What's Next For Les Canadiens?

I don't understand after digesting it for another day. If Martin can bring it super-high end assistants, like a Bob Hartley and Dave Lowrey, then I can see it perhaps working, but Martin as HC without those kind of guys? Show me a playoffs where he's been successful? Maybe when we made the ECF and should have lost in 5 games to NJ? That's the closest we came to playoff success.

It's on the players, but the coach eventually has to take responsibility for being a playoff failure.

Again, don't really understand, but good luck Jacques.

I think this is a rebuild for the Canadiens and Jacques can keep a team winning through a rebuild. The secret to success however is taking the team away from him when the are ready to compete for a cup. He is not the right resource to evoke cup winning emotion and determination, he just isn't....

MurderOnIce wrote:I think this is a rebuild for the Canadiens and Jacques can keep a team winning through a rebuild. The secret to success however is taking the team away from him when the are ready to compete for a cup. He is not the right resource to evoke cup winning emotion and determination, he just isn't....

That's the biggest Catch-22 in the history of hockey though. You're right, 100% right. You get Martin to mold the team into a playoff team through the younger players etc. etc. etc., but in the meantime Montreal media isn't going to like a rebuilding Habs team, so they'll be screaming for his head the entire time. If by chance he gets them to the playoffs this upcoming year, the media will have even more fodder for his firing than if he misses, because the true colours of Martin will show. He is an awesome regular season coach, who can be outcoached and outmotivated by 90% of the current crop of coaches (in the playoffs).

That's why I would insist on the Habs bringing in Hartley as the assistant to Martin - and the option is there for Hartley to step in when needed as well. No matter what the cost, Hartley should be part of that coaching team. No matter what the cost...

Gord Wilson, the Sens radio and TV columnist since 1992, went on record this morning on Team 1200:

"Jacques Martin is a perfect fit in Montreal, and as a friend and someone who has worked with him, I'm very happy for Jacques. It's not a step downward by any means. Jacques has always been comfortable behind the bench, and he wanted to return to coaching.

"I think he's right for Montreal because he's a teacher, who works well with young players, and because he'll bring structure to the Canadiens. And that's certainly something many felt was lacking under Carbonneau. In addition, Jacques' experience as a GM is going to be very useful for Bob Gainey, as Jacques knows the players around the league."

A clear thumbs up from Wilson.

Check back here in a year to see how JM's doing in Montreal...

davetherave wrote:Gord Wilson, the Sens radio and TV columnist since 1992, went on record this morning on Team 1200:

"Jacques Martin is a perfect fit in Montreal, and as a friend and someone who has worked with him, I'm very happy for Jacques. It's not a step downward by any means. Jacques has always been comfortable behind the bench, and he wanted to return to coaching.

"I think he's right for Montreal because he's a teacher, who works well with young players, and because he'll bring structure to the Canadiens. And that's certainly something many felt was lacking under Carbonneau. In addition, Jacques' experience as a GM is going to be very useful for Bob Gainey, as Jacques knows the players around the league."

A clear thumbs up from Wilson.

Gordie is a homer's homer, though. Anything that's good for the Sens is good in his eyes. And anything that's bad for a divisional rival is good for the Sens.

Yahoo Sports surveys the landscape for the Habs in the wake of Jacques Martin's hiring:

Inside Shots: Montreal Canadiens Team Report
Yahoo Sports, June 3, 2009

The glamour of the Canadiens may have faded a bit in recent years, but it’s not as if they’re just another team now. They’re still the Canadiens.

That’s why Jacques Martin came running when they came calling about their head-coaching position. Martin left his post as general manager of the Florida Panthers to take over behind the Canadiens’ bench.

In hiring Martin, the Canadiens strayed from their recent trend. Oddly, they had hired men with no previous NHL coaching experience every time since Jacques Demers was fired in October 1995.

• The Canadiens are looking to Russia to shore up their defense for next season. Russian sources indicate that the team has resumed negotiations with Alexei Yemelin, who was drafted by the Canadiens in the third round in 2004.

