All Habs has Moved!

We've Moved!

There are so many emotions before a grand opening: excitement, anxiety and pride all mixed up with a generous amount of fatigue. I haven't strayed too far from the All Habs war-room for the past two months. But the overriding feeling right now is the thrill of being able to share this all with you, finally.

As you have been reading, All Habs and it's community of fans throughout the world has been growing by leaps and bounds. We were fortunate to be recently recognized on the Edmonton Journal's list of Kings of Hockey Coverage on the Internet. All Habs has become the meeting place for Canadiens fans around the world to get the latest information about their team, read objective analysis and to connect with others.

Naturally, we needed a location that would house all the Canadiens coverage that we wanted to bring to you.

And now we have it:

http://allhabs.net

Simple, right? To get to the All Habs network, type: allhabs (dot) net

I hope you don't mind a small request. Please change the bookmark/favourite in your browser. I would be grateful if website owners would change the link to All Habs in their blogroll.

See you there!!

We Are Canadiens

posted by Rocket, All Habs

As Canadiens fans, you are the eyes and ears of the All Habs community. While the mainstream media tends to be rather proprietary about the information they gather, fans have a natural tendency to want to share with each other.

Such is the case with the photos we take.

We all have cameras with us at all times. When we take a photo, we usually want to show it to others.

You have taken that perfect game photo at the Bell Centre, posed next to your favorite Habs player at Brossard or captured all the excitement at a Habs Tweetup. So now, what to do with it?

You can post it as a Twitpic for your Twitter followers to see. It can be added to your Facebook page. But if you want the photo to be seen by the greatest number of Canadiens fans, where do you go?

We Are Canadiens is another component of the All Habs network. It's the ideal place to share any photos you have related to the Montreal Canadiens.

Log in. Post a photo of yourself in the appropriate We Are Canadiens member section. Let us know your Twitter name and where you live. Now you are ready to post your Habs photos.

You can also browse, rate and comment on your friends pictures.

Be sure to bookmark the new address:

http://wearecanadiens.com

It's one more way that you can interact with fellow Canadiens fans that you know from our growing Habs community on Twitter and the All Habs digital magazine.

Don't forget our special announcement this weekend. Watch for it!



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The Montreal Forum Re-opens

posted by Rocket, All Habs

"Expansive yet intimate, exuberant yet unselfconscious, it supports and complements a game, never competing for your attention."

Ken Dryden wrote those words about the storied Montreal Forum in his 1983 book "The Game". While we can't recreate the atmosphere that he described, one thing is certain, it's our desire to create a place where you will feel comfortable sharing your thoughts with others. In that sense, our Forum will support and complement this beautiful game and the team we love.

We are pleased to re-open The Montreal Forum, a discussion board to voice your opinions on everything about the Montreal Canadiens. Discuss current Habs news, share your views about prospects, fondly remember the glory years, speculate on trades, get fantasy hockey advice, and plan to get together with your friends at a Habs Tweetup.

We have moved to a friendlier neighbourhood, re-modelled and have added a few new features. There are now special boards for your discussions about each and every game (including pre-season) - we've even added a calendar that includes all Canadiens games and HabsTweetups!

Be sure to bookmark the new address:

http://themontrealforum.com

The Montreal Forum is yet another important component of the All Habs network. It provides you a place to vent using more than 140 characters. Sure there are other discussion boards, but this one allows you to interact with fellow Canadiens fans that you know from our growing Habs community from Twitter and the All Habs web magazine.

Drop by. Register. And introduce yourself in the 'Rookies' section. After that, you'll be ready to start a new discussion or comment on an existing Habs topic.

For those that visited the Forum before, welcome back! We hope that you like our new location as much as we do.

It was said that the original Forum at Atwater and Saint Catherine had its own charm and mystique. Let's see what we can create on the strength of the passionate fans who visit our electronic version.

(photo credit: RJ Stephens)

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Your Story -- How I Became a Habs Fan in Vancouver

In the continuing series Your Story, today we feature another submission to "How I Became a Habs Fan."  Stina, known to us as @The AbraxasCo on Twitter, has agreed to share her experiences growing up as a Habs fan in Vancouver. 


by Stina, Special to All Habs

I shouldn’t be a Habs fan.

Actually, technically, I shouldn’t be a fan of any team.

Let me explain: I come from what can only be described as a "hockey family", from playing semi pro, to coaching, to running an association, to selling programs for the local junior team, to manning endless score clocks, to selling that horrible instant coffee from the Burnaby Minor Hockey concession stand during early morning games, my family has been involved in all aspects of the game, but despite this love for the game, I’m the only one with "a team". Though perhaps I should be thanking my parents that our house didn’t idolize the home team or my “birthright” could have been the hideous yellow, orange and black “V” jerseys of the early 80s Canucks. (Still the worst jersey of all time, in my opinion).

I was the first grandchild for this hockey mad family and my future position was a heated topic of conversation while I was still in the womb (My grandfather was fond of defensemen and apparently I was destined to be the perfect combination of Bobby Orr and Larry Robinson, while my father idolized Ted Lindsey and was certain I would end up a scrappy forward). Unfortunately I dashed all their big hockey dreams by being born a girl, right before organized girls hockey started to catch on and while my parents are somewhat progressive hockey was still a “boys” game: there would be no organized hockey for me.  So I inherited a love for the game, but no opportunity to play it.

I watched “Hockey Night in Canada” and through Dick Irvin (the best ever) and Harry Neale learned about “The Great One”, “Super Mario” and Mike Bossy. I was carted along to various lower mainland rinks to watch my grandfathers beloved Grandview Steelers and I learned to skate under his careful tutelage at weekend public skate sessions at The Trout Lake Arena.

[A brief home team shoutout: The Olympics were a lot of different things to this city, and though this isn’t really the place to comment on it, one undeniably great things that came from it is the new rink at the Trout Lake community center. Former home of the Grandview Steelers and an East Vancouver institution, it’s worth a look the next time you are in Vancouver.]

My parents have never been the types to quit while they were ahead, so we welcomed my brother a few years later and though a cousin removed some of the hockey playing pressure from his shoulders there was no doubt that mini tyke was in his future. When he started playing I became a rink rat by default, joining the legions of “hockey sisters” who grow up in the stands and by the beginning of peewee can judge the talent pool of a minor hockey organization as well as any coach and have tried every kind of packaged hot chocolate on the market. I also finally (indirectly) got the chance to play.

When my brother started, novice players were starting to develop “hockey personalities” and some really eager parents had already decided that the ratty organization owned goalie equipment wasn’t enough and outfitted their little Grant Fuhr’s in brand new stiff as a board goalie gear (there are few things cuter than watching a six year old skating in brand new goalie gear). My father overheard one of the dad’s talking about the cost of pads and quickly decided that my brother’s road to super stardom would be a bit easier on the pocket book (and he still had dreams of a mini Ted Lindsey) and thus he had better learn to shoot a puck.

This plan was not foolproof however, as his little sharp shooter needed every advantage and obviously wasn’t going to make the NHL by shooting on one of those plastic “target goalies.”  No, my brother needed something better: cue nine year old Stina with a plastic mini stick and a baseball glove.

I was ecstatic, like I had finally been given my chance to shine even if it was just in the driveway (East Coast readers I’m sure your expecting this heartwarming story to end with my father building a mini rink in the backyard complete with a scoreboard and lights, alas this is the West Coast where road hockey goes year round). My family fondly referred to those practice sessions and mini games as “Target Practice” and I had ball sized bruises in various places throughout my childhood (thankfully my teachers were not exactly perceptive).

The mini stick eventually became a Vaughn “Regulation NHL” one and the softball I began to play year round really improved my glove hand, and my brother eventually learned to shoot the “puck” (orange hockey ball) pretty well (much to the delight of my shins, shoulders and elbows). Unfortunately the closest he got to the NHL was the games he pretended to be Pavel Bure (hey this was Vancouver in the early nineties), but those games are some of my fondest childhood memories and the closest I got to a game that seems to be in my blood.

So I’m sure you’re wondering when I’m going to get to the point of this whole thing: Why am I a Habs fan?

Well, while my brother was doing his best Pavel Bure imitation I was busy pretending I was someone else too. St. Patrick caught my attention pretty quickly once I became “a goalie”. I used to listen to Dick Irvin call him the best and figured if I was going to model my game after anyone, he might be a good choice. I started watching the Habs for the goalie who talked to his posts and played the game with passion and along the way I fell in love with the team as well.

