Kovalev

Some reading as the Canadiens prepare to face Vancouver on Tuesday:

• Halak No. 1 in goal, for now: Hickey
• Re-energized Kovalev focuses on the positive: Stubbs column
• Gloom meets Canucks in Montreal: MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun

From Monday:

• Schneider bolsters Canadiens power play: Hickey

From Sunday:

• Three-point night for Kovalev in return: Stubbs

Alex Kovalev will be a game-time decision for tonight's contest against the Nashville Predators, Kovy having returned home from the Bell Centre feeling under the weather. He didn't practice yesterday. The Canadiens have called up forward Gregory Stewart from Hamilton in case Kovalev isn't fit to play.

Stewart would play on a line with Kyle Chipchura and Steve Bégin, and Matt D'Agostini would take Kovalev's place with Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty.

Canadiens captain Saku Koivu faces the media today during the first day of his team's training camp.
Dave Sidaway, Gazette

The Canadiens began their 2008-09 training camp today with medicals and a plethora of fitness tests, and Inside/Out's Dave Stubbs and Mike Boone burned out their mp3 batteries (seriously, Stubbs did) to bring you the audio bonanza that follows.

No need to describe in a nutshell what the players have to say. You'll no doubt listen to every word. But all are insightful and a little something to slake your thirst before the Habs hit the ice in Pierrefonds on Saturday morning.

Here's who we met near the dressing room today:

• Captain Saku Koivu. Clip runs 15:45
• Alex Kovalev. 16:44
• Christopher Higgins. 14:48
• Mike Komisarek. 16:33
• Carey Price. 6:49
• Alex Tanguay (French and English). 6:59
• Georges Laraque. French runs 8:20
• Laraque. English runs 3:26

Canadiens captain Saku Koivu and star forward Alex Kovalev are both headed into the final year of their contracts, both unrestricted free agents on July 1, 2009.

In his weekly Journal de Montréal column today, Canadiens icon Guy Lafleur suggests the club focus on re-signing Kovalev and let Koivu go, saying: "I have the conviction that Kovalev is more useful to the Canadiens than the captain, especially if (Kovalev) continues to play as he did this year."

Canadiens fans need a couple good laughs today.

And here they are:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=k-JPMFuHu6w

http://youtube.com/user/directorpictures

The Gazette's Pat Hickey includes the reborn Alex Kovalev and a terrific youth movement among his 10 reasons for the Canadiens' success this season.

Here's a brilliant feature on Alex Kovalev in today's Globe & Mail by the award-winning columnist and author Roy MacGregor. Don't miss it.

Alex Kovalev has put his heart into a project designed to help youngsters on two fronts. The Canadiens' leading scorer has teamed up with Quebec firm Imavision to produce a video demonstrating the hockey skills and training exercises he uses.

While he hopes that young hockey players will benefit from the two-disc DVD, he's also hoping sales will help youngsters with heart problems.

Kovalev, who leases a Bell Centre loge for the use of sick and underprivileged children, is donating 100 per cent of the profits from the DVD project to charities that promote cardiac care for children.

It's something dear to him from his youth in Togliatti, Russia, having been diagnosed with a heart ailment when he was a boy.

Stop us if you've heard this one before: Alex Kovalev is the winner of the past month's Molson Cup award based on three-star selections. It's the fourth consecutive month Kovalev has won the award.

And the Canadiens today signed prospect Ben Maxwell to a three-year contract.

Read more about both new items below.

Canadiens sniper Alex Kovalev says the Canadiens must tighten up defensively and stop coughing up so many goals. And defenceman Mike Komisarek, used sparingly Saturday against Columbus, knows he's a better player than he's shown in recent games.

For those of you still holding your breath, Canadiens' flashy forward Alex Kovalev suffered no damage to speak of after being dinged in the right thumb by a shot that had him wincing in pain and dunking it in a cup of ice on the bench during Montreal's 4-0 victory over Washington on Tuesday night.

Kovalev practised with the team today and will be in the lineup tomorrow in the Canadiens' returm match against the Washington Capitals.

Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov holds a 51,088-vote lead over Boston's Zdeno Chara, continuing to lead all Eastern Conference rearguards in updated balloting for the NHL All-Star Game.

Netminder Cristobal Huet continues to lead New Jersey's Martin Brodeur in the goaltending category, 122,228 votes to 120,537.

Captain Saku Koivu ranks seventh with voters for Eastern forwards, while write-in candidate Alex Kovalev is 12th.

Cast your ballot(s) here. And you'll find the new NHL-released totals here.

Canadiens forward Alex Kovalev is the winner of the Molson Cup player-of-the-month for November, based on three-star selection voting.