I joined in July 2009, at a moment when the team was completely transformed with a brand new core. It would be easy to think about how the players were the years before or after, for example during the Halak run in 2010, but if I try to take a snapshot of how I felt back in 2009...
2008-2009 Habs:
Love:
Kovalev, Hamrlik, Lang, Kostopoulos (guy couldn't win a fight but he was giving his best effort for the team), Komisarek, Schneider, the vintage white centennial jersey (probably still my 2nd favorite Habs jersey after the current home one minus the RBC patch), the home All-Star Game full of Habs (and
looking at the roster, full of past or future Habs too)
Dislike: Can't say I hated any player, but IIRC I wasn't a big fan of Tanguay (I think I expected some kind of superstar player), "Worst day in Habs history", Barberpole jersey
2009-2010 Habs:
Love: Gomez (for real, on his first season with us watching him carry the puck from zone to zone was a beauty although he had the tendency to lose it once in the o-zone), Plekanec, Cammalleri
Dislike: Laraque (I like the guy, but oof he was completely done), Pouliot (frustrating), Bergeron (every time he was on ice there would be a goal... for us or the opponent), I think I wasn't a big fan of Spacek when he joined
Love HM: Markov, he was great, but I remember more the post-injuries General
Dislike HM: The Kostitsyn brothers, Sergei in particular, but I think they were still pretty young at the time