Lightning rumour

Eklund claims that Tampa Bay is in "heavy" discussions with the Habs regarding José Theodore. It has been rumoured before that the Canadiens have been interested in Brad Richards, so this is not completely out of the blue. The Lightning are looking for goaltending help, and it's quite clear that Theodore needs a change of scenery. You don't let in 5 goals and get pulled a third time without something happening. 18 goals against on his last 63 shots faced. Montreal will have to absorb some of Theodore's hefty salary, but I believe this was his very final straw.

Roster news

RDS is reporting that Alexander Perezhogin has been called up from the Hamilton Bulldogs, just three days after the Habs sent Andrei Kostitsyn back down. It seems that Bob Gainey is contemplating scratching Radek Bonk from the lineup against Carolina, although I thought he had a pretty good game against Toronto. Richard Zednik might have to watch yet another game from the press box too, unless he can convince Gainey that he's worthy of being dressed again.

I like what Gainey's doing - he's making his players earn their spots on the roster a little more, so that they play like they deserve it. However, Jan Bulis' ice time didn't increase after his 4-goal outburst against the Flyers, and I don't know what Mike Ribeiro is doing on the first line; that's where he has been put in practices leading up to the Hurricanes game. I guess there must be some method to Gainey's madness, and you can be sure that Zednik is going to come back hungry... whenever that may be.

Update (1:20 PM): Bonk will be scratched, and Ribeiro will still be playing on the fourth line tonight. Chris Higgins resumes his spot on the first line, while José Theodore will be in nets. No word on Zednik thus far.

What to do

Now that he's taken over behind the bench and the Canadiens are still not giving it their all, what can Bob Gainey do to put this team back on track? It's pretty obvious that the Habs' GM, one of the most patient in the game, is waiting to make a move. He has openly stated that pretty much everyone on the roster is being considered for a trade, although you can bet that Michael Ryder, Andrei Markov, and the Canadiens' impressive rookies Tomas Plekanec and Chris Higgins, are safe. He has also stated that he's shopping for a top-notch defenseman to give Sheldon Souray, Markov, Craig Rivet, and Francis Bouillon a hand.

So how can Gainey approach this? No one wants the Habs' most valuable asset, José Theodore. Edmonton is pursuing Andrew Raycroft, Olaf Kolzig, or perhaps even one of Manny Fernandez or Dwayne Roloson. The Cancuks have been quiet on the goaltending front, and Colorado's David Aebischer has improved his play of late. Remember that Buffalo is trying to unload one of their 3 talented goalies as well, which means that Theodore will likely stay put. And as long as he builds on his Toronto performance on Saturday night, that's fine with me for the moment.

The only teams what would give away an asset for draft picks or questionables are teams that have already thrown in the towel. Right now, that list includes Pittsburgh, Washington, Chicago, St. Louis, and Columbus, but expect it to grow longer as the trade deadline approaches. These teams will either want draft picks, prospects, or skilled players who either haven't found their niche on the Habs or who just haven't played up to their potential this year. What does this mean? Exclude Radek Bonk, Mathieu Dandenault, or Theodore from any trade banter. Expect Jan Bulis, Richard Zednik, Mike Ribeiro, Niklas Sundstrom, Sheldon Souray, and maybe even Francis Bouillon, to be offered around instead.

If you're looking for a forward, Pittsburgh's Ryan Malone, Washington's Matt Pettinger or Brian Sutherby, Chicago's Mark Bell, Tyler Arnason, or Kyle Calder, or Columbus' Manny Malhotra, are your most viable options. Washington is supposedly very interested in Ribeiro, and it has been reported that Gainey isn't interested in Arnason. Chicago likely won't part with the other two for what the Canadiens have to offer. Malone, despite his size advantage, is a huge defensive liability, although Malhotra is having a pretty decent season. Gainey might want to wait before pulling the trigger on a forward.

On defense, Pittsburgh just shipped off Dick Tarnstrom to Edmonton, and the rest of their defensemen have horrid +/- ratings, so exclude them from any trade talk at this position. Washington's Brian Muir or Brendan Witt boast pretty attractive statistics this season, although they are both over 30 years old. Chicago's Adrian Aucoin is a tad bit too expensive, but Jim Vandermeer would be a nice addition. St. Louis is probably the most defense-rich of these teams, with Barret Jackman, Eric Brewer, and Eric Weinrich on their roster, and a fire sale that's already begun, although Brewer & Weinrich's ages may make them undesireable to the Habs. Ditto Columbus' Adam Foote, Bryan Berard, and Luke Richardson.

