They say it isn’t over until the hockey beat writer who could lose a few pounds sings.
Pat Hickey – who, in an earlier incarnation, sang the role of Brunhilde in a Metropolitan Opera production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle – thinks your Montreal Canadiens have had the biscuit, playoffs-wise.
“Anyone who has watched the Canadiens play over the past week and a half,” Hickey writes, “knows there is no chance of this team advancing beyond the final game of the regular season on April 7.”
Here’s Pat’s Gazette story.
• Topic for late-Wednesday discussion: Does Tuomo Ruutu’s contract extension in Carolina boost the trade value of Andrei Kostitsyn?
• Must-read: Pierre LeBrun’s excellent feature on P.K. Subban
“I’d freakin’ take him in a heartbeat,” an NHL GM, who requested anonymity, told ESPN.com this week. “No question about it. He’s a great young talent. He can do things few young defensemen can do. I don’t care about the other stuff. He’ll mature as a person and as a player. I can live with that. The Canadiens would be crazy to ever deal him.”
• And 32 years ago today:
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It may be tough to catch Columbus, but the Oilers and ‘canes could easily finish ahead of the Habs with the proper roster choices. Scott Gomez has in fact become our go-to guy!!!
Must keep DD, Cole, Max Pac, Leblanc, Emelin, Subban, Gorges and Price. The rest can be traded for hockey tape. I like Ryan White too. Lots of effort and balls.
It would a mistake to get rid of Eller. The kid has potential.
Agreed! Eller will be a strong 3rd line center.
Current poll question needs a none of the above choice.
I just logged in expecting Gauthier,Gainey and Gomer gone,Roy as G.M.,and a New Captain in Rick Nash….wtf?
With the NHL trade deadline coming up, and maybe some players going on waivers, is the position for making a claim still from last years standings. I know that as a team we have lost quite a few good players on waivers, it would be nice to pick up a few from this method.
They use last year’s standings for the first couple of weeks of the season then they start using this years standings as of some particular day of the week, or something like that. The Oilers had the first pick until like the first of November, but Columbus would get the first crack at any player right now.
“Andrei Kostitsyn will be traded this month”
- Sean Bonjovi
Thanks Sean for the info, it has been awhile since Montreal has had a good crack at the waiver wire. I hope we might be able to get a few good players, that a contender has no room for.
Has just hopped on the Tank Wagon™
Nice view….
The operative words are “Anyone who has watched the Canadiens play over the past week and a half,” Hickey writes, “knows there is no chance of this team advancing beyond the final game of the regular season on April 7.”
The reality is, if the Habs can play to their potential in this final stretch, they could very well wiggle into the playoff picture.
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
the next question will be: if the Habs do get that 8th spot luckily to get to the playoffs, would they have a chance in beating the Rangers? I don’t think so!
If they can get pucks past King Hendrik, why not?
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
Prop, here’s hoping you always hang on to your never-say-die outlook. I’m way too jaded and cynical in my old age. I wrote the boys off after the St. Louis blanking.
I am 100% willing to acknowledge that the team could be done for the season. The fact remains that they are still in it, and I am not a quitter.
If they don’t make it to the dance, oh well. Next year will roll around.
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
Hogwash, Propwash!
14-5-2 in their last 21 games just to make it to 90 points.
Full Breezer 4 Life
I wonder how much would DD and Max P be worth when they do resign for a long-term contract next season. $3-4 Million a year?
Asumming he puts up 60-70 point seasons this year and next I assume Max Pac will get Phil Kessel/Bobby Ryan kind of money which is like $5 1/2 million/year.
“Andrei Kostitsyn will be traded this month”
- Sean Bonjovi
I think the Organization needs to avoid all UFAs in the upcoming off-season, unless it is a one-two year deal $5 mill total, maximum.
The 2013 UFA crop is amazing, having major cap space available for that off-season is imperative for any long term planning. With the potential of having a shot at Crosby, Perry, Getzlaf, and to a lesser extent, J Staal, must be considered.
Up until that summer the team cant take any salary back, as our current young talent mature, so will their salary, guys like Patch, Eller, DD, Subban, Emelin, and Price all have increasing salaries. Ad in the long term deals to Pleks, Bourque and Gorges.
The Habs have a significant amount of “bad money” on the table. $10 mill in Markov and Kaberle, another $11 mill in Gomez and Gionta.
The key is finding a way to unload Gomez, Kaberle, and Gionta without taking a dime in cap hit back by 2013 summer.
2013 will be the year for DD and Patches raise too.
All those player could be signed before they are UFA, but it would be a good thing to have 15-20 mill available for summer 2013!
I seriously doubt any of those guys will be UFAs once July 1st, 2013 rolls around.
Why dump Gionta, the team’s captain? He has performed up to expectations. It’s certainly not his fault that he was hurt for most of the year. With all the young players arriving in the next few seasons, this team needs some veteran leadership to help them out.
I like Gionta, wouldn’t mind seeing him play out his contract. But, if moving him gave the potential of landing one of those young superstars, it would be worth it.
Cole, Gorges, Moen, Pleks can be leaders too…
Interesting. If Gio will still be the Habs captain next season, would the Habs make a headway if ever they decide to give Gorges a chance to put a C on his upper left chest next season?
Many will argue that he does deserve to be captain as well. In fact, they could at least give him that respect even though this season is in total shambles.
