Still no word from the big bald Swede. I have to think that the longer it takes, the less chance we'll see him in the CH. So, inevitably, we have to think about Plan B. Unless Bob Gainey has some indication that Sundin will sign with him, I'm pretty sure that's what he's thinking about today too.
Assuming Andrei Kostitsyn, Ryan O'Byrne and Jaroslav Halak are re-signed before someone steals them away with an RFA offer sheet on Tuesday, the team needs to replace Mark Streit, Michael Ryder, Bryan Smolinski and Patrice Brisebois. Gainey's already made a good start by trading for Alex Tanguay to replace Ryder. Streit may yet be back in his utility role if Sundin isn't signed, so there's no rush to replace him on the PP just yet. Anyway, Tanguay may be able to take on some of that role. There are also Sergei Kostitsyn and Josh Gorges who can man the point if needed. So there's still a need for a third-line centre and a seventh D. Depending on what happens in camp, those spots could possibly be filled by existing assets in Kyle Chipchura and a young defenceman like Pavel Valentenko, if they're ready. If not, Plan B must include a cheap, veteran defenceman who can step in on the blueline when needed and not complain when he's not. Habs fans will hate this, but it may mean Breezer's back for another year. The plan would also have to include a reliable, shut-down centre who's great on the draw. I nominate Sergei Fedorov. His negotiations in Washington apparently aren't going that well, and he's great on faceoffs. He's classy, has great experience and can still motor. He and Breezer also wouldn't cost that much, which would allow Gainey to re-sign Streit and also keep some money available for the trade deadline if he needs it.
What we and Gainey need to beware of, though, is throwing money at a name just because it's there. Or buying recklessly because it's the centennial year and there's a need to make a splash. The Habs shouldn't be shopping for big-name defencemen because the current top six is reasonably reliable and the organization is flush with developing players at that position who'll need to be moving up in the next couple of seasons. A long-term, expensive D would block some of that development. They also shouldn't be shopping for wingers. There are six strong wingers on the team right now, all needing a good offensive centre to round out the lines. Koivu and Plekanec are the only players who fit that bill right now, so it's a centre or nothing as far as the forward lines are concerned, I believe.
So, that's my Plan B. If Sundin's not coming, I want Gainey to sign a cheap, reliable third-line centre and a cheap, veteran seventh D. Then I want him to keep the rest of his money. Better to have it in the bank unused until the deadline rather than spend it on a player who just doesn't fit with our current team. The team is already better on the wings with Tanguay. If it can improve at centre as well, it will have the potential to be deadly, Sundin or not.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
My little plea
Oh great hockey gods, and immortal spirits of the Rocket, Howie and Boom Boom, hear my plea! Please, in all your wisdom, ensure the eyes of your servant Bob remain open and fixed on the goal. Let them not be clouded by the fleeting glories of the Hossa.
For the great Slovak's power is immense, but costly. His goals are wonderful to behold, but his very presence will strip the assets from your roster. The years he will require of you will drain the youth from your squad as quickly as they mature. We have learned in this era of the Holy Cap that the superstar stands alone with the salary he commands, and the length of his contract will tie your hands. It is far, far better that you shall build a team with the very good, but not the great. For those that hold the sacred Cup are those who earn it together.
A year of Mats is desirable. Eight years of Hossa is an anchor. So please, ghosts of you who were great, intervene if you must. We trust Bob to be smart and not mire the team he's built in a sea of mediocrity because he can't afford a supporting cast. But if he should be dazzled by his cap space and the slick highlight reel of Hossa, distract him until Sather buys yet another UFA for his collection.
This is my prayer and my plea.
For the great Slovak's power is immense, but costly. His goals are wonderful to behold, but his very presence will strip the assets from your roster. The years he will require of you will drain the youth from your squad as quickly as they mature. We have learned in this era of the Holy Cap that the superstar stands alone with the salary he commands, and the length of his contract will tie your hands. It is far, far better that you shall build a team with the very good, but not the great. For those that hold the sacred Cup are those who earn it together.
A year of Mats is desirable. Eight years of Hossa is an anchor. So please, ghosts of you who were great, intervene if you must. We trust Bob to be smart and not mire the team he's built in a sea of mediocrity because he can't afford a supporting cast. But if he should be dazzled by his cap space and the slick highlight reel of Hossa, distract him until Sather buys yet another UFA for his collection.
This is my prayer and my plea.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Is today the day?
Ever since Friday, I've been wondering, is this the day Sundin signs with Montreal? What a coup that would be! Up until now, it's kind of been a pipe dream...you know, idle speculation about who'd be the ideal player to beef up the roster, and how sweet it would be to obtain him. So, when I heard at the draft that Gainey had exclusive rights to negotiate with the big, bald Swede, I almost couldn't believe it. How often have we hoped and wished for a real impact addition, only to be denied time after time? But this time, it looked like Gainey has put some serious aggression into his pursuit of the guy he wants. The possibility of signing Sundin overshadowed the excellent trade of the twenty-fifth pick for Alex Tanguay. And the drafting of Danny Kristo, a six-foot-eight goalie (!) and a sleeper Russian hotshot. Once the word came that Bob had the okay to court big Mats, all else ceased to matter.