Bob Gainey has a lot of work and thinking to do in the next little while, so it may take him some time before a trade is completed. He also may want to wait a little to see what else becomes available as teams fall further out of the playoff race and become sellers. The Canadiens, too, could end up in that situation, which would mean that the likes of Saku Koivu or Alex Kovalev might find themselves in other jerseys, as well. Countdown to March 9: 37 days.

Good morning

Good morning, Alex Kovalev. Good morning, Saku Koivu. Good morning, José Theodore. Thanks for finally waking up. There are certain people who watch the game and who watch these Canadiens who have it right: when the Habs' best players aren't giving it their all, the team will do poorly. These three players combined make about $12.42 million, roughly a third of the Canadiens' total payroll for the season, but their presence on the ice is worth much more than that 33%. When these three are at their best, which they were last night in Toronto, the Canadiens will win way more often than they will lose. Unfortunately, during the Canadiens' "Streak of Awful," as I shall refer to it, none of these three players were earning their fat paychecks. If they're not motivated, no one on their team will be.

I was quite impressed with the presence of Canadiens fans at the ACC last night. Normally, Leafs-Habs games draw many Toronto fans to the Bell Centre, but the same bipartisan atmosphere isn't usually found in Toronto. That was different last night, and it was great to hear people cheering Canadiens goals in the Leafs' lair. I'm sure at least part of the cheering was coming from disgruntled Maple Leafs fans, who saw their team get handed their 8th straight loss last night. At least we can be united in the lameness of our teams this year!

For those who didn't notice, Richard Zednik was a healthy scratch last night against Toronto. It didn't seem any different than when he was in the lineup, however, as the Slovak forward has contributed little in the way of offence to help curb the Canadiens' futility streak. Trade talk continues to heat up amongst the Canadiens - everyone from Tyler Arnason to Manny Fernandez to Roberto Luongo are being rumoured to be coming to Montreal - and expect Zednik to be part of any deal involving the Habs.

Also, take note of the fact that when all the Canadiens' big-time players come together and put in a good effort, as they did last night, Mike Ribeiro continues to be useless. Ribeiro had 17:17 of ice time last night, including a whopping 5:51 on the power play, yet he only managed 1 shot. I don't know if anyone would want him, but I sure hope Bob Gainey is able to make short work of him, and soon.

Don't expect Theodore to be traded this season, either. He is having an awful year, which puts him quite low on GMs' priority lists, especially considering his salary. Habs fans, including myself, have had to learn to be patient with him, but there's only so much time you can give someone to get back into form. As long as the Canadiens play like they did against Toronto for the remainder of the season, they still have a shot at the postseason. But if they play like they did against Ottawa, boy, are they in for a major fan backlash. Our patience is as thin as dental floss. Don't disappoint, José & co.

Listless

Dany Heatley: 8 shots.

Montreal Canadiens: 12 shots.

Huet tonight

Cristobal Huet is starting against Ottawa tonight. Claude Julien was fired for what reason, again?

Huh?

...is all I have to say about tonight's Montreal-Philadelphia game. I don't really understand how the Canadiens could go from being so awful to so competitive in a matter of a night. Maybe Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau's strategy of team-building and a relaxed atmosphere is working... for now.

And to think that Jan Bulis was going to be scratched tonight. Perhaps it's just what he needed - the motivation to prove his coach wrong for even considering it. But why would Gainey scratch one of the Habs' most consistent and reliable players this year in the first place? In any case, congratulations to Bulis on an amazing game and on a spectacular season; he's been one of the few positives on this team full of negatives.

All I know is that the Canadiens were given the wrong nickname, the "Cardiac" Canadiens, at the beginning of the season. These are the Bipolar Canadiens. Will their manic stage extend past one game? Stay tuned.

Update: After reading jeff j's comment on my previous post, I realized he answered my question as to why Bulis would have been scratched. That one definitely did not cross my mind for some reason.

