Do the Philadelphia Flyers covet defenseman PK Subban as a long-term solution to their blueline problems? According to a report from Bertrand Raymond of RDS, apparently they do. Or at least they did.

As the story goes, the Flyers inquired about Subban, a 23-year-old restricted free agent, after the Nashville Predators matched the 14-year, $110-million offer sheet Philly handed to Shea Weber this summer.

Why not just tender him an offer sheet too? Because the Canadiens matching one for Subban is surer bet than was David Poile matching one for Weber.

So it would instead be a trade for the Flyers and Canadiens for Subban, and Raymond had an idea of what the ante might be to convince GM Mark Bergevin to deal him.

(Google Translated, hence the hilarious "Peter Laviolette sees in his soup" line):

So back to the Canadiens-Flyers discussions. During the interview between Bergevin and his counterpart Paul Holmgren, one of the names mentioned was obviously the young sensation Sean Couturier, the first round pick of the Flyers two years ago, which has shown great things after winning one position 18. It is said that one who most insisted that the name be removed from the Couturier discussion coach Peter Laviolette who sees in his soup. This has not been a problem since Couturier believes that is closely linked to the future of the Flyers.

As we translate the translation: Lavy witnessed Courtuier put up 27 points as a rookie and shut down Evgeni Malkin in the playoffs. So that's probably a non-starter. (Also, knowing Laviolette, the only thing he sees in his soup is his own tie.)

We imagine the "hey, we're interested in trading for PK Subban" thing was a non-starter in the first place.

The tone of the RDS piece hints at continued interest, but it's clear that most of the Flyers' overtures were in the wake of the Weber ordeal, which went down in July.

Far be it from us to be suspicious of news leaked to French-language media about Subban being on the block during the final stages of his contract negotiation with the Canadiens … but we are.

So, despite the fact that PK Subban in a Philadelphia Flyers uniform would break the needle on the Swagger-Meter, it's probably just a tire kicking during the summer.

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Can the Quebec Labour Board stop the lockout?

09 Sep
2012

Well, how about that. It turns out there is a third party that might be able to prevent a lockout.

Now, before you get your hopes up -- no, it isn't Unfollow NHL. Sorry. According to Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette, it's the Quebec Labour Board.

Remember that the NHLPA is willing to go ahead with the next season while negotiations on the new CBA continue. It's the owners that will be locking the players out if an agreement can't be reached by Sept. 15.

But in Quebec, employers can only lock out employees represented by a union, and this poses an issue for the NHL, because, in Quebec, the NHLPA isn't a union.

If the Montreal Canadiens' players are correct, they're lockout-proof. From the Montreal Gazette:

The Canadiens players, the NHLPA said Sunday night, have the right to apply to the QLB for an order that would prevent Canadiens ownership from locking players out after Sept. 15, when the CBA expires.

Canadiens players, through their Montreal-based lawyer, Michael Cohen, sent a 'cease and desist' letter to the owners of the Canadiens and to the NHL on Friday, Sept. 7. Unless they cease their threats to lockout, the players will make an application to the Quebec Labour Board this upcoming week seeking to stop the Canadiens from locking out their players.

If the Quebec Labour Board agrees, the NHLPA contends, it could order the owners of the Canadiens not to lock out the players or to end a lockout in Quebec if one has started.

"The NHL seems content to lock out the players if an agreement isn't reached this week," Canadiens' winger Erik Cole told Stubbs, "and we would like the Quebec Labour Board to step in and inform them that their lockout would be in direct violation of the Quebec labour laws."

The irony is that the players' union actually went to the Quebec Labour Board to become certified during the 2005 lockout, as certification would have prevented the NHL from using replacement players if the lockout lasted a second year. The NHL opposed the move, but when the labor dispute was settled, the NHLPA didn't pursue it any further. Now they might be glad they didn't.

The players' association is also looking into the legality of a lockout across Canada. It's possible that locking out the players violates other provincial labor laws.

But don't get too excited just yet. Stubbs also reports that the province of Ontario has been very cooperative with the NHL thus far. According to the NHLPA, it even helped "pave the way" for a lockout in Ontario by accepting the NHL's resistance to a conciliation board.

It's possible that Quebec could be just as accommodating, and this ploy could fall flat.

Either way, this certainly adds a wrinkle to the final week of negotiations before the deadline. Clearly, the NHLPA isn't about to budge. On the contrary: It just used its ace in the hole.

Tags: , , , NHLPA, Quebec, Quebec Labour Board
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The Essentials: Montreal Canadiens Edition

08 Aug
2012

(This month, Puck Daddy asked bloggers for every NHL team to tell us The Essentials for their franchises — everything from the defining player and trade, to the indispensable fan traditions. Here's Kevin van Steendelaar and Habs Eyes On The Prize, chronicling The Essentials for the Montreal Canadiens.)

