Witness the strange season of Canadiens centre Tomas Plekanec. Mont consider it a failure despite the fact that he finished the year only five points behind his team leading total of 57 points of the year before. The big difference is his five-on-five defensive record. Plekanec’s problem’s stemmed from an inability to find the right kind of forwards to play with him.
The Candiens have signed forward Patrick Holland to a three-year contract. Holland was acquired by the Canadiens from Calgary as part of the Michael Cammalleri/Rene Bourque trade. In 66 games with the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, Holland ranks sixth in the league and third on the Americans with 101 points (24 goals and 77 assists).
Questions and answers on an off day for the Canadiens – Is P.K. Subban a serial “slew footer”? Andrei Kostitsyn’s future in Montreal, if any. The size and length of Carey Price’s next contract? the next coach of the Canadiens. and Michael Cammalleri leaves Montreal under a undeserved cloud. Read all about it.
During his postgame news conference Canadiens coach Jacques Martin mentioned an improved Carey Price and special teams as the reason for his club’s turnaround the last twelve games. Among the other Sunday talking points, the impact of Erik Cole, Scott Gomez, 100 man-injury-days, the Hamilton Bulldogs and traffic jam on defence when Markov, Spacek, Gill and Campoli return..
Two more names were added to the Canadiens injury list last night against the Buffalo Sabres. Jaroslav Spacek appeared to re-injure his ribs and forward Andreas Engqvist suffered a lower body injury in the game’s second period. The Canadiens were already playing without Michael Cammalleri, Andrei Kostitsyn, Hal Gill and long term casualties Andrei Markov, Chris Campoli and Ryan White.
Andrei Kostitsyn became the eighth member of the Canadiens to miss at least a game with an injury this season. A nagging groin injury will keep him out of tomorrow night’s game in Nashville. Michael Cammalleri became a casualty for the second time when he suffered a thigh injury against Edmonton on Tuesday. If this keeps up the Canadiens could run their man-games-lost to 300 by the end of the season.
Left winger Michael Cammalleri has been cleared by team doctors and will play tonight against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. Cammalleri suffered a skate cut above his knee when he tangled with teammate Yannick Weber in Winnipeg eleven days ago. The Canadiens have not won since.
Michael Cammalleri is a “possible” participant in tomorrow night’s game in Pittsburgh and a “probable” for Saturday night against Toronto. At the same time defenseman Hal Gill is set to celebrate his 1,000th regular season NHL game.
The Canadiens practiced at the Bell Centre Monday morning in preparation for Tuesday night’s meeting with the Buffalo Sabres. Michael Cammalleri scrimmaged for the first time siince suffering that skate cut in Winnipeg a week ago and P.K. Subban found himself with a new defence partner.
In today’s NHL, they come and they go. In two games the Canadiens have lost three players and gained one. Michael Cammallleri and Jaroslav Spacek have joined Chris Campoli on the sidelines. Lars Eller will return to the lineup Thursday night in the home opener against Calgary.
It could have been worse. Cammalleri has a deep laceration is his right leg and will miss ten days to two weeks. Spacek has a probable rib injury which will keep him out three weeks.
