7th Defense spot up for grabs

J.P Cote who was considered the probable front runner to complete the Canadiens defense was injured in yesterdays training camp after Aaron Downey fell on his knee.

Cote will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

This leaves the 7th defenseman spot wide open.

Who will step up and get the chance to star the season with the big team?

It won’t be James Sanford. Habs prospect James Sanford was sent home by Guy Carbonneau who was not impressed with his physical conditioning. It must be kind of embarrassing to be the first person cut and for being out of shape.

Dan Jancevski is the only other prospect with NHL experience. Although very little, 2 games.

But The Canadiens signed him this summer for a reason. They must like something about him. At 25 he’s paid his dues in the minors and this might be his lucky break.

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21 Comments

#1 nilan says:
September 18, 2006 at 7:55 am

I had not even heard of a potential injury. That would be a shame for Cote, who has certainly done what the club has asked of him. This in no way reinforces my confidence in the Habs D for the opening of the season.

#2 Alestar says:
September 18, 2006 at 8:32 am

How does a proffesional hockey player, in this day and age, show up for camp out of shape?!? Two years in a row!!!

Does James Sanford work at a “Krispy Kreme” in the off-season?

18

#3 Lafreniere says:
September 18, 2006 at 9:00 am

That’s too bad for Cote, this was his chance. I believe the HABS will pick up someone from waivers once the season starts.

#4 habs heart 1 says:
September 18, 2006 at 11:55 am

are the talks with Jason Wooley still ongoing?If so, I think we need to sign him, especially with the injury to Cote.

#5 Habs Blog says:
September 18, 2006 at 12:33 pm

Apparently the Habs decided against him and he’s now talking to Carolina

#6 Vallee says:
September 18, 2006 at 12:41 pm

What are the chances of Benoit getting somegame time?

#7 snake says:
September 18, 2006 at 1:51 pm

I think we will be fine. Boullion will be back sooner then everyone thinks. He is a tough one. As long as we have our number one D man healthy(Huet) we will be okay.

#8 Razz says:
September 18, 2006 at 3:11 pm

Yeah, not to worry. With Rivet, Markov, Souray, Dandenault, Komisarek, Streit, and Boullion coming back pretty soon we have an ok base. Besides, the injury to Cote isn’t that bad either. No need to sign anyone, unless we bring a real quality defenceman.
The Canadiens will play their first preseason game on Tuesday in Montreal against Boston. The line up will be:

Higgins-Koivu-Ryder
Begin-Bonk-Milroy
Perezhogin-Chipchura-Ferland
Latendresse-Maxwell-D’Agostini

We will have to wait before seeing some Kovalev (Ribeiro/Grabovsky) Samsonov line in action, but you gotta give those newbies a chance.

#9 Habs#1 says:
September 18, 2006 at 6:36 pm

Gainey signed Jancevski for a few reasons and they’re the reason’s that he will be the #7 d-man.

1)Gainey drafted him when he was the GM in Dallas, that’s were he was signed from.

2)He knows this guy fairly well.

3)From what I understand he’ll bring some sandpaper to the d-corps.

4)He has more experience than anyone else.

These are may my reasons why Dan Jancevski will be the #7 d-man.

#10 jack tornton says:
September 18, 2006 at 9:38 pm

Don’t giv the chance to any of our prospect this is the time of the year we have to aquire a professional defence(period)

#11 snake says:
September 18, 2006 at 11:32 pm

Let them fight it out for the spot. Thats why we have preseason. I really dont care who it is as long as they get the job done.

#12 snake says:
September 18, 2006 at 11:42 pm

Dont know if anyone here has been to Winnipeg but if you are ever in town I would recommend you dont start a hockey conversation with anyone. WE are invested with leaf fans. Ever since the crappy Jets left all of those fans who chose to continue to watch hockey(still some crying)converted over to the dark side. Mostly cause the leafs get the most publicity and all of their games are on TV out here. We have a small french community here who love the habs but other then that its all leafs fans. I do my best to convert a couple here and there but there’s way too many to deal with. Just thought I would let everyone know.

