Post Game Thoughts

What an incredible draft Marc Bergevin and his staff just pulled off. With seven picks in this years draft Bergevin nailed one pick after the other. Here are my thoughts about each prospect and their draft grade. Round 1 (Pick 3)- Alexander Galchenyuk Analysis: Great pick by Bergevin. Big, strong, skilled centerman will be a key piece in bringing the Habs back to the promised land. Grade: A+ Round 2 (Pick 33)- Sebastien Collberg Analysis: Highly skilled Swedish forward was expected by many to be a first rounder. Another great pick by Mr. Bergevin. Grade: A Round 2 (Pick 51)- Dalton Thrower Analysis: Big, nasty, physical defender will be a very good depth player for a long time. Along with his nasty hits he also has offensive upside. Another great pick. Grade: A Round 3 (Pick 64)- Tim Bozon Analysis: Skilled forward put up 71 points this season in the WHL this season in 71 games. Grade: B+ Round 4 (Pick 94)- Brady Vail Analysis: Gritty 2 way center p...

Marc Bergevin continued adding pieces to the puzzle early Tuesday morning when he hired former Habs and Penguins head coach, Michel Therrien. Therrien spent 3 seasons as the Habs head coach before being fired in 2002- 2003. While with Pittsburgh, his team made the playoffs three out of four times. Born in Montreal, Therrien returns to his home town for a second stint as the Habs head coach. He has yet to name his assistant coaches. Personally, I am not a big fan of this move. I have never been a Therrien fan, but I won't judge him just yet. Only time will tell. Let me know what you guys think of this move in the comment box below! CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

#6 New Jersey Devils vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings Prediction: Kings in 6

Once again I completely failed my second round predictions with a miserable 1/4 record. Let's hope round three is better. Easter Conference #1 New York Rangers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils Prediction: Devils in 7 Western Conference #3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings Prediction: Kings in 6 CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Rick Dudley, now working with the Toronto Maple Leafs under Brian Burke, is set to leave Toronto to be the assistant general manager of the Montreal Canadiens. However it is more complicated than that. Due to the upcoming draft, and Dudley's major role in Toronto with scouting, Brian Burke may not allow Dudley to leave for Montreal until after the draft.There is still a chance Dudley could be in Montreal sooner but it's looking more like it will be post draft. This post will be updated when Dudley is officially hired. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson announced the hiring of new general manager Marc Bergevin today. After spending the last 7 seasons as a part of the Chicago Blackhawks organization holding various positions including assistant coach, assistant general manager and director of player personnel, Bergevin, a native of Montreal, will be the 17th general manager in Habs history. On behalf of myself and Habs fans around the world, let us wish Marc Bergevin good luck! CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

I went a brutal 4/8 (50%) in my first round predictions. Let's hope round 2 is better. Western Conference #2 St. Louis Blues vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings Prediction: Blues in 6 #3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #4 Nashville Predators Prediction: Predators in 6 Eastern Conference #1 New York Rangers vs. #7 Washington Capitals Prediction: Rangers in 5 #5 Philadelphia Flyers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils Prediction: Flyers in 6 CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

5. Orange Crush This one isn't really a tradition but it's so cool to look at I couldn't leave it out. Watching the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs is a thing of beauty. With every Flyer fan in the building rocking their home team's orange jersey, it really is an amazing site. 4. The Whiteout What originally started out as a tradition in Winnipeg has become one of the coolest things to see during the playoffs. The sea of white surrounding the ice in Phoenix looks awesome, especially when it's a sold out crowd. Props to the fans for keeping this amazing tradition alive. 3. Rat Trick This tradition doesn't date as far back as the other ones but it's still pretty cool. Back in 1995- 1996 season, when the Florida Panthers last made the playoffs, one of their players Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room. After winning that series and eventually going on to lose to Colorado in the cup finals, a tradition was born, it was called: The Rat ...