Only now, it's starting to look like maybe we got a little bit too excited a little too soon. Between rumours that the Habs have offered Sundin a two-year deal for a little more than fourteen million bucks, come reports that the Rangers actually had negotiating rights with Sundin before the Habs did. And Bob McKenzie, who's usually right, says Sundin thinks things are moving too quickly and has declined to meet Gainey in person, preferring negotiations to happen by phone. McKenzie also says he'd be surprised to see Sundin in Montreal, and not all that surprised to see him back in Toronto for another ride through the Futility Funhouse.
We all know Sundin is famously indecisive. It takes him months to make decisions. But the problem is, once the market opens on July 1, if Sundin hasn't signed with the Habs, Gainey is going to spend the money elsewhere. He's not going to leave six or seven million dollars on the table when there's a Centennial year Cup to be won. Or, at least, a very strong Centennial year playoff run to make. My fear is that Sundin is actually seriously considering the Habs, but won't decide in time. It would be a shame for him to make up his mind to accept Gainey's offer an hour after Bob's signed Campbell or someone else. On the other hand, if Sundin has absolutely no intention of signing with his favourite childhood team, then Gainey will know that before the market opens, so he can move on to plan B without delay. He won't get caught waiting for Sundin, for nothing.
I still think Sundin's the best option for the Habs. He offers everything the team needs: strength, leadership, skill, size and clutch performance. But you know what's funny? When I try to picture him in a Habs' sweater, I can't do it. I close my eyes and I see Kovalev carrying the puck up the right side. He enters the zone, and makes a nice, cross-ice pass to Tanguay (whom I have absolutely no problem imagining in the bleu-blanc-rouge), who beats his check with a nice move and makes a great pass into the slot to Sundin. Only, Sundin is wearing a blue and white leaf on his chest. So, I try again. I imagine Sundin making a great shot in OT, and throwing his arms up to celebrate, big grin on his face, and hugging Higgins and Kostitsyn...but it doesn't work. He morphs into a leaf before the Habs guys get to him. I'm sure it's just because Sundin's been a leaf for so long, most of us don't even remember him in a Nords' uniform. I'm sure if he were actually a Hab, we'd get used to it as soon as he scored his first Canadiens' goal.
Or, maybe it's a sign. I'd love Mats Sundin to be a Hab. It would instantly make the team formidable. But, the practical side of me is hoping Plan B is a good one.
Only now, it's starting to look like maybe we got a little bit too excited a little too soon. Between rumours that the Habs have offered Sundin a two-year deal for a little more than fourteen million bucks, come reports that the Rangers actually had negotiating rights with Sundin before the Habs did. And Bob McKenzie, who's usually right, says Sundin thinks things are moving too quickly and has declined to meet Gainey in person, preferring negotiations to happen by phone. McKenzie also says he'd be surprised to see Sundin in Montreal, and not all that surprised to see him back in Toronto for another ride through the Futility Funhouse.
We all know Sundin is famously indecisive. It takes him months to make decisions. But the problem is, once the market opens on July 1, if Sundin hasn't signed with the Habs, Gainey is going to spend the money elsewhere. He's not going to leave six or seven million dollars on the table when there's a Centennial year Cup to be won. Or, at least, a very strong Centennial year playoff run to make. My fear is that Sundin is actually seriously considering the Habs, but won't decide in time. It would be a shame for him to make up his mind to accept Gainey's offer an hour after Bob's signed Campbell or someone else. On the other hand, if Sundin has absolutely no intention of signing with his favourite childhood team, then Gainey will know that before the market opens, so he can move on to plan B without delay. He won't get caught waiting for Sundin, for nothing.
I still think Sundin's the best option for the Habs. He offers everything the team needs: strength, leadership, skill, size and clutch performance. But you know what's funny? When I try to picture him in a Habs' sweater, I can't do it. I close my eyes and I see Kovalev carrying the puck up the right side. He enters the zone, and makes a nice, cross-ice pass to Tanguay (whom I have absolutely no problem imagining in the bleu-blanc-rouge), who beats his check with a nice move and makes a great pass into the slot to Sundin. Only, Sundin is wearing a blue and white leaf on his chest. So, I try again. I imagine Sundin making a great shot in OT, and throwing his arms up to celebrate, big grin on his face, and hugging Higgins and Kostitsyn...but it doesn't work. He morphs into a leaf before the Habs guys get to him. I'm sure it's just because Sundin's been a leaf for so long, most of us don't even remember him in a Nords' uniform. I'm sure if he were actually a Hab, we'd get used to it as soon as he scored his first Canadiens' goal.
Or, maybe it's a sign. I'd love Mats Sundin to be a Hab. It would instantly make the team formidable. But, the practical side of me is hoping Plan B is a good one.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changin'
I wonder how a GM knows when it's time to switch out of "building" mode and move into "winning" mode? Is it organic, like the changing of the seasons; a slow, steady improvement that comes to a peak at an inevitable point? Or is it like a lightning flash...in the form of catapulting from out of the playoffs to conference champs in one season?
However the realization arrives, I imagine there must be an element of fear involved after it's been reached. Building a team properly, in the way Bob Gainey has done it, takes years of hoarding draft picks and drafting well. Then there are years of carefully nurturing the players you've picked and developing them into contributors to your team's success. Shifting out of that ultra-conservative mode, by default, means using some of those carefully-husbanded assets as currency. When you've spent so much time with them, it's tough...and not a little risky...to part with them for players you don't know. But the shift is a necessary one, if only because it's nearly impossible to draft all the elements you need to become a winning team. You need veterans to mix in with your kids, and when you're drafting mid-to-late in the order all the time, it's tough to pick the truly elite talent you need to put you over the top.
