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Today in Washington, with as much as 60 cm to pound the city. This is why it's called the White House.
Yuri Gripas, Reuters

"Is there bad weather coming?" The Gazette's Canadiens beat writer and resident meteorologist Pat Hickey repeats the question put to him over the phone then roars in laughter.

There's no change in the schedule for tonight's Canadiens-New York Islanders game on Long Island – yet – but stay tuned as a monster storm working its way up the Eastern seaboard is about to pound the area with as much as 45 cm of snow driven by heavy winds. That's almost 18 inches, on the Imperial scale that some of us learned in school.

The storm is expected to hit around midday ET and it's going to be a mess. The Canadiens have made contingency plans to stay overnight if they can't get out to Atlanta immediately after the game, as planned. And that's a distinct possibility, given that the Habs charter is due to fly out of a small, private airfield in Farmingdale, L.I.

Jaroslav Halak will start in goal for Montreal, and defenceman Andrei Markov will return after missing 36 games with lacerated tendons in his left foot. Marc-André Bergeron is to move up onto the fourth line.

About a dozen players skated this morning, including forward Brian Gionta, who wore special foot protection to take part in his first workout with teammates since suffering a broken bone in early November. But he won't play tonight. Nor will defenceman Roman Hamrlik, who didn't skate and remains out with a lower-body injury. Coach Jacques Martin didn't even go to Nassau Coliseum for the session.

Andrei Markov (left) and Tomas Plekanec during the Oct. 1 season-opener in Toronto. Markov was injured in the third period and returns for the first time Saturday on Long Island vs. the Islanders.
Graig Abel, NHLI via Getty Images

• AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Andrei Markov | Travis Moen | Glen Metropolit

• Stubbs column on Markov's return

Andrei Markov will celebrate his birthday weekend by returning to the Canadiens lineup on Long Island tomorrow for the Habs game vs. the New York Islanders.

Markov, who turns 31 on Sunday, was given the green light last night by Habs doctor David Mulder and now it's up to head coach Jacques Martin to determine how much to use his all-star, given the fact he's missed 11 weeks as of tomorrow's game.

Markov looked like a very happy man in the dressing room after today's short but high-spirited practice in Brossard that began with 10 minutes of slapping around tennis balls.

If Roman Hamrlik returns to the lineup tomorrow – he didn't practice in Brossard today – expect Marc-André Bergeron to move up to the fourth line.

Both Yannick Weber and Tom Pyatt were farmed back to Hamilton today.

Rehabbing Brian Gionta skated with Canadiens head athletic therapist Graham Rynbend for at least a half-hour in Brossard this morning before the team's scheduled 11:30 a.m. practice.

More to come from Brossard this morning, including updates on his health and that of Andrei Markov and Roman Hamrlik.

The Grey Cup is in the building, by the way, here for a photo op with fans and members of the Alouettes, who are expected to join their championship trophy.

I'll be updating practice more briskly on Twitter. Find me here.

RDS reported Friday morning that it has learned Andrei Markov will make a return to the Canadiens lineup sometime next week. But our Dave Stubbs reports via Twitter that Markov hopes to play on Saturday in Long Island and the final decision will be up to head coach Jacques Martin. If Markov had any say, he would be on the ice Saturday.

In other news, Tom Pyatt and Yannick Weber were returned to the Hamilton Bulldogs on Friday morning.

More to come.

Canadiens' Mike Cammalleri and Wild's Greg Zanon crash behind the net during the game Thursday night. Allen McInnis, The Gazette

NHL.com preview | Matchups | Thursday's NHL schedule | Boone's Game Blog and About last night ... | Stubbs on Twitter | Stubbs's game story

AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Mike Cammalleri I and II | Paul Mara | Marc-André Bergeron

• At a Glance: Guillaume Latendresse was booed every time he touched the puck or made a body check, but his new team got the better of his former mates as the Wild defeated the Canadiens 3-1 on Thursday night. And it didn't take the Wild long to get things going as Robert Earl scored 2:41 into the game with a shot through Carey Price's legs as the Canadiens goalie was caught out of position. Andrei Kostitsyn got that one back less than a minute later with a great backhand to beat Niklas Backstrom. Mikko Koivu would score the winning goal for the Wild 14:08 into the first during a power play and Cal Clutterbuck scored the third Minnesota goal 11:47 into the third period when a Chuck Kobasew shot took a weird bounce behind Price's net and came out in front of the net for Clutterbuck to tap home. Montreal outshot the Wild 31-21.

