Julien has his eye on the Bulldogs : Brunet

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

05-04-2005

Julien has his eye on the Bulldogs

Mathias Brunet
La Presse

Claude Julien isn't bored. The Canadiens coach hasn't missed the incredible string of successes which could get the Bulldogs into the AHL playoffs despite a catastrophic beginning to the season.

Julien was at the 2-1 loss to St.John's last Friday. He was on the spot in Syracuse, Saturday, to see the organization's prospects prevail 3-0, and he followed them to Hamilton, Sunday, to attend their 4-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings' farm club.

The Habs' coach even made the trip to Edmonton ten days ago, for the two matches against the Roadrunners. Julien is taking invaluable notes in preparation for the next season. "I will know the players better than ever by next training camp", he says. "We're in an awkward position with the lockout, but there are positive aspects, one of which is that I can follow the progress of many players throughout an entire season."

The Bulldogs were 12 points out of a playoff spot not so long ago. Right now they have a lead of five points on Syracuse, and are in fourth place in their division. "Some of the team's veterans were perhaps distracted by the uncertainty caused by the NHL work stoppage at the beginning of the season", suggests Julien. "That was the case for Jason Ward who, for a few weeks now, has been one of the best players on the club. There are also young players like Kostitsyn who took a little more time to adjust. The recent return to play of Mike Komisarek and Steve Bégin seemed to stabilize the team."

Julien is excited by some of the prospects, one of which is left winger Christopher Higgins, Canadiens first choice in 2002 (14th over all) and the leading goal-scorer on Bulldogs this season with 27 markers. "Chris Higgins will play a significant role within our team in the future. He is ready to make the jump. He achieved many things this season and he showed us his maturity. He is a complete player, serious, keen in practices, and he can also score goals. He is easy to coach. I also enormously appreciate the work of goalie Yann Danis. He came to us out of the college ranks where he played forty games a season and he has adjusted superbly. We asked a lot of him and there aren't many first year goalies who answer the call in this manner."

The coach of the Canadiens very much likes the progress of another first choice, Andrei Kostitsyn, even if he has picked up only four points, a single goal, in his last 18 games. "His record does not reflect the quality of his play. He has impressed me enormously since Christmas. He was finding himself in the first half of the season, but now he always makes the right play and is alert defensively. Don't forget that he's a 19 year-old playing in a men's league. When he is at his best he can be dominating."

What does Julien think of the team's leading scorer, Tomas Plekanec, and of the offensive rebirth of Ron Hainsey? "Plekanec is headed in the right direction. He is one of Hamilton's key players. We would like that he were more consistent, but it's not a big problem. He brings us depth at center. Hainsey has played his best hockey of the season in the past two weeks. He is more involved, he is shooting more. But there are things that we wish to see him improve, like his one-on-one battles in the defensive zone. We will work with him. Sometimes, one lacks patience with certain players and one shouldn't repeat this mistake."

Julien also noticed the work of some lesser known players. One of whom was a seventh round pick in 2001. " Andrew Archer is growing in the shade, but to my eyes he has progressed a lot. He isn't noticed because he seldom makes errors. The coaches no longer hesitate to send him over the boards against no matter whom. Jean-Philippe Côté is another highly reliable defender. He does not have the greatest acceleration, but he has many other assets. I am encouraged by what I see. There are several beautiful hopes for the future in Hamilton, and we haven't even mentioned Alexander Perezhogin."

- texte français original

[blaise]

I'm still waiting for Skilly to end his hibernation and comment on the showing of Higgins and Danis, two of the players I have touted from the beginning (Plekanec being the third). Skilly need not be embarrassed about not being an NHL scout. None of us is.

[NWTHabsFan]

CJ has comments about all the usual cast of characters, but it is really nice to hear some praise tossed Archer and Cote's way.

Cote had a head start as he really started to look good by the end of last season. I first saw him live at the rookie camp in Ottawa one and a half years ago when the Habs invited him out to an amateur try out (an unsigned TML draft pick...hehe). He likes to play physical and is really steady in his own end and in front of his net. His injury at the beginning of the season was a huge loss off the start as the Dogs' D really struggled for consistency early on. His return and Komo's debut were two huge steps in the right direction.

