SB Nation - Benoit Pouliot

Darche and Pouliot Star for Hamilton in OT Win Over Rochester

Robert L — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:39:31 -0000

The Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Rochester Americans 5-4 in overtime on Sunday night. Mathieu Darche recorded a hat trick and Benoit Pouliot contributed a goal and two assists to lead the Bulldogs to victory. With the win, the 'Dogs now rank first in the North Division.

Minnesota Wild @ Montreal Canadiens: Game Recap

nathaneide — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:43:43 -0000

More photos » by Paul Chiasson - AP

6 days ago: Minnesota Wild's Cal Clutterbuck, right, is surrounded by teammates, from left to right, Nick Schultz, Shane Hnidy, Chuck Kobasew and Eric Belanger following his goal against the Montreal Canadiens during third-period NHL hockey action Thursday, Dec.17, 2009, in Montreal. The Wild defeated the Canadiens 3-1. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Paul Chiasson)

Browse more photos »

Minnesota Wild 3-1 Montreal Canadiens

As goes Mikko Koivu, so go the Wild. Koivu's game winner came on the power play from Martin Havlat at 14:08 of the first period, and the game was pretty much over at that point. Yes, I said from Martin Havlat on the power play. Havlat continues his solid play and the Wild scored a power play goal, all on the same shift. Will wonders never cease?

Havlat continues to bounce from line to line, which for many players and teams that would create chemistry problems, but for Havlat and the Wild right now, it's paying off. Maybe it gives him a chance to get away from other teams' checking lines, or maybe it allows him to play a bit more freewheeling, but either way, until he finds a connection with a couple of guys, I love the way things are working out over the last month and change.

I'm not going to hold Guillaume Latendresse's point-less game against him. It was his first game back in Montreal since the trade, and he was probably playing a bit tight. Even so, Lats is still bringing it on every shift, playing tough with the puck and getting himself in position to create problems. The scoring will come, I can smell it.

It was great to see Robbie Earl use his speed and get back on the scoresheet. There isn't a player on the Wild's roster right now that uses his opportunities as well as Earl, and that's ridiculously painful for me to say about the former ~~Diver~~ Badger. His opening goal really set the tone tonight.

Speaking of guys working hard and having it pay off, I just smile every time Cal Clutterbuck scores, and it isn't because I love the fact that the Wild score, it's because he earns everything he gets. This guy works his ass of each and every shift, leaves everything on the ice, is great off the ice and seeing him succeed is a thing of beauty.

Speaking of guys I love to watch, Owen Nolan has been snake-bitten lately. The Irish God of War just can't buy a break, and needs to get healthy in a hurry. Granted, I wasn't expecting him to match his performance of last season, but he needs to get on a roll here, and it'll only make things better for the Wild as they enter the middle of the season.

It's also nice to see the defense gelling. Greg Zanon, Nick Schultz and Clayton Stoner were fantastic tonight. Zanon has to have the best positional defense of anyone the Wild have ever had. He's seemingly always in the right spot to stop a shot. Schultz has completely turned his game around from the beginning of the season when he was trying too hard, and being abandoned too frequenly, and Stoner didn't look like a rookie out there tonight. He played a solid defensive game, and the best part ... you didn't notice it at all. That's what you want from a defensive defenseman.

This team is fun to watch right now, and they're back to being respectable. Now if they keep this up, maybe we can talk about adding a piece or two instead of trading off Andrew Brunette and Owen Nolan.

Please read the game recap over at Habs Eyes On The Prize

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Mikko Koivu (1 G)
Robbie Earl (1 G)
Cal Clutterbuck (1 G)

Questions to Answer

Can Lats get payback? He did get a standing ovation, but alas, no points in 14:34.
How is Pouliot liking life in Hamilton? Apparently he still has that wrist injury, so they'll likely see Benoit Pouliot in Montreal eventually, but it's not looking great for them so far.
How will Clayton Stoner react to getting his first call-up? Stoner didn't give up a goal, so that's a positive, and according to many, he looked decent on his first NHL game.
Mike Cammalleri has always eaten the Wild alive. Does that continue now that he's out of the West? Nope! Great to see the Wild keep him off the board.
How crappy is it that my first chance to watch a game on my new TV, and FSN is going standard def? Lame. I didn't get a chance to watch tonight, so I didn't get to see the reportedly horrible SD feed by FSN.

