A better 2010-11 for Sergei K? Nyet!

en·ig·mat·ic/ˌenigˈmatik/

Adjective: Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious. See Kostitsyn, Sergei

There hasn’t been a lot since he was traded, but this past week I did manage to come across a bit of news/chatter on Montreal Canadiens coach Jacques Martin’s favorite whipping boy of 2009-10.

Nashville Predators assistant GM Paul Fenton talked, to the Nashville Tennessean, last week on the troubled forward that he acquired in a trade for Dan Ellis and Dustin Boyd on June 29.

“He was under the microscope a little bit in the Montreal system,” Fenton said. “I think a new start at a new place like ours where it's a concept of everyone working together is something he will accept.”

“This kid is a really solid, two-way player and he always has been,” Fenton said. “He's very responsible on both sides of the puck. His two-way game is very attractive to me.”

Fenton’s roll with the Predators involves player acquisitions and overseeing the team’s pro and amateur scouting, Suffice to say Kostitsyn and Fenton are well known to each other, as the winger has been on Fenton’s radar since he has been in his mid-teens.

From a blogger point of view, “Guy Lapylon” of Faceoff.com tags Kostitsyn as a bounce-back player this season.

“I think his move to Nashville was a blessing for the Belarusian. Kostitsyn has talent and I think he will get the playing time he was looking for in Montreal.”

Now whether or not this happens may not fall just on Kostitsyn’s work ethic, or change of scenery, but rather with the scoring talent surrounding him.

The Belarusian has always been considered a playmaker, but the 2010-11 Predators roster has no players with over 60 points last season. Without any true finisher to feed pucks to, a turnaround season has to be seriously questioned for the 23-year-old winger.

He’ll likely get the playing time he feels he deserves, but with little offensive depth in Nashville that is to be expected.

Unless a move is made for a top-level shooter, don’t expect that “come back to bite the Habs in the ass” season out if him. I wouldn’t be surprised though to see a offensive spurt around the time he faces his former team on November 18, in Montreal.

Another interesting observation is that there has been little comment from Camp Kostitsyn on the trade, or his one-year $550,000 signing with the Predators.

In fact, a noted Predators blog site doesn’t even list Kostitsyn in their poll of who will lead the team in scoring in 2010-11.

Given Paul Fenton’s long relationship with him, and the fact the Predators are kicking off their season promotional campaigns, you’d think that he would be more up front and centre for the club by now.

On the other hand, Fenton also knows that Kostitsyn isn’t exactly a great orator either, so a press engagement would be rather redundant. Fans and media in Montreal had enough difficulty understanding him, so imagine the backwoods Tennesseans out of the Smokey Mountains trying to figure it out.

In Montreal, we already know which number Dustin Boyd will wear, and he’s already made a brief media appearance for the club.

Then again Kostitsyn is now playing in Nashville, where hockey isn’t exactly big talk on any day of the week. For all we know, he could be drunk and riding the mechanical bull at The Wildhorse Saloon yelling, “Look at me, I’m cowboy!” and everyone will think he’s just one of the crowd.

Habs trade a past problem for a better future

The Canadiens Andrei Kostitsyn gives traded brother Sergei a Russian-Redneck dictionary, after he was traded to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday.

Pierre Gauthier continues to set his legacy as GM of the Montreal Canadiens and we’re still not at the free agent deadline!

Late Tuesday, the Canadiens traded pending RFA Sergei Kostitsyn to the Nashville Predators for the rights to potential RFA center Dustin Boyd and UFA goaltender Dan Ellis. Future considerations are also involved and would come into play if either Nashville or Montreal sign the player(s) involved. In all likelihood that will be late-round draft picks.

This is clearly one of those deals where Kostitsyn supporters will say that he’ll play better outside of Montreal. Should Canadiens fans really care if he does? Yes we can expect calls for Gauthier’s head if Kostisyn has a career year in Music City, but you have to remember that it’s what he did in Montreal that counted.

For Canadiens fans, it should fall on what a player does in a Canadiens uniform. With Kostitsyn, it clearly wasn’t happening, in the Jacques Martin coaching system, since day one of training camp.

At one time he was highly touted as possibly being a top line playmaker, much as he had in the OHL. The pro lifestyle, especially that in Montreal, seemed to be too much of a distraction for him and quite frankly he was unwilling to grow up.

