"Relax. Chill out."

It's been almost 5 years since my last blog post. I don't even know who reads this anymore. Frankly, something happened outside of the online world that made me question complaining on the Internet. It seemed so small compared to the life events that can actually punch you in the face.

I still think complaining on the Internet is worthless. So I'm going to try to reason on the Internet (probably worth less than worthless). I want to reason with you about the Michel Therrien - PK Subban issue.

If you're reading this it's because you clicked on a link I shared (maybe you stumbled upon it, but that's doubtful). If you're reading this, you probably already know the back story, but bare with me for a second while I lay it out, just in case it's 2025 and we're looking back trying to figure out what happened.

PK Subban, arguably Montreal's second best player (after Carey Price), is carrying the puck in an effort to generate offence. Grigorenko (bad guy Soviet, I think) knocks the puck off PK's stick. PK loses an edge and falls. Grigorenko skates up the ice in a 3 on 3 breakout. The Avalanche score the winning goal. That's abbreviated. I'll go into much more detail. You can see the play in question here.

Really, it's just tough luck for PK and the Canadiens. If PK doesn't fall, arguably the game goes to overtime and the Canadiens get at least a point in a must win game (to be honest, I don't think the Canadiens were in a must win game. There are no more must win games. It's over. It's been over for a while. Play the kids and let them develop and let's ensure a high draft pick). The play also lead to these quotes by Montreal Canadiens head coach, Michel Therrien:

1. "It’s too bad an individual mistake cost us the game late in the game.” 
2. “We believe that, as a coach, he [Subban] could have made a better decision at the blueline. He put himself in a tough position. We play as a team. When we don’t we could be in trouble and this is what happened.”

Now, a bit more back story. Michel Therrien, it is rumoured, never liked PK Subban. He made some comments prior to being coach of the Montreal Canadiens on a French language program called L'Antichambre many years ago that I can't find on the Google machine right now. 

More backstory, the Canadiens were supposed to be good this year. Really good. But Carey Price (best hockey player in the world) is hurt and the team is crapping the bed. 

Even more back story. Habs fans and Montreal media over-react. This is fact. Much like Leafs fans always think they'll win next year. And now, the Montreal media and fan base are going crazy. "Fire Therrien!" "Trade PK!" "Trade Pacioretty!" "Therrien and Bergevin are running PK out of town!" (my favourite). Which leads to the title. It was a quote by Carey Price a few years ago when the Habs lost a pre-season game. He said "Just relax. Chill out.".

Great advice, even for today. So with that all in mind, what does the 30-something (full disclosure, I'm no longer 30-something) Curmudgeon think of this? Let's break down the play:

1. Canadiens have the puck in the offensive zone with about 2 minutes left in a tied game. PK should have made a smart play. Had he passed the puck rather than tried to generate offense the game probably goes to overtime and the Canadiens win. He made a mistake. It's at least partially his fault.
2. Grigorenko made a great play to get the puck away from PK and create the breakout.
3. The breakout was a 3 on 3 and was poorly defended. As the Avs enter the Canadiens zone, each Av is covered - Duchene (who has the puck on zone entry) by Markov, Grigorenko by Pacioretty, and Iginla (the goal scorer) by De La Rose.
4. Pacioretty loses his man by watching the puck. The puck carrier is being defended. Patches screwed up. 
5. De La Rose sees the puck passed to an uncovered Grigorenko and leaves his man to defend the puck carrier. This leaves Iginla all alone in front of the net. De La Rose screwed up.
6. Scrivens over-commits to the puck carrier and can't get back in time to stop Iginla's shot. Bergevin screwed up thinking Scrivens can be Carey Price. I'm not blaming Scrivens. He did what Scrivens does.
7. Down 1 goal with 2 minutes left, Therrien benches Pacioretty and Subban (maybe De La Rose too?). His two best offensive players. Habs lose. Therrien screws up.
8. Therrien places blame on "individual play". Not naming Subban, but in the context of a question regarding Subban's play. Therrien screws up.

So that's a big list of screw ups. Subban, Patches, De La Rose, Therrien (twice). What does it all mean? It means the goal was PK's fault. If he makes the smart play, the breakout doesn't happen. It's also Pacioretty and De La Rose's fault. They left their men all alone. They forgot how to play defense. It's also Therrien's. You can't win with your best players on the bench.