I used to make my parents watch French CBC (ok Radio Canada) because out west we get force fed the Leafs as the early game 90 percent of the time and grew fond of randomly shouting out “Le But” (20 years later my French has not improved) and got my first jersey when I was nine: red with a white “33” on the back.

One year later I was fortunate enough to see them live. They lost to the Canucks 5-to-3 and I was heckled by two drunk Canuck fans the entire game (I know we have to hate Leaf fans almost by default, but Canuck fans are almost in a league of their own). Unfortunately I haven’t been able to see them live since.


One of the strange things about being a Habs fan outside of Montreal is how you are able to craft your own mythology around the team: the problems with Roy and Tremblay were unknown to me and “Le Trade” was unexpected and devastating.  But it also gave me a bit of perspective: my love for the team with all that history had transcended my early connection to St. Patrick and given me a new perspective on tradition.

I live in a city that considers anything pre 1940’s “old” and one that struggles with story and identity and the Habs (for better or worse) remind me that we do have rich traditions and stories that can stretch across the country. The discovery of the Habs online community during this past season was also a reminder that even though I will likely never live in Montreal, this team is something that connects the entire fanbase to a city, a history and a hockey culture that is about class and excellence.

(There goes that personally mythology again…..)

Canadiens Fans Aren’t Like Other Fans

Candice Monhollan is a journalism student who writes for the blog Chicks who Give a Puck .  Did I mention that she is a devout Flyers fan?

But as hockey fans first, Candice and a few friends decided to make a trek to the cradle of organized sport a few weeks ago.  Through her tangerine-coloured glasses, she recorded her observations of Habs fans. She has graciously agreed to share them with us.

I'm sure that she would appreciate your comments.

by Candice Monhollan, Special to All Habs

Like the television commercials from a year ago said, hockey fans are unlike other fans. They have blind faith in their teams. This is their year to win the coveted Lord Stanley’s Cup, no matter how bleak the outcome may look. It’s always good versus evil, David versus Goliath, where their home teams are always the champions.

The Bell Centre in Montréal, QC, Canada.

In my experiences as a Philadelphia Flyers fan, I have seen the way fans act to each other. I know how Flyers fans are. I know how we are perceived by the rest of the league as some of the roughest and nastiest around. To us, our team is the best in the league, hands down, and we won’t let anyone else tell us otherwise.

I have gone to a few away games and I know what it is like to be on the receiving end of all the hate from the home fans.

I went to school in Boston, Mass. during the 2008-09 season, and while I was there, I made sure to attend the two games when the Flyers came to town. It was during the second game when I really got the feel of what it was like. Once the Flyers took the lead is when several of the Bruins fans began to zone in on me. They were threatening to throw me down the stairs or make sure I get a nice black eye before I left.

Even in a recent trip to Lawrence, Mass. a month ago, I still received dagger eyes from Massachusetts residents while I walked around in my Michael Leighton shirt. There were a lot of murmurs as I passed and I caught a bit of, “How dare she” and “%$@^*& Flyers fans.” Needless to say, it wasn’t a friendly atmosphere for me.

This past weekend, my two best friends and I took a trip to Montréal for our vacation. Since it had just been a mere three months since the Flyers knocked the Montréal Canadiens out of the playoffs in the third round, I expected about the same treatment from them.

As the Flyers fan that I am, I made sure to pack at least one name and number T-shirt for when we visited the Canadiens Hall of Fame and toured the Bell Centre. Some of you may feel that is sacrilegious, but tell me, what would you wear? Seeing as though I own nothing Canadiens, I thought it would be fitting to wear a hockey shirt to a hockey arena.

As such, one of my best friends was extremely nervous about all three of us walking the streets of Montréal wearing Flyers shirts. She has seen the videos of the fans taking to the streets after a win and the path of destruction they left. I told her to relax. What more could they do to us other than verbal attacks?

As I headed down the elevator in my hotel, I passed a couple. The man looked at me and I heard him mumble as he walked by, “She’s wearing Flyers stuff here? Not very smart.”

I disregarded the remark and as we headed to the Bell Centre, we did receive a lot of attention, but not the way that the three of us thought it would be.

We received the occasional boos from passersby, but we didn’t really get the comments until we reached the arena.

Touring the Montréal Canadiens locker room.

As we walked around the outside of the building, a Habs fan looked at our shirts and shook his head.

“You’re wearing those shirts on this sacred ground?” He smiled at us as he kept walking by.
At the beginning of the Bell Centre tour, the guide had us sit down in a section to tell us a little of the history of the arena and the different price ranges. He started off by asking how many of us were Habs fans. Maybe three or four people raised their hands.

“I see we have some Flyers fans,” the guide said. “You are not welcome here.”

But the guide had a grin on his face. He ended up talking hockey with the three of us more than anyone else in the group during the rest of the tour.

It was the same way the rest of the day throughout the city. People walked by with comments like, “I really hate you guys” or “You know, I usually hate the Bruins and [Toronto Maple] Leafs, but you guys beat them out.”

But it always ended the same way. The person was still kind about it and would end up standing there talking hockey with me, whether it was about the Canadiens, Flyers or just the NHL in general.

There were no hard feelings from anyone I met during my five days there. A few even congratulated us for making it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Their love of the game allowed them to be so open and friendly with fans from other teams. There were times while I walked the city that I saw multiple teams represented by people, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers and New York Islanders.

The only bad part during the whole trip would be Patrick Kane haunting me the entire time. We went out Saturday night and I ran into two Kane look-a-likes at the same place. One looked like a 28-year-old version, but the other looked like the 19-year-old Kane with the curly blonde hair and all. I mean, he looked I-DEN-TI-CAL to him. I had to do a double-take to make sure it wasn’t the real him.

Not to mention I found out that as we were flying to Toronto for our connecting flight Friday, we passed over Niagara Falls the same time Kane was there with the Stanley Cup. That would explain the silver glint I saw out the plane window.

Candice at the Montréal Canadiens Hall of Fame.

But I regress. Besides the terrible reminders of the Blackhawks throughout the trip, it was otherwise an eye-opener into what kind of people Montréal Canadiens fans are.

All the videos from the postseason celebrations gave Canadiens fans such negative publicity. Just because a group of people take things overboard is no reason to judge an entire fanbase. Believe me, I know how it feels to be misjudged as fans. For those of you who do not agree, take a trip to Montréal wearing your team colors and then feel free to write me back on how they treated you. I can guarantee you, it will be just about the same experience I had.

I, for one, would never pass on another opportunity to visit such a beautiful city and some of the best fans in the NHL.

Despite the Flyers knocking out their beloved team for the second time in three years, they were more than welcoming to the enemy. It is a lesson that should be learned throughout the NHL fanbases. No matter how much you may despise another team, we all do share one common thing: our love for the great game of hockey.

I wish to extend my most sincere gratitude to the people of Montréal for being the classiest fans I have ever had the pleasure of being around.

Montréal, je vous remercie de tout cœur.

HabsTweetup Happenings Continue!

posted by @FlyersRule
All Habs / Habs Tweetup

It may be hard to believe that the last week in August is already upon us, but the chill in the air this morning reminds us that summer has started to wind down. For hockey fans, that's great news! It means just a few weeks remain until the start of camps and pre-season games...finally!

A brand new season of hockey also brings with it countless opportunities for Habs fans to mix and mingle by attending a HabsTweetup! Events have already been scheduled for Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and New York City - with more locations in the works. Visit HabsTweetup.com to RSVP for one or learn how to host your own!

However, this summer did not leave us in a HabsTweetup drought - our summer recap series has brought us entertaining stories of recent gatherings:

• One Montreal Weekend in March / Ode to a HabsTweetup
• 2nd Annual NHL Amateur Draft HabsTweetup

We conclude the series with a look at a HabsTweetup recently held in Connecticut - the result of two Habs Twitter friends (@kuyaz and @smalrus)wanting to finally meet. The article also takes a look at how technology helps expand the number of "attendees" at a HabsTweetup. Even if you can't be there in person, there are plenty of ways to be included in the fun! Check out the excerpt below and we'll see you soon at a HabsTweetup near you!