Steadfast approach

Bob Gainey seems to be taking the steadfast approach, having told the press he does not plan on making any major moves for the moment. That's partly because the Canadiens don't have that much to offer in a trade, and would be forced to take on some extra salary if they did. It would only make sense for Gainey to take on extra salary if his team was making a push for the playoffs, which, at the moment, it is not.

Gainey announced that he was going with backup Cristobal Huet in nets tonight against Philadelphia, after two of the worst performances of José Theodore's career. Theodore is trying to keep his head above water, however. He said he is no stranger to adversity, and, while his recent play has been frustrating to him, he is confident that he can come back to form. We've been waiting all year, José.

Finally, reports are out that the Blackhawks are trying to rid themselves of their #1 centre, Tyler Arnason. The Canadiens were reportedly considering him before Claude Julien got fired, and if Chicago was willing to take Mike Ribeiro and all the baggage he comes with, the Habs would really benefit from swapping the two. Arnason is 26, making $1.2 million, and has 11 G and 23 A. Most importantly, though, he is +1, compared with Ribeiro's atrocious -14 +/- rating.

Banner change

I have changed the banner of this website to reflect my displeasure with goaltender José Theodore. In my opinion, the best players deserve to be featured in prominence, and Theodore has lost his status as such.

As well, I added the faces of who I believe to be the three quintessential Canadiens - Richard, Béliveau, and Lafleur - to the banner, placing them in a way that makes them seem as if they are watching over the current Canadiens. I did this for two reasons: One, because I believe that every player who ever wears a Habs jersey should conduct themselves on the ice as these men did, although I don't believe that's the case at all today; and two, because every time I go on an angry rant about the ineffectual season the Canadiens are having, I do it with these men in mind. They would have stood for nothing less than success, and, as a commentator on the team, neither do I. It's too bad none of the players seem to.

And the Theodore blunders continue...

Claude Julien must really feel like crap now. He got fired partly for his decision not to play his "#1" goalie in favour of the more reliable Cristobal Huet, and now José Theodore has gone two games in a row where he has let in 5 goals in less than two periods. Give credit to Bob Gainey for trying, but after two so-so wins by Theodore, followed by his pair of 5-goal blunders, it's quite clear that Julien's coaching wasn't the problem.

Well, I partly take that back; Julien was unable to motivate the rest of his team to do anything useful, but his decision to bench Theodore against San Jose - which was at least partly the basis for his dismissal - was clearly a sound one. Theodore is apparently more committed to ITECH than to his team, and something clearly isn't clicking in his head this year. Pierre McGuire believes he is injured, but at this point in the season, after a dismal November, December, and most of January, Theodore would best be serving his dignity by revealing his ailment rather than concealing it.

To those Theodore supporters who want to blame the Canadiens' equally awful defense for Theodore's poor play this season, I say this: You can't let in 5 goals in less than two periods, as well as countless other soft goals throughout the season, and expect your team to stay motivated and competitive. It all starts in net, and when you're being paid $4.5 million, there is no excuse for the terrible play Theodore is guilty of. And to those who say that Theodore is a great playoff goaltender who must be kept, I say this: If Theodore can't get the Canadiens in the playoffs, something which he absolutely cannot do at the moment, that fact is irrelevant.

I have been a Theodore supporter despite his less-than-amazing play post-Hart/Vézina trophies, but this is getting ridiculous. Those Roberto Luongo and David Aebischer deals are looking mighty fine right about now; Gainey should have dealt Theodore while he was still worth something. José Theodore was the face of the franchise, but unless Habs fans want their franchise to be a pathetic, lacklustre AHL-calibre club, it's time to get a facelift.

Photo courtesy RDS.ca

Embarrassment

I have never been more embarrassed to be a Montreal Canadiens fan than I am tonight. After making a committment to change and improvement by firing their talented and well-respected coach, the Canadiens spat in the faces of all their fans by putting out their worst effort since winning the Cup in 1993 tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. After resisting the temptation to blame and be angry for so long, I am tired of making excuses for the players I am supposed to like that are doing nothing to uphold the tradition that this great franchise obligates them to be a part of. The following are an embarrassment to the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club, to all their fans, and to the city of Montreal and the National Hockey League:

• JOSÉ THEODORE: You let in three goals in the first 4:30 of tonight's game against the Vancouver Canucks. Regardless of the final outcome of the game (it happened to be a 6-2 loss for your team), you are being paid $4.5 million to stop the puck regardless of how useless your defensemen are. You have no excuse for your incredibly pathetic play. I saw you crying in the hallway on national TV after being pulled from the game; your time in Montreal is done. I have been a staunch supporter of yours despite your lack of effort this season. Clearly, you are more committed to ITECH than to the Montreal Canadiens, so good riddance, and good luck to you wherever you end up after this sad and sorry excuse for a hockey game you played.
  
