The Sultan of Swank

I find that White is like Gorges, but a little older and a little more developed in his game. Both players are somewhat unseen on the ice most of the game. Not because they're floating around like Dany Heatley, but because they do everything right. They rarely make mistakes, they eat minutes and know that the best thing for the team is hard work, smart plays and more hard work.

I think Montreal's gonna win the cup this year. The motherfucking Dalai Lama came to town and wore a Habs jersey... We got the most spiritual man in the world on our side, hahaha.

I think Toronto's D is better than it's showed. It's the same way that Montreal is playing right now. We've had some periods where we dominate and it's time to plan the parade and then there's periods where we get a single shot on goal in a 1-1 game and we may as well start planning for the draft lottery. Montreal's entire team and Toronto's D I think will take 5-10 games to really get together and start playing to their potential... Although it is interesting that Toronto's top two free agents Komisarek and Beauchemin have been on the ice or in the box for all 10 goals against Toronto this year. Brian Gionta batting the puck out of the air into the net after Gomez rifles it off the boards, masterpiece of a goal. It may be ugly so far, but we're getting it done. Also, Carey Price looks like he's playing with a fire underneath him. He's been unbelievable in the first two games. I've noticed that he covers the bottom of the net unbelievably well and his glove side is improving. He also challenges the shooters a lot more than he did in the second half of the season last year. According to the talking heads that should be indicative of a higher confidence level. I should hope so. Onto Calgary tomorrow where the first real test of the season lays. Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton. If we can go 1-1-1 in those 3 games, I'd be happy. We'd have started the year off with 7 of 10 points and we'd have at least been able to compete in western Canada... unlike last season's 6-1, 7-2, 5-0 stretch through the 3 cities.

One last interesting note from last night. Montreal, which is supposed to be quite offensively gifted as a team was outshot 46-27. Toronto which is supposed to be one of the tougher teams in the East was out hit 37-22.

Markov had surgery last night to repair tendon damage to his ankle. He's out a minimum of 2 months, up to 4. Montreal is 7-20 without Markov in the line up. Hello 10th place!

Clawson. I have to say, that the Komisarek elbow... was pretty definitely an elbow. Still, I will agree that on a whole, the refs blew a ton of calls that could have shaped the game either way for either team... Also Moen didn't run Toskala so much as he got pushed into him and then beaten for it haha. I think one of the most telling stats from last night was Toronto had 25 shots which missed the net. I noticed that a lot of Toronto shots came from the blue line and from the outside, which as a Habs fan is what I would rather see (although Stajan's goal on the tip was sweet). I found that often when Toronto shooters were in the slot with the puck they missed the net quite often. Now I know that there's a difference when you have time on the outside, and when a player's about to run you in the slot, but through 2 periods I felt that Toronto could have had a big lead if they didn't miss the net in such key areas of the ice. RDS.ca is saying that Markov's injury could be very serious, they;re saying he suffered Tendon damage to his ankle and could require surgery. We saw this happen last season with Robert Lang and it really hurt us. Now it's our best player which might force Gainey's hand on a trade to get a new #1 D. Because as well as Spacek played, I wouldn't ask him to put up the near 30 min a night that Markov does.