• Key Moments: With the Canadiens buzzing in the third period, Clutterbuck sealed the Wild win with his goal.

• What It Means: Montreal has now lost five straight games and saw its record drop to 15-18-3 as the Canadiens continue to slide down the Eastern Conference standings.

• What's Next: The Canadiens are on Long Island to take on the Islanders on Saturday, the start of seven straight games on the road. After the Islanders, the Canadiens are in Atlanta on Monday and Carolina on Wednesday. After a Christmas break, the Canadiens take on the Maple Leafs on Dec. 26 and the Senators on Dec. 28.

Earlier today, I visited the Minnesota Wild dressing room where Guillaume Latendresse was the centre of attention from the assembled media - lots of them.

To read what he had to say, go here.

Two masks worn one time each this season by Canadiens goaltender Carey Price are on the auction block as of tonight, and through Dec. 31, to benefit two very good causes.

Price's game-worn Centennial Game mask, worn Dec. 4 against the Boston Bruins and featuring likenesses of six Canadiens goaltending greats, will be sold to benefit the Montreal Canadiens Children's Foundation.

The other mask, worn around Remembrance Day, features war-time images of Canada's service personnel through the years It will benefit Wounded Warriors, an organization giving assistance to Canadian soldiers wounded overseas.

Both masks will include two tickets for a Canadiens game and a meet and greet with Price.

Find both and do your bidding here. And read below for more information and to see both masks, photographed by The Gazette's Allen McInnis.

• 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.

Steve Kerley's scouting reporty on tonight's Bell Centre opponent:

They say the best offense is a good defense.  Or that maybe the best defense is a good offense.  In Minnesota, it’s hard to figure out which adage rings true these days.

Chuck Fletcher and Todd Richards  have taken over from Doug Risebrough and Jacques Lemaire with the notion of implementing a more aggressive, up-tempo, offensive style of play.

Unfortunately, a serious rash of concussions to key players has stymied this attempt to remodel the Wild’s overall game plan.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel as Minnesota has rebounded from a poor start to post a 8-2 record over their past ten games.

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur makes a save on a tip attempt from Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec Wednesday night in New Jersey. Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

Gazette preview | Matchups | Wednesday's NHL schedule | Boone's Game Blog and About last night ... | Stubbs on Twitter | Hickey's game story

• AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Carey Price | Tomas Plekanec | Michael Cammalleri | Travis Moen

• At a Glance: There was no historic shutout for Martin Brodeur on Wednesday night, but his New Jersey Devils still came out on top against the Canadiens by a score of 2-1. Travis Moen put an end to Brodeur's chase of career shutout No. 104 when he scored a shorthanded goal 12:23 into the first period. But the Devils, as they always fo against the Canadiens, found a way to win. Ilkka Pikkarainen scored his first career goal in the second period on a harmless looking shot that Carey Price mishandled. The shot went off Price's glove, off the post and then off the back of his leg and into the net. And with the Canadiens holding on for dear life to drag the game into overtime, Patrik Elias took advantage of a Price rebound to score the winning goal 17:24 into the third period. Despite allowing a goal, Brodeur had an easy night, facing only 18 shots - and there is almost no way you can beat Brodeur and the Devils with only 18 shots on goal.

• Key Moments: With 3:35 to play in the second period, Price's mishandling of the Pikkarainen shot opened the door for the Devils.

• What It Means: Montreal has lost four straight games and saw its record drop to 15-17-3.

• What's Next: The Canadiens are right back at it Thursday night as the Minnesota Wild and Guillaume Latendresse are at the Bell Centre. Montreal then plays the Islanders on Saturday night.

