The uproar soon followed. I must admit, I felt that we were in for a long season. And honestly, we may be. Time will tell.

However, I try to be a “glass half full” kinda guy. An optimist.

When it comes to predicting the outcome of a season by looking at a team’s roster at the start of the year maybe you can, in a general way, assess where the team will finish. When it comes to predicting where a team will finish by looking at a team’s first 10-15-20 games…. you can make certain judgements… sometimes you’ll be right.

But sometimes, you’ll still be dead wrong.

In the last few years, we’ve seen predictions by experts that rated a team at the top of the conference…. the team barely makes it in. A team was rated as being out of the playoffs and they finish in the top spots of the conference.

There are so many variables it’s impossible to tell. Maybe your best guy gets hurt. Maybe a mediocre player has a career year and puts up surprising numbers which really helps raise his linemates production and the team in the overall standings. Maybe your GM makes a move that propels the team on a higher level…. or cuts the heart out of the group.

Just look at the Penguins of just a few years back when they won the cup. Going into the home strech, they weren’t even in the 8th spot. They were out of it. Sure, they had Sid, Malkin etc… But they were struggling big time. The last strech of the season, they hit a different gear and seemed to peak in the playoffs.

That’s not a one time occurance either. 8th seeds, 7th seeds, they occasionally go far. If your team really hits it’s stride at the right time of the year, you’ve got a shot.

So how good can these Habs be?

Well, there are positives for sure.

Erik Cole has been looking like the player they brought him here to be. He now has 6 goals and he’s always going to the net. Montreal has needed players like this for years. A bigger frame guy who goes into the other team’s goaltenders face…. and causes problems. Of course, to start the year, Mr Martin didn’t seem to want to play Cole much. Thankfully, that has changed.

Tomas Plekanec is a hell of a hockey player. We Habs fans have known this for quite some time. He has become much like Markov was a few years back. Our secret weapon.

Markov was quitely in the tops of the league in offensive defensemen. One of the very best.

Plekanec is such a good 2 way player. And it’s almost like it’s a secret because you don’t hear much about him. If it’s 5 on 5, penalty kill or power play, Tomas is on the ice and paying dividends. In fact, on the penalty kill he will sometimes generate offensive opportunities and rarely gives up on a play.

Our defense is depleted but some young guys are settling in. Gorges has been hitting his stride. Not that he’ll lead all defensemen in points or anything like that. But he’s a steady defensive precense. Josh is leading the team in +/- at +10. He wasn’t that strong to start the year but it’s coming together.

PK Subban is starting to settle in. Early in the season he gave up the puck alot and took some pretty bad penalties. Weber has looked really good at times, Emelin had a strong game the other night being quite physical.

Carey Price is looking like he’ll be the same goaltender we had last year. One of the best in the league, he will steal some games for sure.

Scott Gomez started looking alot better in the last game…. while many people expressed their desire to can him right away, if this guy can find it, he can be a heck of a puck mover. He and Gionta were looking like their New Jersey days last night.

Andrei Markov. Certainly, his contract is a risky one at best. If Markov can come back and be reasonably healthy this season, you can be assured that the special teams and the offensive game will be affected quick positively. Even with some diminished production due to his injuries, the guy has an incredible vision and hockey sense. Komisarek should be paying him a good chunk of his contract for making him look good for those Montreal years (I had to!).

Point is, it’s a guessing game. A crap shoot. You never know what can happen. There may not be another major injury this season. Or maybe, they will be decimated with injuries. You can only guess. If you’re “the expert”, the “arm chair gm” or whoever, it’s impossible to be completely accurate without an incredible amount of luck on your part.

My hope is that Montreal hits their stride and really click when the playoffs roll around.

I think they’ll make it in!

An important stat, in my mind, that sticks out right away is that Montreal has only picked up 2 penalties. (To Carolina’s 1)

They were so heavily penalized in past games that they would sometimes kill whatever momentum they were building.

Interesting note, Carey Price got an assist on the first goal (Cammalleri scoring, Plekanec with the other assist). While they seemed to need to find the offense just a little while back, who knew it would come from Price.

Scott Gomez and Max Pacioretty and leading the team with 4 shots a piece…. 32 shots after 2!! Limiting Carolina to 12 shots.

