Trade Deadline

  The Montreal Canadiens we're extremely quiet on trade deadline day for a team that claimed to be "All In" prior to the start of the season.  It wasn't for a lack of trying.  GM Rainville was busy on the phones all weekend long trying to add the pieces that would make the difference.  The asking prices were high and the Habs ended the weekend with zero trades made.  This could easily be seen as a failure on the part of managment to add to a club that has "giant killer" written all over it.  So is the failure to add on deadline day truly a failure?  Let's have a look.

  In February the Habs brought in Damon Severson to help the blue line.  Then in March, future star Nick Suzuki was traded for current star Devon Toews.  From that day on, the Canadiens have been steadily improving.  The truth is, the deadline for the Habs was much earlier.  The team recognized the tight market and went about making its moves way before the official deadline.  Severson and Toews have provided a superior level play for a team desperate to fix it's 5vs5 situation.

  On day 150, the Habs had some advantages over the competion.  Now with the season over at day 198, it is clear that the decisions GM Rainville made have been highly benificial.  The trades made have accentuated these advantages and the stats are there to prove it.  Just look at these league numbers.

 Goals for:  The Habs went from 10th to 8th in goals for.

 Goals against:  Montreal goes from 11th to 7th.

 Goals differential:  Canadiens go from 10th to 8th.

 Shots for:  5th to 4th

 Shots against:  Habs go from 6th to 1st overall in the league.  Nobody gives up less shots than Montreal.

 Shots differential:  Went from 3rd to 2nd.

  The Habs finished the season 13-4 after day 150.  Mike Smith is finally living up to his potential.  Hopes are high.  Montreal has the third most powerplay goals this season, the most power play attempts, the least amount of power play goals given up and the second least amount of penalties taken.  This team is built to take down the giants of the league and they'll have to do it to get out of a conference stacked with solid teams and even better managers. 

  Montreal can win the cup if Kirk and the Avs get monkeypox.  We look forward to facing his team full of genital lesions in the finals.  For now, the focus has to be on getting out of the Eastern Conference.  There is no easy route, no favored opponent, no favorite.  This could be the toughest year ever for a team in the East.  Respect to whoever comes out on top.

  So the deadline came and went, but it was already done before it started for the Habs who had made their moves and have reaped the rewards.  Is it enough? Probably not.  That's why the Canadiens reluctantly sends it's support to Vegas.  Go Knights Go! Take down those monkeypoxed Avalanche.