Canadiens goalie Carey Price, slimmed down by 20 pounds, lines up a putt at today's team tournament. Allen McInnis, Gazette
The Canadiens are stickhandling their way around Laval-sur-le-Lac Golf Club at this hour, taking part in the team's annual golf tournament to benefit the team's Children's Foundation. The Gazette's Pat Hickey is representing Inside/Out, perhaps even well.
Fourteen players and a galaxy of stars from the past are joining captains of industry and other well-heeled folks for a great cause. Most of the club's European players are not on hand, still at home given the fact this year's tourney is scheduled well in advance of the Sept. 19 start of training camp. Not here: captain Saku Koivu, Tomas Plekanec, Jaroslav Halak, Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn and Roman Hamrlik.
Newcomer Georges Laraque has personal commitments until Sept. 12, while defenceman Andrei Markov, a non-golfer, will attend the evening dinner.
A good number of players and management figures stopped on the steps of the clubhouse to talk about the season ahead and their expectations for 2008-09, when the Canadiens will be seen not as the bottom-feeder many figured they'd be last year. Here's a slideshow of images from The Gazette's Allen McInnis. And you can spend about 45 minutes listening to:
President Pierre Boivin, clip runs 6:18 (begins speaking about Mats Sundin).
General manager Bob Gainey, 6:35.
Head coach Guy Carbonneau, 5:40 (begins speaking about Sundin).
Goalie Carey Price, 4:24.
Defenceman Mike Komisarek, 8:00 (begins speaking about Alex Tanguay).
Forward Tom Kostopoulos, 4:03.
Forward Steve Bégin, 2:56.
New forward Alex Tanguay, two clips: 9:35 (French and English); and 1:14.
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette