All Habs Headlines: Tuesday September 22, 2015 |
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On this day in hockey history… 1972 — Canada lost the fifth game of the Canada – Russia Summit Series 5-4 in Moscow. 1983 — Ken Dryden was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. 1994 — The Flyers re-acquired Ron Hextall from the Islanders. |
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► Game Day
- The Montreal Canadiens held a game day skate on Tuesday morning at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard to prepare for their first exhibition game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Puck drop is at 7:30 pm. at the Bell Centre.
- Carey Price will start in goal with Zach Fucale scheduled to take over at the midpoint of the game.
- The game will proceed to a 3-on-3 overtime period regardless of the score.
Forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Andrighetto – Plekanec – Gallagher
De La Rose – Mitchell – Kassian
Carr – Dumont – Smith-Pelly
Bozon – McCarron – Thomas
Emelin – Petry
Tinordi – Pateryn
Barberio – Dietz
Price
Fucale
► Habs training camp
- On Monday, the fifth day of training camp, coach Michel Therrien separated the players into two distinct groups. Team “A” was comprised of NHL players in addition to forwards Sven Andrighetto, Daniel Carr, Charles Hudon, Michael McCarron and defenseman Jarred Tinordi, Greg Pateryn and Mark Barberio.
- Nikita Scherbak was relegated to team “B” although it should be acknowledged that he has a lower-body injury.
- The Canadiens injury list grew with David Desharnais (lower-body) and Alex Semin (foot) being added. Semin suffered the injury blocking an Andrei Markov shot in the Red – White game.
► Couldn’t hurt
- Canadiens newly-hired coaching consultant Craig Ramsay was on the ice to provide his expertise to the Canadiens power-play which was woeful last season.
- In an ambigiously-worded tweet TVA’s Renaud Lavoie had some Habs fans wondering if the former Buffalo Sabres winger was coming out of retirement.
#canadiens Craig Ramsey (coach consultant) was on the ice this morning at practice. He's going to spend some time on the PP.
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 22, 2015
► Playing with house money
- The Canadiens chose Charles Hudon with the 122nd overall pick in 2012 which is discouraging enough considering the success rate for that late a pick so the 5-foot-11 forward isn’t easily knocked down.
- “Even if there are multiple forwards with NHL contracts within the Canadiens, I’ll try to make my way. I will not let myself be demoralized. This was my mindset from the beginning. I have nothing to lose. It’s been the same story with me for a long time. When you work hard, you always end up getting rewarded,” the former Baie-Comeau Drakkar told the Journal de Montreal.
- Hudon understands it was beneficial for him to spend last season in Hamilton but would like nothing more than to be with the Canadiens this year saying, “My biggest wish is to get called up this season or even better to start the year with the team. Last year, I really wanted to work hard in Hamilton and gain confidence. Now I can aim for more. “
- Some people have compared Hudon to fellow former fifth round pick Brendan Gallagher and it turns out the two have developed a relationship saying “I really have a great relationship with Gallagher. Since the start of camp, I spend a lot of time with him. He chirps me often, but I don’t hesitate to reply.”
► De La Rose ready to show his worth
- Jacob De La Rose got called up to the Canadiens 37 games into the AHL season last year. De La Rose quickly earned the trust of coach Michel Therrien with his strong two-way play.
- De la Rose played 33 games with the Canadiens scoring four goals and two assists for six points. De la Rose also suited up for each of the Habs 12 playoff games.
- Myopically, some have suggested that his lack of offensive output is a knock against him but, but he’s ready to prove them wrong saying “I’m confident I can show what I’m made of this season. It’s up to me to show that I am capable of playing here in this league. I know I’m good enough to play with the guys who are here in training camp.”
- When speaking with La Presse he offered, “I think I am able to improve my game. I know I still have things to work on, but I think I can do it.”
- The former second round pick is aware that he will once again have to earn a spot in training camp saying, “I’m ready to jump on the ice. I do not feel that I have a job to lose, but I’m good enough to be here.”
