By Stevo, AllHabs.net
MONTREAL, QC. — The Montreal Canadiens are 1-2-1, four games into their 2011-’12 season. Much has been said about their performance so far, which has mimicked the team’s play in the pre-season: they’ve shown sparks of brilliance but far too often they are lost within a sea of horrors.
It’s only four games into the season though, right? They still have 95 per cent of their calendar to play, and there are still many reasons to be positive about the Habs this season.
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Top Ten Reasons Not To Worry About the Habs’ Poor Start:
- Andrei Markov will eventually appear in the Habs line-up, he has a three-year contract under his belt, so he has plenty of time to make a return.
- Travis Moen is becoming the big size offensive forward that Jacques Martin doesn’t see in Erik Cole.
- Peter Budaj has played as well as Alex Auld had, at this point last season.
- The Canadiens have scored five goals in two of their four games so far this season. Even if they lost one of those two games, that’s free wings for everyone.
- P.K. Subban leads the team for having the worst plus/minus differential, and penalty minutes, but don’t worry, he’ll score 20 goals this season.
- After four games, we haven’t heard a word out of Andrei Kostitsyn.
- Two games into his return from a shoulder injury, Lars Eller appears to be the same player he was in the second half of last season, swift, agile and mobile; he has zero points so far.
- Jacques Martin’s perimeter-shooting offense is bound to dumbfound an opponent at one point or another.
- Yannick Weber went from accepting a brand new contract as a defenceman, to being all but run out of Montreal in the pre-season, to being moved up to the forward position, and back down to the defenceman position. He’s currently playing well and Jacques Martin has asked him what he knows about power-plays.
- And… the number one reason why you shouldn’t worry about the Habs’ poor start, Pierre Gauthier has his eye on Blair Betts, again.
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*Hockey is best enjoyed with a laugh.
*For a more serious look at the Habs’ early season start, read Rick Stephens’ latest column, Don’t Fret Habs Fans, It Just Doesn’t Matter
