Saturday Habs Links: Gionta excited to return to Montreal

Montreal Canadiens Links

• Nikita Scherbak is a notable absence from the preliminary World Junior Championship roster for Russia. The reason is probably less about his play (he outscored some other players on the roster), and more about hockey politics. [EOTP]
• Josh Gorges is still sideline by his knee injury, but Brian Gionta hopes he'll get a warm welcome back in Montreal. Max Pacioretty has this to say about his former captain: "The main thing you take away from him is that he was so humble and he never wanted the spotlight on him. That’s why people in the room admired him. He wanted team success and he didn’t care if he was in the spotlight or if he was praised for the team’s success. We’re all playing for contracts and we’re all playing for respect, but it’s a team sport and that’s where you gain the most respect." [Montreal Gazette]
• (French) Like the Canadiens, the Bulldogs are also about to play 6 games in 9 nights. Recent arrival Eric Tangradi thinks that Sylvain Lefebvre is a good coach for the young players, and points out that implementing a system in the AHL takes twice as long as the NHL, because players come and go every week. [La Presse]
• (French) Sergei Gonchar haven't exactly lit up the scoreboards since his arrival, but in seven games, he played 20+ minutes in at least three of them. Gonchar is arguably bringing the stability that the Habs blue line desperately needs. [La Presse]
• The history of the Montreal Maroons (the "anglophone" team of Montreal) who shared the Forum with the Canadiens before folding in 1938. [Montreal Gazette]

Around the League and Elsewhere

• If you want to watch in person in Toronto or Montreal, tickets and info for the World Junior Championships are on sale here [Hockey Canada]
• Marty St. Louis gets his 1000th point in a 3-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Good thing he didn't hustle harder and achieved it in his game versus Tampa. The resulting cheer/boo reaction could have ripped apart the fabric of space-time. [NHL]
• Chris Dunphy, a firefighter and paramedic in Newfoundland, was in net for his recreational hockey team when another player collapsed on the ice. Dunphy performed CPR while someone else fetched a defibrillator, and he revived the fallen player in one shock, all while dressed in his full goalie gear. Awesome. [CBC]
• A case against Martin Brodeur dressing for the St.Louis Blues, arguing that the team should give their rookie backup, Jordan Binnington, a chance to prove himself first. [St.Louis Game Time]
• Bob Cole's best calls in his 40 year career. [Sportsnet]