• PREGAME AUDIO: Jacques Martin  
  Devils: Coach Jacques Lemaire | Martin Brodeur | Yann Danis

While the New Jersey Devils had a full roster on the ice for the morning skate, the Canadiens held an optional workout. 

Habs head coach Jacques Martin, who wasn't on the ice, said Carey Price will start in goal and he envisions a bigger role for Maxim Lapierre, who replaces Glen Metropolit on the No. 3 line with Max Pacioretty and Travis Moen. 

Martin also said that he expects Benoît Pouliot to play for the Hamilton Bulldogs this weekend. Pouliot was sent down on a conditioning assignment last week but the AHL club has played three games without him.  

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman tells the league's board of governors that he doesn't envision the salary cap, now at $56.8 million, dramatically going up or down next season.

The Canadiens have about $45.7 million committed for next year. No doubt, all the web-surfing GMs reading these words have their own ideas about have the club should be fashioned for 2010-11.

Harvard's Louis Leblanc, the Canadiens' top pick in last June's NHL entry draft, was among Team Canada's final cuts this morning for the world junior championship.

Not surprisingly, Jaroslav Halak doesn't see his future in Montreal.
Shaun Best, Reuters

Canadiens backup goalie Jaroslav Halak, an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent at season's end, has not denied to CKAC radio reports that he wants to play more, whether it's in Montreal or elsewhere.

With Carey Price firmly entrenched as the team's goaltender of the present and future, it's Halak's polite way of telling Canadiens GM Bob Gainey that he'd be happy to go elsewhere.

Ruefrontenac.com's Bert Raymond reports today that Gainey had approached Paul Holmgren, his counterpart with the Philadelphia Flyers, about a possible trade for Halak. The Philadelphia Daily News has reported similar news.

• But today, the Flyers claimed former Canadien Michael Leighton off waivers from Carolina. The question is, would Halak get the ice he wants in Philly once Ray Emery is healthy? Or is Gainey just turning up the heat with other goalie-needy teams?

Whether or not the Habs get a top six forward from anyone for Halak remains to be seen. The Habs GM only got a second-round draft pick for Cristobal Huet two seasons ago.

There's been not a peep on Twitter about this today from Halak's agent, Allan Walsh, who's not gone out of his way to mention Halak's name online since a couple of weeks ago when he awkwardly tried to promote his client at the expense of a then-struggling Price.

Bob Gainey during his time as captain of the Canadiens.
Steve Babineau, NHLI via Getty Images

Canadiens executive VP and general manager Bob Gainey will carry the Vancouver 2010 Olympic torch late this afternoon in his hometown of Peterborough, Ont.

You should be able to see his 300-metre jog with the torch here or here (RDS and CTV feeds), the relay streamed live on the Internet.

Gainey, an alumnus of the major-junior Peterborough Petes, is expected to run nearing 7 p.m. ET. If you want to watch, link to the live site a little early just to be safe.

Our thanks to Inside/Out reader Marty Silvestri, writer and editor with CHEX television in Peterborough, for the tip, and to regular T.C. Denault for clarification of the time.

The NHL roster freeze goes into effect this coming Saturday and runs through Dec. 27, giving players (and team and NHL brass) a brief respite from trades. So if Canadiens GM Bob Gainey wants to move anyone before Christmas, he's got until Saturday to do it.

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.

Canadiens' Hal Gill clears loose puck from the crease in front of goalie Jaroslav Halak during first period Monday night at the Bell Centre. John Mahoney, The Gazette

Gazette preview | Matchups | Monday's NHL schedule | Boone's Game Blog and About last night ... | Stubbs on Twitter | Hickey's game story

PRE-GAME AUDIO: Mike Cammalleri | Jacques Martin

POSTGAME AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Andrei Kostitsyn | Mike Cammalleri | Tomas Plekanec

