NHL/LNH : Christmas in November.

It is now official, at least in « La presse ».

On Monday November 26, eight weeks into the season, Carey Price has become the Habs’ best player.

Figures don’t lie, especially Pierre Ladouceur’s. Carey Price’s 7,8 outdistances by 0,2 his three closest followers : defenders Roman Hamrlik and Andrei Markov -do they deserve some of the credit for Price’s performance or does he make them look better than they are ?- and his soon-to-be back up, Cristobal Huet.

Pierre Ladouceur has managed the trick with utmost elegance, even affording the luxury and fair play to give Huet the top rating -7,7- for week 8, in front of the boy wonder himself -7,6-.

It is all so beautifully staged : only players who have participated in at least 25% of the games are eligible for the season-long standings ; Price had played in 9 games out of 23.

Meanwhile, the Habs’ fans -and/or marketing department- take their all star game duties much more at heart than last year : Markov is now number 2 in the East, outvoted only by Sidney Crosby, while Huet leads all other goalies in the division, probably because Price is not listed on the ballot.

Huet’s on ice performances do not warrant such an honour any more than they justify his Montréal endangered status : « La presse » is quick to point, like a good friend would, to Huet’s « début de saison mitigé » and explain that the goalie « bénéficie surtout de la fidélité des supporteurs de Montréal. »

Does the Habs’ management mean Huet’s return to the all star game to be his farewell present from the club ?

(P.M.)