MONTREAL, QC.– There are three reasons why I don’t like summer in Montreal: I am fair skinned & therefore burn easily, the humidity wreaks havoc on my hair, no matter how I style it, and there’s no Habs hockey. The latter, of course, is the most disheartening.
Once the Habs are eliminated, I continue to express mild interest in the remainder of the NHL playoffs. However the emotional investment simply isn’t there anymore, perhaps in large part due to my bitterness about our exit, and my jealousy of the remaining fan bases.
The world championship of hockey garners a little of my attention, as does any tournament where I can cheer for my country. But once Team Canada is eliminated, I barely pay attention, merely checking the scores for the teams that boast a Habs player or two on their roster.
That’s when it gets really depressing. By the end of June, I’m already itching with anticipation for the next season. There are a few activities I like to keep myself busy with while I await the next season, and I thought I’d share them with you in case you find yourself standing at the edge of the proverbial Habs-less cliff edge.
1) Get to know who the Habs UFA and RFA’s are (we’ve posted a list in the right sidebar for your convenience). We’ll help you prepare for potential roster shifts. Watch for upcoming articles from fellow All Habs team members.
2) Familiarize yourself with UFA & RFA’s league-wide. Tell us what you think are the holes the Habs will need to fill, and where those replacements can potentially come from. Did the All Habs readers choose Laich, Jagr or Leino. Check here to find out!
3) Follow the Hamilton Bulldogs. We can help you get to know the players, familiarize you with their career stats, and prepare you to watch them duke it out for a coveted roster spot. EP and czechtacular are our experts on prospects. Read their work here.
4) Watch the NHL draft. Be prepared by getting to know who the up-and-comers are, where the Habs will draft, etc. Read our draft preview or participate in a mock draft (coming soon) at the Montreal Forum.
5) Watch classic Habs games on the NHL network (or if you have any Habs box sets, watch those!) I recommend games we won, not games we lost. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be almost as invested in the replay of the game as you were watching it live, despite already knowing the outcome. Tell us what is your favorite game of all time!
6) Visit the Habs Hall of Fame at the Bell Centre. This club is so rich in history with over 100 years to choose from. Learn something! And if you take photos add them to our fan photo gallery called We Are Canadiens.
7) Listen to our podcasts or Montreal sports talk radio. There is always something Habs-related on the fodder table. Members of our All Habs team frequently appear on the Team 990 and CJAD 800.
8) Attend a fan event! Join the All Habs crew at a NHL Awards party in Montreal and a NHL Amateur Draft party in Toronto. Visit HabsTweetup.com to RSVP and for information on fan activities throughout the summer!
9) Support Montreal’s other sports organizations; the Alouettes and the Impact. The Als are the two-time defending Grey Cup champions, and the Impact are in the midst of their final season before joining the MLS. If you really can’t stomach anything other than hockey, don’t force yourself. I won’t judge you.
10) Tweet! If you don’t already have a Twitter account, get one. It’s a great way to keep on top of trade rumours and signings, as well as keep up to date on everything the eight Habs players currently on Twitter have to say (Cammalleri, Sopel, Darche, Weber, Sanford, Pacioretty, Gionta and most recently, Subban). Be sure to follow @All_Habs and the rest of the crew! It’s also a great way to communicate with other Habs fans who are also feeling the painful effects of Habs withdrawal (use the hashtags #Habs, #gohabsgo, #allhabs and #isitoctoberyet).
11) Let us help you be informed during training camp, and watch preseason games. The All Habs crew will be heading to Quebec City for the October 1st game in Quebec City! Join us! This is the perfect way to get hyped for the regular season, as well as a great way to get to know our beloved Bulldogs.
12) Lastly, but most importantly, read All Habs Hockey Magazine! Send the link to your friends! We will be here all summer to help fill the gaps, make sure that you are informed, and get you ready for the new hockey season.
I would also recommend you use your new-found summer free time to spend time with those non-hockey friends and family members in your life. These are the folks you’ve neglected during for the past seven months or so. I’m sure they’ll appreciate your company as you countdown to October.
So whether you are out of the city for vacation, heading to the cottage or relaxing at home, be sure to take us with you. It’s important to know that you are not alone. We’re all in this together, All Habs will help you through it, and like every off-season before this one, we will survive.
Follow me on Twitter @ladyhabs
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