Dennis Kane’s Excellent Montreal Canadiens Blog

It’s very disturbing that a warrant for the arrest of Guy Lafleur has been issued. It’s also wrong. First, the situation.

Guy’s 22 year old son Mark has had a history of trouble, due to the fact he has medical issues deriving from drug addiction, depression and bipolar complications. Mark was on strict bail conditions that he broke when he left his home and spent time in motels where he hooked up with his younger girlfriend.

Guy’s problem is that he drove Mark to the motels, and then wasn’t clear in court about telling authorities how he had helped his son violate the bail conditions.

Enter the arrest warrant.

But what is unsettling is how this is being handled. Like Guy’s lawyer says, his client (Guy) is so well known, and so is his address, and so is where Guy is at all times, that there was no need for an arrest warrant. If the police wanted Guy, all they had to do was knock on his door and say hello.

So now, it’s in all the news, including US-wide CNN, and Guy, if one doesn’t know the story, is made to look like a criminal in hiding, another athlete gone bad, etc. Why would the police decide to create such an embarrassing situation for this Canadian icon when they didn’t have to?

Lots of people have the unfortunate situation of having a child with mental problems, who have had run-ins with the law, and it tears moms and dads apart. All parents can do is continue to love their child, try to get the best help for them, and through the whole process, of course mistakes will be made from time to time.

It looks like this is the case for the Lafleur family, and my heart goes out to Guy and his wife Lise.

To Montreal Canadien fans, and hockey fans in general, please get behind Guy Lafleur in this difficult time.

Three big nights coming up for the surging Habs, beginning Thursday in Washington to complete the home and home series with the Capitals. I wonder if George W. Bush likes hockey. Do you think he’s heard of the Rocket, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr? Maybe Sean Avery?

I’m sure he must know something about Wayne Gretzky, and possibly Mario Lemieux. He’s probably aware of Alex Ovechkin, but only because they work in the same city. George is a baseball and football guy. But from time to time, he might check out page 7 or 8 of the Washington Post sports section, where hockey is buried, and notice something about the Capitals.

Why, he may have even noticed a story about the big 4-0 win by Montreal over his home team the other night. Cripes, I hope he doesn’t bomb Montreal.

I like the Caps, but only because of their new coach, Bruce Boudreau. Otherwise, they’re meaningless to me. Boudreau seems like the kind of guy you were pals with in school, the one who helped with your paper route, the one whose mom had the great cookies. He seems like just an ordinary Joe who happens to be fullfilling a dream right now. I hope he does well, just not on Thursday night.

Saturday afternoon, Montreal takes on the Islanders, then Sunday it’s down the freeway into Manhattan to tackle the New York Rangers, home of Mr. Congeniality, Sean Avery.

Note from Dennis:  It’s 1 am Saturday morning and I just realized the Islanders and Rangers are playing in Montreal. So about the last paragraph? Pretend you didn’t read it. Except the part about Mr. Congeniality. (It’s not my fault. I’m old.)

They’ve both been in the league since the 2005-06 season, and both, in their own distinct ways, have been fabulous. Any General Manager, if asked who he would pick from these two to build his team around, would have to think long and hard. Crosby is the successor to Gretzky and Lemieux’s mantle, and is The Next One. Ovechkin plays with abandon, and several of his many goals have been described as some of the prettiest ever. Both fill rinks wherever they play, both genuinely love the game, and both have the big numbers.

SO HOW DO THEY MEASURE UP? LET’S TAKE A LOOK.

Sidney Crosby is 20 years old, and Ovechkin is 22.

Crosby is a centreman. Ovechkin plays left wing.

Crosby is 5′11″, 200 lbs.  Ovechkin is 6′2″, 217 lbs.

Crosby, in 206 games, has 95 goals, 190 assists, for 285 points. (with 207 penalty minutes.)

Ovechkin, in 213 games, has 137 goals, 126 assists, for 263 points. (with 126 penalty minutes.)

THE QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN TO BE SEEN ARE:

Who will prove to be the bigger winner. Crosby’s on a better team and may wear a Stanley Cup ring soon. Ovechkin may never wear the ring. Winners create more of a legacy than non-winners.

Who will have more longevity. Both are good sizes, but both go kamikaze to the net. Crosby already is in the midst of a serious ankle injury. Ovechkin has dodged the bullet so far.

