by Steve Farnham, Associate Editor, All Habs Hockey Magazine

MONTREAL, QC — We’re on the doorstep of the Stanley Cup finals with the Chicago Blackhawks (considered ‘good’ in the eyes of many) and the Boston Bruins (considered ‘very very bad’ in the eyes of many) about to faceoff for the cup. With the Hawks eliminating the defending Stanley Cup champs (LA Kings), Bruins steamrolling the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Eastern and Western conference teams having played no games against each other this season, it’s a little difficult to know what to expect in this final. As a hockey fan, I can only hope for seven games and many, many overtimes.

Do you have a question or a topic you would like us to discuss? Okay, here’s what you can do.

Let us know:

1. who you are
2. where you’re from
3. if you wish, send us a photo of you in your favourite Habs gear
4. who’s your favorite player, present or past
5. and of course, your question

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We’ll feature you, and your question, in the All Habs Mailbag!

Let’s get to this week’s questions:

Do you believe that the reason behind Carey’s lag in play for latter part of the season and playoff performance is the goalie coach’s responsibility? and

Do you think a new goalie coach can help Carey Price get to a higher level of play?

Anthony, Montreal

Anthony, smooth move getting two questions in for the price of one.

Three weeks before the regular season ended, you couldn’t find a person with a negative thing to say about Carey Price. He, just like his teammates was surpassing expectations and helping a team achieve results no one expected possible after finishing at the bottom of the cellar the previous season. The final three weeks were more difficult, yes, but the team still managed to finish second in the conference. Like, wow.

A team which not many people had predicted to even make the playoffs now had a fan base with surreal expectations, and the road to the Stanley Cup had been mapped before a game had even been played. I might look like i’m trying to excuse average performances, whether it be Price or his teammates, but what i’m really trying to do is explain that we can’t let a short amount of average performances make us forget what was almost an entire season of good or great performances. Sure, the playoffs mean everything in the end, but I see a team with a core of tremendously skilled, young and talented players who I can only hope (for now) will help this team have success in many playoffs to come.

Back to Pierre Groulx, was he responsible for what could be considered, average performances by Carey Price in the latter part of the season? He was as responsible as Michel Therrien for the average performances of the team in general during that same period. I don’t think it’s a question of blame, but of feeling the need for a change, almost like attempting a different line combination and hoping you’ll discover some magic. Bergevin hopes that a new goaltending coach will help Carey Price reach the next level in his development where he can be a truly dominant goalie in this league, on a consistent basis. That or a level of play that will get the media to stop asking him questions about Carey Price.

Who will the Habs go after for goalie coach? I feel Olaf Kölzig would be a great fit and has ties with Carey Price?

Mike, Oshawa

Mike, you’re right that Kolzig would probably be a great fit to work with Carey Price, after all they’ve worked together before. Price played for the Tri-City Americans who are owned by Kolzig and he also practiced with them during the full season lockout. They’ve also worked together in many off-seasons. That said, Kolzig is currently employed by the Washington Capitals as an assistant goalie coach, and much like his career, appears to be very loyal to the team. I just doubt he moves away from Washington unless he would receive an offer too good to be true.

Francois Allaire had become the front-runner before Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche picked him up as their goalie coach. His brother, Benoit Allaire who is also a reputable goaltending coach is currently employed by the New York Rangers.

A candidate that shouldn’t be overlooked is Eli Wilson. Wilson holds goaltending clinics and has worked a few off-seasons with not only Carey Price, but also Ray Emery, Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, Brian Elliott, Jason LaBarbera, and Devan Dubnyk. He found early success in the Western Hockey League, behind goaltenders who won playoff MVP and helped their team win championships in two of the four years he coached. He was also the Ottawa Senators goaltending coach from 2007 to 2010.

Here’s a video for you:

I would love the Habs to draft the best player available in all their spots, and not worry about picking giants. Am I nuts??

Dan, Quinte

Dan, yes you’re nuts.

With regards to your first question, the draft is always tricky because who truly is the best player available at the time a team is about to pick? The player listed at that ranking according to an association? Bob McKenzie’s ranking? Who you or I believe they should pick? It’s all so subjective. What I will say next should answer your question. The team shouldn’t draft a big player just for the sake of drafting a big player, they should always go with who they feel has the most talent and long term potential. If they then fall upon two players who they feel are equal in those areas, then I agree it would make sense to go with the bigger player.

Don’t worry though, there are so many chemicals in the food we eat that more and more, kids have already reached the height of six feet by they time they are in kindergarten.

What percentage of Habs fans by this time next year will believe a $5.5M Annual Average Value (AAV) long term deal with P.K. Subban was never possible?

Jamie, Toronto

Jamie, I’m very rusty on my math but I broke it down to a little something that looks like this:

For argument’s sake, let’s pretend this equation actually makes sense and represents what you were asking, which ultimately is will people who were in favour of the bridge contract with P.K. Subban admit (next year) that he would have gotten less money with a long-term deal than he will with his next deal which will likely be long-term?

My honest opinion on the matter is that it doesn’t matter, and that even if there are two ways of looking at this, some choose and only choose to see it one way, their way.

Playing in the land of ifs and assumptions, one can assume that if the Habs sign Subban to a long-term deal next season, he will touch more money than he would have with a long-term deal last season. Yes, that argument can be made.

The other argument that can be made, which is one Marc Bergevin would make is that a bridge contract works, and that P.K. Subban might not have gotten the same results this season had he touched big money so early in his career. Yes, that argument can be made, too.

So once again, fans of the Canadiens like in all situations will fall into two camps:

I Told You So Camp

• This camp will be formed of people who felt Marc Bergevin should have signed P.K. Subban to a long-term deal initially.
• No matter how much money Subban touches in his next contract, they will repeatedly and with an “OMG I told you so” tone shout figures and dollar signs that Bergevin would have been able to save had he not signed Subban to a bridge contract.

This Was The Best Road Camp

• This camp will be formed of people who felt the bridge contract was necessary and/or the right approach.
• It doesn’t matter how much money Subban makes on his next contract; This camp feels the bridge contract contributed to Subban’s success and that he deserves whatever he’ll end up receiving for his next contract.

The tables are set. Follow your dreams.

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