Bleacher Report - Articles by Shawn McKim

When Alexei Kovalev's On, So Are the Habs

Shawn McKim — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:54:53 -0500

There is a strong belief that pertains to The Montreal Canadiens and star right winger Alexei Kovalev.

The theory is that if Kovalev's having fun—and albeit playing well—then the Canadiens are having fun- and winning. So far this season, Kovalev has not been having too much fun and he has not been playing to his potential, which by now is extremely high.

So far, in the '08-'09 NHL season, Kovalev has scored only seven goals and 17 assists totaling 24 points. His biggest struggle was in the month of December where he could not find the back of the net. He continued to score an average number of assists and Montreal's powerplay continued to dwindle. These two factors are positively correlated.

The last two seasons, Montreal was number one in the powerplay. A huge reason for their regular season and post-season success. In these two years, Kovalev had stellar seasons, scoring 35 goals in the '07-'08 season. 17 of those were powerplay goals.

This season Kovalev only has one powerplay goal. There are a couple of unfortunate, minor reasons for this goal scoring drought: Robert Lang and hitting the post.

In a game a couple of weeks ago against Atlanta, Montreal had a one goal lead and an empty net to shoot on. Kovalev, from the side of the net took a wrist shot that found its way in. It looked as if his goal scoring drought had finally ended. It turns out Robert Lang touched the puck and therefore was awarded the goal. The psychological drought that is carried with a slump continued.

Just the other night against Calgary, Markov took a slap shot from the blue line and Kovalev appeared to have tipped it in. The RDS announcer said right away, "that just relieved a gigantic gorilla off Kovalev's shoulders." They thought his goal scoring streak had finally ended. It turned out to be Markov's goal—Kovalev did not touch the puck.

Along with Kovalev's drought came the numerous cross bar and post shots that every goalie loves to hear, and every shooter loathes. Kovalev has hit quite a few this season. And with this series of unfortunate events Montreal only went 5-4-1 in their last 10 games.

However, Kovalev finally scored his 6th goal against Carolina on December 16 in a losing effort. The light at the end of the tunnel was visible finally. That monkey was released from his shoulders. Last night, at home to a thriving Flyers team, Kovalev notched his seventh, in a 5-2 victory at home. A much needed goal at home; a much needed win at home as well.

It seems that Montreal's success these last couple of seasons have been relying on Alex Kovalev's ability to score. When he's on, so are the Habs. When he's not on, it rubs off on the rest of the Montreal Canadiens and they cannot seem to score, especially on the powerplay.

Kovalev's two game goal scoring streak could be a new beginning, after an October and November of false starts.

Voracek's Exposure

Shawn McKim — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:51:38 -0400

The Columbus Blue Jackets seem to have to answer to their fans a lot these days.

Head Coach Ken Hitchcock and company have been steadily rising in the ranks of the Western Conference, but have not made the playoffs recently.

Enter the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, OH itself. The Blue Jackets needed a poster boy—they needed a new hope, if you will. That boy is Kladno, Czech Republic's Jakub Voracek.

Standing 6'1", 200 lbs (he gained a lot of muscle this summer), the skilled right winger Voracek is a player that makes things happen. The naysayers will claim that he's too young. He just turned 19, but the likes of Ovechkin, Crosby, Stamkos were all in their teens when entering the NHL as well.

I'm not putting Voracek among those names just yet—we'll have to wait and see what happens, but if you have ever seen this guy play you will probably think he's Columbus' next best thing.

There is a lot of hype is surrounding his rookie campaign, which starts this week, he is expected to be on the wing for either the second or third forward line.

Whether your expectations are high or low, Voracek should be a healthy fit into the Blue Jackets' mantra of developing a new, offensively skilled team. And with Pascal Leclaire coming off from a breakthrough season last year, the team is looking to be more well-rounded than ever. It may be a while before we see Columbus in the playoffs, but when they do get there, you can bet Voracek will play a key role.

Keep an eye out for him and you will see what everyone is talking about. Give him time to adjust and you got yourself a future scoring leader. I almost guarantee it.

Note: Voracek and Leclaire both played junior hockey for the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

And since this is a preview/prediction article, I am going to predict Voracek's stats for 2008/2009.

GP: 60 G: 15 A: 30 P: 45 PIM: 18 +/-: 10

Montreal Canadiens' Centennial Year Means Big Hopes

Shawn McKim — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:24:07 -0400

This really is it for Montreal Canadiens fans. Most of them are die-hards. This is going to be a die-hard season.

Let's put it into perspective.

This is the Montreal Canadiens' 100th year. The Habs are hosting the All-Star Game in early 2009. The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be hold at the Bell Centre.

To make things even more interesting, the Habs picked up star forward Alex Tanguay from his slumping habits in Calgary. They acquired tough guy-cum-skill player Georges Laraque. And to top it all off, The Canadiens are coming back from a first-place Eastern Conference finish.

It doesn't get much better for Habs fans.

