Headlines: Bergevin’s Targets, Joly, Roy, Coyotes Deal Terminated

All Habs Headlines: Thursday June 11, 2015
	On this day in hockey history… 1964 — In the second NHL Amateur draft held in Montreal the Boston Bruins selected 16-year-old Ken Dryden in the third round. 1968 — Los Angeles Kings traded two future draft picks (including one that turned out to be Steve Shutt) to Montreal, in exchange for goalie Gerry Desjardins.  1988 — In the NHL Entry draft held in Montreal, the Minnesota North Stars used the No. 1 pick overall to select Mike Modano. 1992 — Montreal Canadiens named Jacques Demers as their new head coach, replacing Pat Burns. Demers became the 22nd head coach in Canadiens’ history.
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► Bergevin’s targets

• It obvious that the Canadiens are desperate for scoring help.  According to The Fourth Period Marc Bergevin had interest in four players including Maple Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul, Blue Jackets right-winger Cam Atkinson, Sharks left-winger Patrick Marleau and Blues power forward T.J. Oshie.
• The chances of the Canadiens acquiring Atkinson have dropped dramatically since the 5-foot-7-inch forward signed a new three-year deal with Columbus his current club this past trade deadline. As much as the former 20+ goal scorer would help out the attack, his size is a major issue and would limit his flexibility in terms of shuffling up the lineup.
• With all the talent that Joffrey Lupul has its the same old problem that he can’t stay healthy. In his entire 13 year NHL career he has never played an entire season, although twice he has played 81 games. With all the negativity surrounding the former seventh overall pick, there is a lot of talent as well. Lupul’s best season was in 2011-12 with the Leafs when he recorded 67 points in 66 games and has still managed to put up points while fighting off the injury bug. He had 18 points in 16 games in the lockout shortened season and a combined 70 points in 124 games. The 31-year-old has three years left on his contract making $6,750,000, 5,250,000 and 3,750,00.
• Contrarily Patrick Marleau is very consistent, playing 74+ games every year of his career. He has played 80 or more games 11 times in his 17 year career along with playing a full season seven times. Marleau isn’t the biggest point producer, only getting 80 points or more twice in his career. This past season was the worst in the left winger’s career since 2003-2004 when he had the same amount of points he had this year with 57.
• In my opinion, T.J. Oshie is one of the the more underrated forwards in the league. Oshie plays a physical style with a boat load of skill.  Of the four, he may be the best player for the Habs. The right winger’s skill hasn’t completely shown up in his career statistics as he has a career high of 60 points in 79 games in 2013-14, the first year he wore the “A” in St. Louis. It has been reported that the Blues are looking to move the 28-year-old. Oshie has two years left on a contract that will pay him $4,175,000 per year.

► Wings make it official: Blashill is new bench boss

• After losing Stanley Cup winning head coach Mike Babcock to the Leafs the Detroit Red Wings have hired former Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill.
• Blashill started his head coaching career with the Indiana Ice of the USHL. In his first year his team had a .667 winning percentage and lead them to a championship. In his second year he had 33 wins good enough for a .575 winning percentage. The Ice ended up losing in the second round of the USHL playoffs.
• After spending a year as head coach of Western Michigan University, he was hired as an assistant coach on the Wings. At the end of that season he was offered the head coaching position for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
• Blashill was born in Detroit and has led one of the best AHL teams in the league in the past three years in which he has been their head coach. He won the AHL’s coach of the year award in the 2013-14 season, the year after his team won the Calder Cup.
• He has been partially credited for the incredible development of some of the Red Wings’ better players such as Tomas Tatar and Guatav Nyquist.
• In his final two years as head coach, Blashill’s Griffins have had almost identical records at 46-23-0-7 in 2013-14 and 46-22-0-8 this past season.

► Joly gets invitation

• The Toronto Maple Leafs have invited Rimouski Oceanic forward Michaël Joly to their training camp in September. Joly was never drafted which makes him eligible for free agency.
• The 20-year old had his best regular season last year with 44 goals and 30 assists in 64 games. Even though he had a lesser regular season this year with 45 points in 45 games but what really secured his spot in Leafs camp is his incredible performance during this year’s playoffs. He recorded 21 points in 20 games with his Oceanic who went all the way to the Memorial Cup but lost after having a record of 1-3.
• Joly was a plus-42 one year ago and dropped to a still impressive plus-25 this season.
• The 5-foot-11-inch forward was in invited to the Buffalo Sabres camp last year but was promptly cut from the team at the end of camp. There is definitely a chance for the 20-year old to make a club with some massive holes especially if they don’t re-sign David Booth.

► Roy to free agency

• The Edmonton Oilers will let centreman Derek Roy test free agency. To some it seems to be a curious move considering the Oilers’ lack of veteran presence on the forward corps aside from Matt Hendricks and Boyd Gordon who play in their bottom six.
• When Nail Yakupov was struggling at the beginning of the season the move that changed his season was the Oilers acquisition of Derek Roy. Roy was placed with Yakupov and there was instant chemistry that erased all the trade rumours that had surrounded the former first overall pick.
• Roy spent the bulk of his career with the Sabres playing eight years in Buffalo before getting traded on July 2nd 2012 to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Steve Ott and defenceman Adam Pardy.
• The 5-foot-9-inch forward signed a six-year $24 million contract with the Sabres in 2007 which was his greatest statistical season with 81 points in 78 games. He had 22 points with the Oilers this past season.

