Brian Gionta

• AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Brian Gionta | Jaroslav Halak

Injured Canadiens forward Brian Gionta could play as early as Monday night when the Canadiens visit the Senators. Gionta practised today with Scott Gomez and Benoit Pouliot.

A decision will be made closer to game time tomorrow on the player's availability. Gionta has been out since Nov. 12 with a broken bone in his foot.

Sergei Kostitsyn was not on the ice, receiving a therapy day.

• Carey Price gets the start in goal tonight for the Canadiens vs. the Minnesota Wild.

• No definitive update on defenceman Roman Hamrlik beyond the fact the right knee injury he suffered last night will keep him out of the lineup tonight. Yannick Weber has been recalled from the Hamilton Bulldogs to fill in tonight.

• Corus Sports, i.e., Martin McGuire, reports that Brian Gionta skated alone before an optional workout this morning at the Canadiens practice facility in Brossard. Also on the ice for the optional skate were Mara, Pyatt, Markov, D'Agostini, Pacioretty, Laraque and Halak.

• Defenceman Andrei Markov is expected to see the Canadiens team doctor this evening to get more complete word on his rehabilitation.

• Expected lines tonight: Cammalleri-Plekanec-AK46; SK74-Gomez-Lapierre; Moen-Metropolit-D'Agostini; Pacioretty-Pyatt -Laraque.

La Presse writer Marc-Antoine Godin, via Twitter, tonight quotes injured Canadiens forward Brian Gionta:

"I haven't seen the doctor, I don't know when I will. I need his OK to get back on skates. I have no idea when I'll be able to return."

Gionta has missed the past 15 games with a broken bone in his foot.

It’s mid-December and the Habs are still playing .500 hockey. That makes me pretty happy. If you’re wondering why, you can read those reasons here. I think, I believe, I am infinitely confident that our 2009-2010 Montreal Canadiens are doing just fine and will surprise many a critic come springtime.

Recently, there’s been a lot of chatter on the site about whether or not this team can make the playoffs. Some say yes, many say no.

Some are even calling for this team to tank.

Whaaaaat?

Yeah, we should be asking for more quit from our hockey team.

Thanks, but no thanks.

There’s still some hope for this year’s Habs. This team WILL make the playoffs. That’s right the Montreal Canadiens will make the playoffs. If I’m wrong? Well, you can shoot my TV.

• AUDIO: Brian Gionta | Michael Cammalleri | Ryan O'Byrne 1 and 2 | Max Pacioretty

Right-winger Brian Gionta will be out of the Canadiens lineup indefinitely with a broken bone in his left foot.

Gionta said he suffered the injury when he was struck by a shot in the Nov. 3 game against Atlanta. The veteran said he tried to play through the injury, and he skated in the next four games, but the pain became too much to bear Saturday night in Nashville, hence his last-minute scratch. Subsequent tests have revealed a broken bone.

On the plus side, defenceman Ryan O'Byrne and Georges Laraque have both been cleared to play and could be in the lineup Friday night in Washington. Laraque practiced on a line with Guillaume Latendresse and Maxim Lapierre Wednesday morning.

Another roster move saw defenceman Mathieu Carle returned to the Hamilton Bulldogs to make room for O'Byrne.

The future Captain displays his shootout move, back in the NJ days ... when Ondrej Pavelec was in Grade 2 in Czechoslovakia.

(Thanks to Jarred Friedman)

Brian Gionta brings huge talent in a small package to the Canadiens this season.

Allen McInnis, Gazette

Over seven consecutive days, Pat Hickey and Dave Stubbs are introducing you to the seven new members of the Canadiens who joined the team during the offseason.

The past five days you've met Mike Cammalleri, Travis Moen, Hal Gill, Paul Mara and Jaroslav Spacek. Today: Pat Hickey's profile of Brian Gionta. The series concludes tomorrow with Scott Gomez.

Scott Gomez says people don't always understand why he enjoys playing with Brian Gionta.
"People think I like playing with Brian because he can score goals, but it's neat to have someone actually look up to you," the 5-foot-11 Gomez said. "I feel like one of the big guys."
Gionta is generously listed at 5-foot-7 and is the shortest player in the NHL until fellow Boston College alumnus Nathan Gerbe (he's 5-foot-6) is recalled by the Buffalo Sabres.
Gomez likes to joke about his linemate. When asked what makes Gionta successful, he laughs and says: "Me passing him the puck."
But Gomez quickly turned serious and added: "He works hard. Brian has that attitude that he's going to prove you wrong. He always competes."



• Link here to today's profile of Brian Gionta.

Mooting the candidacy of Brian Gionta, CKAC is asking listeners how they feel about a captain who can't speak French.

Hey, the hat rocks.