#13 snake says:
September 18, 2006 at 11:44 pm

Poeple here laugh when I tell them I watch RDS to see my team play. They dont understand why i would watch a game in french. Obviously if you are a habs fan you understand. I actually enjoy the games in french. Dont know a word of french but I fell during the game I understand everything they say. Call it hockey sense.

#14 Rob says:
September 19, 2006 at 2:23 am

I agree with Habs #1. Gainey acquired Jancevski as an unrestricted free agent for a reason, and like most of the deals that he has made as GM, I think he knows something that the rest of us don’t. Gainey seems to have pretty good hockey sense when it comes to defensemen. I mean who really knew that Patrice Brisebois was really such a lousy defenseman, and why were the Habs holding onto him all those years before Gainey arrived on the scene?

Gainey did draft Jancevski originally, and obviously feels he has something to offer since he acquired him for a second time this year as an unrestricted free agent. Also, don’t forget that it was Gainey that was smart enough to steal Stephane Robidas to Dallas from Montreal for nothing when he was GM in Dallas.

There are still enough potential prospects available to do the job on D until Boullion is ready to return. No need to panic. Great opportunity for some prospects to gain some NHL experience.

#15 Phil says:
September 19, 2006 at 10:30 am

Snake as HABS fan for life!! I watch RDS also.I don’t understand french,but hockey is the universal language…But I prefer to watch RDS to the **** CBC pours out about the laffs.You can put TSN in that grouping as well..Both stations anouncers have nothing good to say about the Canadiens.

#16 Papineau says:
September 19, 2006 at 4:04 pm

Phil is so right, CBC commentors are ****.

Anyways, Tonight watch out for the O’byrne Komisarek pairing. O’byrne is huge but he can skate, hit and he has a shot. Janceski has notthing on him.

#17 PACTUM SERVA says:
September 19, 2006 at 4:20 pm

I also dont speak a word of french but i love RDS.Some ppl just dont understand lol.

#18 jack tornton says:
September 19, 2006 at 5:31 pm

REspect for all those fans that watch hockey in french! This proves how much you guys are down for the team.

This gives more hope to the team in my opinion. Us, Quebecois, are proud to have fans outside the province. And hockey is not only for the actual province, its most likely considered as a culture. You accept and follow it or you don’t you don’t give a damn!

Montreal is not only a team but a portion of our history.

#19 jack tornton says:
September 19, 2006 at 5:32 pm

Guys be ready for the action to begin! ( the war over the 7th spot!)

#20 Snake says:
September 20, 2006 at 2:58 am

I even watch the intermissions. My girlfriend thinks its weird that I watch a couple of guys talk to eachother in french at a desk and I listen to every word. SHe also thinks it is weird that I talk online to other habs fans. WE will call her POISON SNAKE.

#21 gpctc says:
September 20, 2006 at 11:12 am

the link to the off-season conditioning done by Higgins and Komi is back working.. http://www.institute3e.com just click on “play movie”. You will also see Rick DiPietro and Eric Nystrom