So what else does it all mean? Nothing. The Canadiens are not going to make the playoffs. Even if they get those 2 points. They have a hill to climb. Here's all you really need to take away from this:

1. PK made a mistake. He'll make more. He'll score lots too. 
2. Therrien probably shouldn't have said what he said. But he's in the throes of a very tough season. His comments were correct. PK's play led to the goal. Other things happened too. Maybe he should have also pointed out the mistakes by Patches and De La Rose. Maybe. He didn't. I've said stupid things. A lot of stupid things. I'm sure you have too. You say things you don't mean. You say things you mean but shouldn't say. It happens. Especially in times of intense pressure and stress. 
3. Patches lost his assignment. Doesn't mean he's playing to be traded or hates PK.
4. De La Rose lost his assignment. He'll learn.

You want a new coach? You might get one. But not until the season's over. 

I'm no Michel Therrien apologist. I don't like him or his style. I think he stifles growth. I think he's stubborn. I think he relies on veterans too much. I think he doesn't let talent play the way they can. But I don't think he should be fired mid-season. You make those decisions after thinking clearly for a while. You wait to see who's available at year end.

And who is available? Who do you want? You know an anglophone coach probably won't work, unless it's Scotty Bowman. Guy Boucher? Guy Carbonneau? Someone from the Q?

In a perfect world, the best coach is available right now and accepted by the fans and media. The world is not perfect. So wait it out. See what happens. Make a decision with all available information when it's not an emotional decision.

PK's not going anywhere. Not unless there's an offer that can't be refused. But at $9M per season, not many teams can take him on.

Same as Patches. He'd be easier to trade for sure. But why? He's great, he's signed to a sweet deal. We'd be crazy to trade him.

So, everyone just relax. Chill out. Ride out the season. It sucks, but it'll be over soon and the bad taste will go away. I'm paraphrasing a character from The Walking Dead now "When you get a shit sandwich the best thing to do is bite, chew, swallow, repeat, until it's all over." We've got a shit sandwich for a season. Eat it. It'll be gone soon enough.

Post Script

I've ranted. I'm not sure the above is coherent. Let me know what you think. And yes, I like lists. 

The NHL Missed the Net

I've been trying to write about this in a logical yet passionate way since Tuesday evening but I can't. There is no logic and I can't remove my emotions. Yes, I'm talking about the hit that Zdeno Chara laid on Max Pacioretty in Tuesday night's Boston v. Montreal NHL game. I just can't find the words to say what I want. It's rare that I'm at such a loss for words.

In the meantime I've been digesting it all and chatting back and forth with the original curmudgeon (the OGC). The OGC suggested a post that sums it up quite nicely. I've been hoping for this for a while and now, here's the OGC:

NHL leadership stinks and the league is becoming a joke. Every time they have a chance to make a statement, they take a pass. This is the same league that hands out suspensions for vulgar gestures and flipping someone the bird. But when a guy is brutally injured, they turn a blind eye like it's nothing.

A caller to The Team 990 said it perfectly. How can players be held responsible for their sticks when they're falling on their butts and the stick flails, but not be held accountable for their elbows, shoulders and fists when in full control of their body? Only one word sums this up: bullshit.

Well put OGC. But he wasn't done. In response to this article on the Boston Herald website, in particular this line:

The true villain, though, is the architectural genius who placed that small, exposed stretch of boards, stanchions and glass right in the area between the benches and created a tremendously dangerous hazard.

The OGC had this reply:

Is that a little like blaming a rape victim because of the low cut dress she was wearing? In your world, Mr. Harris, I guess the aggressor is never at fault.

Toronto Sports Network - UPDATED

Updated at bottom.

I've complained about TSN being very Toronto-centric in my NHL draft diary but today's headlines really annoyed me. Here's a list of all the links to stories on TSN's main page this morning:

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Canucks' Burrows slams referee after loss to Predators
Serena Williams dominates in Sydney to win 2010 debut
Veteran sumo wrestler Kaio notches record 808th win
Weber's game-winner leads Predators to road win over Canucks
Anderson makes 44 saves as Avs drop Flames in shootout
Pacers rally from 23 points down to stun Raptors
Maynard beats Diaz in Ultimate Fight Night main event

