habs

In a 30 team league with a harsh salary cap, most teams would give anything to hoist the Stanley Cup just once.  Unfortunately for them, many will never get that opportunity.  With the rules in the CDNHL favouring league parity and forcing the league’s best players to eventually hit the unrestricted free agent market, it makes building a winning team year after year quite difficult.

Despite the odds, Steve Healy has not only built the Montreal Canadiens into a Stanley Cup contender each year, but has won three of them in the past 5 years.  Not only that, the Habs were eliminated in the East Final last year.  If that doesn’t gain respect, nothing will.

subban

Led by Carey Price, Evgeni Malkin, P.K. Subban, and Tomas Plekanec who all have 3 rings, the Habs have built a solid core that against the odds, were able to stay together for the past five seasons.  While Subban is a restricted free agent this summer, the other three are all signed through next season.  The only downside at this point appears to be the 30 DU rating to Carey Price, but if he can find a way to stay healthy, his 81 overall rating could put Montreal back here next spring.

We could all learn a thing or two from Mr Healy, as he has proven he knows what it takes to not only build a winner, but a dynasty.  Anyone willing to take bets on when Montreal will win a fourth cup?  I’m thinking it’s not a matter of if we ever see it again, but when.