All Habs Headlines: Tuesday June 9, 2015 |
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On this day in hockey history… 1966 — Two time NHL goal scoring leader Bernie Geoffrion was claimed on waivers by the New York Rangers from the Montreal Canadiens. 1971 — Scotty Bowman was named new head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, replacing Al MacNeil. The late great Jean Beliveau announced his retirement. 1984 — The NHL Entry draft was held in Montreal and the Pittsburgh Penguins selected Mario Lemieux first overall. Montreal traded Rick Wamsley and three future draft picks to St. Louis, in exchange for the Blues’ first two picks in the 1984 Draft. The Canadiens selected Shayne Corson and Stephane Richer with those picks. |
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► Habs edge out competition
- While many speculated that Habs defenseman Jeff Petry could have received more than the $5.5 million per year if he proceeded to the free agent market, Elliotte Friedman reports that, of his preferred destinations, Petry got top dollar. Friedman makes the case that “with Niklas Kronwall at $4.75 million, [the Detroit Red Wings] weren’t going to the $5.5 million the Canadiens offered.”
- Friedman also reports that “the team worked hard to make the Petrys comfortable […] on and off the ice.”
► Koivu, the younger, to Montreal?
- With Marc Bergevin looking to move underperforming players like Tom Gilbert, P.A. Parenteau or David Desharnais to provide cap relief, Elliotte Freidman wonders if a deal for Minnesota Wild centre Mikko Koivu could make sense. Freidman writes, “He’s the kind of player the Canadiens could use at centre.”
► Didier signs
- The Canadiens freshly-minted AHL affiliate, the St. John’s IceCaps, have signed defenceman Josiah Didier to a one-year AHL contract. Check out the announcement at our AHL sister site IceCaps Hockey Report
- The former Canadiens fourth round pick came to the AHL after playing four years of college hockey with the University of Denver. In those four years Didier recorded 38 points in 148 games.
- What makes the 6-foot-3-inch, 220 pound defenceman appealing is his size with an imposing frame. Didier should be a good depth signing for the IceCaps defense.
- The Littleton, Colorado native played one year in the USHL before taking the collegiate route. In his first and only season with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders he got 21 points in 58 games.
- Didier played eight games for the Hamilton Bulldogs at the end of the AHL season. He recorded one assist and fought Gemel Smith of the Texas Stars.
- Didier has a championship under his belt, winning a under-16 American national championship playing for the Colorado Thunderbirds.
- The physical style and subtle offensive capabilities of Didier present the Canadiens with an intriguing prospect. Although the statistics, especially in college, don’t show it the former 97th overall pick can move the puck up ice well.
► Subban is a crowd pleaser
- In case you missed it, P.K. Subban created a stir on social media after joining a ball hockey game in Westmount this past weekend.
- According to the children, Subban pulled up in his car and asked if they would let him play ball hockey. Apparently Subban broke the first stick that the kids gave him.
- Watch the Subban video from our Sunday night post here.
► Petrov to join Isles
- The New York Islanders will finally reel in their 2008 third round pick as the Russian paper TASS reports that Kirill Petrov will join the Islanders this upcoming season.
- Petrov, the former 73rd overall pick, has spent his entire career in Russia prior to deciding to come to North America. The 6-foot-3-inch winger, didn’t have eye- popping numbers with AK Bars Kazan in his first full season in 2011-`2 with 29 points in 52 games. In the next two following seasons, he put up 20 and 29 points respectively while playing 47 and 53 games.
- Petrov comes to the Islanders after his worst professional season with 15 points in 47 games as a 24-year old.
- The 200-pound winger could be a very useful player for the Isles, especially if he is used in a bottom-six role. He could play with former Hab Mikhail Grabovski and former Leaf Nikolay Kulemin to create a very effective third line for the Islanders.
- Petrov may have to start the year in Bridgeport, the Islanders affiliate. He will be competing with veteran Colin MacDonald for an available roster spot. Macdonald had a strong end to the season with New York with eight points in 18 games. He had 35 points in 40 games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers last season.
► Soderberg heading to free agency
- The Boston Bruins have decided to let 6-foot-3-inch centre Carl Soderberg test the free agent market. This move stems from the Bruins cap issues that prevented the re-signing of 30-goal scorer Jarome Iginla. The Bruins will be looking to sign Milan Lucic this offseason.
- Soderberg has been playing primarily third line minutes for the past three season playing behind Patrice Bergeron and David Kreci. Kreci had a major injury this past season which allowed Soderberg to be moved up into the top-six.
- Soderberg was excellent when playing in the SHL, getting 132 points in 189 games.
- In his rookie season in the NHL, the Swede recorded 48 points in 73 games to go along with a plus-4 rating. In this past contract year, Sodeberg racked up 44 points in a full 82 game season. He played on an injury-riddled Bruins team that was scratching and clawing to the finish but came up short.
- Soderberg will most likely command a 2-4 year contract between $3.50-4.25 million in a particularly weak free agent class for centerman.
► Call it the Gill rule
- According to Elliote Friedman, the NHL could look into banning a particular type of shot blocking: a full out slide in the defensive zone.
- It is an odd reaction to the call for more offense from certain quarters. The NHL will also be discussing the possibility of changes to goaltenders’ equipment.. again. If this rule change was to be accepted, it would only come into effect in the 2016-2017 season.
- Former Habs and NHLPA special assistant Mathieu Schneider is the most recent one to propose a change to shot-blocking, with former Habs GM Bob Gainey introducing the concept back in 2008.
- Some players have voiced their opinion to Friedman saying, “You’re going to have to legislate it out because many are told that if they don’t block shots, they won’t play.”
► New coach for Marlies
- The Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs, have found their new head coach, coming to terms with former Sault St. Marie Greyhounds head coach Sheldon
Keefe. - Keefe worked under Leafs assistant GM Kyle Dubas as head coach when Dubas was the GM of the Greyhounds.
- Keefe not only won the OHL coach of the year award, but also the CHL coach of the year award leading the Greyhounds to a 54-12-0-2 record on the way to getting eliminated in the OHL’s Western conference finals against the Erie Otters. The 110 points that the ‘Hounds got this year were a franchise record.
- Dubas was grateful to the organization for not only giving him a chance as GM but also supplying him his new AHL head coach: “We would like to thank the Soo Greyhounds ownership group and General Manager Kyle Raftis for giving us permission to approach Sheldon a few weeks ago. As we went through this process, given our goal of finding an elite young coach to develop our prospects with the Marlies, it was clear to our management group that Sheldon Keefe was the best choice for our organization.”
- The Marlies will join the IceCaps in the new North division as part of AHL realignment.
► 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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