Excerpt:

"Who says you need a hockey game in order to have a HabsTweetup? Habs fans will use any reason to gather together...even in the offseason! In fact recently, two Twitter friends asked All Habs to set up a HabsTweetup simply for them to meet and hang out!

@kuyaz and @smalrus represented the Habs faithful at their very own HabsTweetup held in Connecticut in mid-July, when @kuyaz was in town from Toronto. From what we've heard, they shared a few cold beverages and hit the jackpot with all-you-can-eat wing night at McLaddens in West Hartford Center. "

Continue reading at HabsTweetup.com

Habs Tweetup Summer Series Continues!

Last weekend we proudly rolled out the brand-new look of HabsTweetup.com - in case you missed it, you can read all about the official launch in our "All Habs is Growing!" article. As part of that announcement, our west coast friend @chile_pepper provided a fun and detailed account of her Habs Tweetup travels from Vancouver to Montreal entitled "One Montreal Weekend in March / Ode to a Habs Tweetup".

As promised, we continue our series of Habs Tweetup recaps with a submission by @FlyersRule summarizing the 2nd Annual NHL Amateur Draft Habs Tweetup held in Montreal. You'll find an excerpt of her article below.

Even though we haven't quite yet reached the start of hockey season (it's getting closer!), the Habs Tweetup "season" is never-ending. Stay tuned for the next segment in our series of summer Habs Tweetups! (and in the meantime, start planning YOUR next Habs Tweetup by visiting HabsTweetup.com. Once there, you can RSVP for an existing event or inquire about hosting your own!)


Excerpt from @FlyersRule's article:

"It's a weekend still talked about today - people fondly reminiscing about the good times they had and the friends they met at the 1st Annual NHL Amateur Draft Habstweetup in Montreal. Well this year the draft may have moved on to a different city, but that wouldn't stop the fun-loving folks in Montreal from resurrecting another Draft Habstweetup!

For me, it was the anniversary of my first-ever trip to Canada so of course I had to make the return trip again...the drive is definitely worth attending any HabsTweetup! The venue was our reliable meeting spot: Ye Olde Orchard...with perfect seats for viewing the draft coverage on the main room's projector screen TV. It was a great mix of people from the first Draft Habstweetup together again, joined by a few folks who had recently discovered Habstweetups, as well as some friendly new faces."

Continue reading at HabsTweetup.com

Another Boivin to join Habs front office

TSN is reporting that Canadiens President Pierre Boivin plans to announce the appointment of his son, Patrick Boivin, to the position of Director of Hockey Operations. Here is their story, as posted on the TSN website on Friday, August 20, 2010:


BOIVIN'S SON TO BE NAMED HABS DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS

TSN.CA STAFF
8/20/10 4:39:39 PM

The son of Montreal Canadiens President and CEO is expected to be named the club's director of hockey operations, according to RDS.

Pierre Boivin will make the announcment that his son Patrick will replace Julien Brisebois, who was recently hired as assistant GM by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Brisebois was the general manager of the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League and VP of Hockey Operations for the Canadiens.

Pierre Gauthier, the Canadiens' current general manager, will fill the roll of general manager for the Bulldogs.

Movin' On Up - 'All Habs' Gaining Notoriety

posted by @FlyersRule
All Habs

If you're reading this post, it's probably because you're already one of the more than 13,000 people who follow @All_Habs on Twitter or who consider themselves dedicated readers of this website. Thanks to the support of people like you even other members of the media have started to take notice of the All Habs Network.

This week David Staples, author of "The Cult of Hockey" blog for the Edmonton Journal, decided to write an article called "Who is the king of hockey coverage on the internet?" His piece aims to measure the scope of hockey-related Twitter accounts and find out whose messages and tweets were getting the most "traffic" (i.e. who has the most followers?).

Although there's no exact science to this process, David was able to compile a substantial list of hockey Tweeters...a veritable "Who's Who" of hockey media. Three of the top five spots are filled with members of the TSN on-air team: Darren Dreger, Bob McKenzie and James Duthie. More television personalities follow them with Elliotte Friedman and Kevin Weekes of Hockey Night in Canada filling out the #6 and #7 positions.

But can you guess who is following close behind these nationally known personalities? That's right - All Habs came in at the not-so-unlucky 13th spot with 13,503 followers (and growing)! In fact, David mentions the All Habs site specifically in his article when he talks about how challenging it is for a site which only focuses on one team to garner a significant amount of followers. He writes, "The one blog that has really taken off as a monster of the 'Net is All_Habs." Hear, hear!!

Ironically, an article was posted on the site just last week which spoke of the pros and cons of Twitter and how it has had a profound effect on the readership of this website...in case you missed it (I'm sure you didn't, but just in case...) here's the link for "Hockey, Habs and Twitter".

And also, be sure to read Mr. Staples' article for the full list of hockey-related Twitter accounts...it's called "Who is the king of hockey coverage on the internet?"

Congratulations to the team at All Habs - thank you for providing such a fantastic outlet for Habs fans everywhere. Best of luck for your continued success!!

Desjardins is Shipped Out -- Aren't We Going a Little Overboard?

by Rocket, All Habs

Am I really writing about this topic? Honestly, I feel compelled to do so by some of the bizarre things I've heard and read.

Hamilton Bulldogs goaltender Cedrick Desjardins was traded by Pierre Gauthier yesterday to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Karri Ramo.

Yawn.

So, last night, I posted the Canadiens press release here on All Habs along with a few explanatory comments.  I was about to continue on with my evening, when I thought, maybe I'll check in on Twitter.

Big mistake.

The place was in an uproar. Gauthier was being called Satan and worse. Habs fans and some panicky bloggers were heading to the lifeboats to abandon a sinking Canadiens ship.

Did I miss something? Aren't we talking about Cedrick Desjardins?

Desjardins is the undrafted goaltender that the Canadiens picked up as a free agent to fill a vacancy in Hamilton in 2006. Since then he has played for the Bulldogs and the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL without making much of a ripple in Habs news.

This past season with Hamilton was Desjardins' best. But let's not get too carried away.  We need to put that statement in perspective.

Desjardins had a strong start to the season, as did the Bulldogs, which earned the goaltender a trip to the AHL All-Star game. After that, he was rather ordinary and lost his starting job to Curtis Sanford at times, namely in the playoffs.

Throughout his career, Desjardins has battled inconsistency and approaching the age of 25 hasn't yet learned to handle the puck. In short, he proved to be a useful pick-up for a time, but the organization felt that he had reached his ceiling.

End of story?

Wrong. Not in Montreal. Conspiracy theories abounded.

Let's be frank. The notion that Desjardins was shipped out to avoid a Francophone threat to Carey Price is nonsense. Yes, in the same way that Mike Cammalleri should be worried about a trip to the press box if David Desharnais is called up.

Desjardins played well in the AHL early last season and benefited from a well-coached Guy Boucher system. Nothing more, nothing less. Desjardins wasn't close to being ready for an extended stint in the NHL.

A top prospect in the organization? That's delusional.

Tampa Bay GM Steve Yzerman recognizes that too.

In his statement Yzerman essentially called it a depth move. Not only do the Lightning have Mike Smith and Dan Ellis but have their franchise goaltender Dustin Tokarski in the development stream. Jaroslav Janus will quickly pass Desjardins on the Tampa depth chart too.

"With his American Hockey League experience, he will provide excellent goaltending depth for the organization, allowing us to be patient while Dustin Tokarski and Jaroslav Janus further mature and develop," said Yzerman.

Does Yzerman sound like he is describing a rising star or a stop-gap measure?

So what is with all the panic, angst and silly abandon ship talk? What is discouraging is that a good deal of this hyperbole is being driven by the mainstream media in Montreal.

I don't remember the same blistering critique when the Habs surprisingly released prospect goaltender Jason Missiaen now playing for the Peterborough Petes.

Listen, I don't often defend Gauthier but this move makes sense to me. The Canadiens have ended their affiliation with the Cincinnati Cyclones and needed a place for Robert Mayer to play. Hamilton is the logical choice.

Mayer earned co-MVP honours in the ECHL playoffs as the Cyclones won the Kelly Cup. He has bouts of inconsistency at times but he is five years younger than Desjardins. His development path still has plenty of room for growth while Desjardins has plateaued.