As for Archer, I also first saw him live at the same tourney and had a good first impression as I liked his decent skating and his size. He has taken a while to be able to process and react to the speed of the minor pro game, but he is getting better. Another no-frills defender, but he is getting much more reliable in his own end. When CJ says that Jarvis and Wilson have the confidence to send him on the ice in any situation, that is great praise indeed.

Note: Cote is a team leading +13 and Archer is 5th on the team with a +7.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

NWTHabsFan said:

CJ has comments about all the usual cast of characters, but it is really nice to hear some praise tossed Archer and Cote's way.

Cote had a head start as he really started to look good by the end of last season. I first saw him live at the rookie camp in Ottawa one and a half years ago when the Habs invited him out to an amateur try out (an unsigned TML draft pick...hehe). He likes to play physical and is really steady in his own end and in front of his net. His injury at the beginning of the season was a huge loss off the start as the Dogs' D really struggled for consistency early on. His return and Komo's debut were two huge steps in the right direction.

As for Archer, I also first saw him live at the same tourney and had a good first impression as I liked his decent skating and his size. He has taken a while to be able to process and react to the speed of the minor pro game, but he is getting better. Another no-frills defender, but he is getting much more reliable in his own end. When CJ says that Jarvis and Wilson have the confidence to send him on the ice in any situation, that is great praise indeed.

Note: Cote is a team leading +13 and Archer is 5th on the team with a +7.

Archer's 2003-04 season was pretty much a washout due to injury. So, despite basically falling behind a year in his development he has managed to accomplish enough to earn praise from Julien this season.

Some stuff about Archer I posted in the past:

Guelph, ON - Nov 12, 2002 - He is a physical presence on the ice and somewhat of a gentle giant off it, but there is no disputing that Andrew Archer is the leader of the Guelph Storm.

In his first year as captain Archer has played much more physical this season, finishing every check by throwing opponents into the boards with force. When you are 6'4" and 200 pounds you are expected to make life miserable for your opponents. This year he is playing with more of a mean streak than ever before.

"I like Andrew as our captain because he bleeds burgundy and black" says coach Jeff Jackson. "He started with me when I first came to Guelph and he has such a solid character that as a coach I respect his ability to deal with the players and make good decisions."

Archer wasn't exactly sure what it would be like to shoulder the responsibilities that come with having the 'C' on his shirt, but has found it to be a tremendous experience.

"I'm not a guy who talks a lot in the dressing room" admits the Montreal Canadiens draft pick, "but I will speak up if something needs to be said. My goal is to lead by example by playing consistent hockey every night and hope the others feed off that."

As captain Archer has a few different obligations. He is responsible for relaying information from the players to the coaches, taking care of some issues in the room that coaching staff shouldn't have to worry about and he also is forced to deal with the media more, especially when things aren't going well. After a particularly tough loss it is usually the captain that is expected to answer the tough questions.

"I'm also doing more public appearances which I really enjoy" says Archer. "The transition has been fairly easy because the coach began grooming me (for this role) last season."

Jackson doesn't only see the role as captain as an honour but something that can be used to lift a player to another level in his personal development.

"I use the captaincy as a development tool" says the coach. "I wanted Andrew to have this to help bring him out of his shell a bit. In my eyes it was the natural evolution for him as a player. He is a top-notch person and a top-notch defenseman in the league and now he is taking the next step to become a forceful leader."

Jackson says the other thing Archer has done to be worthy of the 'C' is prove that he truly wants to be a player. The Newmarket native will be the first to admit he isn't blessed with the most skills on the team, but no one can argue that he has paid the price in bruises and sweat to become a better player.

He has also had the luxury of learning what it means to be a leader from arguably the best captain the Storm organization has ever had in Morgan McCormick. As for the current status in the dressing room?.

"I think we're a tighter team this year than we have been for a long time" said Archer. "I wear the 'C' but we have many other leaders in the room and I feel we are on our way to a great season."

- www.guelphstorm.com/p7621751.html

*

Guelph, ON - 02/27/03 - The Guelph Storm Hockey Club and The Co-operators
announced today that on Sunday, March 2, 2003 at 2:00 PM at centre ice of the
Guelph Sports & Entertainment Centre, Co-operators agents Dan Burnham and
Darren Scott will present Guelph Storm Captain Andrew Archer with the Community
Hero award.

