With surprise timing, Bob Gainey stepped down on Monday as president of the Montreal Canadiens. Gainey has been replaced by his assistant Pierre Gauthier, and he will stay in the organization as a consultant.
"I've done my best," said Gainey. "Now it's time for me to pass the torch. I want to have more control over my own time. What I'll do with it, I don't know. Maybe I'll play the piano."
Gainey's final season has been a mixed bag. In the offseason he signed leading goal scorer Mike Cammalleri (26 goals before a recent injury). He also agreed to an out-of-touch deal where he took Scott Gomez's enormous contract off the hands of the Rangers and relinquished assets for the privilege.
The Canadiens are currently is sixth place in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 28-26-6 for 62 points.
The 56-year-old Gainey said the timing was right because the Olympic break will afford Gauthier the time to settle into the head role before the March 3 trade deadline. However, as evidenced by major deals made in the last eight days by colleagues such as Brian Burke, Lou Lamoriello, Darryl Sutter and Glen Sather, many GMs are seeing the pre-Olympic roster freeze on Friday afternoon as an even more important deadline.
Every Monday during the season two of our hockey writers will debate one topic. It's the 2-on-1. This week, Chris Botta and Adam Gretz talk about the upcoming Olympics, the NHL's involvement, and who is going to take home the Gold.
It's been established. Alex Ovechkin is a one-man highlight reel. There might not be a hockey player whose goals get more hits on YouTube, and for good reason, because it seems he's doing something special on at least a weekly basis.
He added to his long list of memorable goals Sunday at Verizon Center. As his Capitals staged a furious rally to beat Pittsburgh 5-4 in overtime, Ovechkin became the first NHL player to hit 40 goals this season. Before he added his 41st and 42nd goals later in the game, he did something he has yet to do in his career (outside of the his hat tricks).
He scored a goal that forced a stoppage of the game.
WASHINGTON -- The original Alexander the Great didn't have this kind success so early in his rule.
Counting Sunday's 5-4 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alex Ovechkin's tenure as team captain has been nearly flawless. Ovechkin is now 17-1-0 since the promotion, a run that includes the team's current 14-game winning streak, tied for third-longest in NHL history and three behind the all-time mark held by the 1992-93 Penguins.
Along with the "C," Ovechkin also put on the cape here on Sunday. He netted his first hat trick of the season and ninth of his career, a feat that not only helped erase a three-goal deficit but also warmed the cockles of the Capitals fans who braved the aftermath of this weekend's historic blizzard to get to Verizon Center.
"It's about playing as best we can," said Ovechkin, who refused to take credit for the streak or the team's 2-0 record against Sidney Crosby & Co. this season. "With these guys, if something happens, (then) somebody is going to step up and play great."
Crosby scored the first two goals of the game as the Penguins didn't appear to have any ill effects from their circuitous route to Washington. With the area airports closed, the Penguins flew to Newark, N.J., after Saturday's 5-3 loss in Montreal and arrived at 2:30 a.m. Sunday by bus.
Each and every weekend this season I'll be taking a look at the random happenings and absurdities that occur in the world of hockey. Feel free to suggest stories, complain or otherwise babble at me via electronic mail.
It's February 7th, Valentine's Day is next week and what does NHL.com want us all to do? Why, get ready for St. Patrick's Day of course! Under the live scores and above the Sid vs. AO hoopla on the NHL.com homepage, a banner declares that "2010 St. Patrick's Day Gear Now Available!" Gotta love the random corporate branding of a random holiday in March. And hey, we all know nothing else says 'hockey' like celebrating an Irish holiday that has nothing to do with hockey and whose main premise is inspiring everyone to get drunk on a Wednesday night by buying green hockey apparel.
With surprise timing, 
It's been established. 
WASHINGTON -- The original Alexander the Great didn't have this kind success so early in his rule.