That’s my 1 concern…. Price is usually hot when he faces tons of shots…. but with only 12 shots, he may be a little cold.

On to the 3rd!

I was thinking about statistics and all that good stuff, especially since Price has moved up to being in with the league leaders statistically in several categories…. and being awarded his second Molson Cup this year.

In the last couple of days, I was invited to participate on The Checking Line’s Habs Panel by Iain and George.

Carey Price continues to look so confident, Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec… many players looking good.

Congrats to Lars Eller for scoring his first goal as a Montreal Canadiens player. May the flood gates open for you!

Habs finished the game leading in shots (33 – 25).

Seems as though it was that long ago that every game was a blow out in terms of shots on goal. Seems the numbers are tightening up alot.

Here are the video highlights:

But wow. Price is playing with confidence and aggressiveness.

Now let’s not get too carried away…. but hands down, he’s been one of the better players this season. Keeping his team in the hunt for some “Ws”.

Here’s a nice little video…. showing the boys winning!

Lot’s of positives by the young players tonight.

Something that sickens me is the cheers that Carey Price got in warm up turned to boos quickly.

Honestly people, I don’t understand your reasoning at all. If you’re all drunk, then yeah, maybe that’s an excuse although it’s a terrible one.

I understand you’re buying tickets, that you may be buying merchandise. I understand that some of you may love hockey. But I really do not understand your reasoning in booing a member of “you’re team” (and I use that term incredibly lightly here) and ridiculing him when he touches the puck.

I have no idea how that would have any positive impact on a team you profess to be a fan of. These hockey players, they are people… just like you. Maybe a few hundred people should follow you into your work place and just get on your back while you work…. or maybe your co-workers already do that.. who knows?

Last season Halak became the guy in the stretch. And people would boo Price… which I didn’t understand then. But, ok, you’re voicing your desire for the other goaltender.

But, now… here we are, game 1 of the Pre-Season… a game where the rust will just fall off a bit… a game that means nothing… and that other guy who some professed to love… well he’s gone!

On twitter it was said that many fans didn’t like the Halak trade. I know many fans didn’t like the Halak trade. I myself would have preferred to have both goaltenders in Montreal. But we don’t get everything we want. And there’s a possibility that Eller and Shultz turn out to be players for years to come.

Still, what would that have to do with Price? Price didn’t trade Halak.

It just seems (likely because it is) classless to get on a guy like that. One period into the pre-season.

This is definitely a big season for Price. Everyone knows it.

One thing that I’m waiting to see is exactly how those “passionate” fans… you know, the ones who seem to think booing your players off the ice is gonna help somehow…. and how Price himself reacts to some of the challenges that will certainly present themselves.

There are gonna be games where the team in front of him may let a ton of shots through… again. And there are gonna be games where Price is gonna let a soft goal in… or maybe 2.

Will the fans give him a fair shake? Are they gonna jump on him in true “boo bird” fashion when he plays a bad game? Might they even blame him for a loss where the team lets him face…. say 45 shots…. and only manage 20-ish shots on their opponents? (happened last year)

How is Carey’s confidence gonna hold?

Price, in my opinion, is one heck of a talented goaltender. He’s got loads of natural skill, size… he’s won at every level. He’s got all the tools.

If the boo birds flock to the bell center with regularity this season, how will Price react?

I’m hoping he’s given a fair shot. Yeah, people can voice their displeasure but getting on a guy who’s playing on your team repeatedly… just remember what they did to Brisebois (like him or not), probably did nothing to improve the moral not only of the player but the entire team.

I’m with ya Carey. Hope you have a strong season.

With all the whoopla over Price not being signed and we’re in september…. well, there you have it.

He just signed a 2 year deal.

To be honest, seeing as there are still many RFAs unsigned in the league and the summer’s generally been slow with deals and signings… I don’t think there was a panic to begin with. Except for those who thought they should panic.

Details on the Price signing are here on the Canadiens website.

Camp is just around the corner…. we can now get back to our regularly scheduled programs.

In fact, I think I’ll be wearing some Habs gear in a photo shoot for my new job.

Anyway…. here’s a short clip of Scott Gomez and Mike Cammalleri on Price. (Courtesy of Sportsnet)