Canadian Sports Fan Blog

Since all eyes will be on Nail Yakupov and who the Edmonton Oilers select in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft Friday June 22nd in Pittsburgh the Columbus Blue Jackets are right behind the Oilers in needed to rebuild their organization. The advantage Edmonton has over Columbus is having the first round picks in three consecutive drafts. With the Blue Jackets coming off of one of the worst seasons they have ever had, the second pick in this years draft is something they need. The Blue Jackets need people in basically every position, a number one goaltender, first line center, more scoring from their second line, and puck moving defensemen. Center Alex Galchenyuk is perfect for the Blue Jackets. He is nearly identical to Ryan Johansen in that they both have similar skill sets. Having Galchenyuk allows the organization to start their rebuild in a positive way. They will probably look for another first round selection, especially considering the heavy defensive depth in the Top 50 picks this year. But look for the teammate of Yakupov to be a Blue Jacket after this years draft.

The Montreal Canadians have the third pick in the draft this year after having one of the worst years in the last decade ending the season with 78 points. The last time they ended the year with similar numbers was in the 2002-2003 season (77 points). The left winger from Sweden Filip Forsberg will go third overall this year. The Canadians, who desperately need a star on offense, need to look no further than Forsberg. Although he does not have the numbers like other players that will be available people have to remember he is only 17 years old. Given time to develop and get bigger and stronger and adapt to playing in the NHL he will be a great NHL player. This years Swedish star, Forsberg has shown his abilities on the World Juniors Championships stage and in his brief stint with Leksands in the Swedish 2nd Division. Once he builds some muscle and hones his

Alex Ovechkin didn’t have a shot on goal. Not a single one. The NHL’s best scoring machine got upstaged by a player who, in the spirit of the week’s bit of trash-talking, did his best impersonation of Jaromir Jagr.

On a night in which the two-time reigning MVP was neutralized, Tomas Plekanec was the perfect spoil sport for the Montreal Canadiens, scoring 13:19 into overtime as the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed beat the top-seeded Washington Capitals 3-2.

It was Plekanec who traded gibes this week with Washington goalie Jose Theodore.

Plekanec basically said that Theodore was no Martin Brodeur or Ryan Miller, and Theodore shot back that Plekanec wasn’t exactly Jagr. Just to add to the fun, Plekanec’s jersey number on the greaseboard in the Canadiens’ locker room was listed as Jagr’s 68 — instead of Plekanec’s 14.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Montreal Canadiens Jerseys
and other Canadiens Apparel

Montreal Canadiens Womens NHL Team Jersey

Montreal Canadiens RBK Edge Premier NHL White Jersey

Montreal Canadiens RBK Edge Premier NHL Team Color Jersey

Canadiens head coach Jacques Martin said there has never been any doubt about forward Sergei Kostitsyn’s skill level.

There was no question about his work ethic Wednesday night as he assisted on three goals, including the overtime winner in the Canadiens’ 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals.

Kostitsyn controlled the puck along the boards and then found Tomas Plekanec in front to set up the deciding goal with 7.5 seconds remaining in overtime.

“It wasn’t too hard to put it in,” Plekanec said.

“I think the other night against Vancouver he played a strong game. We all know he’s a great player and when his work ethic is there, we’re going to win a lot of games.”

The word character was tossed around a lot and Martin said he wasn’t going to dwell on the fact the Canadiens lost a 5-2 lead in the third period.

Click here to read the full article – By Pat Hickey of Montreal Gazette

Montreal Canadiens Mens Apparel
and other Canadiens Apparel

Montreal Canadiens RBK Edge Premier NHL White Jersey

Montreal Canadiens RBK Edge Premier NHL Team Color Jersey

Montreal Canadiens NHL Lift Long Sleeve Performance Crew

Here’s an example of what kind of season the Canadiens have been experiencing: Matt D’Agostini was recalled from a conditioning assignment in Hamilton but, when he reported to the Canadiens on Monday, he was in no condition to practise.

D’Agostini, who was recalled ahead of schedule because of the knee injury to Michael Cammalleri, is expected to play Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks (7:30 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800), but general manager Bob Gainey has the Bulldogs on speed dial in case another player is needed.

The only update on Cammalleri’s condition was a confirmation that he suffered an injury to his right knee when he was checked by Ottawa defenceman Anton Volchenkov Saturday. He has undergone an MRI examination and met with a doctor on Monday.

TSN reported that he has damage to the medial collateral ligament and will be out for six to eight weeks. The most optimistic outlook has him on the sidelines until after the Olympic break. Coach Jacques Martin was hard-pressed to remember a season in his long coaching experience when a team missed so many key players. Cammalleri joins an injured list which includes forward Andrei Kostitsyn and defencemen Paul Mara and Jaroslav Spacek.

“We had a stretch in November when we were missing Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta and Andrei Markov and we did okay because we played well defensively and we played as a team,” said Martin, referring to a 4-1-1 stretch in mid-November.

Click here to read the full article – By of Montreal Gazette

Montreal Canadiens Sports Memorabilia
and other Montreal Canadiens Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for popular Montreal Canadiens players.

