The Jacques Martin Era Comes To An End

What has been talked about for weeks and months not to mention years (for some of the most ardent critics) has finally occurred, Jacques Martin has been relieved of his duties.  Most of you that read my blog know that I was never a Martin apologist but in a city where you're either with him or against him, I would have to classify myself as having been with him.  I thought he was a solid coach with the record and results to prove it.  Was his system perfect?  Far from!  Was it boring to watch the Habs play hockey?  For the most part.  Did the system actually work?  Only when all 6 players on the ice did their job and did it with near perfection.  Is that a sustainable strategy?  Of course not.

Andrei Markov Update?

Andrei Markov at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Int'l Airport - All rights reserved - (Please credit website if using picture)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  I guess that can be accurate if you really want to dissect the intricacies of what we're seeing here.  This picture, taken 2 days ago at Pierre-Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, shows Andrei Markov waiting to board a flight to Miami.

A few things come to mind: where is he going, is there any visible swelling, why is he lifting his leg (added comfort or due to discomfort)?

The Injury Hex Continues

It seems the Montreal Canadiens just can't seem to get away from this cloud that has cast a dark shadow on their aspirations of becoming an elite team.  Injuries are a real part of hockey that affect all teams and are impossible to predict.  Your best defense against them is to make sure your team depth is solid but even the deepest of teams are adversely affected when the injury bug hits.

IS CHRIS DRURY IN THE HABS PLANS?

Ever since Glen Sather bought out Chris Drury's massive contract, there has been speculation on whether or not Habs management would be interested in securing Drury's services as their 4th line center.

It's not a secret (and we have touched on it in the past) that Pierre Gauthier and Jacques Martin are trying to build a team built on speed and skill up front and veteran leadership at the back.  A definite bonus is if a player has been an established or proven winner throughout his career.

This blueprint has looked very promising that it can and will deliver results in the post-lockout NHL.  Clearly though, there have been some exceptions especially when it came to filling in the role of 4th line center.  Starting with Bryan Smolinski, continuing through to Glen Metropolit, and last year's foray with Jeff Halpern.  All of those signings ended up working albeit with varying levels of success.

The problem here is that all of those guys were signed to fill a lessor role knowing that they had lost a step (or two) due to age and they were willing to do whatever was being asked of them in order to remain in the NHL.  I'm not sure that same scenario would play out as smoothly with Chris Drury.

NUMBERS VS. INTANGIBLES - THE GORGES STORY

It's been a few days now that Josh Gorges has signed his 1-year, $2.5M deal with the Montreal Canadiens and the reaction from Habs fans has been expectedly mixed.  We've seen varied reactions but the general consensus (from what I've read and heard) seems to be that one year was simply not enough and that the Habs seem to have short-changed Gorges.  Being a numbers guy through and through and looking at the deal, I cannot help but think that the contract seems like a fair one for both sides.  And yes, I can already hear you yelling out, "but what about the intangibles" that Gorges offers.  So you know what?  Let's take a look at those intangibles on BOTH sides of the coin.  Just as a disclaimer, I'll add right here, that I would've preferred to see Gorges signed for 3 years at $3M per (but not a penny more).

WHAT IS PIERRE GAUTHIER DOING?

That's the question I have been hearing from Habs fans throughout the day yesterday as the Canadiens starting July 5th announced an array of minor deals.  Gauthier started the week with the signings of goaltenders Peter Delmas and Nathan Lawson.  He then inked veteran forward Brian Willsie and concluded with the minor-league trade sending Ryan Russell to the Blue Jackets organization in exchange for 6'4" Michael Blunden.

So, who are these no-name players and why is Gauthier wasting his time signing and trading for them?  The answer is both simple and complex.  As you all know, the Hamilton Bulldogs are the Canadiens' farm team and as such, Gauthier's required to also assemble their roster.  That's the simple part.  The complex?  Well, it's not that complex actually.  Hamilton is where Habs management sends their most prized prospects to develop into (hopefully) future NHLers.  That's right, the future success or failure of your Montreal Canadiens depends on the kids currently (or about to start) playing with the Bulldogs.