In Ramo, the Canadiens get a goaltender who is committed to the KHL for another year. That suits Gauthier just fine as he will get plenty of work without creating a logjam in the Habs system. In a year's time, once Alex Auld's contract is done, Ramo can compete for the backup job in Montreal to Carey Price.


It's almost as if Gauthier has a plan.  Maybe he does.

And who knows, maybe Halifax Moosehead goaltender Peter Delmas, who has been invited to rookie camp, will be the next rising star? (I'm kidding)

Please folks, settle down. There will be plenty of things to get riled up about in the coming months but this isn't one of them.  And to the MSM, shame on you for using this non-issue to 1) bash Carey Price and 2) boost your sagging summer numbers.

With that said, I welcome your comments to tell me why this is the first sign of the impending apocalypse.



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Canadiens Press Release: Cedrick Desjardins traded to Tampa Bay

Carey, meet Karri.

While Carey Price celebrates his 23rd birthday, Pierre Gauthier added Karri Ramo to the Canadiens organization in a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Cedrick Desjardins is the newest member of Steve Yzerman's stable of former Canadiens.

Desjardins was acquired as a free agent in 2008.  Ramo is a former sixth round pick and most recently played in the KHL.

This will open a spot in Hamilton for Robert Mayer, who was with the Cincinnati Cyclones last season.  The Canadiens recently ended their ECHL affiliation with the Cyclones.  Mayer and Curtis Sanford will share the Bulldogs goaltending duties.

The Canadiens have offered Halifax Moosehead goaltender Peter Delmas a try-out at the upcoming rookie camp in September.

Read more about Delmas at Metro Halifax.



Here's the press release about the trade from the Canadiens:

Habs acquire Karri Ramo from Tampa Bay in return for netminder Cédrick Desjardins

Monday, 16.08.2010 / 8:30 PM / moves

Montreal Canadiens

PRESS RELEASE

MONTREAL -- Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier announced Monday the acquisition of goaltender Karri Ramo from the Tampa Bay Lightning, in return for netminder Cédrick Desjardins.

Ramo, 24, suited up for 44 games with Omsk in the Kontinental Hockey League in 2009-10, posting a record of 21 wins, 17 losses, 4 overtime losses, a 2.11 goals against average and a .913 save percentage. He tied for 6th in the league in goals against average, and was also tied for 4th with four shutouts.

A native of Asikkala, Finland, Ramo played in 125 professional games in North America between the age of 20 and 23. Selected in the sixth round, 191st overall by Tampa Bay in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, he played 48 NHL career regular season games with the Lightning between 2006 and 2009, posting a 11-21-10 record, a 3.35 goals against average and a .895 save percentage. The 6’2’’ – 201 lbs netminder also participated in 77 games in the American Hockey League with Springfield and Norfolk.

Cédrick Desjardins joined the Canadiens as a free agent on July 3, 2008. He played a total of 90 games with the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs during the past four seasons, posting a 59-27-5 record, a 2.64 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. The Edmundston, New Brunswick native also played 67 games with the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, winning the Kelly Cup in 2008.

All Habs is Growing!

by Rocket, All Habs

Habs fans anxiously wait for news of Carey Price signing on the dotted line, the announcement of a Canadiens captain, and the debut of Mario Tremblay on RDS. Well, two out of three, anyway.

At All Habs, we've spent the summer busily preparing for the new season by doing some remodelling. The modifications will be rolled out over the next few weeks.

Some of the changes are in response to your suggestions such as streamlined navigation and mobile access. But beyond that, we have simply outgrown our current home.

During the 2009-2010 NHL season, All Habs flourished. We added some regular features, expanded our list of contributors, and branched out in some new areas. And you seem to like us.

Visits to All Habs during the 2010 playoff run in May were up 200% over the previous year.

Once of additions that we made last season that really caught on with our readers is All Habs OUT LOUD. If you haven't tried it yet you can find a tab in the menu bar under the banner. It allows a reader to become a listener.

All feature articles on All Habs are recorded by a professional voice actor. Listening to a game review while preparing dinner or making that morning commute is now possible.

Building a network of Canadiens fans is part of the All Habs mandate. To that end, we took a huge step forward to increase connections with dedicated supporters throughout the world last season. Apart from the team's official account, @All_Habs is the most followed Canadiens' source on Twitter.

Why is that important to mention? If you are interested in being in touch with other Canadiens fans, then you should be using @All_Habs as a conduit to find them.

But suppose that you want more than chats or debates?

In the article titled "Hockey, Habs and Twitter", we introduced you to one such person named @chile_pepper.

"@chile_pepper is an former Montrealer who now makes her home in Vancouver. She is so committed to the Habs that she trekked across the country last March to meet her fellow tweeps in Montreal.

Twitter users, like her, who want to take that next step and get-together with hockey people in person, attend a Habs Tweetup. They have not only been held regularly in Montreal but also in Toronto, Vancouver, Moncton, Hartford, and Hollywood, Florida. Long-term friendships have developed as a result of these get-togethers with the Canadiens and Twitter as the common bond."

More about @chile_pepper later, but the desire of her and people like her to meet propelled Habs Tweetups to explode in popularity over the past year. So much so, that a new website was required to keep track of things -- HabsTweetup.com.

As part of the All Habs network, it's prime purpose is to keep you up-to-date on Habs Tweetups in your area, and to report on the event afterward, complete with photo and video galleries.  You'll also be treated to articles about hockey and social media.  Browse around, there's lots to explore in the tabs at the top of the page!

Helping to keep things organized is @FlyersRule, the site manager and lead contributor, who has been to her fair share of Habs Tweetups.  Yes, I know, we tease her about her Twitter name too.  But she has become hooked on the Canadiens and the conversion is well on its way.


Look for her to collect reviews, comments, suggestions, photos and videos of Habs Tweetups to post on the website - as well as reinstating her on-the-scene video reports and fan interviews at various events.

Also joining the team as event coordinators is the aforementioned @chile_pepper in Vancouver, and @kuyaz in Toronto. Both are experienced in attending and hosting events. @chrisrbrown will handle things in the New York City area. He recently contributed a review about a hockey-friendly venue called the Blue Moon Cafe.

To help us with the official launch of HabsTweetup.com, @chile_pepper has chronicled her experience of travelling from Vancouver to Montreal for a Habs Tweetup. You'll find an excerpt below.

In upcoming days, look for new articles to be posted from a variety of contributors, all relating to the succession of events which closed out the 2009-2010 hockey season.

When's the next Habs Tweetup?

You may be surprised to learn that no fewer than five Habs Tweetups are already planned for the new season, in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and New York City. Perhaps you are interested in hosting one in your area.


As for the rest of the changes, we'll have lots more to tell you about prior to the opening of the new season. We're only one month away from training camp Habs fans. Get those jerseys dry cleaned and we'll do our part by putting in place an All Habs network that will keep you informed, engaged and connected.


Excerpt of @chile_pepper's article:

"Hi there, my name is Veronica and I am a Habs fan of the only variety of Habs fan there is: die-hard. Have been since I can remember. Many of you know me on Twitter as @chile_pepper and about 50 of you I've MET/met, for real. And it was all thanks to a magical event known as a Habs Tweetup.

Also, if you know me, you know that I talk, A LOT, and you may also know that I recently started blogging. Okay, so if you either know me 'IRL' or have read any of my blog posts, you know that I am verbose and veer in different directions. I will try to keep this as succinct as possible, but with the primary focus here being my love for my 'tweeps', I can't make any promises that it'll be short but I can promise that the love for the tweeps is a straight road, no exits. Meaning, I'll remain focussed."

Continue reading at HabsTweetup.com


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Votre histoire sur All Habs: Comment je suis devenu un fan des glorieux

In the continuing series "Your Story on All Habs: How I Became a Habs Fan", today we feature a new submission from René-Carl. You can find him on Twitter @emihawk.

by René-Carl Dumais
Special to: All Habs


Depuis aussi loin que je me souviennes, j’ai toujours été un fan de hockey. Mon premier souvenir du tricolore étais à l'âge de 4 ans, je me suis fait donner un chandail blanc du Canadien. Ce chandail portait le numéro 21, celui d’un jeune joueur qui allait éventuellement devenir capitaine du Canadien de Montréal, Guy Carbonneau.

Par la suite quand j’ai commencé a jouer au hockey dans la rue, j’ai été attiré par la position de gardien de but. Mon père m’avait acheté un masque d’Ed Belfour que j’ai plus tard modifié pour qu’il soit aux couleurs du Canadien.

