THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL — It wasn’t easy for Mark Streit to leave the Montreal Canadiens, the team that gave the late bloomer his chance to play in the NHL, but the Swiss veteran says it was necessary.
Now in his second season with the rebuilding New York Islanders, Streit has what he didn’t have in Montreal — a full-time spot on defence, not to mention a fat contract and an A on his jersey.
“Sometimes you have Continue reading ‘Trade from Habs good for Streit’s career’
The Montreal Canadiens are looking to avoid their worst start in 68 years. If that happens, their fans surely will let them hear about it.
The Canadiens are riding a five-game losing streak as they reach the halfway point of a season-high six-game homestand Tuesday night against the surprising Atlanta Thrashers.
Since opening the season with a pair of overtime victories, Montreal (2-5-0) has struggled at both ends and was booed Continue reading ‘Thrashers not the tonic for struggling Habs’
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MONTREAL — Brian Gionta wasn’t going to be left behind by his fellow newcomers to the Montreal Canadiens.
The veteran winger scored with 4:24 left in the third period on Friday night to lift the Canadiens to a 2-1 NHL pre-season victory over the Ottawa Senators.
That matched Montreal’s two other high profile forward acquisitions in the off-season, Scott Gomez and Mike Cammalleri, who Continue reading ‘Gionta lifts Habs over Senators’
BROSSARD, Que. — Jacques Martin has coached over 1,000 games in the NHL, but no level of experience could have prepared him for the challenge he faces in his new job with the Montreal Canadiens.
With nearly half of last years roster gone and seven new players brought in to replace them, Martin will have to essentially start from scratch to form new line combinations, defensive pairings and install his system over the next three weeks Continue reading ‘Martin aims for new Habs identity’
MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens won’t be hitting the ice at Olympic Stadium this year.
The team quashed rampant rumours today that it was planning a regular-season match that likely would have drawn more than 50,000 fans into the noisy, concrete behemoth.
The Canadiens seriously examined the possibility of hosting the Washington Capitals on Nov. 28 at the indoor stadium.
But the team concluded there wasn’t enough time Continue reading ‘Habs: No Big O games this season’
The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Gregory Stewart to a one-year contract, the team announced Monday. Financial terms of the deal were not announced.
Stewart spent most of the last two seasons with Montreal’s AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. He was called up by the Habs for 20 games last year, recording one assist and 32 penalty minutes with a minus-4 rating. In 51 games with the Bulldogs during the 2008-09 campaign, Stewart Continue reading ‘Stewart inks 1-year deal with Habs’
Last season, the 6-3, 196-pound centreman totaled 16 points (9 goals, 7 assists) and 12 penalty minutes in 31 games with Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Elite League, before a wrist injury forced him out of the lineup for the team???s last 24 regular-season games.
Engqvist, 21, concluded in 2008-09 his third complete season in the Swedish Elite League, having played a total of 126 games. Since joining Djurgarden IF in 2005-2006, the Continue reading ‘Habs sign Swedish F Engqvist’
MONTREAL — General manager Bob Gainey felt it was time the Montreal Canadiens had some experience behind the bench.
Gainey announced the hiring of Jacques Martin as the Canadiens new head coach Monday, ending a string of five straight rookie coaches dating back to when Jacques Demers was fired in 1995.
“It was a priority for me to find a head coach that had seen a lot of situations,” Gainey said. “We love Montreal as a marketplace, Continue reading ‘Habs hire Martin to be head coach’
MONTREAL _ Flashy defence prospect P.K. Subban has signed a three-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens.
Subban, who turned 20 on Wednesday, was drafted 43rd overall by Montreal in 2007. He had 14 goals and 62 assists and was plus-47 this season with the OHL’s Belleville Bulls.
The six-foot 202-pound defenceman played on gold medal-winning Canadian teams at the 2008 and 2009 world junior championships. At this year’s event, Continue reading ‘Subban, Benoit sign deals with Habs’
Pop singer Celine Dion is considering a joint bid for the Montreal Canadiens and Bell Centre with Quebecor president Karl Peladeau and Seagram heir Stephen Bronfman, according to a report in The Globe and Mail.
The report said that team owner George Gillett, who announced recently he is putting the franchise up for sale, is already into a second round of bids for the club and arena. He purchased the two for US$185 million nine year Continue reading ‘Report: Dion eyeing joint Habs bid’