With Latendresse Set To Haunt, Habs Might As Well Have Trucked Him To Philly

Robert L — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:27:03 -0000

Maybe a better deal could have been had, maybe not. But so far the Guillaume Latendresse to Minnesota for Benoit Pouliot is looking like a real stiffer in the making.

Can Pouliot, who has rarely been seen at all so far in the team environment, not to mention game action because of injury, handle the Montreal pressure? He hasn't handled the more minimal pressure of being a high pick thus far, and with Latendresse panning out well with the Wild, can he meet any sort of expectations the Canadiens have in him?

This whole deal, with centennial festivities, has flown under the radar quite well for now, except perhaps for what Guillaume is now doing.

In five games, Latendresse has 2 goals and an assist, with a shootout game winner, equalling his Montreal stats totalled during 23 games.

You see, I've always strongly believed that there was something to Latendresse. Many have criticized him for a bunch of sins and shortcomings, but I've stuck to judging him whenever his role was defined and his linemates regular for a game or three.

And truly, that is when a player is best and most honestly assessed.

Look at Max Pacioretty as he blooms, having played most of the season with veterans Glen Metropolit and Travis Moen.

In Montreal, Lats was judged as being slow of foot, hesitant and lost, playing with fourth line compadres that shuffled for every game. Heck, how often was he given that chance to refind the sparks he'd developed last season with Maxim Lapierre?

Speculation was such that coach Martin and Latendresse did not see eye to eye on matters. After developing a young prospect for four seasons, it is owed to that player that his concerns and reasons for not being more productive be listened to. The player has been put through the ringer, where's the coaches patience?

So now, they get Pouliot, who may have similar issues, and are starting back at zero. With Latendresse, and four years of learning out the window, what's the use?

Could the Canadiens not have held on and gotten someone with more NHL experience for Guillaume's 232 games than Pouliot, whose only played 65 through four seasons.?

How about the Philadelphia Flyer's Claude Giroux, whose on a steady upward curve?

Latendresse would have fit in nicely with the Flyers, or would the John Leclair flashbacks have been too scary? Guillaume would have been their type of player, very much in the Tim Kerr mode.

The Flyers, who have been spinning their wheels of late, might have opted for such a shakeup rather than canning their coach.

Such a potential trade could have been sprinkled with a future consideration clause on both sides, based upon 2009 to 2011 production, with draft picks in the balance.

The Habs could also have gotten their mits on Daniel Briere as well, alleviating a million bucks a season over a five year term off the Flyers payroll in the process, by offering up Scott Gomez. I'm not a big Briere booster, but I see him as having more upside in a role with Montreal than Gomez at present.

The Canadiens, who have just parted with two top draft picks in recent weeks, would have looked better coming out of the deal than they do now.

Movember; Fletcher not afraid to deal; LeBrun on Latendresse; What's right with the NHL: Daily Links

nathaneide — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:58:35 -0000

"Wild" 'Staches Help Fight Cancer - CBS News
Playoff beards are pretty common in professional hockey, but November mustaches? They certainly won't help a team win the Stanley Cup, but the Minnesota Wild hope they might do something better - raise awareness of prostate cancer. Wild players have been sporting 'staches as part of the newly dubbed month of "Movember" - a month-long effort that hits close to home for some of them.

NHL -- LeBrun Blog -- Minnesota Wild gain safer bet in trade with Montreal Canadiens - ESPN
In the end, I think the Wild made the safer investment here. Size doesn't grow on trees. I think Latendresse will become a solid, second-line, power-winger type for years to come. The Canadiens got the guy that can still possibly become a first-line offensive threat, but they also took on more risk if he's unable to figure out what it takes to apply his talent at this level.