GP

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Senet1 : Also the addition of Blunden and even Leblanc is not shy to throwing body checks. Also PK has been more aggressive lately
Senet1 : That is partly because of the change in coaching styles and the addition of Bourque.
Senet1 : If we kept Plekanec and Bourgue then we need a shooter on that line. So to me from a forward standpoint we need to add a goal scorer, but one who goes to the net and is not knocked around. To me based on our offence this year that is the most needed position to fill on our forward lines. When you consider that we got ride of Cammy, and if we trade Gionta and Gomez disappears we are no longer a small team. The team has more grit now than at the first of the year.
Senet1 : So we have to add some muscle as well as skill to our second & third lines and upgrade our fourth line as well. I could see Leblanc moving in as the centre on the second line if we got something good Plekanecs, otherwise, he could play the wing on either the second or third line. Blunden seemed to score faily well in the AHL not sure if he has it in him but would like to seem him on a line with Eller and maybe Leblanc next year all three players like to use their bodies and therefore should be
Senet1 : Not counting Markov if he plays. If we trade or let go of our UFA defenceman then we will need at least three D-men, I would like a good look at Nash to see if he can play at this level. If not he is gone, I do not think any of our other defensive prospects are ready quite yet. Our junior and college players should be coming on stream for Hamilton next year so we will get to see how much they have developed and whether any are ready for the big time.
Senet1 : While I agree we have quite a few players that could be made available, I do not see a need to make wholesale changes only the necessary one. obviously Gomez, Gionta, AK46(if he will not sign) I keep our top line of Cole, Pacman and David. I keep Eller and Leblanc, Blunden, Bourque, probably Plecanec unless we can really improve on his positin. I keep PK, Emelin, Gorges, Diaz and Naturally Price. Probably Budaj. That basically gives us two functional line and two sets of defence, not counting
goalie : Great to see Pacs gets su=ome success after the devestating dirty check last season that could have paralyzed him for life.
goalie : Given ho the team has played this season one thing in our favor is that we pretty much need to clean house. Other than about 6-7 guys everyone else would be available in my mind.
goalie : After how the tes]am has
Avatar37 : Apparently only one offer for Carter on the low side so far, I think Montreal would be foolish not to investigate the possibility of a trade for him, and if there is low interest, the deal might be able to include moving Gomez. Gomez/Darche/Cam poli and a third round pick? Maybe not, but I'd be in serious talks with Columbus right about now.
Avatar37 : «link»
Avatar37 : for him had we held on to him until now and created a bidding war. There are more buyers than sellers currently on the market and it would have been the perfect time to have traded him.
Avatar37 : Goalie - I'm not sure how we could have obtained more for Halak. We showcased him, everyone knew he was available for trade, and in the end, we took the best offer. Any asset is only worth what a purchaser will pay for it. The Halak trade wasn't like the Cammalleri trade where you had GMs afterwards saying they didn't even know he was on the market. The Halak trade was done properly, the Cammelleri trade was a knee-jerk panic move, and while my opinion is that we could have received more
Avatar37 : I saw the game, the Islanders first goal came from a shot that was clearly above the height of the crossbar. How is it possible for a play to go to review where they have the advantage of mulitple camera angles and the ability to pause and they STILL get the call wrong?
goalie : I agree don't get dilusional over our three game winning streak. Changes MUST be made. I am however, glad to see the effort being put forth by the players.
Mats Naslund : I just went to capgeek to see who the Avalanche might be dealing for a rental - and I see they have only 6 players signed for next season!!! There are a couple young D men on that squad who are RFAs who would do very nicely next season.
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Mats Naslund : How about Max Pac though.. 21 goals and on pace for 65 points this year. That is absolutely monster for a guy at his age/experience and especially coming after a horrific injury. Huge cornerstone moving forward. On pace for 33 goals.. could he get 35?
Mats Naslund : Didn't get to see it either - and while I don't really care about the win, I am very glad that Gomez scored so we don't have to endure all of the negativity in the media about him for the rest of the year. He still su@ks, but at least it won't be a topic every shift he takes.
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Senet1 : 4-2 win habs
Senet1 : Gomez scores, Yea!!!
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Avatar37 : round those picks occur (probably 3rd).
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Avatar37 : «link»
Avatar37 : That is why PG should have waited on trading Cammalleri. Right now, there is a high demand for a top 6 forward, we could have gotten much more than Bourque in return. That isn't a knock against Bourque, but a knock against a knee-jerk reaction trade that didn't maximize our return on a top asset.
Avatar37 : «link»
Avatar37 : chips fall where they may. After all, the only difference between finishing 17th and 29th is how good a pick you get in the draft.
Avatar37 : We currently sit in 26th place in the league. We are 15 points ahead of Columbus, it's safe to bet at this point they will place last. We are, however, only 4 points ahead of Edmonton so it's still wide open as to who is going to finish second last. I still think that it's time to sit the veterans, play the youth, let them get experience, and regroup for next year. I'm not suggesting deliberately tanking like the Penguins, but give all our young players lots of playing time and let the c
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goalie : Two years ago when our goaltending stole series adn our players suddenly scored the coaches / GM believed that that was our true team . Well time has proven that was not. Though I was very glad to see the Habs knock off some very good teams we were very fortunate. And fortunate that spring was spelled HALAK!
goalie : The wrst mistake management could possibly make I believe is to say, we played well some games and we believe the team can play to that level more often in the future. This team CANNOT adnb DOES NOT play to a high enough level. Please do not kid yourself mamngement. hat is partially why we're in the lace we are.