• SAKU KOIVU: Saku, I have supported you too despite the tough times you have endured with this team. I was inspired by you when you came back from your cancer treatment to help lead your team into the playoffs. However, in your 10 years with the Montreal Canadiens, you have been a part of only four Habs teams that have finished above .500 in the regular season, and have only won a handful of playoff series to go with that less-than-amazing statistic. You are a hard-working player, but as captain of this team, anything less than .500 should be unacceptable to you, and you have failed to motivate this team to be better than that. At this point, it might be better for you to sign elsewhere so that the Canadiens can truly have a fresh start next season.
  
• ALEX KOVALEV: I have been dazzled by your play this season and last; however, you only have 10 G and 21 A to show for the $4.5 million you are making this season. A player of your calibre should expect more from his teammates, and from himself.
  
• MIKE RIBEIRO: Your lazy play and disruptive attitude are a big reason why Claude Julien got fired, and why this team is so cliquey and unmotivated. Shame on you for being a Montrealer who is making the Canadiens worse than they could and should be. You deserve to be cast off from this island more than anyone else on this team.
  
• RADEK BONK: You sorry excuse for a third-line centre, you cost Claude Julien his job and took a stupid penalty on what could have been a Canadiens breakaway after your team went down 3-0 early in the game tonight. You are making $2.394 million this year, and, considering how you were traded for Mathieu Garon, you were probably one of the worst acquisitions the Canadiens have made since Jocelyn Thibault. Get out of our town.
  
• MATHIEU DANDENAULT: You were acquired after being a part of the Red Wings for your whole career, yet you have shown no evidence of being a component of their success. You have probably been involved in more unnecessary goals than any other teammate on the Canadiens, and have certainly not lived up to your expectations as a solid two-way player. Who are you exactly??
  
• MIKE KOMISAREK: People are touting you as the next captain of this team. I am sorry for the tragedy you have had to endure this season; however, you are not living up to your potential as a top defender. Again, it's difficult for me to blame you for anything based on your situation, but you have to show why the Canadiens have placed so much faith in you as a prospect.
  
• SHELDON SOURAY: I understand that you are going through marital problems, but enough's enough. Know the rules of fighting, and don't screw things up for your teammates. You've got to bring out your vintage slapshot again.
  
• MARK STREIT: Too many rookie mistakes. Wrong place, wrong time.
  
• RICHARD ZEDNIK: You're the first-line left wing. Where has your production gone? You better be some good trade bait...
  

And now for those who I'm either indifferent to, or who have actually contributed positively this season:

• STEVE BÉGIN: Haven't heard from you in awhile, buddy.
  
• FRANÇIS BOUILLON: You still know how to throw your weight around. One of the hardest workers on the team.
  
• JAN BULIS: Great season! You have really established yourself as an effective and reliable role player.
  
• CHRIS HIGGINS, TOMAS PLEKANEC, ALEXANDER PEREZHOGIN, ANDREI KOSTITSYIN: The exciting rookie class.
  
• ANDREI MARKOV: By far the team's best defenseman. Thank the Rocket you're here.
  
• GARTH MURRAY: We actually got something for Marcel Hossa!
  
• CRAIG RIVET: I hear you're cocky, but wow, are you holding the fort on defense. Too bad no one else is, asides from Markov
  
• MICHAEL RYDER: You are an amazing player. Only one of a select few Habs to score 20 goals in his first two seasons in the NHL. Keep it up!!
  
• NIKLAS SUNDSTROM: I'm still bitter about the Jeff Hackett trade, but you've done nothing wrong.
  
• CRISTOBAL HUET: I'd never thought I'd say this, but, for the foreseeable future, you are the Habs' #1 netminder in my view. You're calm, collected, modest, and well-trained. Most importantly, you're playing 1000x better than Theodore. Keep it up.
  