• At a Glance: Until the Canadiens learn to stop taking dumb penalties, what happened over the last two games will keep happening. After losing 4-3 to the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday night - with the winning goal scored on the power play - the Canadiens dropped another game thanks to careless penalties, again by a 4-3 score to the Northeast Division leading Buffalo Sabres. On Monday night, the Canadiens were down two men when Clark MacArthur scored the winning goal with just more than five minutes to play. What makes it doubly frustrating is that the Canadiens had just scored the game 3-3 when Glen Metropolit was handed a double-minor only six second after Michael Cammalleri scored Montreal's third goal. Ryan O'Byrne took a penalty 37 seconds later and MacArthur took advantage. For the second straight game, Andrei Kostitsyn scored a pair of goals, both on the power play. Andrej Sekera, Patrick Kaleta and Tim Kennedy were the other Buffalo goal scorers. Ryan Miller stopped 21 of 24 Montreal shots, while Jaroslav Halak made 23 saves on 27 shots.

• Key Moments: The Canadiens enjoyed a power play for the final two minutes of the game but were unable to score the game-tying goal.

• What It Means: Montreal has now lost three straight games and its record has dropped to 15-16-3.

• What's Next: The Canadiens are in New Jersey on Wednesday night before returning home to welcome Guillaume Latendresse and the Minnesota Wild to town on Thursday. They then travel to Long Island to take on the Islanders on Saturday night.

Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov isn't returning to action just yet. The all-star is still having a few mobility issues, according to Habs coach Jacques Martin, and he will see team doctors later in the week, not today as originally advertised.

Martin (audio here) said this morning that his team will "play many games" before Markov returns. But then, Martin is doing his best (as he always does) to keep the circus atmosphere around his club to a minimum. Markov is going to be hugely welcomed, but his coach doesn't want anyone to heap the pressure of being a saviour on the Russian's shoulders.

Jaroslav Halak will get a chance for redemption tonight when he starts in goal against the Buffalo Sabres. The last time Halak faced the Sabres was on Dec. 3 in Buffalo and Halak – and his teammates – were on the short end of a 6-2 count.

Coach Jacques Martin hopes that the goalie and his friends will be fired up for tonight's game. Halak is coming off a  strong performance last week when he stopped 45 shots in a 3-1 win over the Senators in Ottawa.

A welcome sight for Habs: Andrei Markov could be back in uniform soon. Jamie Squire, Getty Images

According to The Gazette's Pat Hickey, the Canadiens could have Andrei Markov back on the blue line as early as this week.

Markov has been out since Oct. 1 after suffering an injury to the tendons in one of his ankles. In Hickey's story, he leads it off with a quote that says: “It looks like the doctors got it wrong.”

That might be the understatement of the year as Markov was originally supposed to be out of the lineup until February. But he is far ahead of schedule and could receive medical clearance for full contact drills as early as Monday, the same day Brian Gionta is to meet the team doctors.

No practice today; Santa visits the Bell Centre this afternoon, on GM Bob Gainey's 56th birthday, for the Canadiens' annual family Christmas party.

(Great story this past week from a veteran security guard: seems Père Noël was making his through-the-stands entrance a few years ago when he missed a step and took a wicked fall, rolling down almost an entire section before coming to a sudden stop, unmoving. One of the players' kids broke the horrified silence, pointing to the nearly unconscious man in red and yelling: "Santa's DEAD!" Happily, he lived.)

The Habs return to the ice tomorrow for a morning skate in advance of their home-ice game that night against Buffalo. More newsworthy might be tomorrow's expected visits to the team doctor of Andrei Markov (ankle tendon surgery) and Brian Gionta (broken foot). Most expect Markov will be back in action very soon.

Canadiens' Glen Metropolit scores his first-period goal on Atlanta goalie Johan Hedberg. The Thrashers battled back to win 4-3 in overtime.
Tami Chappell, Reuters

Gazette preview | Matchups | Saturday's NHL schedule | Boone's Game Blog and About last night ... | Stubbs on Twitter | Hickey's game story

• PREGAME AUDIO: Michael Cammalleri | Maxim Afinegenov | Ilya Kovalchuk
• No postgame audio (technical difficulties)

• At a Glance: The Canadiens blow a 2-0 lead and lose 4-3 in overtime – their first OT loss of the season. The penalty-kill is perfect on six shorthanded situations during regulation, running their streak to 33, but Ilya Kovalchuk cashes a rising 30-footer in OT.

