Bingo!
The've made it a priority to play Price less this year and they're sticking to it.
Maybe, just maybe when Montoya says he understands it means he understands.
He doesn't like it but he accepts why.

This is such a non story....and I'm no Therrien fan.
- hunglikeapuck

Then you scratch Price if you have no intention of playing him. I totally get not wanting to put him in without a proper warmup; especially to a starting goalie who is not used to coming in cold. I get all those things. But then you call up another goalie from St. John's it's not like it's super far away. Or were they on the road? Either way, you should plan for that.

It' definitely is a story. This is something this coach does with disturbing regularity. It's never his fault, it's always someone else's, or a "group decision".

Has Price never played a back to back? Has he never gone in part way through a game to relieve another goalie? Is he so fragile now that you worry he'll get hurt every time he plays?

Why this certainty that he would get hurt from being sent in to help his teammate on likely one of the worst nights of Montoya's career?

Montoya will likely be haunted by that game for the rest of his life. He'll probably remember this game as one of his most hated hockey experiences.

I get that you want Price to have some nights off. This doesn't mean he shouldn't be sent in when he's really needed. It's not like this happens every time Montoya plays.
- Thecakeisalie

A goalie that is coming off missing basically the entire season last year and u want him to go into an 8-0 blowout 11 games into the season that was over in the first period because Montoya feelings were hurt? THerrien is dumb but he's not completely retarded. If Montoya didn't want to be on the ice for 10 then don't let in 10. About 4 of them a pee wee goalie would have turned aside. I agree with therrien basically saying u got us in this position, suck it up and gtf out there

Uh oh. Montreal is really in trouble if people are starting to think Hartley looks like a good choice.

Isn't he more or less cut from the same cloth as Therrien?
- Hunkulese

I would prefer Kirk Muller over any french speaking coach but it will be difficult in this city...

I would prefer Kirk Muller over any french speaking coach but it will be difficult in this city...
- J-P

what has he done exactly to deserve so much love? as a headcoach I mean.
did he win a cup? coach of the year?did he bring his team in the series?
no, no, and no.
maybe a very good assistant, but he certainly hasn't prove anything as HC.

What happens if you pull Montoya after 5 goals, and put your star goalie in there, behind a team having real off night... and he lets in 5. Do you pull him, put Montoya back in? Then people are screaming at Therrien as to why he would put his star in when the team is playing so poor. Don't watch much Habs, just my 2 cents.

It's not unlike Baseball. Sometimes a starter gets hit hard and the manager needs to give the bullpen a rest.

I think you missed the point. If he was never going to get in the game no matter how bad it got then having him dressed was dumb. Have a third string goalie dressed then get them into the game. Then it wouldnt look as bad.
- Iggysbff

No I didnt miss the point. If Therrien thought for one second that the Canadiens had a shot to win that game, Price would have been swapped in. Fact is, the team did not show up. It was a disgusting effort on everyone on the ice. There was no point in putting Price in because the result was just going to be the same. There was no point in risking Price when your team is not putting a solid effort in. Not even Price could spark the team. If a friend is being devoured by a group of zombies, are you going to risk your life to put him out of his misery? Game was a lost cause. It was better to keep Price fresh and Focused on the Philly game. Hell, even as great as he is, Philly still got 4 goals on him because the team stinks, not that Philly is much better atm.

It was Price who was pissed at Therrien. He started warming up and whatnot, they left Monty in, so he placed out back to the room.

I always thought Therrien was one of the worst coaches in the league, and now we all know for sure. How he didn't get fired last season is still a mystery. Even with how much I dislike the Habs, I feel for the fans because this is a team that officially shifted to win now mode with the Weber trade this past summer, and I can't see them winning a championship with Therrien at the helm

"Everyone is upset for Montoya" was a text I got from more than one person around the team.

I really doubt you have any connections whatsoever around the Habs, but if it's true they sent you that, well I'm disappointed. If they are upset maybe they should look at themselves in the mirror because they are the ones who had their heads up their asses and let their goalie down

I always thought Therrien was one of the worst coaches in the league, and now we all know for sure. How he didn't get fired last season is still a mystery. Even with how much I dislike the Habs, I feel for the fans because this is a team that officially shifted to win now mode with the Weber trade this past summer, and I can't see them winning a championship with Therrien at the helm
- leafsfann

I always thought Therrien was one of the worst coaches in the league, and now we all know for sure. How he didn't get fired last season is still a mystery. Even with how much I dislike the Habs, I feel for the fans because this is a team that officially shifted to win now mode with the Weber trade this past summer, and I can't see them winning a championship with Therrien at the helm
- leafsfann

Agreed. Theririen is the enigma. Pac doesn't like him. Sup was too much for him to handle, and now he embarrassed his number 2, and now Condon is a senator. There's a lot to look at when your team implodes. An honest congrats to running out of the gate this fast, but this guy has an honest problem, and may members of the NHL have a strong dislike for him and it's now being exposed.

