McCabe Breaks Hand in 3 Places, Leafs Nation Rejoices?

But seriously folks, I don't want to hear anything from the people who were ragging on him earlier this year. You wanted him gone, you got your wish. It looks like he'll be out for a while now. McCabe was hit awkwardly into the boards by Canadiens forward Andrei Kostitsyn in the third period, and looked severely injured right away. After the game it was announced that McCabe suffered 3 broken bones in his hand on the play and will likely miss over six weeks, more if surgery is necessary. Leafs coach Paul Maurice was livid with the play after the game, basically calling it a cheap shot. I'm pretty sure that it was just the emotions talking, but you still have to be able to control what you say. Kostitsyn clearly did not intend to hurt McCabe, and nothing else should come of this.

To add insult to injury, with McCabe writhing in pain on the ice, the Habs' Alex Kovalev was able to go down the ice and score his 14th goal of the season. The rambunctious crowd of over 21 thousand (our own Ron Guillet one of them) saw goaltender Carey Price make 28 saves for the win, the same night that Jaroslav Halak was sent back down to Hamilton because of Cristobal Huet's injury being over. When you really boil it down, the Leafs not only lost the game tonight, they also lost their top minute eater which could prove to be their biggest loss of all.

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.

Habs' Depth Chart Filled With Quality Goaltenders

When Cristobal Huet injured his hamstring last season Jaroslav Halak came in to the picture, and played well, yet they were still not able to get into the playoffs. Huet is now a proven first-stringer, and his absence certainly factored into why they did not make the playoffs. A healthy Huet should win his job back at training camp, unless Carey Price shows him up, but we'll get to that later. Jaroslav Halak was thrown into the fire after David Aebischer couldn't pick up the slack, and played decently, but I feel that the quality of his play was blown far out of proportion. I watched him play many times in Hamilton (and had the pleasure of meeting him) and there's no doubt he has talent, but the reality is, he did not have the league at it's mercy, he only held the fort until Huet's return the last game of the season (although some Habs fans may argue that Halak should have started that game). In the 16 games he played, he had a 2.89 GAA, and a .906 Save %. That's hardly spectacular, but considering the situation he was in, it was good enough to get the respect of Canadiens fans. He has earned the backup spot behind Huet this season, and the two should make a formidable tandem.

Carey Price. If you haven't already heard that name, get ready to hear it soon folks. This kid is the future of the Canadiens organization, and maybe even the future of the Canadian National program. He was the goalie who led Canada to gold in last year's World Junior Championships, played great for a below-average Tri-City squad of the WHL. After he was eliminated from the playoffs there, he came to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL and won the Calder Cup, picking up the MVP along the way. He's calm, cool, and has a beautiful butterfly style. He never seems to be out of position, and has excellent lateral movement. He's big, strong, and a good work ethic. What else could you ask for in a goalie? He has everything going for him, and is ready for the next step, the NHL. He played a total of 82 games last year, and proved that he can handle it, right to the last game, putting up remarkable stats along the way. Now, Price will be invited to training camp, and he will have a shot at an NHL job, whether Habs' fans like it or not. Bob Gainey has said that if Price does make the team, he will need to be the #1, he won't be backup. That is not entirely impossible. If he does make the team that would mean Huet is on his way out, somewhere, somehow. It will be an interesting situation, and all eyes will be on the Habs' camp when it begins. The other guy in the picture is Yann Danis, who is a great goalie in his own right, but doesn't really get a chance on a team with such good goaltending depth. I expected him to leave, seeing how he was a UFA this offseason, but he must've liked his situation in Hamilton, as he re-signed and will be back this season. Huet, Halak, and Price will be competing for two NHL spots this upcoming training camp, and if Price makes it, that means Huet is on his way out. If Huet makes it as the starter, it'll be a Huet/Halak tandem for the Habs, and a Price/Danis tandem for the Bulldogs.