Habster’s take:
With the possible exception of Saku Koivu, there is no other player on the Canadiens roster that means more to the teams success than Andrei Markov. He is without a doubt the Habs’ best defenseman and when he isn’t in the lineup, the Canadiens are an easier team to play against. The sign of a great player is when he makes his teammates better and Markov is a prime example of this theory. Playing along side Andrei Markov has made players like Mike Komisarek and Craig Rivet have career seasons. He also plays an incredibly important role on special team units. When one of the best players in the world, Alexander Ovechkin states that Markov is the hardest defenseman in the NHL to play against, well that says a lot about the player.
I truly believe Andrei Markov will be even better this season with the added pressure (4 years/ $23 million ) and responsibilities (being the #1 d-man and the need to replace Souray’s powerplay points).
See the article I wrote about the Habs signing Andrei Markov:Fair market value
