The hockey Unknowns : Don Sweeney

Donald Clarke Sweeney (born August 17, 1966) is a former ice hockey player who played over 1,100 games in the NHL, most of it with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is now with the Bruins as the assistant general manager.

Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	AHL Maine Mariners NHL Boston Bruins Dallas Stars
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	166th overall, 1984 Boston Bruins
Playing career	1988–2004

Playing career

Donald Sweeney grew up in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. Sweeney was drafted out of St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, where he played with his school team as a defenceman, round 8: 166th overall, by the Boston Bruins. Before joining the Bruins, he played for four years at Harvard University where he was a NCAA East All-American and an ECAC First Team All-Star in 1988.

He made his NHL debut during the 1988–89 season, having spent half of the year with the American Hockey League's Maine Mariners. In the following season he helped the team to win the Prince of Wales Trophy by scoring six points in 21 games until they finally lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals.

In 1992–1993, Sweeney played in all 84 games and put up 36 points and ended up winning the Adams Trophy that year. In both the 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97 seasons,^[when?] he was second amongst the defenceman on the team with 22 and 28 points respectively. In 1998, Sweeney missed the last 23 games of the season with a fractured shoulder that he suffered on March 1. In the next season, Sweeney achieved 205 hits and 85 blocked shots in 81 games. In the 1999/2000 season he had 301 hits and 84 blocked shots. The following year he had 172 hits in 72 games and in 2000/01 season he contributed 18 points in 81 games. In the 2002/03 season Sweeney scored only eight points in 67 games as his team nestled into third place in the division. On November 14 that year, he played in his 1,000th NHL game.

He played 15 seasons and 1,051 games for the Bruins uniform, and is one of just four players (two defencemen) in team history to play in over 1,000 games.

Since July 2006, he has ranked third on the Bruins' all-time games played list and among all-time club defencemen, he ranks tenth in career goals, eighth in assists and ninth in points with 52–210=262 career Boston totals.

Sweeney concluded his NHL playing career in 2003–04 with the Dallas Stars. He retired with 52 goals and 221 assists for 273 points and 681 penalty minutes in 1,115 career regular season games. He added nine goals and ten assists for 19 points with 81 penalty minutes in 108 career playoff contests.

He took a job in 2005 as Assistant Dean of Admissions at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and was also a studio analyst for Bruins' games on New England Sports Network (NESN). He was a color commentator for college hockey games on NESN and CBS College Sports Network.^{[citation needed]}

On June 21, 2006, Sweeney rejoined the Boston Bruins as the team's director of player development, responsible for the scouting of professional league players, as well as tracking the progress of the team's drafted prospects at the AHL, junior hockey and college levels. On July 14, 2007, he was promoted to director of hockey operations and player development.^{[citation needed]} In July 2010, he was promoted to the assistant general manager.^{[citation needed]} In 2011, his name was engraved on the Stanley Cup after the Boston Bruins won their first Stanley Cup in 39 years.^{[citation needed]}

He and his wife, the former figure skater Christine Hough, have twin sons, Jarrod and Tyler. He is a distant relative of the USA soccer midfielder Tucker Reinhardt.^{[citation needed]}

^{Career Stats :}

Player of the day : Don Sweeney #player #day #hockey #nhl #boston #bruins

Donald Clarke Sweeney (born August 17, 1966) is a former ice hockey player who played over 1,100 games in the NHL, most of it with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is now with the Bruins as the assistant general manager.

Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	184 lb (83 kg; 13 st 2 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	AHL Maine Mariners NHL Boston Bruins Dallas Stars
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	166th overall, 1984 Boston Bruins
Playing career	1988–2004

Playing career

Donald Sweeney grew up in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. Sweeney was drafted out of St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, where he played with his school team as a defenceman, round 8: 166th overall, by the Boston Bruins. Before joining the Bruins, he played for four years at Harvard University where he was a NCAA East All-American and an ECAC First Team All-Star in 1988.

He made his NHL debut during the 1988–89 season, having spent half of the year with the American Hockey League's Maine Mariners. In the following season he helped the team to win the Prince of Wales Trophy by scoring six points in 21 games until they finally lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals.