Those waiting for reaction from Kostitsyn on the trade should follow Puck Daddy’s Dmitry Chesnokov, who will be looking to talk to him tomorrow.

Clearly Gauthier has every intention of signing Ellis and likely Boyd as well. Why else would he make this deal? If he felt Ellis was out of reach, why not just get a draft pick or two instead?

In Ellis, the Canadiens get a solid backup goaltender, and one of the best available in the free agent market. If Carey Price were to falter or get injured at some point next season, Ellis would be more than capable to take the No. 1 spot.

His Twitter account has spiked in followers, since the deal was announced, which I guess shows the lack of popularity of the NHL in Nashville. He also interacts with fans as well, but chances are that his responses will be a bit more spread out now that he’s picked up the Montreal faithful.

On the deal Ellis tweeted, “Very excited about the trade! Its an honor to be part of a team with such great tradition and passion! Hope we can figure something out!”

He also has one of those unique little quirks found in a goalie, as demonstrated by his TV timeout routine.

Price point wise, he’ll probably take a slight cut from the $1.8 million he made in Nashville last season. It will obviously be less that what Jaroslav Halak would have been after, and the Canadiens get a goalie with good experience at a very reasonable price.

As for Dustin Boyd, Montreal gets what could be a younger, and more economically feasible version Dominic Moore or Glen Metropolit, who are both expected to go UFA on July 1.

Boyd was picked up by the Predators at the 2010 trade deadline from the Calgary Flames, and logged NHL seasons of 78 and 71 games the last two years. In each of the last two seasons he has potted 11 goals. By comparison, and to be fair he’s never played more than 56 games, Kostitsyn never reached double figures in goals in three seasons with Montreal.

Hockey’s Future’s most recent report on Boyd said, “His offensive skills have been touted from an early age, and have come out at various stages of his development. Dustin has very good hockey sense, and has been reliable in his own end. He has all the tools to become a solid second line contributor.”

HabsInsideOut.com cites McKeens’s Hockey’s take on him as, “A slick, industrious playmaker with good poise and vision ... agile skater, generates deceptive quickness from bent over stride, though could use a stronger top gear ... makes sharp cuts/spins with the puck and possesses a nice wide stickhandling range ... not overly tall yet can still separate bigger opponents from the puck thanks to solid balance and lower-body strength ...getting stronger on the puck and more effective in traffic will allow him to better exploit a good shot and sharp finishing touch ... has steadily improved his defensive reads and positioning ...”

Boyd is also a former Canadian WJC teammate (2006) of Canadiens forwards Benoit Pouliot and Tom Pyatt, and former Habs Kyle Chipchura and Guillaume Latendresse.

If the offers are where they likely will be for both players, the Canadiens wind up with a better cap hit on two players than they would have by keeping Halak and Kostitsyn with a bit of room left.

Once again, this will be one of those defining moves by Pierre Gauthier that media and fans will look back on at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Markov skating lightly, Sergei K off to the Worlds?

News via CKAC that defenseman Andrei Markov was skating Sunday afternoon at the Montreal Canadiens training facility in Brossard.

Markov apprently skated lightly in a track suit along with Paul Mara, who continues to recover from shoulder surgery. The session consisted primarily of light acceleration drills and a few shots on goal.

According to CKAC's Martin McGuire, Markov was "going to do anything" to get back into the playoffs.

There had been specualtion that Markov might have played on Saturday night, after making the trip to Pittsburgh. It was later clarified that the Canadiens' medical staff was also travelling. It was easier for Markov to continue treatment and be evaluated ove the weekend.

According to head coach Jacques Martin, Markov will be re-evaluated by doctors from the skate.

The club held a team metting this morning, and only a handful of skaters (Ben Maxwell. Jaroslav Spacek, Carey Price, Maxim Lapierre and Sergei Kostitsyn) took to the ice.

Spacek has reportedley been given the green-light by team doctors to resume playing, but the decision will ultimately fall on the defenseman and coach Martin.

Meanwhile defenseman Hal Gill says his leg, that was accidentally stepped on by Chris Kunitz in Game Five, suffered "just a cut." The veteran defenseman says he hopes to be ready for Game Six.