Monday, January 11, 2010

Serena Williams dominates in Sydney to win 2010 debut
Huge night by Nash helps Suns hold off Bucks
Pound: Figure skating a 'nightmare sport'
Wilson may shake up Leafs' lines to help Kessel out of slump
Walling: Saint Mary's to welcome Danton
Fast Break: Rautins says Bosh is the best Raptor ever
McGwire admits to steroid use during 1998 home run race
Report: Blue Jays scouting Delgado in winter league
McGwire's original testimony before Congress in 2005
Fleury apologizes for ripping Flames on his blog
Coveted LHP Chapman signs 6-year deal with Reds
Coyotes' Jovanovski suspended 2 games for elbowing
Bucks lose Redd for remainder of the season
Rangers, Guerrero agree on one-year deal
Double Play: McGwire deserves to be forgiven like Rodriguez
Blackhawks extend president McDonough through 2016
Stronger, Higher, Homer? Simpsons go curling
Canada names its Olympic long track team
Seahawks make it official with Pete Carroll
Flames host Avs, Canucks battle Preds in Monday action
Danton cleared to attend St. Mary's; expected to play hockey
Lindsey Vonn dimisses the hype
Eagles say McNabb will return for 12th season with team
Langenbrunner picked as USA's captain for Vancouver
Mark McGwire's full statement
Streaking Canucks gain ground in TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings
Canadian foursome set to tee off on PGA Tour in 2010
Heavy rain closes Olympic host mountain
Razor's Edge: Red Wings a model for resiliency
Watkins, Bowman, Chiu top Als' list of potential free agents
Texas Longhorns top men's hoops poll for the first time
Flashback: Beckie Scott waited to receive gold
Bosh, Raptors start brief road swing in Indy on TSN
More Wizards meet authorities about Arenas investigation
Six-goal week earns Canucks' Burrows first star honours
Chisholm: Of Bosh, Turkoglu, and the NBA trade deadline
Hall tops Seguin in Central Scouting mid-season rankings
Doughty piling up points since Team Canada announcement
Armstrong: Five improvements for Raptors to take next step
Jones versus Vera set for main event of UFC Fight Night 21
Tiger-Cats ink Peter Dyakowski to contract extension
Pens go for consecutive wins in clash with Wild on TSN2
Jayson Williams pleads guilty to '02 shooting; to serve time
Mavericks acquire Najera from New Jersey
Man U aims to reduce massive debts with bond sale
Bus attack highlights security concerns ahead of WCup
Sutter furious at laser pointer wielding Canucks fan
Cullen: First Fantasy Puck Mail of 2010
Schumacher's return to F1 begins with drive of GP2 car
Tom Hicks' son resigns as director of Liverpool
FIA to appeal court's decision to overturn Briatore's ban
Report: Canadians Stout, Goulet added to UFC 113 in Montreal
Henin pulls out with injury; upsets rule Monday in Sydney
Monfils withdraws from Sydney tournament
Lightning beat Devils in completion of suspended game
Henderson unifies lightweight title at WEC 46
Dansby's fumble return in OT helps Arizona to record victory

Noticeably absent is a story about a 4 point (FOUR!) game by Mr. Guillaume Latendresse of the Minnesota Wild. Gui! had a hand in every goal scored by the Wild last night. You'd think that in a country obsessed with hockey this would be headline news. Especially considering the network aired the game and Gui! is a Canadian boy. But it's not and I'll tell you why. It's the Toronto Sports Network and he's French (yep, I went there)!

First, the Toronto bias.

TSN needs room on its site for stories about who Phil Kessel's linemates are going to be, why Chris Bosh is the greatest Raptor of all time, who the Blue Jays are scouting and something about Homer Simpson. As if a story about who will be playing on a line with a guy on one of the worst teams in the NHL is bigger news than a guy who notches 4 points in a game and is a part of every scoring play. A 4 point night is nothing to scoff at and should be an entry on your site the day after it happens. You even showed the game, you must have had reporters on hand.

I'm tired of TSN calling itself Canada's National sports leader. It is Toronto's sporst leader. At least Sportsnet has 4 different channels based on region. TSN has 2 stations, but focused on Toronto. While RDS is obviously biased towards Montreal it is a French speaking station; it should be biased towards Canada's only French based team.

Now, the French Bias. This was covered by Bob Sirois in his book Le Québec mis en échec: la discrimination envers les Québécois dans le LNH (Quebec bodychecked: discrimination against Quebeckers in the NHL). Mr. Sirois contends that prejudice is alive and well in the NHL and he points this out with the lack of esteem held for French players when compared to anglophone peers.

You think Sirois' crazy? Again, the Latendresse story was not included in TSN's links. Also, have a look at all of the hockey related news above and see if you can find a French name. You can't. I understand that Fleury is a French based name, Theo is not French.

