HABS TOWN: "He’s in a tough spot with some of the terrible deals he inherited"

Conor McKenna was recently voted in an informal poll to have the best Twitter feed of any TSN 990 radio personality. While not one of the names or faces that are marketed the most, Conor's acerbic wit makes him a popular person amongst listeners of the station.

Conor is the host of the Habs' post-game show on TSN 990 and has been for years, prior to that he got his start at the station working on a daily Habs' report. His association both personally and professionally with the team goes back many years for someone of his age.

Like many in the media, Conor got his first introduction to the Montreal Canadiens as a fan and that transition from fan to professional is one of the things that makes him an integral part of the Montreal Canadiens Experience for many. Today, Conor pays a visit to HABS-TOWN to talk about his relationship with the Habs.

 

What got you into hockey, more specifically the Habs?

I'm from Montreal. When I was a kid it was easy to admire Patrick Roy and guys like Kirk Muller, Vincent Damphousse, Mike Keane, Eric Desjardins and others. It's easy to admire a team that wins a Stanley Cup in the dramatic fashion the Habs did it in '93. I was ten years old when that happened and was already obsessed with the sport. Hockey was a part of life every day. When there was ice, I'd be playing in various leagues or at the outdoor rinks in Westmount and NDG. When there was none, I'd be playing ball hockey or roller hockey.

Do you remember your first Habs game?

My first Habs game was May 4th, 1993. My dad took me to game 2 of the Conference Semi-Finals. Montreal won the game 4-3 in OT, the same score they'd win every game in that series by. The Forum was a very different place than the Bell Centre. The standing room fans, the smoke and the people, many of whom were dressed up for the occasion (people don't really do that anymore). One aspect of the game that's been lost in the move to the Bell Centre is the on-ice sound. You could hear every stride, shot and hit at the Forum. That is, unless the crowd got going. When that happened, you couldn't hear yourself think. It was a far less gimmick-oriented crowd than the one we have now although I do love the Bell Centre. It's just different. 

Do you have a favorite Habs player ever?

Patrick Roy is my favorite Hab. I didn't get to see the greats of the past but I saw Roy. I saw him carry the team to a Cup. I've watched older games and obviously am aware of the greats, who are too many to name, but never having seen their greatness firsthand it's hard to claim them as favorites. More recently, I've had a lot of appreciation for the way Andrei Markov controlled a game when he was at his best. If he can find that game again, the Canadiens will be a vastly improved team this year. One of the things I've seen a lot of while covering the team is jersey retirements and Roy's was one of the most special.    

Where do you like to watch games?

I love watching games at the Bell Centre but honestly, I’ve seen so many there that I sometimes really just want to grab some beers and sit on a couch with my buddies and take it in. Also love watching at a pub like Hurley's or Ye Olde with friends. It’s funny how much you miss doing that once you stop.

Do you have any pre-game rituals or in game superstitions?

Absolutely zero. I am not the least bit superstitious.  

Do you find a difference in the media in-game experience at Bell Centre vs sitting in the seats?

It’s completely different. For starters, you have to pay for your hot dogs when in the seats. The media gallery also gives more of a bird’s eye view, which is nice, but completely different than the game experience of sitting in the reds or anywhere else for that matter. The electricity in the building does remain whether you’re there as a fan or a member of the media. 

Do you find it difficult to be fan at this point? Or is it easy to turn the "fan" off and on when appropriate?

It’s not hard for me to avoid fandom. There are people in the press who get excited and wear their emotions on their sleeves but I was told right off the bat, by the likes of Andie Bennett, Mitch Melnick and PJ Stock that you never cheer in the pressbox. Never. Once you flip that switch, it’s hard to turn it back on.

What's the best game you ever went to? what do you remember about it?

My favorite live experience was May 10, 2010 game 6 of the Eastern Conference semi-final with Sidney Crosby and the Penguins at the Bell Centre. A friend of mine wanted me to go with him, convinced that I was his “good luck charm” and the key to a Habs win. I called Rod Francis and got the night off (don’t think it was too hard to find someone to fill in for me). We sat about halfway up section 112, right across from the Habs bench, an unbelievable vantage point.

