Carbo fired!?!

Well, I definitely didn't see this coming, but not for the usual reasons. Because all things being equal, Guy Carbonneau has made a lot of sketchy decisions of late and seemed to be losing the respect of his players.

Constant line changes, often times in the middle of a game, and a clear lack of communication between the coach's office and the dressing room was beginning to show up more and more on the ice.

But really, this decision to move behind the bench himself is an admission on the part of Bob gainey that he made a mistake in hiring Carbonneau in the first place, especially when you look at what Claude Julien is doing in Boston these days.

In the short-term, this is probably the best thing that could have happened to this team, and I wouldn't be surprised if it triggered a big late season surge from the Canadiens, especially considering the schedule they have in front of them this month.

But in the long-term, what does this mean for Gainey? The team's performance this season and especially in the playoffs is now uniquely linked to him, and no one else, so if expectations are not met does that put his job on the line as well?

I'm not sure, but this is a bold move, one that must have cost Gainey at least a couple of nights' sleep considering the relationship between the two men. The difficulty of making the move may be proof that Gainey has a handle on the team's situation, but does the organization trust him to hire the next coach?

Not sure on that one.

More later once I've digested this bombshell.