In 1992–1993, Sweeney played in all 84 games and put up 36 points and ended up winning the Adams Trophy that year. In both the 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97 seasons,^[when?] he was second amongst the defenceman on the team with 22 and 28 points respectively. In 1998, Sweeney missed the last 23 games of the season with a fractured shoulder that he suffered on March 1. In the next season, Sweeney achieved 205 hits and 85 blocked shots in 81 games. In the 1999/2000 season he had 301 hits and 84 blocked shots. The following year he had 172 hits in 72 games and in 2000/01 season he contributed 18 points in 81 games. In the 2002/03 season Sweeney scored only eight points in 67 games as his team nestled into third place in the division. On November 14 that year, he played in his 1,000th NHL game.

He played 15 seasons and 1,051 games for the Bruins uniform, and is one of just four players (two defencemen) in team history to play in over 1,000 games.

Since July 2006, he has ranked third on the Bruins' all-time games played list and among all-time club defencemen, he ranks tenth in career goals, eighth in assists and ninth in points with 52–210=262 career Boston totals.

Sweeney concluded his NHL playing career in 2003–04 with the Dallas Stars. He retired with 52 goals and 221 assists for 273 points and 681 penalty minutes in 1,115 career regular season games. He added nine goals and ten assists for 19 points with 81 penalty minutes in 108 career playoff contests.

He took a job in 2005 as Assistant Dean of Admissions at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and was also a studio analyst for Bruins' games on New England Sports Network (NESN). He was a color commentator for college hockey games on NESN and CBS College Sports Network.^{[citation needed]}

On June 21, 2006, Sweeney rejoined the Boston Bruins as the team's director of player development, responsible for the scouting of professional league players, as well as tracking the progress of the team's drafted prospects at the AHL, junior hockey and college levels. On July 14, 2007, he was promoted to director of hockey operations and player development.^{[citation needed]} In July 2010, he was promoted to the assistant general manager.^{[citation needed]} In 2011, his name was engraved on the Stanley Cup after the Boston Bruins won their first Stanley Cup in 39 years.^{[citation needed]}

He and his wife, the former figure skater Christine Hough, have twin sons, Jarrod and Tyler. He is a distant relative of the USA soccer midfielder Tucker Reinhardt.^{[citation needed]}

^{Career Stats :}

The Best Defense(man) is Good Offense

source : hockey.dobbersports.com

This week the Eastern Edge takes a closer look at seven Eastern Conference defensemen who are putting up offensive numbers this post season

It's been said that defense wins championships. I've been a firm believer that this applies to fantasy hockey as well, but obviously with a slightly different angle. For leagues that require a certain number of defensemen, finding players that can provide steady production from the back end are invaluable.

This week, I'll take a look at seven Eastern Conference defensemen that are putting up some very good numbers in the playoffs so far, six of which had more points than Sidney Crosby heading into last night's game. Then I'll look into my crystal ball to forecast whether their production will carry over to next season.

Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  27

Contract Status:  Signed through 2021-22

2014-15 Cap Hit:  $7,250,000

Last Sunday's three point game by Letang is exactly why you can't sell low on this guy. Even after suffering a stroke at such a young age, he has the home run potential that very few fantasy players can provide. When he's on the ice, he's often making highlight-reel plays, both offensively and defensively.

Over the last four seasons, Letang has averaged 51 games and 38 points, which includes the lockout shortened season. In those four seasons, he has scored at a 61 point pace. For those leagues that use NHL cap hits, next season is the first of his 8-year $58-million dollar extension that sees his annual cap hit go from $3.5M to $7.25M. If you own Letang, don't expect him to play a full season, but know that if he does manage that feat, he will richly reward his owner.

One final thing to keep in mind with Letang, in addition to his penchant for finding the injured reserve list, is that with his cap hit going up significantly and the Pens organization seemingly endless supply of offensive defensemen, could we see the team dangle their defensive weapon in the off-season? I don't think they deal Letang, but weirder things have happened. If he does leave Pittsburgh, take 5-10 points off his potential point total.