To the pantheon of great Montreal Canadiens please welcome … Tom D’Agostini, Jay Leach and Tom Pyatt?

Hey, you work with what you have, and the Habs are trying to stay afloat near .500 with a patchwork roster that has leaned on a number of callups for injured starters.

That will put them at something of a disadvantage again tonight when they play the near-healthy Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre.

Names such as Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Andrei Markov and Andre Kostitsyn have been shelved in recent days.

“We’ve taken a beating lately,” said ex-Leaf defenceman Hal Gill, who himself is trying to make it back from a hairline foot fracture by tonight.

Click here to read the full article – By Montreal Gazette

Bauer Montreal Canadiens Mini Hockey Helmet

Franklin Montreal Canadiens Mini Goalie Mask

Franklin Montreal Canadiens Goaltender Full Size Mask

The notion among most hockey people is this: Stop a guy named Alexander Ovechkin, and you’ll stop the Washington Capitals.

So here’s a bulletin for you: the Canadiens didn’t stop Ovechkin last night. Not by a longshot in this 4-3 shootout win by the Capitals. However, Carey Price did with a couple of splendid stops in the second period – after Ovechkin scored in the first period. And he stopped him again in the shootout when the Capitals sent the game into overtime with only 11.4 seconds remaining in regulation,

Ovechkin’s industry last night (eight shots on the net, eight of his shots blocked and two missed the net) normally would have been enough for the Capitals to leave the Bell winners in regulation.

Washington, after all, had scored the game’s first two goals on their second and third shots, but the game-saver (well, almost) on this night was when Ovechkin swept in alone on Price in the second minute of the second period – and was stopped. What I’m really saying is that a Canadiens team which didn’t play well in the first period and down three goals before the second period was two minutes old, likely would not have been able to come back even against a Capitals bunch which could have used a stimulus package last night.

Click here to read the full article – By Montreal Gazette

Montreal Canadiens Sports Memorabilia
and other Montreal Canadiens Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for popular Montreal Canadiens players.

The hits just kept on coming for the Maple Leafs last night at the Air Canada Centre. Unfortunately, so did the penalties.

The much trumpeted feistiness attached to an off-season bulk up came with a price in a 4-3 overtime loss to their arch-rival Montreal Canadiens.

The Habs scored a pair of power-play goals, including Glen Metropolit’s clever tip-in with 4:10 left in regulation. That allowed Josh Gorges to stun the opening-night crowd of 19,617 just 13 seconds before the game would have gone to a shootout.

While the pummelling and the standing up for each other was admirable, the costly Leafs penalties were the loudest thud on this much-anticipated curtain-raiser to the season.

Click here to read the full article – By Rob Longley of Toronto Sun

Toronto Maple Leafs Mens Apparel
and other Maple Leafs Apparel

Toronto Maple Leafs RBK Edge Premier NHL Team Color Jersey

Toronto Maple Leafs RBK Edge Premier NHL White Jersey

Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov will be sidelined for four months after undergoing surgery Thursday night in Toronto to repair a lacerated tendon in his left ankle suffered during the team’s National Hockey League season opener in Toronto.

Markov was cut on the ankle by Carey Price’s skate as the goaltender scrambled to get back into position seconds before the Maple Leafs scored their third goal of the game in the third period of Thursday night’s 4-3 overtime victory. Markov was released from hospital this morning and is on his way back to Montreal.

Click here to read the full article – By Pat Hickey of Montreal Gazette

Montreal Canadiens Mens Apparel
and other Canadiens Apparel

Montreal Canadiens RBK Edge Premier NHL Team Color Jersey

Montreal Canadiens RBK Edge Premier NHL White Jersey

Canadiens face the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.

Both teams have elected to delay the selection of a captain for the coming season. The Canadiens have spent the past three days northwest of Toronto getting to know each other better, but head coach Jacques Martin said he doesn’t know the players well enough to entrust one of them with a “C”.

“The feeling was, being new to the organization – myself, our coaches, a lot of the players are new to the organization, I felt it was wise to give us some time to evaluate the people we have on hand,” Martin said. “We feel we have several individuals who bring leadership, and we’re very comfortable having several individuals with “A’s” and other people serving in a leadership group.”

The Canadiens announced last night that the three assistant captains will be Andrei Markov, Brian Gionta and Hal Gill.

Click here to read the full article – By Pat Hickey of Montreal Gazette

Montreal Canadiens Sports Memorabilia
and other Montreal Canadiens Gifts and Collectibles
Below are links to memorabilia available for popular Montreal Canadiens players.

The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Guillaume Latendresse and defenseman Shawn Belle to one-year deals Wednesday.

Latendresse had 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) and 45 penalty minutes in 56 games with Montreal last season. It will be Latendresse’s fourth season with the Habs. He has 82 points (46 goals, 36 assists) with 133 penalty minutes in 209 regular-season games with Montreal. Belle had 13 points last season with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, where he had a plus-19 rating and 93 penalty minutes in 60 games.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

Montreal Canadiens Sports Memorabilia
and other Montreal Canadiens Gifts and Collectibles