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Saturday, December 18, 1999
Habs not bleu over Hoglund
Wouldn't Jonas Hoglund look good in a Montreal Canadiens jersey right now?
Come to think of it, wouldn't any healthy body wearing the bleu, blanc et rouge be a welcome sight for the injury-ravaged Habs these days?
The Canadiens hobble into the Air Canada Centre tonight for a game against the Maple Leafs just in time to see ex-Canadien Hoglund leading Toronto in goals with 17. That is a far cry from the 14 goals he scored in 102 games with Montreal.
Hoglund has hinted that he didn't get a fair shake with the Canadiens. When the Canadiens decided not to re-sign him this summer the Leafs snapped him up.
"Have you ever heard a player say it was his fault?" Montreal coach Alain Vigneault said yesterday. "I always thought he had good potential. If he is having success, good for him."
Forward Shayne Corson is happy for Hoglund.
"I always thought Jonas had talent," Corson said. "Management had to make a decision. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. I'm not saying this one was bad, but it was tough. I wish him the best -- just not against us."
The Canadiens could get some bodies back tonight. Centre Scott Thornton (groin) is ready to go while right winger Turner Stevenson (back) will be a game-time decision.
Defenceman Scott Lachance (back) proclaimed himself fit. But with his defence unit healthy, Vigneault has yet to make up his mind who will play and who sits.
"This is the first time (all season) we will have competition at the blue line," Vigneault said.
Still on the shelf for the Canadiens are such notable players as centre Trevor Linden (left ankle), centre Saku Koivu (shoulder), right winger Oleg Petrov (knee), right winger Brian Savage (fractured vertebrae in neck) and defenceman Vladmir Malakhov (torn ACL).
The game tonight will be a big test for Jeff Hackett, who is scheduled to start in goal for Montreal. Hackett, who is 1-3-1 in his past five starts, told reporters earlier this week he needed more playing time.
With teammate Jose Theodore playing so well, Hackett has found himself riding the pines of late.
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