The Canadiens thought they had Yemelin under contract last summer but, as they prepared to announce the deal, the player’s agent said he has accepted an offer from AK Bars Kazan in the Russian-based Kontinental Hockey League.

Yemelin still has a year to run on his contract, but that’s not considered an obstacle because the Russian league has been plagued by financial problems and Russia allows players to get out of contracts on short notice.

The Canadiens have some holes to plug on the blue line, and the problem could get worse if Mike Komisarek leaves via free agency. There are reports that Komisarek will get offers in the $5 million range, and that’s more than the Canadiens are willing to pay.

Montreal has only four NHL defensemen under contract for next season. They are Andrei Markov, Roman Hamrlik, Josh Gorges and Ryan O’Byrne, who bounced between the NHL and the American Hockey League last season. The Canadiens have two prospects in Yannick Weber and P.K. Subban, but neither is as close to playing in the NHL as Yemelin.

Yemelin is a member of Russia’s national team and is a stay-at-home defenseman. He’s on the small side at 6-foot and 188 pounds, but he is known for his physical play.

The Canadiens also have four other potential unrestricted free agents—Mathieu Schneider, Patrice Brisebois, Francis Bouillon and Mathieu Dandenault. Schneider is the only top-four defenseman in that group, but he might be out of the team’s price range.

General manager Bob Gainey has to deal with a total of 10 unrestricted free agents, and that has been the subject of speculation. Sovietsky Sport reported that Alex Kovalev has been offered a one-year deal worth $6-7 million and has been offered the captaincy of the team. That’s unlikely because the Canadiens players have traditionally voted on who will wear the C.

The same report said current captain Saku Koivu would not be offered a contract. The Canadiens wouldn’t comment publicly on the report, but an insider said Gainey and Koivu’s agent have been talking.

Season Highlight: The Canadiens essentially wrapped up a playoff spot by taking 11 of a possible 12 points from March 24 to April 4. They had wins over Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Chicago and a shootout loss to Buffalo at home before going on the road to beat the Islanders and Toronto by a combined score of 11-3. Jaroslav Halak was in goal for the two road games. They would be the last games he started—and the last games the Canadiens would win.

Turning Point: The Canadiens’ season turned on two critical injuries. Robert Lang’s season ended when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon on Feb. 1. The Canadiens were 28-16-6 when Lang was injured and 13-14-5 after the injury. Also, defenseman Andrei Markov went down with a strained knee on April 4. With Markov on the sidelines, the Canadiens lost their final four regular-season games and were swept by Boston in the playoffs.

Notes, Quotes

• Patrick Roy, the former Canadiens goaltender, formally rejected an offer to coach the Colorado Avalanche, but he also quashed any hint that he would be interested in the Montreal job when he said he planned to stay in Quebec City. The Canadiens hired Jacques Martin instead.

• Geoffrey Molson, whose family owned the Canadiens when they won 11 of their 24 Stanley Cups, might be the latest bidder for the team. He said he was thinking of putting together a family group to buy the team. Two Quebec-based conglomerates, Quebecor and BCE, are considered the front-runners for the team currently owned by American George Gillett.

Quote To Note: “I think the time of Saku Koivu (in Montreal) is over. It’s time for him to go play with his brother in Minnesota.”—Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur, expressing his opinion on the future of captain Saku Koivu in Montreal.

Roster Report

Most Valuable Player: D Andrei Markov was the team’s leading scorer until he suffered a knee injury with four games remaining in the regular season. The Canadiens didn’t win a single game after he as hurt. Since the lockout, the Canadiens are 7-20-3 when Markov is out of the lineup.

Most Disappointing Player: G Carey Price’s numbers fell off in his second NHL season. He lost more games than he won (23-16-10) and had a 2.83 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. He lost 17 of his last 24 starts and then was swept by Boston in the playoffs.

Free Agent Focus: General manager Bob Gainey faces a busy offseason with 10 unrestricted free agents.

Alex Kovalev, the team’s leading scorer in each of the last two seasons, says he wants to stay in Montreal, but his individual style poses problems in finding linemates. He had success late in the season with Saku Koivu and Alex Tanguay, who also are UFAs.