I hate being a bandwagon jumper, but I'm tired of the frustration that comes with being a Canadiens fan. If a big change is not made by the end of this horrendous road trip, I am switching my allegiance to the Senators for the rest of the season, if not beyond that. I'm tired of being the embarrassment of the bunch amongst my friends. This is not the Canadiens that I'm proud of. I was sad to see Henri Richard watching the Canucks game in Vancouver tonight. This game, and this season, goes against everything him and his brother, as well as so many other proud men, fought so hard for. I've had enough.

Honeymoon over

Bob Gainey's honeymoon as coach of the Canadiens came to an abrupt halt last night as his team lost its 5th straight road game in Calgary. It's not so much the fact that they did lose, but the way in which the loss played itself out that hurts. The Canadiens had 18 shots to the Flames' 30, and saved their best efforts for the final 5 minutes of the game, after Alex Kovalev snipped Calgary's lead to 1. This was a classic example of the slumping Canadiens that got ex-coach Claude Julien fired: certain players failed to show up for the game, and no one put in the requisite effort to win at the NHL level.

Mike Ribeiro, whom Bob Gainey did not call out in his introductory press conference as a player who needed to step up his game, played 11:34, including 3:06 on the power play, was a minus-1, and did not register a single shot. And this guy, making $1.18 million this season, is supposed to be the Habs' second-line centre? You can bet that Gainey will quickly get fed up with Ribeiro's complete lack of anything resembling a work ethic, and will ship him out to any takers. It's a shame Ribeiro is such a bum, because he's a Montrealer who loves playing for the Habs - a rarity in today's NHL - but I'd rather have no Montrealers on the team than one Mike Ribeiro. He's that much of a disruption.

More on Edmonton

According to CBS, the Oilers are offering Georges Laraque, Ty Conklin, and top prospect Robbie Schremp in exchange for José Theodore. I would say this rumour has a 0-25% chance of coming true - Conklin has been horrid (3.12 GAA, .872 SV%), and Laraque has previously stated that he would rather retire than play in Montreal for some reason.

This deal doesn't work for the Canadiens, especially if Gainey can motivate Theodore to get back into his form. Upping Mike Ribeiro's trade value, on the other hand, might produce a workable deal.

Julien's head high

Claude Julien met with the Montreal media for the first time since his firing this afternoon and had nothing but good things to say about the organization for which he has always cheered for, and from which he got his first NHL coaching job. Julien said he has watched both Canadiens games since his firing from start to finish, and says he was rooting for the Habs 100%. During his tenure as coach, Julien always handled himself with class, and certainly went out with class today.

Julien said he has received many calls from around the league from colleagues expressing their thoughts and wishes to him, and said he was encouraged by all those who wished him luck in getting back in the league again. Julien harboured no hard feelings for his boss, Bob Gainey, for whatever disagreements they may have had, nor for the way in which he was let go - a most unpleasant 7:15 AM wake-up call. Most of all, though, Julien reserved his biggest thanks for the fans of the Canadiens, whom he called the best in the league:

"Mais surtout, je tiens à remercier les partisans du Canadien. On dit souvent qu'ils sont les meilleurs de la LNH. C'est vrai, ils sont les meilleurs. Même quand l'équipe traverse des moments difficiles, ils se rangent toujours derrière l'équipe. C'est ce qui rend Montréal aussi unique" (From RDS).

I've always thought Julien was an exceptional coach, although he could have been a little more strict with his players at times. That being said, Julien will be remembered for his dedication to the team, and for the kind parting words that he left for all Habs fans and team personnel. Good luck, Claude. We all hope to see you back in the NHL very soon.

Trade talk still floating around

Despite the abrupt and surprising change in the Canadiens' coaching staff and the surge it has provided the team since, rumours are still being tossed around about potential trades involving Montreal. Eklund, who one way or another finds out about GMs talking and thinking, believes that José Theodore could still be headed to Colorado, and mentioned Edmonton as another possible destination. Talk around the message boards suspects that the Habs are quite interested in Owen Nolan's services as well.