Bob Gainey has decided the Habs are ready to go for it. He's talking about making sure the team has six or seven million dollars available for free agent acquisitions, and about dealing for or signing a star centre. For the first time in years, the player he might win in a trade involving his first-round pick is more important than the pick itself. Somewhere between last year's draft and this year's, there's been a major shift in the Habs' landscape. While it's still important to bring in good players through the draft, they're no longer, in themselves, the team's only future. Gainey's in a position to use them to buy what the Canadiens need to win now. It's exciting, but it's also nervewracking.
A prospect is all about potential. As long as he's developing, he's got the chance to be a valuable part of the team. It's only after he's spent three or four years in the pro ranks that he changes from being full of promise to being a career third-liner or sixth defenceman. It's like having a kid. You imagine him being a brain surgeon until he's nineteen and it becomes obvious he's going to be a garbageman. That's why it's so tough to move out of the development phase of a team's lifecycle. When you're trading potential for actual ability, the criticism and second-guessing multiplies. There are also the added risks of a player who succeeded elsewhere not performing for your team, or the chemistry with his new teammates not being there. And the money for established is greater...and the risk bigger...than the money for potential.
I think it's the dawn of a new mindset for Habs' fans. It's been a lot of fun watching the drafts and the prospects claimed from them develop into real players. We've learned to be patient with team management and look to the future. Now that the future seems to be here at last, we might have to draw on that patience again. There are going to be disappointments, and there are going to be mistakes because shuffling a deck full of known entities is tougher than building for the future. But, hopefully, there will be triumphs too. This might be the year a name like Sundin signs with the Habs. Or the year that Gainey uses the potential of a first-round pick to acquire a missing piece. Whatever happens, we can be sure of one thing, and that's that the years of waiting are done. Things are going to start happening more quickly and the moves will be bigger ones. Gainey is going to start really getting aggressive.
Maybe that'll start tonight.
However the realization arrives, I imagine there must be an element of fear involved after it's been reached. Building a team properly, in the way Bob Gainey has done it, takes years of hoarding draft picks and drafting well. Then there are years of carefully nurturing the players you've picked and developing them into contributors to your team's success. Shifting out of that ultra-conservative mode, by default, means using some of those carefully-husbanded assets as currency. When you've spent so much time with them, it's tough...and not a little risky...to part with them for players you don't know. But the shift is a necessary one, if only because it's nearly impossible to draft all the elements you need to become a winning team. You need veterans to mix in with your kids, and when you're drafting mid-to-late in the order all the time, it's tough to pick the truly elite talent you need to put you over the top.
Bob Gainey has decided the Habs are ready to go for it. He's talking about making sure the team has six or seven million dollars available for free agent acquisitions, and about dealing for or signing a star centre. For the first time in years, the player he might win in a trade involving his first-round pick is more important than the pick itself. Somewhere between last year's draft and this year's, there's been a major shift in the Habs' landscape. While it's still important to bring in good players through the draft, they're no longer, in themselves, the team's only future. Gainey's in a position to use them to buy what the Canadiens need to win now. It's exciting, but it's also nervewracking.
A prospect is all about potential. As long as he's developing, he's got the chance to be a valuable part of the team. It's only after he's spent three or four years in the pro ranks that he changes from being full of promise to being a career third-liner or sixth defenceman. It's like having a kid. You imagine him being a brain surgeon until he's nineteen and it becomes obvious he's going to be a garbageman. That's why it's so tough to move out of the development phase of a team's lifecycle. When you're trading potential for actual ability, the criticism and second-guessing multiplies. There are also the added risks of a player who succeeded elsewhere not performing for your team, or the chemistry with his new teammates not being there. And the money for established is greater...and the risk bigger...than the money for potential.
I think it's the dawn of a new mindset for Habs' fans. It's been a lot of fun watching the drafts and the prospects claimed from them develop into real players. We've learned to be patient with team management and look to the future. Now that the future seems to be here at last, we might have to draw on that patience again. There are going to be disappointments, and there are going to be mistakes because shuffling a deck full of known entities is tougher than building for the future. But, hopefully, there will be triumphs too. This might be the year a name like Sundin signs with the Habs. Or the year that Gainey uses the potential of a first-round pick to acquire a missing piece. Whatever happens, we can be sure of one thing, and that's that the years of waiting are done. Things are going to start happening more quickly and the moves will be bigger ones. Gainey is going to start really getting aggressive.
Maybe that'll start tonight.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Countdown to D-Day
Here we are, only a few days before Bob Gainey and Trevor Timmins stand at the podium in Ottawa to add (at least) five new Habs to the fold. I love draft day. I love the promise and excitement, the anticipation and the satisfaction in seeing the prospect pool strengthened. It's great to have Timmins in charge, as his draft record has been very good for the Canadiens.
So, in all my excitement about Friday, I thought it was time to write a draft preview. Then, I realized if I did, I'd be talking out of my ass. Because I can predict what needs the team hopes to fill, and I can look at players in tournament games and read scouting reports. I can even figure by draft position and skillset who might be the players most likely to be chosen by the Habs. But no one, not even Trevor Timmins (who's got a better frame of reference than just about anyone), can predict which of these 17 and 18-year-old boys will become an NHL player and who'll be a disappointment.