Check out this video. Gives me goosebumps. Enjoy. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

I'm gonna make this short and sweet. No explanations just which team is winning and in how many games. Eastern Conference #1 New York Rangers vs. #8 Ottawa Senators Prediction: Senators in 7 #2 Boston Bruins vs. #7 Washington Capitals Prediction: Bruins in 5 #3 Florida Panthers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils Prediction: Devils in 6 #4 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. #5 Philadelphia Flyers Prediction: Penguins in 7 Western Conference #1 Vancouver Canucks vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings Prediction: Kings in 7 #2 St. Louis Blues vs. #7 San Jose Sharks Prediction: Blues in 6 #3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #6 Chicago Blackhawks Prediction: Blackhawks in 7 #4 Nashville Predators vs. #5 Detroit Red Wings Prediction: Predators in 7 I will be doing round by round predictions throughout the playoffs so don't forget to tune in before the start every round. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

I just wanted to quickly update the Habs search for their next general manager. According to Pierre Lebrun of TSN, Canadiens management has spoken to Tampa Bay's assistant GM Julien Brisebois and player agent Pat Brisson about the vacant GM spot. Francois Gagnon of RDS reported that the Habs have also contacted Blackhawks assistant GM Marc Bergevin for the job. There is also a report saying that Vincent Damphousse has declined an offer given to him by the team. Let the fun begin. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

Habs fans, today is a great day. And why you may ask? Because today, March 29th 2012, is the day that general manager Pierre Gauthier was fired. After a brutal season that included many questionable trades (see Mike Cammalleri, Andrei Kostitsyn) the city of Montreal has been crying for his firing since at least mid-season, and it's only fitting that he was fired before season's-end. I have so much against Gauthier that I won't even get into it. For now, let's just celebrate that he no longer going to be allowed to ruin this franchise. Let us just say, au revoir, Mr. Gauthier, thanks for nothing. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

Before I begin, I would just to inform all of you that because of the circumstances (missing the playoffs) this blog has become more of an NHL blog than a Habs blog for the rest of the season. I hope you all stick around and we'll be back talking Habs next season.  Which brings me to today's piece. There has been a lot of talk over the past couple years/ weeks about the Phoenix Coyotes potentially relocating. Here are a list of cities that could end up with an NHL team and why they are a good or bad fit for an NHL team. Kansas City Although there has already been a NHL team in Kansas City, I personally don't like the fit. When I think Kansas City, the last thing that comes to mind is hockey. While the city could probably bring in a solid amount of fans, as far as I know, there is no arena in the city that could seat 15,000+ people. Las Vegas I like Vegas more than I like Kansas City, but still, common, it's Vegas. The one main problem I have is that Vegas is ...

I know It's early and I know this is a Habs blog, but with the season basically finished, I needed something to write about. Here are the two teams that I think will reach the Cup Final, who will win and why. Enjoy Western Conference: Nashville Predators Two words: Pekka. Rinne. Then in front of Rinne you have defencemen Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Hal Gill. The bottom line is that this team is not going to let up a lot of goals. The Predators forwards are a bit suspect at times however with the addition of Andrei Kostitsyn at the deadline and Alexander Radulov returning from the KHL, this team suddenly has some talent to put the rubber in the net. Plus with a great checking line centered by Paul Gaustad, opposing team's top forwards will be shut down. Last but not least, Barry Trotz, one of the NHL's best coaches, will surely find a way to game-plan against any team the Preds face. Eastern Conference: Pittsburgh Penguins When you have the offensive talent that ...