Good game. Carey Price was hot as shit. The Habs still need to jell... obviously haha. Toronto played well. Refs were shit all around. They gave a penalty to some Leaf when Lapierre clearly was the offender. Komisarek clipped Gomez in the face 3 times and Andrei once and got only one penalty for his trouble. Komisarek also got away with a blatant cross check from behind on Gionta. Most of the penalties that were called were marginal and a lot of penalties that should have been called on both teams simply weren't. In any case it only messed with the flow of the game a few times. Toronto looked real good, Price looked better Montreal alternated between being dominated like an AHL team and then waking up and dominating like the leafs were an AHL team... It was strange to watch. I love... love Gomez and Gionta. Dangerous. Mara was great. Markov apparently got a bad gash on a freak play... maybe he should just stop playing at the ACC for a while. Gill did a few things well but caused one of the goals against us and I forgot how slow a human being could actually be... ugh. Favourite player on the ice tonight... Stalberg. I think Toronto may have finally drafted one of these gems we hear about... Schenn doesn't count. When you draft #5 you can't really fuck up... I hope Komisarek calms down on Toronto for Toronto's sake. I know it's a rivalry game against his old team but man, the amount of PIMS he had plus what he should have gotten... He was still solid though... except in the last 5 min. I think Montreal will take a good 5-10 games to really jell as a team. Which concerns me when they're going on a western Canada road trip next week. It could get a bit ugly if they play like tonight. All in all, Entertaining. Toronto out worked Montreal for a good... 60-65% of the game. I'd say that a good 10-15% was even or listless and 20% or so Montreal out worked Toronto. The difference tonight was Montreal out worked Toronto at the end of periods in the 2nd and 3rd and in OT, but mostly Price making some great saves. Can't wait for saturday. I love hockey!!!

I wonder when the last time two teams without captains played each other was...

Wow Sergei... Another case of a talented and potentially very talented player having a superstar ego and throwing a tantrum when he doesn't get his way. Sergei has now asked for a trade. Not as bad as Grabovski leaving the team on a road trip because he wasn't flying first class but still a childish move. Obviously if we ship him to a no-offense team like we did with Grabs he'll get his minutes and reasonable points, but in training camp otheer players just out performed him for a spot.

Sorry to say Clawson, but you'll have to catch us first. Also, lines 3, 4 and our Defense are just a big and just as tough...

I was away in Kingston all weekend visiting friends for Homecoming, thankfully there's a ton of Habs fans in that town so we were able to catch the game. Kaleta threw a dirty ass hit to Tom Pyatt, it's upsetting because Pyatt looked real good this pre-season and had a shot at cracking the line up but is now day to day. Ryan O'Byrne literally beat the fucking shit out of him though.... O'Byrne has seemed to step up his game in all aspects since his dismal year last season. Surprise of the day, Sergei Kostitsyn down to Hamilton.

Man.... I love Scott Gomez.... he's so goddamned good with and without the puck. I really think this team is a lot better than most people will give credit for.

After tonight, Jacques Martin gets out his cutting knife and should likely halve the training camp roster from 50 to around 25. Once he does that, it'll be a better indication of our team, and the pre-season games remaining will be a better barometer for our team. Pitts/Habs tonight. Also, god bless my girlfriend. Last week Habs tickets went on sale to the general public. Normally these tickets and subsequently the season are sold out within hours. She stayed up 14 hours from the time the sale opened and waited and waited and waited. Finally she got a turn to pick a ticket, there was only 1 game left, against Florida but she bought a pair of Club Desjardins tickets. So it's free food and drink, and nice and close. Also center ice... Now everyone should go home and ask their respective lady friends.... what have you done for me lately?

So last night was an example of a team still looking to jell together haha. Good thing it's still the pre-season. In a strange way I'm hoping that Toronto is competitive this year. All summer people talked about Toronto closing the gap on their defensive ineptability from last season, but who was going to score their goals. I'm not sure about Kessel. I mean, I'm sure he's absolutely a top player no question, but like I said earlier I just feel that it can go two ways with him. He was playing with guys like Lucic and Savard in Boston, now he's going to play with guys like Grabovsky? Blake? Stajan? I just worry that without the solid play makers like Savard he might suffer. Then again, when he's one of only 1.5 legit scoring threats he might respond well to the pressure like Grabobsky did in the first 40 games last season. I think that Toronto definately will improve 10-12 points over last season. Does it make them a playoff team? I dunno, because the East became a far tougher conference to play in over last year. Boston's still strong as hell, as is Pittsburgh and Wasington. The Lightning got scary better, the entire Atlantic division got way better except the Isles... I think that even if Montreal plays to the best of their potential (which could be quite well when you consider who we picked up) we could hope for 4th at best, and that's a rosy prediction. With all this uncertainty in mind, at least we can all agree that it will be a very, very exciting year to be a Leafs or Habs fan, it should be a real dogfight for positions 5-10 this year and that'll make every game important. My biggest concern this year is the return of Scott Stevens soul to the East. Pronger on the Flyers.... watch for every player smaller than 5'11 to suffer a concussion this season.

