July 1, 2009 -- The Great Rebuild Begins

The project can only start like this. A year ago today, the Montreal Canadiens commenced one of the biggest rebuilds in the club’s illustrious history. On the opening day of free agency, the Habs signed Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Paul Mara and Hal Gill. While Mara’s season was derailed due to injury, the remaining three players were integral parts of the team and its playoff run last season. One could go as far as to say that they were the three most important skaters for the Habs in the post-season (though Josh Gorges and P.K Subban might have something to say about this.) Cammalleri of course led the team in goals with 13 (second in Habs history to only Yvan Cournoyer). Gionta was posted nine goals, six assists and led all forwards in ice-time. And Gill used his massive 6’7” frame blocked near a hundred shots and helped to keep Sidney Crosby to just one goal in the series.

But along with the signings, there were causalities. The team announced that team captain Saku Koivu and mercurial winger Alex Kovalev would not be resigned. While I’ll write more on these two in the coming days, the decision to let these two go closed a chapter in the club’s history. Koivu played 13 seasons in Montreal and nine as captain. While never the most talented player in the league, Koivu’s heart could never be questioned. Saku managed to comeback from two major on-ice injuries (shoulder in 1999 and the eye in 2006) as well one massive off-ice injury having massive almost the entire 2001-02 suffering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Koivu led by example on and off the ice and remained beloved in eyes of Habs fans.

Kovalev was different. Alexei Kovalev was at points in his career one of the 10 most talented players the league. But if Kovalev felt like it, he could be the worse player on a team’s roster. It’s the Kovalevs of the world that drive sports fans crazy. We know that he has off the chart talent and ability. We’ve seen it. And it makes no sense when he arbitrarily decides to take a game, a week or a month off. No one wins in these situations and that happens is that the fans, the media and his fellow teammates are frustrated by his lack of effort.

Finally, July 1, 2009 is also remembered as a date betrayal in the eyes of most Habs fans. Mike Komisarek was seen by many as the next captain of the team. The big American defenceman was an important part of the post-lockout Canadiens and was being groomed by the club for great things. But when it came down to a new contract, general manger Bob Gainey and Komisarek/Matt Keator (his agent) did not see eye-to-eye on a price or term. Bob didn’t think that Komisarek was worth $22.5 million over five years. Another GM did. Komisarek took the deal.

That Komisarek agreed to the deal wasn’t so offensive. That the other GM was Brian Burke and the team the Toronto Maple Leafs was. Komisarek (like hundreds of other Habs) could have left the team and been given a hero’s welcome back at the Bell Centre (I think Saku Koivu will be granted one in the coming season). That Komisarek opted to take the money from our arch-rivals means that he cannot be forgiven. Let the boo-birds continue to reign on the turncoat.