Co-operators presents this award annually to a Storm player who contributes his
time and energy on and off the ice. This season alone Andrew raised more than
$5,000 for cancer research, when he and 14 of his teammates shaved their heads
to help find a cure. Archer also participated in the Canadian Cancer Society's
Jail'n'Bail fundraiser. In addition to these events, Archer made regular
appearances in elementary schools to read with children and pass on the message
about the importance of education.

*

Q&A with Andrew Archer
« Thread started on: Apr 3rd, 2004, 6:20pm » <br>
HF: How do you feel your season is going so far?
AA: Well, I started off with a hernia, had hernia surgery, and was in Hamilton for the whole year, I’ve only been here for about four days now. It’s been up and down, it was tough to get in the lineup, I played probably every third game, and it’s tough to find a rhythm, battles with my confidence and stuff. It was tough. I came down here and things have been good so far, I think I’ve been playing fairly well, starting to get my confidence back and trying to work on the little things that are going to help me next year in Hamilton and hopefully in the future.

- www.hockeysfuture.com/article.php?sid=6825&mode=threaded&order=0

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Blaise said:

I'm still waiting for Skilly to end his hibernation and comment on the showing of Higgins and Danis, two of the players I have touted from the beginning (Plekanec being the third). Skilly need not be embarrassed about not being an NHL scout. None of us is.

We all miss Skilly. I hope nothing serious has happened to him.

[Gogie]

Blaise said:

I'm still waiting for Skilly to end his hibernation and comment on the showing of Higgins and Danis, two of the players I have touted from the beginning (Plekanec being the third). Skilly need not be embarrassed about not being an NHL scout. None of us is.

I'm not an NHL scout, either, but in Skilly's absence I'll try to shed a little light on the performance of Higgins and Danis (I've attended the majority of the Bulldogs' games this year).

Higgins, in my opinion, is the real deal. There have been nights when he hasn't shown up (not too many, and possibly minor injuries have played a roll when he's been "missing in action") but most of the time he dominates. He is an exceptional playmaker and a very strong skater. He can take a hit to make a play. He seems to have excellent hockey sense, as well. I have no doubt that he would be with the big club now if the lockout hadn't happened.

Yann Danis has improved significantly as the year has passed (and he was good to start with). He displayed a lot of raw talent early on, but at times he seemed to lose confidence. I think having Rollie the Goalie work with him has done wonders for both his technique and his confidence. He makes a lot of saves look routine when in reality they aren't (his positional play has improved dramatically). He plays the angles well. His one glaring weakness at this stage is his puckhandling - he'd be better off to stay in his net mosts times rather than trying to play the puck. He needs work in this area, but I'm sure it'll come.

One other player I'll comment on is AK (I have a personal bias here - he's developing into my favourite). Kostitsyn has tremondous ability. He's a strong skater and his shot is unbeliveable (although he hasn't been taking enough shots lately). He is extremely stong on his skates. His puckhandling is a wonder to behold, although at times he holds onto the puck too long. He's one of those players that the puck always seems to find. He's not afraid of the physical play - in fact he often initiates hits and has given a few thunderous checks. He is very difficult to knock off the puck. Having said all that, his production has been disappointing to date. I think it's been largely a case of learning the ropes, the language, etc. in North America. He spent the majority of the first half of the season learning to play defensively and playing on the fourth line. He's been getting more ice time lately and has been moved up to an offensive line with Begin and Ward. I'm confident his offensive production will soon bloom.

[blaise]

gogie said:

I'm not an NHL scout, either, but in Skilly's absence I'll try to shed a little light on the performance of Higgins and Danis (I've attended the majority of the Bulldogs' games this year).

Higgins, in my opinion, is the real deal. There have been nights when he hasn't shown up (not too many, and possibly minor injuries have played a roll when he's been "missing in action") but most of the time he dominates. He is an exceptional playmaker and a very strong skater. He can take a hit to make a play. He seems to have excellent hockey sense, as well. I have no doubt that he would be with the big club now if the lockout hadn't happened.

Yann Danis has improved significantly as the year has passed (and he was good to start with). He displayed a lot of raw talent early on, but at times he seemed to lose confidence. I think having Rollie the Goalie work with him has done wonders for both his technique and his confidence. He makes a lot of saves look routine when in reality they aren't (his positional play has improved dramatically). He plays the angles well. His one glaring weakness at this stage is his puckhandling - he'd be better off to stay in his net mosts times rather than trying to play the puck. He needs work in this area, but I'm sure it'll come.

