Big night at the Bell Centre for the Big Bird

I'm not old enough to remember much of Larry Robinson's playing career, but the stories that I've heard, both from my father and from writers and broadcasters (among others) in Montreal, as well as the videos, pictures, etc, not to mention his coaching career in New Jersey, allow me to recognize that Larry Robinson is one of the greatest defensemen of all time.

Tonight, he gets his honors in Montreal, as after roughly 6:30 EST this evening, no Montreal Canadiens player will ever be allowed to wear his #19 ever again.

A hall of famer, a Conn Smythe winner, a multiple time Norris Trophy winner, and Stanley Cups coming out of the wazoo, both as a player and a coach, Robinson is regarded as one of the best players of all time, and I'd certainly put him in my top 6 defensemen of all time as well.

Ceremonies in Montreal start at 6:30 sharp this evening, where Robinson will be introduced by Lou Lamoriello (an interesting sight, to see Big Lou on the ice at the Bell Centre, it will be). As history has shown, it will certainly be a great ceremony, a fitting tribute, followed by a great match-up in Montreal vs. Ottawa, which takes a back seat tonight.

An important night for the Habs, both on the ice and up on the rafters, and an important game that takes a bit of a back seat.

I'll certainly be glued to my television set (wishing I was at the game... but hey, I got to go on Saturday so why am I complaining?), and hopefully all of you will be to.

Short blog today, but i'll save the tributes to the pros. Meanwhile, here's a tribute to Mr. Robinson courtesy of Youtube and Legends of hockey (sorry for stealing your Youtube bit Egg):

It's time!

It's finally arrived, ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the 2007-08 NHL season! (excluding those two games in London on the weekend... come on we all know no one counted those) Four games are slated to open the season tonight, in what looks to be one of the most exciting and tight seasons in recent memory.

Here's a short preview of tonight's games:

Anaheim Ducks vs. Detroit Red Wings
The Ducks already have a regular season win under their belts, but does that mean they come into this game hot, or cold, three nights out of their cross-atlantic road trip? I'm sure there's no more jet lag, but one team you don't want to face after a trip like that is the Red Wings. Most experts are predicting the Wings to finish 1st overall AGAIN this season. The Ducks probably aren't and won't be that far behind though. Either way, this is an explosive way to start the season, pitting the top two teams in the west against each other, as well as playoff rivals.
Prediction: Red Wings 3-1, goals from Holmstrom (2), Lidstrom and Pronger.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Another set of former playoff rivals square off here, with an added twist. Both these teams missed the playoffs last year, and are out to prove that it won't happen again. The Hurricanes look very similar to the team that missed the playoffs last year, while the Habs look fresher, younger and fairly hungry. Cristobal Huet faces a ton of pressure with Carey Price breathing down his neck, Alex Kovalev has something to prove to everyone and a bunch of rookies and young players want to prove their worth to this team. Although the Hurricanes have had a good record in recent years against the Habs, I'm going to make the homer pick and say that the Habs might want it a little more tonight.
Prediction: Habs 5-4, goals from Grabovski, Kovalev, Plekanec, Ryder (2), Staal (3), Williams.

Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Most would hope that the nights of blowout wins are all but done in the NHL, but here's to hoping they're not, just for tonight. The Leafs have gotten a lot stronger this year, but the Senators are still one of the top teams in the east.
Prediction: Senators 7-3, goals from Alfredsson (3), Heatley (2), Redden, Vermette, Blake, Tucker, Kilger.

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalance
The Dallas Stars are at the bottom of most people's predictions, and haven't done much since last season to show people that they're a playoff team this year. The Avalance, on the other hand, have made changes so that they don't disappoint their fans again this season. Will they be enough to win this home opener vs. the stars? Personally I'm a Stars fan but things don't bode well for the former Stanley Cup champs this season.
Prediction: Avs 4-2, goals from Brunette (2), Sakic, Smyth, Lehtinen, Barnes.



Four games that should excite and delight fans all across the scene in the NHL tonight, we hope you enjoy them. Please note that these predictions were based on my opinion and were mostly pulled out of my behind. Watch me be dead wrong on all of them. It's all in good fun, anyway, no?

Enjoy the games everyone!

Your 2007-2008 Montreal Canadiens roster....

As of 10AM, Monday, October 1st, 2007, the Montreal Canadiens opening night roster has been set. Guy Carbonneau has made his final cuts and the team is all but good to go for Wednesday night as they open the season on the road in Carolina.

Cut from the team and sent to Montreal's Hamilton affiliate this morning are defensemen Ryan O'Byrne, goaltender Jaroslav Halak, and forward Maxim Lapierre, three cuts that some might consider obvious, others might look at and be surprised.

Ryan O'Byrne had a great camp and it seems obvious that he'll be at the very least a #4 defenseman someday in the NHL, but in the end, when push comes to shove, he has a two-way contract and doesn't have to clear waivers in order to be sent down, and the other 8 defensemen on the roster do. Even though O'Byrne was great at camp, Josh Gorges was better and deserves that spot. Besides, it should be fully expected that O'Byrne will play for this team sometime this season. He'll be the first call-up if there's a trade or an injury (and Habs fans have been expecting a trade involving a defenseman all summer, and Patrice Brisebois is almost always injured. So expect to see O'Byrne in the line-up sooner rather than later. If he had stayed on the team, he'd have been an 8th defenseman sitting in the pressbox every night. In Hamilton, he's a top pairing defenseman and he can fine tune his game.

