I like your starting six the only adjustment I'd make is this:

Markov, Komisarek
Valentenko, Hamrlik
Streit, O'Byrne

I'd want O'Byrne's size paired with Streit's skill and experience...and I'd want Valentenko making the North American adjustment playing along side Roman Hamrlik.

That seems alright, but I believe Gainey had mentioned that he wants Komisarek, O'Byrne, and Dandenault playing down the right side. What side does Valentenko play on? Does anybody know? We know one thing for sure: Markov and Komisarek are our top pairing. No doubt! Hamrlik's going to be our number 3 guy, and I can see him providing the mentorship role to someone young. Whether that's O'Byrne, or not, remains to be seen. I wouldn't mind it being Valentenko is he can play the right side. We should really move one of either Bouillon or Dandenault (preferably Bouillon). We need the room to fillup the defensive corps with one or two younger guys, and we can't have $1.8 million sitting in the pressbox.

MARKOV - KOMISAREK
HAMRLIK - O'BYRNE
VALENTENKO - DANDENAULT

STREIT

Recommend you go here for all the players:

http://habsprospects.hockeyhq.net/montreal.html

Recommend you go here for all the players:

http://habsprospects.hockeyhq.net/montreal.html

Valentenko and O'Byrne have a long way to go before pushing out Bouillon and Dandenault. Don't expect them to be in Montreal this season.

Defencemans have a lot more to learn than forwards.

Back in Russia, Valentenko played left D.

I think you might very well see O'Byrne but not Valentenko.

I wouldn't be so sure from what i've seen of Valentenko he is very solid and i think he would make a great addition to our line-up

I guess we will both see when the season starts.

Found this article on valentenko on hockey prospects on WJC 2007..

http://www.hockeysfuture.com/articles/9357...hit_at_the_wjc/

5 reasons why Valentenko is promising prospect (by Russian Prospects)

Written by: Alessandro Seren Rosso (RussianProspects.com)

1) His play in the national team.

Valentenko's play with the national junior team in the 2007 WJC has been very good. Scoring three points in six games, Pavel was one of the most valuable players of the tournament for Russia. His frame and his defensive play were excellent in the occasion and he was even named the best player on ice for Team Russia in the final match against Canada, unfortunately lost with the score of 2 – 4. In this game Pavel scored the 1 - 4 goal on a powerplay, with a quick wristshot from the blue line that surprised Canadien goalie Corey Price in the traffic. His other goal in the tournament was a very nice rush in the offensive zone, finished with another quick slapshot, in the qualification round game against Belarus, won by Russia 6 – 1.

Valentenko hasn't played much with the national team, also because being from a non-traditional city like Nizhnekamsk doesn't help in being spotted and noticed by coaches. His national team performances feature, other than the last WJC, one CHL – Russia Challenge in 2005, one Big – Prize St. Petersburg tournament and one Four – Nations tournament, the 2006 edition in Czech Republic. He was also invited in the preliminary camp prior of the last World Championship but he had to give up because of an injury.

2) His play in the Russian Super League

Valentenko, though, wasn't good only at the junior level. He also demonstrated that he can play against men. Tough and in possess of a good, strong shot, Pavel has debuted with the Neftekhimik jersey in the 2005/06 season, at the age of eighteen. He turned pretty quickly into one of the most important players in his team, despite the only two games played in his debut season, thanks to his physical play, sometimes a bit too rough, and his ability to read the game in its defensive part. A decent-to-good skater, Pavel could improve his speed and acceleration but he has a good balance on feet to battle along the boards. A reliable defenseman, Valentenko could develop into a regular NHL player if he manages to find his way in a different country, a challenge that was hard for a lot of higher-touted prospects. He's from Nizhnekamsk, a whole another world than America, and also his knowledge of English is not very good, having been overseas only once.