One other player I'll comment on is AK (I have a personal bias here - he's developing into my favourite). Kostitsyn has tremondous ability. He's a strong skater and his shot is unbeliveable (although he hasn't been taking enough shots lately). He is extremely stong on his skates. His puckhandling is a wonder to behold, although at times he holds onto the puck too long. He's one of those players that the puck always seems to find. He's not afraid of the physical play - in fact he often initiates hits and has given a few thunderous checks. He is very difficult to knock off the puck. Having said all that, his production has been disappointing to date. I think it's been largely a case of learning the ropes, the language, etc. in North America. He spent the majority of the first half of the season learning to play defensively and playing on the fourth line. He's been getting more ice time lately and has been moved up to an offensive line with Begin and Ward. I'm confident his offensive production will soon bloom.

Skilly tends to be skeptical about all prospects, including Kostitsyn.

[PTH]

Blaise said:

Skilly tends to be skeptical about all prospects, including Kostitsyn.

I think that's the right attitude to take; I've seen too many fans willing to trade players assuming that all the kids coming up will live up to the hype. They often don't.

[blaise]

PTH said:

I think that's the right attitude to take; I've seen too many fans willing to trade players assuming that all the kids coming up will live up to the hype. They often don't.

You have to make room at some point even if there is a risk. First, you need to freshen the team from time to time before your veterans decline. Can you predict exactly when a player will become rancid? For example, the Leafs have played with a "Pat" hand far too long. Second, you risk losing your young players because there's a limit to how long they can be sheltered from the waiver draft. Third, if you hold on to all your veterans your payroll becomes excessive.

[Forum Ghost]

M. said:

Julien is excited by some of the prospects, one of which is left winger Christopher Higgins, Canadiens first choice in 2002 (14th over all) and the leading goal-scorer on Bulldogs this season with 27 markers. "Chris Higgins will play a significant role within our team in the future. He is ready to make the jump.

That's great to hear.

I wonder who's spot he might take?

*cough* Dagenais *cough*

[franko]

gogie said:

Yann Danis has improved significantly as the year has passed [snip] His one glaring weakness at this stage is his puckhandling - he'd be better off to stay in his net mosts times rather than trying to play the puck. He needs work in this area, but I'm sure it'll come.

Let's see how the GM meetings go -- maybe it'll be a moot point (we can always hope).

[Doc Holliday]

Blaise said:

You have to make room at some point even if there is a risk. First, you need to freshen the team from time to time before your veterans decline. Can you predict exactly when a player will become rancid? For example, the Leafs have played with a "Pat" hand far too long. Second, you risk losing your young players because there's a limit to how long they can be sheltered from the waiver draft. Third, if you hold on to all your veterans your payroll becomes excessive.

You need a regular influx of young talent for sure but that doesn't mean you have to chase out good contributors whenever a kid becomes the favorite prospect of the month...

Kots is getting there but we're far, far from a top line NHL scorer yet... In any case everything points towards another AHL season for him which goes against what many were predicting before they even saw him play once...

Higgins is recently salvaging an horrible season start that followed a pretty ordinary rookie year. It's great but we have wingers like Bulis, Ryder and Zednik that are far from being long in the tooth as well as prospects like Hossa and Perezhogin that will seriously knock at the door as well...

Dannis isn't among the top AHL goalies and hasn't played one NHL game... Good goalie prospect but let's not get ahead of ourselves...

Plekanec, as mentioned by Julien, gives depth at center which does not translate into we're thinking of trading our offensive leader of last year and replace him with Plekanek...

I'm thinking that if guys like Higgins and Pleks can make guys like Sundstrom, Dagenais or Dowd obsolete down the depth chart, than we'll be in business and hopefully, like others have done, they can improve and progress at the NHL level.

[blaise]

Dowd isn't signed (and probably won't be), Sundstrom might be around for just one more season, and Dagenais is on the bubble. Hossa has been an enigma (a hybrid of an enema and a stigma). ;D Let's hope his sojourn in Europe has straightened him out. Perezhogin (who would be a rookie) would be welcome. So the chances of those three forwards look pretty good. Danis wouldn't be needed immediately unless there was an injury, so he could profit from another season in the AHL.

