All Habs Headlines: Saturday December 16, 2017
	On this day in hockey history… 1917— The first exhibition game in NHL history was played (four days before the league officially began) when the Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Wanderers played in a benefit game for victims of the Halifax Fire (which had occurred 10 days earlier). 1929— Black Hawks played their first game at the “new” Chicago Stadium, and Vic Ripley scored twice in :35 in the second period as the Black Hawks won 3-1 over the Pittsburgh Pirates before 14,000 fans.
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►  Lines at practice – December 15th

• Ales Hemsky has concussion symptoms.
• Al Montoya has concussion symptoms. 
• Artturi Lehkonen joined practice.

► On Loan

• The Montreal Canadiens announced on Monday that defenceman Victor Mete will join Team Canada’s selection camp for the 2018 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.
• In the 27 games the 19 year old defenceman has appeared in this season he has  four assists and a plus-five rating while averaging 14:52.
• He hasn’t spoken to Marc Bergevin about what happens after the World Junior Tournament, so for now his focus is on the tournament

► Channeling Rodney Dangerfield

• In an interview with Le Journal, the 39-year-old former Habs rearguard Andrei Markov said he felt disrespected by Marc Bergevin.
• Mrs Markov, Sonia Sonechka, had raw feelings about the negotiations her husband made on his own behalf receiving three seperate offers from the Canadiens.
• With 990 games with the Canadiens Markov was disappointed by the tone and lack of negotiations by the Canadiens. With a ‘take it or leave it attitude’ from Bergevin, Markov signed a two year deal with AK Bars Kazan of the KHL where he sits in 13th in points by a defenceman with four goals 19 points in 39 games played.

► Laval Bound

• Nikita Scherbak has been assigned to the Laval Rocket.  This signifies his imminent return from his right knee surgery. 
• Head Coach Sylvain Lefebvre confirmed this assumption when he stated he expected Scherbak to be able to play for the Rocket before Christmas.

Canadiens assigned forward Nikita Scherbak to the AHL's Laval Rocket. Scherbak missed the last 21 games due to a knee injury suffered on October 26.

READ -> https://t.co/a5PG9cK4a2 #GoHabsGo

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 10, 2017

► Holiday Cheer

• Members of the Montreal Canadiens braved poor weather to provide some Christmas Cheer to some young patients at the Ste-Justine and Montreal Children’s Hospitals.

► Zalapski passes away

• On Tuesday December 12^th Zarley Zalaski passed away at age 49.  The 1986 fourth overall selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins played for several NHL teams including 28 games in 1997-1998 with the Montreal Canadiens.
• Zalapski was hospitalized in the cardiac intensive care unit of the Foothills Hospital for a month due to a viral infection.  He was released from the hospital after extensive treatment then passed in his sleep due to complications of the infection.
• We at RocketSports Media pass our deepest sympathies to his family and friends in this difficult and tragic time.

Former @CanadiensMTL Zarley Zalapski has passed away at the age of 49. Our deepest sympathies are extended to his family and friends @AllHabs @RocketSports #Habs #CH #Canadiens

— Blain (@BlainPotvin_THW) December 12, 2017

► Happy Birthday

• Former Canadiens great and former Stars and Canadiens GM Bob Gainey celebrates his 64th birthday this week.

https://twitter.com/Dave_Stubbs/status/940939955030896640

► Wrap it up

• • • The wives and girlfriends of the Montreal Canadiens got in on the act and helped to spread some holiday cheer by wrapping presents to be handed out as part of Operation Pere Noel.

Les conjointes des joueurs – et Youppi! – ont emballé des cadeaux pour Opération Père Noël ce soir au Centre Bell!

The Habs' spouses – and Youppi! – wrapped some gifts for Opération Père Noël tonight at the Bell Centre! #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/ChELSEzHxL

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 15, 2017

► A highly anticipated return?

• Will Arturri Lehkonen make his highly anticipated return to the ice this week?

«Il y a de grosses possibilités qu’Artturi Lehkonen s’entraîne avec nous à Ottawa demain» – Claude Julien

"There is a strong possibility that @arsilehkonen will practice with us in Ottawa tomorrow." -Claude Julien#GoHabsGo

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 14, 2017

► Winds of Change have begun to blow into town

• Will the Canadiens’ rebuild?
• Who will guide the franchise into it?

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