March 12, 2012. The night Saku Koivu played his 1000th career game, but it's with the wrong team. Drafted in the first round in 1993 by the Montreal Canadiens, Koivu played 782 out of his 1000 games as a member of the organization, captaining them for a number of years. As great of a player as Koivu was on the ice, he was an even better person off of it. He founded the Saku Koivu foundation and was always involved with the community. After battling so many times with different injuries and long battle with cancer, Koivu somehow managed to always stay positive. He was such a great representative of the team and was the heart and soul of the organization ever since he arrived here. While Koivu is no longer a Hab, he always will be, in my heart, in the hearts of all Montrealers and hopefully in his heart. Congratulations to my childhood hero Saku Koivu, here's to 1000 more. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

Ladies and gentleman, the time has come. Andrei Markov has officially been removed from the injured reserve list and has been placed on the Canadiens active roster. He will make his 2011-2012 season debut tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. Markov has missed the better part of the past 2 seasons due to knee/leg injuries. The 6'0, 204lbs defenseman has missed 68 games this season and will play for the first time since re-injuring his knee last year against Carolina. **Edited (Post-game) As most of you know, Andrei Markov, who missed the first 68 games of the season with a knee injury, returned to the lineup Saturday night against the Canucks. While Markov's skating and conditioning did seem a bit off, his vision and passing haven't lost a step. Markov showed why he is such an important part of the team and how the they is much better with him in the lineup. He ended last night's game with 1 assist, 2 shots and 17:09 TOI. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @ Yo...

5. Patrick Roy As I mentioned in my previous article, Montreal would be better off with Roy behind the bench rather than sitting in the press box. However, if Roy doesn't get the gig as head coach it would be wise to add him into the management group. Roy is the GM of the Quebec Remparts at the moment so there should not be any worry that he has no experience at the job. 4. Julien Brisebois Brisebois is now the assistant GM in Tampa Bay and Steve Yzerman has repeated it many times that he does not want to let him go. However, Brisebois, who used to be the GM of the Hamliton Bulldogs, has ties to Montreal ownership and could return as soon as next season as the GM of the team. 3. Serge Savard Savard has already been the general manager of the Canadiens, and he was a good one at that. He is also an ex-player, he speaks French and is from Montreal. He is a great hockey mind and could seriously help to rebuild this franchise. 2. Scotty Bowman This one right he...

When Pierre Gauthier gave Randy Cunneyworth the "interim" tag as the head coach after Jacques Martin was fired, we all new that he wouldn't be returning to the Canadiens next season. Here is a list of the top five candidates for bench boss duties in Montreal come 2012-2013. 5. Larry Robinson Big Bird, as they call him, would be an amazing coach for the Canadiens. Robinson was an incredible defenseman for the Habs back in the days and in my opinion a return to Montreal is necessary. While I do think Robinson is better suited for a defensive coaching gig, I would have no objection to him being the main man behind the bench in Montreal. Having him behind the bench, in any way, would be essential for the development of players like P.K. Subban, Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu. 4. Pierre Gauthier PSYCH!!!!!!!!  4.  Guy Carbonneau As most of you know, Carbonneau was the coach of the Canadiens only a few years back. Most of you should also remember that ...

The NHL trade deadline has come and gone, and your Montreal Canadiens weren't very active, having only made two moves (1 trade, 1 waiver claim). Here's the roundup of today's deals. 1. Canadiens trade F. Andrei Kostitsyn to Predators for 2013 2nd round pick, conditional 5th round pick. Analysis: To me, this one is a head-scratcher. A 2nd round pick is solid, however, Dominic Moore fetched a 2nd round pick, and AK is worth much more than Moore. I really expected Gauthier to trade Kostitsyn for a significant pick/ prospect, but of course, he failed to get it done. My biggest problem with the trade is that I thought Gauthier pulled the trigger way too early. If he waited until later on in the day, someone would have offered way more than what he received. Go look what Paul Gaustad's return was. Final grade: C+ 2. Canadiens claim F. Brad Staubitz off waivers. Analysis: This move is pretty useless, in my opinion. Staubitz is a good fighter but that...

