Losing Mike Cammalleri, the Habs’ star forward, made me think that this Habs team isn’t really destined for playoff excellence like I see almost every year. Since 2000-01 season, not including the NHL lockout of 2004, the Montreal Canadiens have made the playoffs 7 of 11 times(2000-01, 2002-03, and 2006-07 were the failed seasons in the storied franchise). The Habs have felt the injury bug, tell it to Jaroslav Spacek, Mike Cammalleri, Mathieu Darche, Tom Pyatt, Alex Picard, and so on. The Canadiens also have to deal with the impending doom of the 2012 Free Agency pool, potentially losing Hal Gill, Andrei Kostitsyn, and Travis Moen.
Gill and his linemate PK Subban, even if they obviously have had their differences and have no love lost if Gill goes, were huge contributing factors in their 2010-11 season which ended in a game 7 between the Boston Bruins, a team like this year that doesn’t seem like they can be a magical, I hate to use this word because it is so overdone, Cinderella again. That wasn’t the only reason they made the postseason one year ago, they’ve had effective grinders through the previous season, like James Wisniewski, Lars Eller, and PK Subban. Plus, the amazing net presences given by Carey Price.
It is a hard October for the Habs, dealing with the Avalanche, the surprise of the season so far; having to play a home-and-home against the rival Bruins who they lost to in the playoffs a year ago. Carey Price is playing well, but they just need more goals. Sounds stupid to say, of course you need goals to win but your one win(at the time) is against a 1-3-1(at the time) team, the Winnipeg Jets. Maybe I could be proven wrong, but the Habs have to prove it. I personally don’t think the Canadiens will make it.