Bulldogs season preview
Oct 1, 2004 22:55:15 GMT -5
Post by montreal on Oct 1, 2004 22:55:15 GMT -5
The Hamilton Bulldogs, the affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens are coming off back to back first place finishes after the team has relocated from Quebec to Hamilton just two years ago. Their first year in Hamilton, the Dogs came within one win of getting a Calder Cup, but it was not to be as they ran out of gas, and the following year saw them bow out in their second round after getting a first round bye for winning their division.
For the third year in Hamilton, it will be one filled with turnover and new faces as the Montreal Canadiens and Dallas Stars entered into an agreement which allows for Dallas to send up to six players to Hamilton on loan. This would make for the third such arrangement in as many years, as the Canadiens shared the team with the Edmonton Oilers two years ago, and they also had an agreement with last years Stanley Cup winners the Tampa Bay Lighting. In addition to the new players from the Stars organization, gone are several key veterans from last season and the players on loan from Tampa, as captain Benoit Gratton, Francois Beauchemin, Karl Dykhuis, Patrick Traverse, Rene Vydarney, both goalies J-F Damphousse and Eric Fichaud, as all have signed with other teams or will not be sent to Hamilton, as only Dykhuis remains in the organization. In addition, top prospect’s like Alex Perezhogin will not be with the team, as he is back in Russia playing for RSL champs Avangard Omsk as he serves a year long suspension, Marcel Hossa has signed with Mora of the Swedish Elite league, and Ron Hainsey is still considering his options any may or may not end up in Hamilton this year.......
www.habsworld.net/show_prospect.php?id=708
