SB Nation - Curtis Sanford

If Halak Could Be On The Move, It May Be Due To Cedrick Desjardins Continuing To Defy The Odds In Hamilton

Robert L — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:53:43 -0000

When Canadiens fans consider the top prospects in the organization the first thoughts usually center around pivot Louis Leblanc, who was cut today from the Team Canada junior camp. Other names crop up, such as defensemen P.K. Subban and Yannick weber as well as center Ben Maxwell, but a name often overlooked and seldom caught on the radar is goaltender Cedrick Desjardins, currently burning up the AHL statistically.

Desjardins is the subject of a column today by Mathias Brunet of La Presse, who reports that the Bulldogs stopper is on fire of late, having surrendered but one goal in his last four games.

Call it food for thought, but could this be why Jaroslav Halak trade rumours are heating up at the moment?

Consider the following: Desjardins' record is 8-4-1-4 with a 1.45 GAA. His save percentage is .944, second best in the AHL behind Dallas Stars prospect Brent Krahn. He recently came within minutes of topping a 1957 Johnny Bower AHL record for consecutive shutout minutes.

Those are the kind of numbers that turn heads in a league!

For Canadiens' fans unacquainted with Desjardins, it may be due to the fact that he was a somewhat unheralded free agent signing in 2006. After getting his start with the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL during the Sydney Crosby era, Desjardins moved on the Patrick Roy's Quebec Remparts, winning the Memorial Cup in 2006.

He has come a long way from being drafted 200th overall by the Halifax Mooseheads of the Q in 2002. His first season in junior has hardly a success, winning only one of 23 games he appeared in.

By the 2004-05 season, he had moved on to Rimouski, earning the starters job. It was a season of growth playing alongside Crosby, and the Oceanic made it all the way to the Memorial Cup final, which they lost to the powerhouse London Knights 4-0.

At 20 years of age, and undrafted at the NHL level, Desjardins did not despair in his search for a professional contract. He signed on with Roy's Remparts as an overaged junior, and Quebec rode his hot hand all the way to the league championship, which was lost in six games to the Moncton Wildcats. As Moncton for the host team for the Memorial Cup that season, Desjardins and the Remparts, as finalists, were given a bye into the Canadian junior final round robin.

It was there that Desjardins truly made a lasting impression, as he guided the underdog Remparts to the Memorial Cup title. He was stellar under the gun in the final game as the Wildcats fired 48 shots in his direction, beating him only twice as Quebec cruised to a 6-2 upset.

Later that summer, Desjardins was invited to the Chicago Blackhawks training camp, but eventually signed a contract to play with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

With goalies Carey Price, Jaroslav Halak, Cristobal Huet and Yann Danis all ahead him on the Canadiens depth chart in goal, Desjardins was assigned to the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones in October of 2006. He was twice called to Hamilton first replacing Halak when he was called up to Montreal and a second time upon the trade of Huet to Washington.

In 2008, following the Bulldogs missing the playoffs, he was returned to the Cyclones just in time to lead them all the way to the Kelly Cup title in 2008.

Like he done in the Quebec league prior, Desjardins was once again named playoff MVP.

Last season, desjardins split time in Hamilton with veteran Marc Denis and has shared the load this season with Curtis Sanford.

A high point in his career in the Canadiens organization came at the Habs' camp in 2008, when he was put in goal for the third period of an exhibition game against the Detroit Red Wings. Desjardins allowed no goals in his 25 minutes of play including overtime, and promptly shut the door on the Wings snipers in the shootout in backstopping the Habs to the win.

The 24 year old from Edmunston, New Brunswick has made a career of defying the odds against him. From Brunet's La Presse article, current Bulldogs coach Guy Boucher had this this to say:

Everywhere Cedrick has played, he was tagged as the goalie who most assumed would not lead. He was the guy in nets by default or circumstance. With the Oceanic, he came into the team plans as a third string goalie but performed well enough to play regularly. In time, he became the starter, but we weren't sure of winning with him, so the team aquired a 20 year old to take the helm. Cedrick soon outperformed him as well. We won the President's Cup and made it to the Memorial Cup final that season. Crosby and Desjardins were incredible in those playoffs.

Boucher goes on to answer in theory why Desjardins had continuously flown under the radar.

As a goalie, he does not have an imposing presence about him, nor is he looked upon as having abundant natural abilities. But, he's a ferocious competitor. He's extraordinarily strong on second and third rebounds. He pulls rabbits out of his hat it seems. At any given time, when he looks beaten, he'll surprise and make the stop. It's not luck. He's extremely quick and very athletic.

Brunet goes on to say that Boucher and his assistants helped in refining Desjardins' technique.

In Rimouski, as an assistant coach, I was in charge of handling Desjardins' psychological approach in games. I've known him well for some time now and we have put in a lot of time together. We've worked on patience together. The biggest difference between junior and pro or the East Coast League is that the initial shot on goal becomes much more important. In junior, that first shot is easier to stop because it is not as hard. At the pro level, shots are fired without warning. Pro levels goalies who are having difficulties adjusting are the ones who have the most trouble with that first shot. What Cedrick had to learn was to concentrate singularly on that first shot instead of worrying abou the consequences of a rebound. He had a tendency to try and predict what he would be doing next rather than focusing on the first task. Now he more concentrated on the first chance and as aggressive on rebounds.