There is also a report that benched forward Sergei Kostitsyn has requested to be allowed to play for Belarus at the World Hockey Championships, currently under way in Germany.

In a tweet by Sov Sport's Genadi Boguslavski, Belarus head coach Eduard Zenkevich stated that Kostitsyn made the request several days ago.

No confirmation from the Canadiens has been made, so for now the report will have to lie along the lines of the first five letters in the initiating tweeter's last name.

Winning Streak takes pressure off Montreal Canadiens, for now.

Well the Montreal Canadiens have taken their fans out of panic mode for the time being.

After picking up two wins to start the season, the Habs went on a five-game nose dive that had some fans screaming for GM Bob Gainey’s head.

Well what a difference four games can make. The Canadiens came alive and they are on a four-game winning streak.

Yeah OK two games were against the New York Islanders, but to lose just one of those games would spell disaster. A slumping team needs a big win over a lesser team to boost morale.

Montreal also dispatched a hot Atlanta Thrashers team and overcame two 2-goal leads against the offensively charged New York Rangers on Saturday.

Many fans and media feel the team will really come together at the 15 or 20 game mark. After all, this is a new roster that didn’t really play as a complete unit in the pre-season. You have to remember the camp was split into three squads in camp and two teams during the pre-season games.  So the final roster never formed until after the last pre-season game and their team bonding trip.

The Canadiens get some real tests to end October with games against the defending Stanley Cup Champs (Pittsburgh), an up and coming western conference team (Chicago) and their greatest rival (Toronto).

Who’s Number One?: Right now it looks like Jaroslav Halak is. Halak has been between the pipes in for each of the Canadiens’ last four wins.

Coach Jacques Martin seems to be going with the hot goalie for time being but said he is taking it one game at a time, confirming the team needs two goalies to be successful this season.

Carey Price clearly was not to blame in the Canadiens early struggles, but sitting out “The Franchise” four straight raises eyebrows. Some fans question his work ethic, which his something Martin takes seriously. See: Kostitsyn, Sergei.

I think this is the first time Price has missed four straight starts without being injured….. Hmmm maybe that is where the problem truly lies. Perhaps a minor injury is keeping the Habs No. 1 pick in 2005 on the shelf?

Coach Martin will announce his starter against the Penguins on Wednesday.

Andrei, Andrei where art thou?: Not the All-Star Markov, whose shoes the other five blueliners on have filled admirably in his absence.  I’m talking about the other embattled Kostitsyn brother.

How is it that Tomas Plekanec (10 points in 11 games) has been spectacular since the departure of Alex Kovalev, yet his former line mate has floundered?

A few takes on AK46 from Eric Engels and All Habs.

Speaking of Sergei: The younger Kostitsyn missed the Hamilton Bulldogs game on Saturday against Texas. He is nursing a shoulder injury from Friday’s game against San Antonio. He is listed as day-to-day and was also reportedly fighting a flu bug. The Bulldogs (6-0-1)play Tuesday night in Houston.

Notes from Tuesday’s practice: Scott Gomez took a day off from the ice for a therapy day, as did Georges Laraque. Glen Metropolit is fighting a virus and spent the day at home.

Thanks for the chat: A big thanks to CBC.ca for inviting me as a panelist for Tuesday afternoons online chat about the Habs.

A replay of it is available here.

In Case You Missed It: Habs news and Blogger Views for Oct. 23

It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to highlight some of the daily best from my fellow bloggers, journalists, etc. so here goes.

The Fan590 (Toronto) talked to Habs forward Brian Gionta on Friday afternoon.

Free AHL streaming tonight: Thanks to On Frozen Blog for picking up on this. The AHL will offer free online steaming of all thirteen of tonight’s games, including Hamilton at San Antonio. Click here for details.

Canadiens president Pierre Boivin spoke Thursday on looking into improving the development of hockey players in Quebec.

Carey Price has updated his website, with an offer to attend a function to meet him and Alexander Ovechkin. Price will reportedly be adding a video blog to his site shortly.

