Randy Cunneyworth stressed he didn’t want to use it as an excuse, but Tomas Plekanec stayed home many of the Canadiens who dressed were under the weather against Dallas Tuesday night.
Which partially explains a 3-0 pasting at the hands of the Stars.
The loss dropped the Canadiens to 14th place in the Eastern Conference.
• Dave Stubbs on Mike Ribeiro and Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan
• Pierre Ladouceur’s game report card
• Stu Hackel on flaws in the players’ poll
•
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This just in, HaHa is getting traded to a Leafs blog.
HeHe
Never want to see Moen leave, but if Detroit is offering Xavier Oulette it may be too good to pass-up. Plus we could re-sign Moen after July 1.
For Kostitsyn, I’d be happy with a big physical guy for the 3rd or 4th line. He’d make much less and with the savings in pay-role we could pick-up a guy who can do what Kostitsyn is supposed to be doing.
7th round picks for Campoli and Nokelained would be great!
For Kaberle, I would be willing to take on the contract of a dead guy provided that he came at a lower cap hit.
Imagine trying to play hockey for 60 minutes when u have the flu!
j.p. murray
Do we need TWO dead guys? I mean Gomez is not exactly twitching either.
Karma!
Go Habs Go
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Dude. My Karma is running over you Dogma. See you next summit.
and you wonder why your posts get deleted!
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Shane. I have too much sympathy for you to continue. Like I said. See you next summit. You can choose to laugh at it over beers or you can carry your personal grudge with you to the grave for all I care.
Apparently,your posts are no longer being deleted.
Did you get the 1.2 gigawatts of electricity to replenish the flux capacitor on your computer?
So the Lybians are no longer after him.
That’s nice.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
On the TSN production of the game last night, did I hear John Lu say that Travis Moen was told he wasn’t going to be traded by management?
“Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” Albert Einstein
Yup I read that elsewhere as well.
Moen’s a good guy to have around, I guess with his injuries it might just better/easier to resign him, instead of trying to shop him.
If Moen is healthy prior to the trade deadline, than not dealing him is a terrible decision. Several teams want the guy, so why not deal him for a future asset (ie – draft pick or prospect)? Obviously he’s a heart and soul guy and a great teammate, but he is replaceable. Also, since he’s a RFA at season’s end, we could even try to resign him prior to next season.
For the future of this franchise, keeping Moen, instead of trading him makes zero sense.
Gorges made a plea to the organization to keep Moen, in short the organizations stance is Moen wont go anywhere unless its too good to pass up like a 1st round pick, and Moen does want to stay.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Heh heh.
I bet he said “Feck it!! I’m not gonna kill penalties on my OWN out there…”
—Hope Springs Eternal—
HH – I think you may be right.
Earlier this morning you posted a reply to my post that basically stated something about good cop, bad cop in terms of the tanking issue.
I replied to you but now your original post is gone. Your post was a one sentence reply that could never have offended anyone or broken any of the site guidelines.
Here’s the timeline:
24 Cups says:
February 22, 2012 at 8:36 am
I bet it’s a virus.
There’s no reason to delete his posts.
He’s controversial, but rarely offensive.
I’m more worried about AntiJM’s comments yesterday that referred to ‘muzzies’. I eventually figured out he meant Muslims. Ecchhh…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Thats some virus where it deletes one guys posts. I didnt know that could exist.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
On his end perhaps.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I am a computer technician. I can guarantee you that this is no virus.
I bet an admin has a really easy password :p
Boone’s password is “password”. Don’t tell anybody.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
HH, it’s probably just a technical glitch. I doubt your posts are being deleted.
Nah they are being deleted, he responded to me and it was gone just moments later.
Its the “Timo ban” all over again.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
At least Boone said “I banned Timo because he was annoying and I was fed up with him.”
Like I said, I bet it’s some kind of virus or hacking.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Apparently Boone flipped a coin over who would be banned, Timo or I. But I think Boone realized that if he banned me he would have ran out of new ideas to plagiarize.
Is this an e4 rumour?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Probably the only way to know for sure if you’re being targeted is to open another account, identify yourself in your posts, and see what happens?
It’s not a virus.
My understanding is that certain individuals, not affiliated with the website per se, have the ability to delete posts.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
“It’s naaaht a toomah.”
—Hope Springs Eternal—
How many times have we been shut-out this year? We must be close to setting a Habs modern day record for scoring futility…if we haven’t already.
Hopefully the re-building period will not be too long and painful to watch.
XXIV…and counting
I heard from Radio Canada that the record was 9 shutouts a season, and so far it’s been 8 shutouts.
▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭
Scouting is subjective.
I’m confident that this current group has what it takes to break that record…unfortunately.
XXIV…and counting
O goals – 8 games
1 goal – 13 games
2 goals – 11 games
3 goals – 18 games
4 goals – 10 games
5+ goals – 9 games
Yikes! That’s 21 games–so far–where Price/Budaj would have had to pitch shutouts just to have a chance at winning those games. 25% of the entire season’s games, and we’re still in February.
And to extrapolate, that’s 33 games where the goalies would have to have a GAA of 1.00 or better in order to get a win. The team’s got no finish.
Yes, but Halak would have won those 21 games, don’t you know?
Your hockey sense must be better than mine because I still haven’t figured out how to win a hockey game without scoring a goal.
I’m extremely happy with the way the boys have been playing in the past while. I know everyone’s down on the team. And understandably so, we are one of the worst teams in the league. But I just don’t think we’re as far off as people think. PLay every game until the end of the season like it matters. And of course if the deal is right, and will help us in the future, pull the trigger.
People have been noting leadership on here the last couple days….and I am going to amke a very general statement about it….I don’t believe a team will win when their best leaders are among their worst players…this is one reason I am ok with Gill being gone, Gomez must be next.
I am OK with Gorges getting an A but I hope he neve gets the C. I wish everyone had his heart but sometimes I get frustrated with his decisions with the puck. I do not want him influencing the style of play of our dmen like PK, Beaulieu,Diaz,etc. I am fine with him mentoring the likes of Emelin in some aspects although I believe Emelin is a better puck mover and also Tinordi and guys of that type….but the whole team can’t “play simple” all the time or we will continue to get shutout every other game.
Gomez is an anchor. He plays the wrong way (doing his darndest to escape being hit etc) and gives the team nothing to build on. Exchange him and a few others, and the team will be better soon. How much better I don’t know.
Like they were saying on AC last night, even if we have to package him with a pick just to GIVE HIM AWAY it would be an improvement on the Habs.
XXIV…and counting
Interesting post krob. I dont think any leader wields that much influence over the others where they mimick their play. Theyre not coaches after all, and if the coaches are on the ball, they have defined the roles of each d-man…The organization as a whole need to embrace players that have ‘du chien entre les dents’ as opposed to embracing bland and scandal-free personalities
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Gill did some good with Subban…but also took away some his zest IMO. I remember also last year at some point all of the guys screaming at AK? I think it was or someone to get it deep …but he had time and space on a 2 on 2 and the clip showed the guys screaming at him from the bench…may not have been Ak but I just remember thinking…2 on 2…try and get shot or make more time for a trailer..and they are screaming to get it deep? You are right about no one player…but the vets on this club are Moen, Gomez, Gio, Gill (while he was here), Gorges…..not exactly role models for great offensive play …even Cole , Darche…they are also relatively simple guys. Cole makes some flashy plays and is the least simple of the group but he is also a predominantly straight line player..nothing wrong with that but it works against the strengths of some of our players and really diminishes the offense in my opinion 9and he can do it because he ahs a great combo of size, speed and skill). When we had Koivu, Kovalev, Tanguay, Pleks, Andrei, Sergei, Ryder, Streit,etc…we were very offensive and needed a little more toughness and focus on defense but now I fear we have gone too far in the other direction….I think I would rather try and teach skilled guys defense than make skill appear out of nowhere…that is very general and the conversation is really broad but that is the jist of what I am saying…I jsut don’t see many “plays” being made …it is all simple,chips, off the boards, dump it in,cycle, etc. The sitting back mentality and positive things will happen thing isn;t working…there needs to be some leeway given to guys like Eller, Subban, Ak, Pleks, Dd, etc..when they have a chance to make a play I trust their judgement….sometimes it will work sometimes it will not…but more often than not I trust them to make the right decision and believe their hockey sense and skill needs to be given more free reign….it seems the team has taken the identity of a group of vets…
NObody really knows what Molson is thinking. This secrecy is the only real power he has with the team over the media. HE must keep his cards close to his chest.
But logic would suggest Larry C is in the know and he will be getting a promotion in mid April.
You guys want to hear something hilarious. Possibly some of you are pleased about this. The mods have been deleting all my posts since yesterday, none which were offensive.
That my friends is the truest sign that I have won. Not that it matters to me but seriously. It’s not a question of free speech either. It’s a question of losers unable to accept their defeat. It’s a clear indication that Habs fans would rather live in a bubble than accept reality.
EDIT: wow. They are deleting all my posts. Friggin’ hilarious.
I think this is the first post of yours I ever read. Might be the last as well.
I wonder if someone has hacked the site.
I don’t imagine that anyone would have a reason to delete your posts…
Especially old ones.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
How come your post is on here?
I thought I left specific instructions to have you tanked!
What is really missing from your life, that getting a chat room to congratulate you is so important.
Hilarious. I guess I have no life because I post here then. So how do you explain your need to be here?
That wasn’t my question. I enjoy conversing with fellow fans, hearing different opinions etc..
As do I. But being fiercely competitive I like winning arguments. Others who can’t win would rather enforce censorship.
It’s actually worse for the debate. Regardless of how discomforting some of my ideas might be, no-one can seriously claim that I don’t know what I am talking about or haven’t contributed to the discourse here.
You like winning arguments.
Logic tells me that you’re either:
1) not married or
2) recently divorced
Bri: Single as charged!!!
BriPro your line was hilarious. HH and the rest of you single guys: cherish every argument you win, because once you are married you will never win another.
It’s not censorship, HH.
it’s that text recognition software that automatically deletes duplicate posts.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Dude. All my posts are being deleted going back days, weeks, soon months I gather.
Indeed.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Heh.
Ha!!!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
It’s like you’re… being erased from… existence. Quick! Get your parent to kiss at the Enchantment Under The Sea dance!
And watch out for Biff.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
Can’t. Get. to. the. keybo………….
Well, you’re doing fine for the moment.
Richard R
Whoosh!
They Call Me Shane
I don’t think it means you won. I wouldn’t delete your posts, they’re liked fox news, flawed, but okay to laugh at!
fair and balanced?
______________________________________________________
“It’s just an opinion – I could be wrong”
-Dennis Miller
BTW, what have you won?
I thought this was a forum for discussion, not a competitive venture…
Just asking.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I don’t think it means you won. I wouldn’t delete your posts, they’re like fox news, flawed, but okay to laugh at!
What were you saying in those posts that got deleted?
What were you saying in those posts? Really curious
Ironic that a while back you told me to go back to China where there’s censorship.
▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭
Scouting is subjective.
WTF? I doubt I ever said that.
HH, that’s puzzling. Your posts may be somewhat controversial, but they are respectful and focused on issues, instead of personal attacks or rants filled with cursing. Not sure why they would be deleted.
———————————
How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
I blame Vic Toews
________________________________________
“Hey Richard, two minutes for looking so good!”
Nice.
Oddly enough, this is sticking. Maybe it was a malfunction of some sort. You do come close to the line sometimes, but you’re probably not deletable, especially on the grand scale.
Um, then how come we can read them? I read some of yours last night, too. And I think we all get that “Forbidden” thing the Hamster running the server puts up when he needs to go out for a smoke…
…not that I have anything against paranoia
What exactly have you won? Was there some competition going on that I was unaware of? It can’t be the King of Flip Flop, is claiming to have been right the whole time. It’s not possible. You can’t jump on and off the bandwagon as often as you do and then claim to have been right all along. Then again that’s what you always seemed most concerned about, being right. Kinda like the Price haters on this site, more concerned about being right, then being fans.
