P.K. Subban

Belleville Bulls defenceman P.K. Subban, the Canadiens' second-round draft choice (43rd overall) in 2007, has been selected to the national team that will represent Canada in the World Junior Championship beginning later this month in Ottawa.

Subban, 19, is part of a Bellevile team that tops the OHL's Eastern Conference. In  29 games, Subban has 4 goals, 33 assists and is plus-27.

Two Canadiens' draft picks have made the U.S. team:

• Defenceman Ryan McDonagh (first round, 12th overall in 2007), who's a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin;

• Forward Danny Kristo (second round, 26th overall in 2008), who is playing for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL and will enter the University of North Dakota next fall.

Canadiens blue-like prospect P.K. Subban has a penchant for offence and he showed off his skills on Sunday with a goal during an intra-squad game in Pierrefonds.

RDS reports Bob Gainey phoned J.P. Barry, Mats Sundin's agent, on Tuesday.

While  the sports network did not reveal the substance of the conversation, a source in Sweden has sent a recording of it to Habs Inside/Out.

Gainey: If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try

Take a chance on me
(That's all I ask of you honey)
Take a chance on me

Barry: (Unintelligible)

Gainey: I don't wanna talk
About the things we've gone through
Though it's hurting me
Now it's history
I've played all my cards
And that's what you've done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play

The winner takes it all
The loser standing small
Beside the victory
That's his destiny 

 Barry: Mamma Mia!

Max Pacioretty wowed the crowd at Canadiens' development camp on Friday.

The  big forward scored twice on nifty backhands during the 3-on-3 scrimmages.

On the first goal, Pacioretty drove the net and was slammed after scoring by Andrew Conboy, who was chosen 120 picks after Pacioretty in the 2007 draft. Conboy is a 6'4" bruiser who managed to rack up 188 minutes in penalties playing in the relatively tranquil – by Canadian major-junior standards – USHL.

Conboy will be a freshman at Michigan State this fall. If Pacioretty returns to Michigan – which he probably will – they'll be seeing more of each other.

As Pat Hickey writes in The Gazette today, Trevor Timmins describes Pacioretty as "head and shoulders" above the other prospects at camp.

Take this to the bank, people: Max Pacioretty will be with the big club when the 2009-'10 season begins. And he's going to  be a good one.