Koivu started his career with the Canadiens in 1995 and has survived a life-threatening cancer, a career-threatening eye injury and criticism from nationalist elements in Quebec who believe the Canadiens’ captain should speak French. He would like to stay but wants the Canadiens to make him an offer before July 1.

Mike Komisarek is one of the best defensemen available on the free agent market, but he’s coming off a disappointing season and that could help the Canadiens because it will discourage teams from overpaying for him.

Alex Tanguay should get an offer, but Robert Lang wants a two-year deal and might not get it because he’s 38 and he’s coming off Achilles’ heel surgery. Age might also be a factor in any decision on Mathieu Schneider, who will be 40 in June, but he’s the key to the power play.

Mathieu Dandenault, Francis Bouillon and Patrice Brisebois will have to accept less if they want to stay. Tom Kostopoulos will get a new deal if he wants one.

Tomas Plekanec and Christopher Higgins are among several restricted free agents, and the Canadiens might use them as trade bait. They’re both eligible for arbitration, but they’re coming off disappointing years and, if they stay, they’ll be looking for one-year deals.

Player News:

• D Mathieu Schneider underwent arthroscopic surgery in mid-May to repair damage to the rotator cuff in his shoulder. The Canadiens said Schneider would be ready for the start of training camp, but he’s an unrestricted free agent and there’s no guarantee that (a) the Canadiens to being him back or (b) he’s interested in playing in Montreal.

• C Maxim Lapierre underwent minor surgery to repair ligament damage in his ankle. Lapierre played most of the season with pain in the ankle but established career highs with 15 goals and 13 assists.

• C Mikael Johansson, a 24-year-old forward with Farjestads in the Swedish Elite League. has signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens. Johansson, who was a late round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wins in 2003, is described as a skilled forward who was recommended by former Canadiens Thomas Rundqvist and Mats Naslund. But he doesn’t address the team’s need for size. He’s another small centre at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds.

Medical Watch:

• C Maxim Lapierre underwent ankle surgery.

• D Mathieu Schneider underwent surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.

• LW Alex Tanguay will have surgery to correct a chronic problem in his right shoulder. He was sidelined twice this season with a left shoulder injury, but that will require only rest and physiotherapy.

• D Andrei Markov continues to recover from a strained knee.

• C Robert Lang is rehabbing after surgery to repair a torn Achilles tendon. He would have been able to resume playing in mid-May if the Canadiens were still in the playoffs.

• LW Sergei Kostitsyn underwent surgery to repair a tear in his shoulder.

They need a new GM.

Schneider should retire. Kovalev doesn't speak French any better than Koivu (why didn't I think of that when those rumors first flew). Price had a pretty bad sophomore slump, but he should rebound. The team will still suck.

I think they'll be alright, but the potential is there to suck for sure. They have to rebuild and Montreal doesn't like to rebuild. They have the coach for structure, but not for playoff success.

Not to mention that most players don't want to play in the pressure cooker of Montreal, so signing UFAs might be hard.

I'm curious, this should be interesting to see.

Lyle Richardson gives his view of the Jacques Martin hiring in his Fox Sports column dated June 3:


Martin’s hiring is meeting with mixed reviews from the media. Some commended the Habs for hiring an experienced bench boss who should bring stability to the roster, while others are predicting the Canadiens will become a more boring team under his tutorship, with some saying his coaching style no longer fits in the NHL.

In response Martin pointed out the Senators were among the highest scoring teams in the NHL during his tenure but that’s not good enough to sell his critics.

Martin’s hiring could have an impact upon the Canadiens efforts to re-sign their key free agents, including Saku Koivu, Alex Tanguay, Mike Komisarek and Alex Kovalev, as well as potentially attracting other unrestricted free agents to a market which most players tend to avoid for a variety of reasons, most notably the fishbowl existence of a Hab.