3) His playing style

Pavel Valentenko is a reliable, good-sized, defensive defenseman. His frame is very good, standing at 6'2”, 202 lbs (188 cms, 92 kgs). He likes to play physical and is not afraid to protect his teammates and his goalkeeper. Valentenko can also effectively deliver some big, clean hits when necessary, abilities that was shown very nicely at the WJC, also in the final match against Canada. Pavel also has a good shot from the point, strong and with a quick release that can be very useful in the powerplay at any level. His point production in the Russian Super League was almost un-existent, two points in fifty games, that means that he has to educate his offensive skills, but his shot and his skating goodness are undeniable. Being a tough player with good pace and an effective shot, Valentenko could fit well the North American style of hockey.

4) Montreal's belief in Russian players

He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, a team that has always believed in Russian players. In Montreal's roster we can find Aleksei Kovalev and Andrei Markov (Montreal Canadiens), two persons that can help him in adjusting to American lifestyle. In the Hamilton Bulldogs (Montreal's farm team) roster there are also Mikhail Grabovsky (Montreal Canadiens) and the Kostitsyn brothers, other players that can help Pavel to communicate better.

It's clear that Montreal likes Russians and this will help Pavel to gain the necessary confidence to make the big jump overseas. Bear in mind that the Habs have in their system other two interesting Russian defensive prospects in former Lada Togliatti player Alexei Emelin (Montreal Canadiens), now playing for Ak Bars Kazan, and CSKA's Konstantin Korneev (Montreal Canadiens).

Seeing things in this light it's almost certain that the Montreal Canadiens organization seems to be a safer place than others to make such a big step for Russian hockey players' career and life.

5) Valentenko's actual presence in North America

The fifth and last point is something that shouldn't be underrated. Pavel's countrymate Aleksei Emelin was highly believed to play overseas but then Ak Bars offered him a good contract and he opted to remain in Russia for almost another year. This is a very common story in today's Russian hockey and therefore Pavel's presence in Montreal is very important in this point of view.

Valentenko has took part to Montreal's development camp in mid July playing very well and even impressing the TSN (Total Sport Network, a major canadian cable network) reporters with his size, skating and skills. Most likely he will spend most of the season playing in the AHL, in the Hamilton Bulldogs' line-up, and can reach the NHL regular status in a couple of years.

i'm waiting for the exhibition season to start before i think o'byrne/valentenko are worthy of making the club.

i'm excited about both but having a good camp means a lot.

I noticed that on http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?page=PlayerDeta...mp;service=page they have him listed on the players page which is strange because he hasn't played a game yet in the NHL. I noticed they don't even have Andrie Kostitsyn.

They have Kostitsyn on there. Their spelling is just a bit different and supposedly the actual spelling of his name (Kastsitsyn).

"I heard a lot about the Canadiens, they won several Stanley Cups," he said.

hehe....you have much to learn grasshoper

Several cups.... oh boy.... Maybe we should send him some history books before he comes over .

Well he was born in 1987 , so maybe he's talking about 1986 and 1993

Wouldn't that make it a couple of Cups?

cool article. thanks.

just to verify, timmins says in the article that they would have liked to get him to mtl as soon as possible but he's still under contract. the habs did sign him though right? he'll be at training camp this year and i'm looking forward to seeing play in exhibition at least.

Yeah yeah.. Don't worry he's ours

Three year contract (details):

$560,000 (Cap Hit: $850,000) ($290,000 performance bonus) AHL: CN$62,500

Cap Hit is pro-rated (and applied) for the games he plays with the big team.

cool. thanks. i'm looking forward to seeing him play.

"Price was also impressive, although he was beaten between the pads on a quick shot by Valentenko, a sturdy newcomer from Russia who looked right at home with NHL players."

IMHO, Valentenko is ready to don the Habs sweater. Whether he deserves to keep it over the course of the season, it'll be up to him.

Next year maybe as the Montreal brass stated that he needs to play the North American style. Plus there is the language issue and him adjusting to a different culture. A year at least I think.

If he displays that he can adapt well playing the game in Hamilton then I can see him getting called up for a few games maybe.

O'Byrne in my mind is ahead of him development wise though.

How's he doing, which games has he played in so far?

Has he even played yet?

he played in Moncton against the Islanders. I thought he looked good, kind of reminded me of Markov in how he read the plays. I wouldn't mind seeing him throw a few big hits but honestly he was one of the better players last wednesday.