Thoughts on The Montreal Canadiens: Saku, Guillaume, Marian, and More

The Montreal Canadiens won their fifth game win a row yesterday, defeating the Florida Panthers. So far in the season, the Canadiens haven’t lost in regulation time.

“They (the first line) can do better; they will be the first to admit that.” – Guy Carbonneau. RDS

The Saku Koivu line has been so hot that if you put your finger on their sticks, it would go “psshh” with a little smoke coming out of it!

Koivu has been leading the way with nine points (3-6), Alex Tanguay is not far behind with six (3-3), and Guillaume Latendresse, who thank God dropped the piano he used to carry, also has six points (1-5).

Alexei Kovalev’s line has a little more trouble to get the groove going. They have got the right moves, but the rhythm isn’t quite in yet.

Kovalev has been, as usual, tremendous with little razzle dazzles here and there; but the automatism between him and his line-mates hasn’t kicked in yet. So instead of tic-tac-toes, we have got the tic, the tac, and a turnover.

Due to numerous and ambiguous injuries, Francis Bouillon had to start his first game on the fourth line, facing the Florida Panthers, resulting in the game winner goal—simply magnificent.

If we get more of those, he should think about making his own DVD as well! “FB-51: Surviving the NHL at 5’8.”

“I am not in his league, not even close.” – Kurt Sauer, Phoenix Coyotes, Yahoo! Sports.

Georges Laraque got 14 minutes of penalty time in just two games. That is about three minutes more than his ice time!

Who said the Montreal Canadiens didn’t need a tough guy? Oops, I did. But that was a year ago, I was young and naïve!

The game against Phoenix was one of a kind, as Kurt Sauer’s hit on Andrei Kostitsyn was the wake-up call for the team spirit. When the crowd starts to call “Laraque! Laraque!,” that is the code for the kids’ bedtime.

“I was getting crazy on the bench. Maxime (Lapierre) was giving me shots on the arm, and all I wanted was to get on the ice and take off everyone’s head. But once on the ice, I told myself to calm down. If I get five minutes and they score three goals, the crowd will boo me.” Finally, someone actually figured that out!  

“That means I’m getting old and that it has been a while that I am here!”—Saku Koivu,  Canadiens—NHL.com

Saku Koivu scored his 600th career point yesterday. He is 12 points away from Mats Naslund—who leads the Habs in the European players’ category, and 23 from Elmer Lach.

He also tied Maurice Richard's assists record with 421. Come on Saku, ten more Stanley Cups and you are tied with Jean Beliveau!

Andrei Markov leads the NHL defensemen with nine points. Did I hear Norris Trophy?

Mike Komisarek leads the statistics in blocked shots, with 27, but Roman Hamrlik isn’t far with 20, coming in third overall.

Kyle Chipchura might also lead the NHL in the call-assigned-recalled-reassigned category! Sent back to Hamilton before playing even one game, he has been recalled to play yesterday’s, and has been sent back to the Bulldogs this morning.

“His (Chris Higgins) name comes back into the rumours because you can’t stop talking about Marian Gaborik,”—Guy Carbonneau, La Presse.

It seems Marian Gaborik can’t get anything going regarding contract talks with the Minnesota Wild. Rumours have it that the Wild would be looking to trade the 26-year-old player to new horizons before losing him to the free agency market.

The trade would include Christopher Higgins, Jaroslav Halak and Ryan McDonagh.

Wise decision from Doug Risebrough—but not for Bob Gainey.

The Habs have developed an important chemistry last season and through the playoffs. They won and lost together—it is better to keep it that way.

But we got used to such rumours in Montreal.

From people who saw Marian Hossa in a bar at the Old Port last year, to his gloves being reportedly ordered by the team before the trade deadline, I guess we have got our share of who-says-what and who-goes-where!

Go Habs.