We’ll find out next season if Martin’s style no longer belongs in the NHL, how boring the Habs might be or just how adaptable he can be. It cannot be denied however the Canadiens needed work in the defensive department and several of their young players regressed last season, two areas even Martin’s critics admit he has the ability and experience to improve.

davetherave wrote:Lyle Richardson gives his view of the Jacques Martin hiring in his Fox Sports column dated June 3:

Meh... not a lot of meat there... in fact, I don't think he even stated his own personal view. "Could have an impact"... "potentially attracting other"... and he closes it out with "we'll find out next season".

Only time will tell...

IMHO this element of Richardson's opinion piece, as neutral as it seems, is pretty clear:

It cannot be denied however the Canadiens needed work in the defensive department and several of their young players regressed last season, two areas even Martin’s critics admit he has the ability and experience to improve.

Those are two fundamental areas that need addressing.

As Shabbs says, we shall see.

But until Montreal's FA situation is cleared up--and one supposes the change of ownership may have an impact on what budget is available--it may be premature to judge Jacques Martin.

davetherave wrote:IMHO this element of Richardson's opinion piece, as neutral as it seems, is pretty clear:

It cannot be denied however the Canadiens needed work in the defensive department and several of their young players regressed last season, two areas even Martin’s critics admit he has the ability and experience to improve.

Those are two fundamental areas that need addressing.

As Shabbs says, we shall see.

But until Montreal's FA situation is cleared up--and one supposes the change of ownership may have an impact on what budget is available--it may be premature to judge Jacques Martin.

Yeah, I think we've all been in agreement that he'll be good for their defense and their young players as he was for the Sens. What remains to be seen is how far can he take them and what else can he get out of them.

The FA situation will be very interesting to see who's offered, who signs and who walks...

Montreal Canadiens blogger and Team 990 radio host Eric Engels gives his view on the Jacques Martin hiring and the situation with the Habs:

FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE SOLVED: MARTIN NAMED COACH OF THE CANADIENS

Eric Engels, Team990.com, June 1, 2009

It was 21 years ago today that the Canadiens presented Pat Burns as their new head coach. At the time, Jacques Martin was honing his expertise as an assistant in Chicago, and then eventually as an associate coach with the Quebec Nordiques. He returns to Quebec, more specifically to Montreal, as a coach who has been nominated as one of the league's best four times, eventually awarded the Jack Adams in 1999 with the Ottawa Senators.

"Happy and Proud," to be a part of the Canadiens organization, Martin wasted no time this afternoon in addressing his reputation as a defensive-minded coach: "When I first started in Ottawa I was categorized as a defensive coach, and when I left, over the last 5 years there, we had one of the best offensive teams in the league."

Martin delved deeper into the strategies he aims to employ with the Canadiens by citing his recent experience in Florida. Coaching the Panthers from 2004-2008, Martin is certainly aware of the styles played by teams that have been the most successful in this new era of hockey.

"I think it's only been one year since I haven't been behind the bench, and I think it was a great opportunity to see game from the top; to recharge my batteries," the Canadiens new bench-boss said of his decision to relinquish his head-coaching duties in 2008, and focus on those pertaining to his role as general manager of the Florida Panthers.

He continued; "My beliefs on how I think the game should be played haven't changed, and that's what I want to bring here to this hockey team. I think we have the skill level to play that kind of game, and I think you'll see an exciting brand of hockey; hockey that puts pressure; a hockey game that makes people accountable."

As for the rest of the coaching staff, Bob Gainey stated that Jacques Martin will meet with those currently under contract (Doug Jarvis, Kirk Muller, Don Lever, Ron Wilson) in order to get to know them better, and that the picture will be complete by June 15th. Rumors which have already begun circulating, suggesting that Jacques Lemaire could be brought in, in an advisory capacity, while Mario Tremblay might be considered as an associate coach were not addressed. Bob Gainey reiterated that those who still have contracts with the Canadiens remain in place until further notification.

One coach who is still under contract, was notified that he will not be returning to the Canadiens next season. Bob Gainey has notified the rest of the league that Roland Melanson's services are available for anyone who would like to hire him. When asked about possibly contacting goaltending guru Francois Allaire, to fill the position, Gainey implied that several candidates from across the league are interested.

