Montreal Canadiens 2010-2011 Early Season Run Down

After a surreal playoff run last spring the Canadiens are back at it and on the hunt for the 2010-2011 Stanley Cup Championship. General Manager Pierre Gauthier didn't make very many changes during the off season but he did tweak the team.

The biggest transformation to the 2009-2010 Canadiens compared to the 2010-2011 Habs is goaltending. Jaroslav Halak successfully transformed himself from a decent back up goalie to one of the best goalies in the NHL last season. It took him all season but he finally managed to grasp Price's job just in time for the playoffs and i think we all know the rest. Gauthier was criticized for pulling the trigger to soon on Halak and not shopping him around for the best possible return.

Pierre Gauthier's trigger finger brought two prospects: NHL ready Lars Eller and 1 or 2 years away Ian Schultz, who hopes to compare himself to Milan Lucic once he hits the NHL. Eller is expected to have scoring line potential but he has generated mixed reviews. Some say the Blues were crazy to give him up while others say he is simply an "OK" prospect. So far Eller has found himself playing down in the bottom six. He is hard to play against and has some of the most potential in a forward the organization has seen in quite a while. Eller is only 21 and came over to North America just last year where he played for the Blue's affiliate team in Peoria. More questions should be answered as Eller advances through his rookie NHL season.

Aside from the Halak transaction centerman Dominic Moore and "MetroMan" Glen Metropolit were replaced with Jeff Halpern and Dustin Boyd. Halpern was acquired by the Habs in early September and has already made an impact posting 3 points in 7 games with a plus 2 rating. Halpern brings a veteran presence to the Habs along with a safe and conservative style of play. Dustin Boyd acts as the Habs' 4th line center and has struggled in this early season with a -2 rating. He exhibits great speed and some good hockey sense.

Montreal, just like last season, is having trouble scoring. This scoring trouble hasn't been noticed as much at all because of Carey Price's stellar play. After a horrible preseason Price has shown up to compete so far in this young season and has played in all of Montreal's games posting great numbers.

The scoring troubles come from Gomez and Gionta who continue to struggle, a lackluster powerplay and some missing offense from the Canadiens' defencemen. Gomez and Gionta who started the season on a line with Pouliot have yet to get going offensively and thus provoked Martin to change up their linemates. So far linemates have ranged from Pouliot to Moen to Pyatt, still with no success. The Canadiens' powerplay was second in the NHL last year but this year is atrocious, sitting at around 5% success rating good enough for dead last in the NHL. The Canadiens' defence play a large part in the powerplay's poor performance. With Markov out of action and Marc Andre Bergeron twiddling his thumbs as a UFA the Canadiens have trouble bringing the puck up ice and have no threat from the point. Subban who has taken Markov's job as puck mover on the powerplay isn't cutting it. Nor is Jaro Spacek who has taken Bergeron's place from last season as trigger man. Spacek seems to be caught in an offensive funk since leaving Buffalo and signing in Montreal last year.

Bright spots include the Plekanec, Kostitsyn and Cammalleri line who take spots 1,2 and 3 in Canadiens' scoring. The line has really been sparked by the die hard play of Kostitsyn who is in his contract year. The Canadiens sit in the middle of the pack once again this season and have much to work on if they are to improve in the standings.