• Key Moments: Carey Price's third-period leg save on Todd White salvaged a point as Atlanta had a 34-19 shot advantage. That's seven straight games in which the Habs have been outshot.

• What It Means: Canadiens take five of a possible eight points in a tough week. But Ottawa, Toronto and the Islanders all won tonight.

• What's Next: The Canadiens return home after the game and enjoy their annual Christmas party Sunday afternoon. They're back in action Monday night at the Bell Centre vs. Buffalo, then hit the road to play in New Jersey on Wednesday before coming home again to face Guillaume Latendresse's Minnesota Wild on Thursday. That will be the Habs' last home game until Jan. 3.

Steve Kerley's scouting report on Atlanta:

Atlanta GM Don Waddell  faces his moment of truth this year as he attempts to sign UFA Ilya Kovalchuk  to a long-term contract. Waddell will either solidify the franchise or face an Armageddon from which there is no return.

He has upgraded the present team with four significant new players, so there just might be enough incentive for Kovalchuk to re-sign.  Not to mention a nest full of money based on a lifetime contract. The final outcome of this franchise-defining dilemma may be just as important as anything that happens on the ice this season.

Defenceman Yannick Weber has been assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs without playing a game for the Canadiens after his latest recall.

• AUDIO: Jacques Martin | Tomas Plekanec | Michael Cammalleri

Fifty minutes before the Habs were to use their practice time for an off-ice workout in the gym and a team meeting, defencemen Andrei Markov and Yannick Weber were on the ice in Brossard, skating and shooting. (Weber and designated target Jaro Halak left the ice around 11:20; Markov went 55 minutes, at a very good intensity).

The Canadiens charter this afternoon to Atlanta, where they play the Thrashers tomorrow night at 7 pm ET. Markov is making the trip. Don't look for him to play, but he's got to be getting close.

Live updates were to be found via Twitter here. A few notes:

* Habs GM Bob Gainey turns 56 on Sunday, same day as his team's annual Christmas party. Your guess as to what he asks from Santa;
• Brian Gionta apparently will meet with the team doctor on Monday for evaluation of his broken foot. He was said on Nov. 18 to be out indefinitely. More news, hopefully, coming on Monday;
* Good Lord, Markov looks strong. Head coach Jacques Martin says he's encouraged, but says his all-star defenceman hasn't skated in a contact workout yet and doesn't have doctor's clearance.

The Comments section beneath each post at Habs Inside/Out is designed to let our readers vent on the issues of the day. Sometimes, we receive something by email that is particularly thoughtful. Below comes to us from Scott Hinckley of Port Saint Lucie, Fla. Of course, you're free to comment below his post which he's allowed us to run here:

A Little Cheese With That Whine...

I have been a Canadiens' fan since the '71 'Ruins series. Over the span of the 38 plus years that I've watched their games I think the Habs and their fans have had very few meaningful reasons to whine about officiating. Or, more accurately, poor officiating that costs them points in the standings.
 
But the 2009/2010 NHL season has clearly been an anomaly. And with the tightness of post-lockout playoff races the Canadiens can't afford to be "robbed" by unprofessional on-ice officiating.

Sportsnet.ca, quoting La Presse, reports that the Canadiens are actively shopping goaltender Jaroslav Halak, but would need a top six forward to part with him. Not late-breaking news, granted, but still something that has Canadiens fans abuzz.

Thinking aloud: with the Canadiens surrendering the volley of shots they are every game, having been outshot their past six games, do they really believe that Bulldogs' Curtis Sanford or Cédrick Desjardins are the answer to backing up Carey Price?

The second monthly beyond incredible statistical look at Canadiens goaltender Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, as broken down in exhaustive detail by Chris Boyle and featured at Robert Lefebvre's Eyes on the Prize website.

Don't make a trip to Brossard this morning if you'd planned to see the Canadiens practice. They'll work out in the gym before taking a charter to Atlanta for tomorrow night's game vs. the Thrashers, though there might be a skater or two on the South Shore rink today.