Matt Niskanen, Pittsburgh Penguins

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  27

Contract Status:  Unrestricted Free Agent

2013-14 Cap Hit:  $2,300,000

Boy did Matt Niskanen ever pick a great time to have a career season; he recorded 46 points, eclipsing the 35 points he had in the 2008-09 season. He is set to become an Unrestricted Free Agent on Canada Day and he's only 27-years-old. With the NHL salary cap about to rise from $64.3M to somewhere around $70M per team, some organization is going to grossly overpay for Niskanen's services. Seriously, who isn't willing to pay through the nose for a puck moving defenseman in his prime?

While Niskanen did take advantage of lengthy Letang and Paul Martin absences to man the point on the power play, he did have the fifth most even-strength points (31) amongst NHL defenders. He has eight points in nine playoff games so far this year.

He's a good fit on this team. If he does sign for big bucks and leaves Pittsburgh, his point production should only take a slight hit to about 40 points with his new team, giving him every opportunity to show that it was money well spent. He won't produce much more than he did this season for the Pens, even if he signs a sweetheart deal to stay with the team because Letang and Martin will eat into some of his power play minutes.

P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  25

Contract Status:  Restricted Free Agent

2013-14 Cap Hit:  $2,875,000

With only two of their top six defensemen under contract for next season, the Canadiens are going to have a lot of work to do this summer. The most important being P.K. Subban. After playing hardball in contract negotiations two years ago, essentially telling the young buck to prove himself, the ball is squarely in Montreal's court. Subban has more than proven himself since signing that contract in winning the Norris trophy as the league's top defenseman and leading all NHL defensemen in scoring with 91 points over 121 regular season games.

He is doing nothing to lower his bargaining power in these playoffs, registering nine points in six games. While I don't see Montreal letting Subban go, if they don't get him under contract by July 1st, wouldn't one team be willing to come in with a desperate offer sheet, forcing Montreal to make a very difficult choice? My money says that he signs with the Habs, but not for max term, maybe something like four or five years. That way, he can have a shot at unrestricted free agent status when he is around 30-years-old.

Torey Krug, Boston Bruins

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  23

Contract Status:  Restricted Free Agent

2013-14 Cap Hit:  $916,667

Fun-sized defender made a splash in last year's playoffs when he recorded four goals in his first five games. Krug logged an impressive 14 goals and 40 points in his rookie NHL campaign and is having a very good playoff run this year again with seven points in as many games.

What might we see from Krug next year? Looking back at his season, he struggled during the months of December and March, recording seven points over 27 games. In the other months combined, he scored at a 52-point pace, recording 33 points in 52 contests. With more experience, he will smooth out those peaks and valleys and 50 points is going to be the standard going forward.

Dougie Hamilton, Boston Bruins

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  21

Contract Status:  Signed through Next Season

2014-15 Cap Hit:  $894,167

The surging sophomore has six points in his last five playoff games. His ice time looks like it is all over the place as shown in the table below:

	Game 1	Game 2	Game 3	Game 4*	Game 5	Game 1*	Game 2
Hamilton	17:23	14:15	16:03	24:07	14:15	26:11	15:06

*Overtime Games

Outside of those overtime games, Hamilton is clearly receiving bottom pairing minutes, which is fine while he is learning to play with the big boys, but he is also showing us an offensive side. His upside is as huge as he is tall; over his last two seasons of junior hockey, Hamilton recorded 113 points in 82 games.

In his rookie campaign last year, he recorded 16 points in 42 games. This year, he had 25 points in 64 games, which works out to virtually the same points-per game ratio. However, when you break it down in a little more detail, in his opening 28 games, he had seven points. In his next 29 games, he scored 18 points, a 51 point pace. He's still growing and learning, but he's going to be a legitimate option on the Bruins backend for many years to come.

Jack Johnson, Columbus Blue Jackets

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  27

Contract Status:  Signed through 2017-18

2013-14 Cap Hit:  $4,357,143

JJ is often vilified for his frequent forays into the offensive zone, leaving his defensive partner and goaltender hanging out to dry. He (and his fantasy owners) endured a sub-par season points-wise, recording 33 points in 82 games. Johnson started the year with only five points in his first 27 games, then scored at a 42-point pace the rest of the way.