As I write this article, the Habs sit 28th in the NHL standings, good enough for the 3rd overall pick. Here is what I think the Canadiens will do come draft weekend in Pittsburgh. 1st Round, 3rd overall: Mikhail Grigorenko (Quebec Remparts, QMJHL) - Big, skilled Russian center being compared to Gino Malkin. That's good enough reason to draft him at #3. 2nd Round, 33rd overall: Tanner Pearson (Barrie Colts, OHL)- Player with first round skill and production, 81 points (33 goals, 48 assists) in 49 games. But his age pushes him out of the first round. ( Born in 1992). 2nd Round, 56th overall (From Nashville): Devin Shore (Whitby Fury, OJHL)- Another player with good size, Shore is also very talented offensively. 3rd Round, 63rd overall: Jaynen Rissling (Calgary Hitmen, WHL)- At 6'03, 211lbs, Rissling is a big man and a great hitter. Also has some solid offensive skill including a rocket of a shot. 4th Round, 93rd overall: Jake Mont...

After spending the better part of the past week on Twitter, I've come across a couple rumors that I found to be quite intriguing. While most of these rumors likely won't happen, I thought it would be fun to see what the Habs could look like if these trades were to be completed. Rumors: 1. Chris Stewart to Montreal Canadiens for Travis Moen and a pick/prospect. 2. Andrei Kostitsyn and Yannick Weber to the Nashville Predators for the rights to Alex Radulov + 1st round pick. Check out Radulov's stats in the KHL here . Ridiculous. 3. Jeff Carter to Montreal Canadiens for Tomas Plekanec, Tomas Kaberle, 2013 1st round pick and a prospect. If these 3 trades were to actually be completed, this is what your 2012-2013 Montreal Canadiens could look like. Stewart - Carter - Radulov Cole - Desharnais - Pacioretty Leblanc - Eller - Gionta Geoffrion - White - Blunden Gomez Markov - Emelin Subban - Gorges Diaz - Dumba (5th overall pick) Price Budaj ...

The 2014 winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia. And while we are still 2 years away, it is never to early to predict the roster that will be representing our country in the most important sporting event of the year. GM: Steve Yzerman Head Coach: Mike Babcock Assistant Coaches: Ken Hitchcock, Kirk Muller Forwards: Taylor Hall - Sidney Crosby - Steven Stamkos Rick Nash - Jonathan Toews - Claude Giroux Corey Perry - Ryan Getzlaf - John Tavares Jordan Eberle - Jordan Staal - Eric Staal Tyler Seguin - Matt Duchene Defense: Shea Weber - Drew Doughty Duncan Keith - Kris Letang Brent Burns - PK Subban Tyler Myers Goalies: Carey Price Marc- Andre Fleury Cam Ward                         If I'm Hockey Canada, that's the coaching staff and management I'm putting together and if I'm Steve Yzerman that's what my squad would look like. Just remember that I did not exactly choose players based o...

What a tough week this last one has been for Montrealers, Gary Carter's passing showed us all how much we really loved the hall of fame catcher. Not only was he a great player but more importantly he was a great man. I don't know about the rest of you, but I thought that the tribute to "The Kid" on the big screen, the Habs wearing his famous #8 on their jersey and helmets during warm-up along with Youppi wearing his old Expos jersey were an incredible way to honor Carter. The Habs have always had a knack for doing great tributes and they nailed this one. I think Jack Todd put it best when he wrote "Carter was the face of Nos Amours". Carter will always be in the hearts and memories of Montrealers and I'm sure none of us will ever forget him and his famous smile. Rest in peace, Gary "The Kid" Carter. CHeers Follow me on Twitter: @YourCanadiens

5. David Desharnais: Canadiens vs. Red Wings- Wednesday, January 25th 2012 When the Red Wings came to town in January, many were expecting a blowout. The Red Wings were the top team in the league and they were coming to play a slumping Montreal team. However, thanks to David Desharnais' 3 point performance (2 goals, 1 assist), les Habitants took the game 7-2. 4. David Desharnais/ Erik Cole/ Max Pacioretty: Canadiens vs. Rangers- Monday, January 15th 2012 With the Eastern conference leading Rangers coming to town, nobody expected the Habs to even compete in this game. Thanks to 2 goals and 1 assist from Max Pacioretty, 1 goal and 2 assists from David Desharnais and 3 assists from Erik Cole the Habs came out on top with a 4-1 victory. The line combined for 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists) and a +9 rating. 3. Carey Price: Canadiens vs. Sharks- Thursday, December 1st 2011 Carey Price has been brilliant for the Habs this season but no performance was as good as this on...