A trio of pieces related to this week’s Sergei Kostitsyn saga:

• Scott Gomez speaks on the alleged confrontation between him and Sergei Kostitsyn.
• On the topic, The H Does Not Stand for Habs got the exclusive on the Wednesday meeting between Bob Gainey and Sergei.
• The Kostitsyn debacle was misinterpreted on several fronts. The Daily Hab-It has this article on Journalism in the Internet Age.

Chelios turned down Rangers AHL offer: ESPN reports that former Hab Chris Chelios turned down an offer to join the Rangers AHL affiliate Hartford Wolfpack, choosing to play in Chicago to be closer to his parents.

An interesting article on MSN on ownership in pro sports in today’s economy.

Puck Daddy reports that Sean Avery will be joining the blogging world through his website.

Kostitsyns could learn from Patrick Marleau & Co

Despite losing the captaincy, Sharks captain Patrick Marleau continues his exceptional play; something the Kostitsyns need to learn in Montreal.

Over the summer, the San Jose Sharks made a “house cleaning” in their dressing room as a way to send the message to the rest of the team.

After another unsuccessful playoff run, captain Patrick Marleau and assistant captain Joe Thornton were removed of their respective positions. Another assistant, Mike Grier, was not re-signed by the team.

It was an effort from coach Todd McLennan to shake things up, and maybe it worked.

It appears both players have accepted the transition. There was no pouting, no failing to show up for training camp, or no whining to the press.

The duo are taking their frustrations, if any, on the ice. After six games, Marleau has five goals and an assist for the Sharks (3-2-1). Thornton, who reclaimed his "A", has a goal and nine assists.

So off to the Eastern Conference we go, where les freres Kostitsyn, Andre and Sergei, are doing quite the opposite with the Montreal Canadiens.

After last season’s media crime scandal emerged in Montreal , the Belarusian brothers struggled in 2008-09 and the situation clearly disrupted both players. Sergei was demoted to the Hamilton Bulldogs and Andrei’s point production dropped slightly and his overall play was scrutinized.

Both Kostitsyns were found to have had no criminal involvement over the summer, with the Canadiens off-season shake up and coaching changes, it was expected the new look Canadiens would benefit the remaining players or at least get out a message.

For Sergei Kostitsyn ,it has so far failed. After being in coach Jacques Martin’s doghouse in training camp, he was sent back to Hamilton. Sergei refused to report and demanded a trade. He finally reported to the Bulldogs and claims a trade arrangement has been made. He was held pointless in his only AHL game as of Friday.

As for older brother, Andrei things seem to be just as bad having just registered a single goal after five games. That goal was against Vancouver and one that Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo would have 99 percent of the time.

In Saturday’s 3-2 loss Edmonton, he made a brutal cross-ice pass in his own end that led to the winning Oilers goal. Kostitsyn did not see any ice time in the third period.

Now granted the season is in it’s infancy and things can change. There’s an edge to Marleau and Thornton with their veteran experience on handling their situation. Or perhaps, they wanted to just stay quiet and be overshadowed by their teammate’s summer performance, see Heatley, Dany.

In any event, both Kostitsyn’s have potential to perform on the ice like their San Jose counterparts. Here’s hoping they can learn to find it, and fast.

Lots of Laraque: Canadiens tough guy Georges Laraque reportedly requested to change his jersey number to 27. Laraque has worn No. 27 for most of his career but settled on No. 17 last season with the presence of Alex Kovalev. In light of Kovalev’s departure the Canadiens turned him down.

Laraque also got into some trouble over an alcohol ad he did this summer.

The internet-based ad shows the Habs enforcer playing street hockey with several scantily clad women, raising complaints from women’s groups and the NHL.

Article 25.1 of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement states that no player can sponsor or endorse an alcoholic beverage.

The league did not comment on any disciplinary action, and Laraque has since apologized and regretted appearing in the ad. He also stated that any earnings he made went directly to an animal rights organization.

Belle tolls for Shawn: The Canadiens called up Shawn Belle form Hamilton on Tuesday, replacing the roster spot left with Yannick Weber’s cap-related demotion on Monday.

Belle will likely stay with the Canadiens through their home opener while Marc-Andre Bergeron continues his conditioning stint with the Bulldogs.

With Hamilton having three games in four days, it may benefit the free-agent blue liner to get another game or two in the AHL.

