10 Quick Habs Notes:
-I speculated weeks ago that the Canadiens and Price are likely separated by term of contract, with Price likely seeking a 3-year deal and the Habs looking to sign him for 2. I don't know that to be the case, but oddly I've seen the same theory pop up in several different places over the last few days. Either way, the Habs have about 4 million dollars in cap space and Price figures to grab at least 50% of it.
-How bad is the UFA crop when Canadiens fans are lamenting the Rangers possibly signing Alex Frolov for a cheap cap-hit? Not to say Frolov isn't a skilled player, but how desperate are Canadiens fans to add any kind of scoring to their team, regardless of fit, character or reputation? Here's a secret for you: Habs weren't interested. They already have an enigmatic, Eastern European issue in their top six. As for the Rangers, they lost theirs with the whole Zherdev debacle.
-Speaking of which, a lot of people are wondering what Andrei Kostitsyn's got in store for them without brother Sergei around to steal his attention. My opinion: Sergei's presence or departure should have zero impact on Andrei Kostitsyn's season. He's on the final year of a deal that paid him handsomely. He's playing for cash, whether it comes from the Canadiens, another team in the NHL or from Dinamo Minsk. And no matter how well or poorly he plays, chances are the Canadiens will let him walk at the end of the season, if he doesn't move halfway through.
-Mike Cammalleri shot 78 in his round at the PRO-AM of the PGA's Canadian Open. Mike Weir had a round of 74 on his final day. Word is Cammalleri is a scratch golfer...Is there anything this guy is really bad at? He must have been really disappointed with that 78...
-I'm interested to see what kind of trials and tribulations P.K. Subban has in store for him this season. People believe he'll be a runaway candidate for the Calder, but I'm certain there will be ups and downs. The powerplay's success rate at the beginning of the season will largely depend on his ability. His composure will be tested time and time again, and there will undoubtedly be frustration when the Canadiens tighten his leash. I'm interested to see the dynamic between P.K. and coach Martin, who has always had little to no patience for irresponsible play. The results, I believe, will turn P.K. into a more rounded player. There's zero doubt that he's going to be a star in this league and if his experience is positively influenced by the veterans on Montreal's blueline, he figures to be a superstar.
-Last chance, Matt Carle. There will be a spot available at the onset of training camp for a young defenseman to join the team in Andrei Markov's absence. One would think Yannick Weber will seriously challenge considering the Canadiens will need a shot on the powerplay if P.K. is going to quarterback it. But this is Matt Carle's chance to prove he belongs, after injuries dramatically took his chances away in previous training camps.
-A lot of people have Lars Eller pencilled into the Canadiens 3rd line, and by all accounts, his position as a centre makes that the most likely destination for his services, but what if Pouliot or Kostitsyn fail to impress at camp? I'm not saying the Canadiens should just throw Eller on the wing (a position that may not highlight the best aspects of his game) but nothing would prevent them from doing so.
-Can't help but wonder what's going through Alex Auld's mind, but is this not the best opportunity of his career? He's played significant roles in Vancouver and Florida, but he's in a situation where he's likely to see important action no matter how Carey Price fares this season. If Price were to falter and Auld were to succeed, he could be anointed as a hero in this town, because expectations in his case are pretty much rock bottom. If Price's game slips it won't just be "Oh, what were they thinking trading Halak?", it'll be "Well, Price isn't playing well. This team is doomed. They have no chance with Auld. What were they thinking trading Halak?". In fact, there's no shortage of people who already have that mentality, so like I said, if Auld plays well it'll be a nice surprise, and a real career boost.
-Josh Gorges plays out a contract that pays him 1.1 mil/season. If Gorges continues to do all the things that have made him successful in Montreal, look to the deal that Rob Scuderi inked as a UFA last summer as a solid comparison for what Gorges figures to make. Scuderi got a 4-year deal at 3.4/season. Gorges is 5 years younger than Scuderi, but when his deal expires he'll still be a restricted free agent. If Gorges were set to hit the open market next summer he'd likely be looking at more, but like I said if he continues on this path look for the Canadiens to lock him up long-term for similar money to what Scuderi is making.
-I've seen some interesting opinions on Andrei Markov recently, and there is a group of people who believe the Canadiens should let him walk after this season, or trade him at some point. I'm not sure what Markov has done to offend these people, or if they just don't believe the Canadiens can win with him, but I don't see how you let a player of his worth just walk from your franchise. True, they've never won with him. But to his credit, they never had a team he could win with. There's one legitimate argument to letting Markov go; he's suffered 3 devastating, lower-body injuries over the course of the last 2 seasons. Aside from that, he's successfully run the one of the best powerplays in the league with completely different components from year-to-year. He's been with the Canadiens his whole career, and he's never had a disappointing season. There may be opposition to the idea, but the Canadiens should commit to Markov long-term and seriously consider naming him captain of the team.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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