In talking of Desjardins and his season, Boucher would not yet term either he or Sanford as the team's number one goalie. Sanford has been equally strong, but his wife has recently given birth and Desjardins' performances have come during the veteran's lightened workload. The goalies had been alternating until recently, but as Desjardins gained the hot hand, Boucher felt it best to ride it out.

The coach was non-committal as per Desjardins short or longer term prospects with the Canadiens. That talk was not up for discussions as Boucher would not want such scenarios hampering his goalie's focus at the present time.

He must continue to focus uniquely on the next game and not about what comes along in two weeks time. Not on whether in six months he'll be the number one. In Hamilton, our goals are to help the players reach the NHL level and Cedrick has always taking things a step at a time. For now, his challenge is to demonstate the consistency required from being a number one AHL goalie.

To Hell With The Devils! Canucks-Devils Preview

Sean Zandberg — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:00:20 -0000

2:38 PM ET Update: Shane O'Brien will play tonight instead of Mathieu Schneider. The Canucks need some more toughness against the Devils, and I'll speculate that Schneider's lousy game a few nights ago didn't help. OB has missed 7 games as a healthy scratch. Taking 10 minor penalties in 17 games didn't help. Always the smartass, OB told the Province today: "I already told the guys, to be ready to kill one off."

Ryan Johnson is a man's man. He will play tonight, bruised leg and all. And he won't change his style of play either. Balls, you rule, man!

As Missy had mentioned earlier, Rick Rypien should be good to go tonight. That means Darcy Hordichuk will sit this one out.

2:10 PM ET Update: When asked if he'll be watching the Olympic hopeful netminders tonight, Steve Yzerman said:

"I'm going to TiVo it and watch it later," Yzerman told ESPN.com on Tuesday. "I'm going to be at another game [Tampa at Boston], but when I saw this game [Canucks-Devils] on the schedule, I wanted to make sure I watched it."

**********************************

Devils (17-6-1, 4th in the East) vs Canucks (14-12-0, 11th in West)

GAME TIME: 4:00 PST

TV: TSN

THE WICKED: In Lou We Trust

When the Devils beat the Canucks 5-3 at GM Place in their only meeting last year, Brodeur and Luongo were not even playing between the pipes. It was Scott Clemmenson vs Jason Labarbera. Barbie had a rough start, facing 6 shots in the 3 minutes he played and allowing 2 goals. Curtis Sanford replaced him. In 2007-08 the 2 teams played each other once, with the Canucks winning 5-0 at GM Place. That was a Luongo-Brodeur showdown that we can appreciate.

Since the 1997-98 season, New Jersey and Vancouver have only butted heads 13 times. The Canucks have a 8-5 record against them, and outscoring them 35-34 in the process. But that's all history.

The media is going to write a "Brodeur vs Luongo: who's starting for Team Canada?" angle for this game. However, neither goalie is buying into the hype. So far, Brodeur has Lou by the bag.

Roberto Luongo

Games Started: 19

Wins: 10

Losses: 9

GAA: 2.56

Save %: .910

Martin Brodeur

Games Started: 21

Wins: 15

Losses: 6

OTL: 1

GAA: 2.05

Save %: .925

Brodeur was named the NHL's 2nd Star of the Week after winning 3 straight games and posting stellar 0.97 GAA and .963 save percentage.

The Devils hold a 7-4 record at home this year, but an even more impressive 10-2-1 record on the road. The road is where the Canucks are anything but warriors so far this year, posting a dismal 4-8-0 record. Vancouver needs to be better than a .500 team on this trip, and it won't be easy. The night after the Devils game, the Canucks play the Flyers.

Vancouver is now 9 points behind the (puke) Flames, who are clinging to the top spot in the Northwest right now. That being said, the Nucks are still only 3 points out of a playoff spot.

Comparative Stats:

Goals Per Game: Canucks 9th overall, Devils 18th

Goals Against Per Game: Devils #1 in the NHL, Canucks 10th

Powerplay : Canucks 3rd, Devils 10th

PK: Devils 9th, Canucks 23rd (yowza)

5 on 5: Canucks 10th, Devils 11th

Shots Per Game: Canucks 11th, Devils 14th

Shots Against Per Game: Devils 6th, Canucks 10th

Faceoff %: Canucks 6th, Devils 25th. Faceoffs hardly mean shit. The Devils have been missing centers Rob Niedermayer and Jay Pandolfo for extended amounts of time. Pandolfo may return against the Canucks.

Devils to watch out for:

Zach Parise: 15 goals and 30 points in 24 games

Travis Zajac: 7 goals and 22 points in 24 games

Jamie Langenbrunner: 5 goals and 22 points in 24 games.

One thing about the Devils: their defence is very effective defensively, but not offensively. Their best scorer from the back is Andy Greene, with 3 goals and 12 points in 21 games. It drops off considerably after that.

Remember when we used to be called the Devils of the West? Well don't let that fool you. This could be a high-scoring game.

So How Those Other Guys Doing?

Yankee Canuck — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:10:54 -0000

These. Long. Breaks. Between. Hockey. Games. SUCK.

So much so I caught myself watching other games and seeing some old faces in new places. Curious what's up with some former 'Nuckers out there? Take a spin with me then.

Mattias Ohlund - Ah, 'old Matty. Maybe his departure is why Edler sucks so far. Baby bear missing papa bear perhaps? Six points in 17 games (only one PP point) doesn't leave much to be desired for Ohlund though. He did blow up Kessel, that was good for a laugh. His new baby bear - Victor Hedman - has five points in 20 games. Ohlund has been nursing a lower body injury the past few games which perhaps means more ice time for...

