Preseason will always be preseason.
You'll see a fair bit of rookies overachieve and of course you'll have a fair bit of underachievers.
Anyone remember those famous training camps where the Habs kept hoping Ron Hainsey would prove to them he was a better investment on Bell Center ice than Francis Bouillon ?
Well don't worry, after signing for 5 years with the Thrashers a few seasons ago, you would've been relieved the Habs never got on the Hainsey bandwagon. Hainsey is having a horrendous camp this year.
But then again, did you expect the Thrashers would ice a contender ?
Back to Nino. And to Habs fans who had the chance of seeing him the preseason, I have a feeling this kid not only overachieved, he might be a better investment than Tavares if you assume that this kid is for real.
Easy to say Niederreiter's attempt at a blind side hit on Cammalleri was enough to make the Habs forward blow a gasket, and of course we've all seen the countless replays of what Cammalleri did.
But I don't blame these guys for what happened.
It was clear from the start of the whole sequence that referee Michel Cormier had front court seats to the entire sequence.
Was it a perfect opportunity to apply the new rules when it comes to the NHL's new found weariness to blindside hits ?
Sure it was !
But refereeing will never be the NHL's strength.
Try controversy