Je suis trop jeune pour avoir connu les exploits de Patrick Roy en 1986 et je me souviens à peine de ceux de 1993 pourtant je suivais les activités de l’équipe avec assiduité. Mais quand la direction a échangé Patrick Roy, je suis devenu un fan assidu des gardiens de but : Jocelyn Thibault, Jeff Hackett, Andy Moog, Olivier Michaud, José Théodore, David Aebischer et naturellement la future vedette, Carey Price. Bien sûr , j'ai aussi suivi les activités de l’équipe Junior à l’époque de Roberto Luongo, de la bêtise de Marc-André Fleury, de l’exploit de Carey Price en demi-finale, etc.

Leblanc Will Juggle Dual Careers

posted by Rocket
All Habs

On Tuesday at Newtown restaurant, Louis Leblanc was introduced to the media as the face of the Montreal Juniors. The QMJHL club had other players in attendance including, Francis Meilleur, Charles-Olivier Roussel, Charles Landry and Philippe Lefebvre. But make no mistake, the spotlight of attention was squarely on Leblanc.

‘‘We want to be the best team we can be,’’ said Pascal Vincent, GM and head coach of the Juniors. “Developing the right culture with the right chemistry and vision is what we need to be successful, and I firmly believe in our chances of that this season. We have a solid duo in net combined with one of the best defensive systems of the league, along with several assets up front like the guys you see here today.”

It was the first stop of what would prove to be a busy afternoon for Leblanc. The 19 year-old will have to get used to balancing an increased hockey load, the Montreal media, and his academic career.

Leblanc is expected to make a significant contribution on the ice, but perhaps more importantly, will provide the draw that owner Farrel Miller needs if he wants to move the team to the proposed 7,500 seat arena in Laval. The Juniors currently play at the Verdun Auditorium with a capacity of 4,000. The lease in Verdun runs out at the end of the 2010-11 season which a team option for three more years.

While league rules prevent the Montreal Canadiens from being involved directly with a QMJHL team, there has been speculation that Habs president Pierre Boivin may have an interest in being a managing partner of the Laval sports complex through his concert booking company called evenco.

For Leblanc, he will once again experience the dual life of hockey player and student. Following the Juniors press conference, Leblanc headed to McGill University to speak to academic advisors and register for the Fall session. Leblanc, looking dapper in a suit and tie, stopped to sign autographs for excited office staff.

While at Harvard, Leblanc majored in Economics. To continue towards his academic goals, he will take courses in finance or entrepreneurship this year at McGill.

Leblanc and the Juniors begin their 2010-11 season on September 10th at Verdun Auditorium, when they face the Shawinigan Cataracte.

(photo credit: Getty)


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Habs Dump Cyclones as ECHL Affiliate

First it was Steve Yzerman and the Tampa Bay Lightning poaching Dominic Moore, Julien BriseBois and the Bulldogs coaching staff from the Canadiens organization. Now the other Florida team, the Panthers, is the new NHL affiliate of the Cincinnati Cyclones. The Cyclones are 2010 Kelly Cup winners of the ECHL while affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators.

Nashville will continue their connection with Cincinnati, while Montreal will not.  The following press release from the Cincinnati Cyclones has only one sentence about the Canadiens:

"The Cyclones and Montreal Canadiens have mutually agreed that it was best not to continue their affiliation."

Cyclones, Nashville Predators renew affiliation agreement

Date: 08/10/2010

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The 2010 Kelly Cup Champion Cincinnati Cyclones announced today that they have renewed their minor league affiliation agreement with the Nashville Predators (NHL) and Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) for the 2010-11 season. These teams will join the Florida Panthers (NHL) and Rochester Americans (AHL) as Cyclones affiliates.

The Nashville Predators are entering their twelfth season in the NHL. They finished the 2009-10 season with a 47-19-6 record, good enough for a third place Central Division finish and a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons; they were eliminated by the eventual champion Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Barry Trotz will be back behind the Nashville bench this season after finishing last year as a runner-up for the Jack Adams Award (NHL Coach of the Year). Trotz has put himself among some legendary names, ranking sixth all-time in both games coached (902) and wins (411) with a single franchise. Additionally, he is only the second coach in NHL history to spend each of the first 10 seasons as a team’s head coach joining the New York Rangers Lester Patrick (13 seasons, 1926-39).

The Milwaukee Admirals will once again be the AHL affiliate of the Cyclones this season. Like their parent club, the Admirals have been a consistent playoff contender – earning a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs in eight straight seasons and nine of the last ten. Last year, several Cyclones spent time playing with the Admirals, including Jason Jozsa, Mark Van Guilder, Ian McKenzie, Reid Cashman, Dustin Sproat, and Kelly Cup Finals Co-MVP Jeremy Smith. Milwaukee finished 2009-10 with a 41-30-2-7 record, good for fourth place in the West Division. They were eliminated from last year’s Calder Cup Playoffs in the first round by the Chicago Wolves in a seven-game series. Prior to joining the AHL in 2001, the Admirals and Cyclones spent nine years as rivals in the International Hockey League (IHL). The Cyclones were 23-17-4 (.568 winning percentage) in games versus the Admirals during that stretch.

“We’re very happy and proud to continue our partnership with the Predators,” said Cyclones GM Kristin Ropp. “Nashville has always brought in great young talent that gives our fans in Cincinnati an exciting, championship-level product every night.”

The Cyclones and Montreal Canadiens have mutually agreed that it was best not to continue their affiliation.

The defending Kelly Cup Champion Cyclones open their home schedule on Saturday, October 30 at U.S. Bank Arena against the Wheeling Nailers. Discounted ticket packages for the 2010-2011 season are available now. For more information, call 513.421.PUCK (7825) extension 3 or visit CyclonesHockey.com.

Hockey, Habs and Twitter

Habs Tweetup avatar

posted by Rocket
All Habs


In my last article I talked about two different ways of assessing the strength of fanbases in sport. As you might expect fans of the Montreal Canadiens are in the top three in the NHL when evaluated on traditional metrics: ticket sales, television viewership and merchandise.

However, it's when we look at how Habs fans interact via social media that they are at the top of the league.

So, are you still on the fence about joining Twitter, Facebook and discussion groups?

In this piece we'll take a look at Twitter. It's easy enough to register and get running but what about all the criticisms? Let's get those out of the way first.

You have probably heard things like: Twitter is simply a pacifier for the insecure "Look at me" Age.

Tweets like this only reinforce that school of thought. "I just woke up and brushed my teeth! FTW!"

Some believe that Twitter is a collection of narcissists with an excessive pre-occupation of constantly updating the world on 'who they are', 'what they are', and 'where they are.' Sadly, that may be partly true.

"I just became the mayor of SuperCuts. Free haircuts! Awesome!!"

But the beauty of Twitter is it's democracy.

Tired of reading tweets from Miss Lonely Hearts about how much she needs a man? There's an unfollow button.

I happen to think that these tweets are utterly inane, but you may disagree: "Hey, it's time to watch Jeopardy!" "Just spilled mustard on my tie. FML!" "It's Coffee O'Clock!"

If so, follow away. The choice is yours.

You'll find people who beg for followers. And you will see tweets from those who are obsessed with people who can't stop obsessing about their followers. A simple rule is have something interesting to say. People will follow.

But as you wade through the smorgasbord of people and topics, you will unearth some gems.

Soon after I joined Twitter, I discovered @arjunbasu from Montreal. I enjoy his work even though his stream has nothing to do with hockey. Basu writes short stories, which takes considerable talent given that Twitter restricts tweets to a maximum of 140 characters.

@arjunbasu: "She heard strange noises in the night and found him downstairs slathering sourdough with mayonnaise and he saw her and said, It's a metaphor."

Many are brilliant, a few I don't get, but none are boring. Were it not for Twitter, I wouldn't have cultivated an appreciation of this unique brand of writing.

One of the first people I communicated with after registering for Twitter was @shannonpaul. She was a godsend. At the time, Shannon was the social media guru for the Detroit Red Wings. Yes, the Red Wings were trail blazers in the Twitter realm too.

Shannon provided me with a social media guide that she had prepared. She recommended hockey people to follow. She patiently answered all my dumb questions: "What's #followfriday?" "How do I retweet?" and "Who makes up these hashtags?"