By Habs Eyes On The Prize

Player: Maurice "Rocket" Richard

Lafleur lead the league in scoring, Beliveau was the captain and Roy the biggest impact on his position but The Rocket is the one they make movies about. "Hockey is a religion in Quebec, and the Rocket was bigger than the Pope." - Red Storey

Season: 1976-77

Just eight losses in the regular season (1 at home), and 12-2 in the playoffs, sweeping two series, including the Final against Boston. Of note: All but one player (Peter Mahovlich) came through the Canadiens were either drafted and immediately part of the team or came up through farm system.

Game: December 31, 1975

Montreal against the Soviet Union's Central Red Army team. Still viewed by many as the greatest game of hockey ever played.

Goal: Guy Lafleur, May 19, 1979

With the Bruins on the verge of defeating the Canadiens in Game Seven of the semifinal, the Bruins take a costly too many men penalty with less than two minutes to play. Guy Lafleur would tie the game with a slap shot past Gilles Gilbert. Yvon Lambert would win the game in overtime. Bruins coach Don Cherry took responsibility for the penalty, ending his coaching career in Boston.

Trade: Acquiring Guy Lafleur

The Best Trade: January 26, 1971 Sam Pollack sends Ralph Backstrom to the Kings to secure the number one pick and assure the rights to Guy Lafleur.

The Worst Trade: The Patrick Roy trade, Not just for itself but signifying a permanent fall from grace. That was the moment they became an ordinary franchise.

Unsung Hero: Elmer Lach

Even when his jersey was retired he played second fiddle.

Franchise Villain: Boston Bruins

For teams the Canadiens play it's he Boston Bruins.... of Clarence Campbell for suspending the Rocket.

In the eyes of the Canadiens opponents: The late John Ferguson, toughest player of his era, and created the enforcer for a team.

Fight: Larry Robinson takes out Dave Schultz

It happened on Feb. 17, 1974 (link) in a Flyers/Habs game, where Robinson took out Dave Schultz

Runner Up: Good Friday Massacre vs. Nordiques on April 20, 1984

Coach: Scotty Bowman

He was able to control the egos and talent of the '70s dynasty and was never afraid to bench a top player for underachieving.

Broadcaster: Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin

Arena Behavior/Tradition/Trend

"Halte-là, Halte-là, Halte-là, les Canadiens sont là, les Canadiens sont là "....but of late, "Ole, Ole Ole Ole"

Arena Food

Hot Dogs at the old Forum.

Swag (jersey, hat, shirt, gear, etc.)

The sweater a.k.a. La Sainte Flannelle , Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, Le Tricolore

Tags: , , , , Guy Lafleur, jersey, , , , prize, Rocket,
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Nicola Roberts, British pop star, wears Canadiens jersey to a TV premiere (PHOTO)

07 Aug
2012

Nicola Roberts is a British pop star that made her name with the girl group Girls Aloud. (They sang the song Hugh Grant danced to in 'Love Actually'. They're no Billy Mack, but it was a good scene.)

These days, she's making the transition to fashion icon, which is one of those weird, dishonest labels that celebrities get once they can afford to wear designer clothes.

Roberts' big debut as a professional fashionista was last week at the premiere of her new fashion reality show, Styled to Rock. As a mentor on the show, most expected her to show up in something that attested to her authority on the subject.

False.

Instead, she arrived in an oversized Montreal Canadiens jersey and white heels for some reason.

The choice really made no sense. As best as I can gather, she has no ties to Canada, hockey, the Canadiens, or even Viggo Mortensen.

The outfit was poorly received, especially since it was poorly understood. Most thought it was some sort of attempt to pay homage to the London Olympics, which doesn't really make any sense since hockey's not a summer sport. But many had no idea what sport the jersey was from. From Yahoo's British celeb blog The Juice:

Nicola Roberts stepped out in this American football inspired baggy dress last night. But do you love it or do you hate it?

... Possibly an attempt to channel Olympic fever, although we are not sure American Football is a legit Olympic sport, Nic stepped out in this odd frock.

... It sort of looks like when we put on our boyfriend's jumper to go to bed. If our boyfriend was an American football player, anyway.

... I think they think it's an American Football jersey.

A word of advice to Nicola Roberts: the next time you decide to rock the I-spent-last-night-with-Jay-Baruchel look on the red carpet, do it in a country that knows what hockey is.

Tags: , American Football jersey, , British pop star, , , Hugh Grant, jersey, , , Nicola Roberts, ,
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