5. Josh Gorges This shouldn't come to the surprise of many as Gorges has consistently been the Habs best defender this season. His leadership in the dressing room is immeasurable and his dedication to his team and teammates is incredible. He is a selfless player that will do anything to win. And while he is not lighting up the scoresheets he is a +16 and is leading the league in blocked shots. 4. David Desharnais When you have a top line that is playing as well as David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty and Erik Cole are, a lot has to do with the play of the center. DD has done an incredible job of setting up his wingers all season long. He is third on the team in scoring with 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in 58 games and is a plus 11. Not a bad season for an undrafted free agent. 3. Carey Price Without Carey Price this season, the Habs are the worst team in hockey. Even though the numbers may not show it, Price has been the main reason the Habs are even ...

We have a trade to announce! The Montreal Canadiens have traded defenseman Hal Gill along with a conditional 5th round pick to the Nashvile Predators in exchange for Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a 2nd round pick. Gill will be missed in the locker room in Montreal but it was time for him to move on. He was such a great influence on PK Subban last year and should continue to help the young d-men in Nashville such as Jonathan Blum and Ryan Ellis. In return, the Habs get Robert Slaney and Blake Geoffrion. Slaney is currently playing in the ECHL and it his chances to play at the NHL level in his future are very slim. If you weren't aware, Geoffrion is the great grand son of former Hab great, Boom-boom Geoffrion. At 6'02 and roughly 200lbs, Geoffrion brings good size and skill to the team. The 2nd round pick is just the icing on the cake and a very good late addition to the trade. Final word: Great move by Gauthier. Geoffrion is young, skilled and has a bright future. Gill wa...

Ladies and gentleman, the trade deadline is only a short time away. Here is a list of 5 players that the Habs must trade before the deadline, and who they should be traded for. 1. Hal Gill Gill has once again been a great player for the Habs this season. When he is dealt, his leadership will be dearly missed. However, because of his age and his pending UFA status Gill must be moved. With many pending free agent defenseman signing with their teams (Gleason, Boychuk, Sutton) Gill could prove to be one of the hottest commodities at his position as he has playoff experience and has won a Stanley cup. My offer: Hal Gill to Philadelphia Flyers for a 2nd round pick. 2. Travis Moen Just like Gill, Moen's presence in the locker room will be missed, however his UFA status makes him hard to keep. Moen is a great penalty killer and defensive players and could be the difference to a team like the San Jose Sharks or Detroit Red Wings. Moen is that bottom 6 forward with playoff experien...

1. Zach Parise This one is obvious. Parise is a dynamic offensive talent who has scored 30 goals four times in his career, including a 45 goal season. The Devils don't have the money to re-sign Parise unless they somehow get rid of Kovalchuk's contract. Look for him to become a free agent July 1st. My offer: $42,000,000 over 6 years 2. Ryan Suter Another obvious choice to help bolster the blueline, Suter is definitely one of the better defenseman on the market this summer. While he is mainly a defensive defenseman, Suter has shown the ability to put up some solid numbers throughout his NHL career. If the Canadiens could get there hands on Suter, it would be a huge boost to their back-end. My offer: $35,000,000 over 5 years 3. Tuomo Ruutu Ruutu, 6'02, 202lbs, would add a physical dimension to the team that it is lacking. While Ruutu has never really put up eye-popping numbers, he has been a very effective player for the Hurricanes this s...