If it weren't for its grapple on sports in Canada, I'd be done with TSN. As it is now I watch RDS almost exclusively for games and news updates and will no longer visit TSN on the web. Frapper la rue TSN.

Update

Alex Burrows is from Quebec. His story is the first on the list above. However, his story is a story of a vendetta between him and a referree. The ref, Stephane Auger, was also involved during the Shane Doan racial slur. It all smells a tad funny, and while I'm not entirely sure what to think of it, since both Burrows and Auger are from Quebec, I still think it's incredible there was (and still) no mention of Gui!'s 4 point night against the Stanley Cup champion Pens.

You Were Expecting Gretzky?

I've heard it said that the definition of crazy is repeatedly doing the same thing and expecting different results. So does that make Bryan Murray stark raving mad? Didn't he know what he was getting when he signed Alex "the artist" "AK-27" Kovalev?

I've watched Kovy for the past 5 years in a Habs uniform only to be frustrated, then dazzled, then further frustrated, then happy he was gone. Sure, he can be a game changer but more of than not he's lazy and uninterested.

Kovalev has four goals and four assists in 16 games, which puts him on pace for 41 points this season. That will change, he'll score a bunch for a week, then cool off again and likely end up somewhere near 50 points. You'd be crazy if you expected anything more.

Three Jerks on the Radio

I voiced my distaste for the Team 1200's morning show personalities in a recent post. My overall gripe is that on a morning sports radio show the hosts rarely talk about sports. Secondary to this is that they biased to the point that they don't even discuss other games. In fact, they rarely, if ever, talk about baseball, football or any sport without an Ottawa connection. Finally, they aren't funny at all. If they were funny I could probably live with the lack of sports content.

On Wednesday October 7th I conducted a bit of an experiment. I decided to track the content of the show to see if it was just me getting my hate on or if the jerks really ignore the sports content in their morning sports show.

Before I get into the details I should briefly touch on the general format during my listening time (7 am to 7:45 and 8:30 am to 8:50 am). The show has a 1 to 3 minute sports update every 20 minutes by someone other than the jerks. Pretty standard sports radio fare. So 3 to 9 minutes of every hour has guaranteed sports content. There are traffic and weather updates as well. Finally, there is a contest every day called the Dirty Dozen at around 7:30. Callers are asked 12 questions and if they get at least 6 right they win. If they don't they have to recite some stupid "I am not a man" speech.

For purposes of this experiment I've restricted my notes on the content to the discussion by the jerks. I'm ignoring the 20/20 update and the traffic and weather. The jerks get a point for every segment that involves sports and lose a point for every segment that doesn't. You'd expect the score to be above zero. Anything below zero is a fail.

Today the first words I heard from the jerks were a discussion of David Letterman's apology to his wife followed by the attractiveness, or lack thereof, of said wife. Score - 1 for the jerks.

Next up was some praise for their Swedish God's goal against a guy in his first ever NHL game (a goal he should score). Score back to even.

This was followed by an interview with Cyril Leeder, president of the Sens that began with a chat about Homer Simpson. They played the Simpsons "na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na leader" (think Batman) clip as the intro which brought Homer about. I'll be generous and give the jerks another point since Mr. Leeder has a sports connection.

The interview with Cyril Leeder continued with a request to bring back the ice girls that shovel the snow during breaks in the game. I already gave you a point for the interview, but I'm taking one away now because the request lead directly to a conversation about whether or not a girl wearing a hockey helmet was sexy. They then try to make a joke about needing to wear a helmet while ploughing (their word, not mine) your wife. Not funny at all. Score back to zero.

The Dirty Dozen was up next with the categories being New York Islanders dynasty, sports siblings and the Rideau Canal. 2 points for the jerks and 1 against since there was no sports connection to the canal questions. The jerks are above water.

At this point I went to the office to grab some supplies and came directly home to jump in the car and drive about 25 minutes west of my home. A perfect opportunity to continue the experiment. This particular portion of their show included chats about:

• Boston Candy (-1);
• teen drinking (-1);
• smashing cars (-1);
• hat trick trivia (+1);
• travelling to Jamaica (-1);
• starvation insurance (-1);
  
• fighting in hockey (+1);
• leafs suck (+1);
• Brittania drive-in (-1); and
• Letterman's wife again (-1).

You should double check my math, but the total score I have is -3. I can live with some non-sports banter from time to time, but this is an average day with more non-sports chat than sports chat, not to mention no discussion of:

• the huge playoff game between the Tigers and Twins to decide who gets to make the ALDS (the Twins won in extra innings);
• out of town hockey games, like the exhilarating Flyers v Caps game; or
• any other actual game that happened the night before or upcoming Wednesday night other than the Sens beating the Leafs.

