Montreal Canadiens: With Training Camp Comes a New Hope

Training camp is finally upon us.

After months of criticizing, hypothesizing, and speculation, we can finally bear witness to the brand spanking new Montreal Canadiens.

The five-year plan is over—a new one is about to begin.

Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, Travis Moen, Jaroslav Spacek, Hal Gill, and Paul Mara will be donning the storied bleu-blanc-et-rouge and will undergo all of the fan and media scrutiny that players of the past were forced to endure.

If they are truly passionate about the game they play, being a member of the winningest franchise in NHL history is a privilege. If they aren't ready, well, they better get ready because there is nothing quite like it.

Hell hath no fury like a Habs fan scorned.

It's time for these boys to get on the ice and skate like they've never skated before.

It's time for them to build some chemistry with each other—it shouldn't be too difficult for a couple of American guys who have been playing together since the age of 15.

It's time to hit hard and show the rest of the league and the pundits that size up-front doesn't matter when you have it at the back-end.

Playing a responsible defensive game should be easy as pie with a trap guru like Jacques Martin as the head coach.

Scoring goals should be a cinch with the likes of a former 48-goal scorer in Gionta and a present-day sniper in Cammalleri. If young Andrei Kostitsyn would like to live up to his potential and turn on the red light a little more often, now would be a very good time.

The power play unit should be an improved one. No one can quite see the ice like Scotty Gomez, not to mention Andrei Markov. Jaroslav Spacek can silence a lot of critics by putting some shots on net, even though he's "over the hill" at 35.

Let's get that dominant top-ranking unit back.

It's a potential redemption year for young Carey Price. Don't worry, kid, everyone will be chanting your name again when you start making brilliant saves. I have faith.

It would certainly be preferable if all of these factors worked in Bob Gainey's favour at the beginning of the season, but let's face it, it may take some time.  

The team may not get off to the scorching start that they did last October. If they do, all the better. But if everything works out like I think it will, they will assuredly finish better than the 100th Anniversary Edition did.

As we all know, talk is cheap.

Let's watch some hockey.