Montreal Canadiens Midseason Review: Bob Gainey Weighs In

Montreal Canadiens General Manager, Bob Gainey, faced the media today to give an assessment of his team's performance at the midway point of the 2008-09 NHL season.

With a 25-10-6 record, Montreal is eight points ahead of where it was at the midpoint last season, when it ultimately finished at the top of the Eastern Conference with 104 points.

Despite their power-play ranking 24th this season after finishing first last year, Gainey acknowledges his team's improvements elsewhere.

"Our special teams haven't been as strong this year. I find that those are areas that are easier to improve than some of the other more basic things. We have an advantage in our goals for and against and, however you get there, that's what needs to be on the board."

The Canadiens have a six-goal improvement and an eight-goal decrease in goals against after the first 41 games.

"We have a team that can score, that can defend and that's difficult to play against.", said Gainey.

Another very noticeable difference in the franchise in the past days is in the injury department. The Canadiens medical and rehab staff have already had a busy season.

What was to be the Habs' top line this season, consisting of captain Saku Koivu, Chris Higgins, and Alex Tanguay, are all currently out with injuries. Number one goaltender, Carey Price, utility man Mathieu Dandineault and tough-guy Georges Laraque join them on the injured list.

Mike Komisarek knows what losing a key player to injury means. Having lost the hard hitting defenceman for 16 straight games, the Canadiens are 8-1-1 since his return.

"Different guys have stepped up each night," said Komisarek today at the Habs practice facility. "We aren't relying on one line or one player.

"Guys are taking pride in the details of the game and being responsible defensively."

It will be an interesting team for Gainey to manage once the injured players do return. Not to mention, that the Canadiens have 11 players, including Komisarek, that could become free agents at season's end.

Mr.Gainey seldom does any contract re-negotiations during the season, allowing the players to focus on the season at hand, saying there is plenty of time from the end of the season to the opening of the free agent market July 1 to get them done.

Nor does he play his hand publicly on any trade rumours.

"We don't really talk about trade rumours.", Gainey said. " If I don't talk about them, our players don't hear about them."

"What happens in any of these situations, whether it's Marian Gaborik in Minnesota or (Jay) Bouwmeester in Florida, those names come up for different reasons and if we're involved, we like to do it quietly."

Gainey is also not the kind of GM known to make a blockbuster deal or take on a long term multi-year contract. So don't expect to see a certain Tampa Bay Lighting forward in a Montreal uniform anytime soon.

When asked of any disappointments so far this season, Gainey noted the recently demoted Ryan O'Byrne, though adding that the sophomore defenceman is going through the normal highs and lows of a player who is only 18 months out of the U.S. College system.

As for his best move since becoming GM, Gainey said the hiring of Guy Carbonneau was at the top of his list.

On to the next 41 games, starting Tuesday night against Boston.