Wild ready to deal when the deal is right | StarTribune.com
The timing, Chuck Fletcher said, was merely coincidental. Monday's swap of the underachieving Benoit Pouliot for Montreal winger Guillaume Latendresse wasn't meant to strike fear in the Wild locker room in the wake of an 8-12-2 start. It will inevitably have that effect on some players. But the general manager sent a more hopeful message, too: that he stands ready and willing to upgrade his roster any time the opportunity presents itself.

Hitting The Post: A pick-me-up
The NHL has come under significant fire lately for all kinds of reasons. Franchise bankruptcies, franchise stability (or instability) in warm-weather locales, players running others and getting away with it, and various other sordid bits of badness. So let's take a moment and give the league credit for what it gets right.

Minnesota Wild lost in mediocrity - SI.com
The current State of Hockey is suspended animation. The Minnesota Wild is running on a treadmill to nowhere. The Wild does not look like a playoff contender, despite a reasonable back end with goalie Niklas Backstrom and credible defensemen, but neither does this team look like a no-hope bottom feeder even as it sits last in the Western Conference. It is a mediocre bunch that is a little too promising to be favorites in the Taylor Hall/Tyler Seguin draft sweepstakes that will occur next June. Stuck in the vast middle, the Wild neither remotely good enough nor flat terrible enough to have a solid Stanley Cup run or a gilt-edged draft in its future.

Game 23 Preview: Jackets limp into Montreal to face the Habs

Mike MacLean — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:48:40 -0000

Boy do the Jackets need to bounce back. After getting thoroughly trounced in New York last night, they hopped on a plane for Montreal, where they will take on the Canadiens tonight. The Rangers were a team that struggled to score, and the Jackets managed to change that. The Habs are another team that struggles to score-lightning can't strike twice can it? I sure hope not. The Jackets absolutely need to win this one, if nothing more than to keep pace in the tough Central Division.

Mathieu Garon will get the start, returning to Montreal to face the team that drafted him. Expect Kris Russell to get the start tonight. Props to fellow twitterer (?) @seventyeight for this tweet she posted last night:

OKAY. When Russell plays: 10-4-2, 3.125 goals/game /// When he does not: 2-3-1, 5.8 goals/game. Quit making him your scapegoat.

The numbers don't lie- the team has played better with Russ in the lineup. I'd like to see him more often-his skills with the puck, while they haven't exactly led to him putting up major points, are a major boost. I don't want to see Commie out on the powerplay again tonight. I'm thinking Russ goes in for Methot, who looked just awful last night. To be fair though, the whole team looked like crap outside of Boller.

The Habs still possess the talent to break out of their funk at any time, so I am not going to use the low-scoring excuse here. The Jackets need to use their size and physicality advantage to dominate the boards and the down-low play. With Georges Laraque out of the lineup, this should be easy to do.

Fearless Prediction- I'm never going to predict a shutout again-that's a promise. I will however predict that Garon will have a strong game in his return to his home province.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: Habs Eyes On The Prize

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Coverage

TSN Preview: Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

The Blue Jackets were to arrive in Montreal early this morning after playing last night in New York. They are expected to start Mathieu Garon in goal and perhaps insert defenseman Kris Russell. The injury-riddled Canadiens are struggling to score. They entered yesterday's action ranked 27th in goals, averaging 2.30.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
R.J. Umberger	Derick Brassard	Jakub Voracek
Jason Chimera	Samuel Pahlsson	Michael Blunden
Raffi Torres	Derek MacKenzie	Jared Boll

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Rostislav Klesla	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Mike Commodore

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Marc Methot, Tom Sestito

INJURED: Fredrik Modin, Andrew Murray, Derek Dorsett

Montreal Canadiens

Michael Cammalleri	Scott Gomez	Glen Metropolit
Andrei Kostitsyn	Tomas Plekanec	Max Pacioretty
Travis Moen	Maxim Lapierre	Benoit Pouliot
Kyle Chipchura	Tom Pyatt	Ryan White

Jaroslav Spacek	Roman Hamrlik
Josh Gorges	Paul Mara
Marc-Andre Bergeron	Jay Leach

Carey Price

Jaroslav Halak

Latest Trade Adds Further Flux To 2005 NHL Entry Draft

Cory Lavalette — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:43:22 -0000

by Jeff McIntosh - AP

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson, once considered a sure-fire No. 1 defenseman, is one of several 2005 first-round picks who find themselves playing for a team other than the one that drafted them. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jeff McIntosh)

View full size photo »

July 22, 2005.

