How different will the Canadiens be on October first when the 2010-11 season begins? 

Much different.   You can count on it.  History tells us that.

Here is the way three different Canadiens head coaches (Guy Carbonneau; Bob Gainey; Jacques Martin) set up their lineups over the last three seasons (opening night and final regular season game 2007-08, 2008-09 & 2009-10. 

 In three full seasons a total of 23 players from these lineups are no longer with the team.  Twelve players left via unrestricted free agency; six players were traded; one retired; three are back in the minors and one (George Laraque) was suspended.  (See below for complete list)  It’s easier to list those remaining.   From opening night of the 07-08 season only Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec, Roman Hamrlik and Andrei Markov remain. 

Game #1 @ Carolina   Oct. 2/07

Higgins          Koivu         Ryder

A. Kostitsyn  Grabovski   Kovalev

Begin             Smolinski   Dandenault

Latendresse   Plekanec     Kostopoulos

          Hamrlik       Brisebois

          Markov        Komisarek

          Bouillon       Streit

                     Huet

Head Coach – Guy Carbonneau

Game #82  vs. Toronto   April 5/08

A. Kostitsyn    Plekanec   Kovalev

Latendresse     Higgins     S. Kostitsyn

Begin               Smolinski Kostopoulos

Stewart            Lapierre    Dandenault

          Hamrlik         Brisebois

          Markov          Gorges

          Streit              O’Byrne

                     Price

Head Coach – Guy Carbonneau

Game #1 @ Buffalo  October 10. 2008

A. Kostitsyn  Plekanec    Kovalev

Latendresse   Koivu        Tanguay

Kostopoulos  Lang          S. Kostitsyn

Begin             Lapierre    Dandenault

           Markov          Komisarek

           Hamrlik         O.Byrne

           Gorges           Brisebois          

                       Price

Head Coach – Guy Carbonneau

Game #82 vs. Pittsburgh  April 11, 2009 

D’Agostini  Plekanec   A. Kostitsyn

Higgins       Koivu        Kovalev

Latendresse Lapierre    S. Kostitsyn

Stewart        Metropolit Laraque\

       Hamrlik       Komisarek

       Gorges         Dandenault

       Schneider     Weber

                   Price

Head Coach – Bob Gainey

Game #1  @Toronto October 1/09

Pacioretty     Plekanec     A. Kostitsyn

Cammalleri  Gomez        Gionta

Latendresse  Lapierre      D’Agostini

Moen            Metropolit  Laraque

          Gill          Mara

          Markov   Spacek

          Gorges    O’Byrne

                  Price

Head Coach – Jacques Martin

Game #82  vs. Toronto  April 10/10

Pouliot        Gomez     Gionta

Cammalleri Plekanec  A. Kostitsyn

Moen           Moore      Lapierre    

Pyatt            Darche

          Markov    Bergeron

          Gill           Gorges   

          Hamrlik    Spacek

          O’Byrne

                    Halak

Head Coach – Jacques Martin

Unrestricted Free Agents  (12)– Michael Ryder, Mark Streit, Brian Smolinski, Saku Koivu, Alexei Kovalev, Alex Tanguay, Tom Kostopoulos, Robert Lang, Mathieu Dandenault, Francis Bouillon, Mike Komisarek. Mathieu Schneider.

Traded (6)– Michael Grabovski, Christopher Higgins, Steve Begin, Cristobal Huet, Guillaume Latendresse, Matt D’Agostini

Retired (1) – Patrice Brisebois

Suspended (1) – Georges Laraque

Returned to Minors (3) – Gregory Stewart, Max Pacioretty, Yannick Weber