Fans remember this game well, Mike Cammalleri scored the first two Montreal goals and earned a standing ovation that lasted an entire TV timeout. Goosebumps. Jaroslav Halak put together what may have been his greatest performance, but the moment of the night was right before the 3^rd period was set to start, with the score 3-2 for Montreal, Jean Beliveau emerged from the Habs tunnel to take up his customary seat behind the bench but stopped as he passed Glen Metropolit to offer some words of encouragement, clearly pretty pumped up himself. I’m not sure what he said, but the moment was captured by CBC cameras and made it into their incredible montage that closed out the playoffs that year. My seats gave me and my buddy the perfect vantage point for that spine-tingling moment. Maxim Lapierre later scored that ridiculous goal after exposing Alex Goligoski along the boards and sent the crowd into hysterics. As far as a sporting event experience goes, it would be hard to top those seats and that game. 

You're a noted fan of Game of Thrones, do you think that being named the Captain, Coach or GM of the Habs is like sitting on the Iron Throne?

I’m more a fan of the series of books than the TV show but I will say that being coach of the Habs isn’t completely unlike sitting the Iron Throne in the sense that people don’t tend to do it for very long, you have to be highborn (read: Francophone) to do it, and there are people constantly sniping at you and ready to seize on the slightest slip-up or mistake that you make. Unfortunately for the coach, he can’t mount people’s heads on spikes every time they piss him off. If he could, me and several of my colleagues would likely be a bit shorter. 

What do you think of the hiring of Marc Bergevin and his moves so far?

He’s done a good job. He’s in a tough spot with some of the terrible deals he inherited but I like the job he’s done so far. He’s identified core players and signed them to deals that appear to be fair to both sides. Hard to say how the hire of Michel Therrien will work out, but his track record with younger players is outstanding. The future already looks a lot better with Bergevin at the helm if only because he’s had the sense to surround himself with intelligent hockey people and seems to be willing to listen to them. My expectations for this season are not high. It will  take some time for this team to become a real contender but based on this year’s draft and the strength of next year’s draft class, I think the team will contend in the next three or four years. 

What do you think is coming in the immediate future for Scott Gomez?

It seems we’ll have to wait until a new CBA is reached before we know what will happen with him. I’ve long said that I won’t be shocked if he’s there when and if training camp opens.

To me there are 4 question mark contracts for the Habs: Andrei Markov, Scott Gomez, Rene Bourque  and Tomas Kaberle. All four had to perform to a certain level to earn their given contracts at some point in their career. None of them reached those standards last season.

Do you believe in all four cases it's a lost cause, or can any of them be viable NHL players?

For me, Kaberle and Gomez are lost.

In the case of Markov, I truly he believe he will have a bounce-back season. He's been in Montreal for the entire off-season for the first time in his career and should be in great shape for the season. Obviously if he re-aggravates the injury all bets are off. 

For Bourque I'm not optimistic but the fact is that he's still only 30 and not too far removed from being a successful NHL player. Maybe Michel Therrien can light a fire under the guy and get some production out of him. He has all the tools needed to be successful at this level. I'm not holding my breath here, but stranger things have happened.  

Will the the 2012-2013 NHL season start on time?

I will remain the optimist and say yes. The clock isn’t just ticking for them, I’ve got postgame shows I want to host! 

For more from Conor Mckenna, follow him on Twitter @McKennaConor 

Tune in to "Melnick in the afternoon" on TSN 990am for the rest of the week as Conor fills in for Mitch.

Futures present: Scott Gomez

"Time. Patience. Faith."

That's what Brian Wilde of CTV sports wrote recently in his excellent blog posting of the same title.
In his article (which I encourage you to read here) Brian explains that with many contracts set to expire after the 2013-2014 season, timing will be ripe in September 2014 for many of the Habs young prospects to start venturing into the big leagues.

Players like Tinordi, Ellis, Beaulieu, Kristo, Collberg, and Bournival will be ripe. "What does that mean now"? you may ask."Does that mean we get Gallagher, Galchenyuck and Leblanc now?" no. No it doesn't mean you get them now.

Look at recent examples in L.A, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Those teams became dominant by allowing their players to develop together. However, in all three cases there came much losing in the NHL together, and by the time those teams won the cup, they had to start shedding players who coming up on UFA or RFA status. What if I told you it didn't have to be that way? What if I told you there was a better way?