I was sitting in my car, stuck in traffic on the bridge entering Carolina Beach, waiting to finally reach the surf with my family. My wife and I were eagerly anticipating our 2-year-old daughter’s first trip to the coast, to see what she'd think of the gritty sand between her toes, the crashing waves, and the pelicans, with their broad wings and oversized beaks.

But that Friday — the beginning to a long, memorable summer weekend for us, along with countless others in the Carolinas and beyond — was also a pivotal day in hockey history: the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes.

It still is remembered that way. But for a lot of other players and teams, the 2005 NHL Entry Draft is about something else: loss and failure, untapped potential and wanton trades. The latest of which happened yesterday.

But back to that fateful day. Sitting on that bridge, I listened closely as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman read the results to the one-of-a-kind NHL Draft Lottery, an event different from any before. The names of each team were read in reverse order.

Tampa Bay at 30.

Calgary at 26.

Division foe Washington was 14th.

With each team and their corresponding selection, the stakes got higher. Vancouver at 10. Columbus — one of four teams with a high of three balls in the machine — went off the board at six. That left only Pittsburgh as a remaining favorite, with Anaheim, Minnesota, Montreal and, yes, Carolina with a shot at nabbing the top overall pick and the rights to select sure-fire star Crosby.

The Habs — a long shot with just one sphere rattling among 45 others — went next. Then the Wild. Final three. I gripped the wheel, and explained to my wife the significance of the moment. I knew that, regardless of the remaining results, the Hurricanes were in position to land a big-time prospect. But this was Sidney Crosby: The Next One.

The Canes’ run at Crosby ended there, with "Carolina Hurricanes" uttered by Bettman as this third overall selection. Pittsburgh — as we all know — beat out the Ducks for Crosby.

By landing the third pick, the Canes fell shy of getting Crosby, and even prized Michigan defenseman Jack Johnson seemed out of reach. That left Benoit Pouliot as the top-rated player likely to be on the board, along with the likes of Bobby Ryan, Gilbert Brule and Anze Kopitar. Personally, I was leaning toward Pouliot; a big, skilled forward out of Sudbury in the OHL.

Nine days after the lottery, the teams gathered for the draft. The Pens, of course, took Crosby. I waited for Anaheim to take Johnson so I could finally see who Carolina GM Jim Rutherford would select at No. 3. But Brian Burke, then the Ducks GM, threw the league a curveball and chose Ryan second overall. Rutherford — who has been reluctant to use his first-round picks on defensemen — had no choice but to choose Johnson, whose physical play coupled with offensive instincts had many penciling him in as a No. 1 blueliner for years to come.

Just 14 months and one day later, the Carolina Hurricanes — having stunningly won the Stanley Cup in 2006 — dealt Johnson, along with salary burden Oleg Tverdovsky, to Los Angeles for defenseman Tim Gleason and center Eric Belanger.

Yesterday, the Wild gave up on the fourth overall pick, Pouliot, sending him to Montreal for a second-rounder from the same year, Guillame Latendresse. Johnson was the second of the 30 first-round picks traded from that year's draft — Tuukka Rask was traded by Toronto to Boston on draft day 2006 for fellow goalie Andrew Raycroft — and Pouliot is the latest to find himself moving on to a new city.

Looking down the list of the first round picks from 2005, the Johnson trade still stands out as the blockbuster — and one that, despite early expert analysis suggesting Carolina was ripped off, leans toward Carolina's favor given Johnson’s struggles and Gleason’s growth.

Crosby and Ryan — the top two picks — have emerged as a superstar and emerging star respectively. Johnson, at No. 3, is with the Kings and, despite playing on a very good, young team, is a team-worst minus-11 with just two goals and four assists in 24 games (Gleason, on the other hand, is 4-2-6 and minus-1 in 18 games on the last place team in the league, plus a team leader). The teams who picked first, second and third are probably happy with how things panned out for them (though surely Johnson’s antics in not turning pro infuriated Rutherford at the time).