Her congratulations seemed genuine when I announced that I had reached 25 followers. 577 days later, @All_Habs is a recommended follow by Twitter and has surpassed 13,000 followers. Thanks Shannon.

It's a good idea to find a mentor who will get you off to a good start. You will be surprised how many tweeps are happy to help newcomers.

So what do Montreal Canadiens fans do with their brand new shiny Twitter account?

"Hey, I heard that Andie Bennett from the Team 990 has Twitter!"

Yes, many of the Montreal mainstream media have Twitter accounts. But for users who only add the Francois Gagnon's of the Twitter world, you will be missing out on a rich Habs and hockey community.

The truth is that many of the mainstream media haven't yet figured out this new technology. They make on-air pleas for followers and are using Twitter as yet another 'push' device to deliver their message in a manner no different than newspaper, radio and television. Communication is usually one-way unless they are chatting with media colleagues.

A few of the national hockey media have crossed this barrier and are using Twitter not only as a place to release breaking news but also to interact with hockey fans. Three of the best in this regard are @darenmillard of Rogers SportsNet, (James) @mirtle of the Globe and Mail, and @TSNBobMcKenzie.

Ask a reasonably intelligent question and be respectful and you have a good chance of getting a reply.

In Montreal, one columnist who reaches to fans is Dave Stubbs from the Gazette. @habsinsideout1 joined Twitter just in time for the start of last season and combines information and historical fun facts.

If you are looking for fun, approachable media types, you should be following the guy's from The Franchise on the Team 990. Gary Whittaker and Nick Murdocco, @thefranchiseca and @nickyfranchise respectively, are adept at mixing local sports and humour.

They don't have to be media personalities to contribute to the discussion of the Canadiens. One of the first people that I got to know through Twitter is @kyleroussel. I invited Kyle to debate Habs issues a few times in the early days of All Habs. Kyle went on to become a regular contributor and a good friend. A few months ago, he started his own blog, Cowhide and Rubber.

@EP31 is another good friend who owns the blog Winter of (dis)content. She claims that her tweets are just random, but don't let that fool you. She is bright and knowledgeable about the Canadiens, her "Hammies", and many junior hockey league teams.

A similar name, @Number31, can give you astute game analysis, a breakdown of goalie technique and hamster tips all in one place.

I enjoy the analytical hockey tweets of @ArponBasu, @HabsWatch and @StevenHindle. @KamalPanesar offers a daily capsule of Canadiens news.

But for a unique perspective on the Habs, I turn to @theactivestick, @czechtacular and @Habitherway. They are witty and thoroughly entertaining.

If you just want a bit of everything from all the popular Habs websites, then add @habsnews.

For bilingual Canadiens tweets, there are few better than @touteparpillee. She is a long time Habs fan with an objective, common-sense viewpoint. @metricjulie was part of the team that helped me to organize the 1st annual draft Habs Tweetup. She will give you Habs, MMA and plenty of sass.

Believe it or not, there's even a Jacques Martin fan on Twitter. @IFC4 may be one of a rare breed, but she is delightful to chat with. Tweet anything about the Kostitsyns and you will be quickly introduced to @Cathie_AK27.

What about someone who is an international singing star, the voice behind an inspirational Olympic anthem, and a Habs fan? That would be @NikkiYanofsy!

Game nights for the Canadiens are special. Twitter gives you the opportunity to share the experience with hundreds or even thousands of Habs fans watching along with you. Share the emotion, offer your opinion and get instant feedback.

The Habs have a huge fanbase outside the province scattered across North America, and the world. Believe it or not a good number of Canadiens fans reside in rival territory. @kuyaz is one of many Habs fans in the Greater Toronto area. @smalrus resides in Bruins territory, @chrisrbrown is in the New York area, and @FlyersRule has dual allegiances in Philadelphia.

But all have a devotion to the Canadiens and will be glad to debate any current issue. Its the same story for Habs fans that I talk to from Dublin, Jarkata, Tokyo, Melbourne, and Rio de Janeiro. It's a Habs planet.

@chile_pepper is an former Montrealer who now makes her home in Vancouver. She is so committed to the Habs that she trekked across the country last March to meet her fellow tweeps in Montreal.

Twitter users, like her, who want to take that next step and get-together with hockey people in person, attend a Habs Tweetup. They have not only been held regularly in Montreal but also in Toronto, Vancouver, Moncton, Hartford, and Hollywood, Florida. Long-term friendships have developed as a result of these get-togethers with the Canadiens and Twitter as the common bond.

Please be sure to add tweeps from rival teams. Friendly debates can be engaging or very entertaining. You may even find former foes jumping on board the Habs bandwagon when it advantages their team.

@goaliemom31 (Red Wings) is one of the sweetest people you will meet on Twitter. @sarah_connors@sarah_connors is fun and sarcasm somehow bottled in a Bruins fan. @Nock4Six (Leafs) has a sharp wit and is a suspected closet Habs fan. But try to convert her at your own peril.

And lastly, don't forget to add @All_Habs, @HabsTweetups and @CanadiensMTL. They are a must add for Habs fans! (hey, it's my article!)

The danger of a piece like this is that there isn't space to include everyone. Please read this as a sampling of recommended tweeps rather than a comprehensive list. That will be in a future article.

Until then, my sincere apologies to friends and followers who weren't included. You can be assured that you are not forgotten.

If you want to know who these people are, and would like additional people to follow, keep an eye on #FollowFriday shoutouts from the @All_Habs account.  Feel free to add your Habs favorites in the comment section.

With over 60,000 tweeps, the Habs fanbase is the strongest in the NHL. Twitter can be an excellent source of breaking news, a place to follow Canadiens game action, and an ideal way to network with fellow Habs fans.

Let's continue to grow our Habs fan community.

Leblanc Shines at Team Canada Junior Camp

Leblanc shines in national junior intra-squad game

The Canadian Press

8/7/2010 3:29:13 AM

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -- Louis Leblanc was crushed when he was cut from Canada's team for the World Junior Championship last year and it's clear he doesn't want that to happen again.

The Montreal Canadiens' 2009 first-round draft pick scored two goals and was dangerous on nearly every shift while leading Team White to a 6-3 victory over Team Red in an intra-squad game at the Canadian junior team development camp on Friday night.

"I still have a bad taste in my mouth from being cut from camp last year," said Leblanc. "I came here ready and when the puck dropped I think our line was ready with (Sean) Couturier and (Quinton) Howden.

"Things were clicking and I think we got the job done."

Read more »

Ranking the Best Sports Fans by Different Measures

posted by Rocket
All Habs

This week Forbes magazine released their report titled "America's Best Sports Fans."

It's an interesting title for the piece given that the fans of the Montreal Canadiens are ranked No. 11. That's you!

To determine their rankings Forbes enlisted outside help to rank all teams from the four major North-American sports leagues on three sets of criteria.

They looked at strength of the fanbase as determined by "a team’s drawing power in its home market and nationwide." The Canadiens were second in average home attendance in the NHL and seventh on the road.

Merchandise sales was the next metric to be calculated for each team. The Habs brand recognition and loyalty is very strong driven by a world-wide market.

Lastly, a survey of American sports teams was done to determine the in-market popularity of each team. With all due respect to the Alouettes for the purposes of this survey, the Canadiens are essentially the only game in town.

Here's what Forbes had to say about that, "With 24 Stanley Cups, the Canadiens rule the NHL, historically speaking. They are the only team in the “Big Four” professional leagues in the province of Quebec."

The top four teams in each league (NHL, NFL, MLB, NBA) were then ranked for the final list. The four NHL teams are in order: Detroit (No. 3 overall), Pittsburgh (No. 6), Montreal (No. 11), and Chicago (No. 16).


The Forbes survey is well-respected but rather traditional in its metrics to determine fan support.

As social media continues to carve out a role in connecting sports fans, measures of assessment may have to recognize their influence. Filling the vacuum is an interesting website called Sports Fan Graph maintained by Coyle Media. The site "tracks the number of fans who like teams on Facebook and follow teams on Twitter."

If you don't understand the significance of terms such as "follow" or "like" you may wish to track down the nearest adolescent for a quick lesson. It is a measure of the connections one makes in his or her community.

Canadiens fans rank first in the NHL in the use of both Twitter and Facebook. They number almost 400,000 users when combined.

