Defenseman Craig Rivet is in his 11th season with the Canadiens, playing parts of three seasons starting in 1994-95 and has been a fixture since 1997-98. Rivet anchors Habs' defense
By John McGourty | NHL.com
Mar. 28, 2006

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Did you ever go to a Montreal Canadiens game and notice the way Craig Rivet plays? No? Good.

That's because, for most NHL defenseman, a good night is an invisible night, when the cameras aren't catching you fishing pucks out of your net or falling for head fakes or making passes to the opponent in the slot.

Sure, you can't help notice a Brian Leetch rush up ice or a bone-crushing hit by Darius Kasparaitis, but for most blueliners quiet is good. Move the puck surely out of your zone, hold the blue line on offense, keep the front of the net clear of pucks and opponents, don't take penalties, that's the rearguard's mantra.

Rivet, 31, is in his 11th season with the Canadiens. He played parts of three seasons, starting in 1994-95 and has been a fixture since 1997-98. He didn't score that year, or the year before, but had two goals the next season, three the year after that and one in 2000-01. OK, so he's not Bobby Orr. And while he's 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, he's not Scott Stevens in the bone-crushing department, either.

So, what makes Rivet the longest-serving member of the Canadiens' defense?

Related Links:

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• Craig Rivet player page
  
• Canadiens official site
  
• Canadiens team stats
  
• In the Spotlight Archive

Skills. Plenty of them. Smooth skater. Sure puck handler. Excellent passer. Responsible in his own end. And while Rivet was a steady performer in the past, the new standard of rules enforcement has increased his value.

Rivet's greatest contribution to the Canadiens is as a puck handler in his own end. Perhaps it's experience but you'll rarely see Rivet act pressured. He brings a sure hand and a cool head to what is often a frantic environment.

Not to beat an NHL cliché to death, but Rivet also has excellent vision. The Canadiens are an excellent skating team, and many of their rushes start from Rivet's stick. He could find Saku Koivu in a maze in the dark. Richard Zednik is another favorite passing target.

"I'm the old guy on the team. It's nice to be with the same organization for so long," Rivet said. "I've been through a few GMs and a number of coaches. I think I've been very fortunate. It's been a terrific organization to play with. I grew up five hours away from Montreal so it's really nice that my family can come down for games.

Craig Rivet is second only to Andrei Markov in average ice time, leads Montreal in short-handed time and is playing over three minutes a game on the power play.

"When I think back over the years and ask myself why I'm still here, well, I'm not sure. I just try to work hard every night and hopefully give my teammates a chance to win every night. If that's why I'm still here, then that's what I have to continue to do."

"I think Craig is a really solid, top-four defenseman," said fellow blueliner Mathieu Dandenault. "He is well respected in the dressing room. He brings that aspect of team leadership that we need. He's solid defensively and he's got some offensive skill too. He's got good vision for the game and with the new rules, he really established himself and he's been one of the best players on our team."

Rivet is carrying a yeoman's load on the Montreal blue line. He's second only to Andrei Markov in average ice time, leads the team in short-handed time and is playing over three minutes a game on the power play.

The Canadiens have been battling for a Northeast Division playoff berth all season, a surprise to many of their fans that complained they weren't active enough in the free-agent market last summer. Rivet isn't one of those surprised. He thinks keeping the core is central to its success.

"We're one of the teams that didn't dip into the free-agent market. We have core guys that have been around for a number of years," Rivet said. "We also have some young guys that are new to our team. Those guys are not necessarily new to the organization. Most of them have been around a couple of years. They know what the Canadiens are all about and they've stepped in and become one of the major reasons why we are having success this year. The younger guys have a lot of talent while at the same time they have a solid defensive game and that's helping our team."