The rest of the league? Well, most probably aren't all that happy.

Here are the other players who are either no longer with the team that chose them in the first round in 2005:

No. 4 — Benoit Pouliot, Minnesota: Traded yesterday (Nov. 23, 2009) to Montreal for Guillame Latendresse. Career stats: 65 GP, 9-9-18
No. 6 — Gilbert Brule, Columbus: Traded July 1, 2008, to Edmonton for Raffi Torres. Career stats: 178 GP, 20-28-48
No. 10 — Luc Bourdon, Vancouver: Killed in a motorcycle accident May 29, 2008. Career stats: 36 GP, 2-0-2
No. 13 — Marek Zagrapan, Buffalo: Signed with Severstal of the KHL May 9, 2009. No NHL games played.
No. 14 — Sasha Pokulok, Washington: Was not tendered a qualifying offer June 29, 2009. Currently in the ECHL. No NHL games played.
No. 15 — Ryan O’Marra, Islanders: Traded Feb. 27, 2007, to Edmonton along with Robert Nilsson and a first-round pick for Ryan Smyth. Career stats: 1 GP, 0-0-0
No. 16 — Alex Bourret, Atlanta: Traded Feb. 7, 2007, to Rangers for Pascal Dupuis and a third-round pick. Then traded June 21, 2008, to Phoenix for a third-round pick. Was not tendered a qualifying offer June 30, 2009. Currently playing for Brno in the Czech league.
No. 18 — Ryan Parent, Nashville: Traded Feb. 15, 2007, to Philadelphia along with Scottie Upshall, a first-round pick and third-round pick for Peter Forsberg. Career stats: 67 GP, 0-6-0
No. 21 — Tuukka Rask, Toronto: Traded June 24, 2006, to Boston for Andrew Raycroft. Career stats: 14 GP, 9-3-2-2 record, .919 S%, 2.33 GAA
No. 22 — Matt Lashoff, Boston: Traded March 4, 2009, to Tampa Bay along with Martins Karsums for Mark Recchi and a second-round pick. Career stats: 58 GP, 1-14-15
No. 30 — Steve Downie, Philadelphia: Traded Nov. 7, 2008, to Tampa Bay along with Steve Eminger and a fourth-round pick for Matt Carle and a third-round pick. Career stats: 82 GP, 11-14-25

(Note: Andrew Cogliano, the No. 25 pick by Edmonton, was part of a package that would've sent Ottawa’s Dany Heatley to the Oilers. Heatley nixed the deal by refusing to waive his no-trade clause. He was later dealt to San Jose, while Cogliano — still mentioned in trade rumors frequently — remains in Edmonton.)

That's 12 of 30 players drafted just four years ago who are no longer with the team who originally held their rights. Only two players from the 2006 draft (Phil Kessel and Ty Wishart) have been moved. The 2004 draft was also volatile (13 players traded or not with their original team for another reason), but 2003 has just nine even though we're six years removed from that draft.

The Rask and Johnson deals were the first of many involving this group. The Hurricanes and their fans have embraced Gleason, a throwback blueliner whose toughness, blunt honesty, defensive acumen and emerging offensive skill make him one of the franchise cornerstones. Johnson — who was, once upon a time, supposed to be that player — is overshadowed by 2008 second overall pick Drew Doughty, arguably the best young defenseman in the game.

Sure, the 2005 draft will always be remembered as the year Crosby — the youngest captain to hoist the Stanley Cup — went No. 1 overall. But for several other first-round picks that year, the path to NHL stardom has been more like my car stuck on that bridge: the headlights pointed at the distant sea, the inhabitants of the vehicle wishing, hoping to make memories that will last a lifetime.

For some, the bridge will eventually be crossed. For others ...

Tuesday Morning Fly By: BSH Radio LIVE Tonight at 7 PM

Travis Hughes — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:51:56 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Browse more photos »

Your daily dose of Philadelphia Flyers news...