For all the talk from the NHL offices about playing a pioneering role in the new media, the statistics don't support their claim. Despite being on top of hockey world, Canadiens have only one-tenth of the social media totals when compared to teams from other sports like Barcelona or the Los Angeles Lakers and don't make the top 30 when all sports are considered.

The NHL has just over one million total followers. By contrast, the NBA is approaching six million users.

All of this means only one thing. For all you holdouts, its time to get on Twitter and Facebook to connect with fellow Canadiens fans.


In part two of this article, we'll look at social media from a hockey perspective.


You can find Sports Fan Graph here.

(photo credit: Getty)


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Let's Be Calm About the Carey Price Negotiations, for Now

posted by Rocket
All Habs

I am asked everyday, "Why hasn't Carey Price signed yet?" At this point, I should just press play, and let the well-rehearsed answer spill out. But I realize that passionate Habs fans are simply worried that the team doesn't have a number one goaltender right now so I try to address their concerns.

Worried? Don't be. Yet.

My answer usually goes something like this. These negotiations take time, and although Price is the top priority for GM Pierre Gauthier, he is not the only one.

Don't pay attention to the haters who profess that Price should be given a lowball one-year deal so that he can prove himself. The Canadiens have committed to Price for the foreseeable future.

My feeling all along has been that Gauthier would try to sign his franchise goaltender to a long-term deal to take advantage of Price's stock having taken a dip. Why not? For a cap-strapped GM, he would be hailed as a genius if Price plays as he is expected to and for a bargain over the long term.

But wait a minute. Is it really smart for Gauthier to play hardball when he doesn't have a plan 'B'?

Does the GM not recognize the importance in re-establishing support for their number one goaltender?  Gauthier should be doing whatever he can to help repair the relationship between Canadiens fans and Price.

Many fans are ready to welcome Price with open arms, while some will take a wait-and-see attitude. Surprisingly, there are people who call themselves fans, but are openly hostile towards Price. The negativity has been driven, in part, through mistakes made by coaches Martin and Carbonneau in managing their goaltenders.

I've also been consistent in saying that Price and his agent, Gerry Johannson, would be looking for a short-term deal. Sign for a year or two at a reduced rate with the intention of driving up the value of the next contract with some superb play. Johannson confirmed as much today in a courtesy call to a Gazette reporter.

This position is also reasonable, this time, from the perspective of the Price camp.

But can you see the problem? While the negotiating positions make sense to the two sides, they aren't even in the same ballpark in terms of dollars and term.

From the same interview with Stubbs, Johansson said that the two sides "are not necessarily close, but it's not that we're not close in a bad way. We're having good conversations and we both are committed to getting things done."

Johansson sees the negotiations as normal and hopes to have them completed in the next three or four weeks.

As I have been saying, let's remain calm.

I realize that's in stark contrast to the two nervous Nellie's who get their panties in a knot on Montreal sports radio at noon everyday. They have been speculating that Price doesn't want to play in Montreal, that Gauthier has been shopping his goaltender, and that the Habs have an interest in free agent Antti Niemi.

Nonsense.

As mentioned earlier, the Canadiens have invested in Price, and the young goaltender has said all the right things about returning.

On the subject of Niemi and Price, I am inclined to trust the Bowmans. Stan clearly believes that Niklas Hjalmarsson is a more critical piece of the Blackhawk puzzle than Niemi. You may recall Scotty's words last Spring who didn't mince words when he said, "Don't trade Price.”

Back on the airwaves, the morning Nellie has been claiming that the Price camp is seeking a five-year deal while Gauthier is offering two years.

Nonsense, again. Check the reasons explained above and you’ll find no evidence for that school of thought.

Prepare yourself for another batch of outlandish speculation as the Johansson comments today are likely the last official words we will hear on the subject until Price is signed. Gauthier is always tight-lipped, and Johansson is an excellent agent who doesn't believe in negotiating through the media.

Can you imagine the circus if a certain Mr. Walsh was negotiating a new contract for the goaltender he calls The Client with the Canadiens?

So where will the parties end up?

A three-year deal in the neighbourhood of $8 million ($2.5M, 2.5, 3.0) is my best guess and may be reasonable middle ground for both parties. But we will have to wait to see how tightly each side will hold to their positions. It seems that fans are ready to celebrate any deal that is a partial win for both sides.

Do I remain calm and confident that a deal will be done? Yes, I do. But if we are still talking about this issue beyond Labour Day, feel free to push the panic button.


In other news:

Former Canadiens player and assistant coach Doug Jarvis has been hired as an assistant with the Boston Bruins.  Jarvis was added to head coach Claude Julien's staff to replace Craig Ramsay who left to become the new head coach of the Atlanta Thrashers.

Jarvis and Julien previously worked together behind the Canadiens bench.




(photo credit: Reuters)


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NHL Press Release: The Heritage Classic is back!

Wednesday, 04.08.2010 / 5:30 PM / News

NHL.com

PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK -- – Representatives from the National Hockey League, the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens met Wednesday at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium in advance of the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic™, the regular-season outdoor game to be played Sunday, February 20, 2011. The League, the Flames and the Canadiens today also unveiled the game-day jerseys specially designed for each team for the event.

The 2011 NHL Heritage Classic marks the first regular-season NHL game contested outdoors in Canada since the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium on November 22, 2003. CBC and RDS will carry the game in Canada and VERSUS will telecast the outdoor match in the United States. NHL Radio™ will have the live action across North American radio. NHL Network™ will provide pre- and post-game programming, and NHL.com will provide extensive digital coverage.

"The Flames and Canadiens, two teams with so much history, will resume a rivalry that is so much a part of the National Hockey League’s proud heritage. Our first regular-season outdoor game was played in Canada, and we're excited to be coming back for the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium Feb. 20," said Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the National Hockey League.

The Flames and Canadiens are the only clubs to have contested an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final in the 40-plus years of the NHL's expansion era (since 1968), doing so twice in a four-season span. The Canadiens captured their 23rd Stanley Cup by defeating the Flames in five games in 1985-86 and the Flames won their first and only Stanley Cup in a six-game triumph over the Canadiens in 1988-89.

Both clubs boast a strong cross-country following and own long home sellout streaks. The Canadiens have drawn capacity crowds at Bell Centre for each of their past 248 regular-season and playoff games since January 2004, while the Flames have posted 230 consecutive sellouts at Pengrowth Saddledome since April 2004. These two teams will have one match-up prior to the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic when the Canadiens host the Flames on January 17th.

“The Calgary Flames are honoured to be hosting the Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium. Calgary and Montreal have a storied past having faced each other in two Stanley Cup finals and we are pleased to be able to restore that rivalry on this grand stage with an outdoor game,” said Ken King, President and CEO Calgary Flames. “The Flames organization, the city of Calgary and Flames fans everywhere are very excited about this very special event highlighted by the opportunity to see NHL action in a classic winter setting.”

“The entire Montreal Canadiens organization is thrilled to be part of this exciting event. We look forward to this celebration of hockey on Canadian soil and welcome the opportunity to revive our longtime rivalry with the Calgary Flames,” said Pierre Boivin, President of the Montreal Canadiens. “We had the privilege of playing in the first Heritage Classic, back in 2003, and we are pleased and honoured to have been invited for this outdoor showdown at McMahon Stadium.”

“CBC is extremely proud to broadcast the NHL Heritage Classic," said Scott Moore, Executive Director, CBC Sports and General Manager of Media Sales and Marketing. “CBC's Hockey Night in Canada was there when Edmonton hosted the first Heritage Classic in 2003, and we're excited to be headed to Calgary this time around. It promises to be a memorable evening for fans of the Flames, the Canadiens and Canadian hockey fans across the country.”

“The Winter Classic has become a highly anticipated annual event and we’re excited to be able to televise the NHL’s first outdoor game on cable with the Heritage Classic,” said Jamie Davis, President of VERSUS. “Each season we try to find different ways to deepen our NHL coverage. Last year we added several games following the Olympic break and extended coverage throughout the playoffs, leading to record postseason viewership. Broadcasting the Heritage Classic is another example of how we work very closely with the NHL to further super-serve hockey fans.”