The fans won’t stand for this? Yea, right. Nineteen years and counting they have been putting up with this nonsense!
You guys want to hear something hilarious. Possibly some of you are pleased about this. The mods have been deleting all my posts since yesterday, none which were offensive.
That my friends is the truest sign that I have won. Not that it matters to me but seriously. It’s not a question of free speech either. It’s a question of losers unable to accept their defeat. It’s a clear indication that Habs fans would rather live in a bubble than accept reality.
EDIT:–this was a reply to HardHabits post about being deleted. I don’t understand why his posts are being deleted, did I miss something? Did he use vulgar language, did he make a racial slur, or something like that for his posts to be deleted?
I really don’t agree with anything you ever say, but your posts shouldn’t be deleted. We should be able to debate on here (as long as it is clean) without having posts deleted.
I totally agree. It’s quite funny though. Somebody is actually going back in time and deleting all my posts.
It’s called censorship.
Folks – the glass is half full.
Maybe even three quarter full.
1. We have very good young players and prospects.
2. We have more money than almost any other team – we can afford to scout, treat players well etc …
3. We have the best chief scout in the biz
4. We have learned our lesson from the last few years. Gainey thought small and fast was the way to go. We know it’s not now that the Bruins run the league.
5. Gauthier is actually pretty good at his job. (Don’t snicker.)
6. We will get a top prospect in the next draft.
7. We’re the Montreal Canadiens.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
The realist in my says your glass needs to be washed!
mabe habs17 took over for berkshire
Re-post from below regarding Habs coaching situation next year.
I have mentioned this before, the Habs have painted themselves in a corner. They have a policy (whether you agree with it or not, is not the point) that the coach must be bilingual, however they have failed to plan for this policy and now are stuck with mediocre candidates or inexperienced junior coaching candidates. The only way for the Habs to have enough qualified bilingual coaches is to groom the coaches themselves by always making sure they have an up and coming bilingual coach in Hamilton. They should have replaced Guy Boucher with an up and coming bilingual coach from the Q, like Pascal Vincent. Instead they choose to hand over the reins in Hamilton to Cunnyworth two years ago, and this year to Jodoin, who has no chance to become a head coach. Even if the Habs keep losing AHL coaches to other organisations, like Boucher, eventually they will have enough bilingual candidates floating around the league to choose from, hopefully having acquired some NHL head coaching experience elsewhere. As for next year, my solution would be to bring back JM for the last year of his contract, hire an up and coming bilingual coach for Hamilton, and hope that in the summer of 2013, a Boucher or a Vigneult become available.
Marinaro’s huffing and puffing that he has information that “everything will be taken care of in the offseason. Everything.” He’s done this before of course. I doubt anyone believes Geoff Molson is confiding in him but you have to hope his info (or wish) is more credible than “Derek” Dreger’s tweet that Molson is very happy with GaineyGauthier, especially of late and will be getting a generous and long extension.
And he criticizes Price for his “bananas” too which is almost unheard of in the English media. He didn’t drink the Kool-Aid Milt Melchnick and others did. *Do.*
Battling suckitude, Canadiens take Season off
Top Factors:
Top 3 in league (with Pittsburgh and CBJ) in man games lost.
Lead league in stupid GM decisions.
Lead league in no leadership in room (captain injured most of year, Gill traded).
Lead league in media (the french side and Marinaro) driven hysteria.
That, in a nutshell, is where the 2011-2012 season went wrong…
__________________________________
Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Gill’s only been gone for 2 games
Speaking of hysteria- this site suggests you need to add “fans” to the list of crazies.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I know Gill’s been gone for two games, the point being they rid themselves of even more leadership no matter how good the Gill trade is…
__________________________________
Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
I know you know.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Oh, gotcha… sorry, defensive mechanism on for this site lol
__________________________________
Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
But yet Pierre McGuire with Gill getting an assist last night says it is a shot at the Habs…….
PP dissapeared….loss of Kirk Muller was felt
Cammy decided he is in the best shape of his life so during the game he can just stand there and wait for everyone else to do the work for him…didn’t work out so well
Bad management decisions regarding our D as well. Adding Kabby and Campoli…not smart moves
That would fall under Stupid GM Decisions
__________________________________
Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Habs have two 1st line goal scorer’s – the rest 3rd and 4th liners – what should be your expectation ? not a playoff team I hope.
If it is part of the criteria for the best possible management you have to admit it handicaps us.
MOLSON BRO’S,THE SOONER EVERYONE IS CANNED THE BETTER !What have we learned this year…..1) We need to fire Gauthier & Gainey….Make Timmons G.M. and Molson boy you tell him we got to beat Boston every day! 2)Turf Cunney and make Randy L the head coach and get L Robinson…..a big man takes no sheit! 3)Get rid of ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE OVER 3.5 MILLION PER and the players that go with them,even Gorges….Keep Cole! 4)Get another goalie that kicks ass…..it works for St Lou ! 5) BIG HULKING DMEN FROM NOW ON…..LIKE TYLER MYERS! 6)Get us a BIG SUPER STAR WHO IS 27 YEAS OLD….RICK NASH! 7)Sign up PK,Price,Eller ,Max-PAX,DD TO FIVE YEAR DEALS! 8) GET MORE BIG TALENTED BRUSER FOWARDS LIKE GUSTAD …LOAD THE TEAM UP! 9) Stop demanding the new team to act like Beliveau….there is only one! 10) Aim for the cup…..win ,win, win!
10 random thoughts on Trade deadline:
1. The next 5 days will be the most exciting time this year for Habs fans. OY
2. DOnt get down after every good game GIll has. IT was a good trade and we should be happy for any success he enjoys.
3. I once traded a Tim Cheveldae pinnacle card for a Pierre Turgeion rookie O pee chee card. Maybe I could find a deal for GOmez and Craperle.
4. IF Moen really wants to stay here then we should find out his true intentions by getting assets for him now and talking to him in July.
5. Please just go away Craperle.
6. Time for Budaj to play some games. No point bringing our star goalie to mental exhaustion in a lost year.
7. HOw will Tradecentre fill the time without Pierre McGuire humping Dutchyshen’s leg.
8. IF we are patient then Campoli can deliver us a 3rd.
9. IT may just be time to say goodbye to AK. IF we are truly rebuilding then AK is not the guy we need mentoring the youngsters. The market is small for forwards and teams like the Kings are desperate. There will be no other time to maximize this asset. ITs the only choice.
10. That rumour of Gomez, Weber adn AK for Brassard, Hamburger and Tyutin looks better each time I analyze it. Therefore it just means it isant real.
You guys want to hear something hilarious. Possibly some of you are pleased about this. The mods have been deleting all my posts since yesterday, none which were offensive.
That my friends is the truest sign that I have won. Not that it matters to me but seriously. It’s not a question of free speech either. It’s a question of losers unable to accept their defeat. It’s a clear indication that Habs fans would rather live in a bubble than accept reality.
Next summit should be fun.
Re: the French language issue – you can argue that it’s a mistake to require it all you want – but you simply can’t argue that it’s the cause of our current predicament.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
You make a very valid point. It is not the current problem at all. I think the reason for the concern, is the hope that we finally start a clean slate with the best possible candidates regardless of language. We shall see, I worry about these next hires.
The next hires for GM and coach are probably the most important since the 1940′s when the franchise was in turmoil.
Agreed. Good, succint post.
Half this team have had the Flu all season!
Always reminds me of My Cousin Vinny. “Except the store had the flu. You hit that? The entire store had the flu.”
Last night I had a dream; Bob Gainey was hired as the new Blue Jackets GM and instantly traded Nash for Gomez!!,,,but then I woke up, man I wish I was still asleep!
Was Markov Made In China??
Markov made in China LOL
__________________________________
Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Bone China.
Richard R
The new GM will be Larry Carriere. Presently he is PG assistant. He may even be making descions now. Just a hunch.
Is he vegetarian?
If he’s vegan he’s one fat vegan.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I thought i read somewhere that Prince Fielder is a vegetarian, how does he get that fat not eating meats, are potato chips considered a staple food group in the Vegetarian/Vegan world?
nope….loves poutine.
We are not playing until this Friday night so should we make one or two trades? Or should we wait until Feb. 27th, the deadline day?
Molson is calling all the shots now!
Yup..just like Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. is calling all the shots for the Buffalo Bills.
Unfortunately,for Bills’ fans,that’s not working out so well.
do it now…prices always go up on the 28th.
Following up on youth movement:
The problem with the Canadians is that there is never any “room” for young talented players to crack the lineup, especially in defense.
Look at some the we lost:
Francois Beauchemin played ONE game for the Canadiens. (I remember the game because both and and My friend who were watching it said that this guy was the best d-man on the ice for both teams).. That same season Ron Hainsey played 21 of his total 32 games for the Habs. These guys were not given a chance , and eventually shipped out because our defense had veterans such as Pat Traverse, Karl Dykhuis, Quintal, Rivest, and Brisebois .
Recently we lost another good young defense man, Mathieu Carle a 24 year old 6 foot 205 lb defenceman who played a total of 3 NHL games.
We keep revolving old veterans and dont’ let our young players develop.
So whether we get draft picks by tanking, or selling, or simply because we finish near the bottom of the league in the standings, why does anyone think that we will all of a sudden start developing draft picks into our roster?
regards,
Steve O.
e O.
D is alot younger now than it was not too long ago, with Spacek, Hamrlik and Mara gone, replaced by Subban, Diaz and Weber.
But the way Weber is used is very telling.
Well to be fair we have Emelin, Diaz, Subban, Pacioretty, Desharnais, Eller, White, and to a lesser degree Leblanc and Weber have all held down spots this year.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve struggled this season. When you play the youth this much, there is going to be growing pains. But it will pay off down the road.
“…veterans such as Pat Traverse, Karl Dykhuis, …”
See, this season isn’t that bad.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I was thinking this when I saw the 3 way trade from yesterday. Holland waived Quincey, cause there was no room for him. LA Picked him up. Then Detroit sends a first round draft pick to get him back. If this had of been the Habs, I can’t even imagine what people would be saying. But it was the Red Wings, so its ok.
When you have to put the best team on the ice, you can’t always give plenty of time for all the young talent you have. You have to make tough choices. And players develop differently under different systems.
Look at O’Byrne. Looking good on the Avalanche, but on the Habs he would be in Hamilton.
Beauchemin and Hainsey were claimed off waivers, they weren’t exactly shipped out.
True about waivers, but thats because we could not find a spot for them on the roster. Then it was vertrans like traverse and Dykhuis, now its Kaberle and Campoli.
JmSheehy says : <q cite="Well to be fair we have Emelin, Diaz, Subban, Pacioretty, Desharnais, Eller, White, and to a lesser degree Leblanc and Weber have all held down spots this year.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve struggled this season. When you play the youth this much, there is going to be growing pains. But it will pay off down the road."
I maintain that we need more if these type of players and not less. If the entire team was filled with young and hungry talented players, or the existing young players were giving more “leading” roles rather than supporting we would be better, not worse.
regards,
Steve O.
this team is just so… boring, and irrelevant. Not even a laughing stock anymore. Just irrelevant like the leafs have been for the past 5 years.
Irrelevant is a good word to describe these Habs.
I dunno, I’ve had a pretty good laugh at the Leafs for a few years now…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Especially early this season when they were all so giddy during their brief stay at 1st in the conference.
▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭
Scouting is subjective.
The word pathetic comes to mind.
———————————————————————-
Turn on the tank, the party’s over…
We are now working on next years franchise model TIMO! Starting with the front office.