If I am Marc Bergevin, I let the players develop at the Junior level, or in the American hockey league. I let those players dominate at those levels - and then I bring them in to the NHL. I bring them in not when the fans want them, but when they are ready. That way I don't burn up their NHL time.

"Time. Patience. Faith."

Alex Galchenyuck was injured much of last year. His hockey development will not be hindered in the slightest by playing Junior hockey this year. After that he can spend 1 season in Hamilton, and then we get to Sept.2014.

Brendan Gallagher has yet to play at the American hockey league level. Why must we have him here now? We have Brian Gionta. Brian Gionta is still a top 6 forward at the NHL level. Do we need to see Brendan Gallagher get 4th line minutes at the NHL level? Let him get top 6 minutes in Hamilton and dominate there.

Rick Springhetti of McKeen's Hockey supports the theory that Bergevin is looking towards the future"(Bergevin) has a great amateur scouting staff and wants to give them more of an opportunity to do their thing."

Now that we've gone over idea of giving time to the youngsters, you're again going to ask:"What does that mean for the Habs now"? It means more of the same.

Yes. You read me right. That means, that for better or worse Scott Gomez, Rene Bourque, Tomas Kaberle and Andrei Markov will be in Montreal this season.

Following up on his Blog posting, Brian Wilde exclusively told "The breakdown" that fans can expect a lean season. "Not as lean as last year but lean. (Former General Manager) Pierre Gauthier acquired some awful assets." Wilde continued "Normally it would be wrong to ride it out with those crap assets and let them play out the string but nothing is happening now on this big transformation to greatness, so this season is always going to be limited."

Should Hab fans be worried? Maybe. Is it possible some of those awful assets will continue to be awful? or is it possible that they may be viable NHLers with bad contracts?

If I am Marc Bergevin, my attitude is simple. I am going to ride those assets till the end of their contracts. If they perform, and the team does well - fantastic, maybe they earn themselves a new deal. If they don't perform, then the team can end up with more high draft picks leading up 2014 - the beginning of the future.

Springhetti believes that in the short term "the plan for Bergevin was to sign a few players that can begin to shape a new identity for Montreal as a team that will have some bite to their play and will have the courage to impose their system instead of passively reacting to what their opponents are doing." 

"Time. Patience. Faith".

Today we will begin looking at some of the "awful assets" and discuss what we can expect. Today, we discuss Scott Gomez.

Scott Gomez is overpaid. There's no nice way to say it. There were two teams however - New York and Montreal - that saw some value in him. New York gave him the contract to start, and later the Habs picked it up. Whether Canadiens' brass at the time felt he was overpaid or not could be up for debate. What cannot be debated however, is that Canadiens brass felt that Scott Gomez could be their number 1 Center to replace Saku Koivu.

Scott Gomez came to the National Hockey league just in time for the 1999-2000 season. With 19 goals and 51 assists, Gomez was named an all-star and eventually won the Rookie of the year. His numbers tailed off in the playoffs that season where he notched 10 points en route to his first of two Stanley Cups with the Devils. In 2003-2004, Gomez tied for the league lead in assists with 56.



After the NHL lockout in 04-05, Gomez came back to the Devils in 05-06 and had a career year. 

Things started pretty well for Gomez in NJ. Rookie of the year, 2 stanley cups, and a career year in 05/06. He scored 33 goals and had 51 assists, that led to an arbitrator awarding him a $5 Million salary for the 06/07 season before he went on to become a UFA following that season.

As an Unrestricted free agent, Gomez was offered a 32% increase in salary (based on AAV cap hit of $7,357,143) to jump ship to the Rangers. A lucrative offer, but not a crazy increase for a player who has 2 Stanley Cups, a rookie of the year, and at only 27 years of age and entering his prime is already considered to be one of the elite passers of the game. At the time most lauded the deal.



"It's pretty exciting." Rangers General Manager Glen Sather said at the time. "We ranked them both (Gomez & Chris Drury) as number ones, and we never expected to get both of them."

When  Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey acquired Gomez 2 years later in Montreal he described Gomez as "an outstanding playmaker and an excellent skater. Having won the Stanley Cup twice with the New Jersey Devils, he brings our team a lot of playoff experience. Scott is an elite player who will certainly contribute to the success of our team for years to come."