[Forum Ghost]

Doc_Holliday said:

You need a regular influx of young talent for sure but that doesn't mean you have to chase out good contributors whenever a kid becomes the favorite prospect of the month...

I'm thinking that if guys like Higgins and Pleks can make guys like Sundstrom, Dagenais or Dowd obsolete down the depth chart, than we'll be in business and hopefully, like others have done, they can improve and progress at the NHL level.

I agree. I think most fans tend to overvalue their team's prospects, I don't think that it's just us Hab fans. It's easy to get caught up in the hype. In the last few years the Habs' prospects have been highly touted by many publications and websites (McKeens, Hockeysfuture, Hockey News, etc.) so it was easy for us fans to get wrapped up in the hype. But reality does seem to set in when these players get to the pros (AHL/NHL). We realize that these guys are only 19, 20 and 21 years old and that they are a long way from becoming consistent and regular NHL players.

*

I think the natural fit for Higgins would be to line up on the left side of our second line with Ribs and Ryder.

Pleks might be out of luck though. With Koivu, Ribs and Bonk holding down the top three center spots, Pleks might have to compete for the fourth line center spot. But at 5'10", is he what Gainey is looking for in a grinding center? Me thinks not.

Hainsey is someone who is running out of time and chances. Nice to hear that his play has picked up in the last couple of weeks. With Quintal gone, there seems to be an opening for Hainsey, but he's going to have to wrestle it away from Boullion. It will be interesting to see if he's hungry enough to take it.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Judging by Julien's and Savard's comments it seems that Higgins and Perezhogin are strong on the inside track to making the team whenever the NHL resumes play.

Although I haver't checked Huet's contract status, if it has expired it wouldn't surprise me to see Danis ride the pine with the big team as Théodore's backup. Michaud would move up a step in the line of succession. But that seems a longish shot right now.

Hainsey? Who knows? Maybe he woke up one morning a month ago in an enlightened state. Hopefully the bulb doesn't dim, because the Habs sure could use the skills that he has when they're functioning at 100% efficiency.

[montreal]

Doc_Holliday said:

You need a regular influx of young talent for sure but that doesn't mean you have to chase out good contributors whenever a kid becomes the favorite prospect of the month...

Kots is getting there but we're far, far from a top line NHL scorer yet... In any case everything points towards another AHL season for him which goes against what many were predicting before they even saw him play once...

Higgins is recently salvaging an horrible season start that followed a pretty ordinary rookie year. It's great but we have wingers like Bulis, Ryder and Zednik that are far from being long in the tooth as well as prospects like Hossa and Perezhogin that will seriously knock at the door as well...

Dannis isn't among the top AHL goalies and hasn't played one NHL game... Good goalie prospect but let's not get ahead of ourselves...

Plekanec, as mentioned by Julien, gives depth at center which does not translate into we're thinking of trading our offensive leader of last year and replace him with Plekanek...

I'm thinking that if guys like Higgins and Pleks can make guys like Sundstrom, Dagenais or Dowd obsolete down the depth chart, than we'll be in business and hopefully, like others have done, they can improve and progress at the NHL level.

Kostitsyn is getting there and could see some time in the NHL next year if there's a season. He's shown he can play hockey in any situation. He's at the point where he's seeing ice time in the final minutes of a game while holding a lead. No need to rush him, but if he continues to progress and picks up the offensive production, perhaps he'll get a look, although it doesn't matter, as we just need him to continually progress, as our future (say 5-7 years from now) will be effected by how well he progresses/develops. I like what I've seen from him and while his offensive numbers aren't great at all, I personally don't think it will be a problem, as he has shown he's clearly highly skilled but still raw, needs to hone this skills.

Higgins had a pretty ordinary rookie year? wow, if you call top 5-6 in rookie scoring pretty ordinary, considering he was one of the younger players in the AHL last year (Perezhogin was even younger) and he also played the least amount of games then any of the top scorers in front of him. Doesn't matter what we call it though, cause he's had a great year all season long. Early on goals were harder to come by, but to watch him play, he was always giving it his all, making good plays, getting his chances. The Higgins/Plekanec PK duo is great fun to watch, as they can create a lot of chances for themselves. I don't consider Higgins to be the most skilled prospect, but he makes up for it with his hard work and intelligent game as well a very solid base of skils (skating, speed, shot, positional play) As for where Higgins will play, he can play any forward position and in just about any role, so I would guess management will find a spot for him at some point next year, assuming there's a season that is.