They are bringing in management from Europe that can speak globally to our situation.
The ICC in The Hague?
Richard R
When a professional sports organization decrees that the language spoken by its GM/head coach is more important than actually hiring individuals who are the best qualified for the position(s),regardless of language spoken, said organization is doomed to mediocrity at best, utter failure at worse. Soccer teams in Europe and elsewhere regularly hire management personnel who are not proficient in the language of the majority of the country they are in, they are appointed to their positions based on merit, which is as it should be.
It really should come as no surprise that this franchise’s having come off the rails during the last couple of decades coincides with the team seeming to have its priorities backwards. Having front office personnel conversant in any language in particular is no guarantee of success, just as hiring a female head coach simply to appease half of the team’s fans would be deemed foolhardy as well.
Nobody can deny that the situation in Quebec is unique as compared to other regions in North America, however, that doesn’t change the basic parameters of the equation..you hire the BEST qualified person for the job…even if that person is a unilingual Klingon, or is a deaf mute.
The UN hires interpreters. So can the Habs.
Actually the Habs have an anglophone coach. Is it working out?
Second, the Habs have never been less Francophone than they are now. They’ve also never been worse. To blame our lack of success on language one needs to disregard the facts.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
You can’t possibly be serious in using that argument to say the Habs indeed hired the Best Coach regardless of language.
I’m using it to counter the argument that are current predicament has anything at all to do with language.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Okay, understand.
No, it’s not working out, but to judge someone based on 5 weeks work is somewhat premature, I would think.
Habs have had French speaking individuals at the GM/head coach position since 1993.
How many Cups have they won during that period?
Don’t get me wrong. The BEST GM/head coach might very well be a unilingual francophone. The Habs would be negligent if they didn’t hire him/her.
Just be sure he or she is the most qualified for the position.
In fact, Habs had French speaking coaches since 1971 (Scotti Bowman), maybe except for Bob Berry from 81-84, until now, Conneyworth.
Also French speaking GM from 1983 and on…
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Scouting is subjective.
Unique indeed, we limit ourselves to the province of Quebec for management and coaches. What fools!
Which part of Quebec are Bob Gainey, Jacques Martin and Randy Cunnyworth from?
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
The next generation – an interview with Blake Geoffrion.
BTW, it seems to me that it would make more sense for this guy to finish the year in Hamilton, , rack up some positive achievements, adjust to the shock of the trade and then spend the summer getting ready to try and replace one of the departing forwards. Same goes for Nash on the D.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com/2012/02/next-generation.html
It would depend on who gets traded from the Habs I would think. If forwards are moved for picks, then somebody has to move in. It would seem that Geoffrion would be the 1st or 2nd at worst to make that move.
Who should coach the Habs next year?
(Yes, the greater question is who should be the GM. Also I am assuming the two Randys – no that isn’t a British sitcom – will leave.)
I’ve suggested before that we should try for Jacques Lemaire and Larry Robinson as assistant. Lemaire would understand that we only expect him to take the job for one year.
The other options are Clement Jodoin (another rookie coach from the Q), Guy Boucher (you never know), Patrick Roy (fasten your seatbelts). I don’t think Michel Therrien, Marc Crawford of Dan Hartley are good choices.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
It was before I started watching hockey diligently, but what about Carbo? What’s the knock on him.
I think he was so good at communication that most players complained that they had to talk more than play.
He didn’t have any coaching experience.
AC, but no coaching.
He’s still unemployed… I think he’d be good as an AC.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I thought he was coaching in the Q?
Nevermind, it seems he resigned back in July
I agree with your last sentence but also hope that if Vancouver goes in the dumpster it might lead to Vigneault getting fired. It’s a pipe dream but I’d bring him back in a heartbeat.
I thought about that too – but they would have to fail for a couple of years for him to get fired.
Even if they lost in the first round in four straight to the Coyotes this year he wouldn’t be fired.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
We don’t have the Sedins, Kessler, Maholtra, Raymond, Bieksa or Salo to make him look good.
Jacques Lemaire?! Hell no. I do not want to watch a boring system in Montreal. And, he drove Guy Lafleur, my idol into a retirement when he installed a defense-first neutral trap system in Montreal.
Eats your craw still too eh? That is unforgiveable for me as well, how he treated his own former linemate.
“I do not want to watch a boring system in Montreal.”
So I guess you haven’t watched them much this year then, eh?
I remember and agree. He wasted Lafleur and bored us to death.
Jacques Lemaire? The man who singlehandedly killed NHL hockey in the mid ’90s? The man who drove Guy Lafleur out of Montreal by embarrassing him?? No FREAKING way!
How about we hire the Best Coach for the job? And an interpreter in case he’s unilingual (how dare him!!) to wag his tongue at the french media after games.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
The best unemployed NHL coach right now is Jacques Lemaire.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I say No to all you of your suggestions. I have mentioned this before, the Habs have painted themselves in a corner. They have a policy (whether you agree with it or not, is not the point) that the coach must be bilingual, however they have failed to plan for this policy and now are stuck with mediocre candidates or inexperienced junior coaching candidates. The only way for the Habs to have enough qualified bilingual coaches is to groom the coaches themselves by always making sure they have an up and coming bilingual coach in Hamilton. They should have replaced Guy Boucher with an up and coming bilingual coach from the Q, like Pascal Vincent. Instead they choose to hand over the reins in Hamilton to Cunnyworth two years ago, and this year to Jodoin, who has no chance to become a head coach. Even if the Habs keep losing AHL coaches to other organisations, like Boucher, eventually they will have enough bilingual candidates floating around the league to choose from, hopefully having acquired some NHL head coaching experience elsewhere. As for next year, my solution would be to bring back JM for the last year of his contract, hire an up and coming bilingual coach for Hamilton, and hope that in the summer of 2013, a Boucher or a Vigneult become available.
7 out of the next 9 games on the road. Should be fun.
Nail Yakupov – Montreal Canadiens.
Carey Price #31
Wouldn’t that be great…….
Just heard an interview with a fellow from the Phoenix Business Journal and obviously they were talking all things COyotes. It was mentioned in the the interview that the Glendale arena was built in a bedroom community area with a large hispanic population. If this new owner actually buys the Yotes, is possible, even 5% possible that between the cap savings Gomez presents and his potential marketability to the immediate area could be beneficial to the Yotes?
Yep, at the risk of tooting my own horn I’ve been saying this for two years.
Plus Phoenix might jump at the chance to reach the cap floor while spending below it, with Gomez making almost $2M less than his cap hit next year.
Gomez and Weber for Klesla!
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
Would you pick up Gomez if you were the new owner Gerry?
With 700+ players in the league, the odds are very low.
He’s a low-risk high potential reward guy, in that fans there might be more likely to relate to a Hispanic player — much as there will always be Quebecers who’d rather see a team full of Darches than English-speaking stars. And Phoenix isn’t exactly a magnet for free agents. And again, Gomez earns nearly $2M less than his cap hit, which is great for a team trying to get to the ceiling, and which has no danger of getting up to the cap anyway.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
OK Gainey, do you really consider yourself a cautious optimist?
Mostly.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
In order to make it to the cap floor, it’s not necessary to acquire terrible players of crappy contracts. A better plan, for example, may be to acquire decent players on crappy contracts. If I’m looking to get to the floor and win a few games along the way, Gomez wouldn’t be my first choice.
Let’s be honest, Gomez isn’t anyone’s first choice on skill or cap hit alone. But an attractive combination of cap hit, real salary, ethnicity and some remaining skill could well be the basis for some fruitful talks with Phoenix. If I were Phoenix, I’d give Gomez and Weber for Klesla a good long look. If Montreal threw in a low pick, it would be hard to say no.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
I always thought Vancouver was where he’d end up.
Good hometown West/North-Coast boy, a stone’s throw from Anchoage (with a couple of lucky skips on the water…)
—Hope Springs Eternal—
That’s a good idea. And if he stands on the western shoreline, he can probably see home.
Hey, with international relations experience like that, he could be president!
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
And Russia.
Richard R
And good pot too.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Yeah, good idea; Gomez really needs to chill out.
So highly-strung, y’know?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
They should take him just to compensate the Habs on the shared revenue they give the Yotes…
Haha, that is so true. Phoenix should have to every year take one bad contract from Habs, Leafs and Rangers on a rotational basis.
Now that would be parity I could get behind.
Someone please tell me why Gomez plays so much, – are they trying to show he can still contribute somehow so some poor fool trades for him at deadline?
Sad when this team misses a Travis Moen so bad to pot the odd goal when they need one. Would Gionta make a big difference? I think he would if he was playing like last year.
It’s always disappointing to see good years by guys like Cole (now there’s a real hockey player), and Max go to waste.
“We believe in Scott Gomez”
— Geoff Molson
Besides The Black Cloud of his contract crushing him and the team’s spirit, he used to be a very good hockey player, and I guess he’s better than anything else we have on the farm.
But I don’t know, other than not contributing with his playmaking, is he really hurting the team on the ice?
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
I think they are trying to get him going so they can possibly move him. Plus we have one real offensive line….that is it. Gomez at one point was a decent centre….those days are gone but they are still clinging to hope and trying to make it someone else’s hope lol
In Boone’s ‘About Last Night’ he states that the Canadiens will have a new GM at the draft in June.
If that’s the case, I’m wondering why we don’t have a new GM in place before Monday’s trade deadline?
Because our next GM and coach are probably under contract with another team headed for the playoffs
There are much more available candidates during the off-season than there are during the season.
It’s the reason why we almost never see a GM hired permanently during the season.
Gauthier won’t be allowed to do anything but recoup draft picks for impending FAs on Monday, a sure sign he is FINI!
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Just to refresh my memory – from the tsn website: “the club selected in the Draft Lottery may not move up more than four positions in the draft order…the only clubs with the opportunity to receive the first overall selection are the five teams with the lowest point totals…No club will move down more than one position as a result of the Draft Lottery.”
So if the Habs finish third last, they draft somewhere from 1st to 4th overall. But the odds are that we remain at 3rd choice.
I’d love to see a top 2 pick. Sell those veterans, give the young guys more ice and pick up a top notch prospect.
I mentioned yesterday that I brought my boy to the game last night.
What a disappointment.
Maybe someone can answer this for me.
Darche had an “A” on his jersey last night.
I have to assume that it’s a result of Gill being gone.
Who chooses now? Is it still the players, or did RC give it to him?
I would have to think it’s the coach, because he’s certainly one of RC’s favorites.
He’s earned the “A” ….this guy works hard every shift…
There is no questionning his work ethic.
Like I’ve mentioned before, if AK had Darche’s work ethic, he’d be top 10 at least, in the NHL.
But with Gomez, Plecs and Gorges, we don’t already have enough A’s?
I like some of what RC does, but he’s a rookie coach, and his insistence on playing 52 top minutes on the top line, with no patience for AK, he’s reducing our offensive strengths.
He needs to be more patient with our top performers. Offer them some incentive.
3, 4, 5 million isnt enough incentive to go out and play hard every shift ????
Maybe not when your cash is guaranteed.
Pleks didn’t dress though, and with Gill gone Darche isn’t a terrible choice — I think Cole already had one?
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
I think Jacques Martin is in charge of that task in his new role, who woulda thunk he would pick Darche!
Pleks was not there, so maybe that’s why.
Cole was given Gill’s A.
Darche was wearing one last night because Plekanec did not play. And yes, it’s always the coach that chooses the assistant captains.
Youth movement :
Hopefully the Habs will unload some of our old and tired d-men and bring in some youth at that position:
Lets look at the numbers: Average minutes of ice time even strength per goal allowed:
Campoli: 17
Kaberle: 17
GILL: 20 just for comparison purposes
Subban: 22
Emelin: 23
Weber; 24
Diaz: 25
Gorges: 26
We had a youngster play a few games earlier this season, Frederic St. Denis: Played a total of 89 minutes even strength, Opponents scored 2 goals while he was in the ice. An average 45 minutes per goal against.
