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Montreal Canadiens’ most frustrating player

Alex Kovalev;

Montreal Canadiens’ Alex Kovalev, from Russia, leaves the conference room after speaking to the media in Brossard, Quebec, on Thursday, April 23, 2009. The Canadiens were elimiinated in four-straight games by the Boston Bruins in a first-round playoff hockey series. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

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Every now and then, Pro Hockey Talk will ask for insight from some of the best team bloggers out there. For this feature, we asked a simple question: “Who is your team’s most frustrating player?” Just for fun, I will also provide my “guess” as to who that player might be. First, my guess for Montreal.

Scott Gomez - OK, maybe I’m too transfixed on his salary but his contract is easily one of the worst in the league. It’s almost as if Bob Gainey tried to leave the team in as much disarray as possible before stepping down from his perch as the Habs’ general manager.

For the Montreal perspective, I asked the wacky bunch at Four Habs Fans to share their most frustrating player. HabsFan29 provided the perspective. Make sure to check out their off-beat take on the league’s most storied franchise.

So when I asked the other three HF’s who they thought the Habs’ most frustrating player was, the answer was unanimous - Alex Kovalev. I was then forced to remind them that we didn’t re-sign him in the off-season and he plays for Ottawa now. They all responded we know, it’s just that we can’t get over him, he’s the most frustrating player in the history of the universe. I then said come up with something better guys, NBC Sports is the big time and we don’t want to look like idiots. They responded “We spend our time posting pictures of half-naked chicks and crazy yet awesome Photoshops. We already look like idiots.” I said touché, but we need an actual answer. Our consensus pick after the jump.

Sabres Canadiens Hockey

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price looks on from the bench during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres in Montreal, Saturday, April 3, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

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And the winner is... Carey Price! Carey Price has two nicknames around FHF - he is both “The Franchise Saviour” (sic, but that’s the way we spell it up North, eh?) and “Cari the Big Fat Whale.” Just seeing the two nicknames side by side should give you an idea why our frustration meter runs to 11.

This is a man of dichotomies. Isn’t that the very definition of frustration? He is both insanely intense and completely aloof. One game really sticks out: Carey was playing brilliantly until a Habs’ defensive collapse caused him to allow two goals in the final three minutes; the team ultimately lost 3-2 in a shootout. I swear I saw steam coming out of his ears as he headed back to the dressing room.

But at the same time you got the feeling that an hour or two later he’d be totally chilling out, maxing and relaxing all cool. Now maybe that has something to do with his alleged pot-smoking, or the fact that Jaro Halak seems to have usurped the number one goalie tag, leaving The Big Fat Whale to chillax on the bench. We have no idea. But you better believe it’s frustrating.
So Carey is either the man who will lead the Habs back to the Promised Land or the man who will be found chilling on a futon with five beautiful ladies and a bag of shrooms. And us Habs Fans will be frustrated the whole way.