Last night's NHL scores... Avalanche 5, Flyers 4 - NSH 3, DET 1 - NYI 4, TOR 3 (OT) - NYR 7, CBJ 4 - OTT 4, WSH 3 (OT) - PIT 3, FLA 2 (OT) - BOS 4, STL 2 - DAL 2, CAR 0 - EDM 4, PHX 0 - ANA 3, CGY 2 (SO)
Recaps of last night's loss to the Avalanche from the AP, NHL.com, the Inquirer, Daily News, CSN Philly, Bucks Co. Times, Courier-Post, Bill Meltzer, the Denver Post, and Mile High Hockey.
Matt Carle won the Hobey Baker Award playing for the University of Denver. His brother, David, is involved with their hockey program, so the two had the chance to catch up. [DN]
Meet Chris Pronger, your leading candidate for the Norris Trophy. [THN]
Cherry Hill native Bobby Ryan could be used as trade bait in Anaheim. [Puck Daddy]
Minor trade yesterday, as Montreal and Minnesota swapped struggling forwards Benoit Pouliot and Guillaume Latendresse. Copy editors in NHL cities around North America are furious about it. [Hockey Or Die]
The Panthers added a baby blue third jersey. How un-Florida of them. [Uni Watch]
The Flyers face off against the Islanders tomorrow night, and the team from New York will be fresh off a win. They beat the Leafs in overtime last night after Dwayne Roloson made 58 (!) saves, and despite being outshot 61-21. God really does hate the Leafs... [Lighthouse Hockey]
Remember, BSH Radio goes live tonight at 7 PM. We'll be joined by Dominik Jansky of Lighthouse Hockey as we preview a suddenly important game tomorrow night on the Island. We'll also take your calls (for real this time). Just hop back to BSH around 6:45 and we'll point you in the right direction.

Tuesday links: Where we just can't have nice things like a winning streak edition

averagejoe — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:25 -0000

Man that winning streak sure was fun while it lasted. Let's start another one real soon.

Blues news

The Blues special teams were less than special. I would make a Special Olympics joke, but at least all those athletes are winners. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]

Patrice Bergeron had a good game for the Bruins. [Stanley Cup of Chowder]

Hockey links

Monday's results. [Yahoo! Sports]
Just one damn game on Tuesday? And it's a "good" one. [Yahoo! Sports]
Georges Laraque will be out five games for his leg-on-leg hit. [ESPN]
Speaking of Laraque, why is he still in the league? [ESPN]
Dwayne Roloson got abused by David Perron and the Blues on Saturday. On Monday, he stopped the Maple Leafs. Fifty eight times. [ESPN]
A look at the No. 99 and who was the first player to wear it. [Habs Eyes On The Prize]
Guillaume Latendresse was traded for Benoit Pouliot. I had to copy and paste those spellings because, holy shit, that's a lot of vowels. [TSN]
The NHL needs to teach people how to hit safer. [TSN]

Other links

It's a battle where there are no winners: Twilight fans vs. Harry Potter fans. [NBC Dallas]
From NatetheGreat: Star Wars on Facebook. [College Humor]
Santa Claus isn't in the holiday spirit yet. [Twitter]

Video

The Internet is filled with dubious videos claiming to be the world's longest or something. This one is legit.

Andrew Ebbett and Guillaume Latendresse: What's the effect?

nathaneide — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:49:47 -0000

by Paul Chiasson - AP

View full size photo »

In the last three days, the Minnesota Wild have added Andrew Ebbett off waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks and traded Benoit Pouliot to the Montreal Canadiens for Guillaume Latendresse. These moves are likely seen from the front office as a way to spark a rather anemic offense and to try to provide some change to a team that has been underperforming to the expectations set by the franchise and the fanbase.

We've already looked a bit deeper into Andrew Ebbett, and much has been said about Latendresse's lackluster performance in Montreal, culminating in this passage from Habs Eyes on the Prize

2009-10 was said to be a season in which Latendresse would finally surpass the 20 goal mark, which is still something noteworthy for depth player on teams thought to be playoff bound. After seasons of 16, 16 and 14 goals, much more was expected of the former second round pick.