So there's a bit of a dilemma in Montreal these days. In the midst of a 4 game winning streak, it seems as if the team is suddenly back in the playoff picture. After spending most of the season in the cellar of the Eastern conference, this winning streak has pulled the Habs back into playoff contention. As of Sunday night, the team sits in 11th place in the conference and 7 points out of 8th, which is now held by Toronto. So now as Habs fans we must ask ourselves, are the playoffs a realistic goal? Obviously any loyal Habs fan's first thought would be that of course he/she wants the team to make the playoffs and yes the playoffs are a possibility. Now, let's look at it from a different angle. If the Habs were to somehow make the playoffs, they would more than likely end up in 8th spot. Meaning they would face either the Rangers or Bruins in the first round. I know many of you may use the excuse that the Canadiens have had the edge over the Rangers this season, but com...

Ryan White and Ian Schultz have been recalled from the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL. The team announced the transaction Sunday night. White, who is coming off sports hernia surgery, has 4 goals and 1 assist in 4 games with the Bulldogs. Schultz, who was the other player involved in the Jaroslav Halak deal that brought Lars Eller to Montreal, has 3 goals and 10 assists in 36 games with the 'Dogs. He is also a +3 on a team with a lot of "big" minuses. Schultz and White each bring size and grit to a team that is lacking just that. Now as Habs fans, we can only ask ourselves, is there a trade coming? Above is Ryan White fighting Bruins D-man Johnny Boychuk If you haven't seen Ian Schultz play, watch this. Man is a truck. CHeers

I would just like to take the time to congratulate Scott Gomez on his first goal in 371 days. Life has been tough for "Gomer" since signing (and not living up to) his hefty $7M contract. Players have consistently said that Scotty is one of the most liked players in the dressing room and that he is a great leader and great guy. Good to see him get his goal. Here are some stats from Gomez's drought thanks to Steven Hindle of Hockeybuzz.com. Days: 371 Games Played: 52 Time on Ice between Goals: 859:15 or 13 hours, 59 minutes and 15 seconds Shifts between Goals: 1,131 Shots between Goals: 104 Assists between Goals: 17 +/- between Goals: -8 Thanks for the goal, Scott. So we'll see you in 371 days? CHeers

For the Montreal Canadiens, the 2011-2012 season has been a rough one. From the firings of coaches Jacques Martin and Perry Pearn, to the mid-game trade that included Mike Cammalleri being shipped to Calgary, it has definitely been a season to forget in Montreal. With all that is going poorly for the Bleu Blanc Rouge, Habs fans have placed all of the blame on General Manager Pierre Gauthier, and rightfully so. With the Canadiens having a very slim chance of reaching the playoffs, there are still a few ways that the Canadiens can salvage their season. Firstly and most importantly, at the end of the season, the entire management must be replaced. Gauthier along with Bob Gainey and the entire coaching staff must go and be replaced with new blood to lead this team in a new direction.  Everyone out, no exceptions. Completely new regime. A new GM candidate is Pierre McGuire and a new coaching staff could include Guy Carbonneau returning as the head coach along with assis...

After a shutout win over the Winnipeg Jets Sunday afternoon, the Montreal Canadiens pulled a rabbit out of their hats with a shootout victory Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, only their second shootout victory this season. But that didn't even make headlines as Montreal's young stars stole the show. As sweet as the win was, the performance of two young players for the Canadiens was the cherry on top. After a rough season last year, young Danish centre Lars Eller, who was acquired in the Jaroslav Halak trade, is starting to prove that he can be a solid regular in the NHL. Once again, Eller had the challenge of shutting down the opponent's top players. After completely shutting down Pavel Datsyuk back before the All-Star break, Eller was given another opportunity to shut down a star Russian player. This time it was league leader in points, Evgeni Malkin. With some help from Tomas Plekanec, Eller once again put in a stellar performance, holding Malkin to one assist, ...

As most of you may know, the Mile High Jungle blog did not exactly work out. But fear not my friends, Big Mike is here to stay. Here at Your Canadiens all of the talk will be about our beloved Habs, nothing else. If you're a Habs fan, Your Canadiens is the place to be for heated Habs debates and anything else about the Montreal Canadiens. I hope you all stick around for the ride. CHeers Follow me on twitter: @YourCanadiens Other great follows: @BallHock