Again, unless Theodore plays awful and causes the Canadiens to lose 5 or more games in a row, the Habs' #1 goalie will not be traded before March 9. Eklund is probably just hearing that Pierre Lacroix and Kevin Lowe are interested in acquiring him. As for Nolan, he is 33 years old, but is 6'1, 215 lbs., and has a right-handed shot. The Canadiens are in desperate need of a power forward and an attacker who shoots right, and Nolan would probably come at a bargain price for a player of his caliber. But, the question of his health still remains, and there's always the possibility that Nolan won't be anything like the player he once was for the Sharks and Nordiques. I'm sure GM/coach Bob Gainey is mulling these points over, and we'll see in the coming days and weeks if Nolan ends up donning the CH or if he gets snatched up by another team.

Sparks or improvement?

The two games the Canadiens have played since the firing of Claude Julien have in some ways been convincing wins, but we can't get too excited just yet. José Theodore is still letting in soft goals, and the Habs are still giving up a ridiculous number of shots. Remember that a team usually plays really well in the games immediately following a coach's dismissal, so don't be surprised if the work ethic Gainey and Carbonneau are trying to instill in their team wears off.

What a shame it is that Mike Ribeiro would only listen to someone other than Claude Julien. And to think that fans helped pay his overly high salary regardless of his maturity and respect levels. This only makes Julien look worse, even though he doesn't merit much of the criticism that is creeping out about him.

Thoughts on the coaching change

Claude Julien suffered the fate of a coach too nice for his players, and perhaps for the NHL. A talented and hard-working man, Julien put together every effort in the hope that he could turn around this franchise of all franchises. He spent the past season working and evaluating the Canadiens' minor-league prospects, when he could have just rested on his laurels and waited for the lockout to pass. Julien was well-liked by his players, and after he was fired early this morning Sheldon Souray came to his defence and put all the blame on himself and his teammates, claiming that Julien did all he could to prepare his team for action. Ultimately, Julien's likeable trait was his downfall; his players tuned him out, he was too soft on them, and he didn't act firmly enough to toughen their act.

I've always said that Julien was a good coach. That being said, there were two main factors that contributed to his firing, in addition to his "softness": his handling of the José Theodore situation, and his unwillingness to play his younger players. Theodore is making $4.5 million, and while Cristobal Huet has been hot of late, Theodore's contract makes him the automatic #1 goalie. I'm not saying I agree with this, but Gainey clearly disagreed with Julien's decision to play Huet for a third consecutive game. Secondly, I was a bit surprised that Julien, who worked his way up through the junior ranks and minors, was so unwilling to play his younger players. They are the ones who have to carry the energy on the team and push the veterans; they are the future of the team and they should have been the present, but for whatever reason Julien limited their playing time. On the basis of that second point especially, Julien's firing could be justified.

This move was partly Gainey covering his rear end by placing the blame on someone else, but now that he will have his own man in place, the onus is directly on him and there is no room for error. José Theodore's future in Montreal is more in limbo than it ever has been before; Gainey has challenged him to step up his play and if he does not, expect him to be dealt. Same can be said for pretty much anyone on the team - the players know that their GM is watching them closely, and if they don't improve their play, they will be moved as well.

I'm glad that someone with NHL experience is finally being brought in as head coach, and Guy Carbonneau will have the opportunity of gaining even more experience before he assumes his full duties next season. A very smart plan of action. Bob Gainey commands a lot of respect, and hopefully Canadiens players will respond to that and stop slacking off. The pressure is on the Canadiens' new GM/coach, and you can be sure that he will pass it on to his players. And if they don't respond? The trade deadline is still well within view.

JULIEN FIRED

Habs GM Bob Gainey has fired coach Claude Julien and assistant Rick Green. Gainey is taking over as head coach on an interim basis, and has hired former Canadiens player Guy Carbonneau as an assistant. Former player Doug Jarvis, head coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs last year, has been retained as an assistant, but it is expected that Carbonneau will take over as head coach eventually. More on this later.

Calling upon Huet

TSN.ca is reporting that Cristobal Huet will be getting the start when the Canadiens face the San Jose Sharks at the Bell Centre tomorrow night. It will be the third consecutive start for the backup netminder, who has stopped 40 shots in each of his previous two starts.

The move doesn't surprise me at all - Huet has been stellar in nets. It would have surprised me much more if Claude Julien had opted for José Theodore, which he thankfully didn't. I know the coach's pick of Huet over Theodore will add fuel to the trade rumours already blazing around him, but I continue to doubt that Gainey is willing to deal him. A good point was made today on The Team 990: Why trade away your biggest asset at a time when he could bring back the least in return?