You'd think in a city of 1,000,000 people you could find 3 interesting people, with good voices, that have sports knowledge and a bit of charm.

If you want to hear real sports radio, check out the Team 990. Sure, they talk about the Habs a lot but they also understand that there are other teams in the NHL and other sports that people are interested in hearing about.

My Love/Hate Relationship

In case you hadn't already figured it out, I'm a Habs fan. It's kinda weird, because I love the team, but I hate Habs fans. They're obnoxious, rude,they love to hate their team, they'll turn on their own in an instant and turn on you as a non-fan even quicker. And now, some douche has sunk to a new low. Check out this post. The guy is blaming players for shit that hasn't even happened yet. He's expecting a bad season and pinning the blame before the pre-season even starts.

I'd almost rather be a fan of the Leafs who think anyone with a leaf on their jersey is the greatest player in the world and they always have a chance to win the cup. Ignorance is bliss they say.

Koivu and Kovalev Part Deux

Today the Ottawa Senators signed Alexei Kovalev, the enigmatic winger who spent the last few seasons in Montreal. In case you couldn’t tell, I’m a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. I was also a fan of Kovy, though he was frustrating to watch. Sens fans should be wary; he has the ability to be a game changer, when he wants to, but he also loses interest for long periods of time. I’m guessing most of you already know that.

This isn’t going to be a rant about Kovy. Rather, this is a rant about Habs fans. I hate most Habs fans. Habs fans are generally an obnoxious lot. Habs fans get out of control, behave inappropriately, are mouthy, and just generally not fun to be around. I can tolerate that and sometimes even participate. What bothers me right now is the lack of respect that Saku Koivu has received.

Over the weekend, there was a rally at the Bell Centre with the intention to sway Bob Gainey to re-sign Kovalev. Obviously it didn’t work. Eric Engels, one of my favourite Hab writers/bloggers said "I'd sooner attend a rally for Koivu". So what I really want to know is “where is the rally is for Saku?”

Kovalev spent 4 ½ seasons in Montreal (5 ½ if you count the lockout) and over that span he was arguably the most skilled forward Montreal had. I'm sad to see him go, but I'm also happy. As mentioned ad nauseum, he didn’t quite give his all every night, and certainly wasn’t the best on both sides of the ice. The $5 million he's getting from Ottawa is better spent elsewhere (though I'm not sure it was spent in the most efficient fashion).

Koivu spent his entire NHL career with Montreal; 13 seasons (14 with the lockout) with little support (see Brian Savage, Sergei Berezin, etc.). He showed up for the Habs every night and lead by example. He was great with and without the puck. He came back from a serious eye injury and a battle with cancer. The man is more courageous that Kovalev could ever be. Koivu could have left as a free agent before and chose to stay. He donated countless dollars to cancer research and equipment in the city. He put up with the media’s lack of respect for him with nothing but respect for them. He never said boo when they complained about him not speaking French or when he had that serious eye injury and the stupid photographers were taking flash photos.

Koivu is a man with courage and class. He will be sadly missed and all you Habs fans showing support for a wasted talent like Kovalev rather than Koivu should be ashamed.

New Look Habs

I'm still trying to absorb all the changes the Montreal Canadiens have made since June 30th. I'm not sure I'm ready to write this post, but I may not be ready until midway through next season, so here we go.

I want to discuss the UFAs that didn't get signed first. I blogged about it recently and still think Bob Gainey erred by not signing Komisarek prior to the end of the season. It's clear now that Komisarek was the only UFA that Bob was interested in re-signing, though he did make an offer to Kovalev as well. Komisarek signed with the rival Leafs for a total of $2 million more, about $500,000 per season. Team 990, the Montreal sports radio station, is reporting that Komisarek wanted 8 years from Montreal, for less yearly money, but couldn't get it.

I'm not sure who I'm mad at most here. If the reports from Team 990 are true, why wouldn't you sign a stud defenseman to an 8 year deal, especially one that is only 27. Also, I think Gainey likely could have avoided all this by offering Komisarek a contract during the season.

On the other hand, I'm pissed at Komisarek. I understand it's his right as free agent to sign wherever he chooses, but to choose the Leafs is a kick in the gut to us Habs fans. I've heard some interviews with him lately saying he wanted a fresh start and to play in a hockey city. He also said all the right things about Montreal. I want to hate this guy so much, but I can't. He's a good guy and gave up his body every night for the Habs.

