Better or Worse? A look at Montreal
posted: Friday, September 7, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: NHL, Montreal Canadiens

As we count down the days until the opening of training camps, I've decided to play a fun game of "Better or Worse?" In the coming weeks, I'll look at each team (in alphabetical order) and give you my opinion about whether it will be better or worse in the coming season, based on what it has done in the offseason. This isn't meant to be a complete preview. I'll leave that for the fall.

Montreal Canadiens (42-34-6): Better.

The Canadiens' summer moves, and there have been several of them, seem like a wash to me. Still, I think they'll be a little better than the 90-point, non-playoff team they were last season because of their group of goaltenders.

Returning starter Cristobal Huet (.916 save percentage) was an All-Star before suffering a hamstring injury in February. He missed 21 of the club's final 23 games. Rookie Jaroslav Halak (.906) came up from the minors and outplayed veteran backup Dave Aebischer, who has since left for Phoenix via free agency. In that short stint, the 22-year-old Halak showed some promise.

At training camp, Huet and Halak will get some serious competition from 20-year-old Carey Price, who was the Habs' top pick (fifth overall) in the 2005 draft. Price wowed club management and just about everyone watching his play during the AHL playoffs. With just two AHL regular-season games under his pads, Price led the Hamilton Bulldogs to the Calder Cup crown. During the postseason, he compiled a 15-6 mark with a 2.06 goals-against average and an impressive .936 save percentage.

These three goalies give the Canadiens nice depth at the critical position.

As for their moves, GM Bob Gainey wanted to make some big ones. The club made significant pitches for free agents Daniel Briere and Ryan Smyth, but couldn't land either player.

In the end, Gainey's biggest free-agent acquisition was defenseman Roman Hamrlik. The 33-year-old Czech spent the past two seasons in Calgary. Last season, he put up 38 points and was a plus-22. The Canadiens hope he'll be a more consistent defender than Sheldon Souray, who left for Edmonton via free agency. Souray's departure certainly will leave a big hole in the club's top-rated power-play unit.

Veteran defenseman Patrice Brisebois returns to Montreal for a second stint with the club after spending the past two seasons in Denver. Brisebois and journeyman free agent Jamie Rivers figure to be depth additions for the Canadiens.

Up front, the club was able to find a taker for unproductive and unhappy winger Sergei Samsonov, sending him to Chicago for defenseman Jassen Cullimore and forward Tony Salmelainen. Then, he bought out both newcomers, letting them leave via free agency. In essence, the deal allowed the Canadiens to save some cash. It would have cost a little more to buy out Samsonov's deal as opposed to both Cullimore and Salmelainen's contracts.

The Canadiens added veteran center Bryan Smolinski and 28-year-old role player Tom Kostopoulos. The team also signed 6-foot-2, 196-pound Janne Lahti, 24, from the Finnish League. Those three players will have a chance to replace ex-Habs Radek Bonk, Mike Johnson and Alexander Perezhogin.

Gainey and Co. wanted to make a bigger splash during the summer. It didn't happen. Still, I think their goaltending depth gives them a chance to exceed expectations in the new season.