Lukas Krajicek - Poor Luke. Once projected to be very much what Blastoff is for the Canucks now, he was deemed expendable for SOB last year and, though he had some injury problems, finished up as the second best scoring defenseman for Tampa. I don't know where he is on the depth chart now, but he's only played 12 games this year, has a single point and somehow has 19 PIMs. If it makes him feel any better, SOB has only played 17 games, has no points and 32 PIMs. Everyone collectively sigh in 3...2...1...

Taylor Pyatt - Old pretty eyes took his act down south to Phoenix, upsetting female fans...everywhere? However, he's only getting a shade over 13 minutes a game (close to a minute and a half off his average TOI last year) and - in 18 games - only has three points. He has been getting a decent amount of time on the PK so he's still got that working for him. OK fine, here puck bunnies, don't say we're not looking out for you and your squeeeeee's. And as long as we're in the desert let's go find...

Jason LaBarbera - Our metalhead back-up from last season is 1-3 behind a rather stellar Ilya Bryzgalov. Many of us didn't want to see Barbie go, but consider Raycroft has more wins, a better GAA (2.19 to 2.66) and a better S% (.916 to .907). So Vancouver did pretty well on this end so far, but we remain confident that Barbie has better musical sensibilities and, at nearly 70 lbs heavier than Raycroft, could probably use him as a tooth pick if he was so inclined.

Mats Sundin - He's doing this. Over and over and over again. Yup, feel bad about yourself. It's cool.

Curtis Sanford - The Sandman basically went from Manitoba to Hamilton of the AHL and is now backstopping the Bulldogs. Just for comparison, Sanford has a better GAA (1.78) and a better S% (.934) than Cory Schneider, though the red had has more wins. And he looks strange without the fan helmet. Or, you know, in general.

Jason Jaffray - When Vancouver went through their hilarious string of injuries last month, it would have been nice to call up Jaffray. The former Moose standout has only played one game for the Flames so far and had no points. But down in Abbotsford he's doing just fine with nine goals which is good enough for fifth best in the AHL (note: both Shirokov and former Canuck Jeff Cowan also have nine goals).

Ossi Vaananen - Ossssssssi! The vowel master wasn't given a second thought by Gillis, so instead he followed his (money) nose to the KHL where he's playing with HC Dynamo Minsk where he has two points and is -7 in 26 games. Yikes. But nevertheless, he'll also be the #1 waiver wire pick up in our hearts (no offense Kris Beech).

Rob Davison - Remember him? Me neither. But his 23 game campaign with Vancouver has been followed up by starting with AHL's Lowell Devils where he has eight points in 16 games. Not bad at all, but I suspect he's a long shot to make the Devil's (NHL) roster and may be destined for Europe at the end of the year.

...and, sure, while we're at it let's kick ourselves and check out the WCE...

Brendan Morrison - As Sean noted, B-mo is like a slightly more expensive Wellwood who, in contrast, has a spine, drive and points in the double digits. Fifth on the Caps in points in fact. Pudge is tied for 18th on Vancouver. Fuck.

But, all in all, couldn't happen to a better guy. Go B-mo go.

Todd Bertuzzi - Let's see: Bert has the lowest shooting percentage on the Wings, leads Red Wings forwards in giveaways (18) and has nine points in 22 games. To quote one commentator from the A2Y crowd: "I can’t possibly imagine that there isn’t a single other healthy player out there that couldn’t fill or exceed Bertuzzsi’s current role." Wow.

Markus Naslund - He's at Sean's house, baking fluffy, fresh muffins daily before Sean goes to work. And Sean could NOT be happier!

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: Vancouver Canucks

James Mirtle — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Graham Hughes - AP

Browse more photos »

Who's in: Christian Ehrhoff, Brad Lukowich, Andrew Raycroft, Mikael Samuelsson, Mathieu Schneider
Who's out: Jeff Cowan, Rob Davison, Jason LaBarbera, Mattias Ohlund, Taylor Pyatt, Curtis Sanford, Mats Sundin, Ossi Vaananen

Outlook: GM Mike Gillis's biggest task in the off-season was to either lockup the Sedins or find their replacement, and on the eve of July 1, he managed the former, signing the identical twins to identical $30.5-million, five-year contracts.

In other news on the Swedish front, both Mattias Ohlund, who signed with Tampa Bay, and Mats Sundin who remains (surprise, surprise) undecided left the club, with former Red Wings winger Mikael Samuelsson joining the team as a likely linemate for his countrymen on the first line.

With Ohlund on the way out, Gillis dramatically altered the blueline by adding a trio of defenders just prior to training camp, dealing prospects to the Sharks for Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich and signing former client Mathieu Schneider. The results leave the Canucks with eight NHL-calibre defencemen and right up against the cap, meaning another move is soon to come depending on who wins spots in training camp.

On the whole, however, the defence has taken some small steps forward in terms of depth, and the Canucks should produce far more offence from the back end than they have in recent seasons.

The biggest factor in Vancouver, as always, however, will be the play of Roberto Luongo, and a healthy season should mean another 20 starts over what he managed last time around. That alone should keep the Canucks in contention for a second straight Northwest Division title.