Now if we can get him a pack of Gitanes and teach the Gallic shrug ...

But seriously and for the record, the Canadiens should send him to Berlitz.

We're 36 days into free agency, and Mathieu Dandenault is still looking for work.

In La Presse, Mathias Brunet looks at Dandy's dilemma and points out that five other Canadiens' UFAs remain unsigned: Alex Tanguay, Robert Lang, Mathieu Schneider, Francis Bouillon and Patrice Brisebois.

Tell me again: How good was the team Bob Gainey blew up?

To be fair, players of a certain age carrying a significant price tag are going to have a tough time in the current market. The unsigned list includes Todd Bertuzzi, Mike Comrie, Petr Sykora, Brendan Shanahan, Miroslav Satan, Emmanuel Fernandez, Philippe Boucher, Denis Seidenberg, Mike Grier and Chris Chelios.

Oh yeah, and a certain big Swedish centre who looked very attractive a mere 12 months ago.

• You read it here first: Patrick Eaves will have a career renaissance in Detroit. Ken Holland doesn't make many mistakes.

• Pat Hickey on the Phoenix mess.

• Watsatheo Theatre: Guillaume Latendresse highlight reel, Tomas Plekanec laying out James Sheppard and Rick Nash with nifty hip checks.

• From the Canadiens site, Brian Gionta likes country music (Carey will have company). Favourite Seinfeld character: Kramer.

• Will the Sharks make a trade? Good analysis from San Jose blog.

• The NY Post's Larry Broooks dissects the Nikolai Zherdev situation.

• The terrific Lions in Winter site has a look back at Gary Leeman's contribution to the 1993 Cup win.

• Stephen Brunt on Gary Bettman.

• James Mirtle on the Islanders' problems.

• Russian journalist interviews Alexander Ovechkin, whose voice is hilariously dubbed into English.

• Today's featured video: We'll miss you, J.R.

Today's featured attraction is another compilation from Watsatheo, this one featuring Paul Mara.

It was a tough call, because he (or she?) has done a nice one on Hal Gill, also. But Mara's includes a Darcy Tucker beat-down .... and a Michael Jackson classic.

• Video from the Canadiens web site of Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Travis Moen and Mara visiting the Brossard training complex. And some photos of the lads in their new unis, with Mara and Moen bookending the wee guys.

• Lions in Winter on Language and Hockey.

• The Globe and Mail's Stephen Brunt on Jim Balsillie and Eric Duhatschek on the Olympic Team.

• Jim Kelley of SI proposes new rules.

• William Scott Bowman only the seventh greatest coach of all time? Behind Don Shula? And Vince Lombardi? Really? And Red Auerbach won with only one great team, Bowman with three ... in three cities .... and he wasn't that shabby in St. Louis or Buffalo. I rate him 1-A with John Wooden.

• Five Who May Surprise includes Gomez, Gionta ... and Huet.

• From James Mirtle's web site, a list of Twitter accounts hockey fans should follow.

Thanks to Inside/Out reader George Ade for steering us to this video report on new Canadien Brian Gionta, featured on Rochester, N.Y., NBC affiliate WHEC.

It’s been a stunning few days for the fans of the Montreal Canadiens. A few have applauded Bob Gainey for making bold changes to a team that’s been mired in mediocrity for too many years. New faces and new skills will bring a necessary change to a team that had hit it’s ceiling.

Most fans, and many pundits, however, have blasted the Canadiens’ GM for blowing up the team, being impulsive, disloyal, and (almost criminally) inept.

Before the free agency period, Gainey was targeted by fans saying that he wouldn’t do anything. That he was sleeping in on July 1st and had his phone turned off. And even if he tried he couldn’t bring in any talent.

A few cycles of the clock later and Gainey proved those armchair pundits wrong. He made bold moves. Difficult moves.
As the dust settles, BG is being hounded by critics for bringing in 2nd line talent, over-paying for it and missing out on Franchise players.

Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, and Mike Cammalleri will be an explosive line. A top line.

But like many fans, I’m hurting right now.

O Captain! My Captain!

Kovy! Kovy! Kovy!

Komisaurus!

Higgy!

I’m definitely going to miss these guys. The Habs are going to be a vastly different team without them. But you know what? We’re going to be a better team. We’re going to be more consistent and we’re going to win more games.

The Habs Centennial year was a disaster. Bob’s 5-year plan was supposed to come to fruition but injuries, a stubborn coach and scandals sunk that celebration. This season we’re back to Hockey 101 – a new class, a new coach, a new spirit in the locker room.

Newly signed UFA Brian Gionta has just chatted with the Montreal media via conference call. The Canadiens, he says, have "a ton of speed and are well balanced." Needless to say, he's excited with this new chapter in his career.

Here's the full audio of that call.