During the regular season, Johnson led Columbus in ice time and it was amplified in the post season, where he logged the most minutes on all special teams and averaged nearly five minutes more overall ice time per game than the next Blue Jacket. Those even-strength and penalty-kill minutes were played against the Pens top talent and yet Johnson finished the playoffs with a respectable minus-1 rating and seven points in six games. He lives for the post season as his 19 points in 18 NHL career playoff games attest.

Over his last four seasons, Johnson has missed only six games and averaged 38 points if we pro-rate the lockout campaign. It's reasonable to expect him to challenge 40 points next season as the team will be hungrier and more experienced. It's safe to say that his minus-20 days are over.

Paul Martin, Pittsburg Penguins

Age at Start of 2014-15 Season:  33

Contract Status:  Signed through Next Season

2014-15 Cap Hit:  $5,000,000

Perhaps we should have seen this post season production (eight points in nine games) coming, based on last year's 11 points in 15 playoff games. A broken leg and serious hand injury caused Martin to miss over half of this regular season. In the 39 games he did play, he registered only 15 points, a 32 point pace over a full season. In last year's lockout shortened campaign, Martin scored at a 55 point pace, recording 23 points in 34 games.

The 33-year-old has a career high of 37 points, but did find himself on the Pens power play for essentially three minutes per game, the sixth most on the team. What can we expect next year? While he's not getting any younger, at 34 years of age, he doesn't yet need a walker to get around. He'll score between 30-35 points and miss a bushel full of games.

Canadien : Une arme de défense

Source : Tvasports.ca

Pour contrer la robustesse et l’intimidation, il n’y a pas meilleure carte que l’attaque massive. En le faisant payer en marquant un but, l’adversaire en vient souvent à calmer ses ardeurs.

Les joueurs du Canadien de Montréal devront rapidement prouver l’efficacité de leur supériorité numérique s’ils ne veulent pas que les Bruins de Boston profitent de leur avantage physique pour s’engager dans une série rude où ils ne sauraient tenir la cadence bien longtemps.

À voir et à lire également : 

• Comme un jour de match
• «On sait tout sur eux» - Bergeron
• Brendan Gallagher contre les géants
• Renaud Lavoie : les Bruins encore plus dangereux

Or, on ne peut pas dire que la fin de la saison et le premier tour des séries aient été très convaincants de ce côté.

Incapable de produire lors des huit derniers matchs du calendrier régulier, le Tricolore n’a pris le Lightning de Tampa Bay en défaut que deux fois en 13 occasions. Rien pour faire réfléchir ou hésiter un coriace adversaire.

Pourtant, malgré la réputation des Bruins, le défenseur P.K. Subban ne croit pas que l’on doive accorder une importance plus grande à cette unité spéciale.

«Si je me souviens bien, lorsqu’ils ont gagné la coupe Stanley, les Bruins n’avaient pas connu beaucoup de succès en avantage numérique», a-t-il tenu à rappeler.

Une autre saison

Effectivement, la troupe de Claude Julien n’avait inscrit que 10 buts en 88 opportunités pour un pourcentage d’efficacité de 11,4% (14e sur 16 équipes). Sauf que la situation est différente lorsque les risques d’être l’agressé sont plus grands que ceux de se retrouver dans la peau de l’agresseur.

«On ne peut marquer à tous les coups, a-t-il poursuivi. Le plus important, c’est de créer des occasions et du rythme.»

D’autres diront également que le Tricolore a remporté trois des quatre duels de la saison contre les Bruins, même s’il n’a inscrit que deux buts en 17 chances. Toutefois, comme les joueurs se plaisent eux-mêmes à la dire, les séries, c’est une autre saison.

Moen à la place de Bournival

Néanmoins, le Canadien a passé la majeure partie de l’entraînement à pratiquer ses unités spéciales, lundi.

«C’est sûr qu’elles sont très importantes pour connaître du succès. Cependant, tous les aspects de ton jeu doivent être à point. Ceci dit, on a travaillé notre avantage numérique ce matin et on a l’intention de le travailler encore cette semaine», a mentionné l’entraîneur du Canadien, Michel Therrien.

Qui dit entraînement de l’attaque massive dit inévitablement entraînement de l’infériorité numérique.
Pour l’occasion, Travis Moen avait pris la place de Michaël Bournival sur l’une des deux unités.

Au cours de son point de presse, Therrien a rapidement indiqué que la composition de sa formation était loin d’être arrêtée.

«Si je veux préparer Travis à un retour au jeu, je dois le faire pratiquer auprès des joueurs avec qui il a des chances de jouer», a-t-il expliqué.

HAbs : Emelin skates in full gear before Sunday practice

Source : hockeyinsideout

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There were some significant developments before the Canadiens’ practice in Brossard Sunday.

For starters, Alexei Emelin (photo above) was on the ice in full gear with strength coach Pierre Allard. It’s not Emelin’s first skate since having reconstructive knee surgery in May, but he was in sweats for his workouts last week. The defenceman is on target for a returun in early December.

Douglas Murray, who has a lower-body injury, was also out on the ice early, as was forward George Parros, who is recovering from shoulder surgery. Parros was skating for the first time without a non-contact jersey and was part of the regular practice. Travis Moen got a head start as he rejoined the regular practice after missing two days with a lower-body injury.

Also joining in the regular practice were defencemen Francis Bouillon and Nathan Beaulieu. Bouillon has been listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury, while Beaulieu banged up his shoulder in practice early in training camp and has yet to appear in an exhibition game.

Eleven players, mostly youngsters who played both games against Carolina, were limited to off-ice training, and the lineup on the ice Sunday was very close to what the roster will look like on opening night Oct. 1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre.

Tomas Plekanec was on a line between Rene Bourque and Brian Gionta, while David Desharnais was at centre with Max Pacioretty and Daniel Briere. The two Gallys - Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher - were with Lars Eller, and the fourth line had Ryan White between Moen and Brandon Prust. Parros was with Martin St. Pierre and Nick Tarnasky.

The defence pairings were P.K. Subban and Josh Gorges, Andrei Markov and Rafael Diaz, and Bouillon with Beaulieu.

 The off-ice group included a few players who are on the bubble: defencemen Jarred Tinordi, Magnus Nygren and Greg Pateryn, and forward Michael Bournival.


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Habs : A well-deserved honor

Source : canadiens.nhl.com



Nearly 30 years after taking his first strides with the Canadiens in the NHL, Chris Chelios is ready to take his place among the legends of hockey.

Recognized as one of hockey’s most consistent and effective defensemen at both ends of the ice for over two decades of NHL action, Chelios didn’t waste any time getting himself inducted in to the Hockey Hall of Fame, receiving the distinction in his first year of eligibility.

“It’s a great honor. Thank you to the committee; it’s one of the highest honors any athlete can receive. It’s thrilling and I’m really excited about this,” expressed Chelios, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside Scott Niedermayer, Brendan Shanahan, female hockey star Geraldine Heaney and former coach and general manager, Fred Shero. “Unfortunately no one was in my house when the call came. Everyone is either at a hockey camp or a lacrosse camp. I couldn’t share the news with anyone. Even though you know it’s coming, it was a big surprise when it really happened.”

Selected by the Canadiens in the second round, 40th overall, at the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Chelios made his way into the league three years later for what would prove to be an exceptional professional career. While he may have only spent seven seasons as a Hab, also suiting up for the Blackhawks, Red Wings and Thrashers over the course of his time in the NHL, that didn’t stop him from making his mark on Canadiens history. Chelios still holds the team record for most points by a rookie defenseman with 64. He was also the first American-born player to ever wear the “C” for the Habs, and before P.K. Subban accomplished the feat a few weeks ago, he was the most recent Montreal player to win the Norris Trophy.

Although those achievements might date back to the 1980s, Chelios still admits today that his years with the Canadiens were among the most important of his 26 NHL campaigns – a record he shares with Gordie Howe.