Whoops, double post.

Not sure how I feel about this trade. For a team that still has some rebuilding to do in Toronto, to give up 2 firsts and a second seems a little excessive for a guy who only plays offense... but then when you really think about it, while the first round picks are likely to be kind of high in the next two years, they probably won't be top 10 like in the last 2 or 3, and while Kessel plays in his own end worse than Spezza, Toronto really doesn't have a legitamate scary offensive player, and Kessel will fill that hole. It'll be a trade that if Kessel can produce like he did in Boston (but he should be looked at like Cammalleri where they played with a lot better linemates on their old teams than their new), than the trade would be a success. If Kessel pulls a Blake, than it's a terrible trade, but all that won't come out in the wash in 2 or 3 years. For now, I'm undecided if only because I don't see Kessel as worth that many picks.

I'm not sure how I feel about the hit. I thought it looked like charging, but at the same time, Okposo had his head down which is probably why he was stretchered out instead of just real shaken up...A Also Good for Kadri eh?

Was fun to see the new guys out there tonight. Price looked good and Cammy + Gomez looks like it could be a lot of fun to watch this year..... Great game.

Habs get their pre-season started tonight. I think that the Habs pre-season is actually important for the team since there's so many new guys. I like Gomez and Cammy, they seem like good guys, except Gomez has to perform for his salary... I feel kinda bad for Gomez, he seems willing to do whatever it takes, but looks a little over his head. He asked a very naive question and got laughed at "will it be a sell out tonight?".... poor guy. Speaking of selling out, I was actually really surprised that the Leafs game last night wasn't sold out considering that what we've been told in Montreal(not sure how true) is that the game was free and ticekts were given out through a variety of promotions. It's not a shot at Toronto, it was just surprising since its one of only maybe 2 places that matches the intensity of fandom. I'm quite upset that the game tonight isn't televised, tomorrow and the next 4 nights are apparently, but it's still a kick in the pants when you know its happening and you can't see it.

Oh snap Ottawa just got a whole lot better. The North East is going to be hell for all the teams this year. Boston got better, Toronto is no longer a push over or an easy win, Ottawa's trade can make them more than a one line team. Buffalo seems less harmful but still a tough opponent and nobody will know whether the Habs finish 1st with 114 points and Gainey's a saint who knew what was up all along or they finish 11th with 85 points and Gainey's put on the cross to die for his sins. It should be fun!

Yeah it it a great way to start re season. Clawson, too bad Markov was hit from behind, but that's okay. The 'nucks have 14 game Roadstand over the break, rough. EDIT: I just watched the hit again and besides the fact that he was called for a penalty you clearly see him chasing Markov from behind and give him a shot shoulder to back. Don't kid yourself.

Jesus 15 back to back games this year, that's half our schedule... I don't like that at all kinds bullshit. 5 in a row on the road to start the season and 6 in a row at home to end it. Hopefully we beat down on the offensively challenged Leafs. Hopefully Morn just takes the penalty and delivers a KO elbow on Grabs for his cheap hit that took out Markov last year.

Habs v Caps at the big O. Ovechkin in front of 60,000 people. Would have preferred against Leafs but I love Ovechkin so I'll buy tix.

Habs sign Mara and Moen. I'm starting to see Bobs plan with the team. It looks like were offsetting out smaller top two lines with size, grit and defensively responsible 3rd and 4th lines. I absolutely love the signings of today. Both players will always stand up for anyone on the team and I love that. Also the average size of your Montreal Canadien forward is officially 6ft and 202lbs haha.

At least every year aint the year for us Clawson. Sad to see Joe go, devistated bout Koivu... It's not been a good week for me as a hockey fan.