7 thoughts from a Habs Fan

I rarely blog about hockey because there are SO MANY other writers and bloggers that already write about it and do so very well.  However, I had a few minutes to kill at lunch and thought I would write these 7 thoughts from Habs fan:

1.      Hiring Marc Bergevin was an astute move because he has no previous ties to the organization, he comes from an organization that was built utilizing a successful model and he had experience in just about every aspect of managing a professional hockey team short of being a General Manager.

2.      The only reason Patrick Roy is a candidate for the Canadiens coaching job is because the Montreal media are pushing for it.  They realize that Patrick would be a walking headline on a daily basis.  That’s why the media are pushing for him, it has very little to do with whether or not he is a good fit for the team.

3.      The Canadiens do not have to “rebuild” in the traditional sense.  They have a number of good assets already in place to build around.  They also have a number of good young players in their system.  To that end, I trust that the new management team will give young players like Brendan Gallagher and Nathan Beaulieu a chance to learn at the highest level and not hide them in Hamilton to “…gain experience”.

4.      I think the Canadiens made a mistake when they said that speaking French was a mandatory requirement for the coaching position.  Get the guy you think gives you the best chance of improving your team and lead them to success long-term.  Make it a relationship building thing and have the new coach tell the fans and media that he will strive to learn French and hopes that they can all help in his efforts.

5.      The media in Montreal keep blaming the organization for not having enough Quebec players on the team.  Ironically, the problem is not the organization but the media itself.  Players such as Vincent Lecavalier, Daniel Briere and others have all had the chance to sign with Montreal but have not done so.  If you are a Quebecer, especially one from Montreal like Lecavalier, do you really want to come to live/play in the fishbowl that is Habs hockey? Especially if you can make just as much money, playing elsewhere while remaining largely anonymous.

6.      The Canadiens need to do what they can to secure Carey Price long-term.  I don’t care if they have to overpay a little or give him more years than the typical 4 or 5 that the Canadiens like to limit themselves to.  This kid is a franchise goalie and if they can start adding pieces that provide him with just a bit more protection, I think he has a chance to become VERY good.

7.      If I were a betting man…I think the next coach of the Habs will be Marc Crawford and I think the player they will pick at #3 in the draft will be Russian centre Alex Galchenyuk who played with the Sarnia Sting of the OHL.