X-factor: Alex Burrows

For a more in-depth Canucks preview, visit 'Nucks Misconduct
For more NHL analysis, check out the McKeen's Hockey Yearbook

Poll

Where will the Canucks finish in the Western Conference this season?

1

28 votes

2

47 votes

3

78 votes

4

38 votes

5

26 votes

6

13 votes

7

11 votes

8

6 votes

9

0 votes

10

3 votes

11

0 votes

12

1 votes

13

2 votes

14

1 votes

15

21 votes

275 votes | Poll has closed

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: Vancouver Canucks

Yankee Canuck — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:54:41 -0000

Yo coach, bathroom break! Pic via twitchy67.files.wordpress.com

View full size photo »

You've probably noticed the rest of the SBN Hockey crew have been running a month-long series of team previews. If we don't do it, James Mirtle bullwhips us something fierce.

What's nice about Vancouver being second to last alphabetically is it gives us time to prepare (by which we mean wait for the damn roster to be set). But the roster still isn't set, so whatever. We tried.

After the jump we take a look at what to expect from the 2009-10 Vancouver Canucks, including some team strengths and weaknesses, who will be under pressure to produce and why and what defines the official 2009-2010 drinking social where you pound a beverage and then sob quietly to yourself in the corner. It's Canucks hockey after all, you knew the rules before you got here.

Where We've Been (2008-09)
Last summer started off with an airing of grievances from management: firing GM Dave Nonis, replacing him with a player agent with no experience, letting Vigneault toss in the wind for weeks on end and telling Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison to go piss up a flagpole.

Thus there was a level of uncertainty when the season rolled around, but everything (shockingly) was fine until a certain goalie heard a certain "pop" during a 3-1 win in November against Pittsburgh. With Roberto Luongo down and out with a groin injury for nearly two months, Vancouver tried to stay above water by icing a rookie goalie (Cory Schneider) along with back-up Curtis Sanford and added Mats Sundin to the mix up front in late December.

Sadly there weren't enough biorhythm bracelets on the planet to keep Vancouver from dropping a franchise-worse eight straight games in January. With a little help from Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows, the two sparked some epic production on the first two lines and a healthy Luongo returned allowing the Canucks to run a 34-5-2 record after the January from hell and eke out the Northwest Division crown from Calgary.

The party didn't stop there. Drawing a first round match-up against a Cinderella St. Louis Blues team, Vancouver celebrated their first post season sweep in the modern era. However, that IS where the party stopped. Facing a deeper, faster team in Chicago during the second round, the Canucks couldn't keep pace and were ousted in six games.

Who's In
Mikael Samuelsson, Christian Ehrhoff, Mathieu Schneider, ~~Brad Lukowich~~, Andrew Raycroft (!), Aaron Rome, Tanner Glass, ~~Mark Parrish~~, ~~Dave Scatchard~~, ~~Ronald Petrovicky~~

Who's Out
Mattias Ohlund, Jason Labarbera, Curtis Sanford, Mats Sundin, Taylor Pyatt, Jason Jaffray, Ossi Vaananen, Jason Krog, Mark Cullen, Rob Davison

Opening Night Roster (subject to change if Vigneault gets moody)

Forwards

Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alex Burrows

Sergei Shirokov - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson

Steve Bernier - Kyle Wellwood - Mason Raymond

Rick Rypien - Ryan Johnson - Darcy Hordichuk

Extras: Pavol Demitra (LITR), Jannik Hansen, ~~Cody Hodgson~~ (sent to juniors)

Defense

Willie Mitchell - Alex Edler

Kevin Bieksa - Christian Ehrhoff

Sami Salo - Shane O'Brien

Extras: Aaron Rome, ~~Brad Lukowich~~ (waived 9/29/09), Mathieu Schneider (LITR)

Goalies

Roberto Luongo

Andrew Raycroft

Team Strengths
1. Goalie - duh. Even if Luongo has another groin "issue", Schneider should be able to get called up and help hold down the fort. Raycroft has to play just north of "absolute travesty" and buy management time to find a Labarbera-type solution if all goes to hell. But let's not be negative; Luongo will play 70+ games again and give them every chance to win, night in and night out.

2. Emerging Talents. The increased offensive tasks given to Alexandre Burrows and Ryan Kesler paid dividends, as both players had career years. I don't know if they can exceed what they did last season, but even if they equal that it would be very beneficial, especially in taking the heat of the Sedins to provide all the offense. Now is the time for Kevin Bieksa and Alexander Edler to strut their stuff with Mattias Ohlund leaving town. I believe Edler especially is going to have a great year. This also depends on how much power play time the new guys like Christian Ehrhoff and Mathieu Schneider get (and perhaps how well Sami Salo's body holds up). I would let Edler step up and not hold him back. He's ready.

Team Weaknesses
1. Bottom six - It's better than it has been in the past, but the bottom six forwards aren't the deepest bunch. Wellwood has shown up in far better shape and it's expected Bernier and Hodgson, Hansen, Shirokov or Raymond will fill out the third line. There's a lot of promise and intrigue in there, but not so much actual production on an NHL scoresheet. Bernier and Wellwood alone will need huge seasons. The fourth line - likely Rypien, Johnson and Hordichuk - provides plenty of muscle and short blocking goodness, but little else. Hordichuk remains a liability on most nights.

2. Size up front. This could be nitpicking on my part, but if you look at the Canucks' depth chart below, there leaves a lot to be desired as far as girth goes. Fortunately, these guys play with tenacity regardless of that.

