Hope springs eternal once again in Montreal

Tomorrow marks the proverbial beginning of the 2011-2012 Montreal Canadiens season, as the majority of the organization will be present at Club Laval sur le Lac for the team's annual golf tournament. The event marks the first time the entire team will be available to the media since the sombre days following the Habs elimination at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup champs, the Boston Bruins. Members of the media and fans alike will finally get some of the answers they've been waiting for all summer; how are Andrei Markov's and Josh Gorges' reconstructed knees? Is Max Pacioretty ready to confront perhaps the greatest mental block an athlete can ever be confronted with-that is, returning from a devastating, potentially career-ending injury? Is Carey Price ready to carry the load between the pipes for a second consecutive season? Will P.K Subban be able to fly around the dreaded sophomore slump the same way he flies around flat-footed defenders?

In reality, however, none of these answers will be fully answered by the time the team heads home tomorrow night to begin preparing for physicals and medicals on Friday. Tomorrow simply symbolizes the beginning of what Habs' fans are praying will be the year, the true Drive for 25. The foundation of hope is laid, and sparks of excitement will begin to fly around the city as the Montreal faithful gear up for another eight-month long campaign, full of ups and downs, highs and lows, with the hope that it is to be followed by a lengthy playoff run. Only in Montreal are the fans as emotionally involved in the game as their heroes on the ice. Each year brings a new sense of cautious optimism as armchair general managers around the city analyze and critique each move Pierre Gauthier has made over the past four months; is Nathan Beaulieu the real deal? Is Erik Cole the missing ingredient to round out the top-six forwards group? Is Peter Budaj an upgrade over Alex Auld? Will Gauthier regret hanging onto Scott Gomez following his disappointing year, or will he come out looking like a genius as a resurgent Gomez returns with a vengeance?

All intriguing thoughts, all to be cleared up in the very near future.

With the memory of Nathan Horton's Game 7 overtime winner no doubt still lingering, the Habs come into this season with something to prove. They must show that pushing the champs to Game 7 was not simply a fluke, but a genuine case of two elite teams duking it out to the final buzzer, with one team getting the knockout blow just before the bell. With an elite goaltender on the cusp of greatness, the makings of a top-tier defense and the addition of another bonafide top-line forward should only raise the expectation level for this edition of the Montreal Canadiens. It is time for this team to take the next step and ascend into the conversation of the elite, contending teams. Barring injury and other misfortunes, they have the capability to surprise a lot of people.

 It is time for this franchise to carry the city on its back, and not the other way around. The support and love for this team, these players, this logo, is at an all-time high. It is now time to pay it forward; this city has been aching for glory for the past two decades, the streets of downtown impatiently waiting to be paraded and celebrated upon once more.

Another year, another season, another chapter in history. Once again, hope springs eternal in Montreal.

“To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high.”

The torch has been flickering for eighteen long years. It is time for these Habs to re-ignite it and once again hold it high.

So, I ask you, fellow partisans-is this the year?

And we're back! A quick look back on the Habs offseason

Yup...it's been awhile, to say the least-and as much as I'd love to delve into the many reasons why Magg's Habs Musings has been sitting on the backburner for the past 8 months, there is no time. There is no time because my back hurts and this chair is uncomfortable. There is no time because I am tired and might pack it in early tonight-but, most importantly, there is no time because training camp is right around the corner, and it is now time to look ahead to the beginning of the long, nerve-wracking, anxiety filled hockey season that comes with being a fan of the Montreal Canadiens.

It is time to break out the jerseys, the hats, the tuques and scarves. It is time to sit with fellow fanatics and debate, discuss, argue, and agree to disagree on various issues that would leave many wondering "Why do they even waste their time talking about this stuff?" But alas, only a true fan of the Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge can truly appreciate a full-fledged conversation over whether or not Jeff Woywitka was the right defenseman to sign in the role of a depth defenseman.

If I wanted to waste your time, I would figuratively wind back the clock to Draft Day and analyze everything that has happened since then, in an attempt to formulate my opinions on the matter and with hope to persuade you into believing that I am credible, knowledgable person on the topic of hockey (which I plan on achieving, by the way). But its already August and anything I say will simply be repetition at this point, so unfortunately,  in keeping with the theme of this blog post-time, and the lack thereof-I will keep it short and sweet:

- I was rooting for Tyler Biggs, not Nathan Beaulieu. But Beaulieu has made me a believer (I watched the tape) and Biggs ended up with the Leafs...go figure.

