Beleskey played 171 of his 5-on-5 minutes with Ryan Getzlaf. He spent 466 5-on-5 minutes with Ryan Kesler.
- tyanderson

Fair enough.
I was going off what folks in the Anaheim threads were saying when he signed with Boston.
Did he have more of his point production with the big line?

By the way, guys. For the sake of clarity: Nowhere in this blog do I say that the Montreal Canadiens are bad or that they will not make the playoffs. I just do not think they will once again finish three points away from the Presidents' Trophy like they did last year. Their goaltender played lights out -- they had accrued almost 20 points in games in which Price had to stop 34 shots or more -- and it's fair to expect some sort of regression if that workload continues (especially as the division/conference continues to make offensive upgrades). Nothing in their system or style or offseason tells you that there's a philosophical change to make life easier for Price, either.

If this -- an opinion -- offends you, I truly have no idea what to tell you.
- tyanderson

Saying they will "plummet" is pretty much the same as saying they'll be bad, no?

Saying they will "plummet" is pretty much the same as saying they'll be bad, no?
- mlindsay

Dude...just stop.

The FIRST thing he says when talking habs....

If there’s one team I think could plummet -- and I know that’s a harsh way to put it -- this upcoming season, I’d pick the Montreal Canadiens. That’s not to suggest that the Habs are a bad team.

troll elsewhere

Before I would pick Montreal I would go with Boston.

Before I would pick Montreal I would go with Boston.
- BluemanGuruu

Agreed. The Habs didn't lose anything and added Semin in a low-risk/high-reward deal. The Bruins made some very big, very questionable changes and Big Z ain't getting any younger.

Agreed. The Habs didn't lose anything and added Semin in a low-risk/high-reward deal. The Bruins made some very big, very questionable changes and Big Z ain't getting any younger.
- Snowblind

This is about who will improve/dip the most from a year ago. The Boston Bruins did not make the playoffs last year. Saying that they plummet would be expecting them to bottom out. Zdeno Chara could be 45 years old and I still don't think having a goalie like Rask and core like Krejci/Bergeron puts you in that territory. I don't think any sane hockey fan would.

This is about who will improve/dip the most from a year ago. The Boston Bruins did not make the playoffs last year. Saying that they plummet would be expecting them to bottom out. Zdeno Chara could be 45 years old and I still don't think having a goalie like Rask and core like Krejci/Bergeron puts you in that territory. I don't think any sane hockey fan would.
- tyanderson

With all due respect, were you not saying that the Habs would be plunging from 110-points to a fringe/wild card playoff team? The last wild card team in the 16-team East had 98 points last season. Even if that is a couple of points higher than usual, I don't think the Habs are more likely to slide from 110 points to 95 points mainly just because Carey Price might come back to Earth than the Bruins are to slide from 96 points to 81 points due to the actual changes they made. Yes, they still have Krecji, Bergeron and Rask, but they shipped out Hamilton without really replacing him (as of yet, anyway) and replaced Lucic and Reilly Smith with Beleskey and Hayes, which is most certainly a downgrade.

I'm shocked... the Bruins writer thinks the Habs will tank... shocker.
Will Price play to the levels that he did last year. Maybe, maybe not. Look at his numbers from the previous season when he wasn't "out of this world". The team still managed to make a 100 points and knock the B's from the second season, with much of the same team in terms of scorers.
I also like a quote from Therien I read recently. It was along the lines of all the writers and bloggers going on about the lack of scoring from the Habs... but they scored 8 less than Chicago... CHICAGO! So... I think it's tough to say that they will plummet down the standings.
- mlindsay

YeAh but don't forget it's the playoffs that really count...

Before I would pick Montreal I would go with Boston.
- BluemanGuruu

Yet as a die hard Boston fan,.. I have no faith in their moves

You concluded that from all the games you watched him play?
- billcanuck

Yup. I watched all 42 of them.

Re: Beleskey

Just watched all of his goals last season for the second time, this time paying closer attention to them.

30 goals total (22 regular season, 8 playoff)

Regular Season
5-on-5 playing with Getz/Perry - 9 goals. 5-on-5 playing with Kesler (or on other lines) - 9 goals. Powerplay (Either with Getz or kesler) - 4 goals. 8 GW goals.

Playoffs
8 goals in 16 games, all of which came without playing with Getzlaf and Perry. 3 powerplay goals. 3 GW goals.

What a surprise opinion out of Boston.

I'm not going to waste my time explaining why because any one who knows the team will know what I mean. The Habs will score more goals this year.
It will have nothing to do with the off-season. BTW...Hawks only scored 8 more last season and that turned out ok.

What a surprise opinion out of Boston.

I'm not going to waste my time explaining why because any one who knows the team will know what I mean. The Habs will score more goals this year.
It will have nothing to do with the off-season. BTW...Hawks only scored 8 more last season and that turned out ok.
- habmanj

Like i said, the real upgrade for Habs will come from defense. Beaulieu (with 1 more year) + Petry is better than Emelin and Gilbert as 2nd pair.

Offense is about the same but upgrade will come from Galchenyuk and maybe guys like Kassian and DSP who still are developping.

and when you get older; you won't post on hockeybuzz 100+ times a day. You talk a lot about the sabres for being an islanders fan
- jackoc150

he's 53

With all due respect, were you not saying that the Habs would be plunging from 110-points to a fringe/wild card playoff team? The last wild card team in the 16-team East had 98 points last season. Even if that is a couple of points higher than usual, I don't think the Habs are more likely to slide from 110 points to 95 points mainly just because Carey Price might come back to Earth than the Bruins are to slide from 96 points to 81 points due to the actual changes they made. Yes, they still have Krecji, Bergeron and Rask, but they shipped out Hamilton without really replacing him (as of yet, anyway) and replaced Lucic and Reilly Smith with Beleskey and Hayes, which is most certainly a downgrade.
- Snowblind

Lucic, we'll see. Reilly Smith however is a nobody.

If there's a team that's going to plummet down the standings, it's the Boston Bruins. Watch it happen as the "low scoring Habs" sweep the season series.

If there's a team that's going to plummet down the standings, it's the Boston Bruins. Watch it happen as the "low scoring Habs" sweep the season series.
- Lato649

okie dokie

Dude...just stop.

The FIRST thing he says when talking habs....

troll elsewhere
- ProvBrewin

I love how disagreeing with the writer is "trolling"
I think,as others have mentioned, the Bruins are more likely to lose more points over last year's totals. Habs will likely finish behind the Lightning, but still high up in standings. So... plummet? Not likely.

I love how disagreeing with the writer is "trolling"
I think,as others have mentioned, the Bruins are more likely to lose more points over last year's totals. Habs will likely finish behind the Lightning, but still high up in standings. So... plummet? Not likely.
- mlindsay

If there's a team that's going to plummet down the standings, it's the Boston Bruins. Watch it happen as the "low scoring Habs" sweep the season series.
- Lato649

...and get bounced in the early rounds of the playoffs when Price runs out of gas again. Woo?

...and get bounced in the early rounds of the playoffs when Price runs out of gas again. Woo?
- glove_was_stuck

- dothedougie

Why does it look like the Kool Aid man wearing a corset?

Why does it look like the Kool Aid man wearing a corset?
- eichiefs9

Maybe he wants to look sexy?

Maybe he wants to look sexy?
- dothedougie

By the way...looks like the "other" site got taken down

By the way...looks like the "other" site got taken down
- eichiefs9

I saw that. There must have been too much porn.