“Like I’ve said numerous times, playing for Montreal was like a college experience going to Harvard. I came in and I got the chance to play with some veterans like Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Larry Robinson and Bob Gainey. They took me under their wings and I’ve learned from the best,” reminisced Chelios, who won the first of his three Stanley Cups with the Habs in 1985-86. “I was really fortunate. They’re really good hockey players but they’re great guys as well. To learn from the best you have to listen to them. That had a big influence on my career.”

When it’s time for him to officially be inducted into the Hall of Fame in a ceremony set to take place in November, Chelios will become the 55th member of the organization to receive the honor. In the wake of one of the most important distinctions of his career, the 51-year-old pointed out that the road he took wasn’t always an easy one – a fact that makes his current experience even sweeter.

“There’s probably no reason in the world that I should’ve played in the NHL because of where I grew up. Being from the restaurant business, no one was playing organized hockey in the neighborhood that I’m from,” explained Chelios, who grew up in a suburb of Chicago, IL. “I guess I was in the right place at the right time. I finally got my big break when I was 15 years old and went to play in Canada (for Moose Jaw in the SJHL). It was a crazy dream; it’s not like I was a kid growing up in a hot bed of hockey.”

And yet, he now finds himself immortalized among the best to ever play the game.

Habs : A good soldier

Source : Canadiens.nhl.com

Yannick Weber may have seen limited action for the Canadiens in 2012-13, but at 24 years of age, the Swiss star isn’t prepared to write it off as a lost season.

Having suited up for just six games during the lockout-shortened campaign, the smooth-skating rearguard believes that taking a glass-half full approach to his situation will be beneficial for his career in the long-run.

“It’s not [an] ideal [scenario]. Definitely not,” stated Weber, who has played 115 games since making his NHL debut with the Habs in 2008-09. “I’m still young. I’ve still got a lot to learn, so this past season was more mentally [tough] than it was on the ice. Maybe in a few years I’ll see that it was good to go through a season like this; that it might have been mentally beneficial for me.”


Making 54 fewer appearances this year than he did in 2011-12, however, was at times frustrating for the 2010 Olympian, who spent the better part of the 48-game schedule watching from the pressbox. After finishing with the third-highest point total among Canadiens defensemen a year ago, Weber registered two assists and a minus-1 differential while logging 13:45 of ice time per game in just a half-dozen appearances for Michel Therrien’s squad.

“It certainly wasn’t easy. It was a bit of a bizarre season, too, with the lockout,” confided Weber, who missed eight games after suffering a knee injury on March 7 in Carolina. “We had eight defensemen on the team who were healthy [for the better part of the year]. We had a ton of wins to start the season, so it was really hard at the start to have a chance to play. We didn’t have a chance to have a real training camp and there were no exhibition games, so it was hard to have a real opportunity to be in the top six. For me, it was all about having a lot of patience, waiting for my chance, working hard and staying positive.”

That was easier said than done for Weber, who saw the likes of rookies Jarred Tinordi, Greg Pateryn and Nathan Beaulieu called up from Hamilton and given breaks ahead of him on the Canadiens’ back end. Nevertheless, the young veteran is quick to point out that being passed over for less-seasoned defensemen shouldn’t be interpreted as a lack of faith in his abilities.

“I’ve had good discussions with Marc [Bergevin] and Michel [Therrien]. They both said that they were proud of me, that I’ve worked hard and was a professional during the season,” shared Weber, who Therrien inserted in the lineup on four occasions down the stretch in late April. “They said that they know I’m capable of playing here and that I’m an NHL defenseman. They said they still have a lot of confidence in me. It was good to have a discussion like that. Now, I’ll go into the summer and work hard for next season.

“Being a healthy scratch again and again isn’t easy,” continued the former AHL standout, who considered the possibility of heading to Hamilton for conditioning purposes, but ultimately decided against it. “But all season long, the coaches and my teammates all supported me and they were good with me. It’s good to know they’re happy to have me here.”

Already focusing on the start of a full-length NHL season next fall, the pending restricted free agent is hoping not to be a casualty of the numbers game once again. Looking to force his coach and general manager’s hands when camp rolls around this year, Weber has all the motivation he needs to make the most of his offseason workouts and return to Montreal in fine form.

