Montreal Canadiens 2007-08 Season
Well, here we are again. My first posts on this site were about places to go have a bite to eat and watch hockey on TV. Now, I thought I'd start a whole thread on the new edition of "les Glorieux"! It's a major attraction in this city, and a passionate topic of conversation for fans.
As training camp starts (I went to a rookie camp practice yesterday!), there are a lot of question marks for the team.
In Goal:
Will Carey Price continue his amazing rise to fame by making the team and becoming the team's no. 1 goalie?
Will Jaroslav Halak pick up from where he left off and make his own claim on that no. 1 spot?
Will former all-star and oft-injured Cristobal Huet be able to fend off the advances of the other two youngsters?
On Defense:
Will Roman Hamrlik in fact be an upgrade on Sheldon Souray, replacing some of his offence while being a better defensive defenseman?
Will Patrice Brisebois fit in as a no. 6 or 7 d-man?
Will one of the youngsters such as Ryan O'Byrne, Josh Georges, or Matthieu Carle be able to impress enough to make the lineup and help fill the void left by the departure of Craig Rivet?
Up Front:
Will the enigma of Alex Kovalev continue to haunt the team?
Will local hero Guillaume Latendresse build on his so-so rookie campaign and be more of an impact player on this year's roster?
Will Saku Koivu continue to fend-off the hostile french press or will he get frustrated and request a trade part way through the season?
Which of the youngsters will crack the lineup this year?
Behind the Bench:
Will Guy Carbonneau build on his first year of experience as a head coach and get this team to play to its potential?
All in all, there are a lot of questions, many surrounding as yet unproven players. Call it a fan's blind hope, but my gut tells me that a couple of youngsters are going to step up and challenge for the Calder trophy this year.
Keep an eye on:
Carey Price (goal) - his proverbial stock keeps rising. In practice yesterday, I watched him do drill for about 1/2 an hour before he let a puck go by. He's focused and motivated.
Jaroslav Halak (goal) - with all the attention on Price, Halak might just "sneak" into the No. 1 position. His 10 or so games experience at the end of last season, including two shutouts, and his domination in the AHL show that he's no joke between the pipes.
Ryan O'Byrne (defense) - this guy is BIG. He also has decent mobility and could have a shot at the lineup. The team could use another big d-man. (Who couldn't?)
Pavel Valentenko (defense) - a long-shot, but he has decent size, good mobility, and good hands. He will probably spend much of the season in the AHL getting used to the North American game, but he could get a call-up and learn under fellow russian Andrei Markhov.
Matt D'Agostini (winger) - a speedy pain-in-the-butt type player who could be a good fit. Maxim Lapierre fit in very well last year in this role and the team could use another character guy who has good wheels and maybe will chip in (eventually) 15 or so goals.
Kyle Chipchura (centre) - good size and a good player at the AHL level. Somehow, if there's a spot for him, this guys could be a good fit on a team lacking big centremen. The problem is, with Koivu, Plekanec, Smolinski, and Lapierre already in the lineup, there might not be space for him.
Jahnne Lahti (winger) - a "late rookie" at 25 years of age, this guy had a lot of jump in practice yesterday and could be a very good fit on the 3rd or 4th line.
I'll post updates from time to time.
GO HABS GO
Theo OUT