I came to this conclusion after reading The Hockey News draft preview. The profiles of this year's prospects were interesting, but the one thing that really caught my attention was a review of the 1998 draft and how well that turned out. That year, Rico Fata was chosen sixth overall by Calgary, Michael Rupp ninth by the Islanders, Jeff Heerema by the 'Canes at eleventh and Eric Chouinard at sixteenth by the Habs. Meanwhile, among the thirty best actual players to come out of that draft, Pavel Datsyuk, is second behind Lecavalier, and he was chosen with the 171st pick. Brad Richards is third, and was chosen 64th. Andrei Markov, the 162nd pick, has had the seventh-best career. Shawn Horcoff was picked 99th, Brian Gionta 82nd and Erik Cole 71st. Which all goes to prove not only is drafting an inexact science, but can often be so far off the mark that the players chosen as top prospects can have vanished from hockey altogether ten years later, and players taken with throwaway late-round picks develop into superstars. Even the hotshots aren't sure bets. For every Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby...sure-thing first picks...there's an Alexandre Daigle. You just can't tell what an eighteen-year-old will do when faced with pressure, money and tougher competition.
In light of that, and with the understanding that whomever the Habs pick will be a project we may or may not see develop into an NHLer, I think we can expect Timmins to go with a strong centreman with his number 25 pick. There are a few available, and with Ben Maxwell currently the only prospect in the pool who fills that role, it's a need that should be addressed this year. Among the possibilites who might be available when the Habs pick is Nicolas Deschamps, a six-foot centre from Quebec who's a slick skater and generally considered to be a good two-way player with nice hands, but who's been called inconsistent and a late bloomer. There's Joe Colborne, a huge centre who played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last year and showed nice skill, but a reluctance to go into the corners or to the crease much. And there's Zac Dalpe, who's known to be a good, fast skater who can put the puck in the net and has great energy and dedication. Those are just a few of the possibilities, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Timmins choose one of them if Gainey doesn't trade up for a better pick.
Of course, that said, if it's a strong defenceman who might be Timmins' best player available at the 25th pick, he could be chosen as well. Timmins has shown no hesitation to decide a pick by his personal rankings rather than organizational need. After all, he picked Price at number five overall when Jose Theodore was still playing well. It wouldn't exactly surprise me to see him pick a D in the first round, but I'm hoping the best player available is a talented centreman.
I think we will see Timmins call a goalie's name on Saturday in the later rounds. With the departure of Yann Danis via free agency, the number three goalie in the organization right now is ECHL star Cedrick Desjardins. The goalie cupboard is looking pretty bare, so I'd expect the Habs to try and pick up a decent prospect to fill that need. I would expect high-ranking goalies like Carey Price's former Tri-Cities backup Chet Pickard to be gone when the Habs are ready to pick a goaltender. In the Memorial Cup, I liked ninth-ranked North American goalie, Dustin Tokarski, who played really well under pressure for Spokane and has a reputation for cranking up his game when it counts. That's what you want in a pro, so I wouldn't mind seeing him become a Hab this weekend.
Others I wouldn't mind seeing in Habs colours include Justin Jokinen, a gritty and talented Minnesota high-school left-wing who's got size and a good attitude. He's another great skater with skill, and has been compared to a young Jamie Langenbrunner. I like Jonathan Toews' little brother David too. He's got some offensive ability and notable speed.
I think now that Gainey has identified the style of team he wants the Habs to be, with speed and offence, as well as defensive responsibility as priorities, we'll see Timmins prioritize those things in his picks as well. I would expect all the players he chooses to be good on their skates, to have strong character with leadership abilities and to be smart in both ends of the rink. I'll leave it to him to identify who those players might be, because even though I know the ones I like, I admit I know little compared to the scouts who've watched hundreds of games at every level last year.
Draft day is fun as well because we might get to see some trades happening. I think if Gainey moves a roster player, it'll be Mathieu Dandenault, for a fifth or sixth round pick to replace the ones the team lost in previous trades. Dandenault wasn't happy with his role last year, and I don't see it improving for him in Montreal. If Gainey can drop his 1.7 million salary for a draft pick, it might be the best thing all around. Other than that, we might see the movement of some long-term prospects who seem to be stuck in Hamilton, like Corey Locke, for low-round picks. Either way, I'm kind of expecting Gainey to add to the five choices he's got.
On Friday, whatever happens, I'm going to kick back and enjoy the show and see who Trevor Claus brings into our team. I just have to trust that the guy who knows more than us manages to land a few good ones in the crapshoot that is the NHL entry draft.
So, in all my excitement about Friday, I thought it was time to write a draft preview. Then, I realized if I did, I'd be talking out of my ass. Because I can predict what needs the team hopes to fill, and I can look at players in tournament games and read scouting reports. I can even figure by draft position and skillset who might be the players most likely to be chosen by the Habs. But no one, not even Trevor Timmins (who's got a better frame of reference than just about anyone), can predict which of these 17 and 18-year-old boys will become an NHL player and who'll be a disappointment.
I came to this conclusion after reading The Hockey News draft preview. The profiles of this year's prospects were interesting, but the one thing that really caught my attention was a review of the 1998 draft and how well that turned out. That year, Rico Fata was chosen sixth overall by Calgary, Michael Rupp ninth by the Islanders, Jeff Heerema by the 'Canes at eleventh and Eric Chouinard at sixteenth by the Habs. Meanwhile, among the thirty best actual players to come out of that draft, Pavel Datsyuk, is second behind Lecavalier, and he was chosen with the 171st pick. Brad Richards is third, and was chosen 64th. Andrei Markov, the 162nd pick, has had the seventh-best career. Shawn Horcoff was picked 99th, Brian Gionta 82nd and Erik Cole 71st. Which all goes to prove not only is drafting an inexact science, but can often be so far off the mark that the players chosen as top prospects can have vanished from hockey altogether ten years later, and players taken with throwaway late-round picks develop into superstars. Even the hotshots aren't sure bets. For every Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby...sure-thing first picks...there's an Alexandre Daigle. You just can't tell what an eighteen-year-old will do when faced with pressure, money and tougher competition.
