First off let me say that when I first saw Sergei Kostitsyn in his first pre-season games against the Penguins a few years back (yes the very penguins we’re battling now!!) I was impressed.

Sergei possesses a ton of natural hockey skills. There is no doubt about that.

But the monkey has been on his back the last 2 seasons. He’s really been a distraction to the team and in all fairness it looks to me like Gainey (at the time) gave him a fair shot. Go down in Hamilton, work hard, be coach able,  you’ll get your shot at playing.

But controversy keeps following the guy.

For the record, I really like what Sergei Kostitsyn can bring and at times has shown… for this team. BUT, I equally dislike that he’s a young man with baggage that just seems to follow him around. Or maybe…. he carries it around.

While the Habs are fighting battles in the playoffs it’s really not the time for drama. This is the time of year where you want your team as a unit.

Sorry for this analogy… but I have to make one. A team sport in a very small way must behave as a military unit. They have to be on the same page especially come this time of  year… because they face their combatants on a different level in the playoffs. And much like soliders must buy into a strategic plan to complete a mission together, players also need to be coachable and listen to direction.

When you have people acting out individually, it harms the group as a whole. This is not a comparison at all.. we all know the great men in military do work that is much different, serious and dangerous then hockey players. But there are similarities in a team concept. If Sergei were to act out in the army as he had within the organization he simply wouldn’t be there or would likely be a casualty of an armed conflict somewhere.

Here’s an article by Bob McKenzie on the current situation.

We didn’t have to wait long and Sergei was called up to play in Montreal.

Fast forward a few years and here we are.

Sergei Kostitsyn had a place on this roster. There is no doubt. But there’s been this kind of cloud hovering above him since last season.

Last year all the media (well not ALL the media, but some media certainly) were finding new issues every couple of weeks…. Kostitsyn’s name was mentioned along with the word “party”…. and then later on he and brother Andrei were thought to be involved with some shady figures in Montreal (along with Hamrlik).

Sergei had been demoted after all that stuff came about… but even before that the Habs team were sinking fast. I’m not sure if half the team just stopped playing for Carbo or what…. but there had been whispers of attitude problems.

This season, Martin made it clear that he wanted to run a tighter ship… the boys better work hard…. etc.

Right off the bat Sergei got himself in the bad books.

I’m not an “insider”. I’m a fan. I watch every game I can which comes close to all the games. I follow reporting on the team…etc.

From what I’ve seen the last 2 years I’m assuming that in fact Sergei does have some growing up in the sense that he needs to learn to take directives from his boss. From the coach and from the GM.

In hockey it’s not like boxing. You’ve got teammates. It’s a team sport. And in most team sports you have a coach that analyzes his players, what their strengths and weaknesses are and not only a general team strategy but a game per game strategy.

Sergei also decided to “force” management to trade him by not reporting. Honestly Sergei, what would have been the big deal to work hard in Hamilton? There’s a spot for you on the roster dude. But here’s the deal….. it’s not gonna be handed to you because you have potential. When you’re potential comes into fruition with work ethic then you deserve the spot. I have no doubt that you would have earned that spot much sooner then later.

But at this point even the title of my blog post kind of “erks me”… because the possibility of Sergei staying has gotten very slim to none.

Now if you’re reading this you may have heard the various rumors. I don’t really write rumors and rarely write about them but one rumor has the Kostitsyn’s going to LA for Frolov. I don’t mind that deal if it ever happened.

I’m always hoping that Andrei finds his “overdrive”.. but he hasn’t as of yet. Sergei just doesn’t want to listen to his boss or so it seems.

How long does Gainey wait?

Frolov would be a low risk acquisition because he is UFA at year’s end.

Personally, I wish all of this would just straighten around… Andrei starts putting up points… Sergei works hard comes to Montreal and helps the team’s offense… and we all live happily ever after.

But do you think that will happen??

Maybe after all this I just need a bigger cup of coffee….

With the home opener a few days away it would seem likely that the Canadiens will likely call up the recently signed Marc-Andre Bergeron.

There was a time that I looked at the defensive core and thought to myself that it could look promising. It really seems like it was long ago but in reality we’re talking a couple of weeks. Back in the days when the anticipation for that first game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team that was gonna intimidate and push us around.

Today I’m slightly confused. I’ll explain myself a bit further on my confusion… but first about Bergeron.

What do we expect from Bergeron??