Crosby’s a Canadian, so his love of hockey is built in. For him, hockey’s as natural as eating and sleeping.

Ovechkin’s Russian. And you can tell by the smiles that he finds sheer joy in playing the game. It seems his love of hockey is built in too.

Crosby’s a better playmaker with all the hockey smarts. Ovechkin just plays with natural instinct and has a colourful knack when scoring. 

Crosby is the new Gordie Howe. Ovechkin is the new Maurice Richard.

Of course you’ve been saying to yourself lately, ”Hmm, I wonder how Carey Price is doing since he was sent down to Hamilton.”

And rightly so that you should be wondering. Price, at 6′3″, 226 lbs., is considered the young stud, the next great goalie in a long line of great goalies who’ve played for the Canadiens.

And because you’ve been wondering, I’m here to deliver.

He’s not doing fantastic. Quite ordinary, actually. He’s played 8 games there, down on the farm, has let in 25 goals, (3.12 average) and has 4 wins and 4 losses with no shutouts.

He’s young. It’s going to take time.

It seems I’m not the only one who gets riled up about NHL All-Star weekend. These are comments from the TSN website regarding Saturday’s silly Breakaway Challenge and the Skills Competition. It’s all quite interesting.

Judging by the following, changes need to be made. Like adding intensity, for one. Are you listening, Gary Bettman?

DEFINITELY NOT:

Daniel Briere:  This is a guy who wants to collect his millions the easy way, in relative obscurity, so when he has a bad game no one notices. This is not a Montreal Canadien. I feel he’s a little shy in the cahoonie department.

Trevor Linden:  He tried it, but was a bum there. Wearing the Habs jersey must have interfered with his wet dreams about the wet coast.

Sean Avery:  If Avery ever becomes a Canadien, I’m taking up cricket. GO PAKISTAN!

Todd Bertuzzi:  I shouldn’t have brought this up. Now I’m going to have nightmares all night.

Steve Downie:  Players who try to injure other players is certainly no Montreal Canadien.

He belongs in Philadelphia.

Mike Milbury:  There’s nothing like a supreme smart-ass to play in Boston and not Montreal.

Matthew Barnaby:  Such a mediocre talent. And he’d have that smile on his face after he’d get his head kicked in.  Sean Avery, Jarkko Ruutu, and Steve Downey learned their smile from this guy. I shudder just thinking about him in a Habs jersey.

DEFINITELY YES:

Bobby Orr:  Yep.

Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux:  Yep.

Gilbert Perreault:  This is a guy who should’ve played in Montreal. Talk about a Flying Frenchman. However, he did bail out on Team Canada in 1972, so that’s a big strike against him.

Vincent Lecavalier:  Big strong French-Canadian centreman like Jean Beliveau. His grandfather would’ve been so proud to see him in a Habs jersey.

Sidney Crosby:  If he had had a say in it, he’d be wearing the red, white, and blue right now.

Jean Ratelle:   Another tall, strong French-Canadian centreman. Geez, was he ever out of place in Boston.

Marcel Dionne:  It basically came down to Lafleur or Dionne, as Montreal couldn’t grab both. I’m glad it was Lafleur, but Dionne would’ve looked good in the jersey also.

Valeri Kharlamov:  The great Russian was at the mercy of political bullshit in Moscow and there’s no way he would ever have been released to play in North America. He would’ve looked fantastic in Habs colours, though.

Vladislav Tretiak:  He didn’t hide the fact he would have loved to play in Montreal, but the same applied to him as did Kharlamov. Anyway, Montreal had Dryden.

Pamela Anderson:  With or without the sweater.

Dennis Kane:  If only he was taller, faster, stronger, smarter, with a better shot, and was a better fighter and skater, he would’ve looked FANTASTIC in a Montreal Canadien sweater.

Like the title says, I hate the NHL All-Star game. I hate the nonchalant approach, the smiles and friendliness among those who normally dislike each other and three days from now will be trying to send their new-found buddies through the glass face-first. I hate the football scores. I hate the smug looks on the players as they play pond hockey. I hate the announcers going overboard in explaining how great everyone is. I hate the fancy little skating and shooting contests. So I don’t watch it. It’s my right.

I also hate the way it has broken up the great momentum Montreal has had leading up to this.

