Photo of Jarred Tinordi by John Mahoney of The Gazette
Pat Hickey checks in with fresh sounds from Day 3 in Brossard.
Loading ...
Hockey Inside/Out: Absolutely everything about the Montreal Canadiens For editorial inquiries, contact Gazette sports editor Stu Cowan. For advertising inquiries, please contact your Gazette sales representative. © 2013 The Gazette, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Terms and Conditions Privacy Statement
What’s truly depressing about the Habs’ roster is that we basically can’t score. We’re talking a leading scorer with 57 points here. Not since Yannick Perraeault had 56 points in 2001-2002 has it been worse. And those late 1990′s early 2000′s teams weren’t exactly stellar.
I am sure the system has something to do with it but man, 4 guys with 20 goals is not going to win anything soon.
The off-season game plan is fairly empty if goal scoring isn’t a part of it…
I feel completely different, I see us as being one overtime goal away from the stanley cup! We have a great goalie, a strong and deep defence (Markov, Subban and Gorges on one defense!!!) but I see us needing one forward with some size and a scoring touch to put us over the top (Brooks Laich?) . Keep up the good work Gauthier and Martin, I can’t wait until next year!
All good but I also think we may need a BIG STEADY MEAN D-MAN too unless Yemelin quickly turns out to be him.
You wanna feel bad. Remember when Rucinski won the scoring race with 49 points. Freakin 49 points. I knew then that something had gooten into the water in habsland.
Winnipeg’s ticket drive generates lots of coin.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/globe-on-hockey/ticket-drive-means-big-money-for-winnipeg/article2048916/
Sens’ farm team wins Calder Cup.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=368217
Interesting points by McKenzie in his article “NHL BREAKS NEW GROUND WITH ROME SUSPENSION”
Is the Stanley Cup finals really the time and place to be “breaking new ground”? Makes this league look even more bush league than usual, really. The time to start the ‘new ground’ would have been next season, with the new head of discipline in place.
I actually think this hit warrants a 4 game suspension. However, precedent should – one could almost say must – be considered in a case like this. The fact that this hit is considered worse than the Patches-Chara incident is troubling to the league, to say the least.
If Chara got none, then perhaps instead of 4 games Rome should have gotten a bonus?
__________________________
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.
Winston Churchill
The article should have been titled, “NHL breaks wind with Rome suspension.” The whole process stinks.
Yep. Very worrisomein the direction the league is going.
I think anything to the head warrants 8 games or more, 4 is nothing. I used to love hard hitting hockey but not anymore. Either they bring back the red line or make a change in equipment.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
4 or 10 makes no difference here. The point is he is gone for the duration of the Stanley Cup Finals. The most important games a player can play – and a series that he may never get to again.
Yet Chara missed not even one regular season game for a much more brutal and dirty hit.
I agree that they both deserve suspension. I can even get behind 10 games. Hell, Chara should have gotten 30. My problem here is with consistency.
__________________________
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.
Winston Churchill
Totally agree with your points. The big issue here isnt the 4 game suspension, its that there is no precedent for that hit to warrant a 4 game suspension. Just like there was no precedent to warrant suspending steve downie for 20 games when he took out dean mcammond. Mike Murphy said he didnt like the play, but what he probably meant was “I didn’t like a depth defensemen knocking out a star player from the team owned by the Chairman of the nhl board of governors in the stanley cup finals”. Honestly, Campbell stepping down before the cup final was a PR move designed to eliminate people calling foul if boston wins the cup IMO. I dont see any other reason that campbell would have resigned right before the cup final rather than after the season, and anyone who thinks Boston favoritism ends with Mike Murphy taking over is ridiculous. Mike Muprhy is the guy who chose not to suspend chara! How mike murphy can give a guy 4 games for a slightly late hit, that in itself was not an illegal hit, yet give Chara zero games doesnt even make sense.
I agree that these types of hits need to be taken out of the game, and players have to learn to respect each other. However, before any of that can happen, the league needs to establish a baseline and some consistency in the way it dishes out supplimentary discipline.
Bryzgalov’s negotiating rights were worth a 3rd-round pick and goaltending value is up and down in this league on a daily basis.
With that in mind, what’s a 50-point defencemen heading towards his prime years in James Wisniewski worth to an interested team?
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
Exactly, if you are not going to sign Wiz, then trade him somewhere for a second round pick. I am sure Detroit would be interested.
To heck with Detroit, Ken Holland is too smart to get fleeced and he’s patient. But imagine what Scott Howsan would give up in Columbus for that PP quarterback the franchise has never had?
Very good question SF. Gauthier should at least explore that and shop those around (I believe Dan Hamhuis’ negotiating rights fetched a 3rd rounder last year).
I wonder who Philly will have to shuffle off to give Bryzgalov the 5-6 million a season he’s going to want? My guess is that Jeff Carter is the only player that will get LEGITAMATE serious interest (Hartnell and Mezaros make too much money).
