Sergei Kostitsyn

The Canadiens most potent line has been broken up – at least to start the exhibition season.

When the Canadiens take on the Boston Bruins Monday night in Halifax, Tomas Plekanec will still have Andrei Kostitsyn on his left wing. But coach Guy Carbonneau says Sergei Kostitsyn will play RW on the line.

Has Alex Kovalev been placed on waivers?

Of course not. Kovy will make his exhibition season debut Wednesday night in Detroit, Carbo  said, with the linemates who joined him at this morning's practice: Robert Lang and Guillaume Latendresse.

Another new line that Carbonneau will try Monday: Prized acquisition Alex Tanguay with two rookies: Ben Maxwell and Max Pacioretty.

This is what training camp is for. Carbonneau, an inveterate line-tinkerer, can really go to town.

This is a double posting. I'll leave it up just to retain the comment thread.

- Mike Boone

RDS, which had the Bob Gainey scoop on Mats Sundin yesterday, reports Guy Carbonneau plans to switch Sergei Kostitsyn to centre.

Could work.

The kid is a terrific passer with superb hockey sense.

SK74 would be particularly effective centring his brother. Working with third-liners might be more problematic.

(Photo from Getty Images)

In an interview with a Belarussian paper, translated by the Russian Prospects web site, Sergei Kostitsyn second-guesses Alexander Radulov's decision to play in the KHL.

Asked if he would make a Radulovian career move, SK74 is unequivocal:

“Right the opposite. To leave the best league in the World?.. No, thank you.”

More good stuff:

Don't you feel regret that even after successful debut in the NHL you'll have to play for Montreal on the rookie contract without the right to re-negotiate it? And we're talking about Russia, where you'd been offered double of "untaxed" at least.
"I'll get over. There is time for everything."

- You earned the spot in the line-ups in part because of your gritty stile of play. We never knew you like that before.
"I'm not trying to be a tough guy, but when I'm being challenged I'm not gonna shy away."
 

Trevor Timmins, Canadiens' director of player recruitment and development, was on his way to Peterborough for an OHL game when I caught up with him on his cell phone yesterday and asked about Sergei Kostitsyn.

Specifically: How did the younger K last seven rounds and become the 200th player selected in the 2005 draft?

"He played in Belarus in his draft year," Timmins recalled, "and that's not the same level of competition as the Russian league."

What impressed Canadiens about Sergei, even in the lower-tier league, was  his toughness.

"Even then, he had the jam in his game that we're seeing now, " Timmins said. "Sergei is a player who likes contact."

The key to Sergei's development was getting him into the Ontario Hockey League. Canadiens would have liked Andrei Kostitsyn, the team's first-round choice in 2003, to play junior in North America (if only so they could monitor  his medical condition), but the older brother was playing pro in Russia and did not join the Hamilton Bulldogs until the 2004-'05 season.

"Sergei played in London, which was a bonus for us," Timmins said. "He got very good coaching and development time. He came over right away after he was drafted and spent two seasons in major junior, which really helped his development in the North American-style game."

Kostitsyn's coach in London was Dale Hunter. The transformation was immediate.

During his draft year in Belarus, Sergei Kostitsyn played 40 games. He scored four goals, added 10 assists and had 24 minutes in penalties.

First season in the OHL, Sergei played 63 games. He scored 26 goals, had 52 assists and  racked up 78PiM. In 19 playoff games, Sergei had 13 goals, 24 assists and 44 PiM.

In 59 games with the London Knights last season – playing with Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner – Sergei's totals were 40 goals, 91 assists (nobody in major junior had more) and 76 PiM. His totals in 16 playoff games were nine goals, 12 assists 39 PiM.

In conversation with The Gazette's Pat Hickey during the OHL playoffs, Dale Hunter  said Kostitsyn was his most NHL-ready player – ahead of Kane and Gagner. 

His play with Canadiens is proving Sergei's ex-coach's prescience.  The kid looks like he belongs – never more so than against New Jersey last night.

"We always knew he could play at a higher level because of his hockey smarts and puck skills," said Timmins.