The Montreal Canadiens Need To Find Better Friends

The 100th season of the Montreal hockey club has had ups and downs, but it's not clear yet where "finding out two of your players are mobbed up" falls on the spectrum of season highlights.

A large Montreal police operation focused on street gangs and organized crime has nabbed a man named Pasquale Mangiola, who faces drug-trafficking and illegal weapons charges. But the stunning twist that would make Alex Rodriguez blush is that Mangiola is a close personal friend of the Habs' skating brother duo, Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, as well as teammate Roman Hamrlik.

No one is accusing the players of any wrongdoing, but apparently it's frowned upon to be seen paling around town with a known drug dealer. Or letting him buy you cars. Or turning to your crime lord friend for "favors." Yes, that is all very puzzling, but not as puzzling as how the Hell's Angels and the Crips managed to take over Montreal. How do they ride their motorcycles in the snow? More to come, as they say...

Oh, and in equally shocking and scandalous news sure to damage the organization forever, the Canadiens' goalie Carey Price smokes cigarettes. Man, even the kids at Degrassi are more hardcore than this.

A criminal related to three players of the Canadian [La Presse, translated from French] Canadiens' players linked to alleged drug trafficker [National Post] TMS brings you the Tits and Drugs for Friday, February 20th [Four Habs Fans] Montreal Canadians' Players Linked To Organized Crime [Major League Jerk] Canadiens Goalie Carey Price Loves To Party [Total Pro Sports]