You can argue that the Canadiens will bring eleven defensemen into training camp capable of landing an NHL job. The core group remains but Frederic St. Denis, who was signed to a two-way contract on Thursday, joins a group of five or six with a chance to join the team to start the season.
Even those who don’t concern themselves with the Canadiens Hamilton farm team, might want to pay special attention this coming season as the organization brings in eight rookie pros from either the junior or college ranks, four of them defensemen with size and outstanding potential.
It is often said the Canadiens farm system has dried up, that the majority of the team’s future talent is only now emerging from junior hockey and still years away. If so, how was it that through their injury plagued season the Habs were able to bring eight players into their lineup who held rookie status?
While the Canadiens need to address depth issues in their goaltending, the future of the Canadiens defense is promising. Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges are the anchors of a defense that broke in two rookies last year – Alexei Emelin and Raphael Diaz last season. P.K. Subban and Yannick Weber were in their second seasons, Behind that, a very deep farm system.
Scott Gomez is ready to play, David Desharnais has suffered a ‘lower body’ injury, Lars Eller will be back to full practice next week while Andrei Markov continues to skate alone. Part of Jacques Martin’s post-practice injury update Thursday.
With only two players under contract, and as many as nine possiblities, Canadiens GM Pierre Gauthier is going to have an interesting off-season configuring his defence for next season. Jaroslav Spacek and P.K. Subban are set for the coming season. Josh Gorges is a restricted free agent. Markov, Wisniewski, Hamrlik, Gill, Mara and Sopel are all unrestricted. Gauthier is going to have to decide who to let go and with whom to negotiate.
Defenseman Brendon Nash scored at 2:27 of the overtime period to give the Hamilton Bulldogs a 3-2 win over the Marlies in Toronto Sunday afternoon. The win gave Hamilton a weekend home and home split against the Marlies. Olivier Fortier and Aaron Palushaj also scored for Hamilton. Nigel Dawes assisted on both of those goals
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The Canadiens have returned defenseman Brendon Nash to the Hamilton Bulldogs. With Hal Gill and probably James Wisniewski returning to the lineup along with the newly acquired Paul Mara, Nash became the eighth defenseman on the depth chart. Nash played two games during his callup including his NHL debut against Buffalo last week. He was
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The Canadiens kiddie corps added another member today. Defenseman Brendon Nash was called up from Hamilton today, bringing the youth brigade to six, four of whom started the season with the Bulldogs. He joins rookies Lars Eller, P.K. Subban, David Desharnais, and Yannick Weber plus Max Pacioretty, who played 86 games with the Canadiens in two earlier stints before being promoted from Hamilton in mid-December.
The Hamilton Bulldogs defeated the Adirondack Phantoms 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night. Trailing 3-1 with five minutes remaining in regulation time Hamilton got goals 1:27 apart from Kyle Klubertanz and Hunter Bishop to tie the game and send it to overtime and eventually the shootout. In the shootout Aaron Palushaj and Dustin Boyd
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