What effect will adding Ebbett and Latendresse have on the Wild? Where will they fit in the lines? How will this affect the offense, and will they be the type of players to give their all on every shift, work hard in the offensive zone and get back to cover their defensive responsibilities? How will this change the

Ebbett seems to be a second or third line center. He'll likely fit with Cal Clutterbuck and will likely see Latendresse on his other wing. With these two coming in, it's already moved Nathan Smith back to Houston and will probably see Danny Irmen on his way out other, with Robbie Earl joining them if/when Chuck Kobasew, Petr Sykora and Pierre-Marc Bouchard return.

With everyone healthy, lines might look something like this:

Andrew Brunette - Mikko Koivu - Martin Havlat
Owen Nolan - Eric Belanger - Antti Miettinen
Guillaume Latendresse - Andrew Ebbett - Petr Sykora
Cal Clutterbuck - Kyle Brodziak - Chuck Kobasew

So, where does this leave PMB, should he ever return? What about Derek Boogaard? Can you move Robbie Earl back to Houston? Does James Sheppard fit anywhere? Obviously injuries have played a major role this season, but if everyone's healthy, there are simply too many spots, and not enough guys have proven that they are assured a spot in the lineup.

So Wilderness, give me your answers!

Not Wild About Latendresse Trade

Robert L — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:14:24 -0000

Not everyone liked or appreciated Guillaume Latendresse during his three seasons in Montreal. I on the other hand liked the kid a great deal.

There was never any getting around the truth that Latendresse was a below average skater who was submitted early to the tremendous pressure of being a local boy playing for the team of his dreams. Through his first three campaigns, he at times struggled or showed promise, but over the course of close to 200 games, it became evident that the Canadiens organization did not quite do what needed to be done to develop him properly.

The promise of Latendresse's potential seemed to stagnate this season. With a new coach seemingly unwilling to pair him with the player he worked with best in Max Lapierre, Guillaume was back to trying to carve a niche for himself.

It hasn't been an easy season for many of the Canadiens forwards, complying and dealing with the numerous changes of a constantly shufled lineup. For Latendresse, a player who hadn't quite yet cemented his place, such a scenario was extremely detrimental to his standing.

2009-10 was said to be a season in which Latendresse would finally surpass the 20 goal mark, which is still something noteworthy for depth player on teams thought to be playoff bound. After seasons of 16, 16 and 14 goals, much more was expected of the former second round pick.

In his time in Montreal, Latendresse aquitted himself decently under pressure, having been one of the few teenagers in Canadiens history to join the club, nevermind scoring 16 goals. What is bothersome now, looking back, is that he is something of a posterboy for regressive Habs draft picks. There are too many to list, but it's oddly coincidental that on the day that Guillaume is shuffled off to Minny, Sergei Kostitsyn, another Habs pick that has regressed in three years is recalled.

Perhaps what bugs me most about the deal is that it comes at a time when many of the teams' offensive gears are grinding. Thruthfully, apart from Mike Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec, who on the club is having the season that was expected of them? In that light, what a miserable time it is to judge a talent so nascent. Twenty games into the season, on a team still searching for identity is a bit of a risk.

Where it really gets me is that Latendresse had taken steps towards fulfilling what he was to eventually become, as a second round pick. In a sense, he had delivered on that some. He might never have been power forward material, but on a power play that includes Andrei Markov, he couldn't been made into an asset had he learned how to park his ass in front of the net.

From the Minnesota Wild, the Canadiens receive former fourth overall pick Benoit Pouliot. A positive outlook on the trade is that Montreal moves up 41 spots retroactively in the 2005, getting the player selected immediately prior to Carey Price.

The word on Pouliot has often been that he is talented but lazy. A player of size and skill superior to Latendresse, he's worn out several Wild welcome mats in three season. If Guillaume is still trying to latch on into his fourth season, you can be sure there are reasons Pouliot has played but a handful of game since being drafted.

Perhaps the best scenario in the trade is that it is simply the shuffling of those prospects who were in need of a scenery change. We're all familiar with what Latendresse endured, but Pouliot has gone through his own disappointments and trying times.