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The Canadiens are in Toronto to take on the Leafs after a long rest in which they saw no action since Tuesday.

The Habs and Leafs have traded shoot out victories this season with both teams winning on the road.

On paper things point to a slight advantage for the Canadiens.

They are rested. The Leafs are now without Captain Mats Sundin and starting goalie Andrew Raycroft both nursing injuries.

How much rest is enough?

The Habs haven’t played since Tuesday. This could have two possible results. Either they are rested, healed and ready to go after the break. Or they come out slow and lackadaisical after being away for too long. The latter often happens to playoff teams who wait too long after dispatching their opponents quickly.

Being it’s a Habs and Leafs game, it should not be too hard to ‘get up’ for it.

The Canadiens played very poorly against the Leafs in their last game until they managed a late rally to send it to a shoot out. Another shoot out and another guaranteed Leaf point is not the most desirable outcome.

Abeischer gets the start tonight, his 3rd consecutive against the Leafs. Is this something we can expect to see all year? Designated goalies for designated teams? Abby for Leafs, Huet for Bruins. Maybe Pat Jablonski is available for Ranger games.
Division Rivalries

In the ‘new NHL’ you play eight games against each team in your own Division.
That’s 32 games out of 82 overall.

Does anyone think this is too much?

The Habs and Leafs are playing each other for the third time already this year. With so many games against the same team does the rivalry, intensity and hatred between bitter rivals diminish?

Will you be ready for Saturday’s game against the Leafs? As much as you were for the first game of the year?

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goalie : Any thoughts out there? I watched the Oilers - Red Wings. THAT was excitement.
Senet1 : Gomez Buyout cap hi Scott Gomez buyout from CapGeek.com ◦ 2012-13: $3,523,810 ◦ 2013-14: $4,523,810 ◦ 2014-15: $1,666,667 ◦ 2015-16: $1,666,667 t.
Senet1 : Well I never thought he would see February but here we are and he is still there. The problem is and most people are like this they hate to admit that they made a mistake. A mistake of hiring PG.
goalie : Habs MUST announce that PG is fired well before the trading deadline. The trouble is is that we know we have to change players, we have a lame GM and the new GM coming in will then inherit players that Gauthier gets. FIRE his ass now! I am wondering, do Molson's know how to run an organization. Doesn't seem like it to me at this time.
HabsLoseAgain : Keep it french and keep it real lol
HabsLoseAgain : PG must be blowing jeff molson hard if he still has a job at this point.
HabsLoseAgain : Ans just think guys PG is gonna lead us to the trade deadline bahahahaha Scary eh?
goalie : One could go on adn on about our woes. Get in a new GM whow knows what it takes to win in the NHL (that would be size, skating and puck control Pierre)and try step by step to rebuild. and ... with a new coaching staff also.
goalie : Nice to see you also look at the stats as they don't usually lie. Unfortunately the |Gomez contract absolutely tied the GM's hands. We essentially have a cap of $7 M bveloew the other teams as Gomez may as well be tanning in Mexico. Gionat has NOT been a successful captain. Gill is aging (but at leats he gives 100%) Campoli adn Kaberle have not played as wella s I thought they would.
Senet1 : We need to draft a couple of star forwards who can score and become game breakers. It is hard to get these types of players in trades although Parise is available, so is Bobby Ryan. There is 60 goals a year. Gomez has now gone a full year without scoring a goal. So how much is that $7+ M per goal. So $7M divided by 0 is zero. So you see math does not lie. That is pretty good stat???????
Senet1 : You cannot win games unless with a team like this unless all 20 players I playing well. Even if you have 20 players playing well they still need guidance from the coaches.
Senet1 : PK played a H_ell of a game today Eller played well but had two wingers that were pretty useless on his line. To me there are a lot of positives on this team, put when you do not have any super star scorer like most teams then you need to play as a 20 man team.
Senet1 : We I have to disagree a little, I admit things do not look good, but until the second goal we were outplaying them but not finishing anything, when you look how hard some of the guys were working in the corners to get the puck out front and when they did no body was there to shoot it or deflect it. I thought that our #1 line played really well but when a team only has to worry about shutting down one line it usually is easy. Budia played well, could not fault him on any of the goals. PK played
goalie : is sinking!!!
goalie : ...and that boat
goalie : In other years there would be lots of partivipants on this blog. Our team's performance this season has been a total turn-off even for the bloggers. Mark my words.... we will NEVER know but I would bet my last cent that it will not be easy to sign a new coach in Montreal. This franchise is in deep deep trouble. Ther eare essentially no good veternas to build around, so we;re going to have to try and build using 20 year olds. Oilers tried that and were a complete failure. We're in the same boat
goalie : Can anyone come up with anything positive about our perforance today? I honestly cannot!
goalie : Even laayers like Cole, Pacs. Bourque seemed totally frustrated today. What we are seeng is the result of poor management over the past 5 or so seasons. The job wasnt dopne now we have a team that is probably the easiest team in the NHL to play against!
goalie : At least Deharnais is trying BUTR he is not and never will be a number 1 or even 2 center. When he goes up gainst bigger players he simply can't get anything done offensively. Thisis not to question his effort!
Senet1 : Basically we have one line and Washington was able to shut them down. We need a game breaker, even the other worse teams in the league have a game breaker we do not. Someone to bury the puck.
Senet1 : If you can score goals then eventually the defence and goalies will take care of the other end.
Senet1 : We need to go after goal scorers I would rather lose a game 6-5 and 1-0.
Senet1 : Well if you cannot score which has been our problem all year you cannot win games.
Mats Naslund : sorry - on replay he didn't touch the puck - which is an issue as well, but still as soft as can be in his own end. terrible play that probably does it.
Mats Naslund : BRUTAL giveaway by Kaberle kills the game.. soft as tissue.
Mats Naslund : Cole - dangerous shot.. but blocked again.
Mats Naslund : 18 blocks for WAS today.. all offense has been pretty chippy.
Senet1 : On the day before the trading deadline, I would put Gomez on waivers and see if someone selects him.
Senet1 : Oh better coaching and better attitude with some of the players. Some players like Plekanec seem to be working hard but not accomplishing anything.
Senet1 : Itn't it amazing how a coach has turned that team around. At one time Montreal had more points than they did. I have said it all year, if we could get a coach who could get these guys playing as a team we are a lot better team than we are showing. That is why I do not think that we have to do a lot to turn this team around, it is a matter of better scoring and better defensive systems 5-5. Lets face it you do not have a real bad defence when you have the top PK in the league. The kids are mat
goalie : In our rebuilding for nect year the FIRST things I would work toward is a new power play alignment - even if that means trading a guy like Plex. We need layers who can control the puck and do that thing called score. Then we go from there. Our PP has been the basis of player frustration that has now grown to virtually every apsect of the game.
goalie : Unfortunately for Budaj that was the correct call. Great save. Gomez must be totally embarrassed just like his play has been for the past year.--Yes the Blues are better than the Habs because they are COACHED BETTER not because they have vastly better talent.
Mats Naslund : no shots on that powerplay - if you can call it that.
Mats Naslund : 2 more chances after a brutal PP but they are blocked again.
Mats Naslund : More plekanec on the point?? come on!