Year in Review (06-07)

So I don't know about you, dear readers, but I am torn as to how to feel about the Canadiens' performance this past season. It was truly a rollercoaster and that's really not a good thing. There were lots of good things that happened this year, don't get me wrong, but at the same time, there were lots of bad things too.

So I've compiled a "Year in Review" type of entry below. I've seperated the good from the bad. As I'm a pecimist at heart, I will start with the bad. But the good thing about that is that this entry will end with all the good things and will leave you feeling all warm and squishy inside.

Bad Things

• Janne Niinimaa. Trading away Ribeiro was not a bad thing. But who we got for him was. Niinimaa was making scads of cash and was riding the pine all year. I understand why Gainey got him, we were short on defensemen and "Ribs" just had to go. It just so happened that Niinimaa was available. Well, #6 was a flop and every Habs fan knew it would be. So here's to you, Janne! I'm glad you're gone.
• Sergei Samsonov. Apparently "Sammy" wanted out of Montreal as early as late-October. Wow, not even a month into the season and he'd already given up on the Habs. Maybe that explains his piss-poor stats, maybe it doesn't. Every time I saw him play, he was a ghost. Every so often he'd show up, but even on those rare occasions, he just didn't fit. I don't blame Gainey for this one because at the time of the signing, it looked like a winner to me. On the other hand, this signing still didn't address the needs of the team.
• Never addressed the team's needs. One thing this team desperately needs is a big scoring center. A guy like Lecavalier would be perfect. Expensive, yes, but perfect... We never got someone like that. Apparently we were in the running for Arnott in the off-season last year, but lost out. Personally I think Arnott would have been another cancer in the dressing-room, but that's not the point. It was a long time before the Feb 27 deadline and never did we make a move to address this obvious concern. Hopefully Gainey has learned the lesson.
• Five-on-five. Koivu, Ryder, Souray and Kovalev (4 of the top 5 point-getters for the Habs) finished a combined -93 this year. The team was -159. 'Nuff said.
• Consistency. The Habs started off the season in great shpe. At one point, there were only 5 points back of the Sabers for tops in the league! But then they flopped... Then they got a bit better, but flopped again... Then they got good again for the end of the year. But lossed in 2 straight must-win games. Jeez. What are we, the Oilers?
• Carbonneau. I love the guy, I do. But he really looks like he picks his lines using a Tarrot cards! Every game his lines change and sometimes even during the game. It's hard to gain any sort of momentum if you're always adjusting to new linemates. Rumour has it that non-other-than Scotty Bowman talked with him and gave him advice (specifically to do with linemates for Kovalev). After that, the lines settled and Kovalev was actually somewhat productive. Maybe that's a lesson learned? Score another one for Scotty.
• Kovalev. We all say it. "He has such tremenous talent. If only he'd wake up and use it." Maybe we all expect it and it isn't true? Maybe he has his contract so he doesn't care? Maybe he was hurt? Maybe it was just an unlucky year (he did hit a lot of posts this year)? Whatever it was, hopefully we'll get a better Kovalev next year.
• Choice of call-ups. Who the Hell were half these kids? EVERYONE in Montreal knew that the next kid up should be Kostitsyn. But we called up Lapierre, Grabovsky, and Milroy before him. Would things have been different if Kostitsyn had played more? Maybe not, but I still question the choices. What about guys like Cote or Chipchura?
• Entertainment. My bias makes the Habs entertaining. But what this team lacks (but does not need) is a superstar. I'm so sick of cheering for a team that hails the 30-goal scorer and sub-point-per-game getter. Think about it. Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Washington are notable teams. Not because they're good (becaue they aren't really), but because of guys like Crosby, Kovalchuk and Ovechkin.

Good Things

• Ribeiro. A cancer in the dressing room and an ass on the ice. Glad to be rid of him, despite the fact that his heart was in Montreal and he really was giving a good effort.
• Halak. A surprise for sure. I would have thought that Yann Danis would be the call-up considering he has experience. So another questionable call-up here. But it paid off, so what the heck. Rumour has it that he is a lock for the back-up role next year. I'm not so sure. If Carey Price is as good as his draft status says he is, Halak might have a run for his money. That being said, Gainey will probably let him cut his teeth in the minors for a year first.
• Carey Price. He was dominant at the World Juniors. Wouldn't it rock if the Habs could get a superstar? Only time will tell.
• Ryder. Another 30-goal season. I don't know what it is about this guy that I like so damn much. I guess it's the idea that he's not all that different from you and me (except for being in better shape). Before this year, he had zero moves, just a shot. He seems like sort of a lucky fluke type of guy. That's probably what's so endearing.
• Koivu. It seems like every year this guy plays with more heart. I mean, his EYE doesn't work and yet he still sets career highs in goals and points! If he's not this club's leader, who is?
• Souray. He barely gets onto the 'good' side because his defensive game is so attrocious. But really, you have to admit that without his big shot on the powerplay, the Habs wouldn't have gotten as far as they did. I wonder if he'll be this good after he gets a new contract?
• Powerplay. #1 in the league. Thank you Jarvis.
• Penalty kill. Muller had this team rolling early in the season. But then the team fell apart and the PK really suffered as a result. All-in-all though, I think this was a postive year for the PK. Especially when you consider Muller is a first-year coach (at the NHL level).
• Rivet. He was a minus defenseman, but his partner was Souray. All-in-all he was a reliable and underrated d-man. And when he got traded, he was professional and even spoke to the media to defend Gainey. A class-act all the way. I hope he does well in this year's playoffs because he deserves it.

Conclusion
The Habs are young. They are guided by a very intelligent man in Bob Gainey. Give it a couple years and they will be in the hunt. Coaching is questionable, as is goaltending (or at least unproven), but I still think the team is headed in the right direction.

I'm just so damn glad the Maple Leafs didn't make the playoffs.