start winning again?
Mike Cammalleri getting booed?
The start of the season?

Well, needless to say, il y en a ben de l'action à Montréal ces temps-ci. Very dramatic, even. When fans aren't rallied outside the Bell Centre trying to preserve their Franco-rights, or players aren't getting a few words from the fans, the reporters stand front row center, blowing simple comments from the Habs' dressing room out of proportion. Never a dull moment this season.
Hey, did I forget to mention? The Habs are at the Garden tonight playing the Bruins. One of, or even the best teams in the league.

With all these outside shenanigans going on, only the Lord knows how the Canadiens will come out tonight. Or maybe the players don't care about all these events? I don't really have an answer to that, but all I know is that I just want a good hockey game tonight. As a Habs and hockey fan, that is all I ask. Not even a win, but a convincing effort would be appreciated by many.
Bon match.

1 in a row... "Je suis très content"

I love when Team Canada and the Habs both get wins within a 24 hour span.
I have to be honest with you, I didn't actually think the Canadiens were going to pull off a win like that, or a win at all. I guess that's what I get for being negative.
I should start being negative more often.
The Canadiens played an solid game, and finally got that first win for Cunneyworth, who shook up the lines nicely. A convincing win it was, and a much needed one. Last night was a real team effort, with contributions from 7 players, including slumping Cammalleri, returning Subban and first liner Eller.
Although I can go on for hours, to sum it up briefly: Cammy woke up, Pleky played a smart game, Eller was on the edge of his toes, P.K got his confidence back, Price was the man, and Gorges was our main man playing for almost half the game. It was refreshing to see the Habs bounce back after they gave up an early goal at 1:42 of the first.
Now hopefully, this wasn't just a one win wonder for our Canadiens, and they can keep the momentum going. They will end the 2011 year with their traditional New Years' trip to Florida, playing the Lightning on Thursday and the Panthers on the last day of the year, where a hopeful win can be achieved, and can keep us on the edge of our couches for the 2012 year.
Also, while you take the time to indulge in the taste of victory, you can watch our young guns suit up for Team Canada as they take on the Czech Republic tonight at 8:00, both teams coming off of convincing victories.
What about that Gallagher, eh?
Pretty promising forward we got to see, I'm excited to see what that kid is going to do within the coming seasons.