The second player cut from the team was Jaroslav Halak, and again, no surprise there when you really dig into the matter. I'm sure that Carbo had it clear in his head since camp started that Carey Price would be making this team, and he proved at camp and in the preseason that he's reason for the big leagues, penciled in as a #1B goaltender behind Cristobal Huet. Halak proved last season that he's a very good #2 goaltender that could step up if needed and replace the #1 goalie, but as a 22 year old, he still has a long way to go. The team is better off giving next year's clear-cut #1 goalie, Carey Price, some NHL experience this year so both he and Halak are ready to take the reigns in the 08-09 campaign when Huet is gone. Halak, again, will be on this team sooner rather than later.

The third and final cut this morning was probably the hardest Carbo had to make, and probably the most surprising. Maxim Lapierre was sent down to Hamilton, a center who quickly became one of the most popular players in Montreal after he was called up mid-season last year. Hard hitting and a bit of an agitator with a fair bit of upside, a lot of people thought that Lapierre had proven that he deserved to center this team's 4th line.

The marketing team for the Canadiens certainly did. You can't walk a city block in downtown Montreal without seeing Maxim Lapierre's face plastered on a billboard. You can't walk into a sports boutique without seeing a Lapierre t-shirt or jersey hung up for sale on the wall. I myself almost bought one last week. You can't watch RDS, Quebec's version of TSN or ESPN, without seeing a Maxim Lapierre commercial!

But the truth is, all this fame must've gotten to Max's head. He had a tough camp, and he must've lost the confidence of the coach, especially with centers Mikhael Grabovski and Kyle Chipchura knocking on the Habs doorstep. This is Carbo's way of telling Lapierre and the rest of the team that no one is really safe and everyone has to work hard in order to make this team and stay on this team. Garth Murray worked hard and he made the team. Grabovski worked hard and he made the team, same for Chipchura, Josh Gorges and everyone else.

Maxim Lapierre, again, WILL be on this team sooner rather than later. But the truth is, there were players at camp that deserved to be on the team more so than Lapierre right at this moment, and, financially, in terms of the cap system and in terms of the waiver system, Lapierre was the best choice for a final cut, unfortunately.


That being said, the final roster for opening night in Raleigh on Wednesday is set. The lines have yet to be officially announced but it's pretty clear what they're going to look like:

Higgins - Koivu - Ryder
This line-up worked last year, it gave Saku Koivu a career year in points and Michael Ryder 30 goals. With Higgins potentially getting an "A" this year, and both he and Ryder maturing as offensive forwards, and with a confident and healthy Koivu centering them, there's no reason not to think this line won't be this team's best and an offensive threat in the East.

Kostitsyn - Grabovski - Kovalev
If these two feisty quick and confident young Belarussian players don't light a fire under Kovalev's posterior, no one will. Another explosive line-up that can tear up the NHL, that is if Kovalev wants it to. The addition of Grabovski gives this team an added punch at center, the young center is willing to do anything to get around - or through - the opposing team's defensemen. Kostitsyn is slated to have a great year after a great 20 or so games late last year, and Kovalev... well, Kovalev is Kovalev.

Smolinski - Plekanec - Latendresse
Another great line, Thomas Plekanec and Guillaume Latendresse are two players who can play on a top-2 line on this team, but can also do well on a 2-way checking line, and Bryan Smolinski provided the stability that this team needs, especially since losing Radek Bonk in the off-season. A solid line that will provide excellent secondary scoring for the habs this year.

Begin - Chipchura - Kostopoulos
Kostopoulos and Begin, two hard hitting players, and Chipchura, a future potential Selke candidate and this team's future 3rd line center. With Murray able to jump into this line if someone gets injured of this team needs a jolt, this line should provide some entertaining hockey when they're on the ice.

Spare: Garth Murray
There are better players in the league and in the Canadiens system than Garth Murray, but he's willing to drop the gloves and he's willing to work hard to prove his worth to the coaching staff and to the fans, which makes him a Guy Carbonneau kind of player. He'll be in the line-up when there's an injury or when the situation calls for a spare fighter, but expect him to start what'll most likely be his last season in Montreal in the press box.


On defense:
Markov - Komisarek
Solid last season, no reason to believe they'll be any less solid this year, a true #1-#2 pairing. Markov needs to step it up offensively in Sheldon Souray's absence, however, as all defensemen on the team should.

Hamrlik - Streit
Streit played most of last season as a forward who could step into a defensive role if there was an injury. This year, he'll start the season as a top 4 defenseman on this team, and deservedly so. He'll be used to patch up the hole Souray left on the powerplay and will be solid paired up (potentially) with Roman Hamrlik.

Bouillon - Brisebois
Although I'm not the biggest fan of Bouillon, he had too many hits and too many blocked shots last season to leave off the starting line-up, and Brisebois had too good of a game on Saturday to put in the press box. Both these players will most likely end up in a hospital bed before the month is up, but until then they should probably be in the starting line-up on Wednesday night.

Spares: Dandenault, Gorges
Dandenault has been an enigma. He can be a top 6 defenseman in the league, he can even play forward if the team needs him to... but when they need him the most, he just sucks. Gorges is young and will get a chance to play, but for now, because of the numbers and experience game, I think he'll start the season in the press box.


In goal...

Cristobal Huet and Carey Price
What more can be said about these too? The goaltending situation was the center of attention in Montreal during the preseason and deservingly so. If Huet and Price live up to expectations, and there's no reason they shouldn't, this could be one of the best goaltending tandems in the NHL this year.


There you have it folks, your 2007-2008 Canadiens roster. Is it a playoff roster? Probably not. Could they sneak into the playoffs? Certainly, depending how the season starts out. If Bob Gainey can make a move or two early in the season to improve the team, the experts might change their minds about leaving the Habs out of the playoff race. In reality, right now, it's more than likely this team won't make the playoffs, however, things really don't look that bad for Montreal, and at the very least, this line-up should provide a lot of entertaining hockey for the fans of the Canadiens and the NHL over the course of the next seven or eight months and beyond.