I'm torn about this all. I blame Gainey and Komisarek both. This could have been avoided and Komisarek would almost certainly be a captain someday (perhaps he would have been the next captain). It will take some time to figure out how I feel, probably not until the first Leafs - Habs game.

I think the defensive changes are a definite loss for the Habs. Spacek and Gill (I can't believe we have Gill, I hated that guy for so long) will not replace Komisarek and Schneider. I'm not getting any deeper into this. It's a fact that isn't up for discussion, so let's move on to the forwards.

The main UFA forwards, Koivu, Kovalev and Tanguay, that weren't re-signed may have been a purposeful changing of the guard. Saku Koivu has been with the Habs for 13 years. He's been the captain of the franchise for 10. He gave his heart and soul to the team and the city. Saku Koivu's foundation in Montreal helped raise millions of dollars over the years for cancer research and equipment in the city. Regardless of whether you think he should have stayed or gone, you cannot argue with what he gave to the team and the city; everything he had.

Kovalev had to go. I like Kovy more than most. He is probably the most talented stick handler in the league. He's also the most frustrating forward to watch in the league. He'll show up one night and not the next. If he did re-sign, I wouldn't have been upset, but I'm also not upset that he's not coming back.

Finally Tanguay was only here one year and was hurt for a good part of it. I didn't have time to develop an affinity for him so I won't really miss him.

As I've mentioned above, I believe this was a deliberate changing of the guard. For years, there have been rumours of dressing room battles within the Habs. I think Bob saw this as a way to change the culture of the dressing room. With Koivu, Kovy, Komisarek, and Higgins gone, the Habs just lost their captain and 3 people who have worn the A over the past 4 years. Now, we have Gomez, Cammalleri, and Gionta. We still don't know who will be the captain or the assistants, but we are certain the leadership of this team has changed. These guys are hard workers. Gomez and Gionta played for the Devils and should fit nicely into Martin's defensive system.

A lot of bloggers and reporters are saying that the changes at forward is a sideways move; the Habs didn't get better, they just changed three pieces for three equal pieces. I thought I'd look into this and compare the players involved since the lockout season.

First, the centres, Koivu and Gomez:

Koivu
GP	G	A	Pts
72	17	45	62
81	22	53	75
77	16	40	56
65	16	34	50

Gomez
GP	G	A	Pts
82	33	51	84
72	13	47	60
81	16	54	70
77	16	42	58

Gomez clearly has more upside, scoring 84 points the year after the lockout. With the exception of 2006/2007, Gomez has produced more points that Koivu each year. This is a step up. Also, Gomez is younger than Koivu and is being reunited with Gionta, his line mate the year he scored 85 points. I'd say this is an improvement.

You can't discuss the acquisition of Gomez without looking at what was given up, Higgins and McDonagh. Higgins was highly touted, expected to lead the Habs one day in scoring and as a captain or assistant. However, looking at Higgins' production, it didn't look like he was developing into that player. His best year was 2007/2008, scoring 27 goals and 25 assists, for 52 total points. This was also the only year he played a full season. Maybe Higgins will develop into that player someday, but I don't mind Gainey giving up on him, he wasn't getting there and may need a change to be the player he can be (see John LeClair).

Losing McDonagh worries me more. The kid (he's in university) is expected to be a large, stay at home defense man. I saw him play at the World Juniors this year and he is big and good. I suspect he'll be the seen as the steal of the trade when the Rangers look back in a few years.

Next, we'll compare Kovalev and Gionta.

Kovalev
GP	G	A	Pts
69	23	42	65
73	18	29	47
82	35	49	84
78	26	39	65

Gionta
GP	G	A	Pts
82	48	41	89
62	25	20	45
82	22	31	53
81	20	40	60

Looking at the stats, this may be a push. Both had seasons with 80 plus points and seasons with less than 50 points. If you look at the trend, you see that Kovalev's production is getting better, but let's not forget that Gionta is being reunited with Gomez. This should help them both. Also, Kovalev isn't getting any younger. Finally, I doubt that you have to give Gionta a few days off to find himself and start playing like he cares. Even if Kovalev's stats were markedly better than Gionta's, I'd say it's addition by subtraction. I can live with this. I just don't look forward to playing Kovalev in the future.

