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Habs Pre-Season poll, what actually happened & Bouillon joining the Habs? |
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With the Montreal Canadiens season over, it’s time to review last Summer’s pre-season poll and see what actually happened...
1) Which Canadiens Rookie/Prospect will make the team out of training camp?
My Answer - C: Charles Hudon
A) Sven Andrighetto 17.85% (452 votes)
B) Daniel Carr 17.58% (445 votes)
C) Charles Hudon 23.89% (605 votes)
D) Michael McCarron 13.03% (330 votes)
E) Nikita Scherbak 25.39% (643 votes)
F) Other 2.25% (57 votes)
In reality: F) Other
Mike Condon came out of nowhere and stole the backup goaltender position from Dustin Tokarski. Few could have predicted that Condon would be the rookie to make the team. Four of the five players listed though did see time with the Canadiens this season and Daniel Carr and Sven Andrighetto finished the season with the big club. Michael McCarron came ‘this’ close to finishing the season with the Canadiens as well, only to be demoted with 3 games left. I really thought that Charles Hudon would have had a bigger cup of tea with the Canadiens this season. He impressed both times he was called up. Nikita Scherbak had a rough rookie year of professional hockey, having to deal with multiple injuries. However, he turned it up towards the end of the season and is finishing the season on a strong #1 line in St. John’s with Hudon and McCarron.
2) Will the Canadiens name a captain this season?
My answer - B: No
Vote Results:
A) Yes 59.4% (1,359 votes)
B) No 40.6% (929 votes)
In reality A) Yes
Pat yourself on the back if you got this right. It worked with the previous season so I thought that they would keep it status quo.
3) If the Canadiens do name a Captain, who will it be?
My answer - C: Max Pacioretty
Vote Results:
A) Brendan Gallagher 10.21% (242 votes)
B) Andrei Markov 1.94% (46 votes)
C) Max Pacioretty 68.41% (1,622 votes)
D) Tomas Plekanec 3.12% (74 votes)
E) P.K. Subban 14.93% (354 votes)
F) Other 1.39% (33 votes)
In Reality C) Pacioretty
Pacioretty was the overwhelming choice to be the Canadiens captain and his teammates agreed. Even Subban has said that he is the right man for the job. Subban himself is already a polarizing figure in Montreal, he doesn’t need the extra target on his back.
4) Will Alex Galchenyuk start the season playing Center?
My answer - B: No
Vote Results:
A) Yes 46.42% (1,070 votes)
B) No 52.8% (1,217 votes)
C) Other 0.78% (18 votes)
In reality A) Yes
At the Canadiens golf tournament in September it was announced that Galchenyuk would start the season as a center. This was huge news and one that was somewhat unexpected. Lars Eller shifted to left wing to make room for Galchenyuk at center and David Desharnais slid down the depth chart to the third line
5) Will Galchenyuk finish the season playing Center?
My answer - A: Yes
Vote results:
A) Yes 74.72% (1,688 votes)
B) No 24.83% (561 votes)
C) Other 0.44% (10 votes)
In reality: A) Yes
He hit a snag mid-season and Therrien took Galchenyuk off of center but Desharnais’ injury opened the door and he took the opportunity and ran with it. There is no question that he is the Canadiens number one center, not to mention the most talented. I think everyone feels that Galchenyuk playing Center gives the Canadiens their best chance at succeeding and winning.
6) How many Canadiens will score 20+ goals this season?
My answer - E: 5
Vote results:
A) 1 - 2.99% (68 votes)
B) 2 - 6.21% (141 votes)
C) 3 - 20.92% (475 votes)
D) 4 - 40.82% (927 votes)
E) 5 - 27.43% (623 votes)
F) Other 1.63% (37 votes)
In reality: B) 2
Shockingly, only 2 Canadiens reached 20 goals this season and in actual fact they both got 30, Alex Galchenyuk and Max Pacioretty. Brendan Gallagher finished the season at 19 goals and surely would have reached 20 had he not gotten injured twice. He could have had an opportunity to get his 20th with an empty net goal in the last minute of the season but it was more important for him that Pacioretty got his 30th. Thats is unselfishness, that is character.
7) How many Canadiens players will record 60+ points this season?