Imo, the Canadiens always face the same issue, we are not that good, yet our team is full of veterans and there is no room on the roster for good young talent. I understand the “have to make the playoffs every year mentality” but at what cost?
Personally I would rather see an exciting , fast , young team, go to battle every night with pride and emotion, than watch these overpaid excuses for hockey players play with zero emotion and no heart.
Everyone`s ragging on Palushaj, and I agreee that he has not produced very much, but what if they used him on the PP, or played him a full game with two good linemates before judging him?
The fact is that he is NOT hurting us at all. He has played a total of 156 minutes of ice time, all at even strength and he has only been on the ice for 4 goals against. An average of one goal every 39 minutes.
The only forward with a better ” minutes per goal allowed” average is Leblanc, who has played 246 minutes at even strength and only allowed 5 goals during that span. an average of 45 minutes per Goal against.
Among our “regulars” the best average is Darche and that is one goal against per 30 minutes of ice time.
SO despite these young players playing very responsibly defensively they still get their asses glued to the bench so they can watch veterans like Gomez (one goal allowed per 21 minutes of ice time) do figure skating routines.
Its a fallacy to say that RC is a good coach because he holds his players accountable. He does the exact opposite. Same as JM.
It’s far more disappointing in the case of RC , though. A coach `s longevity is always enhanced by not “pissing off his veterans” . When worrying about his job, the last thing a coach wants is one of his high-priced players complaining to the press. The management will see that as “strife” in the room ,and it is easier to change a coach than to change a roster. Two, or three, “unhappy” veterans complaining will almost always get the coach fired. Youngster can not complain, they will be seen as having a poor attitude and their value diminished.
RC has to know that he is not going to be here next year. He was in the perfect position to shake things up, rile the veterans get them angry, embarass them into performing to their best. What does he do? He benches Gomez for the second period in one game, and then puts him on the Powerplay in the third period.
Pathetic, chicken**it, coaching.
I wouldn’t even keep him for the balance of this season.
Put Gionta behind the bench, or better yet Gomez.
If he is not going to change things up, we might as well have kept JM behind the bench.
Do you think that RC knows that we have the worst PP in the league? Does he think that changing things around could make it much worse? Plaushaj has 5 powerplay goals in Hamilton this year Enqvist has 7. Yet we bring these guys up and put them them in a roll to be defensive specialists. They are so afraid that they make a mistake and get benched that they completely abandon their style of play that had them be successful at lower levels. Is our Offfense so strong that no one can crack the lineup? Our vaunted powerplay has no room for some new blood?
Maybe RC is concerned that a player who has not spent the entire season learning and practicing our PP system may not fit in ?
Heaven`s to Betsy’s !!! when will this madness end?
regards,
Steve O.
Maybe RC wants to tank instead of trying things that just might work
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“Hey Richard, two minutes for looking so good!”
Old and tired D-Men? The only defenseman we have left over the age of 27 is Kaberle, who is 33.
Speaking of meritocracy and nepotism, I dont have any stats, but it seems that last year (when the Halak trade was fresh in the minds) that Lars Eller was getting more icetime than this year.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Up from 11:08 last year to 14:47 this year.
I like Eller but I think last year he should have been with the bulldogs getting tons of ice. He is still young but needs to develop and with 10 minutes of ice time last year there is not much room for growth.
Yeah I felt the same way last season, I was glad to see his use expanded this season, with Pk time and just more TOI.
But since Gomez has been back, he is eating in Eller’s minute.
Holland said today, Quincey was worth a no.1 only because they had him before and regretted losing him. Also their no 1 draft choice would take 5 years to make the club.They were comfortable with their prospects. Yzerman wanted a prospect.So should we be trading for prospects instead of draft choices?
Farm system is one of the problems with the habs – no one to step up in the NHL – we get an injury up front and he’s replaced with a defenceman – come on that’s not the way it’s done – years ago when a injury took place you could go to the farm system and bring in a player that was as good sometimes better they don’t have that choice anymore – all you can hope now you get draft picks the team can use. every now and than a good player comes along – other than max-pac we havent had much luck – we get middle of the road players – no stamkos – we’re not that lucky management over the last 18-19 years has been our downfall and until it improves we’re going nowhere. the coaching we’ve had may not have been the best – a lot of that was due to what they had to work with and it still exist – not gonna win many cups when the team is half 4th liners – I hate to say that but it is what it is….
The farm is playing in the big club.
This is the result of trading away draft picks for so long.
Any team needs to build around the draft but this should be more important for the Habs, because
1. we have the best scout in the biz.
2. it’s harder for us to build via free agency given taxes etc … we
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Taxes aren’t an issue, they are pretty much the same as everywhere else. I looked into it a while back. Players always fit into the top bracket regardless of where they are, and the top bracket is more or less the same everywhere.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
You’re partly right – taxes are roughly 10% higher in Quebec than in NY state, Penn, Mass or California, for $million+ earners. (Bigger difference for states with no income tax but they don’t have good teams.)
So not a huge issue but essentially it means our cap for free agents is 10% less.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
But the prestige of playing for the Habs and the opportunity to play in front of a sold-out crowd every night, and for families to get to benefit from life in Montreal (as opposed to Winnepeg or Minnesota) more than makes up for that 10%, I think.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Pacioretty, Desharnais, Leblanc, Palushaj, White, Weber, Subban and Darche have all come from Hamilton in the last three years.
It doesn’t look like your expectations are realistic. You really can’t blame management for not having had a 1st overall pick. That’s a positive thing for them to include in their credentials. Not a negative.
It is a transition year for Hamilton this season. They lost a lot of quality players to promotion over the last few seasons, like someone else mentioned.
They will be getting a nice surge of players for next season. Tinordi, Beaulieu, Gallagher, Holland, Bournival, Ellis and potentially Kristo are all making the jump to the AHL.
As Malreg and TomNickle said, the Farm system is one of the strengths. and to say we don’t have a Stamkos (one of the best players to be drafted in the last 5 years) doesn’t mean we aren’t drafting well.
Half the team is recently graduated from Hamilton, and a surplus of talent is moving to Hamilton next year.
Impressed is not the word I’d use to describe how I feel towards Cunneyworth as the coach.
He does some good things, but like JM, he does some puzzling things, and he has not really improved on anything for the team.
You mean like Darche on the first line?
That’s one thing, but to be fair Darche responded nicely to that, but it’s no permanent solution, and RC should try to find some duos and trios and leave them be to build chemistry.
Every time they tried to build a line this year (aside from all the juggling) someone went down.
Eller’s line with AK and Moen was excellent until AK got injured.
He came back, and the dropped him to the fourth line.
I noticed AK and Eller together for at least a couple of shifts last night, but Moen wasn’t there, and there was no chemistry.
DD and his winger being the only exception., and if they are the first line, they at least need to make sure Pleks gets a decent set of wingers so the Habs have a worthwhile top 6.
100%
I agree he has done some good and some bad. I would also say it is hard to make a good team out of a lot of crap.
Our D is brutal….Diaz, Kabby, Campoli, Weber….what was PG thinking
I think his problem has been spending so much time with his Rossetta Stone CD”s, instead of running practises.
Has he started saying sutff in french yet?
After his first wins he did come out with a “Je suis content”… But I don’t think he’s content lately. Maybe just add a word would do? “Je suis pas content”…
Anyhow, if he managed to learn some new words, no doubt these are swearing words right now.
Seriously though, I feel for him. Given the assets that he has, it’s kinda tough to get wins.
Just once I’d like to see the Montreal Canadiens not jettison a coach before his expiry date. Let him have a learning curve for Pete’s sake.
I’m still pissed at seeing Vigneault and Julien excel after leaving Montreal.
I think Carbo could’ve been a great coach but whatever, once the media/talk shows start in on a criticism of anything Montreal Canadien, the fans lap it up as gospel and then the poison is released and the coach or player in question is done here.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Agreed.
Since they’ve shown so much confidence in selecting RC by letting everyone know that he’ll be fired at year’s end, if they do that, they should bring Carbo back.
He had a very good record, and put a No. 1 PP on the ice during his first year.
He was a candidate for the Jack Adams.
Gainey was going through a very traumatic period in his life, and I don’t think he was thinking straight when he released Carbo.
And I don’t understand how come he hasn’t been picked up elsewhere.
Montreal needs 2 dmen that are Meat and Potatoes type of players on the backend. Emelin can’t be the only able to throw a body check and intimidate the opposing forwards…as we seen last night. with Markov, Gorges and PK already not playing that role that leaves kabs, camps, and one of the swiss guys on the way out.
Maybe trade AK46 for L. Schenn or a couple B prospects for Aulie would be a start
~I never said it. Honest.~
Players in Toronto are overrated, even more so than in Montreal. Have we recently seen anyone traded out of Toronto excel in other teams?
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Scouting is subjective.
Kris Versteeg I guess.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Fast this morning aren’t you!
The only player to do so recently was briefly in Toronto, Kris Versteeg.
Kris Versteeg yes, but I consider him rather as a former Blackhawks.
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Scouting is subjective.
The poll is kind of unfair. Cunnyworth couldn’t very well turn down the coaching position. Martin failed big time, just as he did everywhere else and the GM just got fed up one morning and lost it. The team has been and is better than it appears. They proved that when they knocked off Washington and Pittsburg way back when despite Martin. (Remember Martin standing dumbstruck behind the bench with Muller running back and forth encouraging the players, vets and rookies alike? Naw I suppose not – most prefer to remember Halak and forget the work of the whole team or that Halak folded in at least three critical games there.)
Anyway. It is what it is. The only real coach available last fall was Hitch and St Louis jumped on him. Cunnyworth just got caught in the middle. The team was a disaster in training camp and continued that play. They are third worst in the league right now in a weak draft year. And sell out both seats and concessions.
Lots of people are saying that Gomez won’t be back next season.
I don’t see how that’s possible.
Our options seem to be:
1) Trade him
– No team in their right mind would take his contract in light of the way he plays
2) Buy him out
– Expensive and would still count toward the cap, which is a significant factor in why we would get rid of him in the first place
3) Get rid of him on waivers
– No team would pick him up on the way to Hamilton (too expensive)
– We would have to call him back up for someone to possibly pick him up off waivers (still unlikely) and even then we’d have to foot half the bill. PLUS, if nobody took him off re-entry waivers, we’d have a real morale issue on our hands not only with Gomez, but any player who is friendly with him, and amongst other vets.
3)Send him to Hamilton and leave him there
– Despite his soft play on the boards and his weak d-zone coverage, his vision is still better than any AHLer, and his skills are NHL quality. PLUS, do we really want Gomer and his work-ethic as a model for our young talent to follow?
4) Ship him off on loan to a European/KHL team
– I don’t know how that works. I have a feeling we’d still feel the cap-hit.
SO, that being said, I don’t see any reason why Gomer won’t be back next year in La Sainte Flannelle.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
A new CBA will likely afford teams one penalty free unconditional buyout like it did last time.
That is assuming of course, with Donald Fehr at the helm, that there isn’t another strike.
Bripro, please please please be accurate. What you fear is that the owners will lock out the players. Please attribute responsibility where is belongs.
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How about it NHL? No fighting, just hockey?
http://relentlessineptitude.blogspot.com/
There is always a way
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Now that is depressing Matty, really,
My day is ruined.
There has been a great amount of speculation that the next CBA will include a one-time amnesty buyout where buyouts will not count against cap hits.
Both ownership and the NHLPA would be in favor of such a thing because it’s beneficial to both sides and would allow them to more easily adjust to whatever tweaks they make to the economic system.
