Carbo's Canadiens

In past years, Canadiens fans would be looking forward to an exciting storyline that would dominate the sports headlines and the pulse surrounding the hockey team. Be it in days past in the era of Rocket Richard or Jean Béliveau, or the modern-day spectacles of Patrick Roy, John LeClair, Mark Recchi, and, most recently, Saku Koivu and José Theodore, Montrealers always found a hero to make their own. This year, however, there is a much different flavour to the Montreal Canadiens.

Theodore is gone, having been shipped off to Colorado in the wake of a disappointing and rocky season in Montreal. The team's homegrown count has dwindled to three - four if you count the New York-born Francis Bouillon - although both goaltenders are French-speaking as well. Saku Koivu, always a source of inspiration and leadership, is on shaky ground waiting to see how his injured eye will hold up. The team's goaltending, led by the composed Frenchman Cristobal Huet, is questionable at best at the moment; will Huet continue his amazing play from last year, or will he fade back into the backup goaltender's role he had previously held? And finally, Alex Kovalev, perhaps the team's biggest star, is expected to have another mediocre, up-and-down season unless he decides to apply himself more steadily.

All this has led to mixed opinions from the people who call themselves "experts" amongst hockey circles. Both TSN and Sportsnet predict the Habs will miss the playoffs, while the Toronto Star, ESPN, and Sports Illustrated see Montreal pushing for a divisional title. This more uneven spread of predictions is pretty normal for the new NHL, where, with more parity, it has become much harder to predict who will come out on top. However, the media's obsession with big free-agent splashes and blockbuster trades often guides who they pick as Cup favourites at the start of the year. This clashes with Canadiens' general manager Bob Gainey's more quiet approach to team-building.

Speaking of Gainey's moves, the Canadiens clearly became a better team with the handful of transactions the Habs' GM made over the summer. The additions of Sergei Samsonov and Mike Johnson were upgrades over Richard Zednik and Jan Bulis, although Bulis is going to enjoy a very successful season in Vancouver. Adding Janne Niinimaa to the lineup is a plus to the Habs if only because it allowed the Habs to rid themselves of the distraction that was Mike Ribeiro. And that's where Gainey ended it, keeping the core of a team that jelled quite nicely towards the end of last season intact.

On defense, the Habs have a punishing and effective corps of players. Andrei Markov is set for another breakthrough season, and Sheldon Souray, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, should be able to bounce back from the marital troubles that distracted him from his All-Star season of two years ago. When healthy, Francis Bouillon is a reliable and talented third or fourth defenseman, and, with Mike Komisarek, Mathieu Dandenault and Niinima rounding out the pack, the Canadiens are looking strong on the blueline.

Finally, the Canadiens' young players are poised for high achievements this year. Look for Chris Higgins to play a big part in his team's success. Michael Ryder should improve on his 30-goal total now that he is free of the back problems that hampered his play last season. Tomas Plekanec played consistent and dependable hockey in the playoffs and will take full advantage of the vacancy left by the departed Ribeiro as the team's new second-line centre. Guillaume Latendresse's passion for the tricolore will drive him to bring a determination and energy to the locker room that was somewhat lacking at times in 2005-'06. The only question mark in the youth department is Alexander Perezhogin, but with the emergence of a number of other prospects waiting in the wings in Hamilton, Perezhogin might become expendable.

The success of this team will depend largely on two things: the effect of Saku Koivu's eye on his play, and the kind of goaltending the Canadiens get from Cristobal Huet. But make no mistake about it, there will be a remarkably different feel in the Habs' dressing room with former captain Guy Carbonneau at the helm. Gone are the days of the revolving coach's door, and of a lax, uninspired attitude amongst the players. These are Carbo's Canadiens, and they are in for a good fight in 2006-'07. As the Habs' new marketing slogan so accurately declares, the city is hockey, and this edition of the Montreal Canadiens is determined to do it proud. Bonne saison.