My answer - C: 3
Vote results:
A) 1 - 8.13% (181 votes)
B) 2 - 27% (601 votes)
C) 3 - 40.75% (907 votes)
D) 4 - 18.6% (414 votes)
E) 5 - 4.9% (109 votes)
F) Other - 0.62% (14 votes)
In reality A) 1
It was a tough year for the Canadiens and only Max Pacioretty was able to score 60+ points. Perhaps P.K. Subban would have joined him had he not missed the last 14 games of the season. Likewise with Brendan Gallagher who had 40 points in 53 games. Galchenyuk had a career high season with 30 goals and 26 assists. One wonders what his totals would have looked like had he played a full season at center...
8) Will Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin trade for a top 6 forward this season?
My answer - B: No
Poll Results:
A) Yes 54.93% (1,219 votes)
B) No 44.61% (990 votes)
C) Other 0.45% (10 votes)
In reality B) No
Bergevin did not make a splash at the trade deadline this year and there was little reason to as the Canadiens were already out of a playoff position. Will he be able to address this need in the off-season?
9) Which current Canadiens player is the most likely to be traded this season?
My answer - D: Tom Gilbert
Poll Results:
A) David Desharnais 10.16% (229 votes)
B) Alexei Emelin 38.53% (868 votes)
C) Lars Eller 10.96% (247 votes)
D) Tom Gilbert 17.89% (403 votes)
E) Tomas Plekanec 9.72% (219 votes)
F) Jarred Tinordi 12.03% (271 votes)
G) Other: 0.71% (16 votes)
In reality F) Jarred Tinordi
Had Gilbert not gotten injured before the trade deadline he almost surely would have been traded. Emelin’s no movement clause made him impossible to trade. Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann were traded a couple of days before the deadline. Tinordi was traded in that bizarro January three way deal between the Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes and Nashville Predators that saw the Canadiens get Victor Bartley and John Scott. It was revealed in the springtime that Tinordi had failed a drug test while he was with the Canadiens. A sad turn of events for the former Habs 1st round draft pick.
10) How far will the Canadiens go in the 2016 Playoffs?
My Answer - C: Win first round but lose in the second
Vote Results:
A) Playoffs? Forget it, they won't even make it 6.65% (146 votes)
B) Canadiens will lose in the 1st round 13.25% (291 votes)
C) Canadiens will win the first round but lose in the 2nd round 24.53% (539 votes)
D) Canadiens will make it to the Eastern Conference Final but will lose in the 3rd round 24.62% (541 votes)
E) Canadiens will win the Eastern Conference Final but lose in the Stanley Cup Final 11.93% (262 votes)
F) Canadiens will win their 25th Stanley Cup! 18.89% (415 votes)
G) Other 0.13% (3 votes)
In reality A) Miss the playoffs
Coming into the season, everyone presumed that the Canadiens would make the playoffs, especially after their hot 9-0 start. Everything went south though when Carey Price got injured for the second time and Brendan Gallagher broke his finger. The Canadiens could not recover from their all of their injuries and missed out on the dance.
11) How many goals will Alex Semin score as a Canadiens during the 2015-2016 season?
My Answer - C)
Vote Results:
A) Less than 10 7.4% (163 votes)
B) Between 10-15 11.8% (260 votes)
C) Between 16-20 26.55% (585 votes)
D) Between 21-25 36.5% (804 votes)
E) Between 26-30 11.17% (246 votes)
F) 30+ Goals 6.08% (134 votes)
G) Other 0.5% (11 votes)
In reality A) Less than 10
The Alex Semin experiment was a failure. Signing him was a calculated risk but unfortunately it did not work out. It looked so promising during training camp as on a line with Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk the trio looked like they could do some damage in the regular season. Unfortunately once the speed of the game picked up Semin did not have the game to keep up with his teammates. The relationship officially ended in December when the two parties mutually agreed to terminate the contract.
In other news, it has been rumoured that former Habs player Francis Bouillon will join the Canadiens in some capacity. Bouillon was a tough as nails player who managed to play 776 career NHL games. In a role such as player development, I think Bouillon could thrive helping the prospects for the reality of the NHL. I don’t see him as being ready to step into any coaching positions, especially without prior experience. I would sooner see Mike Weaver as a defensive coach as he already has his hockey schools.
Cheers & follow along!
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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