/\\ike
GO HABS GO!
That is the key, good point Mike. The buyout gives the player his money and the opportunity to start the whole process over again. Of course this upcoming CBA will be interesting to watch as it is Donald Fehr’s first go around. He will probably make the Owners pay for every single item they want.
Matty, what really bothers me about Gomez and his contract is that PG did not seem to learn anything from that mistake as he made virtually the same error with Kaberle. Everyone makes mistakes but the smart people learn from their errors and do better the next time.
I don’t think that the Kaberle trade is that bad.
He’s not playing terribly (I suspect he was one of the men down with the flu yesterday) and his numbers aren’t bad. I think it’s more about the expectation that hurts him.
That being said, if we need to get rid of him, there are plenty of teams who would pick him up, especially teams struggling to make the cap-floor who need a veteran d-man.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Matt, have you been to a game since the summit?
I took my Mat last night, and watched what we can’t see on the tube.
Kaberle had a real hard time with positioning when he doesn’t have the puck.
Our defence, aside from Emelin and Gorges, is not just pretty weak, it’s pretty pathetic.
I like Diaz and the attitude he brings, but he’s small and quite easy to know off the puck.
Weber was brutal, and if Kaberle had to dive any more to intercept a pass, he’s be great on the Canadian national diving team.
You overlooked PK right, tell me you just forgot him, please tell me Brian!
LOL…yeah, that I did. No worries, he’s one of 3-4 current franchise players, IMO.
The only way the habs unload Gomez is if they take an insane contract back in return like Dipietro or Lecavalier’s redonk contracts. Tbay can’t afford 10M for a 20 goal scorer but Montreal loves its bad contracts of late … so I see this as the only possibility…heck maybe they’ll trade coaches too haha
Hopefully not…I want see Robinson taking over in the summer when his contract w/ the Devils expires.
~I never said it. Honest.~
I don’t see why sending him to Hamilton is a no-go.
And if he is lazy in Hamilton then send him to the East Coast Hockey League.
And so on until he ends up playing in that league where all they do is fight.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
He could really help my ball hockey team, we play Friday Nights, the place is licensed…. hmmmm I am liking this idea.
Could he?
Could he really?
(raises eyebrow skeptically)
—Hope Springs Eternal—
He tells good jokes I hear.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
There’s always the ECHL.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
Damn it. Just use an one-time amnesty clause on him so it will help Habs about $15 millions dollars in salary cap for next two years. It is the BEST OPTION that they choose.
Read this article about the clause:
http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/02/11/rink-wrap-habs-want-amnesty-clause
No trades yet? I don’t know what they are waiting for
They just shipped off Gill.
Just a question but why didn’t somebody flatten weasel Ribeiro last night?
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
He’s slippery.
Skinny little thing.
Like trying to squash a rice noodle.
Keeps. Squirming. Away.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Diaz tried and ended up on his ass.
sell, sell, sell…this team needs to be re-built from the ground up – change in character….too many freakin passengers…need some D-men who can play D and move the puck and some F with size and heart.
trade AK, Pleks, Moen, Darche, Campoli, Kaberle and dump Gomez….need a real #1 center and a couple of D-men who make it difficult for opponents in our end.
Pleks and Moen are the only ones that would bring any value back in a trade…
Every team needs a “real #1″ center…
We have THE SOFTEST defence in the league…
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
haha… yeah lets just make all those moves adamkennelly, lets trade plecks for nash, ak an moen for carter, hey lets trade gomez for crosby?? its that easy isnt it? we have a good core of young talented players here, more on the way. We have a solid top line. There is some tweaking to be done on D, Yes maybe need 1 more top 6 fwd… but this isnt fantasy hockey here… takes time, need to develop… every team has a down year(minus Det). No doubt in my mind we take a run at the division next year an home ice in the playoffs… too much panic button in this city.
Ebour
Sell, sell, sell or trade, trade, trade is all fine & good but there must be a buyer for every seller. Who do you have in mind? Who in their right mind is going to take Kaberle or Gomez?
You talk about having heart then you put Darche on your trade list. He has more heart than most other players.
You can get someone to take Kaberle if you add something good in and don’t ask for much in return (salary dump)..you demote Gomez..all the others are tradable – they have value…Darche may have heart but he has sub NHL level talent – the reason this team sucks is cause he is one of our more useful players…
Hi, my name is Larry and this is my brother Randy and my other brother Randy.
I disagree!
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
We are now sellers! of half the team!
The only safe players are—
Goal Price,
Defense–Gorges, Markov, Subban, Emelin, Diaz. (5)
Forwards–Cole, Pacioretty, Desharnais, Plekanec, Gionta, Eller, Moen, Darche, White. (9)
Maybe we should try to reacquire some of the talent that we threw away under J. Martin.
I’m not sure Darche will play within the remaining part of the season. If Moen’s not available right now due to injury, he could be shopped.
But then, he could stay here, since he’s working darn well and he’s a hometown favorite.
For the money we pay him, Darche will stick.
I like Darche, hard working player, too bad he has hands of stone.
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
MD should have been a professional boxer.
Richard R
Unless its for a first round pick, Moen isnt going away.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Hey Ian didn’t you read the headline: Battling Flu – Canadiens take a season off. You know it isn’t like they have seasonal flu shots or something…wait…they do have seasonal flu shots!
On the positive no stupid penalties at critical moments. Yay! I think Pleks could really help Vancouver over the hump and to the Cup. If the Habs could pry out Hodgson, Parent, and a 2013 pick it would certainly be worthwhile.
you’re right, the yard sale sign is up and the boxes are in the driveway
- i disagree on diaz. not sure what his sal/cap impact is but he’s a great talent that could attract decent offers. if we’re gonna be stuck w kaberle i’d like some more bruising size on d-line to protect PK
- darche is an affordable add-in for a lot of teams but i don’t know if a 3rd rnder is worth getting rid of him
- i’d prefer they sign moen but I bet he has a lot of value right now
Where’s seriousfan09 right now? I like to know what’s going on with the latest prospects and potential players.
Aside from Blake Geoffrion, who do you think should be playing with the Habs next season?
Morgan Ellis, Michael Bournival, Brendan Gallagher, Greg Pateryn and Danny Kristo will all be headed to Hamilton.
With what’s going to happen in the next couple of weeks it’s almost impossible to say who will be moving up to the big club from Hamilton next season. Geoffrion has a better chance than most though.
What about Beaulieu and Tinordi?
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
Both of them too. But I wouldn’t be shocked if they make the big club.
From the looks of things, Bournival, Gallagher, and Kristo hands down might get their shot in playing for Montreal.
These are forwards, what about the Defencemen? I could see a Mark Mitera or a Frederic St. Denis coming up here next season.
Kristo and Bournival don’t have a chance unless they improve at a ridiculous rate in between now and September.
I think he’s boycotting this site over a disagreement with Hickey’s Theo Fleury story a couple of months back.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Story of the Montreal Canadiens. Players not playing…..
Gomez not performing to what we hoped (ok got that out first)
Markov injured.
Gionta injured.
Plekanec home with the flu.
Moen injured.
Cole playing injured.
This is not insignificant. Only so much you can do with a skeleton team. Easy to play against.
Top Draft pick will help us.
Dumping Gomez in the summer will too.
Another test for our management, draft the right player. Dump the big salary and bringing two guys who can produce.
looking good again. I’m an eternal optimist.
Anyone know much about Brendan Gaunce of the Belleville Bulls? From what I have gathered, he is a highly rated and good sized centre that is a very solid two-way player.
Seems to fit the bill for the Habs, but I, admittedly, don’t know a great deal about him.
Watched Gaunce play against Erie on Monday afternoon. He had an off game. Long way to go me thinks!
Thanks, Ian. His stats, size and playing style seem like a good fit for the Habs. I noticed that he is ranked 7th overall in the prospects list for the upcoming draft.
You can never tell where these guys will end up being drafted when decision time comes around.
He will be drafted for sure! but he needs to become a pro, in time!
I didn’t log on here to make excuses, but I think a flu bug that hit the room for the last 2 games have greatly benefitted those on here that are covetting that high draft pick this summer, because the guys in the room still have faith they can make a run here with 21 games left.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
You are the most optimist person I have been in contact with in my life I think. Good on ya, but I fear the Fat Lady is already through the first verse and I am starting to recognize the Chorus.
“Ahem…ahem”
Oh, oh..she’s clearing her throat.
Good night sweet Habs.
Better luck next time around!
The Eastern race got a lot clearer over the last couple of days. There are three obvious groups of 5.
FIVE PLAYOFF-BOUND TEAMS
Five teams are a lock (barring bizarre and total meltdown) already – being 13-23 points over 500: NYR, Boston, NJ, Flyers, Pens.
BUBBLE TEAMS – 3/5 WILL MAKE IT
Ottawa, Florida, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Washington (in order by highest position) are battling for the remaining THREE places.
5 SELLERS
Tampa, Buffalo, NYI, Carolina and the Habs are pretty much out of the picture already. If one of them wins 4 straight they MIGHT get in the race, but even with that they’d still be an underdog chasing from behind.
So let’s have the flu, a coupla operations, and a few more kids born! It’s a rare opportunity for the Habs. We NEED that high draft pick. Early first round forwards often become impact NHL players within a year or two. We could have quite the team with this rare chance to snag our highest pick in decades.
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Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Seriously though… how pathetic is that Southeast division?
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
I would like to comment on the discussion below where 24 Cups, one of the best posters here, suggested that other than Yakupov every other player drafted in 2012 should not be considered for the Habs roster in 2012.
I will give my short answer – nyet!!
If the Habs draft Grigorenko he will make their roster next year.
There are 29 other NHL rosters that Grigorenko will make as well.
.
Ryan Murray will also make an NHL roster out of camp. But I’d like the team to avoid drafting defensemen this off-season.
actually Tom, I think I would have preferred Mark Mcneil last year over Beaulieu – simply because we have so many excellent defenceman already in the system.
so yes, I agree with you. NO DEFENCE in round 1 2012.
the whole hockey world knew that 2011 was stacked with forwards and we took a d-man
the hockey world also knew that 2012 would be stacked with d-men, and now we absolutely need a forward.
it seems like a stupid little thing, but these are big mistakes in drafting strategy.
I disagree on last year Ed. Beaulieu never should have made it to the Habs in the first round. You can’t draft for positional need. You have to take the best player available when they’re usually three years away from being an NHLer.
Having said that. If I held the #3 overall pick for this coming draft and Yakupov and Grigorenko went ahead of my pick. I would either draft Alex Galchenyuk or trade the pick for a King’s ransom.
What about Faksa??
I have never seen him play, but I am very impressed with what I have read.
I have a bit of a different philosophy regarding high picks. And that is that if there’s any doubt at all regarding their future(health notwithstanding), make a move to acquire a comparable sure thing.
If we don’t have a chance at Yakupov, Grigorenko or Galchenyuk, I’d rather they trade the pick for a current young star than take a chance on something else.
Where do Yakupov and Griggy play?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Sarnia Sting and Quebec Ramparts respectively.
Matty, for career information and stats you can always search the player name at Hockey DB.
Sorry, bit lazy I know. I’m as busy as a something with a something to something today, and figured if someone knew off the top of their head…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
It’s become the fashion to add your 18-19 year old high draft picks to starting lineups in recent years. Dictated by money of course.
Let’s say the Habs choose Grigorenko and he makes the team next October, the fans will expect Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and when Grigs doesn’t deliver, he will be questioned, quartered and slaughtered.
Until the fans here and the media that feeds ‘em quit with this EXCEL NOW attitude and show some patience, the Montreal Canadiens will never be good again.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
That’s why the management have not let a 18-19 year old make the lineup since forever. Players drafted by MTL, however good they are, will always get a maturity stint either in AHL or back to junior (plus training to speak like a robot) before they’re ready to face the pedestal and the downfall as a Canadien.
▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭
Scouting is subjective.
Yeah I voted YES in the Cunneyworth poll.
I guess mostly cuz he’s not Jacques Martin, I guess mostly cuz I liked his playing style.
Accountability, yeah, it can seem like he’s picking spots on who he holds accountable (Eller, Kostitsyn) and yet Gomez keeps going.
You have to believe there must be some Gauthier in the decision to keep playing Gomez. I don’t know anymore.
But I guarantee the black cloud that The Gomez Contract has brought to the mix weighs on EVERYBODY in the organization (mostly Scott himself).
If, as some with inside knowledge have pointed out, that Gauthier as Gainey’s right hand man, was the one who pushed for the Gomez deal in ’09 then he has no choice but to order that Gomez be kept in the lineup.
Nothing against Scott Gomez but that contract may have made him very rich but it’s ruined his hockey career and bringing it into the glare of Montreal just quickened his end.
And he isn’t the only player who’s riches have doomed them, the list grows from the initial victims (Yashin, Drury) to the current victims (Bryzgalov, DiPietro, Carter) to the soon-to-be-screwed (Luongo, Richards, Doughty).
As soon as The Black Cloud is lifted (buying out Gomez, firing Gauthier), this team hopefully recovers its mojo.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
I wouldn’t put Doughty or Richards into that group.
They’re in the soon-to-be-screwed meaning they’re on the fence…
Whatever you get the gist of it.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
The gist of your point was spot on Smiler. You wonder if Gomez wouldn’t trade some of his riches to have his career back.
Cunneyworth has this team playing competitive hockey the last couple of weaks. The team is missing key players, still carrying guys like Gomez, and yet they’ve won a majority of games lately. That by itself is enough. But watching them battle, knowing he’s at least trying to hammer some competitiveness into his veterans is also why he’s doing a good job. It’s not just the results that count (though these have improved) since we all know he hasn’t been dealt a great hand. Also, JM had hold of this team for too long…. much too long. The culture is not solid. Not solid at all.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
“last couple of weaks” Freudian slip?
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
In what World should Campoli and Weber be paired together at even strength?
How about Eller seeing single digit minutes?
Or how about Randy Ladouceur going out of his way to humiliate players?
I’ll give Cunneyworth this much. He doesn’t let the opposing team dictate the pace. But that’s all he has going for him.
His handling of players and his associate coach’s handling of players has been no better than questionable.
I suspect he has an associate coach auditioning for the job that he(Cunneyworth) is currently employed under.
I couldn’t believe Ladouceur in the interview during the game with RDS. I don’t recall hearing an asst. coach rake his players over the coal to the media. I can understand a Head Coach doing it, but never the Asst., this guy loves the sound of his own voice I fear.
It didn’t surprise me at all based on his short history with the Habs. I don’t think he’s worth the ink his contract has on it.
I sincerely hope that the first thing Gauthier does at the end of the regular season is firing Cunneyworth and Ladouceur. You can’t humiliate professionals and expect results. Even the most hot-headed coaches don’t do it.
The reason most teams come on late in the season when they’re in the position the Habs find themselves now is that the pressure is usually off. Nothing to lose. If Ladouceur and Cunneyworth think shaming veterans and rookies and the team as a whole is going to work, they’re going to have very short coaching careers.
What did he say?
(I had to catch the first two periods on the radio at work).
If the Hab’s battle the flu the way they battle on the ice, they will all be dead by the weekend!
Go Winnipeg Go!
Hahaha. Good one!
Its been a hard luck year, some of it manufactured by no foresight, injuries, and too much gravy on the blue line with no beef. I did not want JM to be replaced, he deserved the rest of the year. At the sametime, I will say I did not like some of his methods when dealing with younger players, but there has been little improvement under RC. PG is OK but just, there are better GMs out there with better contacts, and the ability to move assets at the right time. Timmons and his college picks take to long to develop, gold watch pension plan time. I would like to see more flyers taken on canadian juniors, and get some stability in place with the dogs, so kids will improve. This team has too many wasted contracts with the Bulldogs. Gomez is a big contract but the Habs make money, it must be close to the point of him being just a tax write off, business expense gone wrong. There are some undrafted gems out there, Bissonnette from the Q might be one, maybe the college ranks might have another. The best asset we have at the moment is Cole, what a player, makes his own breaks through hard work. I think if I had a shot a a cup, I might offer up quite the package for him. I like Moen as he is a good guy to ride shot gun with younger players. This team can turn around quickly with some good moves, going to be interesting to see what happens.
Would Peter Budaj be of any interest to the Toronto Maple Leafs? 4th or 5th rounder?
Maybe the flyers?
Perhaps the Flyers would consider any deal involving a goalie right now. And honestly, even a 5th rounder would be good for Budaj. I don’t think he’s just that bad, but any backup would do the job now, since they don’t get any start.
Interesting. At what point do we stop starting Price? I get that we are still in the hunt, but when we drop out, do we play Budaj the rest of the way? Do we need to pad Carey’s wins before his next contract? Do we need more wins to worsen our draft choice?
All good questions. I think even when they’re out, Price will still get most of the starts, if anything because he hasn’t signed just yet.
At this point it wouldn’t matter if we bring up a goalie from Hamilton for spot duty. I am just thinking if you can harvest something for Budaj why not?
I would suggest that our ECHL second-stringer would be an upgrade for the Leafs.
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez, a potential Hall of Fame player, has two Stanley Cup rings and a Calder Trophy that says ‘I’m a player whom any authentic NHL coach will rely on to fix a game problem.’” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
LOL Richard. Might be an upgrade for the Flyers too.
I guess the positive from the last two games is that Geoff Molson and Pierre Gauthier can no longer cherish any illusion that the Habs will make the playoffs. We are sellers, and should look to deal every player who will not form part of the team next year.
There has been a change in direction since the beginning of the season, but that change has been made in a piecemeal, ad hoc fashion. The Habs seem to be abandoning the idea that speed and skill, without much size or toughness, can win games. This is a step in the right direction, but what is needed now is a new vision and a new philosophy. The organization must commit itself to building a team that can compete for the Cup. This means cleaning house from the top down; it means abandoning the endless tinkering and patching that has characterized the team for the last decade and more; it means focusing on drafting and developing well, on not rushing young players or trading them before they’ve developed for older players who can temporarily plug holes; it means being patient and being prepared to wait rather than doing whatever it takes just to make the playoffs every year. I hope this disastrous season results in the organizations taking a long, hard look in the mirror and reaching this conclusion. Otherwise, we could face another decade of futility, another decade of plugging holes and applying bandaids, endlessly repeating the cycle of mediocrity we’ve been caught up in for far too long.
They knew they were sellers when they traded Gill. They’re stockpiling picks already. 6 selections in the first 60 picks over the next two drafts.
Would sellers try to move Kaberle, Bourque and other non-UFAs for even more picks?
Kaberle’s up in the air. The team tried to sign him as a UFA this summer so they’ve been after him for a while. Having said that there would be a market for him despite what the doom and gloom posters here think. Chicago comes to mind.
I don’t think Bourque is going anywhere. He perfectly fits what this team is trying to build up front. Big, physical, fast and skilled forwards.
Is Bourque top 6 next year? Cole, Patches, Gio — definitely. White and LL in the bottom 6 for sure. Do we have or can we sign someone than Bourque? If not, we should move him.
I’m not sure what you mean Boonie. Bourque’s under contract for a few more years.
Sorry, Should have been “do we have or can we sign some BETTER than Bourque”
It’s difficult to keep track but right now we have a 1st rounder and two 2nds for both 2012 (Nashville) and 2013 (Calgary). How realistic is it that we could move Moen and AK46 in separate deals so that we have three 2nd rounders in each of the next two years?
Is there any team out there that would give us a 1st for the two of them as a combined package? Or a 1st for AK46 and a defensive prospect not named Beaulieu or Tinordi?
Provided Moen can show good health, he should command a 2nd rounder and possibly a prospect. He has all the pedigree GM’s look for. AK is hard to say, unfortunately his current play is not helping, but provided he has been scouted throughout the year GM’s know he could be helpful. Hard to say Steve.
Andrei Kostitsyn could net a 1st round pick. He has all of the skill in the World and almost every GM in the NHL thinks they can get the best out of a player.
Kostitsyn alone could probably get the first round pick you covet from Los Angeles, San Jose, Nasvhille or somebody else that doesn’t make sense on paper.
Travis Moen is an interesting piece. Many indications are that the team wants him back next season but I see Ryan White filling his role. He isn’t as responsible as Moen defensively but aside from that they’re nearly clones. I think Moen is the wild card on the roster. He’ll fetch at least a 2nd round pick, but can Gauthier get more?
He did with Gill.
Teams seem to be overpaying (in comparison to some other years) and it’s not even Monday yet. I think we have to take advantage of the fact that there are more buyers than sellers right now. We don’t always have to get picks in return, there is nothing wrong with taking a good prospect, especially a left winger.
It would be great to trade off Moen and then re-sign him on July 1st. Kind of a wink-wink move.
I agree but I’m not big on Xavier Ouellet. He’s very raw and that makes him a coin flip to make the NHL. I know he’s not a left winger but it is what it is.
If Chicago wants something I’d be after Phillip Danault.
Would love to see the wink-wink nudge nudge move as well.
White and Moen almost clones — only if you don’t factor in size, experience and a Stanley Cup ring. I like White, but don’t see why we can’t have two of those guys on the same team. I see White centering the 4th line, Moen playing wing on 3rd. If Geoffrion makes it, we have some serious sandpaper/skill mix. Keep Moen, if at all possible. If not, make the buyer pay big.
The way that these players play the game is nearly identical.
If you were going to take the comment literally you should’ve brought haircuts into the conversation.
Would AK be work a 1 rd by himself lower one of course
I keep seeing AK as comparable to Penner last year. With the right auction he’s a first rounder and middling prospect. Moen (assuming he comes back in time) should be worth something between the annual second rounder Moore is worth and the first that Nashville paid for Fisher last season. Actually, if he’s healthy, I could see Moen going to Nashville. He’s a good worker and we have a history of trades with them (unfortunately we have their second rounder already).
The real question is — do we reconsider the Kaberle and Bourque deals and look to move them for even more picks? Spacek might get a second at this point. It would nice if we could get that for Kabs. MAB can replace him next year (yeah, Timo that was for you). Bourque has to be worth something to someone.
With them and Gomez gone, that’s about $15m in salary to throw at Suter or the free agent of your choice to transform this club.
I think the team woudl be better served to specific player they want on draft day and then trade up to get that player. But sure they can package something to move higher. They should just wait so that they have flexibility.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Until Pice displays 60 minutes of very very good goaltending on a consistent basis w/out letting in soft goals (a few are ok, one a night is not), steals the big games, and carries the team deep into the playoffs the way great goaltenders do, he should not be considered anything other than an ok goalie. There are many Carey Price’s out there in the NHL (ok, some are shorter), but he is absolutely not at this stage in his career, a premier goaltender. I see pieces of great golatending, but at the same time, I see glaring weaknesses — bad glove, poor decisions, soft goals. Enough with annointing him as a great one because his career to date has been above average at best.
Not to mention he’s on a longer scoring slump than Scott Gomez. What a bum!
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez, a potential Hall of Fame player, has two Stanley Cup rings and a Calder Trophy that says ‘I’m a player whom any authentic NHL coach will rely on to fix a game problem.’” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Price faces fewer than league average shots per game. He is supported by a top penalty killing unit. But his save percentage and goals against are solidly average. His shootout save percentage is bottom five in the NHL.