► Addressing his problem
- When the Canadiens acquired Devante Smith-Pelly last season, many harped on the fact that he wasn’t in the best shape but the former Mississauga Steelhead worked hard in the summer to make that notion a thing of the past.
- “I had a discussion with (Marc Bergevin) and the coach about it. I had to lose weight to be able to adjust myself to the speed of the Eastern Conference.” the winger admitted. “I had to be more disciplined outside the gym. I now feel faster and stronger physically.”
- “It takes players to form four lines on two teams. I don’t see any messages or signs. I don’t think I’m the extra forward. The camp is advancing and lines change daily,” he said about being the odd man out in the forward core.
- Smith-Pelly has reportedly lost 12 pounds in the offseason.
► Spot on impersonation
- Don Cherry hasn’t been P.K. Subban’s biggest supporter when it comes to his on-ice antics which Subban replicated quite well while on the Sportsnet set.
► Looking for another bounce back
- P.A. Parenteau’s season in Montreal was supposed to be one of the bounce back variety but poor performance, injuries and benchings derailed that hope. He aspires to do what he wanted to last year this season in Toronto.
- “It’s obvious that things didn`t work as I would have liked to in Montreal, but I`m very proud and happy to have had the opportunity to play for the Canadiens. I don`t really want to talk about that again. Rather I look forward with confidence,” he told Francois Gagnon of RDS.
- The former New York Islander stayed true to his word and is only looking ahead with assurance “At 32, I’m still young and I know I have good seasons in front of me. So I want to take the opportunity as it presents itself to help the Leafs to win.”
- Parenteau will have a huge chance this season on a team in Toronto that is very weak on the right side. Depending on where newly acquired Michael Grabner fits in the roster, Parenteau could have an opportunity to play on the first line.
► Many mourn following another fallen enforcer
- The Montreal Canadiens and the entire NHL are mourning with the news of the passing of long-time enforcer Todd Ewen. The former NHLer was found dead due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
- According to CTV Calgary, Todd Ewen had been battling depression for years and finally lost that battle early this week.
- Canadiens assistant coach J.J. Daigneault was also very saddened by the news saying “Todd was a very creative individual, a musician and he loved to draw. My thoughts are with his family, Kelly and her child. This is a very difficult thing to hear.”
- Ewen played for four teams in the Blues, Canadiens, Mighty Ducks and Sharks and racked up over 1900 penalty minutes over those 12 seasons.
- In four seasons with the Canadiens Ewen played 190 games and had 609 penalty minutes and also tallied 13 goals and 32 points.
► Klefbom gets an extension
- Despite having a new general manager, the Oilers still seem to have the habit of locking up players’ long term out of their entry level deals. Thus is the case with defenceman Oscar Klefbom. The Oilers reached an agreement with the 22 year-old that will pay him $29.17 million over the next seven years.
- Klefbom was called up after nine games in the AHL last season and went on to score two goals and add 18 assists in 60 games and had a minus-21 rating with the big club. The Swede has only played 77 games in the NHL and only one full season.
- The Oilers displayed confidence in the player’s abilities by locking up the young defenceman for a long term you. Oilers General Manager Pete Chiarelli said “He’s a big, strong kid. He skates well, he moves the puck well, he defends well. I saw him play in the Worlds and at that high level; he’s a very good player. I know he’s only had 70-something games in the NHL but there’s a lot to like about him, on both sides of the puck.”
- The former 19th overall pick isn’t yet a top-4 defenceman yet but Chiarelli believe he has the talent to become one “He’s a top-four D and he’s going to be a top-two D at some point,” said Chiarelli. “He plays a real responsible game and he moves the puck. We project on him but we’re fairly confident on it.”
► New stadium series jerseys
- The Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings will square off on February 27th in Denver and the ‘Avs have released their new jersey.
- “The modern styled collar features a 5,280 call out, referencing the Avalanche’s home in the Mile-High City.”
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