In light of that, and with the understanding that whomever the Habs pick will be a project we may or may not see develop into an NHLer, I think we can expect Timmins to go with a strong centreman with his number 25 pick. There are a few available, and with Ben Maxwell currently the only prospect in the pool who fills that role, it's a need that should be addressed this year. Among the possibilites who might be available when the Habs pick is Nicolas Deschamps, a six-foot centre from Quebec who's a slick skater and generally considered to be a good two-way player with nice hands, but who's been called inconsistent and a late bloomer. There's Joe Colborne, a huge centre who played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last year and showed nice skill, but a reluctance to go into the corners or to the crease much. And there's Zac Dalpe, who's known to be a good, fast skater who can put the puck in the net and has great energy and dedication. Those are just a few of the possibilities, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Timmins choose one of them if Gainey doesn't trade up for a better pick.
Of course, that said, if it's a strong defenceman who might be Timmins' best player available at the 25th pick, he could be chosen as well. Timmins has shown no hesitation to decide a pick by his personal rankings rather than organizational need. After all, he picked Price at number five overall when Jose Theodore was still playing well. It wouldn't exactly surprise me to see him pick a D in the first round, but I'm hoping the best player available is a talented centreman.
I think we will see Timmins call a goalie's name on Saturday in the later rounds. With the departure of Yann Danis via free agency, the number three goalie in the organization right now is ECHL star Cedrick Desjardins. The goalie cupboard is looking pretty bare, so I'd expect the Habs to try and pick up a decent prospect to fill that need. I would expect high-ranking goalies like Carey Price's former Tri-Cities backup Chet Pickard to be gone when the Habs are ready to pick a goaltender. In the Memorial Cup, I liked ninth-ranked North American goalie, Dustin Tokarski, who played really well under pressure for Spokane and has a reputation for cranking up his game when it counts. That's what you want in a pro, so I wouldn't mind seeing him become a Hab this weekend.
Others I wouldn't mind seeing in Habs colours include Justin Jokinen, a gritty and talented Minnesota high-school left-wing who's got size and a good attitude. He's another great skater with skill, and has been compared to a young Jamie Langenbrunner. I like Jonathan Toews' little brother David too. He's got some offensive ability and notable speed.
I think now that Gainey has identified the style of team he wants the Habs to be, with speed and offence, as well as defensive responsibility as priorities, we'll see Timmins prioritize those things in his picks as well. I would expect all the players he chooses to be good on their skates, to have strong character with leadership abilities and to be smart in both ends of the rink. I'll leave it to him to identify who those players might be, because even though I know the ones I like, I admit I know little compared to the scouts who've watched hundreds of games at every level last year.
Draft day is fun as well because we might get to see some trades happening. I think if Gainey moves a roster player, it'll be Mathieu Dandenault, for a fifth or sixth round pick to replace the ones the team lost in previous trades. Dandenault wasn't happy with his role last year, and I don't see it improving for him in Montreal. If Gainey can drop his 1.7 million salary for a draft pick, it might be the best thing all around. Other than that, we might see the movement of some long-term prospects who seem to be stuck in Hamilton, like Corey Locke, for low-round picks. Either way, I'm kind of expecting Gainey to add to the five choices he's got.
On Friday, whatever happens, I'm going to kick back and enjoy the show and see who Trevor Claus brings into our team. I just have to trust that the guy who knows more than us manages to land a few good ones in the crapshoot that is the NHL entry draft.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Beach books...the hockey version
Okay, if you've read all there is to read about the Habs and you're still interested in some hockey-related lit, here are ten of my favourites:
10. Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada, by Ken Dryden and Roy MacGregor. I read this years ago, and I admit the chapter that attracted me the most was the one in which Dryden goes behind the scenes on gameday between the Habs and Oilers. But the whole book is a great look at hockey at every level and a microcosmic synopsis of why the game means so much to us.
9. Thunder and Lightning: A No BS Hockey Memoir, by Phil Esposito. This is a hugely entertaining autobiography, which claims to tell it like it was. It includes some great behind-the-scenes stuff from the 1972 Summit Series, and while I suspect at least some of what Espo writes is, in fact, BS...it's well worth the read.
8. Open Net, by George Plimpton. This one's hilarious. Plimpton went to the Bruins' camp in the seventies and writes about everything he sees, hears, smells and feels as he learns to play goal. His experiment culminates with him stepping between the pipes for five minutes during an exhibition game against the Flyers. Entertaining and enlightening.
7. Tropic of Hockey, by Dave Bidini. I loved this. Bidini travels the world looking for hockey, and boy, does he find it. Fascinating read.
6. Future Greats and Heartbreaks, by Gare Joyce. Another great behind-the-scenes read. In this one, Joyce convinces the Columbus Blue Jackets to allow him to tag along during the 2006 draft, including the combine leading up to it, and continue on through the 2007 season. It's a great look at what really happens in the world of scouting and what a team puts into selecting a kid.
