I for one, am someone who despises the use of excuses, however, the people of Montreal are demanding a reason for the “failures” and the disappointment of this years’ team. Blame the coaching, management, owners and the players all you want, but you will never truly find an excuse that will be suitable for your likings. If I were to choose one excuse, which I believe has been the main cause of the team’s struggles, it would be the sum of all the major and minor injuries. That’s because the Habs combined have suffered the most injuries of all 30 teams in the NHL. Here are some compelling stats:

Price: 14 games missed
Markov: 2 games missed (and counting)
Schneider: 2 games missed (and counting)
Komisarek: 16 games missed
Bouillon: 25 games missed (and counting)
Dandenault: 27 games missed
Tanguay: 31 games missed
Higgins: 25 games missed
Latendresse: 22 games missed
Koivu: 16 games missed
Lang: 30 games missed (and counting)
Laraque: 36 games missed
A. Kostitsyn: 6 games missed
S. Kostitsyn: 4 games missed (and counting)

That totals 260 games and counting, but the injury count will probably end at around 270 missed games. (A special thanks to, “Mark the Habs fan,” from, HFBoards.com for these stats)

It is clearly obvious that when your number 1 goalie misses 14 games, your captain misses 16 games, your 2 biggest acquisitions miss a combined amount of 61 games (and counting) and your best 2 defenseman miss the final few games of the season, performing at your full potential becomes increasingly tough. Considering all these injuries, this team has never been able to achieve the chemistry that is needed to be successful.

Agree with me or not the numbers don’t lie and injuries definitely play a major role in this year’s struggles. However an excuse, is an excuse, is an excuse!

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