So, what happened?

Colin Stephenson has been a reporter at the New Jersey Star-Ledger since December, 1997. He covered Scott Gomez during his tenure with both the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers. "(Gomez) had great vision, and soft hands, and he was clever. He really was an elite playmaker. He could find people and get the puck to them. He always seemed to have a chemistry with Brian Gionta -- they were linemates on Team USA junior teams before they were on the Devils.But when he was on the Devils, it didn't seem like a strictly Gomez and Gionta thing. He made plays for everyone he played with."

"(With the Rangers) they paid him big money and put him with Jagr on the top line and that never worked, for whatever reason." 

Former Canadien Hal Gill discussed Scott Gomez with the Montreal Gazette's Dave Stubbs shortly after this past season. "The message (from the coaching staff) was we need to play as a team with their system. I tried to preach it but the hard part was we didn't play to guys’ strengths. With Gomez, you don’t expect him to chip it up the boards, you want him to come back and pick it up. If he can’t do that, he can’t be effective."

Stephenson seems to think that Gill's assessment is a reasonable one, echoing what the hulking defenseman had to say. "With the Devils, other guys chipped the puck out, but he was the guy who skated with it."

McKeen's Rick Springhetti believes the issues that have plagued Gomez in recent years are mental. "I think things went downhill after he signed that huge deal with the Rangers. It's as if he knew that he just couldn't justify his huge deal and started to run around the ice trying to do everything at once."

Stephenson and Springhetti's views on Gomez over an interesting contrast on Gomez the Player. When describing Gomez at his best in New Jersey, Stephenson says that Gomez "carried the puck through the neutral zone and dished off. He actually slowed the game down and found holes in the defense."



Springhetti however counters that since signing his deal with the Rangers, "everything seems rushed when he gains possession of the puck. He complicates his game by running around the ice and  with little actual results. If anything, he too often loses control of the puck especially near the opposing blue line because he is not slowing the play down looking for passing options. Also, he has become very hesitant defensively."

Springhetti's evaluation sides with the idea that under the right situation, Gomez could once again be an effective player. Stephenson agrees feeling that the Rangers gave up on him too early "when it didn't work with Jagr."

Springhetti feels that the approach with Gomez for the coming season is a simple one. "(Gomez) should simplify his game, play very good defensively and work his way up from there." He feels that playing a more simple game should allow Gomez to regain confidence, alleviate the mental pressure of his contract and allow him the freedom to get back to his greatest asset. An asset that had 3 NHL General Mangers dub him as a first line center.

As far as being a disruption in the locker room, Stephenson is pretty clear "(Gomez is) a happy guy who loves to laugh and rarely seems to take anything seriously. Most of his teammates like that."

For more from Colin Stephenson, follow him on Twitter @Ledger_Nets
For more from Rick Springhetti, follow him on Twitter @Rick1042
For more from Brian Wilde, follow him on twitter @BWildeCTV

FREE AGENT: Blitzkrieg? ****UPDATED****

I'm going to preface this story by talking about my philosophy for running the current edition of the Montreal Canadiens. This doesn't necessarily mean that GM Marc Bergevin thinks the same way I do.

To me, the Canadiens have some young talent, and for the most part I would keep that young talent in junior or in Hamilton as long as possible. I would let these young players not only build their chemistry together, but build a dominant winning culture together.

Players like Blake Geoffrion, Aaron Palushaj and Louie Leblanc would not be finding their way onto the NHL roster this season - barring injuries. I would instead fill those roster spots with aging NHL veterans who are willing to take a 1-2 year contract maximum.

I would keep under performing players like Scott Gomez, Rene Bourque and Thomas Kaberle on the NHL roster. I would rather not have them take away playing time from the next generation in Hamilton, nor possibly polluting the young talent with bad habits. I hope they perform at the NHL level, while keeping in mind that if they don't, more strong draft picks are headed my way.



A 23-man NHL roster, is generally comprised of 13 or 14  forwards, 7 or 8 defensemen and 2 goalies.

What do the Canadiens currently have, and what are they looking for?

Currenty the Canadiens have 11 forwards with the big club: Erik Cole, Brian Gionta, Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais, Travis Moen, Lars Eller, Ryan White, Scott Gomez, Petteri Nokaleinen and Rene Bourque. That leaves room for 2 or 3 more forwards.