5. Net Worth, by David Cruise and Allison Griffiths. This is a sobering and enlightening read about how players were the owners' pawns for so long, and how money has shaped the game into the form we see today.
4. After the Applause, by Gordie and Colleen Howe. How do players, even superstars and legends adapt to a world without hockey? The Howes give us an inside look into how it was for them, including a discussion of some of the bitterness they feel about the pension issue.
3. In the Crease: Goaltenders Look at Life in the NHL, by Dick Irvin. Goalies have always been my favourites, so I thoroughly enjoyed this chronicle of goaltenders and their craft, told by one of the game's great observers. Irvin covers a lot of ground here, from the earliest days of the game to Roy and Brodeur. He interviews many of the great goalies and discusses how the art of playing goal has evolved over the years. I read this one quickly.
2. Searching For Bobby Orr, by Steven Brunt. Orr wouldn't talk to Brunt for this bio, so the author went out and interviewed everyone who ever had anything to do with Bobby in his life, from his childhood friends and teachers to his roommates in his early years in Boston. He creates an intriguing picture of Orr as a reclusive, often kind man with a blistering temper. It fascinated me that Orr wouldn't let his own kids ever play the game that made him an icon. Great book.
1. Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems, by Randall Maggs. If you don't read poetry, don't worry about it. These are narrative poems that tell the story of a very troubled man and a brilliant goaltender who died too young. You don't feel like you're struggling to get through it at all...it's really absorbing and entertaining. My favourite poem was one which tells the story of a Hockey Night In Canada interview between Jacques Plante, who was working on the show as an analyst, and Sawchuk, fresh off the ice. The interplay between them is poignant and memorable. This is worth reading, even if you haven't read a poem since high school.
Honourable mention go to "Glenn Hall" by Tom Adrahtas, which is a great bio of one of the game's iconic goalies, and "The Red Machine" by Lawrence Martin, about the rise of Soviet hockey. Of course, there are lots more, but if you're looking for some interesting hockey reading, those are a great start.
10. Home Game: Hockey and Life in Canada, by Ken Dryden and Roy MacGregor. I read this years ago, and I admit the chapter that attracted me the most was the one in which Dryden goes behind the scenes on gameday between the Habs and Oilers. But the whole book is a great look at hockey at every level and a microcosmic synopsis of why the game means so much to us.
9. Thunder and Lightning: A No BS Hockey Memoir, by Phil Esposito. This is a hugely entertaining autobiography, which claims to tell it like it was. It includes some great behind-the-scenes stuff from the 1972 Summit Series, and while I suspect at least some of what Espo writes is, in fact, BS...it's well worth the read.
8. Open Net, by George Plimpton. This one's hilarious. Plimpton went to the Bruins' camp in the seventies and writes about everything he sees, hears, smells and feels as he learns to play goal. His experiment culminates with him stepping between the pipes for five minutes during an exhibition game against the Flyers. Entertaining and enlightening.
7. Tropic of Hockey, by Dave Bidini. I loved this. Bidini travels the world looking for hockey, and boy, does he find it. Fascinating read.
6. Future Greats and Heartbreaks, by Gare Joyce. Another great behind-the-scenes read. In this one, Joyce convinces the Columbus Blue Jackets to allow him to tag along during the 2006 draft, including the combine leading up to it, and continue on through the 2007 season. It's a great look at what really happens in the world of scouting and what a team puts into selecting a kid.
5. Net Worth, by David Cruise and Allison Griffiths. This is a sobering and enlightening read about how players were the owners' pawns for so long, and how money has shaped the game into the form we see today.
4. After the Applause, by Gordie and Colleen Howe. How do players, even superstars and legends adapt to a world without hockey? The Howes give us an inside look into how it was for them, including a discussion of some of the bitterness they feel about the pension issue.
3. In the Crease: Goaltenders Look at Life in the NHL, by Dick Irvin. Goalies have always been my favourites, so I thoroughly enjoyed this chronicle of goaltenders and their craft, told by one of the game's great observers. Irvin covers a lot of ground here, from the earliest days of the game to Roy and Brodeur. He interviews many of the great goalies and discusses how the art of playing goal has evolved over the years. I read this one quickly.
2. Searching For Bobby Orr, by Steven Brunt. Orr wouldn't talk to Brunt for this bio, so the author went out and interviewed everyone who ever had anything to do with Bobby in his life, from his childhood friends and teachers to his roommates in his early years in Boston. He creates an intriguing picture of Orr as a reclusive, often kind man with a blistering temper. It fascinated me that Orr wouldn't let his own kids ever play the game that made him an icon. Great book.
1. Night Work: The Sawchuk Poems, by Randall Maggs. If you don't read poetry, don't worry about it. These are narrative poems that tell the story of a very troubled man and a brilliant goaltender who died too young. You don't feel like you're struggling to get through it at all...it's really absorbing and entertaining. My favourite poem was one which tells the story of a Hockey Night In Canada interview between Jacques Plante, who was working on the show as an analyst, and Sawchuk, fresh off the ice. The interplay between them is poignant and memorable. This is worth reading, even if you haven't read a poem since high school.
