Montreal Canadiens News and Notes
- Few could have predicted that Phillip Danault, affectionately known as “Tird,” would be pivoting the Habs top line after he was acquired from Chicago last season. [Montreal Gazette]
- Early favourites for the Vezina Trophy include Carey Price and, interestingly, Devan Dubnyk, who the Habs may face tonight. [TSN 690]
- Noah Juulsen says being cut from Team Canada last year served as motivation to crack the roster this time around. [TSN]
- Michel Therrien insists the club has forgotten about the 10 goals allowed to the Blue Jackets last month, and won’t let it affect the starting goalie decision for tomorrow’s game in Columbus, while Andrei Markov remains out for both games of the back-to-back. [RDS]
- Much was made of Therrien’s desire that his team play “the right way,” and whatever that way is, it seems to be working for the Habs this season. [Montreal Gazette]
- Charles Hudon may be out of action longer than first thought, as Renaud Lavoie suggests the young forward could be out for another month: /
Charles Hudon ne sera pas de retour après Noël. Absence indéterminée. Fort possible qu’il rate un autre mois d’activité. #lavoiedubé
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) December 21, 2016
- The Canadiens announced France Margaret Belanger as the club’s new Vice President yesterday. [La Presse]
- HabsTV put the Canadiens’ players to the test when they asked them to name each of Santa’s reindeer. [Canadiens]/
Around the League and Elsewhere
- The NWHL has lost another player, as Molly Engstrom will make the jump to the Swedish Women’s Hockey League. [TIG]
- Life after hockey won’t necessarily be easy for Tucson Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham, but the fact that he’s alive is being considered a Christmas miracle. [TSN]
- Of course, though Cunningham’s professional playing career may be over, hockey will always be part of his life. [FFH]
- The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without Ben Bishop for the next 3-4 weeks as injuries continue to plague the team. [Puck Daddy]
- Sidney Crosby is in the spirit of giving, as evidenced by giving his stick away to a young fan on Tuesday. [Pensburgh]
- The Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation surprised Fatima, a hockey player from the UAE, with a trip to the United States: /
In partnership w/ @EtihadAirways, @MSE‘s Monumental Global Academies surprised Fatima to be part of Hockey Is For Everyone Month. #CapsHIFE pic.twitter.com/7StdzlXBBI
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 20, 2016
- The Opaskwayak Cree Nation of Manitoba will be losing its hockey team, the OCN Blizzard, after 20 years of play. [CBC]/
