NHL : the apt pupil.

When Danile Brière chose Philadeplhia over Montreal, "La presse" journalist Mathias Brunet suggested the deal with the Habs fell through because Brière insisted to lead the first trio, i.e. take it over from Koivu.

Mathias Brunet was unceremoniously rebuked by Habs president Pierre Boivin.

Mathias Brunet no doubt swore it would never happen again. From now on, he would be a good disciplined Habs soldier.

When Huet was traded for a second draft choice, he hurried to explain Huet was certainly not worth more than that.

This week, referring to the same trade, he called it "une décision aussi courageuse que géniale" and some eye witnesses certify he did not blush in the least when typing the words.

In the same chronicle, titled -no doubt a private joke- "rondelle libre", Mathias Brunet indulged in a harmless bit of hockey fiction: if the 2005 draft took place now, in which position would Carey Price be drafted ?

Well, according to Mathias Brunet, who possibly itches to reinvent himself as a stand up comic, "certains observateurs, dans un élan d'enthousiasme, choisiraient le gardien du Canadien avant le joueur de centre des Penguins."

In case you did not get it straight, "le joueur de centre des Penguins" is called Sidney Crosby.

Well, this was on Wednesday.

As I write this posting during the second intermission of the second Flyers-Canadien game, the so-called "élan d'enthousiasme" may have ebbed a bit.

Maybe only to rise even higher twenty minutes from now.

(PM)