Down on Habs Street…and other Canadiens news

Rue de La Gauchetière, scene of this Canadiens Foundation event in 2006, may soon be named Rue des Canadiens.

It looks like by Friday, the Montreal Canadiens will finally have a street, or part of a street, named after them. It’s something that should have happened years ago.

Hockey30.com reports that Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay will announce that all or part of rue de La Gauchetière, the address of the Bell Centre, will be renamed Rue des Canadiens.

City hall officials are on record that council had looked at ways to honor the Canadiens 100th anniversary, but nothing has been formally announced.

There will be some form of announcement by the Canadiens at week’s end though.

Team VP of Communications and Community Relations, Donald Beauchamp,did talk to The Metropolitan News.

"I'm going to just have you wait a little bit on this one because we're planning something very soon,” he said.”We're planning on doing something on Friday for a number of things but I won't tell you what.”

All we know, from Mr. Beauchamp, is that it involves something to do with the Centennial Plaza.

From a couple sources over the summer, I have an idea as to what one of the announcements may pertain to. But like Mr. Beauchamp, and in confidence, I have to keep it to myself.

What else is happening:

The Hamilton Spectator’s Gary McKay checks in on the sulking Belarusian known as Sergei Kostitsyn.

The H does not stand for Habs wants critics to lay off Kyle Chipchura

Yves on Habs looks on the Canadiens after the first three games.

CJAD’s Abe Hefter weighs in and feels coach Martin is going to have to keep Gomez, Cammalleri, and Gionta together.

The Daily Hab-it looks at the positives in the Canadiens first loss of the season.

Special ticket offer for Ottawa area Habs fans:

Purchase 2 tickets to the Sens vs. Pens game on October 12 at 7:30 p.m. and you'll get the opportunity to pre-purchase 2 tickets to watch the Sens face the Canadiens this season on Tuesday December 8 or Monday December 28.

Offer expires Monday October 12. Visit www.capitaltickets.ca/promo and reference the special pre-buy code: CROSBY

Sergei Kostitsyn smartens up: Reports to the Bulldogs

Having behaved like the child on his knee for a week, Sergei Kostitsyn is apparently reporting to the Hamilton Bulldogs

RDS has reported that disgruntled Montreal Canadiens forward Sergei Kostitsyn will report to the Hamilton Bulldogs on Tuesday.

Kostitsyn had been suspended by the Canadiens, when he refused to report to the team’s AHL affiliate, after being cut by Montreal last week.

The Belarusian forward had said that he would rather be traded than report, something Habs GM Bob Gainey was not going to cater to.

There had been some rumors that Kostitsyn and agent Don Meehan had put an ultimatum on the Canadiens, threatening to leave for the KHL if the winger was not traded.

In all likelihood the KHL wants no part of this having already been in contract agreement in conflicts with the NHL over past jumps by players.

The fact that Meehan and his client had not formally talked until this past weekend adds to the unlikeliness that the KHL was an option.

Sergei Kostitsyn just digs a bigger hole for himself

Puck Daddy’s Dmitry Chesnokov spoke with suspended Montreal Canadiens forward Sergei Kostitsyn this week…

OK, read it have you? Does this sound like a spoiled brat or what?

"I was told I would be traded, and that is what I am hoping for.”

Hmmm..Last we heard from Bob Gainey, this was not being looked at until you show up in Hamilton and that right now no teams are interested.

“I was told that there was a spot on the team for me and that I should get ready for the season. This is how it was.”

Yes Sergei, there is a spot, provided you earn it!!!

“I played alright during the pre-season. I don't know why I was sent there (Hamilton).”

Alright doesn’t cut it in the NHL, and Martin has repeated that goals were set out for you, goals that you didn’t achieve.

“My agent supported me right away, because he understood that I shouldn't be playing for the [farm] club.”

Well duh! Of course he does…He gets a better percentage if you’re in the NHL!

Do the right thing Sergei, report to the Hamilton Bulldogs. There you can prove that you can play at the level expected by Jacques Martin and Bob Gainey. Prove that they were wrong by sending you down.

Then, maybe you’ll get an opportunity to return to the Canadiens, or maybe you’ll get that trade instead.

Results of my reader poll:

What will be the result of Sergei Kostitsyn’s demotion?