Danis not among the top rookie goalies? Not true at all. Danis was one of three rookie goalies up for the AHL All Rookie team. Cam Ward got it though, but he does play for a better team, yet Danis has more wins, which imo counts the most. Here's there numbers this year,

Cam Ward- 46 gp 2589 mins, 24-16 6 SO's, 2.04 gaa, .935 save %
Yann Danis- 50 gp 2895 mins, 25-17 5 SO's, 2.34 gaa, .924 save %

Ward has the better numbers, but the AHL considers Danis one of the top 3 rookie goalies in the league. Overall in the league, Danis is tied with Lehtonen in gaa, and .001 % difference from Ryan Miller as he's 12th in the league in save % (cam ward is 2nd in the league) Danis is not a top 10 goalie in the league, but as far as rookies go he's right up there. He often didn't have the luxory of a lead, as many of Hamilton's game were 1 goal games, which had to put added pressure on him. But your right he hasn't played one NHL game yet, although neither has Alex Ovechkin or say Lundqvist (rangers), who is considered one of the top goalies in the Euro leagues. But I do agree we don't know what we have till we see him in the NHL.

As for Plekanec, I agree 100%, I don't understand why people think he's going to replace Ribeiro. I think it has more to do with some people disliking Ribs more then they like Pleks. I am a big fan of Plekanec's game, but you never see a guy with 2 games experience replace the teams leading scorer. Plekanec can also play all forward positions and in just about any role, so I would think management will also find a spot for him at some point. He's got a lot of natural skills, is smart, works hard and has a chippy side to his game.

I understand what your saying and I do agree, as fans tend to overvalue prospects and I'm sure I do that more then most. I do think it will be about getting guys like Sundstrom, Dags, out of the lineup, as we wont be handing over top line spots left and right. I just think your a little harsh on some of your comments. Higgins is a great prospect, not an Ovechkin type, just a prospect that every team wants and needs to win games in the future. Danis is a very good goalie in the AHL so far, time will tell the rest. Kostitsyn is highly skilled, but can he put it all together? He's just turned 20, so we got time to see what he can do.

[Habit]

I don't think your going to see a lot of these guys on the big team next year. How many rookies can one team have and still be competive day in day out?

Say Perez makes the big team, and Hainsey also. Komo is still very green, even though he has one full season. That injury he had probley took 6 months off his NHL game, and he will have to prove him self once again to the Habs brass.

So you want Higgins there too? What about Hossa? Plec's? That would be about 5 rookies at once. There is no way Gainey will have that much inexperience on the team at once. Only a expansion team or a team in the first year of rebuilding will have that many rookies.

My thoughts on who we will see? Hainsey for sure as 7th D (or 6th), along with Perez on 2nd line and Hossa seeing limited time on the 4th. Higgins later in the season for injury's, and maybe Kots for a game or two to reward him for stellar play in the AHL.

I like Plec's, but he will be trade bait for a team like Atlanta, Nashville or Anaheim who might need a skilled, fast skater on their 3rd, 4th line later in the season when it's closer to the playoffs and injury's hit them.

Well that's the way I see it. Let the shelling begin.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

According to the Habs honchos:

• Gainey said before the lockout was declared that Beauchemin and Hainsey were going to fight it out for a place on the big team
• Savard recently stated in an interview on RDS between periods of a Bulldogs game that Perezhogin was the team's number one prospect
• Julien, in the article that begins this thread, is quoted as saying, "Higgins is ready to make the jump."

Logic dictates that if Beauchemin and Hainsey were to fight for one position and Beauchemin is no longer Habs property, then Hainsey seems all but guaranteed that place on the roster.

Also, if Julien says that Higgins is NHL-ready but Savard says that Perezhogin is the club's top prospect then both, barring catastrophe, should make the team.

*

Bob Gainey doesn't hide the fact that the Canadiens will show an appreciably different face when the NHL resumes activities. And one isn't even thinking along the lines that the re-emergence would include replacement players.

Several veterans left after last season.

Joé Juneau ended his career while Andreas Dackell returned to play in Sweden.

Stéphane Quintal, who was no longer in the team's plans, signed a contract with the Los Angeles Kings.