Go big or Go Home
The pressure is firmly on the Sedins and Luongo now. Gillis did his part this summer by flying out to Sweden to convince the Sedins to stick around and then assembled a more talented defensive crew in front of Luongo before he signed his life away. If Vancouver has any chance of doing real damage in the playoffs, first these three need to lead them there and, once in, have to perform like the All-Stars they are. No more failures at crunch time.

The Missing Piece?
Gillis admitted to coveting Mikael Samuelsson for a long time. So while likely getting a shot to play with the Sedins (or at least bump Burrows out of that slot) he'll also be entrusted with oodles of power play time and, just as important, to impart Stanley Cup wisdom from his time in Detroit to a bunch of guys who have never touched that big silver cup. All of that from a guy that Detroit fans recall fondly as a streaky player with defensive liabilities. I love it when a plan comes together!

There's Less Of You To Love
Three lords of the buffet - Kyle Wellwood, Steve Bernier and Shane O'Brien - had their own individual problems last year, but their weight was one of the biggest (rimshot!). After Gills patiently resigned all three (very patiently with Pudge we must say) he must have left them a post-it note regarding their, um, magnitude of force that must be applied in order to support them in earth's gravitational field. All three seemed to have heeded the boss' decree: Pudge is down 20 pounds, Bernier dropped 15 and SOB is reportedly in the best shape of his life.

From Russia With An Ample Amount of Love
Sergei Shirokov has gone from literally a no name player just a few months ago to reminding people of Pavel Bure (no pressure at all). But for a guy who was locked in obscurity over in the KHL to have such a litigious summer only to land on the shores of Vancouver and blow everyone away with his play is the best feel-good story of the preseason. If he makes the cut, odds are he'll quickly become a fan favorite, forcing people out of their sushi-encrusted lower bowl seats to their feet in a single breakaway. But, if he does make the roster is that bad news for...

Oh Noes Coho
...Mr. Cody Hodgson? The odds-on favorite prospect who had such a sick year last season has stumbled badly out of the gate at the NHL level. First he got injured. Then when he started getting in games the results have been less than inspiring. With the emergence of Shirokov and the strong play of bubble players like Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen, it's now possible to see Cody getting cut or playing nine NHL games before being returned to juniors (Brampton). 1:45 PM ET Update: That's exactly what happened; Hodgson has been returned to Brampton and is now ineligible to be called back up to the NHL for the rest of the season. Just goes to show ya: it ain't ever easy being a Vancouver Canuck first round draft pick. Just ask Michael Grabner and...

Bitch You're In My Seat
...Cory Schneider. Poor Schneids was picked in the first round back in 2004 and heralded as the goalie of the future. So far he's held his up his end of the bargain, helping the Canucks stay afloat when Luongo was hurt and winning the Aldedge "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the best goalie in the AHL last season. But with Luongo's lifetime contract, the question has flipped from "when" to "what" in regards to Schneider. Does he play back up this year so Gillis can show him off? Does Facepalm Raycroft outplay him and force another AHL season down his throat (update: yes, yes he does)? One thing's for certain: sooner or later Cory will be moved.

The Definition Of Wildcard
Rick Rypien has had some trouble staying healthy (and last year dealt with some off-ice issues as well). And now he has "the flu?" But when he's in the line-up, he provides the team with one of the best middle weights in the game on top a forward capable of some highlight reel offense (see defense exhibit A and defense exhibit B). As much of a fan favorite as Ripper has become, he's only played 41 games in four seasons, never eclipsing more than 22 games a season. Will this be the year his body remains intact and, if so, will he become a diamond in the rough type player like Burrows or will he be relied upon solely to make the Zack Stortini's of the world regret life?

Paging Dr. Feelgood
With Mats Sundin over in Europe enjoying married life (do Swedes put herring on the doorknob when they want privacy?) Vancouver elected to find someone even older to help them out: Mathieu Schneider. Father time has spent most of his summer rehabbing his shoulder following surgery at the end of last year and, to little surprise, will start the season on the IR. Joining him on the IR will be the often-injured Pavol Demitra who is recovering from some rotator cuff troubles. Get used to hearing those two names and IR together.

If Sami Salo joins them, that's your official Vancouver Canucks 2009-2010 drinking social. If (when?) all three are out with whatever vague upper or lower body ailments there are, you are hereby obliged to pound a beverage, walk yourself into the corner of the room and sob quietly least you wake the neighbors.

Prediction for 09-10 season
Mike the Yank says - First place in the Northwest, but they'll need to gel as a group quickly and survive the league's longest road trip in the process (puke). The forward ranks are easier on the eyes, I'm loving the injection of youth and the fact Bernier and Wellwood came to camp ready to prove their critics wrong. I also dig our defense will be firing cannons left, right and center and even if a more offensive-minded blueline leads to some defensive lapses, we got 12 more years of "no fucking way" saves courtesy of the captain. But the roster isn't that deep: a key injury here or there will cause some major problems. And a Sedin or Luongo-level injury would be a disaster. If the secondary support from Kesler, Samuelsson, Burrows, Bernier, Demitra et all drys up, they won't keep pace with the elite in the West.

Sean says - A tight battle with the Flames for first spot in the Northwest with Vancouver barely holding the edge. 3rd in the West, possibly 2nd. If Luongo's groin fails him again, all bets are off and I become an alcoholic. Personally, I'm expecting great things from Lou and this team this year. Drop the damned puck already!