“For everyone, it’s the same thing. It’s summertime and no one will be playing for four months. In September, when training camp starts, it’s the same thing for everyone,” affirmed Weber on the subject of having an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Habs blue line on an even playing field.

“I’ll come here ready, and it will be a little different than [this year] because we’ll have exhibition games and a proper training camp. I will have a different opportunity than this past season.”

Habs : Sophomore surge

Source : canadiens.nhl.com

In only 23 games, Raphael Diaz made the most of the time available to him in 2012-13. If only he’d had more of it.

Forget second-year slumps. When the Swiss blue-liner checked in for his post-lockout, post-Gauthier sophomore season as a Hab, he did so brimming with quiet confidence, fresh off an impressive stint with EV Zug of the Swiss Elite League. While NHL arenas around North America were kept dark as the league and NHLPA struggled to come to terms on a new CBA, Diaz was hard at work lighting up rinks overseas with seven goals, 29 points and a plus-19 rating in 32 games with his hometown squad in Switzerland.

Grasping that momentum and riding it into the beginning of the Canadiens’ most recent campaign, Diaz showcased a potent offensive punch to go along with his already steady defensive game. With P.K. Subban held out of the lineup due to ongoing contract negotiations, Diaz proved he was up to the task of bolstering the Habs’ power play, picking up eight points in the first six games of the season to match frequent defensive partner, Andrei Markov, in production.

“I felt like I got off to a good year – the whole team had a good start,” expressed Diaz on the subject of the Habs’ 12-4-3 record over the first 19 games of their campaign, before transitioning into the second leg of his season – one he’d likely be happy to forget. “Then, I got that concussion and I was out for two months and couldn’t do anything.”

With a promising start in the books, Diaz’s season was derailed on Feb. 25 when during a game in Ottawa, he suffered a concussion after being struck in the head by the boot of a Senators’ skate.
“I had a one-on-one battle and I was falling down, but I didn’t expect that the leg or the skate was going to come up and hit me in the jaw,” said the Swiss rearguard, who still managed to finish the game despite the incident. “I remember I was protecting myself from hitting the ground by trying to fall on my hands. I knew right away that something wasn’t right.”

The concussion sidelined Diaz for the next 25 games – more than 50 percent of the already truncated regular-season calendar – the symptoms handcuffing him from partaking in even the simplest of low-impact activities.

“It was a lot of headaches, pressure in the head and dizziness as well,” explained Diaz, referencing one of the most frustrating segments of his young NHL career. “You’re at home and you can’t do anything. You just want to move your body, and I was trying something to keep myself in shape, but then you feel the pressure, you feel more headaches and your head tells you that it’s too much. So you stop and wait, and wait and wait and then try again. It was a process with a lot of ups and downs.

“All I could do was wait until it got better,” he added. “It wasn’t that easy to come back in the same shape that I was before. I only had a few games before the playoffs to get readjusted.”

Diaz rejoined the Canadiens for the final four games of the season, stuck using those remaining match-ups not to fine-tune his game, but rather to re-establish it altogether after the lengthy absence. Picking up one assist in that time to finish the season with 14 points in 23 games, the Swiss blue-liner came up just two points shy of his tally of 16 from 2011-12, gathered over 59 contests.

While his first NHL postseason may not have yielded the results he hoped for, the ever-optimistic Diaz is content to chalk it up as another piece of vital experience now under his belt.

“It was a great first experience, and I think I learned a lot of things. It was awesome in the Bell Centre and the crowd was so loud. [The intensity level] went up two steps more and everyone was going at 120 percent as they try to fight for the Cup,” expressed Diaz, already eager to put that experience to good use. “I was expecting the physical play and I knew there was going to be a lot of hitting. It was my first time in the playoffs, but next year, now I’m going to know what’s coming. I’ll be ready for it and I can’t wait for that.”

Luckily for Diaz, he didn’t have to wait that long to lace up his skates again. Passing his medical tests shortly after the Habs cleared out their lockers in Brossard, Diaz jumped on a plane to join the Swiss national team at the World Championships in Sweden.

“I want to go over there, show my best hockey and support my teammates from Switzerland,” he said, before going on to do exactly that as he helped the Swiss claim a silver medal at the tournament
– his country’s first podium finish since 1953.

