Montreal Canadiens
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It’s the NHL policy to banning ceremonies of tribute after March 1. Dave Stubbs argues it disrespects the late Montreal Canadien stars. [Montreal Gazette]
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Michel Therrien points out that the Habs have scored four goals each time in the two games without Pacioretty. Still, would be nice to have him back though. [RDS] (French)
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Brandon Prust probably won’t fight Colton Orr in the Leafs game this Saturday. [La Presse] (French)
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P.K. Subban talks about how soccer helps prepare him for hockey. Includes this assessment of the Habs’ soccer abilities. [Canada]
In addition to scouting Crosby’s abilities with a soccer ball in Sochi, Subban has seen his share of soccer talent exhibited by his Montreal teammates. Former backup goalie Peter Budaj of Slovakia was at the top of his list, while he couldn’t decide between a pair of centres, Quebec native David Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec of the Czech Republic, among the current Canadiens.
“Pleky’s pretty good, but I don’t want to give it to Pleky,” Subban said. “Maybe Davy — I’d say Davy or Pleky, maybe one of those two guys.”
- Watch Price get pie’d in the face after his 43rd win. You can get the full interview with him receiving the first star here.
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- From Square-Victoria in Montreal. Credit to (Ferg8):/
Around the League and Elsewhere
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From a bot that tweets anonymous Wikipedia edits made from Canadian Government IP addresses. Note: this is puerile and unprofessional and also I can’t stop laughing.:
Milan Lucic Wikipedia article edited anonymously from Shared Services Canada http://t.co/6adAIiASkQ
— Gov. of Canada edits (@gccaedits) April 10, 2015
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Marty St.Louis wants to finish his career as a New York Ranger, but it’s unlikely he can do so in a key role in the team. [Blueshirt Banter]
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To celebrate the Winnipeg Jets‘ playoffs clinch, a radio statio released a unique playoff anthem to the tune of Eminem’s “Without Me”. [CBC]
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The Ottawa Senators can clinch their own playoff spot in they at least one point against the Phildelphia Flyers today. If they do, that leaves Edmonton and Toronto as the only Canadians teams out in the cold. [NHL]
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One good reason for Prust to not fight Colton Orr: the days of the enforcer are gone. [The Star]
It’s been a wave: a combination of rules (mandatory visors being phased in, the rule against removing your helmet during a fight), speed (the game is breakneck fast), and analytics (which includes a focus on puck possession, which was never a strength of the Colton Orrs of the world.) Line brawls are discouraged; bench-clearing brawls are antiques. Maybe the prospect of concussion litigation helped, or maybe not.
Regardless, there were 383 fights so far this season: there were 714 as recently as 2009-10, and 347 in the 48-game lockout-shortened season of 2012-13.
