"A few days ago, it appeared the Canadiens' lineup was set for the coming season. General manager Pierre Gauthier has 21 players under contract with a couple of open spots for the youngsters to fight for in training camp. He also has more than $5 million in cap money if he feels the youngsters aren't ready and he needs to add a piece or two.

But the situation has changed and, if Gauthier isn't already making calls to trade Andrei Kostitsyn, he should be.

Kostitsyn's position with the team became untenable after he sounded off in an interview with a hockey web site in his native Belarus. Kostitsyn expressed his frustration with Jacques Martin and said he wasn't happy with the way the coach was using him.

Kostitsyn said it was difficult to play his best when he was stuck on the third or fourth line.

"I can't guess about next season," Kostitsyn told reporter Alexander Yankovich. "My relationship with the coach is not too good.

"It wasn't me who started to play badly," Kostitsyn added. "It's just that I was being put into (the) third and fourth line. I've tried talking to (Martin) more than once. But he doesn't care."

Kostitsyn seems to be making a personal issue out of a complaint with little basis in fact.

For example, Kostitsyn feels the coach lost confidence in him down the stretch.

Not really."