TSN is also reporting that, in an interview with Blackhawks GM Dave Tallon, it was made known that Blackhawks youngsters, including the likes of Arnason, Calder, and Bell, are not being made available, while veterans Matthew Barnaby, Jassen Cullimore, and Martin Lapointe are. Scratch Chicago off the list of teams that will potentially make a deal with the Habs, as those players are not what Montreal needs. Word is that Washington is very interested in bringing in Ribeiro as a set-up man for Ovechkin, so keep an eye on them.

More trade news

La Presse is reporting in an article today that Bob Gainey is very close to a trade. Unlike other rumours, however, the Montreal newspaper believes that the Canadiens are in talks with the Chicago Blackhawks regarding forwards Mark Bell, Kyle Calder, or Tyler Arnason, and/or defenseman Adrian Aucoin. The article claims that Mike Ribeiro has been offered around the league, as well as one Habs defenseman and a young veteran forward (my guess would be Zednik).

Two Teams

I have decided that there are two Montreal Canadiens teams, perhaps one is hidden in the dressing room while the other one takes the ice. The Canadiens either start every game completely flat or finish it that way, and somewhere in between they're able to put together some good hockey. I wish we could see more of the "good team."

Kudos to Cristobal Huet for yet another amazing effort. Pierre McGuire mentioned something interesting on the TSN broadcast of the Habs game, and part of me hopes it's true while part of me doesn't really care. McGuire speculated that Theodore has been playing injured for much of the season, and that his injury is the reason his play has been so dismal. Clearly, Theodore has had trouble adjusting to the new NHL, and he has suffered from some minor injuries, the latest having been to his hip. But whether Theodore has been playing with something else this whole time is beyond me. If he has, though, it's safe to say that all those trade rumours about him won't come true. It seems Gainey's up to something in Denver; guess we'll see shortly!

Dagenais Done

After an unnecessarily long wait, Canadiens fans breathed a sigh of relief today at the announcement that Pierre Dagenais has been sent to Hamilton of the AHL. In 32 games this season, Dagenais has scored 5 goals and added 7 assists, and is a minus-5 - not the kind of numbers you would expect from a second-line winger. Dagenais' playing time dwindled as his coaches realized he was too slow for the new NHL, and he was replaced by rookies Garth Murray, Andrei Kostitsyn and Jonathan Ferland. This move definitely was made in part to send Mike Ribeiro, Dagenais' best friend, a message: this is your last chance to shape up or you too will be shipped out. I can't wait...

Cristobal Huet will be starting tomorrow night against the Avalanche, which was no doubt the right move to be made. Newest speculation (which I had thought of a while ago but was pretty sure wouldn't happen) is that the Canadiens are interested in J-S Giguere's services out of Anaheim. If Theodore is to be traded, here's how I would rank the goalies that the Habs potentially could get in return: 1. Luongo; 2. Biron; 3. Brodeur; 4. Giguere; 5. Aebischer; 6. Auld. I wouldn't be unhappy with the acquisition of any of these goaltenders, but some would require additional players to be sent along if a deal were to be completed.

Finally, Saku Koivu was quoted in the Gazette today as saying that he wants to sign a contract extension with the Canadiens, but that he wouldn't rule out testing the free agent market when he becomes a UFA this summer. This, of course, is because the Canadiens haven't contacted Koivu about starting negotiations 10 days after the negotiating period began. It would be a shame for Koivu, who is so entrenched in this city's hockey culture, to finish his career somewhere else; he has been a pillar of longevity in a decade of turmoil in the franchise.

Vancouver-Montreal deal?

According to several sources, the Canadiens had 8 scouts at the Canucks game on Saturday, and Bob Gainey has supposedly been in close contact with Vancouver GM Dave Nonis. Obviously, the first thing that comes to mind is that Theodore is headed to Vancouver for either Bertuzzi or Jovanovski, but I have my doubts about that ever happening. Gainey won't trade Theodore unless he can get a quality goaltender in return, which means that Auld would have to be thrown into the mix. This would likely implicate Zednik or (please!!) Ribeiro as well.