Finally, let's look at Tanguay and Cammallerri:

Tanguay
GP	G	A	Pts
71	29	49	78
81	22	59	81
78	18	40	58
50	16	25	41

Cammallerri
GP	G	A	Pts
80	26	29	55
81	34	46	80
63	19	28	47
81	39	43	82

I'd say that Cammallerri is the winner here, though it is a tight race. Cammallerri had 2 seasons with 80 or more points; Tanguay only missed it by 2 points in 2005/2006. Cammallerri appears more durable as well, only having one season playing less than 80 games. Tanguay has only played 80 or more games once since the lockout. I'll take Cammallerri's durability and call the point production a push.

So, Montreal may be slightly better offensively but are more durable than in previous years. They are worse off defensively. If Montreal signs another defense man, or one comes up through the system (hi there PK), then maybe we'll be a better team this year. Or, maybe we'll be better just because we've lost a guy who only shows up when he wants to and we get 2 guys who have won 2 cups each with the Devils.

I still don't know how to feel about this. I'm going to miss Koivu and Komisarek. I'll even miss Kovalev's talent. I'm glad I compared the new guys with the old and wrote this entry (though it may be one of my worst posts) to help me figure out how I feel. Too bad it didn't work. Tell me what you think.

In Bob we Trust(?)

A friend of mine is as big a Habs fan as I know. He entertains me with his Hab puns. For example, he has nicknames for most players, such as Greek Lightning for Tom Kostopoulos and the Tenderness for Guillaum Latendresse. I once lamented Bob Gainey's choice of forcing Guy Carbonneau to start Carey Price so early in the young goaltender's career and my friend said "In Bob we trust". The Canadiens went on to finish first in the eastern conference and made it to the second round of the playoffs. It seemed everything Bob Gainey did worked. In Bob I trusted.

But now, I'm starting to have some doubts. Here's why:

• Giving Price the starter's role didn't look like the greatest decision last year.
  
  
• The Habs were falling in the standings last season and just as they started to turn things around with a few wins, Bob Gainey fires head coach Guy Carbonneau. Bob took over behind the bench and didn't fare much better as the Habs snuck into the playoffs and were swept by the hated Bruins.
  


• Last month Bob hired Jacques Martin as head coach (I've lamented on this already here) and informed the assistant coaches and media that they'll have a full staff in place by June 15th, 2009. Bob has yet to announce the hiring of the full coaching staff, though it has been announced that Roland Melanson, Don Lever, Ron Wilson, and Doug Jarvis will not be returning and that Kirk Muller will remain as an assistant. Bob failed to meet his self-imposed deadline.
  


• The Habs had 10 players due to become unrestricted free agents during the last season and Bob signed a total of 0 to an extension. Bob missed out on signing the potential UFAs during the season.
  


• The Habs had 4 players due to become restricted free agents during the last season and Bob signed a total of 0 to an extension. Bob missed out on signing the potential RFAs during the season.
  


• The Habs still have 10 players that are due to become UFAs and 4 players due to become RFAs with less than a week to go to the beginning of the free agency period. Bob is running out of time to deal with the 14 UFA and RFAs and, according to Pat Hickey, Bob has no plans to sign any UFAs or RFAs until after the draft.
  

• The Habs are heavily rumoured to acquire Vincent Lecavalier in a trade with Tampa Bay, but Bob publicly chastised the Lightning's GM, calling his actions "disgraceful". Bob's comments can't be good for his relationship with Tampa's GM Brian Lawton and his chances of acquiring Lecavalier.

I doubted Bob before and he reaffirmed my trust. He stalked the cupboards full of young talent through the draft, he turned Kovalev's season around at the end of this year and he proved that starting Price early was a good move (2 years ago anyway). I also know that Bob keeps his cards pretty close to the vest, but I'm having a hard time trusting Bob now. Here's hoping that Bob will prove me wrong, but he's got a tough road ahead of him.

Offensive Martin

Jacques Martin said this at the news conference introducing him as the new head coach of the habs:

I believe in attacking when you have the puck and retrieving it when you don't have it. I certainly don't try to stifle creativity. If you look at the teams I've coached, I've had creative players like Marian Hossa, Daniel Alfredsson and Martin Havlat, and we've been among the highest-scoring teams in the league.

Unfortunately, the Habs do not have an Alfredsson, Havlat, or a Hossa. Noticeably absent in his comment was Yashin. Yashin is a Russian superstar who is amazing to watch, when he shows up. Sound familiar?

Martin to Coach Habs

Today (June 1, 2009) Jacques Martin became the 8th head coach of the Montreal Canadiens since their last Stanley Cup win in 1992-1993 (if you count Bob Gainey twice). I think Martin is a fine coach, but I don't think he was the best choice.

