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HEAD COACH
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Alain Vigneault
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ROSTER
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C - Saku Koivu, Vincent Damphousse, Scott Thornton, Matt
Higgins, Trent McLeary. LW - Shayne Corson, Martin Rucinsky,
Benoit Brunet, Terry Ryan, Patrick Poulin, Andrei Bashkirov. RW -
Mark Recchi, Brian Savage, Turner Stevenson, Jonas Hoglund. D -
Vladimir Malakhov, Stephane Quintal, Patrice Brisebois, Eric
Weinrich, Brett Clark, Miloslav Guren, Stephane Robidas, Craig
Rivet, Igor Ulanov, Alain Nasreddine. G - Jeff Hackett, Jose
Theodore.
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INJURIES
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Saku Koivu, c (amdominal strain, day-to-day).
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TRANSACTIONS
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11/16 - traded Jocelyn Thibaut, g, Brad Brown, d,
and Dave Manson, d, to Chicago, in exchange for Jeff Hackett, g,
and defensemen Eric Weinrich and Alain Nasreddine. 11/20 - Sergei
Zolthok, c, and Dave Morissette, lw, returned to Fredericton
(AHL).
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GAME RESULTS
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11/09 Philadephia W 5-1
11/11 at New Jersey L 3-0
11/12 at Islanders L 4-0
11/14 Edmonton L 4-1
11/17 at Hurricanes L 5-4
11/19 Calgary W 4-3
11/21 Colorado L 3-2
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STANDINGS
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Northeast Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Toronto 21 11 8 2 24 63 61
Ottawa 18 9 6 3 21 55 46
Buffalo 16 8 4 4 20 45 29
Boston 19 7 7 5 19 50 41
Montreal 19 7 10 2 16 45 55
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TEAM NEWS
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by Jacques Robert, Montreal Correspondent
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Houle Makes Yet Another Bet With Hackett
Montreal is unique in the NHL... For the best: because of its
history. For the worst: because of its record of bad trades.
Actually, it's no mystery that Les Canadiens have traded so many
players for new additions who never lived-up to management and
fans' expectations. The list would be too long to enumerate. The
last episode of this trading saga took place last week as the
Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens swapped goalies and
defensemen in a six-player trade.
Reggie Houle sent goalie Jocelyn Thibault and defensemen Dave
Manson and Brad Brown to Chicago for goalie Jeff Hackett (30
years old, 2-6-1 with a 3.78 average) and defensemen Eric
Weinrich, Alain Nasreddine and future considerations.
Tbo, 3-4-2 with a 2.61 goals-against average, was acquired in
return of Patrick Roy two years ago under Mario Tremblay's reign.
Now, the kid, 23, acknowledged that he was relieved after being
traded to Chicago. Jocelyn was definitely not comfortable in
Montreal. Since last summer, he kept on asking Houle to be
shipped out somewhere else in order to put his career back on
track.
"I didn't feel comfortable for two years. I didn't see the light
at the end of the tunnel. I was always the scapegoat after a
defeat," said Tbo.
He also criticized the media and the fans whom he feels were
wrongly blaming him when the Habs lost. Moreover, he was not
convinced that he was Alain Vigneault's favorite. Jocelyn was
very (happily) surprised to be sent to Chicago. A new life is on
sight in Illinois: Tbo and his girl friend are expecting a baby.
However, both the former Hab and the former Blackhawk lost on
Saturday November 21. Chicago was defeated 5-0 by Los Angeles.
Montreal registered its fifth loss in six games and Hackett his
first loss in two games. Over the last seven games, the team was
shutout against New Jersey and Islanders. The only encouraging
thing is the fact that they lost to Carolina and to Colorado by
only one goal. So what's the missing ingredient that will give
the Habs the edge?
Is this latest trade likely to benefit one or both teams? History
doesn't favor the Habs. But as long as fans will show up at the
Keg there are no reasons to expect other major changes. The team
seems to be missing something that even Houle cannot buy.
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