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Remember those rumors about Alex Kovalev, and 6 million dollars, and the captaincy...

Bob Gainey suggested that the Montreal (or Russian) media didn't have much meat to discuss over the last few weeks, and that while he has had preliminary discussions with some of his free agents, that priority #1 was to address the coaching staff; adding that discussing with players about how they would be used, and what their roles may be with the Canadiens next season was impossible to do without a head coach in place.

On ownership and his own job security, Gainey smartly suggested he had a job to do, and that he was busy doing it. Gainey informed George Gillette upon hiring Jacques Martin, and said that Mr. Gillette was very happy about it.

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While he wouldn't get into specifics about the prioritization of his free agents, Gainey was quick to point out that he had less money committed to salary than anyone else in his position, and more money to spend, suggesting his activity on the open market won't be hindered by the shortcomings of the Montreal Canadiens 2008-2009 edition.
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My Take:
Jacques Martin has coached over 1000 games in the NHL. His experience, as well as his perspective as both a general manager and coach in today's NHL will be highly beneficial to a Canadiens team that has lacked structure over the last couple of seasons.

While some worry about Martin's "defensive-minded" strategy, he has always been an advocate of playing a puck-possession style of game, as evidenced through many successful seasons with a dominant Ottawa Senators team.

He brings instant credibility and respectability, and Canadiens fans should recognize this move as a step in the right direction.

Any way you look at it, it's a major change in direction. I suspect in the coming weeks, as we approach June 15th, that other changes to the coaching staff will be made.

Get ready for a busy month! As I left the Bell Centre I turned to PR Director, Dominic Saillant and said "see you next week,". He laughed and replied "see you tomorrow..."

"When I first started in Ottawa I was categorized as a defensive coach, and when I left, over the last 5 years there, we had one of the best offensive teams in the league."


That was true, but that was due to the talent he had on the team, you can harness talent all the time, they still find a way to get the job done, he was still a trap coach when the Sens got a 1 or 2 goal lead. If he does that in Montreal, they will get buried, especially with a few d-men likely on their way out, mainly Komisarek.

Habs Inside Out reports on the decision by one of Montreal's top defensive prospects to stay in Russia, plus some hints as to impending negotiations:

Another nyet to Habs from Yemelin
Dave Stubbs HABSINSIDEOUT.COM, June 8 2009

Defenceman Alexei Yemelin has again thumbed his nose at the Canadiens, signing a new contract with the Russian Kontinental League's AK Bars Kazan.

Colleague Marc de Foy of ruefrontenac.com says that Don Meehan, Yemelin's agent, explains that the Russian squad offered "better financial guarantees," adding that his client had signed a contract of one year, but possibly two. Meehan is awaiting the documents from an employee based in Russia.

De Foy further reports that Meehan client Francis Bouillon hasn't come up yet in talks with GM Bob Gainey, but that the agent expects discussions will take place during draft week. And Meehan says he'll soon meet with client Patrice Brisebois to determine the veteran defenceman's future.

Meanwhile, Matt Keator, who represents UFA-to-be Mike Komisarek and impending RFA Christopher Higgins, wouldn't comment on his clients' status beyond saying it's not yet July 1.

Molsons confirm bid for Habs
The Montreal Gazette, June 10, 2009

Geoff Molson and his brothers, Andrew and Justin, confirmed yesterday that they have made an offer to purchase the Canadiens, the Gillett Entertainment Group and the Bell Centre.

The offer was delivered to team owner George Gillett Jr.

“We have assembled a very solid and credible group of investors and financial institutions as part of our offer,” Geoff Molson, who is the group leader, said in a statement. “They are all dedicated to the long-term success of the Canadiens and have a strong presence in Quebec.

“We think our offer has all the ingredients to be well received by the potential seller and the National Hockey League. We look forward to meeting with them at their earliest convenience.”

Molson said he would not comment any further on the offer, in order to respect the confidentiality agreement binding the parties involved in the process.

So, they've got two competing bids - one from the Molson brother's and the other from Quebecor Media. I'd love to know how close they are to each other. I have a feeling they'll go with Quebecor Media...