See other Vancouver previews from Mirtle, Puck Daddy, TSN, ~~ESPN~~ (just kidding) The Hockey News, and Sportsnet.

Poll

Where will Vancouver finish in the Western Conference for the 2009-2010 season?

1

63 votes

2

135 votes

3

131 votes

4

27 votes

5

16 votes

6

10 votes

7

5 votes

8

4 votes

9

0 votes

10

1 votes

11

1 votes

12

0 votes

13

1 votes

14

0 votes

15

3 votes

397 votes | Poll has closed

Habs Final Roster Cuts Coming Soon

Robert L — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:57:10 -0000

Update, Sept. 27, 8:00 p.m.: The Canadiens have announced that Sergei Kostitsyn has been sent to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

In the coming days, the Canadiens roster will be pared down to a maximum 23 player limit. There are currently 31 players on the Habs preseason roster, including regulars, prospects, and injured players, meaning a minimum eight players will be assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs by Wednesday.

There are 19 regulars on the club who will start the season in Montreal and they include goalies Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, defensemen Ryan O' Byrne, Jaroslav Spacek, Paul Mara, Josh Gorges, Roman Hamrlik, Hal Gill, Andrei Markov, forwards Mike Cammalleri, Tomas Plekanec, Glen Metropolit, Georges Laraque, Brian Gionta, Travis Moen, Maxim Lapierre, Andrei Kostitsyn, Guillaume Latendresse and Scott Gomez.

Twelve players yet to be assured of a roster spot include goalie Curtis Sanford, defensemen Yannick Weber, Mathieu Carle, and Alex Henry, and forwards Kyle Chipchura, Matt D' Agostini, Ben Maxwell, Max Pacioretty, Gregory Stewart, Sergei Kostitsyn, Tom Pyatt, and Olivier Fortier.

Of this dozen, Chipchura, Fortier, Pyatt and Henry are currently injured with Henry actually with the Bulldogs oranization in Scotland.

Of the eight left, it is assumed that Sanford, Weber, Carle and Maxwell will be returned to Hamilton with D' Agostini, Pacioretty, Stewart and Kostitsyn likely sticking with the team. If that is the case, the team would be opting to carry 3 additional forwards rather than eight defensemen, a luxury it might not afford itself, seeing as rearguards Paul Mara and Roman Hamrlik have been injured during camp and are yet to be declared 100% healthy.

Should the team opt to keep Weber on the roster come Thursday, one of the four forwards would be sent to Hamilton unless a player is placed on the injured list. The sticking point could be forward Georges Laraque, who, despite not appearing in preseason games is said to be ready to go on October 1. If Laraque is deemed unfit by then, all four remaining forwards are safe. If he is set to dress, one of Pacioretty or Kostitsyn would be demoted, as both Stewart and D' Agostini would have to clear waivers in the event they are sent down.

By all appearances, Pacioretty will stick with the big club, as he has seemed to have earned his spot. Kostitsyn's performances have been less convincing, and he has (according to Habs World) 39 NHL games left before his status become exempt. Unfortunately for the younger sibling, that fact does not work in his favor at this point, and unless a transaction to clear the logjam at forward is envisioned, he may be Hamilton bound to start the season.

Further complicating issues regarding defensemen has been the play of rearguard Ryan O'Byrne, initially seen as the club's seventh D-man. O' Byrne has been surprisingly solid this camp, and has outperformed both Gill and Mara. As the only right handed shot among the seven, O'Byrne chances of becoming a regular a very good. Weber and Carle are also right handed shots.

Chipchura's scenario also represents a hurdle for the club. No longer on an entry level contract, he would have to clear waivers to pass to Hamilton. He is safe should his return from injury coincide with another injury on the club, but if all players are heathy decisions will have to be made. He can be assigned to Hamilton on injury rehab for up to two weeks if such a scenario arises.

Photos courtesy Dave Sideway / Habs Inside Out

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: Montreal Canadiens

James Mirtle — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:00:18 -0000

More photos » by Paul Chiasson - AP

Browse more photos »

Who's in: Mike Cammalleri, Hal Gill, Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Paul Mara, Travis Moen, Curtis Sanford, Jaroslav Spacek
Who's out: Francis Bouillon, Patrice Brisebois, Mathieu Dandenault, Christopher Higgins, Saku Koivu, Mike Komisarek, Tom Kostopoulos, Alex Kovalev, Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, Alex Tanguay

Outlook: Few NHL franchises have ever had as dramatic an off-season makeover as the Habs did this summer.

Gone are no fewer than 11 regulars from a year ago, from captain Saku Koivu to Alex Kovalev, Robert Lang, Mike Komisarek, Alex Tanguay and Chris Higgins, all key cogs headed for other destinations. In terms of replacements, GM Bob Gainey dipped heavily into free agency, signing Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri and Travis Moen up front, and another trio of blueliners in Paul Mara, Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill.

On the trade front, there was a blockbuster, too, as the Canadiens assumed Scott Gomez's mammoth contract in exchange for Higgins and prospects.

And, to top it all off, a new coach will preside over the group in Jacques Martin, who was rescued from the Panthers front office and charged with hauling this team back up the mountain.

Where does it all leave them?