Statistically, he is average. Now, Bob Gainey says he is elite and while Gainey also thought that Gomez is elite, Gainey did see something in Price. Good coaching and a more experienced defense along with a good defensive forward would help accelerate his development.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
So for all the people that hate Gomez and bitch about the minutes he is getting. Do you hope this asset stays with the team? The team has to try and get him going in order to hopefully make a trade. Giving Gomez 14mins. a game did not make this team play as poorly as it has.
I am not a fan of his contract, and I am not huge fan of his current skill set, but if you want him gone it is in the teams best interest to make him tradeable. To bench him now, or send him to Hamilton now, would do nothing but guarantee Molson has to buy him out (Huge Cap implications), keep him in Hamilton (Waste of 5.5million next year) or pray there is an exemption and again spend a ton of money to do so.
This constant Gomez this and Gomez that, sounds like a fricking kid in the sandbox that hates the taste of sand but keeps eating it.
His production doesn’t warrant his contract or cap hit. We can debate what he brings to the team off -ice, and his statistical contribution on-ice, but in league with a salary cap, Gomez is worth two AK’s, 7 entry level players or in real terms, Cole and Subban.
We have to give up on trading him. His contract is toxic. No reasonable production in the next few days is going to make a GM bite before the deadline and his performance this season makes it a long, long shot that he has value in the off-season.
The blueprint for this situation is to demote him. Molson has more money and this team is far more valuable than Edmonton who ate Souray’s contract. The Leafs dumped Finger and Orr. The Rangers dumped half their fricking team.
I can buy the (weak) argument that there’s was not better use of cap space earlier once the season had started and there was hope for a production improvement.
There’s no reason for him to be on our NHL roster next year. His continued inclusion just underscores that our GM and his advisors don’t understand the concept of a salary cap.
I agree with him gone next year, but they may as well try find a way to get rid of him in the meantime.
No harm in trying. But there is an alternative if the bigger idiot theory ended with Gainey. Either way, there’s no reason to see him on our NHL roster next season.
this seems to be a pattern of the team getting sick every year , i think the doctors on the habs should be fired first , at least give PG that joy , when one mabey 2 players get sick you remove them from the team , 8 sick guys out of 22 is pretty bad
Montreal has such cold winters that people stay inside more than in other cities, which means that stomach bugs get passed on much more easily.
I got a dose of the last one just after a big family dinner, and within two days, six people were ridiculously sick, some taking a full week to recover.
It’s a virus, and there’s no avoiding it. It usually has a 24-hour incubation period, where you carry it but you don’t know you have it. Then boom. Once one person gets it -especially in a locker room- it goes around like wildfire.
Can’t blame the medical staff for this.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Gomez has had the flu for over a year now I guess.
Watch the Habs get a lottery pick and go completely off the board choosing some 5 foot 10 can’t-miss d-man from the suburbs of Inuvik.
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McGuire for GM!
Roy for Coach!
Sh*t for Brains!
Ok, no one liked my Lord of the Flies themed need for veterans last week. So, this week I offer a twist on A Tale of Two Cities…
Tampa had an unexpectedly good playoff last season. They will miss this year. They are rebuilding around Stamkos and a good young D-man, Hedman. After a few trades, they have 5 or 6 picks in the first two rounds this year.
We had an unexpectedly good playoff run two years ago; finished a low season the following season and were eliminated in the first round; and are struggling to make the playoffs this year. We have a star scorer in Pacioretty, a good young D-man in Subban and a All Star caliber goaltender in Price; after a few trades, we added Bourque, Kaberle, one second rounder this year (one for the following year), we assumed $8m of annual salary for our two new 30-somethings per year over the next 2-3 years.
Do you want to guess which team will be better sooner?
I guess Dickens was close,
“It was (not) the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was (not) the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was (not) the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it (can be) was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, … ”
Up next, Gauthier impersonates Thoreau in his own version of Walden and we discuss the effects of an isolationist GM.
Can someone who voted ‘yes’ to the Cunneyworth poll explain exactly what it is they like about what he’s done?
Accountability
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Eller gets a follow-through style high sticking penalty and he gets benched for a whole game. That’s not holding a player accountable, that’s reckless coaching.
I don’t know if Eller pissed in Cunneyworth’s Cheerios or something, but it’s frustrating for me as a fan to see him get buried in the lineup.
No, it was his third high-sticking penalty in four games – a four-minute one this time, with the previous two coming in consecutive games with 3.5 minutes left, and the first one costing Carey a S/O and letting NYI back into the game.
I think what Cunney did was fine. He’d probably warned Eller before to be more careful with his stick, and when he wasn’t, he rode the pine.
He’s been playing since then, with a couple of exceptions, but it’s not useful to look at individual players when the team is the primary concern.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
He was put in a lose situation.
He was embarrassed in public by the GM when the GM had a press conference and told the Habs Nation he was sorry he didn’t hire a blah blah coach.
He has very little to work with yet beat some really great teams.
He doesn’t BS.
He doesn’t cuddle his players.
I enjoy that he’s pissing people off. He was basically told he won’t back, and from what we all heard over the months is that the League of General Managers aren’t too impressed with how Montreal treated him, so when he’s let go, he’ll have a job waiting for him.
Just another piece to the puzzle that has been this season.
I guess it all means the Habs go the ECF next year
SO when rookies make mistakes and they get benched I’m supposed to be angry with the coach? Ah No.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Still don’t understand how that explains how Gomez can make mistake after mistake and still get top PP time.
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McGuire for GM!
Roy for Coach!
Sh*t for Brains!
You never got the memo on Gomez?
It’s not his fault Sather signed him to a a gazillion dollar contract, it’s not his fault Mt. Gainey traded for him, and it’s not his fault he’s playing on a team where 90% of the time you pass a puck to another player, nothing happens.
The only thing that is Gomez’s fault, is that for some reason he turned into the player he is now. What is he supposed to do, give the money back? No, it doesn’t work that way. He’s a human being, and I will treat him as such. Just like I do every single player on this team.
When the going gets tough, I get tougher.
No sense complaining about it, it’s all out of our control.
Just hope they play well, and if they don’t, then hope they pick some good players for the future, and then cheer them on again.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
I get all of that but I don’t see how playing him constantly shows that RC demands accountability.
—————-
McGuire for GM!
Roy for Coach!
Sh*t for Brains!
So very true Shane, I can’t believe that message is not understood by many.
Gomez is our top PP scorer at the moment.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Mattyleg –
Didn’t realize that. Ouch.
@mb,
Technically, he’s not our top PP scorer, but he’s put two in recently.
Has Patch done that too?
Well, that would explain why he’s on the FIRST pp line, and Gomer’s on the second…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I’m sorry Cap I don’t think I can help you in your quest. I’m taking the day off and gonna relax. This topic of Gomez no longer interests me.
I like horses. Get it?
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Mattyleg –
Well fast looking at the stats on NHL site, top PP scorers for Mtl (3 goals) are Kostitsyn, Pacioretty, Desharnais, Cammalleri (gone) and then (tied with 2): Gomez, Gionta (hurt), Spacek (gone).
So… Gomez on the second PP unit seems legit, I guess.
Little known fact that in Gomez contract he get the big paycheck and also has a minimum number of minutes he can play per game.
Doesn’t really explain RC’s love affair with Gomez…
Accountability? Hm…
the team finishes checks now (most nights)
I don’t get all the griping about our team. Except for a couple of guys (we all know who they are) who are weak, the team has won a lot of games lately and last night was seriously under-manned.
Nilan on Team990 yesterday said this team is giving it all they have – they just don’t have the talent to do more. I agree. Especially missing Markov, Gionta, and Plekanec and muscle in the form of Moen and Blunden, really, can we complain about the loss? Price was the only thing keeping the game close until late – and a lot of guys played hard and well. Cunneyworth has done a good job with what he has – we have a lot of good pieces we’re just missing the full set.
But… on to the reality of being a seller. And I can’t say I’m bothered. We’ve got a lot of great prospects, the idea of getting more and of a really low draft pick has me feeling like we may still win a cup in my lifetime.
PS: Is Ribiero a full blown a-hole or what?
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Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
SD – There are four or five main reasons that the team hasn’t done well this year. They have been discussed ad nauseum on this site. Right now the team has basically run out of gas. Not to mention an ill-timed flu bug. Factor in the difficulty of having to leap frog other teams and you start to see that the deck is stacked against you. It has been for quite some time now.
Blaming everything on Cunneyworth, Price or Gomez is a waste of time. It runs deeper than that.
You made my day! Now I better leave before the minions show up
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
If A holes could fly, Ribeiro would be the Man of Steel.
Knowing that 8 guys are battling the flu… we can say we got off easy.
But I wouldn’t say everyone gave it their all.
Well put Marc.
As the noted philosopher Pogo Possum remarked, “You only read the writing on the wall when your back is against it.”
Montreal’s back has been against the wall for quite some time now. The message is very clear – the Habs are done for the year with no hope of making the playoffs. Read it and weep if you must. Once accepted, that fact will allow fans to move on to the next stage of the team’s future.
Edmonton and Columbus are pretty well a lock to finish 29th and 30th. Logic dictates that Columbus will take Yakupov while Edmonton will opt for a defenseman (Dumba, Murray, Trouba). That means that Forsberg and Grigorenko will still be available for the 3rd and 4th selections. Being able to grab one of these top prospects will at least give some meaning to this season of despair. Even if Montreal slips out of the top four there is still a chance to grab Faksa
(What about Galchenyuk? I can’t see using a top end pick to take a Russian who hasn’t played this year due to a bad knee. One is enough, we don’t need two)
Finishing in the bottom four is now the prime directive for the team. Forget talk of honour, tradition, class or passing the torch. Right now that’s ancient history only kept alive by Montreal’s propaganda/nostalgia PR department. The truth is that missing out on an opportunity to grab an elite forward could set this team back another five years. Selecting a star winger or centre could finally give us the chance to eventually form a stellar top line as well as a lethal power play. Destiny awaits.
As William Blake stated, “Man is made for joy and woe, and when this we rightly know, through the world we safely go.” Simply put, there can be no future joy in Habland until the franchise and it’s fans come to grips with the woe that presently faces the team.
The door to future success stands before the Canadiens. All Mr. Gauthier has to do is find the will to walk through it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7zWtQagdMY
Top picks are not the only goodies the Habs can hope for. Getting 2 picks in round 2 is almost as good as getting a top-5 pick. Getting lots of picks in subsequent rounds is also a great idea. They don’t all work out, but you can get terrific value every so often.
Fail for Nail
One of the best venture capitalists of the past generation and good friend of mine said investing in early stage companies was a numbers game. For all his success, instincts and analysis, he had no ideas which companies would success or fail and rarely did he predict the course of development.
Drafting and player development is no different. It’s a numbers game. Adding picks, especially those in the first (couple) of rounds will, in the long term, translate to more successful drafts. You can chalk it up to the law of larger numbers or taking flyers with additional picks or anything else you like, but it’s true.
I looked (actually marveled) at Karlsson’s numbers this year (he was picked 15th in 2008), so looked who we drafted that year to compare. We traded that pick for one year’s worth of Alex Tanguay. I’m not saying we would have picked Karlsson or Stamkos or Doughty or Del Zotto or one of the many almost certain busts. I’m just saying it would be nice to swing for the fences once in a while and add a talent like them… Because, and here is the really sad part, we don’t have the horses to trade for them until they are broken down Gomez-esque race horses; and we can’t seem to bring him here as free agents, Cole’s stellar year notwithstanding.
So, more more more more more picks… please.
The fear of taking Forsberg or Grigorenko is the Habs would screw that up by rushing them to the NHL and the “pressure and expectations” of Montreal or leaving them too long in the minors…
Same old song and dance.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Ah, the ever popular lose-lose. We suck with this team and we would fail developing elite talent… This is a sticky wicket. Smiler, you are normally a little more cheerful than this. What gives?
