Bloggers are often criticized by the mainstream media for rumors, sensationalizing stories and agenda-driven articles. At All Habs, we don’t have to follow suit because we have the Montreal media excelling at all three.
Unfortunately there is little or no accountability for what is said or what is written about the Canadiens. Many stories are manufactured and driven by an agenda. The Montreal media are pampered and have a sense of entitlement. Some seem to feel that they have a role in managing the team.
Here’s a small sample from Tuesday’s ‘news’:
First …

The joy of the Boston Bruins’ 5-1 win over Montreal in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series tonight at TD Banknorth Garden was tempered a bit by a late-game hit Milan Lucic made on Canadiens agitator Maxim Lapierre with 4:32 left in the game.
Lapierre skated at Lucic in front of the Montreal goal after Lucic and Habs defenseman Mathieu Schneider exchanged pleasantries. You can see the hit in the clip below, but Lucic seemed to catch Lapierre in the head with either his glove or his stick. Either …

There’s sure to be some questionable ice quality when the Boston Bruins and Montreal Candiens hit the TD Banknorth Garden rink tonight for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
The Boston Celtics will host the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of their conference quarterfinal series starting at 12:30 p.m. — creating a rare instance that both teams play on the same day with the Bruins going second. The Bruins game is scheduled for 8 p.m. mostly to accommodate the CBC Hockey Night in Canada broadcast.
“I don’t think it’s going …

A big debate topic from last night’s action is Mike Cammalleri’s blatant punch to Martin Havlat after a face-off. Flyers’ goon Daniel Carcillo was just suspended for a similar act on Pittsburgh’s Max Talbot. Here’s the difference:

1. It was Carcillo.
2. He was on the ice for a penalty kill with 6 seconds left, taking the face-off (the last position he’d play is center!).
3. The NHL has made a point for no ‘message-sending’ when a score is decided.
4. Cammalleri and Havlat were going at it right before the face-off.
5. It was …

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed that he has asked the league to look at what transpired between Montreal defenseman Mike Komisarek and Bruins blueliner Matt Hunwick after the final horn of last night’s Game 1 of the teams’ Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
Komisarek and Hunwick were trying to get at each other while a linesman held them apart. Komisarek landed a few blows — enough to open a cut above Hunwick’s right eye. The rookie required sutures after the game to close the wound. As of now there’s no …

The story that everyone was concerned about yesterday in Pred Nation is one that probably won’t go away for a while. With former Pred owner Craig Leipold’s firing of Wild GM Doug Risebrough, many feel that he may target Pred’s GM David Poile (and subsequently Barry Trotz as coach) as a replacement.
News in the media shows a variety of opinions and facts. Brandon Felder got the ball rolling early yesterday after the announcement with a Tweet and a blog. John Glennon has uncovered a provision in the Predator’s sale …

If you ask me, a ‘Cinderella’ in the Stanley Cup Playoffs can only be a team seeded 7 or 8. The most recent ones to make a run have been Edmonton (’06) and Anaheim (’03). They were seeded 8th and 7th, respectively. But we have an exception this year (6-seed St. Louis). Let’s see if the slipper fits one of these five teams…
Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks very well could be the best 8-seed in NHL history. They won the Cup 2 years ago, and still have most of the core from …

Seems like just yesterday that Carey Price was robbing Detroit in the pre-season.
Many many games later, playoff matchups are set. So, to stick with the policy of this blog, here is, in a heartbeat, the matchups and what I think will happen. If you don’t agree, please do discuss, but don’t complain. Amount you pay to view my writing masterpiece: $0.00
Calgary Flames/Chicago Blackhawks:
This one is one of the most evenly matched confrontations of the first round. Mikke Kiprusoff? Nikolai Khabibulin? One has won the Stanley Cup, the other lost to …

Going over the final player stats from the 2009 Penguins and the Penguins that have been traded over the last 2 years, a few things stick out.  Probably the biggest for me is Mark Recchi and Marian Hossa.  Marian Hossa was offered a huge contract by Ray Shero which he turned down and Mark Recchi was put on waivers, they finished only 10 points apart in the total season scoring race.  I guess 10 points separate big contracts and being sent down to the minors.
Erik Christenen finished with the exact …

Boston Bruins fans are going to love the Globe and Mail’s picks for the major trophies in the NHL this season.
As Hall-of-Fame writer Eric Duhatschek writes, he and David Shoalts, Tim Wharnsby, Allan Maki, Matthew Sekeres and Sean Gordon tallied up their votes and three Bruins were deemed worthy of hardware.
Tim Thomas (Vezina), Claude Julien (Jack Adams) and Zdeno Chara (Norris) all prevailed in the Globe and Mail’s election. Of course, the writers do not vote on the Vezina or the Jack Adams, so these selections are not predictive.
Opinion: I …

It’s not often that Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco is made to look as helpless as he was on Friday night.
On the Ducks’ fourth shootout attempt, Teemu Selanne skated in, came to a stop and lifted the puck over Turco, who was on his side and did a two-pad stack to no avail.
It ended up as the game winner.
NHL rules regarding shootouts/penalty shots have dictated that the puck must be moving forward, although there seems to be an interpretation that it is legal if either the puck or the player is moving forward.
Turco gave Selanne …