A night at the Bell Centre

I saw what was left of the Hamilton Bulldogs tonight.

Let's just say that injuries are so bad that Olivier Dame-Malka is playing as a forward (and isn't looking too bad as one either). The team is basically full of rookies and half-rookies for the most part. Defense is terrible, support almost non-existant, and goaltending is rather yuck. And if Alex Henry thinks he's got a shot at coming back to the NHL, he better go study hard at Brent Sopel's new hockey school of defence. Or spend some time with Hal Gill.

Of course playing against the BingoSens didn't help much, as they're just as terrible. Oh and Filatov is a jerk brat who's lucky he didn't have a close encounter of a Bulldog's fist...

The only lovely morsel I saw was the duo of Louis Leblanc and Alexander Avtsin. The two kids complimented each other well and were always a threat. All night long I was picturing Eller centering them.... Avtsin changed his number from 26 to 67 and I'm thinking maybe they gave him video of Patches to study because he's starting to look like a Russian Patches (that's what my brother called him). As for Louis, sure he made some mistakes, but he's real strong on the puck, he's quick, and annoys on the forecheck.

Other notables: Fortier can definitely play when he's healthy. I still call him QuebecPleks. Danny Massé actually apparently has a slapshot that got the Dogs' their second goal. Of course it's the injuries situation that has him on the powerplay... Malka's shot is still deadly. I was interested in seeing Nattinen but they have him on the wing instead of center and he looks to be in a period of major adjustment. Guy's pretty big though, so I hope they move him back to his natural position.

Major downside? Blunden, as he went for a hit that became a charging penalty, hurt himself... Sigh. It's too bad because he was flying.

This young team needs some work and healthy bodies. As it stands, well, it's all just developmental. I would ditch the one-man forecheck crap though.

I miss Brock Trotter and the Habs probably should have reclaimed Chipper off waivers to send him to the Dogs...