Last season was a complete disaster in Montreal from the all-star break on, and what Gainey needs more than strong performances from the newcomers is for rebound years from Carey Price, Tomas Plekanec and some of the other players on the roster. Martin's system will likely ensure this is a tight-checking, defensive team, but secondary scoring will likely be an issue, and they'll have to win a lot of low scoring games to move up in the Eastern Conference.

Wholesale rebuilds via free agency rarely pay off in the NHL, and the Habs aren't likely to break the mould. On paper, they fall right back in where they finished last season.

X-factor: Tomas Plekanec

For a more in-depth Habs preview, visit Eyes on the Prize
For more NHL analysis, check out the McKeen's Hockey Yearbook

Poll

Where will the Habs finish in the Eastern Conference this season?

1

19 votes

2

4 votes

3

8 votes

4

18 votes

5

27 votes

6

56 votes

7

34 votes

8

33 votes

9

43 votes

10

35 votes

11

9 votes

12

15 votes

13

4 votes

14

6 votes

15

14 votes

325 votes | Poll has closed

New Look Habs Off To Winning Start

Robert L — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:13:03 -0000

Exhibition games being what they are, rarely does the first pre-season contest matter much.

Tell that to the 21, 273 pairs of eyes gathered at the Bell Centre to catch a first hand look at the new look Canadiens!

The Habs, with a late dip in tempo, hung on to deafeat the Florida Panthers 3-2, and this one mattered in every way and form other than the usual two points in the standings. For Montreal fans, it was their first glimpse at what Bob Gainey bought and brought home this summer. For that reason alone, this first game was worthy of a microscopic look.

For players new and older alike, the first chance to acquaint themselves with each other against NHL competition was also of prime importance. As newly minted Habs, Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, Jaroslav Spacek and Curtis Sanford needed no reminding of the significance of making a strong first impression in front of the locals.

All four passed the test.

Cammalleri with a goal and a helper, Gomez with the pre-season's first score, Spacek looking at home on the Habs PP, and Sanford, holding the score close while facing lots of rubber in the third, all put in efforts to endear themselves to the faithful.

Cammalleri just might make Habs' fans forget Alex Kovalev some if he can deliver what he brought in this game on a regular basis. His goal, the second of the game, came off a trademark move. Accepting a slip pass from linemate Andrei Kostitsyn, Cammalleri was cocked and ready to fire, left knee low to the ice, stick raised high. With no rust showing, and not a trace of hesitation, Cammalleri let a blistering shot howl past Panthers goalie Scott Clemmenson. A thing of beauty it was!

Gomez opened the scoring on an alert play. Heading towards Clemmenson's crease, the nifty center redirected a feed from Spacek at the point, and angled the puck between the goalie's legs.

The Canadiens third tally came from the stick of sophomore Matt D' Agostini, who intercepted a clearing pass in the high slot, took one step, and fired top shelf.

Other highlights of the game included a thundering hit from Guillaume Latendresse on Ville Koitinen, a golden chance by hopeful David Desharnais, and a rock 'em, sock 'em tilt between Ryan O'Byrne and Florida's Gregory Campbell.

Carey Price allowed no goals on nine shots, in what was a fairly tame first 30 minutes.

Now as much as I enjoy listening to games on radio, it will be nice to catch the boys on the tube after an overly long summer of anticipation. Tomorrow's contest against the Senators will be on RDS starting at 7:30, and unfortunately Kovalev will not be in the lineup.

For more on last night's game, check the recap and boxscore from NHL.com, and the Numbers Game and "Hi, I'm Mike" from the Canadiens official site.

Habs Inside Out photos

Panthers vs Canadiens coverage

Panthers vs Canadiens recap

Litter Box Cats

Who Will Be The Surprise Of This Canadiens Camp?

Robert L — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:32:26 -0000

Every once in a while, a training camp produces a surprise performance or two, that scuttles an organization's plans and forces the team to consider alterations to it's pencilled in 23 man roster

The Canadiens current NHL roster consists of 22 one-way contracts that include two goaltenders, seven defenseman and 13 forwards. The list does not include forwards Max Pacioretty and defenseman Yannick Weber, both of whom played games with the Canadiens last season, but are on two-way deals that allow them to be shuttled to Hamilton without needing to clear waivers.

Several seasons ago it was Mike Ribeiro who played his way onto the club after a surpring camp, Guillaume Latendresse made a strong impression at age 18, cracking the lineup one camp later after another solid showing. Two seasons ago, Sergei Kostitsyn turned heads, and was quickly recalled from Hamilton two months into the season.

Consensus this season, is that the final available spot is Pacioretty's to lose, but it would be unlikely that the Canadiens keep the big winger in Montreal if he is not be a regular member of the starting 12 forwards. As the club would prefer to give the youngster as much grooming time as needed, Pacioretty's fate may well depend on whether he gels with linemates in camp and can become regularly productive. Projected as a top - 6 forward, it will do Pacioretty little good to toil alongside fourth liners in Montreal. One full season removed from the University ranks, the kid simply has to play to develop.

Where available forward spots could open up invlove the projected use of tough guys on the team. While it is doubtful that the Canadiens will dress all of Travis Moen, Georges Laraque and Gregory Stewart in a particular game, two of the three will more than likely be in the lineup on a platoon basis, seeing action alongside fourth line pivot Glen Metropolit.

The Canadiens depth chart dicates that Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec are the club's top five forwards. Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre are pegged for the third line, leaving the younger Kostitsyn and Matt D' Agostini to sort the roles of second and third line wingers.