“RDS was proud to provide thousands of hockey fans with the opportunity to witness this historic event back in 2003, broadcasting the first NHL regular season outdoor game, as the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium,” said Domenic Vanelli, Vice President of Production at RDS. “The entire RDS broadcast team has fond memories of this outstanding event and we look forward to, once again, bring all the excitement of the Heritage Classic featuring the Flames and Canadiens from McMahon Stadium to our viewers.”

The Flames will wear a fusion design jersey honoring the history of professional hockey in Calgary for the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic at McMahon Stadium on February 20, 2011 versus the Montreal Canadiens.

The Calgary Tigers helped form the Western Canada Hockey League in 1921 to become the first major professional team in Calgary. The Tigers competed a total of eleven seasons in four leagues, winning four championships during their existence.

The Flames worked with the design team at Reebok to create the vintage look. The jersey features the same jersey striping pattern with a beige Flames C logo in a vintage felt application. The uniform is a deeper red color with gold stripes and will include the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic logo patch on the front.

Montreal will wear their current away (white) jersey which will also contain the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic patch on the front, right chest. Modifications to the player numbers on the jersey will reflect the numbering color combinations worn on their white jerseys throughout their history, specifically how the numbers appeared during both the 1986 and 1989 Stanley Cup Final series against the Calgary Flames.

2011 NHL Heritage Classic jerseys for both Calgary and Montreal will be available for pre-orders now through Shop.NHL.com, calgaryflames.com and montrealcanadiens.com.

The NHL Heritage Classic jerseys were designed by Reebok, the Official Outfitter of the NHL®, who collaborated with both teams to create two jerseys that are unique and true to the histories and traditions of the clubs.

Additional information surrounding the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, including ticketing information, will be announced in the coming months. Fans can register online at www.nhl.com to receive alerts and ticket information on the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, as well as other NHL news, events and offers. The NHL will again work with the host team, the Flames, to set aside tickets specifically for use by local youth hockey organizations.

Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will battle Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on New Year’s Day in a regular-season game at Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, at 1 p.m. ET. The 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® will mark the fourth consecutive season the NHL has played a regular-season outdoor game on New Year’s Day. The Buffalo Sabres hosted the Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year’s Day 2008, the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field on New Year’s Day 2009 and the Boston Bruins hosted the Philadelphia Flyers at Fenway Park on New Year’s Day 2010.

Journalists Talk About Markov, Language, and Each Other

posted by Rocket
All Habs

Two weeks ago, a veteran of Montreal radio, Ted Bird posted an article on his Bird's Eye View Blog. It drew an angry response from the attention-seeking Richard Martineau. That was quickly followed by a soft-pedal rebuke by Stu Cowan.

Now it's my turn to offer an opinion.

What do journalists in Montreal do when Habs news is scarce? They write about each other.

What was the topic to spur on this sprint to our respective keyboards? Language and the Montreal Canadiens. Bet you haven't heard that one before?

It all started with a reporter's insensitive question just after Andrei Markov took an oath to receive his Canadian citizenship with 31 other newcomers last month.

Bird described it this way, "The fact that Andrei Markov was asked by a reporter within minutes of being sworn in as a Canadian citizen whether he would now take the time to learn French would be despicable were it not so predictable."

Indeed, it was a dumb question.

Inappropriate. Disrespectful. Rude.

I think that most reasonably-minded people can agree on that.

As Bird asks, "How big does the chip on your shoulder have to be to inject petty politics into a milestone event in someone's life?"

Well said.

But Bird went on to answer the reporter's question on Markov's behalf.

"He doesn't need to learn French," wrote Bird, explaining that Markov's workplace, the NHL, is an English-speaking community.

It was this sentence that brought a storm of vicious, narrow-minded, anti-Anglophone posts to the comments section. It was like chum in the water. And right on time, the shark arrived in the person of Journal de Montreal columnist Richard Martineau.

Martineau does only one thing well: attracting attention to himself. He was voted the Clique's worst journalist in Quebec in 2009.

Martineau's attack on Bird is rather thin on substance. In order to fill space, he included an irrelevant personal story about an Air Transat flight. Instead he selected a few extreme anti-French comments from the website and waited for the predictable results. In essence, he lit the fuse, and waited for the fireworks.

What do you expect from someone who used to write a piece called "Shockwaves?" Martineau is a buffoon and a provocateur, and I think he likes it that way.

I had the misfortune to work with him on a project when he was with TV network TQS. After tossing out the notes and research material, Martineau made off-the-cuff and intentionally inflammatory statements and then sat back to watch the "fun" begin.

For readers who aren't familiar with him, it's predictable that Martineau would disagree with Bird (or anyone else) on the topic of language.

On Canada Day, Martineau posted a diatribe against multiculturalism. Martineau wrote "Canada is a foreign country. Its traditions are not mine, its culture is not mine, and its concept of a country has nothing to do with what we stand for in Quebec."

That's not exactly a very evolved, inclusive view.

Into this swirling cauldron stepped Stu Cowan, sports editor at the Gazette. Cowman takes a round-about path to mildly disagree with Bird. He says that "Markov should make the effort to learn some French, even if it's just to say "bonjour," "comment ca va?" and "merci.""

No disagreement there, Stu.

But Cowan continues, "He should even try to expand on that to learn some simple sentences he can use for postgame interviews on RDS."

Cowman is one of my favorite sportswriters, but we are going to part ways here.

Even to learn basic conversational French is not a trivial exercise. It would be consuming time with no benefit to Markov's game on the ice. If Cowan is simply suggesting that Markov memorize some stock phrases that he can toss around in the locker room, I frankly don't see the point. And I doubt that the Francophone journalists would be so easily pacified.

I'm glad that Cowan included Tom Kostopoulos in his article. He wrote, "When Kostopoulos was with the Canadiens, I admired him for his courage on the ice and also for his courage to stand in front of the RDS cameras and use the Ontario high school French he learned while growing up in Mississauga. Just like his style on the ice, it was all effort and I'm sure it was much appreciated by the RDS viewers."

I admired Kostopoulos for many reasons including that one. But even if it's true that the viewers appreciated his language effort, I'm not so sure that the RDS broadcasters did. On more than one occasion, they ridiculed Kostopoulos' French language skills following an interview.

And let's not forget Michel Beaudry's on-air racist rant against Kostopoulos on 110% that ended with "Tom Kosto-f**king-poulos!" His fellow panelists weren't any better. Michel Bergeron was in hysterics, and then filled his Depends when Beaudry repeated the derogatory insult a second time.

Not known for being quick on his feet, P.J. Stock tried to defend his own laughter by saying that Beaudry is a comedian. To some, I suppose.

But the point is that I'm not sure that I agree with Cowan that hours in a classroom is going to buy all that much goodwill. It didn't seem to save Scott Gomez from being vilified.

Do we want Andrei Markov sitting in Berlitz classes or rehabbing his injury at the Complexe Sportif Bell? Should Scott Gomez be pouring over Rosetta Stone tapes or improving his faceoff ability?

Maybe it's time to change our perspective on this issue.

I have no interest in Cowan's next performance evaluation including a grade on the speed of his slapshot. I don't think it's appropriate to tie Martineau's compensation to his timed-skate between the bluelines.

Such talents have nothing to do with being a good journalist. Similarly, the language issue is irrelevant to being a hockey player in the NHL.

But, learning simple greetings isn't so hard is it?

So to the mainstream media, I say, you first! Given that a journalist's job is communication, it should be easy, right?

Here's a few Russian phrases to start you off:

Добрый день! (Good afternoon)

Я плохо говорю по-русски (My Russian is bad)

Вы говорите по-французски (Do you speak French?)

Maybe learning a new language is not so straightforward, is it? Especially when you are an elite defenseman in the NHL who is battling players from 29 other teams over an 82-game schedule.

Besides, why are some so anxious to assimilate the language and culture of newcomers to match the dominant group in the province? Imagine the firestorm if the same logic was applied continent-wide. A more modern view is to be tolerant and accepting in building a healthy diversity.

Having said that, hasn't the discussion completed exited the realm of the hockey arena at this point?

Perhaps the simplest solution is to transition to the point where we can agree that language and birthplace have no place in the discussion of building a hockey team to compete for the Stanley Cup.

Is it possible, even in Montreal? I think so.

For those who disagree, here's another phrase that might prove helpful for you:

Говорите, пожалуйста, медленнее (Could you speak more slowly?)


(photo credit: Getty)


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