All Habs Headlines: Friday June 17, 2016 |
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On this day in hockey history… 1969 — New York Rangers obtained veteran goaltender Terry Sawchuk from the Detroit Red Wings, in exchange for Larry Jeffery. 1989 — At the NHL Draft held in Minnesota, the Quebec Nordiques used the first overall pick to select Mats Sundin. 1990 — Gil Perreault, Bill Barber, and Fernie Flaman were named as the newest members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. |
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► Canadiens Lose Gilmore
- In the week leading up to the NHL entry draft and quite possibly one of the most temerity filled sequences in recent memory, the Canadiens have lost former executive Vice President and COO Kevin Gilmore.
- According the Canadiens’ press release, the departure came as no surprise to Marc Bergevin and Geoff Molson, who were aware of Gilmore’s willingness to depart since 2011, when he joined the team.
- Molson spoke of the now former Canadien employee in the aforementioned press release “I regret to announce that Kevin Gilmore is leaving his position of executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Club de hockey Canadien.”
- “It is never easy to see a person of that quality leave the company, but Kevin will remain involved with the organization as a consultant on certain projects for the next few months.”
- With few outside of the organization being aware of his importance prior to his departure, further according the the team’s press release, Gilmore was an integral part in the television deals with RDS and Sportsnet, along with the creation of 24CH and Club 1909.
► Dumont to Test Free Agency
- La Presse is reporting that St. John’s IceCaps captain Gabriel Dumont will test free agency. Dumont, a 5th round draft pick in 2009, will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
- Dumont still hopes for a chance at the NHL level but if that doesn’t happen he wants to be in an AHL city that will be suitable for his wife and family. “If I have to spend 2-3 months down, it will be important that my family and I are comfortable in the city,” said Dumont.
- Dumont may be eyeing the Ottawa Senators as a landing point given his past association with head coach Guy Boucher.
► Okposo Likely Leaving the Island
- It appears that prized free agent Kyle Okposo will no longer be donning an Islanders jersey.
- While not definitively ruling out a return to the Isles, general manager Garth Snow said that he wished Okposo “nothing but the best” in free agency.
- Reportedly, Okposo is seeking a multiyear contract worth $7 million per season. The Islanders offer would likely be in the $5 million range.
#Isles GM Garth Snow on @SiriusXMNHL just now on Okposo: "We wish him nothing but the best." Think that tells you where that's headed.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) June 17, 2016
► Habs Preseason schedule
- The Montreal Canadiens 2016-17 pre-season schedule has been released.
► 2017 Stanley Cup Odds
- As is customary, the Vegas oddsmakers released odds for next year’s Cup shortly after the Penguins raised Lord Stanley’s trophy.
- Pittsburgh enters the new season with an 8-1 chance of repeating in 2016-17. The Chicago Blackhawks take the top spot at 6-1.
- After missing the playoffs last season, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves in the top third of the league with 14-1 odds to add their 25th Stanley Cup.
Odds courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
► Beast Re-Sign Head Coach
- The Brampton Beast have signed head coach Colin Chaulk to a two-year contract extension. Chaulk led the Beast to a 23-38-7-4 record in the 2015-16 season.
- “We are very excited to have Colin back for at least the next two seasons to continue building what we think will be something special in Brampton,” said Beast President and General Manager Cary Kaplan.
- The Brampton Beast is the ECHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.
► Ladd’s Future Soon To Be Revealed
- Andrew Ladd is one of the most enticing free agents in this, another offseason the Canadiens will be looking to address their offensive inefficiencies, and will soon get to choose his fate.
- In a column for ESPN.com, Pierre Lebrun spoke to Ladd of what he will be searching for in a potential landing spot, “First and foremost I want to play for a team that has a chance to win. I’ve kind of done the rebuild thing a little bit there in Winnipeg. At this point in my career I want a chance to win another Stanley Cup.”
- Ladd continued, “And then, family-wise, just being in a good spot for my wife and kids, somewhere where they’re going to be happy and comfortable. I think those are the two most important things that I’m looking at.”
- Following being dealt to Chicago to participate in an disenchant playoff run, Ladd recorded nine goals and 14 points in 26 games in the regular and postseason.
► Bickell Relieved To Get A New Start
- It was pervasively prognosticated that Brian Bickell’s contract would be a hindrance when it was originally signed following the team’s 2013 Stanley Cup championship and three years later the Blackhawks have dumped the winger, which he was completely behind.
- Bickell, who called himself a playoff performer in a piece in the Chicago Sun Times, isn’t unpleased by the transaction “Bryan thoroughly enjoyed his time in Chicago, and we are appreciative of everything the organization has done for him, and for (Stan Bowman’s) effort to get this done early in the offseason,” said Bickell’s agent Todd Diamond.
- “Bryan is looking forward to the new challenge and a new beginning,” Diamond said.
- The former Blackhawk spent 25 games in the NHL this past season in which he recorded a lowly two assists and a minus-five rating.
- His 47 games in the AHL produced a much different result, as is often the case, as he scored 15 goals and added 16 assists with 23 penalty minutes.
► Crosby Narrowly Bests Kessel
- The narrative that was the most heart warming from the perspective of some was Phil Kessel potentially taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy, which went to Sidney Crosby, by a small margin.
- According to Frank Seravalli of TSN, Crosby beat out Kessel by three points in the voting for the trophy, with Kristopher Letang coming in a very distant third.
- Decided through the Borda count method, Crosby garnered nine first place votes and a total of 63 points due to five second place votes and three third place votes.
- Via the same method, obviously, Kessel received seven first place votes, eight second place votes and one third place vote for a total of 60 points.
- Had the decision have been made through plurality, Crosby would still have taken home the Conn Smythe trophy, for the player most valuable to his team during the postseason.
► Bonito Played With An Infected Elbow
- Following Patrice Bergeron’s admission years ago that he played in the Stanley Cup Final with, among other injuries, a punctured lung, other injuries seem trivial in comparison, however what Nick Bonino played with is regardlessly incredible.
- According to Jenn Menendez of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the centreman for a line that caught fire during the postseason was playing with an infected elbow that required “heavy antibiotics”, he also played with a fever that reached 101 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bonino wasn’t in the top five for the Conn Smythe voting, however the former Vancouver Canuck was third on the
- Penguins in points, only trailing Crosby and Kessel, who finished first and second respectively in the voting.
► Shaw To Continue Contract Negotiations Through Draft
- Although some’ conjecture have been based around Evgeni Malkin, a part of the Brian Bickell deal has its roots in attempting to get Andrew Shaw under contract, which will be dealt with at the draft.
- Andrew Shaw’a agent, Pat Brisson, told Christopher Hine of the Chicago Tribune that he will be meeting with members of the Blackhawks organization at the draft to discuss Shaw’a new contract.
- In his time in Chicago, Shaw has become a fan favourite along with being the team’s utility man, being played up and down the lineup and at all three positions.
- Last season, playing on a line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa for a portion of it, he tallied 14 goals and 34 points in 78 games, accompanied by six points in six playoff games.
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