Have you asked yourself that question? I have been.

We’ve seen how the wheel turns, how fans and media alike will look at a team, look at their talents and assess if the team “will do” or “should do” well. And further… if a player will do or should do well.

And as this wheel turns something happens. Expectations are built. Expectations are forged on many factors and some of these factors include the talent that we see in some of our players… on their past performances…etc.

What do I expect from Bergeron?

Can he replace Markov in this lineup?? NO!!!!!!

But I think Bergegon will definately help the team. In my mind he’s got 3 things that the defense has been lacking a bit.

1. He’s a pretty good skater. He should be able to get up and down the ice fairly well….
2. He’s a decent passer. Marc-Andre should be able to move the puck quickly to his forwards on the attack. Markov was the team quarterback in this respect.
3. He’s got a big shot. I expect to see Bergeron on the power play… they’ll try to set him up for the slapper. Hopefully the team will be able to lure a few more penalties out of their opponents in the coming games.

Now on my confusion….

It just seems to me that there’s alot of “koolaid” out there… alot of hype at times about our prospects. I watch media reports on TV, I listen to talk radio and I read stuff on the internet and it seems like some of our young guys have been built up as being ready to have an important role on this team.

I’ll start by saying that I drank some of this “koolaid”… and I want to step back… step back and take another look with no hype.

There are 3 players who have played in the first 5 Canadiens games who I will mention because they all made a similar impression. All of these players could use more seasoning or are still learning what it takes to be in the NHL. In no way is this even intended to be critical of these guys because they’re talented young players.

All of Max Pacioretty, Matt D’Agostini and Yannick Weber made an impact right away when they came in last year. I believe they showed great talent, potential and a glimpse of the players they can be in the Canadiens lineup.

But all these guys are young. They all have little experience playing in the NHL (D’Agostini currently has the most with 57 games under his belt) and in their development it’s altogether understandable that they will probably play in Hamilton and get more experience.

Part of the problem that I see is that some people have already pegged them in pretty significant roles on the team. Now there’s nothing wrong with it if it works out, but if it doesn’t work out then what???

Who steps in to take their spots?

Do you or can you even send them back to Hamilton?

There’s also another guy… Sergei Kostitsyn, who was pegged as a regular in the lineup. Didn’t quite work out that way and if he indeed has some maturing to do, then Hamilton with Guy Boucher is a good place for him to be…. all skills aside.

What am I getting at?? I don’t believe we’re deep enough up front. And on defense being without Markov and O’Byrne has been a problem…. and has thinned our depth on the backend.

BUT…. I believe that this upcoming series of games at home will be benificial and we’ll hopefully see some things get ironed out. Tighter defensive team play….etc.

That’s it!!! That’s my rant for today!

Watching a report on RDS, it’s interesting to listen to Jacques Martin and the RDS analysts. Martin really seems to leave the door open for any number of young players…. from Chipchura, D’Agostini, Pacioretty.. to Maxwell, Latendress, the Kostitsyns, Lapierre… he goes on to say that any number of these young players could have an important role in the Montreal Canadiens lineup this year.

Martin has given some of his young guys a chance before and many say that he works really well with the young guys. Just think of Daniel Alfredsson, Marian Hossa, Jason Spezza…. some young guys who Martin brought in and believed they could deliver.

I’m wondering if Jacques Martin might just be what the doctor ordered for some of these young guys. Guys like D’Agostini… a guy who’s got a scorer’s touch. Martin has certainly developped young guys like that in Ottawa.

How about Chipchura? Kyle at times seemed to bring some good stuff in the lineup and other times seemed abscent…. or maybe Chipchura’s role wasn’t properly filled. Who knows?

Think that if Martin brings in a tighter defensive role that it would help a guy like Chipchura?? I certainly do.

Not much has been said about Mikael Johansson. Think he could make the team? I’d say that he likely won’t make the team out of the gate but he’ll potentially play some games if/when the Habs get a couple of injuries.

Mathieu Carle is another interesting player… he impressed at training camp last couple of years but ended up getting injured during camp both times! I’m sure he’s feeling that he’s got something major to prove as Yannick Weber and P.K. Subban may have passed him on the depth chart.

Also a report that today another veteran practiced with the group that assembled yesterday… which included Moen, Gomez, Cammalleri, Laraque….etc. Brian Gionta was on the ice in preperation for the training camp.