3rd rounder sounds right given the market.
Philly will have a heard time clearing space. Hartnell has an NTC, don’t count on him waiving it. Does anyone have the balls to take on Carter’s enormous contract? Trading Meszaros would leave a big hole on D with Pronger’s iffy health. I’m expecting Versteeg to be Holmgren’s best option.
I’m not sure that deleting Versteeg’s contract from their cap would give them enough money. Plus after his time in Toronto I don’t think that any rebuilding team with cap space will trade for him. He’s a nice piece for good teams, but not the answer to any big questions
Unreal eh? After last years cup finals no one thought goaltending was important. But now that the two teams in the finals have relied heavily on goaltending (boston more so than vancouver) and teams like philly actually got eliminated precisely because of poor goaltending, all of a sudden goaltenders have become the hot commodity again….at least to philadelphia.
Someone mentionned that yesterday, and I disussed it with him, seems he was right and I wrong.
Negotiating rights seems more valuable than I thought, even at this date.
Good point SF09! How about a winger who can play with Plek and Cammy for Wiz. That is all we need to add to Canadiens. If we sign Gorges MaxPac and Markov, we are set for the cup run. Yes I do believe.
Go! Hockey! Go!
Visiting Hockey’s Future Boards:
Some posters who stopped by to watch the camp seemed very high on Gallagher and Tinordi. Avtsin was credited for being a very hard worker at camp, one observer thought Bournival was the quickest man on the ice. Alain Berger had praise as well.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
Neely is teaching the current Bruins everything he knows.
Please let that kid get into the NHL on time for him to end Chara’s career. Please.
… lol
Im looking forward to seeing him in the NHL some day too, but for different reasons.
I’d like him to be a Hab for life if he realizes his potential. And yes, I would like somebody in this organization capable and willing to grab Chara by the jersey and land a series of punches that make him never want to play the game again. All of this Rome stuff got me looking at the Pacioretty hit again and when I see Chara drive his forearm into Pacioretty’s head, and into the stanchion, I find it hard to come to the conclusion that there was no intent on his part.
I guess that with Philly trading for the negotiation rights to Bryz that Leino just came in play…
Hopefully! It would be great if the Habs could get him.
25 before 14
No.
NorthTOHab
Leino isn’t THAT good (and benefits from playing on a loaded team) and he’s going to be looking for a nice fat UFA payraise. Habs shouldn’t get tied to another UFA contract right now for someone who doesn’t give us a boost for physical power at forward.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
The Habs shouldn’t be signing a single ufa forward in my opinion. Unless it’s a depth centreman. This team is going to have to address their needs at forward by way of trade. And hopefully it results in one or two inexpensive, young forwards.
Oh, I tend to agree. I don’t think he has 1st line potential in Montreal.
I was speaking more generally…that he looks likely to be an UFA.
Where does Kovalev’s contract stand these days ? He could fill the same role as Leino shorter term at a fraction of the cost.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
Pass..
Was Hickey the only guy there to talk to JM?
Patrick H leaves us hanging by cutting it right as JM is about to say “Yeah, Horton he embellished it.”
___________________________________________
Eyes on The Prize! and on Twitter
Every body should go an vote for Cammi the play of the year :
http://www2.tsn.ca/showdown/2011/
even though I gotta admit the Eberle goal is pure magic lol
Cammy’s stick handling is still pretty amazing. 2 different plays…I go with the habs
Go! Hockey! Go!
Mann, you beat me to it.
I voted, though Eberle’s was pretty sweet buuuuuut…….
“They say you can’t buy experience,and it’s really true.” -Carey Price
Bryslagov (sp) from Coyotes to Flyers for a 3 round pick in 2012 & futures as per TSN (McKenzie/Dregger twits)……
Uh-Oh, Flyers could do some damage with a legit goalie.
Bryzgalov wants top money i dont see how Philly could afford him.
per DNFlyers on Twitter: They can’t sign him to a new deal until the cap is announced, unless they make another trade due to tagging space.
___________________________________________
Eyes on The Prize! and on Twitter
The Phoenix Coyotes have traded the negotiation rights only – I believe he is a UFA at the end of the month. Can the Flyers afford him?
__________________________
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.
Winston Churchill
If they boot someone like Hartnell or Meszaros, yes but they will need to clear cap space.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
If Hartnell becomes available, could he be the power forward type player we need?
I don’t want him he’s ugly! I don’t want Lucic, i don’t want Chara, I don’t want Bergeron, etc. I want to our homegrown players even if it takes a couple more years to get.
They call it an off season game plan, but there is no game plan. It’s a weak assessment of what the team has.
Guaranteed the Leafs’ plan will include trading for Stamkos and signing Richards.
Your assessment of TSN’s assessment is right on the mark though…
__________________________
Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened.
Winston Churchill