Montreal Troubles
The Montreal Canadiens are in a tailspin. In their last 10 games they are 2-7-1. Kovalev was told to stay home and now their is reports coming out saying there is many more problems.
In particular, one alleged story caught my attention. According to a Montreal newspaper called La Presse, an individual by the name of Pasquale Mangiola was recently arrested in a sting operation by the Montreal police. Now their is speculation that the Kostitsyn about their relationship with the man and the older brother confirmed they knew him but not much about him. I personally believe they had nothing to do with the mob and are not dumb enough to have a connection either. I am more interested in a very unlikely coincidence that occurred just two days before this report and was the recent storm of speculation. That player is Alexie Kovalev.
We all know what Guy and Gainey said and what Kovalev said but this is an odd occurrence. For the first time we know of a player was told to just stay home. Not benched. Not scratched but rather stay home. I can not remember the last time a player was told to just stay home. Nor did Dan Maloney (head coach of the maple leafs in the 80’s), michael landsberg of Off the Record, and Keith Jones of TSN. It just doesn’t make sense. Now maybe Kovalev was being questioned by the police in connection with some people they just arrested. Maybe they had nothing on him but speculation and he wasn’t allowed to leave. Maybe this was a way to save face for him and the organization and he would rather have this then be linked to known criminals. Yes this is just speculation but it is to big a coincidence that two days before La Presse comes out with a story that players from the organization have been linked to mob members, Kovalev is told to stay home.
What more could be done to this team before they crumble.