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1999-2000 Stat Leaders Stat  Leader  No.  Goals  Sergei Zholtok  26  Assists  Dainius Zubrus  28  Points  Martin Rucinsky  49  +/-  Craig Rivet  11  Shots  Martin Rucinsky  242  Ice Time (F)  Saku Koivu  19:13  Ice Time (D)  Eric Weinrich  25:20  Faceoff Pct.  Trevor Linden  56.28  Hits  Turner Stevenson  160  PP Pts  Martin Rucinsky  20  SH Pts  Patrick Poulin  2

Among the many numbers that defined Montreal's 1999-2000 season -- 194 goals allowed, 35 wins, 83 points, zero players to reach 50 points -- one figure overwhelms: 536. The Canadiens set an unofficial record (only because it's an unofficial statistic) with 563 man games lost to injury. Marginal players, role players, star players … none were immune.

At times the team was without nine regulars. Here are some members of the 4077th; form a single-file line, boys: Forwards Saku Koivu (shoulder surgery), Shayne Corson (colitus), Benoit Brunet (back), Brian Savage (fractured vertebrae and ligament damage in his spinal column), Trevor Linden (sprained ankle), and defensemen Vladimir Malakhov (torn knee ligaments), Patrice Brisebois (back surgery) and Igor Ulanov (fractured foot). All of this before Christmas, too.

Somehow in the midst of those absences, Alain Vigneault pieced together a lineup that could get hot: 6-2-3 in January and a 12-3-0 stretch into mid-February. But in the end, of course, five wins in their final 14 games was not good enough.

For more on the Canadiens, bookmark this page and check back Wednesday, Oct. 11 for a Sports Illustrated Scouting Report.

BRIGHT SPOTS		GRAY AREAS
Alain Vigneault kept this team alive despite long odds and a roster that was often half NHL and half AHL. Two decent goaltenders (though Jose Theodore remained unsigned and unhappy until early October) who both had their sparkling performances last season. Incentives in Theodore's recenlty signed contract reportedly kick in at 15 wins and are based on 30 appearances. Brian Savage scored 10 goals (two hat tricks) in the first 10 games last season. Saku Koivu and Savage were signed at the same salaries they earned last season. Martin Rucinsky, who led the team (but would have led few others) with 49 points, signed a one-year contract September 6 after threatening to hold out.		Trevor Linden scored only two goals prior to his December 1 ankle injury. He returned a month later to score 11 more, but cracked ribs put him down for the season in March. Koivu followed his 82-game rookie season in 1995-96 with seasons of 50, 69, 65 and 24 games. He's an assist machine, but must score some goals for this goal-challenged team. Savage, who isn't thrilled with his contract, scored only two goals in games No. 11 through 21 before suffering the career- and life-threatening injury. (He did, however, finish with 10 points in 17 games after his return.) Team is for sale. That's the bad news … the really bad news is that no takers have stepped forward.

Comings
Player	Pos.	From	Via
Andrei Bashkirov	LW	Montreal	Re-signed
Eric Bertrand	LW	Nashville	Free agent
Sylvain Blouin	LW	St. Louis	Free agent
Jim Campbell	RW	St. Louis	Free agent
Craig Darby	C	Montreal	Re-signed
Xavier Delisle	C	Tampa Bay	Re-signed
Matt Higgins	C	Montreal	Re-signed
Saku Koivu	C	Montreal	Re-signed
Eric Landry	C	San Jose	Free agent
Mike McBain	D	Montreal	Re-signed
Trent McCleary	C	Montreal	Re-signed
Patrick Poulin	C	Montreal	Re-signed
Brian Savage	RW	Montreal	Re-signed
P.J. Stock	C	N.Y. Rangers	Free agent

Goings
Player	Pos.	To	Via
Jesse Belanger	C	N.Y. Islanders	Free agent
Frederic Chabot	G	Columbus	Expansion
Shayne Corson	LW	Toronto	Free agent
Jim Cummins	RW	Anaheim	Free agent
Scott Lachance	D	Vancouver	Free agent
Turner Stevenson	RW	Columbus	Expansion

Prospect Watch
Andrei Markov, D, 6' 2", 185
Born: Dec. 20, 1978 in Vosresensk, USSR
Acquired: 1998 entry draft (No. 162 overall)
For the second consecutive season Daniil's brother led the Russian League in scoring among defenseman and this season was named the league's most valuable player after taking Moscow Dynamo to the championship. And if you're going to take anyone's word for how he looked in camp, how about veteran hockey writer Pat Hickey's?: "I was able to second Director of Player Personnel Andre Savard's opinion that Markov is a very good skater … he appears shorter than his listed height of 6' 2" and stockier than his listed weight of 185 pounds. He's solidly built and supremely confident … He said he didn't expect to have difficulty adjusting to the North American style."

Get the Highlighter
Friday, Oct. 6 at New Jersey. How about this for a test? The defending Cup champs at Continental Airlines Arena after the Devils raise the Stanley Cup banner.
Saturday, Nov. 18 vs. Toronto. The cross-province rivalry makes its first Molson Centre stop of the season. Oh yeah, Shayne Corson comes back to town.
Monday April 2 at Boston. Montreal can't leave points to the final week because this is the first of only three games in April. This one's followed by home dates with Philadelphia and New Jersey.

Quoteworthy
"If I feel I'm not ready to do what's best for the team and myself, I won't play. I don't want to hurt the team. I've done a lot of work while this [contract negotiating] thing was going on. I don't think I'm that far back. Right now, all I want to do is work out for a couple of days with the team, and then we'll see."
—Jose Theodore

Team-by-team previews compiled by CNNSI.com's Ken Klavon, Jamie MacDonald and Jimmy Traina.

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