"Everyone is upset for Montoya" was a text I got from more than one person around the team.

I really doubt you have any connections whatsoever around the Habs, but if it's true they sent you that, well I'm disappointed. If they are upset maybe they should look at themselves in the mirror because they are the ones who had their heads up their asses and let their goalie down
- stinger67

#wherescondon
Has anyone read that article about this guy? He's a warrior.

this article's title shows me a complete lack of respck!

I've been following you for a long time and I agree with you a lot, but not in this instance. The Habs were dead in the water on Friday night. They came out flat and stayed that way except for the beginning of the 2nd period. Montoya was part of that - he was awful. The players in front of him hung him out to dry? Maybe so, but Al couldn't stop a beach ball.

The Habs were therefore on their way to losing for the first time in regulation in the 11 games to start the season. Why risk back to back losses knowing that you're facing a good Flyer team in less than 24 hours? Anyways, the plan was a good one as the Habs won on Saturday night and Carey Price, despite giving up four goals, was good when he had to be and was an important figure in the win. Had the Habs showed even a small spark that they could pop a few goals on Friday night, Price would have gone in - but they didn't. It's going to happen over an 82 game schedule. Even the Habs' dynasty teams had the odd stinker. That said, I don't recall a game (although there must have been a few in those years) when the goalie was so bad.

Remember this: When Al won some games at the beginning of the year, the Habs were playing well as a team - better than they are playing now. Price has bailed them out lately, Montoya hasn't. It's that simple. If Montoya has another stinker, look east for Charlie Lindgren, who looks like a keeper. I'm not big on sentiment. Neither were Sam Pollack, Toe Blake or Scotty Bowman. Are you suggesting that the Habs should have travelled to Columbus with another back up if they knew that under any circumstances Price would not play? That's absurd. Again, if they showed any spark, Price would have been in there. but they didn't so MT made the right call.

Maybe the team was just flat or maybe they have trouble against the muscle teams. Again, I think it's more that, in this instance, Al sucked it back.

I want to get down to the root of this.

Why do you have such disdain for Therrien? He seems to be the one guy in hockey you just can't stomach at all.

this article's title shows me a complete lack of respck!
- AlfieisKing

LOL

I want to get down to the root of this.

Why do you have such disdain for Therrien? He seems to be the one guy in hockey you just can't stomach at all.
- golfingsince

#nvr4gtcondon

Overblown reaction. If he left Price in, the guy thsts going to be starting almost every game thats different.

Ek, you have a serious hatred for Therrien. It's been well documented over the years and this hatred has completely biased your opinion on EVERY decision he makes. For someone who claims to respect the game too much to report negativity, you're sure creating a lot of your own negativity for no reason.

That said, I'm not a Therrien fan at all. But in this instance he 100% made the right decision. If he had pulled him in the first when the game was recoverable, then Price would be playing basically 2 full games in 2 days. By the time it was reasonable to put him in playing-time-wise, the outcome of the game was a foregone conclusion. At that point there is ZERO reason to put price in... the damage was done.

I want to get down to the root of this.

Why do you have such disdain for Therrien? He seems to be the one guy in hockey you just can't stomach at all.
- golfingsince

Very few people like Therrien, but Ek's hatred is off the charts. I don't get it either.

Opinions are like bumholes....everybody has one

Then there are those who have opinions coming from their bumholes and don't bother to spellcheck those opinions either, making their opinion worth as much as where it came from.

Then you scratch Price if you have no intention of playing him. I totally get not wanting to put him in without a proper warmup; especially to a starting goalie who is not used to coming in cold. I get all those things. But then you call up another goalie from St. John's it's not like it's super far away. Or were they on the road? Either way, you should plan for that.

It' definitely is a story. This is something this coach does with disturbing regularity. It's never his fault, it's always someone else's, or a "group decision".
- Wetbandit1

Holy crap, you're about the fourth guy that comes in here with this ridiculous statement. Call up an AHL goalie for the game and put Price in the press box?

Holy crap, you're about the fourth guy that comes in here with this ridiculous statement. Call up an AHL goalie for the game and put Price in the press box?
- elcabong

With what Roster space? You are allowed 23 players on your roster which is filled. Who are you going to send down and risk losing so that you can have an AHL goalie backup just in case your team decides not to show up. Do you not see how ridiculous that sounds? Al Montoya is a big boy, this is a big boy league. If you cant handle a poopy game, you dont deserve to be in this league. Like I mentioned before. If the Effort was there by the team and Price could spark something, he would have been out in. None of that was going to happen so there was no point in the swap.

Therrien is a racists disrespectful Ahole! The Montréal media is protecting this jerk and I do not understand why. He refers to PK as a "N...." and no media wants to reports this. He leads his team to the greatest collapse in Canadiens history and he is not held accountable. Anyone can coach this team when Price is lights out. It is hard to respect Bergevin when he keeps this guy behind the bench.