- I was pleasantly surprised by the acquisition of Erik Cole. I'm hoping his history of success in Montreal as an opponent will translate to even better prodcution as a member of the home team (and on the road too of course).

- I was puzzled by the addition of Peter Budaj over Alex Auld, but you won't get any complaints from me. Besides, Price is going to play 82 games this year, isn't he?

- I am ever so thankful that Andrei Markov has re-signed, and for three years. And I can't wait for him to shove it in all his critics faces.

- I am quite skeptical about the Josh Gorges situation. I was among the many hoping Pierre Gauthier would lock him up long-term to a cap-friendly salary, but apparently the Canadiens believed taking the wait-and-see approach with the Habs Ironman. Gorges is a fighter, an unselfish, fiery competitor who has brought it every single night he ever wore a Canadiens uniform. He worked his up from pressbox afterthought to one of the leaders and potential future captain of this team. Now that future seems in doubt, because if Gorges has a good season, he may price himself out of the Habs' range-especially with Price and Subban in line for major raises next summer.

- It only took 7 years to get Alexei Yemelin to Montreal, but he has finally arrived-and we finally know how to actually spell his last name. There is indeed a "Y" in there...

- Watch out for Raphael Diaz-he has the potential to be the second coming of Mark Streit. Streit was a complete unknown when he broke in with the Habs, and with little to no expectations for him people wrote him off quickly. Diaz comes to Montreal in a similar situation, and judging by the rave reviews about his play in Switzerland, don't be shocked if Diaz finds a home in Montreal in the near future.

- Andrei Kostitsyn's comments to the Belarussian media were not surprising-not in the sense that we expect this kind of behavior from the elder Kostitsyn, but because it wasn't hard to figure out that he wasn't happy bouncing around from line to line all season long. His play was extremely streaky and the effort that he brought to the table came in bursts and spurts. His long-standing reputation as an inconsistent talent will probably result in this being his last season as a Canadien, barring not only a huge statistical season, but a major mental breakthrough.

If I missed anything, its because it isn't worth talking about. Or I'm too tired to remember. Or I'm rusty and need to get back to posting regularly before the thoughts flow properly again. All in all, my main offseason thoughts are highlighted. Next time, we'll focus more on the beginning of training camp and the always intriguing storylines that come with it.

Canadiens drop the ball against Flyers, Habs reps getting much love early in All-Star voting

In a word, the Habs collapsed last night, at the hands of the not-so-Broadstreet Bully Flyers. This Flyers team is built on speed and skill, and last night they avenged the 3-0 loss at the hands of Carey Price and the Canadiens from last week with a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. The Habs came out strong and grabbed a two-goal lead to start the game, but the Flyers pushed back and pulled this one out.

Things were looking up for the Canadiens after the first period; Brian Boucher conceded two soft goals, both off the stick of Maxim Lapierre, the whole team looked energized and prepared, and P.K Subban hadn't been attacked yet. Thankfully P.K was spared, after "threats" from Mike Richards last week that the rookie had to earn respect; but nothing else went right for the Habs from the second period onward. The Habs were dominated in every aspect of the game, and without Carey Price this one would have been a blowout. Price was bombarded in the second and third periods, in the process giving up three goals to Ville Leino, Claude Giroux, and James van Riemsdyk. He couldn't really be faulted on any of them; Leino and van Riemsdyk had all day to take their shots, and Giroux had to simply deposit the puck into a gaping net, when Price was thrown out of position by a Hal Gill deflection that happened to land right on Giroux's blade. The Habs hit two posts that could have changed the entire outlook of the game, but neither Lapierre nor Roman Hamrlik got the puck past both Boucher and the red metal...in the end, hitting posts is no excuse for getting dominated and giving up a two-goal lead. Perhaps we can let this one slide as this was the first time all year the Habs had lost a game they had been leading going into the third, and they are still the only team in the league that has yet to allow more than three goals in regulation time. Now the Habs will try to bounce back against a strong, young L.A Kings squad that rolls into town tomorrow night, to continue proving what they are truly capable of. A hot start to the year is commendable, but sustaining that effort and getting consistently positive results is the mark of an elite team. For now, the Habs have proven their worth through the first 21 games-now that things are going to start heating up, its time to prove that this level of success can continue.