Another way of looking at it is that the Habs are sending 8 scouts to evaluate lesser-known players, because any hockey management people would already be familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of a Bertuzzi or Jovanovski. It could also be that the scouts are there to look at Bertuzzi because of his so-so season; they might want a closer look to see if he is worth pursuing. Whatever the case may be, something's up, although I still have my doubts about Theodore actually getting traded. Huet is inconsistent, and if Gainey really feels that Theodore is expendable, Mathieu Garon would still be a Hab. Unless he knows something we don't about the possibility of getting Martin Biron (unlikely) or Roberto Luongo (slightly more likely). Remember, people, the trade deadline is earlier this year -- only 5 or so weeks to go!!

Changes A-Comin'

After an exceptional first quarter, the Canadiens have plummeted. Four losses in a row, only 5 or so wins in their last 25 games. Play the blame game if you want - injuries, bad bounces, slumps here and there - but the fact of the matter is that the fundamental problems with this team that were ignorable when the Habs were hot are creeping up on them now, in these trying times. Here they are in no particular order:

• Mike Ribeiro (and Pierre Dagenais): As I have said many times before, Ribeiro is a disruption in the dressing room. He has made the team cliquey; he's disliked by at least several of his teammates; and, worst of all, he's a lazy, cocky player. Unfortunately, because he is loved by the French media, who have this amazing power over the Canadiens' roster for some reason, Ribeiro has not yet been moved. He has scored 1 goal in his last 25 games, and has been a healthy scratch the past two games. Unacceptable for a second-line centre making $1.2 million. Ribeiro claims that the last time he was benched, in 2003-04, he came back much more ready to contribute. Again - it shouldn't take a benching to motivate a supposed "regular" NHLer, especially more than one. Ribeiro better start thinking about real estate agents, because Bob Gainey (hopefully) won't be so patient with him this time around.
  
• An inconsistent José Theodore: The rumours are floating around for this man, too. People have started likening Theodore to Jim Carrey, the Washington Capitals goaltender who won the Vézina trophy one year and practically disappeared the next. You have to wonder if Theo will ever be able to hold the fort as he did in his breakout season, because he's only shown slight flashes of it so far this year. "No Way" José has been rumoured to be moving to teams in need of goaltending help, especially Colorado and Vancouver, and while I would love to have Hejduk or Jovanovski in Montreal, I doubt either team would give up that much. Remember, again, the pull that the French media have when it comes to francophone Habs, and also the possibility that Theodore could pull a Patrick Roy and re-attain his superstar status. Wouldn't that be embarrassing.
  
• Claude Julien's coaching: I hate to say it, because he's a great coach, but you have to start asking questions if you're barely able to muster a win in 25 games. 5 games? OK. 10 games? A little slump. But 25? Uh-uh. Julien was not Gainey's man, and although the GM has asserted his confidence in the Habs' entraîneur chef, results are what really count. I would love to see Ted Nolan coach the Canadiens; if there's one man who wouldn't care about the pressures of Montreal, he's it. Hopefully, if Julien is axed, which is becoming more and more likely, Gainey will opt for a coach with NHL experience rather than the likes of Tremblay, Vigneault, Therrien, and Julien. And maybe, just maybe, he'll ignore Nolan's inability to speak French.
  
• Gainey: People make mistakes, but a few too many have come his way. Radek Bonk for Mathieu Garon. Ron Hainsey. Marcel Hossa. Carey Price. About the only really good move Gainey has made was the Alex Kovalev trade, but don't expect much more star power to be headed our way. The mix of the language issues, taxes, French media, and pressure make it very undesireable for players who have any say, namely the good ones, to pick Montreal.

So here we are again, another bundle of frustration to deal with in hockey's most historic city. Just when things were looking up, the Canadiens have once again helped outsiders understand why it is so hard to be a Habs fan. On their best days, the modern-day Canadiens are mediocre, and on their very worst they rub elbows with the likes of the Panthers, Blue Jackets, and Islanders. Where has the pride gone that once ignited every man who ever wore their storied jersey? Those that bleed bleu, blanc, et rouge are once again waiting for a transfusion, but when will the Canadiens be strong enough to move past Band-Aid solutions? Changes are coming soon, but they will only be quick fixes. The "Cardiac" Canadiens are flatlining; it's time for us to see some more heart.