► NBC head: shave playoff beards 

• The Chairman of NBC Sports, Mark Lazarus, is lobbying for NHL players to shave their playoff beards to “show how young and attractive” they are.  This could be interpreted as a marketing ploy aimed at more casual hockey fans.
• The tradition is one that started in the 1980’s with the New York Islanders who won four straight Stanley Cups while using this superstition.
• Lazarus is obviously aware of the consequences saying, “The players won’t like this, but I wish they all would stop growing beards in the post-season, let’s get their faces out there. I know it’s a tradition and superstition, but I think they hurt recognition. They have a great opportunity with more endorsements. Or simply more recognition with fans saying, ‘That guy looks like the kid next door,’ which many of these guys do. I think that would be a nice thing.”
• Former Blackhawk and Canadiens defenseman Brent Sopel responded to the idea saying, “I understand the marketing side of it. But there are 82 regular-season games, and we’re 110 games into the season. Everyone should be able to recognize our faces by now.” Sopel has a point: if NBC did a better job covering players during the regular season, recognition wouldn’t be an issue by the time the playoffs rolled around. Sopel added, “If you ask a player to get rid of his beard, he’ll say you’re crazy. The tradition, the camaraderie of everyone having facial hair and winning the Stanley Cup, it all goes hand in hand.”

► Canadiens media guides

• Howard Berger reacted to the comments of Maple Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas who said that Toronto would consider trading the fourth overall selection in the upcoming draft.
• In the same piece Berger included a fascinating photo essay of his collection of Montreal Canadiens media guides. It is worth a look here.

 

► Coyotes in jeopardy?

• The city of Glendale, Arizona is trying to pull a Houdini act on the NHL and the Coyotes organization. Glendale City Council voted 5-2 to nullify the 15-year, $225 million agreement with owners of the Arizona Coyotes. The lawyer for ownership has promised to serve the city with a $200 million damage suit.
• Arizona Coyotes Co-Owner Anthony LeBlanc issued the following statement following tonight’s Glendale City Council meeting: “We are disappointed with the city’s decision to violate its obligations under the agreement that was entered into and duly approved only two years ago. We will exhaust any and all legal remedies against the city of Glendale for this blatant violation of its contractual obligations to us.”
• LeBlanc said, “What we have witnessed here tonight is possibly the most shameful exhibition of government I have ever witnessed. The citizens of Glendale should be very concerned about the government that they have leading them right now, because this was not appropriate.”
• Prior to the council meeting, the NHL issued the following statement: “We have been advised by the Coyotes that the City of Glendale’s contentions are without merit and we fully expect the Coyotes to continue to play at the Gila River Arena and for the City to continue to honor its obligations to the Coyotes. After everything that has transpired, it is extremely disappointing that the City of Glendale would do anything that might damage the Club.”
• On Hockey Night in Canada, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said, “I’m not really concerned about the Arizona Coyotes. If I lived in Glendale, I would be concerned about my government.”

► Canadiens new charter agreement

• We sometimes take for granted that our favorite NHL players travel thousands of kilometres every season. A few franchises in the league have their own jets but most teams use charter services to get to all corners of North America.
• Ric Peterson, a veteran Montreal broadcaster, wrote a piece for All Things Aero, describing the travel life of NHLers: “Baggage is never missing, every seat is business-class and your cocktail will be delivered before takeoff which is always on time.”
• The Montreal Canadiens have chartered a Boeing 737-400 aircraft from Miami Air but all that is about to change. The Canadiens will begin a six-year agreement (along with five other Canadian teams and one U.S. team) at the start of the 2015-’16 season with Air Canada Jetz, “the airline’s in-house, all-Premium Class charter service operated by their mainline pilots and flight attendants.”
• Peterson wrote, “Air Canada Jetz uses Airbus A319 aircraft outfitted with 58-Italian leather Premium Class seats offering a luxurious seat pitch with extra legroom and a private jet-like experience, as well as two tables. Air Canada’s Jetz clients are able to board either through public airport or move through private terminals without the attention of public exposure. Special boarding areas away from public terminals are available upon request with convenient parking close by. Each charter plane comes with its own on-board mechanic as well.”

► The last Cup

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Just realized I shot this 22 years ago tonight. On assignment for @mtlgazette #Habs pic.twitter.com/yXkCsKnyYq

— john mahoney (@mahoneygazette) June 10, 2015

► Business over hockey decisions?

• Editor-in-Chief, Rick Stephens wonders what drives the Canadiens, thirst or hunger?

► You have questions, we have answers.

• Senior writer J.D. Larange takes some of your questions including coaching, free agency, the captaincy and prospects.

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