They have 7 defenseman: PK Subban, Andrei Markov, Josh Gorges, Tomas Kaberle, Alexei Yemelin, Yannik Weber and Raphael Diaz. That leaves room for at most 1 more - likely Frederic St.Denis.

The Goalie situation is pretty clear-cut. Carey Price and Peter Budaj are set.

Once all the RFA's are signed (C.Price, PK Subban, F. St-Denis, R.Diaz, A.Emelin, A.Palushaj, B.Geoffrion, L.Eller) The Canadiens are left with about 7 million dollars to spend on the UFA market. According to my thought process, they are looking for 3 forwards. 1 to play in the top 6 and 2 to play in the bottom 6. Who would I target, and what will they cost?

1. Jaromir Jagr - RW
Jagr is a fading future Hall-of Famer. He has international experience with Thomas Plekanec. He has won a Stanley Cup. He brings a wealth of experience to the organization. He is no longer the player who was once winning scoring titles year after year, but he is still a dangerous offensive force. Last season he put up 54 points in 73 games. Good enough for 3rd on his team in scoring, 79th in the league. Is he still a superstar? no. But his point totals were better than superstars Dany Heatley, Taylor Hall, and Vincent Lecavlier put up last year. He is big and strong. He is not speedy - but then again, he never has been. Estimated Salary:  $3.5 million.



2. Brandon Prust - LW - SIGNED BY MONTREAL
Prust is a rugged bottom 6 forward. He kills penalties (averaging 1:40 per game on the PK in 2011-2012), He can fight - having been charged with 20 fighting majors last season, but he can also play hockey. Prust averaged over 10 mins a game last season - for a Rangers team that finished 1st in the NHL. He threw 144 hits, took 156 mins in penalties, and scored 2 game winning goals. He is only 28 years old, would take some pressure off of Travis Moen, and is an upgrade on Brad Staubitz. Estimated Salary: $1.8 Million. ($2.5 million - 4 YEARS)




---. Paul Gaustad - C - RE-SIGNED BY NASHVILLE
Gaustad is the elusive Big Centreman the Canadiens need. He can play 3rd or 4th line minutes - averaging over 14 mins per game last season with Nashville/Buffalo. He won 56% of his faceoffs while taking 4 fighting majors and throwing 114 hits. He averaged 2:45 per game on the PK last season. He is 30 years old. Estimated salary: $1.8 million ($3.25 million - 4 YEARS)





3. Zenon Konopka -  C - SIGNED BY MINNESOTA
With Paul Gaustad being re-signed overnight, the Habs should turn their attention to centreman Zenon Konopka. Konopka is 6 feet tall, and like Gaustad can play 3rd or 4th line minutes. He averaged about 8 minutes per game last season with the Ottawa Senators.He is an excellent faceoff man, winning  59.65% of his draws in 2011-2012. He can kill penalties, averaging just under 1 min per game on the PK. He took 18 fighting majors last season, but threw only 54 hits. Konopka is 31 years old. Clearly not the same player as Gaustad, but a cheaper option who is able to fill in many of the same role-playing characteristics the Canadiens lack. Estimated Salary: $1 million ($925 k - 2 YEARS)



Signing Konopka, Prust and Jagr would not only make the Canadiens bigger and stronger, it would also alleviate various pressures off some of their forward group. Konopka and Prust are both game Penalty Killers, which would allow Tomas Plekanec to not be as needed on the PK. They are also both able to fight, which would alleviate the need for Travis Moen and Ryan White to always drop the gloves. Adding them to the bottom 6 forwards also allows a rotation to happen based on varied opponents for players like Petteri Nokelainen.

Jagr brings an immediate threat to a forward group that lacked scoring punch last year. I'd play him on a line with Plekanec and Eller - and drop Gionta onto a line with Gomez and Bourque. Gomez and Gionta have played well in together in the past, and maybe Bourque picks up his game and works for them the same way Pacioretty did 2 years ago.

Addidng these 3 players would give the Canadiens more options for their day to day lineup. It gives them more balanced scoring, more toughness, and more size. Most importantly however, it allows players like Geoffrion, Palushaj and Leblanc more time to dominate in the AHL, and players like Galchenyuck to play another year of Junior.