Honourable mention go to "Glenn Hall" by Tom Adrahtas, which is a great bio of one of the game's iconic goalies, and "The Red Machine" by Lawrence Martin, about the rise of Soviet hockey. Of course, there are lots more, but if you're looking for some interesting hockey reading, those are a great start.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Beach books...the Habs version
Since we can't watch hockey right now (unless you're one of those REALLY obsessed people who keep Habs' games on video to review through the summer...and no, I'm not one, unless you count the Rangers' comeback game, but that's for posterity, not for obsessing purposes) we might as well read about it. There are tons of great hockey books out there, and it seems as though the Habs are one of the most popular subjects among them. So, if you're looking for some good Habs-lit, here are a few of my favourites that might tide you over until September.
10. Strength Down Centre: The Jean Beliveau Story, by Hugh Hood. This is a great bio of Beliveau written in 1971, just as Le Gros Bill was wrapping up his stellar career. It's a fascinating look at the great man before he became the revered, grandfatherly figure we know today. In this book, he's still a superstar in his own mind and that of the author. There's one particularly memorable chapter in which Hood goes on the ice one-on-one with Beliveau, and asks him to explain the thinking and mechanics behind his instincts. He asks Big Jean to explain how he skates, and what he's thinking about on a breakaway. This alone is worth finding this book.
9. My Life in Hockey, by Jean Beliveau. Still with Beliveau, this one is written decades after he retired, and is more reflective and analytical than the Hood book. It's also Beliveau's opportunity to pay tribute to the greats with whom he played and who were his opponents during his twenty years in the NHL. I found there was a lot of detail about the hockey games he played and not so much about the man himself. But it's a gentlemanly read and worth a look.
8. Firewagon Hockey: The Story of the Montreal Canadiens, by Andy O'Brien. This is an oldie (written in 1967) but a goodie. It's a look at the history of the team through the eyes of a veteran sports editor of the era. O'Brien had the advantage of having access to great players and the observers of earlier years who'd passed away before later chroniclers could speak with them. His account of the Habs' history is less tinged with the scent of mystery and legend than others. It's more matter-of-fact, but no less dramatic for all that. What's neat about reading it is knowing what came after, and the glories O'Brien had yet to experience.
7. Robinson For the Defence, by Larry Robinson. This is one of my favourite Habs' bios because Robinson wasn't just an all-time great, but he was one of the holdovers from the seventies dynasty years who linked my generation...kids of the '80s...to the team's great history. I saw Robinson play, so his book has special meaning for me. It's also a great read about the behind-the-scenes part of the dynasty years, and has a particularly poignant view of the '86 Cup win from one of the de facto leaders of that team. As an aside, there's also a neat book involving Robinson that was published in 1980 called "Robinson On Defence," which is a study of the right way to play defence according to Robinson. I think every Habs' defenceman should have to read it.
6. Hockey, Heroes and Me, by Red Fisher. I loved this one. Fisher started covering the Habs on the night of the Richard Riot in 1955, and he's still at it. He's seen a lot, and some of his best stories are recorded here. His "initiation" as part of the team is hilarious and his complicated relationship with Toe Blake is both funny and extremely touching. Fisher is a crotchety but engaging writer, and he knows the Habs better than anyone else.
5. The Hockey Sweater, by Roch Carrier. This needs little explanation, I'm sure. The National Film Board depiction of the story was probably part of your childhood. (It's on Youtube, by the way.) But, if by some chance you missed it, it's the story of a young Quebec boy who worshipped Maurice Richard and whose mother accidentally ordered a Leafs sweater for him after he'd outgrown his Habs one. It's a short story, but a great one, and it's actually included in a nice collection by Carrier called "The Hockey Sweater and Other Stories." Whether it's a walk down memory lane, or a first-time read, it's a great addition to the Habs' fan's library.
4. The Habs, by Dick Irvin. The veteran Habs' broadcaster had the unique view of having followed the team as a small boy when his father coached in Montreal. He not only knows the stories, he knows the people behind them. That gives him a great insight into what really happened in some of the team's more famous events. This is a particularly worthwhile read because Irvin interviewed dozens of players, coaches, managers and opponents of the team and allows them to tell the history, from about 1940 until 1980, in their own words. There are valuable bits of history in this book that you won't find elsewhere.
3. Lions in Winter, by Chris Goyens and Allan Turowetz. Another Habs' history, but this one was written shortly after the 1986 Cup win, and is particularly upbeat about the team's chances of returning to power after the drought of the early '80s. The authors' style is conversational and involving, and their research well done. This is one of the first Habs' histories I ever read, and it's definitely a good one.
2. Our Life With the Rocket: The Maurice Richard Story, by Roch Carrier. This is a beautiful book, which interweaves the story of Richard with that of Quebec youth of his era. It's told in a mix of present tense and first-person points of view, which is captivating in its immediacy, and is tinged with the author's own deep feelings about Richard, both as a person and as a symbol. This one is a magical read.
1. The Game, by Ken Dryden. This has been called the best hockey book ever written. It's been called one of the top sports books written about any sport. It's been called dry and difficult to read. What I found in it was the personal chronicle of a team better than any before or since, and of a time rife with political strife and a shifting society in which the Canadiens were one of the few constants. I found Steve Shutt and Doug Risebrough and Scotty Bowman and Bob Gainey, and I felt like I knew them when I finished. Dryden not only tells his own story here, he tells the story of his team in a way no one else either could or would. The service he does himself in recording his memories is a small fraction of the service he does us...the hockey fans who lived outside their world, or who came along years after. He lets us know them. And he shows us how there are universal truths in hockey and in sport generally. This book is funny, poignant, dramatic, instructive, personal, wistful and insightful. I've read it many times and it will always be one of my favourites, ever written, on any topic.
