Plus/Minus: How do I even...

This has been a stressful week. Like, break your "no crying in hockey" rule kind of stressful. I think I'll write two sets of Plus/Minus, to be able to better concentrate on hockey outside of what happened during that Bruins game. So, I'll start with the Max injury and then take it from there. My apologies in advance, as it was kind of an eventful week for Habs fans and I have a lot to say.

PLUS: THE BRIGHT SIDE (IF ANY) OF PAC'S INJURY

+ Everyone who has had the stones to admit that enough is enough and hockey players have to stop being sent to the hospital, including but not limited to the bosses at Air Canada, Geoff Molson, and especially Joe Thornton and Henrik Sedin, whose opinions will be discussed at large and may even have consequences.
+ I was hoping that a widely respected NHL legend would have his say about concussions and player safety. Mario Lemieux made a statement a while back, but didn't really make a difference. Enter Ken Dryden. He wrote a well-researched article for the Globe and Mail and will hopefully turn some heads. You can't argue with his facts.
+ Dave Stubbs for vehemently arguing that Mike Murphy got it wrong, and that it was the hit itself that was dangerous, yet for reeling in his passion just enough to still sound educated and rational.

+ Max Pacioretty probably shouldn't be using a computer, but his Twitter account kind of warms my heart. He's been so polite and thankful for the outpouring of love that fans have sent him. Of course we would. And, the comments that he made regarding Chara's non-suspension, made public by Bob McKenzie, took a lot of courage. I'm grateful that my team drafted such a talented player who's capable of expressing his opinions in an eloquent, level-headed way.
+ As soon as the hit happened and in the hours that followed, there was a decent number of Maple Leafs fans who reached out to Habs fans and basically said they were on our side. Because sometimes a long-standing rivalry isn't as important as the teams in it.
+ If you aren't moved by this personal, fabulously written letter to Max Pacioretty, you might be a robot. Not the good kind.

MINUS: BECAUSE PAC IS HURT AND NOW EVERYTHING SUCKS

- Everyone who thinks that Habs fans are overreacting. How can you not think that a 22-year-old man being sent to the hospital is a big deal? How can you make fun of the fans who felt sick when he lay there on the ice, unconscious? The sheer amount of disrespect I've seen from some people is discouraging. They're giving hockey fans a bad name. I want nothing to do with them, and yet I have no choice, just because we watch the same sport. I could go on and on about this.
- "The kid - what's his name? He's got a headache today." Don Cherry spoke about this issue on HNIC and did not know Max Pacioretty's name. I know he has a lot of names to remember, but if you're going to talk about one of the week's biggest stories, at least ask someone to Google the guy's name. It seems like Don Cherry gets stupider every week, and he's paid by a Crown corporation. Our tax dollars are paying the salary of a man who has no sympathy for the very sport that gave him a career, and who can't be bothered to learn the most basic thing he'd need to know about a segment.

- No suspension. No remorse. No sympathy from the league. I almost had a fit (at work) when I heard the news.
- It seems trivial, but one thing that really disappointed me about the hit that no one has really talked about was that it completely ruined the momentum of what was a good hockey game. Lars Eller was having a spectacular game, Ryan White showed just how much energy and passion he brings to the ice... and then Chara ruined it by taking out another young Hab who had played some fantastic games and finally found his role on this team.

Okay, now that that's over:

PLUS: OUTSIDE OF THE INCIDENT

+ 2 Oh, Los Angeles Kings. It's weeks like this that you need a West Coast team to take you away from the hockey news you can't hear anymore (most of the time). They won three games this week and inched up to 4th place in the Western Conference, yay! Also Anze Kopitar scored a hat trick, handing the Kings one of those wins.
+ As I mentioned, Lars Eller and Ryan White, among others, had a great game on Tuesday.

+ No one missed Matt D'Agostini when he was traded last year. As much as I hate watching the Habs lose, his safety goal for the Blues on Thursday night was proof that some people should not have wished him good riddance (which isn't to say that I don't like the Habs the way they are). That being said, the St. Louis fanbase has been taking good care of him, and I'm happy to see it.
+ So first, Carey Price does his Boss pose in Pittsburgh. Then, Marc-André Fleury tries to imitate the Boss pose in Montreal. Then, Fleury gets replaced by Brent Johnson. It was just a teensy bit funny is all. Do we have a real goalie rivalry on our hands?
+ Paul Mara's beard.

MINUS: OUTSIDE OF THE INCIDENT

RJ, you're making it very difficult not to hate you.

- I'm trying not to think about Drew Doughty getting hit by RJ Umberger and how similar it was to Max's hit, and how knowing the hit had happened didn't make it any easier to watch. Thank goodness he was able to return to play.
- I'm just gonna come right out and say it: rude Penguins fans. I'm not saying they're all rude, because I'm certain that that's not the case, but some of them have said some pretty ridiculous things about the Habs. You'd think they wouldn't want to be like Flyer fans.

The Habs are back at the Bell Centre. It'll be a fresh start. Anyone interested in attending the peaceful demonstration outside the Bell is most welcome to, and to anyone attending the game: when you see MaxPac in the opening video, give him a cheer on my behalf.