The Montreal Canadiens regained the 8th and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference last night with a 4-3 Overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As a Canadiens fan nothing feels better than extending the Maple Leafs losing streak to 8 games (the longest in over a decade) while overtaking them and re-entering the playoff picture. Doing it in Toronto is even better.

The Canadiens decided to show up and compete last night. Saku Koivu and Alex Kovalev were noticeable in particular. Even before they put any points up you could tell they came to play. They were skating hard and grinding it out which we haven’t seen from either two in quite some time. Hopefully that streak is over and the highest paid players will start performing like they should be.

Jose Theodore took a step in the right direction with a decent performance. He was handcuffed on the tying goal late in the 3rd after Chad Kilger did not get called on what should have been a penalty and Ken Klee was able to surprise him with a slap shot. It looked like the Habs were going to give up another game but the Canadiens got the break they needed in OT and for once had a powerplay instead of being shorthanded in OT. A minute later and Koivu jammed in the game winner. You could tell it was a huge relief and a big moment as Koivu celebrated wildly before Kovalev put him in a bear hug. Although the Canadiens only managed 4 out of a possible 12 points it was a great way to finish the road trip from hell.

The Canadiens now sit in 8th but are far from safe. The Leafs losing streak will end soon enough and the Thrashers are still playing strong hockey. The Canadiens will have another tough game against Carolina before they get a chance to put the Bruins farther out of the race with back to back games this week.

If the Canadiens can make it to the Olympic break in 8th or above then they’ll be in good shape. The chance to rest physically and mentally will be definitely helpful down the stretch.

After the Canadiens most recent loss in which they were nothing short of mocked by Senators goaltender Dominik Hasek, the normally tight-lipped Bob Gainey announced he’s on the market for a reliable top tier NHL defenseman.

There’s been rampant trade speculation over the past couple months but this is the first time Gainey announced he is in fact looking and what he’s specifically seeking. The most popular rumor involves Adrian Aucoin of Chicago coming to Montreal. Of course it is all speculation and it could just as easily be Mattias Ohlund, Sami Salo or Patrice Brisebois. Ok maybe not Breezer. Maybe the Canadiens should call up Dave Manson or Igor Ulanov again. I heard Eric Weinrich and his yellow visor are available at a bargain deal.

If the Canadiens do make a change you can bet Bob Gainey won’t repeat those mistakes with those type of players. If it happens it will be for an impact player and will most certainly involve one or more of our ‘top’ players. It’s safe to say that no one is safe anymore. That includes Saku Koivu, Jose Theodore and everyone else.

Where is Koivu’s leadership? A Captain is supposed to do something in situations like this and it’s fair to say he hasn’t. Koivu’s contract is up at the end of this season and his market value is still decent.

It’d be a shame to give up Michael Ryder as he is the one bright spot in the roster – he’d be the one player off limits. Andrei Markov’s not going anywhere either. Sheldon Souray is on the borderline, I think Gainey believes in him and in a #2 or #3 defenseman’s role he could be very good. Swapping Souray for another D wouldn’t make much sense unless it was a straight 1-1 deal. That leaves Komisarek as potential trade bait.

Which team will show up? A hungry team frustrated and ready to leap frog over the Leafs with a win or the lazy bunch of floaters. Huet or Theo? If Theo is part of a trade package he’s gonna have to get some ice time first. Theo’s a terrible goalie at the Air Canada Centre, Huet would be the better choice considering the importance of the game.

After tonight the Canadiens will find themselves back in the playoffs or slumping worse than ever.