First, some points in favour of Martin. Martin has a 517-406-119-56 regular season record as a head coach (W-L-T-OL) amassing 1209 points. That translates into a 0.551 point percentage (a measure of total points accumulated over total points possible). It is an impressive regular season record, 72nd all time according to hockey-reference.com and 13th among active coaches who have coached at least 1 full season.

He also has a 38-47 postseason record with a 0.447 winning percentage. That isn't too shabby either, ranking him 93rd all time (hockey-reference.com again) and 13th among active coaches who have coached at least 1 full season as well (weird).

He turned the Ottawa Senators franchise around. Martin brought stability and defensive responsibility to a talented team and took them to the playoffs for the first time in 1996-1997. The Senators would not miss the playoffs again during his tenure (and not until this past season), culminating in a heartbreaking game 7 loss against the Devils in the 2002-2003 Eastern Conference Finals (the Devils would go on to beat the Ducks and win The Cup).

Now some cons. Martin coaches a boring defensive system. The Sens won games under Martin but they weren't exactly exciting to watch (certainly not compared to Bryan Murray's style) playing a trapping style.

While Martin has a decent playoff winning percentage, 5 out of 7 of his visits to the playoffs with the Sens resulted in first round exits (mostly at the hands of the hated Leafs).

Finally, Martin's trapping style seems better suited for the clutch and grab era of the NHL rather than the current young and fast salary cap era.

So who would I choose? I'm glad you asked. Looking at the available coaches, I can come up with a list of 5 that would have been better choices than Martin based on statistics alone (ah, the magic of numbers) plus 1 that is better based on most statistics and is a fan favourite. Some are francophone and some are not. The following is a list of unemployed coaches who have:

• coached within the past 5 years;
• a better regular season points percentage (Pts%);
  
• a better post season winning percentage (PS%); and
  
• more Stanley Cup wins (and some other relevant info).
  

1. Bob Hartley (francophone) 0.579 Pts%, 0.583 PS%, 1 Cup (coached Tanguay).
   
2. Mike Keenan (assumed anglophone) 0.551 Pts%, 0.559 PS%, 1 Cup (coached Kovalev).
3. Peter Laviolette (american, assumed anglophone) 0.562 Pts%, 0.541 PS%, 1 Cup.
4. Jacques Lemaire (francophone, former Hab) 0.556 Pts%, 0.536 PS%, 1 Cup (legend in MTL).
5. Marc Crawford (bilingual) 0.555 Pts%, 0.518 PS%, 1 Cup (coached Nords and may have insight into hockey mad MTL media).

I'd also consider Larry Robinson, who has a better PS% than Martin and a cup but a worse Pts %. The fans and media would presumably love him (as they did Carbo at first), I believe he's bilingual, and it has been rumoured that he would be interested in the position.

5 + 1 coaches that I think are better choices than Jacques Martin. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Hartley and Crawford won because of the team they were coaching (the Avs for the most part) and the best goalie EVER! (yes, the best EVER!). Keenan is a disciplinarian whose time has passed and won because of Messier (See Flames, Calgary). Laviolette may make a fine choice, but he's an anglophone and Pierre Boivin wanted a francophone. That leaves Lemaire, Robinson and Martin. I assume Lemaire is done with coaching. So that leaves Robinson and Martin. (I can't believe I just talked myself into Robinson or Martin, didn't see that coming).

So, is Martin a bad choice? After all that, I suppose not. While Martin's Habs won't be fun to watch, they'll likely win in the regular season. They'll be defensively responsible, they won't lose games because of the system, and he's French, so the media won't have a conniption fit. Let's just hope the Leafs don't scrape into the playoffs.

Koivu and Kovalev

A report out of Russia says Montreal has decided to let go of Saku Koivu and make Alex Kovalev the captain.

According to Sovietsky Sport, the Canadiens have told Kovalev he will be awarded the captaincy if he signs a one-year deal worth between $6 million and $7.5 million.

The above has been forwarded to me so much and irked me so much that I had to post something about it.

1. Do you think Kovalev has played well enough to earn that money?
2. Do you think a player who shows up to 1 out of every 2 or 3 games should be a captain?
   
3. Do you think that a newspaper more than 7000 kms away from Montreal would hear about this before the Montreal media who know what the team is going to do before they do it?
4. Should this be passed on as "news"?

The answer to all of the above is no. Stupidity at work.