Darren Langdon accepted an offer from the New Jersey Devils and Mathieu Garon was traded to the Kings in return for Radek Bonk and Cristobal Huet.

Two other veterans will probably not be there upon resumption of play.

One thinks of Yanic Perreault and Jim Dowd who did not receive offers from the Canadiens after the last campaign.

The Habs will not retain the services of defenseman Karl Dykhuis either - who played with the Hamilton Bulldogs last season for $1.6M and whose contract was still valid this season.

Lastly, nothing says that Alex Kovalev, also a free agent, will return to continue his career in Montréal.

- a HabsRus Rethread

*

Based on the above excerpt I count 6 forward vacancies (Juneau, Dackell, Langdon, Perreault, Dowd and Kovalev) and one opening on defense (Quintal) since the end of the 2003-04 season.

So, seeing Perezhogin, Higgins, Plekanec, Ivanans and Hainsey in the Habs lineup when play resumes is not farfetched IMO.

Let us not forget that one of Julien's strengths is working with young players, assessing their progress, bringing them along at the pace suited to them, and boosting their confidence. Under his direction Ribeiro led the team in scoring and Dagenais potted 17 goals in 50 games. Remarkably Coach also managed the ice-time of these two favorite whipping-boys so that they ended up tied for the best differential among Habs forwards (+15). Above and beyond that, Julien steered the team to its first 40+ win campaign in a decade.

In a nutbar, I don't think having 5 rookies of the calibre mentioned above on the roster, with Julien guiding them, should cause any Habs fan to have palpitations. Besides, Gainey has been emphatic that the team will operate on a tight budget and that the future will be built from within.

Inquiété, moi ? Pas du tout ! Le futur est assuré avec Gainey, Gauthier, Timmins, Savard et Julien dans la commande.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Self-referential? Moi ?

M. said:

Hainsey? Who knows? Maybe he woke up one morning a month ago in an enlightened state. Hopefully the bulb doesn't dim, because the Habs sure could use the skills that he has when they're functioning at 100% efficiency.

M. said:

Things got really deperate on the blueline in the third period of Friday's game against Edmonton. Coté was sidelined with an injury and Archer was serving a chunk of the 17 minutes he got for coming to Locke's aid. That left Jancevski, Daley, Sanford and Hainsey as the active d-men. Jarvis even had Ward play some shifts on defense. Helps to explain being outscored 3-1 and outshot 20-9 in the period, after having the game well in hand through two.

Oh yeah, Plante is out for the rest of the season.

From what I've read Komo isn't expected to be ready to play until the end of February at the earliest.

Time for Hainsey to step up.

Has Rocket Ron left Hollywood behind?

[Forum Ghost]

Habit said:

So you want Higgins there too? What about Hossa? Plec's? That would be about 5 rookies at once. There is no way Gainey will have that much inexperience on the team at once. Only a expansion team or a team in the first year of rebuilding will have that many rookies.

... or the 1986 Habs.

My thoughts on who we will see? Hainsey for sure as 7th D (or 6th), along with Perez on 2nd line and Hossa seeing limited time on the 4th. Higgins later in the season for injury's, and maybe Kots for a game or two to reward him for stellar play in the AHL.

I also think that we'll see Hainsey as the 7th D. With Beauchamin gone, it seems to be Hainsey's for the taking.

I would like to see Hossa on the 3rd line with Bulis and Bonk, but both Hossa and Bulis are LWers so, unless one of them can switch sides (which I doubt) we might have to see Hossa on the 4th line instead. Or, Hossa could challenge for the second line LW spot. It would essentially be a battle between Hossa, Higgins and Dagenais. The good thing about Higgins is that he's more versatile than Hossa so even if doesn't play on the second line, Julien could use him where ever else he is needed.

The reason I would prefer to keep Hossa off the fourth line is because Hossa is supposed to be an offensive player. IMO, I think it would be more beneficial to him to play with guys like Ribs or Bonk instead of Steve Begin.

I like Plec's, but he will be trade bait for a team like Atlanta, Nashville or Anaheim who might need a skilled, fast skater on their 3rd, 4th line later in the season when it's closer to the playoffs and injury's hit them.

Pleks seems to have a future, but I'm not too sure that it'll be with the Habs. I could see him being shipped off for help at the next trade deadline. He could be the 2006 version of Jozef Balej.