Canadiens : Le Norris irait à Subban

Source : Rds.ca

P.K. Subban se verrait remettre samedi le trophée Norris qui est accordé au meilleur défenseur de la saison selon le réseau Sportsnet.

Subban deviendrait ainsi le premier défenseur du Canadien à mériter cet honneur depuis Chris Chelios en 1989.

Le fougueux athlète est en nomination avec Kristopher Letang des Penguins de Pittsburgh et Ryan Suter du Wild du Minnesota.

Exceptionnellement, la LNH dévoilera les gagnants des différents trophées dans deux émissions de télévision présentées vendredi et samedi en marge de la finale de la coupe Stanley entre les Bruins de Boston et les Blackhawks de Chicago.

Dans une saison écourtée, Subban s’est illustré avec une récolte de 11 buts et 27 aides en seulement 42 rencontres.

Habs : Return of the general

Source : canadiens.nhl.com



We sometimes take certain things for granted. In their absence, we tend to discover just how important they really are. And, we appreciate them even more when they return.

That’s somewhat been the story of rearguard Andrei Markov, a general who has long patrolled the Canadiens blue line.

Having only contested 73 of his team’s 272 games between 2009 and 2012 after undergoing several knee surgeries, the Russian defenseman returned to form when the NHL season began back in January.

After putting his knee to the test in the KHL with a 21-game stint with Vityaz de Chekhov during the lockout, Markov showed that time spent in his native Russia played an important role in his being able to perform consistently during the condensed 2012-13 NHL schedule. His decision to head overseas ahead of the regular season was welcomed by Canadiens brass.

“The fact that Andrei played in the KHL helped him,” indicated Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin. “He hadn’t played for such a long period of time. We obviously had no control over whether or not he would play in the KHL, but internally we were pleased. We knew that he had to find his rhythm again. The best way to do that was to play hockey, and that’s what he did. He had a great start.”

If the Canadiens started the season off at a torrid pace and began heading down a path that would see them jump from finishing 15th in the Eastern Conference in 2011-12 to second in 2012-13, partial credit goes to number 79 who registered four goals, including three game-winning markers in three consecutive games – a first for a defenseman in team history – and four assists during the first six games of the season in January. All doubt had been set aside. The Markov of old was back.

At his post for each of the 48 regular season tilts and five playoff games, Markov was a veritable workhorse for head coach Michel Therrien’s defense corps, logging at least 20 minutes of ice time in all but two games over the course of the year. It was a tall order for a 34-year-old defenseman who hadn’t laced up his skates in practically two years. Markov, however, met the challenge in front of him head on. He finished the season with 30 points, 23 of which came on the power play, finishing second only to teammate P.K. Subban who led all NHL defensemen in that category.

"Not playing over the course of two years and then playing two games in two nights, four in six. I was tired just traveling with the guys," explained Bergevin with a grin. "In general, we’re happy with the way he performed."

Having coached Markov during his early days in the NHL, Therrien was happy to be able to count on his general game in and game out. Markov’s triumphant return did not go unnoticed when it was announced that he was the Canadiens’ candidate for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

"It’s a great demonstration of perseverance. He went practically two years without being able to play," said the Canadiens bench boss. "He’s a player that we used a lot, who’s important at the heart of our team and who played in all of our games. When we talk about perseverance, Andrei is an excellent example of that."

The Voskresensk, Russia native took full advantage of the season to cement his place among the best defensemen in team history, moving up to fifth on the all-time points list with 399 points. Legends Serge Savard and Doug Harvey are in sight for Markov in 2013-14.

While the campaign may have ended earlier than expected after a successful regular season, the veteran rearguard is optimistic about what the future has in store.

“We expected more. Regardless of where you finish in the standings, you want to get past the opening round. Everyone was disappointed,” confessed Markov. “We’ve got a good group of young players who will get even better next season. We’ve got a bright future ahead of us.”

Habs : Subban brings back the triple-low-five

P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens joined Hockey Central @ Noon in studio to talk his Norris Trophy nomination and the art of his now forbidden celebration. Source : Sportsnet.ca