So, if you're looking for a good read for the summer, any of those are great choices. If you've already read them all, as some of you probably have, I'll continue the list tomorrow, with some of the best non-Habs hockey reads I've encountered. Happy reading!
10. Strength Down Centre: The Jean Beliveau Story, by Hugh Hood. This is a great bio of Beliveau written in 1971, just as Le Gros Bill was wrapping up his stellar career. It's a fascinating look at the great man before he became the revered, grandfatherly figure we know today. In this book, he's still a superstar in his own mind and that of the author. There's one particularly memorable chapter in which Hood goes on the ice one-on-one with Beliveau, and asks him to explain the thinking and mechanics behind his instincts. He asks Big Jean to explain how he skates, and what he's thinking about on a breakaway. This alone is worth finding this book.
9. My Life in Hockey, by Jean Beliveau. Still with Beliveau, this one is written decades after he retired, and is more reflective and analytical than the Hood book. It's also Beliveau's opportunity to pay tribute to the greats with whom he played and who were his opponents during his twenty years in the NHL. I found there was a lot of detail about the hockey games he played and not so much about the man himself. But it's a gentlemanly read and worth a look.
8. Firewagon Hockey: The Story of the Montreal Canadiens, by Andy O'Brien. This is an oldie (written in 1967) but a goodie. It's a look at the history of the team through the eyes of a veteran sports editor of the era. O'Brien had the advantage of having access to great players and the observers of earlier years who'd passed away before later chroniclers could speak with them. His account of the Habs' history is less tinged with the scent of mystery and legend than others. It's more matter-of-fact, but no less dramatic for all that. What's neat about reading it is knowing what came after, and the glories O'Brien had yet to experience.
7. Robinson For the Defence, by Larry Robinson. This is one of my favourite Habs' bios because Robinson wasn't just an all-time great, but he was one of the holdovers from the seventies dynasty years who linked my generation...kids of the '80s...to the team's great history. I saw Robinson play, so his book has special meaning for me. It's also a great read about the behind-the-scenes part of the dynasty years, and has a particularly poignant view of the '86 Cup win from one of the de facto leaders of that team. As an aside, there's also a neat book involving Robinson that was published in 1980 called "Robinson On Defence," which is a study of the right way to play defence according to Robinson. I think every Habs' defenceman should have to read it.
6. Hockey, Heroes and Me, by Red Fisher. I loved this one. Fisher started covering the Habs on the night of the Richard Riot in 1955, and he's still at it. He's seen a lot, and some of his best stories are recorded here. His "initiation" as part of the team is hilarious and his complicated relationship with Toe Blake is both funny and extremely touching. Fisher is a crotchety but engaging writer, and he knows the Habs better than anyone else.
5. The Hockey Sweater, by Roch Carrier. This needs little explanation, I'm sure. The National Film Board depiction of the story was probably part of your childhood. (It's on Youtube, by the way.) But, if by some chance you missed it, it's the story of a young Quebec boy who worshipped Maurice Richard and whose mother accidentally ordered a Leafs sweater for him after he'd outgrown his Habs one. It's a short story, but a great one, and it's actually included in a nice collection by Carrier called "The Hockey Sweater and Other Stories." Whether it's a walk down memory lane, or a first-time read, it's a great addition to the Habs' fan's library.
4. The Habs, by Dick Irvin. The veteran Habs' broadcaster had the unique view of having followed the team as a small boy when his father coached in Montreal. He not only knows the stories, he knows the people behind them. That gives him a great insight into what really happened in some of the team's more famous events. This is a particularly worthwhile read because Irvin interviewed dozens of players, coaches, managers and opponents of the team and allows them to tell the history, from about 1940 until 1980, in their own words. There are valuable bits of history in this book that you won't find elsewhere.
3. Lions in Winter, by Chris Goyens and Allan Turowetz. Another Habs' history, but this one was written shortly after the 1986 Cup win, and is particularly upbeat about the team's chances of returning to power after the drought of the early '80s. The authors' style is conversational and involving, and their research well done. This is one of the first Habs' histories I ever read, and it's definitely a good one.
2. Our Life With the Rocket: The Maurice Richard Story, by Roch Carrier. This is a beautiful book, which interweaves the story of Richard with that of Quebec youth of his era. It's told in a mix of present tense and first-person points of view, which is captivating in its immediacy, and is tinged with the author's own deep feelings about Richard, both as a person and as a symbol. This one is a magical read.
1. The Game, by Ken Dryden. This has been called the best hockey book ever written. It's been called one of the top sports books written about any sport. It's been called dry and difficult to read. What I found in it was the personal chronicle of a team better than any before or since, and of a time rife with political strife and a shifting society in which the Canadiens were one of the few constants. I found Steve Shutt and Doug Risebrough and Scotty Bowman and Bob Gainey, and I felt like I knew them when I finished. Dryden not only tells his own story here, he tells the story of his team in a way no one else either could or would. The service he does himself in recording his memories is a small fraction of the service he does us...the hockey fans who lived outside their world, or who came along years after. He lets us know them. And he shows us how there are universal truths in hockey and in sport generally. This book is funny, poignant, dramatic, instructive, personal, wistful and insightful. I've read it many times and it will always be one of my favourites, ever written, on any topic.
So, if you're looking for a good read for the summer, any of those are great choices. If you've already read them all, as some of you probably have, I'll continue the list tomorrow, with some of the best non-Habs hockey reads I've encountered. Happy reading!
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