The only problem is hype. Some of the best teams on paper have been lousy or mediocre at best.

To look at it from a reasonable angle, the Montreal Canadiens have a lot of pressure on them this year. Not to mention their fans practically breathe down their neck guards game in and game out. Let's break this coming year down to settle some hash.

Positives

When Kovalev is on he's on. When he's having fun he's even more on. This could be another big year for him.

If Koivu stays healthy, he remains one of the most poised captains in the league. And he's not too bad either.

Alex Tanguay is coming off a couple of slumpers, but we all knew something was wrong in Flame Nation. This could be his true home. Habs fans love him already so that's a bonus.

Michael Ryder is gone. Good for him, good for Montreal. Sometimes these things work out for the best.

The two Kostitsyns are probably the Habs' best-kept secrets. Watch the puck handling, vision, and hockey knowledge. This is the future of hockey right here.

Komisarek. Need I say more than 266 hits, and 277 blocked shots? Second and first among the league, respectively.

After an upsetting end to last season in the playoffs, Carey Price is back at it with more willpower and confidence. Did you see his game-saver against Detroit in preseason? If that stick was a taste of things to come, he could be hoisting Montreal's 25th Stanley Cup.

Negatives

Perhaps a slightly under-developed defensive corps. However, compared to say Toronto, Boston, and New York, Montreal is still up there. Mark Streit is gone, so Markov, Bouillion, Brisebois, Komisarek and, Dandenault will have to carry the weight.

Jitters. The new comers may have to adjust to the pressure of the Montreal faithful, and Bell Centre can be extremely nerve-racking. Also, the pressures of fans and critics alike, such as myself, may get to them. They're professionals, though. This is what you have to endure to win it all.

Detroit. No matter how good Montreal looks, Detroit always seems to be a step ahead. It could very much be a repeat for the Red Wings. We're just going to have to wait and see.

If I Were Bob Gainey...

Shawn McKim — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:33:19 -0400

If I could be the General Manager for any team it would be the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL. This is because they have always been my favorite team of any sport, and I believe that since my heart would be 100 percent into my work, we could finally bring Canada another Stanley Cup.

A gigantic microscope is placed above just about every GM come draft time. This puts pressure on the General Manager to find the best players and to make the right trades in order to better his team. I have always been a true believer in developing a team. I think it is a wise investment to draft a lot of players, develop them accordingly, and then reassess them when needed.

If they are not right for the team, then find a place for them. Every successful NHL club has a team of strong role players. The parts all add up to the sum.

I don't believe in taking an overrated player. Often, these players (though talented) have egos and cause a lot of trouble on the inside. Taking a hard working, modest player has a bigger payoff in the end.

Draft time is popular time for GMs to make big trades—shuffling players around, and treating them like commodities. Yes, the sport is a business as well, but the more unnecessary trades you have to make, the worse. Keep it simple.

In today's NHL we all know how important the budget is to the team. The salary cap has a lot of GMs running around trying to find the perfect mix of high salary players and those still running on a rookie contract.

The trick would be to find a balance with as many mid paid players as possible. Of course, the better they get, the more they're worth, but if your team had drafted them in the first place and they are treated correctly, they may not develop the big ego.

Building a trusting, honest relationship with your players just may save you some big bucks in the end.

Bruins-Canadiens: A Classic NHL Rivalry

Shawn McKim — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:45:05 -0400

The 2008 NHL Playoffs are upon us.

We all knew over a week ago that the Montreal Canadiens would be playing the Boston Bruins in the first round of the NHL's Eastern Conference playoffs this year. For Habs fans, this is a dream come true. For Bruins fans, this could be a nightmare.

The Montreal Canadiens have defeated the Boston Bruins all eight times this season, and (count it) have beaten them eleven times in a row now. For some reason the Bruins just cannot find a way to beat Montreal. For Montreal however, it should not just be a classic case of "don't change it if it ain't broken." Here's why...

Put yourself in the shoes of the Boston coaching staff. There is obviously a problem if you haven't beaten Montreal in eleven contests. This is the playoffs, where no team backs down and there are no easy series wins. Montreal is going to have to understand that Boston will be ready this time. It will be a new team.

With Patrice Bergeron due back soon and a hot club that gathered points in nine of their last ten outings, the Boston Bruins should be no easy catch this time.

There are doubters as to whether Montreal has the experience to 'go all the way'. For one, they made it this far. And for two, if Carey Price can't do it, just who can? Every goaltender started young and had to play his first NHL playoffs at some point in their career. Not to mention Tim Thomas has never played a single minute of playoff hockey either. Now we've got something.

If history has taught us anything, it's that Alexei Kovalev has been a playoff dynamite. If he continues his onslaught of the Bruins, Montreal should be sailing through this one. Not without defense and secondary scoring as well, however. But Montreal has never shown a lack of depth since the all star break and all signs point to a successful playoff run.