I was pleasantly surprised when I read today that Carey Price was leading the All-Star voting for all goaltenders with over 71,000 votes through the first two weeks. He isn't on the ballot (a mistake to begin with, but I'll drop that issue for now) but fans have made it clear that they want the top players from so far THIS YEAR at the NHL's glorified shinny game, and Price has certainly been one of them. No doubt Canadiens fans had a large say in the matter, as past ballots had obviously been stuffed by Habs fans hoping to see as many of their heros as possible at the Game, notably in 2009 when it was held in Montreal. This time around is different though, because this time Carey Price deserves it. Other names high on the list are Mike Cammalleri, Tomas Plekanec, Brian Gionta, P.K Subban, and even the injured Andrei Markov, who was on the ballot despite missing the beginning of the year. If these trends continue, it looks like a few Habs could be representing in Carolina this coming January.

Habs fly high and shoot down Flyers, Markov out long term, Subban too cocky?

The Habs proved up to be up to the challenge presented to them yet again last night in taking down a formidable, streaking Flyers squad in a solid 3-0 win. Carey Price stole the show once again, making 41 saves for his third shutout of the season, and second in the past 4 games. Price has arguably the best all around numbers of any goalie in the league up to this point and has without a doubt arrived and is finally living up to the lofty expectations placed upon him since the day he was taken 5th overall by the Habs in 2005.

There wasn't much optimism among pundits heading into last night's tilt-the Flyers demonstrated last spring that they were capable of manhandling the Habs, and earlier on during the day Canadiens management made it official that Andrei Markov would be out for a indefinite, but lengthy, amount of time with a significant injury to his right knee, the same one he had been rehabbing since the Pitsburgh series last year. Yes, a devastating blow to the Habs; no doubt Markov is the Habs best blue-liner and his absence presents a major loss for the defense, as well as the offense and specifically the powerplay.

But catastrophic? Perhaps not.

The Canadiens scored another two powerplay goals last night, continuing the unit's hot streak during the past week. The Habs have jumped from dead last to 16th in the league in PP efficiency, a sign that it was only a matter of time before the special teams broke through. P.K. Subban will be expected to pick up the slack in that regard, and he started last night with an assist on Brian Gionta's goal, which came with the man advantage.

Markov will also be missed for his defensive prowess, but time and time again the two old Czechs, Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek, have come through when the team has needed them most. Sure, we rag on them a lot because they're old, slowed by age, and overpaid; but when the coaching staff leans on them, they don't break. Reliable is an understatement, especially in Hamrlik's case, and maybe it's time we show these guys a little faith from the start, instead of panicking and lobbying for the return of Marc-Andre Bergeron or the acquisition of a notable defenseman-like the oft-rumored about Kevin Bieksa. Patience is a virtue, and for now the Canadiens seem OK without Markov in the lineup. On top of that, the season is still young, and while Markov's absence is big, his 5.75 million dollars is off the books, and that money can be used should the Canadiens feel they have to fill a glaring need that might not have shown itself so far this year.

Another hot topic in Montreal today is P.K. Subban. This time, however, its not about his undeniable talent, but about his apparent cocky, all talk and no action attitude out on the ice. Flyers' captain Mike Richards said post-game that Subban can't strut into the league and expect to get away with acting like he better than everyone without first earning respect from other players. He also warned that, while he wouldn't be the one doing it, someone would eventually give Subban what is coming to him. In other words, keep your mouth shut, kid, or someone will shut it for you.

Perhaps Richards was bitter after a loss, but P.K. has been getting attention from opposing teams thus far this season. The guy seems hard-working and genuinely honest, and his effort and passion are undeniable. His skill is unquestionable, and maybe guys are just envious that P.K. has come in at 21 and been so good. Who knows...but it seems apparent the Habs young superstar has a massive target on his back; but I think he'll be able to handle it. This is the same guy who stepped into a heated playoff battle last season and handled it as coolly as a 30 year old veteran who's been around a few times, so who says he can't handle guys taking runs at him?

Subban's a big boy, he can take care of himself. Don't worry folks, P.K.'s gonna be O.K.