Latendresse, as well as Pacioretty, could be an eventual second line fit, with camp helping determine where the cards fall. Pre-season injuries could also be a factor in determining the opening night lineup October 1.

As it stands, other than Pacioretty, there are six candidates that could cause a surprise at this point and they include Weber, defenseman P.K. Subban, centers Kyle Chipchura and Ben Maxwell, forward Mikael Johansson, and depth goaltender Curtis Sanford.

Sanford would be deemed a long shot to making the club, as it is assumed that goaltender Jaroslav Halak's job is not in play. That Halak would not clear waivers makes the scenario practically moot, outside of an injury situation.

Weber is seen as the team's eighth blueliner, presently ranked behind Ryan O' Byrne and earmarked for Hamilton for another season of professional grooming. His offensive upside will make him an alluring option as a callup in light of injuries, but his game shares similarities with prospect Subban. While Weber is one year Subban's senior, his physical game may not be as mature. Where these two fit in the organizational scheme could play out at this camp, with the one gaining the edge becoming one step closer to the big club.

A similar scenario will play out between centers Chipchura and Maxwell, if not at this camp, then very soon into the season. Chipchura has an NHL contract, but is far from a sure bet for the big club. The Canadiens were very pleased with Maxwell's first professional season, and it is he who is expected to lead the Bulldogs offensively this season. Should he excel and a top line center go down to injury, Maxwell could get the call ahead of Chipchura. This was the case last season, when Maxwell was called up and used primarily in a defensive mode. Several opinions suggest that the likable Chipchura is playing his future with the Canadiens at this camp, and his performances will be closely scrutinized.

Lastly, and perhaps under the radar some, is Johansson, a solid two way player with Farjestatads BK Karlstad the past four seasons. A former Red Wings draft choice in 2003 and signed by Montreal as a free agent this off-season, Johansson was promised a shot at the big club by the Canadiens. While players from European leagues are perhaps the hardest to gauge in regards to being NHL calibre, it has been said that Johansson fits the prototype Jacques Martin responsible forward model, much in the manner of Andreas Dackell. He may not look out of place with Sergei Kostitsyn on a Metropolit centered defensive trio.

While it appears unlikely that major surprises are in the works at this Canadiens camp, several players are jostling for position on the bubble. How they play against other pros in exhibition games could go a long way towards determining how soon we them in Montreal.

Photos of Habs at camp courtsey of HIO.

An explanation of waivers qualifications from NHL'scap.com.

Poll

Which player are we most likely to see soonest in Montreal this season?

Kyle Chipchura

84 votes

Mikael Johansson

38 votes

Ben Maxwell

24 votes

Curtis Sanford

3 votes

P.K. Subban

81 votes

Yannick Weber

68 votes

298 votes | Poll has closed

Cory Schneider's 2008-09 NHL Performance

Sean Zandberg — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:03:45 -0000

Not much good has been said about Schneider's performance when he was called upon to play for the Canucks last season. He finished with a 2-4-1 record, a 3.38 GAA and a .877 save percentage. Check out his game-by-game stats from ESPN:

But let's take a bit of a closer look at those games:

Each link goes to the game's video highlights.

November 29, 2008. 3-1 loss to Calgary.

How many 2-on 1's did the Canucks give up there? Cory looked a bit weak on the Tyler Moss goal, but the others he had no chance on.

December 1, 2008. 3-2 loss to Columbus.

-Fredrick Modin goal. Powerplay, nice setup from Nash.

-Garth Murray goal. Schneider trips over his own feet on this play.

-Kristian Huselius goal. Another nice setup by Nash. No chance for Schneider here.

12 minutes played but no goals allowed against in a 6-5 loss to Detroit on December 4.

December 5. 2-1 win over the Wild. Schneider has a great game. Not much chance on the Mikko Koivu goal as he was interfered with and screened.

December 7. 5-4 loss to Colorado in the shootout. The Avalanche were tipping the puck in off Ryan Smyth and Canucks defenders' stick, but that weak Tjarnqvist goal late in the 3rd to tie it up for the Avs was just that...weak. Then it's Marek Svatos in a shootout. Yeah...good luck.

December 14. 5-3 win over Florida. Trouble for Schneider behind his net as he coughs it up on the Frolik goal to make it 5-3, but otherwise Schneider looked great here. Not much chance on the other 2 Panthers goals.

December 23. 5-0 loss to the Sharks on Hockey Night in Canada. The Sharks were picking corners in this one, and the Canucks as a team really shit the bed. Schneider was pulled early in the 2nd period after the 5th goal (on 15 shots.) Merry effing Christmas! Sanford was stellar replacing Schneider.

December 30. 3-2 loss to Philadelphia. I can't remember why AV replaced Curtis Sanford after the first period, but it was wise of him. Schneider only let in 1 goal off a bing-bing play and then shut the door, amazingly after that. The Canucks couldn't score the goals to come back though. Happy effing New Years!

Schneider loves to go down into that butterfly position, sometimes too early. Sometimes he overplays the slide across. But there is no doubt that he is a quick goalie in every form of the word. He doesn't give up on plays. His record for last season doesn't do him much justice, as the stinker by the team against the Sharks really damaged his stats. If you erase the Sharks game and the Wings game where he only played 12:00, Schneider had a 2.16 GAA and a .895 save percentage. If I add the 12:00 played against Detroit his numbers get even better.

Just something to think about.