All Habs Headlines: Friday September 18, 2015 |
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On this day in hockey history… 1933 — Longtime Canadiens head coach Scotty Bowman was born. 1937 — Former Canadien Ralph Backstrom was born. 1967 — The LA Kings played their first game in the NHL. |
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► Habs training camp
- The Montreal Canadiens had their first on-ice session of the 2015 training camp at Brossard. Team White skated to a 2-1 victory in a shootout with Bryan Flynn registering the game winner
- If you need a copy of the roster of players at camp, check here.
- Watch for special reports throughout training camp from our All Habs writers in attendance at Brossard.
► Pacioretty gets the ‘C’
- Fittingly, Max Pacioretty was chosen by his teammates to be the Canadiens 29th captain. The alternate captains chosen by management are Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec, Brendan Gallagher and P.K. Subban. Pacioretty made sure to also acknowledge Carey Price as a leader on the Habs.
- Pacioretty saids that Saku Koivu and Brian Gionta are major influencers on the way he will act as a captain.
- Pacioretty was emotional throughout the press conference but particularly so when told that he was Elise Beliveau’s choice as captain.
- Pacioretty received the news about his captaincy in person from Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien, once they found the right house. Bergevin said that he went to the wrong address as he wasn’t wearing his glasses.
► Parting shots
- Carolina Hurricanes president Don Waddell had some choice words about former ‘Cane and current Montreal Canadien Alex Semin in an interview with the News Observer.
- The game is one of speed and Waddell believes this was Semin’s “downfall” saying, “Alexander Semin was a very top-end player in the league when the game was played at a slower pace. It’s now played at such a high level. If you can’t skate it’s hard to compete.”
- “Alex lost a step and he tried to play on the outside too much because he didn’t have the speed,” said Waddell. “And then he didn’t buy into the culture that our coach (Bill Peters) was trying to get in the locker room. When you go to practice and you have 22 guys doing things the way the coach wants and one who doesn’t, it usually doesn’t end well,” the president told the news paper.
- And then with stark frankness, Wadell said “In simple terms, we paid him $14 million to go away.”
- Semin had six goals and 19 points in 57 games with Carolina last season, he was often a healthy scratch and sported a minus-19 rating.
► Another outdoor game?
- This week Ottawa’s mayor, Jim Watson, expressed interest in hosting an outdoor game in 2017 on Parliament Hill. He said he had already discussed it with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and is optimistic of his chances.
- “There has been a number of discussions that have gone on between the federal government and the NHL about having it on the Hill,” Watson divulged in interview with TSN 1200.
- “I’ve said before the outdoor game, we just want to get a game here. We’ve been working on it, whether it’s played at Lansdowne or another location – that is the league’s decision. They pick the venue,” said Senators president Cyril Leeder.
- This would be the Canadiens fourth outdoor game of this century and the Senators’ second in five years.
- The Habs previously played a heritage classic with the Oilers in 2003, another heritage classic in 2011 versus Rene Bourque and the Flames and will play one this upcoming January versus the Bruins.
- The Sens squared off versus the Canucks in the heritage classic from two seasons ago which was the eventual straw that broke the camels back and Roberto Luongo was subsequently traded.
► A hockey decision
- Canadiens president, CEO and co-owner Geoff Molson answered some of the media’s questions on the first day of training camp and mostly spoke about the captaincy. “That’s a process that’s controlled by Marc Bergevin,” he said of the next captain. “It’s been a long time since we did this process and its up to Marc to when he announces his captain. The camp is part of the process, yeah.”
- Molson was asked if French language skills were required to be named Canadiens captain. He responded, “Yes it’s important. It’s important and that’s why we offer courses to our players. It’s not easy to have a francophone captain because players come from all over the globe but it’s important for us as an organization.”
- Habs defenceman P.K. Subban has been taking French classes for a couple months now and it showed when he spoke a little French at Thursday’s press conference.
- Regarding Max Pacioretty’s French, Molson said, “Yes, he’s taking courses. I haven’t spoken with him in French but I hope (I’ll be able to.)”
► Beat out by an AHLer
- On the first day of training camp the team’s newest centre Alex Galchenyuk was beat out by defensive prospect Morgan Ellis in the VO2 test (beep test.) To be somewhat fair, Morgan Ellis is two years older than Galchenyuk.
► Following in Pacioretty’s footsteps
- Canadiens prospect Tim Bozon wants to make the Canadiens out of training camp but he understands that he will have to go through the AHL first, much like Max Pacioretty.
- “This year I’m really going to do everything to try to get a spot on the Canadiens or a professional team, this year I’m more mature, more aged […] this year’s for sure more important for me than the other years,” said the Frenchman on his goal going into his first professional season.
- On taking a roster spot, Bozon said, “I don’t really think about that but for sure I don’t think there’s space but it’s up to me to make a spot, I have to take someone else spot but I can’t think like that ‘oh there’s no place, I’ll never make it’.”
- The former Kootenay Ice forward spoke about his path to the NHL through the AHL saying, “Yeah exactly, like Max Pacioretty to make sure the organization calls you up when you’re ready. I think it’s a good idea for me, I think my example to follow would be Max Pacioretty. I really think going to St. John’s is a really good idea for me to be called up when I’m ready to get a spot in the top-6, top-9 with the Canadiens.”
► Carey’s new gear
#EFlex2 and #YFlex! #MadeOfHockey pic.twitter.com/3b21cPTs5e
— CCM Goalie (@CCMGoalie) September 15, 2015
Introducing @CP0031's new #EFlex2 setup! #ShutTheDoor pic.twitter.com/QKBnmV5gQt
— CCM Goalie (@CCMGoalie) September 15, 2015
► Money isn’t always the be all
- Many people presumed the Canadiens would go after Justin Williams when free agency opened and according to Pierre Lebrun, they went hard.
- The TSN/ESPN hockey insider reported that the Habs offered Williams more money than the Capitals, but he chose to sign in the U.S. capital.
- The former 28th overall pick had 18 goals and 41 points with the Kings last season and on an up and down team in LA. His point total would’ve been 9th on the team and the highest amongst left wingers.
- Williams is notoriously known as Mr. Game 7 and a great playoff performer. He has 30 goals and 78 points in 115 career playoff games including nine goals and 25 points in 26 games in 2013 en route to a Stanley Cup.
► Grabner a Leaf
- The Toronto Maple Leafs parted ways with Taylor Beck, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson, Matthew Finn and Carter Verhaeghe to acquire Michael Grabner from the Islanders.
- Grabner, who spent five years in the Islanders’ organization, has played in 317 games at this point in his career and has recorded 95 goals and 155 points in 317 games.
- He has has two 30 goal seasons, one in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose and one on the Isle in 2010-11. Last season he had a lowly eight goals and five assists in 34 games.
- Grabner had been rumoured in discussions since before the trade deadline and some even had his going to the Habs but the speedster ended up in the “six” as people now call it.
- The Austrian was originally drafted by the Canucks, 14th overall in 2006 but he never really sustained the success he had in junior in the NHL.
► Huberdeau stays in Florida
- Jonathan Huberdeau has agreed to a two-year $6.5 million pact with the Florida Panthers following months of negotiations.
- Huberdeau’s contract is the third highest entry level contract since 2004. The former third overall pick lead his team in points last season with 54 and was fifth on the team in goals with 19.
- In the three years he has played in the NHL, he has 38 goals and 113 points in 196 games and was nominated for a Calder Trophy in 2012-13.
- The Saint-Jerome, Quebec native is also one of the best players in Saint-Johns Sea Dogs history with 104 goals and 254 points in 195 games along with a Memorial Cup conquest.
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