He returns an improved player: 43 %

He will demand a trade: 26%

He leaves for the KHL: 22%

Thanks to all who participated!

Home on the Range: Canadiens spend some bonding time together

  So long as anyone resembling the men pictured above are nowhere near the Montreal Canadiens for the next three days, they should be fine for October 1.

Well it can’t be worse than a team bowling outing, right?

The Montreal Canadiens arrived Sunday evening at Teen Ranch in Caledon, ON. After a snack, had some time together and watched some football then headed to their rooms for the night.

With players four to six to a room, the next little while will be a little more close quarters than the players are now accustomed too.

The next three days will be composed of team practices in the morning along with professional speakers and therapists as well as some on-site free time for the players to get to know each other better.

Now as long as the motivational speaker’s name is not Matt Foley and Dr. Knobb (“The Natural”) isn’t there telling them that losing is a disease and that they should imagine that they are on a ship at sea, it should be a productive outing.

HabsInsideOut has day one audio from coach Jacques Martin as well as Matt D’Agostini, Max Pacioretty, Ryan O’Byrne and Georges Laraque.

One player on the Canadiens who did not make the trip was winger Sergei Kostitsyn who got a connecting bus, after being dropped off near Highways 410 and 401, to Hamilton.

The Belarusian was in coach Jacques Martin’s doghouse earlier last week and despite improved play in his last pre-season game, it was decided to send him down to the AHL.

“We have expectations and objectives that were laid out,” Martin said Monday.

“He (Kostitsyn) needs to understand what’s expected of a professional and we feel by being assigned to Hamilton that he can show he can play at this level. I think you have to reach a point sometime where it's not words, it's action (that's needed) to deliver a message.”

Rumors are already circulating, though denied by agent Don Meehan, that Kostitsyn is already talking to the KHL.

Hmmm anyone remember Pavel Valentenko???

Canadiens and Senators set to go at it again

Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec celebrate Brian Gionta’s goal Friday night - Photo:Sun Media

The Montreal Canadiens travelled to Kanata today for the second of their back-to back pre-season meetings with the Ottawa Senators.

“It’s definitely exciting",” said former Habs winger Alex Kovalev on facing his former team.

Kovalev did not play in Montreal Friday night, but if he had is way would have preferred to play in all six Senators pre-season games.

“We have many young guys trying to make the team,” he said. “..so it’s not my decision to make.”

Kovalev has been playing with fellow newcomer Jonathan Cheechoo, who was picked up in the Dany Heatley deal.

The Senators will be looking for their first pre-season win, after having three straight losses.

Ottawa coach Cory Clouston will be looking at tonight’s game very intently as the team begins trimming it’s roster.

"There's an opportunity for guys that play well tonight or might get another look," Clouston said “There's also a chance that somebody could play themself off this team.”

“Whether you are a vet or a young guy trying to make this team, these games mean something. We are looking at how hard they compete.”

The Senators coach also talked about the team’s lack of goal production.

“We’re getting chances, we’re just not scoring,” he said.

“We’ve hit eight posts in three games. It’s hard to explain. The positive is the chances are there. We’re just not scoring.”

Clouston also expects to let Pascal LeClaire play the full 60 minutes tonight in goal.

For the Canadiens, two hopefuls, who impressed coach Jacques Martin Friday, will start again tonight.

Ben Maxwell, who scored Montreal’s first goal Friday night will look to impress his coach further.

“You really get the sense of his nice progression,” said Martin.

“This is a solid two-way player with deceptive speed that he’s shown all through training camp. He worked really hard this summer and we’re seeing the results of that now.”

Eric Neilson, who logged 37 penalty minutes will also be out to terrorize the Senators for another night.

In the event Georges Laraque goes down to injury, it’s nice to see the Canadiens have another tough guy down the pipe.

Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette had a great post-game chat with Neilson Friday, and I came across a quote from Sidney Crosby, his former teammate in Rimouski, on the Habs hopeful.

“He’s very tough. He and another guy shared the heavyweight crown in our league.

He’s not only tough but very fast. He’s not there just to fight, he can skate and he’s a good checker as well.

There are a lot of guys who are tough but have trouble playing hockey, he’s not one of those guys. He can play too.”