Remember the 1970 baseball All-Star game when Pete Rose bowled over catcher Ray Fosse at home plate?  Rose was playing to win. It was part of his soul. The Rocket, Ted Lindsay, John Ferguson Sr. and Doug Harvey had similar spirits, and this is what I like. Not this kissy-face shit we see now. 

Years ago, the all-star team played the previous year’s Stanley Cup champs. Everyone had something to prove. The champs wanted everyone to see they were still champs. The all-stars wanted another go-round at the champs. It was serious hockey. Players thumped and walloped. Goalies stood on their heads. Fans got a real treat, and their money’s worth.

Now, there’s so many players, the league doesn’t want to have just 20 all-stars. And teams don’t want anyone to get hurt. So we get to see a love-in now instead. If I want to see a love-in, I’ll rent Pamela and Tommy’s honeymoon video.

Before the Montreal - New Jersey game in lovely Newark,  friend and regular reader Beatnik was kind enough to email me the dismal facts that showed Montreal might as well stay back at the hotel and not bother, because they were gonna lose. Plain and simple. 

So, if I was a gamblin’ man, I’d say that Beatnik was predicting a New Jersey victory. Montreal’s playing against the unbeatable Martin Brodeur and the team they can’t solve. Of course the Devils would win this. How could they lose?

It was inevitable. Like death and taxes.

This was the email that Beatnik dug up.

‘The Devils have a 9 game winning streak against the Canadiens, and Montreal hasn’t won a game in New Jersey since Feb. 5, 2002, when José Theodore shut out the Devils 1-0.

In fact, history suggests it will take a shutout for the Canadiens to win.
Theodore’s victory was Montreal’s first win in New Jersey since Patrick Roy
was a 2-0 winner on Oct. 26, 1993. Since that win, the Canadiens are 1-21-4
in Jersey.’

Then Beatnik included words from that horrid song fans sing at the Bell Centre.

Olay Olay Olay Olay.

That’s all fine and dandy, but like Toe Blake once said. “Predictions are for gypsys.”

 Montreal scored three times in the third period and won the game 4-3 on a goal by Christopher Higgins.

There’s just nothing more I can add to this.

Coming up - How I feel about the All-Star game.

It’s easy, really. Just head south through Manhattan, turn right, go through the Lincoln Tunnel, drive past the big field where the New Jersey Devils used to play, turn left on the freeway near the big field, and proceed to beautiful, downtown NEWARK. Don’t get lost,  don’t end up in the wrong part of town, and keep your doors locked at traffic lights. Because not only will your life be in peril, but you’ll miss the most exciting team in hockey, the Montreal Canadiens. 

It’s a big game for the Canadiens. New Jersey has 59 points, and the Habs have 58, just coming off the Montrosity in Montreal against the Boston Balloons. The Canadiens need this game, just before All-Star weekend. It would be a nice little touch. I just hope their bus driver knows the quickest and safest route.

It’s deliriously mind-blowing to see Montreal proving all the experts wrong. Is that you? Are you one of the ones who said the Habs were going to be really bad this year? I can recall the TSN panel, Bob McKenzie etc., sitting there at the start of the season telling us in their infinite wisdom just how small, how short of depth, how too young, and simply how too terrible are the Montreal Canadiens to even think about making the playoffs.

Maybe these experts should review chick flicks instead.

Since the late 1960’s, the Boston Bruins have liked nothing better than beating the Montreal Canadiens. They’ve liked it better than pretty well everything - sex, chocolate, maybe even their wives.

But now, with the glorious 8-2 demolition by the Habs last night, those Boston Balloons, er, Bruins, have lost nine times in a row to the good guys. What would Espo, Orr, Cashman, Middleton, O’Reilly, and Bucyk think?

On the other hand, The Canadiens were simply champions last night. The Kostitsyn brothers are going to make the Sedin twins in Vancouver look like a couple of Swedish meatballs. These two young Russians have been just an excellent and a somewhat surprising find for the team, adding speed and creativity to the attack. On top of that, Alex Kovalev looked like Valeri Kharlamov, and Mike Komisarek was Larry Robinson in disguise.

The entire Montreal squad was impressive. Geez this must burn Boston fans’ asses.

On a very serious and sombre note, I would like to thank the fans at the Bell Centre for waiting to sing the ‘olay’ song until after the team had about a five goal lead. Way to go, fans.

Next up, Thursday against the New Jersey Devils. More about that tomorrow. Right now I’m just trying to savour the big thumping.