The Habs are also going to need stellar performances from Plekanec, the Kostitsyn's, Markov and Streit. And with Koivu and Komisarek due back soon, it just adds more fuel to the fire.

What works for Montreal that is hard to coach against is their number one ranked powerplay. And the Bruin's penalty kill is a measly 28th. Most of the Habs' success with the man advantage has been because of their capabilities of scoring up front as well as from the blue line. There are no safe havens for Boston on the penalty kill.

Predictions: It won't be easy, but if all cylinders are firing for the Canadiens as they have been all year against Boston they may sweep them. Koivu's leadership and Kovalev's creativity will be the deciding factors. Price shouldn't even be a concern.

Canadiens in 5.

Montreal Canadiens: The Price of Winning the Cup

Shawn McKim — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:34:21 -0400

It must feel like forever to the die-hard Montreal Canadiens fans since the Habs have been this good. Actually, it was 1993 when Montreal defeated Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings to win its 24th Stanley Cup.

But that is the past.

To put it into some sort of perspective, Guy Carbonneau, now Montreal's head coach, was one of the key figures on ice to that championship. With three games remaining in the 2007-08 NHL season, this edition of the Montreal Canadiens was a long time coming—and should be going a long way.

At the All-Star break, the Canadiens were early contenders for a playoff seed. Cristobal Huet was leading the pack most of the way, but Montreal seemed a bit inconsistent, winning one game then losing the next.

Alex Kovalev, the team's leading scorer, was having his best season since his days with the New York Rangers, but could not carry the whole team on his shoulders up front.

On the blue line, Mike Komisarek and Andrei Markov pulled the Habs together in terms of defense, but a winning team should hardly ever rely on defensemen to win games—only to secure them.

However, Montreal slowly moved to the top of the Eastern Conference and Kovalev sizzled. He currently has 79 points, including 34 goals. Secondary scoring from the Kostitsyn's, Koivu, Plekanec, and Higgins began to warm up as well. Even the slumping Michael Ryder seemed to be finding a groove.

Then the trade period came along and everyone was shocked.

Montreal traded starting goalie Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for what seemed like nothing. It would be naive to say the city of Montreal did not panic.

But this is what Carey Price is used to. He fits into these high level situations where everything seems to be on the line. Just last year he lead the Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal's farm team) to a Calder Cup as an AHL rookie. The year before, he was team Canada's star goaltender, helping them win their third straight gold medal at the World Junior Championship. To top it all off, Price is an NHL rookie this year.

The expectations are high, but GM Bob Gainey obviously has a lot of confidence in the 20 year old. Price is known for staying calm and keeping cool—something the Canadiens will be expected to do all the way to the Stanley Cup.

And it is possible.

Montreal is 7-2-1 in the last 10 games with all four lines contributing, and officially clinched a playoff spot with a 7-5 romp over rival Ottawa Senators. The future of the Montreal Canadiens is now, and the Stanley Cup looks to be closer and closer in their reach, every game.

Only the playoffs will tell though. If the Canadiens continue to play as well as they have in the second half of the season, history just may repeat itself like in 1993.

More Depth for Montreal=Possible Playoff Run

Shawn McKim — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:16:48 -0500

This year's Montreal Canadiens team has been somewhat inconsistent. They are currently ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference with 48 points, including 20 wins. This is a great start considering the Habs missed the NHL playoffs last year.

However, there are a few loose screws in the Montreal camp, including a poor home record (7-7-5) and a less than stellar penalty kill (25th). Also, the team's leaders—Saku Koivu and Michael Ryder in particular—have not contributed as much as hoped.

What should not come as a surprise is Alexei Kovalev's great start. He had been cold the last couple of seasons, with many die hard Montreal fans claiming a lack of effort and a possible retirement in the future. So far he has a team-leading 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points, while the struggling Ryder only has six goals and eight assists. Many critics say the Canadiens need more fire power.

Certainly goaltending is not an issue with both Cristobal Huet and Carey Price doing the job between the pipes. Huet has a GAA of 2.34 and a .926 save percentage. Price's rookie campaign has been somewhat inconsistent but he shows great promise with a modest nine and seven winning record.

The powerplay, however, has been consistently good. The Canadiens lead the NHL with a 24.2 percent success rate with the man advantage. The league leading Detroit Red Wings come in second with 23.4.

So what seems to be the problem?

Nothing substantial yet, but as the season progresses, the league gets more intense and teams with a lack of defensive and offensive depth slowly fall off the charts. Perhaps Montreal needs a more consistent scorer to add to the mix of Kovalev, Higgins, and Plekanec. Also, a strong, tough blue-liner to accompany Markov could bring Montreal's penalty kill from near the bottom to near the top.

The Montreal Canadiens could be lucky contenders so far, but with enough talent and more consistent scoring, as well as tough defense, they could have a long playoff run. There should be no doubt that Huet and Price can carry much of the second half of the season's weight.

With all of the screws tightened, the critical nay-sayers who claim the Habs symbol is a horseshoe will be forced to eat their words.