Scouting Reports main page | Division Rankings
Montreal Canadiens
Overall: 19
Northeast Division: 4
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| Can Thibault be Montreal's saving grace? (B. Bennett/B. Bennett Studios) |
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The
sorry economic state of Canada's NHL teams is exemplified by the
bottom line of its most hallowed franchise, Montreal. They
made a meager
$2 million profit last year despite playing in a sold-out
21,273-seat arena with 130 luxury suites leased to the max.
If that's the best the Canadiens
can do, no team in the land of the
66-cent dollar (a.k.a. the Northern peso) is
safe.
Montreal general manager Réjean Houle was ordered to
hold salaries down, which has forced him to shed some
higher-priced veterans and rush young defensemen Brad Brown
and Brett Clark into regular roles this year. The
cost-cutting has also precipitated
contract squabbles with wingers Martin Rucinsky and Brian
Savage and defenseman Vladimir Malakhov, none of whom had
reported to camp as of Sunday.
Despite having a sub-.500 record at Molson Centre last
season, Montreal did ease into the playoffs, upsetting
Pittsburgh before suffering a spectacular goalie meltdown
while being swept by Buffalo. The Canadiens used three
netminders in four games,
which isn't exactly how you draw it up on the chalkboard.
First-string goalie Andy Moog has retired, leaving the
position to Jocelyn Thibault and José
Théodore.
Thibault had a respectable 2.47 goals-against average last
season, but his second straight playoff
disaster—he gave up four goals on just 13
shots in Game 3 against the
Sabres—battered his confidence. Théodore filled in
admirably last spring but has appeared in just 22
regular-season and playoff games, and nobody thinks he's
ready to be a frontline
goalie.
The Canadiens should have two gifted scoring lines once
their holdouts
report. Still, they lack toughness and a quality checking
line to neutralize big conference rivals like Philadelphia,
and they could use a power-play
quarterback.
Montreal shouldn't cry in its Molson Golden—it could
make the playoffs for the 48th time in 50 years—but it
won't be sipping any beer out of an engraved silver cup
this
year.
—By Michael Farber
Fast Fact
Montreal finished fourth in the Northeast Division for the
second consecutive year
in 1997-98. The last Canadiens to end up as low as fourth
two seasons in a row were the 1941-42
and 1942-43
teams.
Keys To Success
- The fate of Montreal's season may rest on the shoulders of young
goaltenders Jocelyn Thibault, 23, and José Théodore, 22. Neither
has shown he can carry a team.
- The Canadiens, who finished 14th in the league in face-offs, must
improve in that crucial area.
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