- Sidney Crosby 2005 interview with HFBoards

Sergei Kostitsyn has also been cleared by Canadiens’ team doctors for game play and is scheduled to play tonight

Game time is 7:00pm at Scotiabank Place.

Canadiens Lineup:

Goal: Price, Desjardins

Defence: O'Byrne, Spacek, Belle, Benoit, Anderson, Markov

Forwards: Cammalleri, D'Agostini, Lapierre, A. Kostitsyn, White, Maxwell, Johansson, Pacioretty, Stewart, S. Kostitsyn, Neilson, Gomez.

Gomez on playing in Montreal: Rocky Bonanno of NHL.com talks to the Canadiens center on looking forward to playing in Montreal.

Who will lead them?

Well the Montreal Canadiens roster officially got trimmed by one more player.

Despite a “rally of the masses” on Sunday afternoon at the Bell Centre, Habs GM Bob Gainey told CJAD radio on Monday that Alex Kovalev would not be returning.

 Fans rallied Sunday to keep Alex Kovalev in Montreal

Hours later, Kovalev took the money ($10 million over two years) and ran up the highway to Ottawa Senators.

The Northeast Division will be fun to watch this season without a doubt.

With Kovalev’s departure and the likely signing of Saku Koivu to either Buffalo, Atlanta, Anaheim or whatever square Eklund’s rumor dart hit this afternoon, this leaves the captain and all assistant captains off to greener pastures.

Mike Komisarek defected to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 and Christopher Higgins was traded to the New York Rangers on June 30.

The question now has to be asked, who will be the next captain?

Andrei Markov has been an assistant captain in the past but is unlikely as a captain.

You have to remember that Koivu was criticized for not speaking French. Markov can barely speak English so it’s safe to rule him out.

The Kostitsyn brothers??? Georges Laraque ??? Forget it!

Scott Gomez seems to be an early popular choice, despite not playing one game for the Canadiens.

Sorry Mr. Gomez, but there’s too much tradition to just walk in and take the “C”.

Ditto for Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta.

All likelihood two of these three will be alternate captains.

Young bucks Josh Gorges, Maxim Lapierre and maybe Guillaume Latendresse would be a good choices as an alternate captains in my opinion, but I feel none of this trio is at a full leadership level.

Roman Hamrlik is the long-time veteran on the team, but could be moved before the start of the season.

In any event, the Canadiens have never gone without a captain in their history.

Jean Beliveau is the Canadiens’ longest serving captain

Guy Carbonneau and Chris Chelios alternated months in the 1989-90 season when the team vote was as close as the Quebec Referendum vote.

The captaincy of the Montreal Canadiens has always been voted on by the players, so ultimately it will be up to the final roster when it is set sometime in late September.

The players may elect to go a shared route in the 2009-10 season.

Either way, that individual is the go-to man by the fans and media of a team with 100 years of history, and 16 years and counting without a Stanley Cup.

Preferably I want a long standing captain like Koivu (win or lose), and not a revolving door that we saw in the mid-90’s.

But let’s not rule out the current captain just yet, shall we?

List of Montreal Canadiens Captains

Jack Laviolette           1909-10	Emile Bouchard                    1948-56
Newsy Lalonde            1910-11	Maurice Richard                   1956-60
Jack Laviolette           1911-12	Doug Harvey                        1960-61
Newsy Lalonde            1912-13	Jean Beliveau                       1961-71
Jimmy Gardner           1913-15	Henri Richard                       1971-75
Howard McNamara      1915-16	Yvan Cournoyer                    1975-79
Newsy Lalonde            1916-22	Serge Savard                       1979-81
Sprague Cleghorn        1922-25	Bob Gainey                          1981-89
Billy Coutu                  1925-26	G. Carbonneau/C. Chelios    1989-90
Sylvio Mantha             1926-32	Guy Carbonneau                   1990-94
George Hainsworth     1932-33	Kirk Muller                           1994-95
Sylvio Mantha             1933-36	Mike Keane          Apr – Dec       1995
Albert “Babe” Seibert  1936-39	Pierre Turgeon                     1995-96
Walter Buswell            1939-40	Vincent Damphousse             1996-99
Hector “Toe” Blake     1940-48	Saku Koivu                           1999-??
Bill Durnan    Jan – Apr      1948