I’m fed up.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Pete – You’re not alone in that regard. Rushing 18 year olds seems to be a real problem throughout the league seeing that the talent pool has dwindled in a 30 team NHL.
If we somehow win the lottery, then Yakupov will be on the big team. He may just be that good.
All the others go back to junior (Grigorenko,Faksa) or Sweden (Forsberg). Gallagher, Beaulieu, Tinordi and the rest of the field go to Hamilton and STAY there. The Habs then sign some low end UFAs to fill out the squad until 2014. This needs to be etched in stone by the new GM. He can do that because he will have the unspent capital and leeway to do so.
New GM?
I read (from Dreger, I believe) Geoff Molson’s pleased with Gauthier and I guess an extension can’t be far off.
Goats has no concise vision for the on-ice product and no foresight into cap issues and Molson is pleased???
In all seriousness, Steve, you would make a better GM than he!
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
Could be Molson is being smart, if comes out now and says PG is fired or not happy with him, he loses all street credibility as he approaches trade deadline. Right now Molson has to count on PG managing the saleable assets as best as possible. By cutting him out at the knees now would only make the shitpile smell worse.
The evidence supports Dregger. If Molson planned to fire PG, he would have done it weeks before the deadline The Goat made more crippling mistakes. Molson didn’t.
Instead, he let PG take on older players (Kaberle and Bourque) with years left on multimillion dollar contracts. There’s no business reason to saddle a successor GM with those deals/players while giving up tradable assets (Spacek and Cammy) that could be used by a new regime.
If Molson dumps him at the end of the season, his next GM starts from an even deeper hole and perhaps with a worse draft pick that could have been (what’s the opposite of) earned having dumped Spacek and Cammy for picks earlier in the year.
A more stirring defence of tanking, I can scarcely imagine.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
HabFanSince72 – Here is my reply to your endless, cliche ridden, tanking whine:-) This summation by another poster helps clarify the real issue at hand.
Un Canadien errant says:
1. February 21, 2012 at 11:54 pm (Edit)
I abhor the use of the word ‘tank’ in our context. No matter what, it conjures up the idea of throwing matches, of losing on purpose.
From Wikipedia:
“When a team intentionally loses a game, or does not score as high as it can, to obtain a perceived future competitive advantage (for instance, earning a high draft pick) rather than gamblers being involved, the team is often said to have tanked the game instead of having thrown it.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_fixing
I much prefer to think about it and refer to it as adopting a long-term strategy. In other words, coach and play every game to win, but manage the team’s assets so as to be in better shape for the next season and beyond.
As far as the Canadiens still not being mathematically eliminated, we have to understand that the team is being presently assessed a 3.9% chance of making the playoffs by sportsclubstats.com . If this was a stock, we wouldn’t invest in it. Even if it paid off, and we overcame the 25 to 1 odds of making it, the payoff would be meager instead of a jackpot.
The last two Montreal teams who made the playoffs had a certain swagger, an inner strength that we don’t see in this team. We didn’t see it on the ice against New Jersey or tonight against the Stars. We certainly didn’t see it on the bench or on the coaches’ faces. If they miraculously made the playoffs, they would be cannon fodder to the actual Cup contender they would have to face.
Anyway, we don’t need to whip ourselves into a frenzy or get clinically depressed over it, it’s obvious to everyone, including management, what needs to be done. It’ll be hard to put down Old Yeller, what with the tears and the wracking sobs, but it must be done.
You have me confused with someone else. My take has always been “good if we win, but losing’s fine too”.
Anyhow I was saying I liked your post.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
“Never mind”…
Roseanne Roseannadanna
Sorry about that, HFS72. Sometimes it’s tough to keep track around here.
I think that the post above (from last night) sums it up beautifully.
Let’s grab a great young top five prospect and move on.
William Blake, “Season of Despair”, dude you are on your game this morning.
Oh, and your, we need elite players angle is right on the money.
Testify.
Great post Steve. Thanks
why is palushaj keep getting called up? do we have no one else with a modicum of talent more than that in the minors?
The truth is that right now we don’t. There is a talent gap in terms of prospects who are now with the big club due to circumstance and those who will hopefully join the team in a few years.
This will also be an issue next year when we re-stock Hamilton. Management is going to have to sign a few UFAs to fill the gaps. Or we could rush guys like Beaulieu and Gallagher and risk ruining theircareers.
Next year may not be much better than this year in that regard.
I don’t understand why they don’t call up Geoffrion, see what he can do.
Dave, hasn’t it always been a matter of good and evil between the two of us:-)
If I eventually save your soul the Habs will get a supplementary 1st round pick in the 2013 draft. I still have 16 months left to complete my HI/O community outreach program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GodSpeed to you with that task 24!
Gainey was nowhere near the train wreck that Reggie Houle was, give your head a shake.
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
HH can make some valid points, but this place is not his own personal bitching podium.
No its not worth noting.
I honestly wonder why some still call themselves fans. They hate everything about the team. Nothing ever positive to say.
constantly and relentlessly bashing the same thing over and over until no one wants to ever hear it again.
Blaming admittedly bush league management for Gomez’s censored is bizarre at best.
It’s called reality. Thinking clearly. Being honest. Having foresight and insight.
It’s also a clear indication that the people who mod this site are pathetic human beings.
All I can say to the mods is, “u mad bro?”
It’s yours. You just exercised it. What’s the famous quote? Something like even if I disagree with you, I will defend your right to say it.
That door swings both ways, man. There’s even some idiot on here today defending Gomez! February, 2012. Must be his mom in drag or something. Probably he promised to buy her a new washing machine or some such. But he’s entitled to speak his piece.
HOule traded Turgeon, Conroy and Fitz for a washed up Corson and the worst Hab of all time Murray Baron.
ENOUGH SAID!!!!!!
Great. We’ve devolved into a pissing contest over who was worse, Gainey/JMartin or Houle/SuperMario?
It’s not even close. Houle (Though I personally blame Ronald Corey) cost us two Stanley Cups. Gainey blew a re-build, which yeah, I’m bitter about, but a cup was not likely.
You guys make Hard Habit’s (and others, myself included) argument for him. Blow it up, Tank, whatever. I feel no shame in tanking because that’s how the league is set up: reward failure – what does one of our guys always post? “Fail bigger” or something? I hate the way the league works right now, rewarding the bottom, loser points, hate, hate, hate. But while those are the rules, we have to work within that system. Outside of our core 4-5 players, no one should be safe.
For me personally, the only untouchables are PK and Patches, and Erik Cole., Gorges and Emelin.
Everyone else, including Cary “Joe Thornton” Price – don’t buy a new house this summer.
That is such a load of crap. I am a Montrealer. I know what I am talking about to. I call them like I see them and I also call things well in advance of their happening. If something merits praise I acknowledge it.
Sore losers moderate this place.
Not me. I am winner. I understand the concept better than most it seems.
No. But bashing me is accepted. Hypocrisy. I love it. This just makes me look even better than I already am.
We don’t hate the team, it’s just that we remember when Habs, good or bad, played with pride and passion and went out on their shields – not on their knees.
And that wasn’t even his worst trade!
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Besides the Patrick Roy blunder, there was Recchi for Zubrus, Weinrich for Traverse, reaching the post-season maybe once or twice…
Yeah the good ol’ Patrick Poulin, Sergei Zholtok years…
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Jack Edwards is a clam, Bruins are pukes.
It’s pettiness of the highest order. Somebody obviously doesn’t have enough of a life.
There’s a hell of a draft on this site….
There is hate, people post on here hateful things about the Habs.
Example please? Of something you deem specifically hateful so we can discuss like reasonable men.
Well you might not consider it hate, but it’s the constant petty insults players get all the time or the smurf stuff.
Smurf ™ is hate? How?
A. It’s factual
B. It’s funny
C. I plead guilty, I use it sometimes as a notational device meaning, small, soft and disadvantaged in the modern NHL. Generally it’s a reference to the team overall. For example I like DD, a lot, IF he has some crash and bang wingers. A whole team of DDs and Giontas is not going to be successful in 2012. That’s not hate, that’s opinion deduced from observation. You can also argue that a team of big, slow, lugs is ineffective also. Is that hate against big, slow lugs?
If the terms of engagement are going to be that narrowly defined around here, then we have a bigger problem than hockey issues.
It’s petty and childish.
It’s also old and over used, so I don’t think that it retains any notion of being funny.
It’s only one example, the Russians gets crapped on because they are Russians, Gomez has had every insult and alot of racial stuff posted about him too. Or when people posted about the kostitsyn sisters.
Just childish petty and hateful.
I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes at HIO, but if they feel HaHa is not respecting their rules, then it’s fine for them HIO to delete HaHa’s posts.
This is not about free speech, if he feels like it HaHa can go down on the street and say whatever he wants about the Habs, that’s fine.
But this is a place that is owned and paid for by a company and so it is their right to moderate the comments.
Well you prefer post about Halak’s used jocks, so I say, to each his own.
I agree they are entitled to do as they wish, certain, but maybe they could put a sad face or redact the post or something so we know it’s not technical. With the server issues on HIO that’s always top of mind.
That someone has to be groomed by ourselves if he is to be as loyal and effective as those you have mentioned. Somehow I get the feeling a Neil or a Thornton will not be as fierce after traded to another team.
Let’s hope White will be robust for years to come.
▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭
Scouting is subjective.
I am a huge fan of white but man did he look lost out there last night
Someone said Brassard is off the market. Not sure why they guy has been underachieving huge.
As for the FA’s available…there isn’t many that would be a good fit. They are going to have to make trades
Could not help noticing how much bigger the New Jersey team look compare to us
With or without adding these guys, we could tank by simply playing Budaj more often, and calling up more Bulldogs.
j.p. murray
The only one I would really want on that list is Ruutu. The rest not so much. Isn’t Prust an RFA?
I didn’t see any D on there cause I think someone like Kubin or Allen could help this team out on a two year deal to bridge the cap
I wonder if Koivu would want to finish his career where it all started. Maybe he can convince Teemu to join him…
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
What a weak crop of UFA’s. There may be a couple that would make us bigger and tougher but nobody here is the answer.
Brandon Prust and Paul Gaustad – but guess what – there is going to be a ton of teams looking for guys like that so…Habs won’t get em…instead, we’ll have Darche.
Most boring post. Ever.
Wasn’t Schultz called up and has not played or has he been sent down again?
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Conboy reminds me of Tom the Bomb. I don’t think I have ever seen him win a fight.
Schultz is tough as nails though
called up to skate in the pregame and sent down. Since Christmas time he is playing really well in the AHL.
Good grinder who is great on the PK and is chipping in offensively
Sent back down.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
we got pushed around by Buffalo……Buffalo….it has been a bad year
I doubt it. I think he is a lot happier out of Montreal. I bet now he wishes it happened earlier
Change great to good and I agree. With DD it is a high end 2nd line. With Malkin it is would dominate like the Sedin’s line.
U missed Moen, Habs said today he wasn’t moving….
That team finishes 11th in the East IMO.
Tinordi is going to need time in the AHL, don’t want to rush him.
Love Doan what a player, just have a hard time believing he wants to come to Montreal after that whole escapade in Mtl years back. Great two way player.
and who did we get for Ak, Gionta, Moen, Kaberle, Webber etc..
Pretending for a second that Tinordi, Beaulieu, and Gallagher miraculously made the team out of training camp (they won’t) and that the Habs get to draft Grigorenko (odds are still pretty long on that happening), the doozy there is Shane Doan accepting a trade to a Montreal team that might fare even worse than the mess he’s dealt with in Phoenix.
If Doan were to accept a trade, and I doubt he would at this point, it would only be to a bona fide Stanley Cup contender. The team you have proposed is pretty much a lock for a top 5 draft pick.