Offseason Review: Canadiens

The Canadiens centennial season could accurately be described as a train wreck. They started the season as a team that was expected to go deep into the playoffs, but ended up a soap opera involving tales of a pair of brothers hanging out with drug dealers and gangsters, subpar play by Carey Price, and a search party for Kovalev’s heart.

In response GM Gainey did a complete facelift on the team in an effort to change the make up of a team that largely underachieved last season.

More than half the team was either not resigned or traded. Guillaume Latendresse and Tomas Plekanec were brought back. Latendresse had 14 goals and 26 points in an injury shortened season (played in only 56 games). If he can keep that momentum from last year, he should establish new career highs in goals, assists and points. Plekanec dipped from a career high 29 goals and 69 points to 20 goals and 39 points. However underperforming on last year’s team was like a baseball player doing steroids… everyone was doing it.

Forward Tom Kostopolous left the team to sign with Eastern Conference finalist Carolina, but based on the other moves the Habs made his limited production can easily be replaced.

The three biggest losses suffered by the Canadiens this offseason were the departures of captain Saku Koivu, Alexei Kovalev and Lucic punching bag Mike Komisarek.

Koivu was a lifetime Canadien and excellent on ice leader. With 641 points in 792 career games, both his productin and leadership may be hard to replace. It seems as though both Koivu and Montreal management felt it was time for a change. This leaves Montreal without a captain.

Kovalev is an interesting case. When he feels like playing he is one of the most dynamic goal scoring threats in the league. Problem was he often did not feel like playing last season. Kovalev left for Ottawa to presumably teach Dany Heatley new and interesting ways to take a shift off.

Komisarek was never the type of defenseman that is going to light up the scoreboard. However, he is an excellent defensive defenseman that plays very physical (at times bordering on dirty). Unfortunately for the Habs Komisarek stayed in the division, signing with Brian Burke’s new look Leafs. Fortunately for Milan Lucic… Komisarek is still in the division, so Mr. Lucic can continue honing his boxing skills before Komisarek inevitably turtles.

The team is not expected to re-sign defensemen Francis Bouillon, Patrice Brisebois, Mathieu Dandenault and Mathieu Schneider, or forwards Robert Lang and Alex Tanguay. After scoring 70+ points for three consecutive seasons, Tanguay’s production dipped the last two years and Montreal decided to go in another direction….

….and perhaps over spent on some of the “premier” free agents. The Bleu, Blanc et rouge Signed forwards Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta and Travis Moen.

Cammalleri scored 39 goals last season but was playing on a line with Jarome Iginla. However, this was Cammalleri’s second 30+ goal season in the last three years, as well as his second 80+ point season, and the Canadiens are banking on him to continue this trend.

Gainey made several… curious moves this offseason, the first of which was signing Gionta to a 5 year 25 million dollar deal. Since his 48 goal season Gionta has seen his goal production decrease for the last three seasons in a row. Maybe a change of scenery can help him regain his scoring touch.

Gainey also sent Higgins packing in a package that brought the overpaid Scott Gomez to Montreal. Historially Gomez seems to raise his production every other season. With 70 points in 2007-2008 and 58 points in 2008-2009, perhaps Gomez is do for another 70+ point season. Playing with Cammalleri should, hopefully, give both players a boost. Gomez is still a great play maker and the Canadiens are hoping he lives up to his price tag. Cammalleri and Gionta will add speed to the lineup and Gomez should have plenty of opportunities to show his play making skills.

Realizing the average height of their new line up was 4’10”, the Canadiens signed forward Travis Moen to add size, toughness, and grit to their lineup. Playing in a division that holds the Maples Leafs and Bruins makes Moen’s skill set extra important.

The Canadiens made significant changes on defense as well with the signings of Jaroslav Spacek, “USS” Hal Gill and Paul Mara. Mara and Gill inject size into the defensive corps of the Habs, while Spacek should add more to the power play. The signings of Gill and Mara should hopefully work to alleviate some of the pressure in front of the mentally fragile Carey Price.

The Canadiens brought in goalie Curtis Sanford to compete for the back up spot with Halak (although Halak is rumored to be on the trade block). Sanford showed some promised in Vancouver, but with Roberto Luongo in front of you on the depth chart, chances are you're not going to see much playing time.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Montreal’s season largely depends on a bounce back year from Carey Price. Price failed to build off of his strong 2007-2008 season, much like the rest of the team. Price was also visibly frustrated during the playoffs after enduring taunting from the Montreal fans, who expect every goalie who wears their colors to be the next Dryden or Roy (you’re going to be waiting a long time for that Montreal). Price also seemed to have his glove hand replaced with a cement block last season, as teams constantly exposed this weakness.

Going into the season Montreal still has questions about their lack of size up front, and whether or not all the new faces can gel together to form a cohesive unit. They also have questions in goal… can Price handle the pressure that comes with playing in Montreal? Will he pull a Roy and demand a trade? Should be an interesting year up in Montreal.