Crosby and the Pens is an interesting situation, might be some hard feelings by Crosby about how they handled his injury. Crosby is looking for a nice long contract, and if I was him I would not play until I got I got one. It has been hard not having Markov so far this season, but the Habs have worked in his best interests, I hope some players notice this fact. Crosby as a Canadien, a dream come true for me.
Sorry to barge in on the talk behind the misfortunes of the Habs (or the planned ‘reconstruction’ that may take place this coming summer). I want to know what’s on everyone’s take on this report by Yahoo Sports regarding to the highest paid athletes of all time:
http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ys-247wallstreet-highest_paid_players_all_time_022112
I don’t know if everyone here agrees to the #1 highest paid player of all time according to them:
http://247wallst.com/2012/02/15/247-wall-st-s-highest-paid-players-of-all-time/3/?utm_source=yahoo-sports&utm_medium=banner&utm_content=247-wall-st-s-highest-paid-players-of-all-time&utm_campaign=YHOOSP
He was worth it though.
Yes he was but I don’t believe that Sakic is by far the most expensive/highest paid athlete of all time.
If we could take into consideration other sports leagues aside from the NHL nor the from the big 4 here in North America, chances are, he ain’t even be up to par with it (consider $25-$30+ million per fight plus PPV earnings, that’s a Whopper!).
Formula One drivers could earn twice as much just as NBA or NHL players do. Boxers to me are THE highest paid of all time.
Now, if we switch topic and look at this: with inflation and the impending talks again by the board of Governors and the NHLPA, this issue of “salary cap” will be a borderline topic that could potentially stall another season (hopefully not like the last time).
I think it was based on his salary in comparison to the league average. He got paid a lot more than every one else, but the league average was only 1.17m
1) G -love …4 million per goal.
Yeah, but those were special goals.
The info on Joe Sakic is really not accurate. New York signed him to an offer sheet for 21M over three years and then front loaded the first year to 17M in an attempt to scare off Colorado. Colorado had one week to match and did so by giving Sakic a three year deal of 17-2-2M.
Okay, so we’re obviously going to have to trade one of our 2nd round picks for someone to get us into the playoffs, because our team, injury-depleted and flu-weakened as it is just might not have enough to make it without some help.
I recommend picking up Dustin Penner for a second round pick (and maybe a 5th, or a young player). His big physical presence should be enough to push us over the top.
Once we’re in, it’s anyone’s game. Let’s make it happen.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Nope.
Penner is another inconsistent overpaid lazy bastachio
Agreed.
Full Breezer 4 Life
Also, trade a 1st rounder and Jarred Tinordi for Ales Hemsky.
trade nothing for Hemsky and take a serious run at him during the offsseason…I know he is fragile,soft,etc…but he is exactly the type of bigtime playmaker the Habs need…he is not quite Kovalev but he has some magic hands and would be great with Pleks IMO. It is unfortunate since it appears the writing is on the wall for AK but I htink you puyt hose three together and you have Pleks back at 70-75 points, Hemsky a point per game (however many he plays) and Ak at 25.
I was kidding. hahah
Mr M – You want to trade a lottery pick and Tinordi for an injury prone UFA who could walk come April 7th?
I was kidding.. obviously I wouldn’t touch him, this season is toast.. SELL! well, just AK and Campoli if there’s interest.
I get it now. You had me wondering!
I am so glad those days are over, past, done with, and gone.
Glad to see Hickey mention Claude Loiselle as a GM candidate: he’s been my fave choice for awhile.
Full Breezer 4 Life
My favorite is still Breezer. I think Breezer will make an awesome GM. All Habs players will have silky smooth hair.
and when things go wrong they can follow their leader and run off to Europe!
=================================================
The cerebral insight of PJ Stock:
“Le problem est Markov n’a pas jouer un seul game cette annee”
“Louis Leblanc est un kid locale”
With Breezer at the helm things can’t go wrong.
The # of people on this site that overrate AK is unbelievable, give your heads a shake, we aint getting an impact player for this bum.. Were gunna get a half ass prospect and a half ass pick, or two picks, if that. Deal with it, the guy has done **** all since hes been here, his value is lower then its ever been right now, i aint no GM or Darren Dreger, but like cmon wake up folks.
Oh yeah. Almost forgot. The Habs need to sign a real back-up goaltender. One that can play 15-20 games minimum and have a winning record. Hopefully they start drafting goalies in late rounds again.
would you select Subban is he is available in the 2nd round, maybe with the Nashville pick…
In a heartbeat.
Yes, but I have a feeling that he will go in the first round.
————————
“Can we lose the parade float?…..Thank you!”
Just a thought:
Pleks is kind of a shifty player by nature, not the hard-hitting one most fans want him to be. Why not pair him with AK, a mix of mostly shifty with a bit more bite and scoring touch? Add Bourque to play a more “crash the net” game and mix it up a bit. Maybe Pleks and AK could find each other well enough to cash some in
I’ve seen countless posts referring to this since his acquisition, but I’m honestly curious as to why so many people think Kaberle will be moved at the deadline.
What team is going to want to take on a past-his-prime, decreasing in mobility and positioning, two years left on his contract at $4.25mil/yr D-man?
Our only hope is a Vermette deal-type of return. But I would say Vermette is more useful to teams than Kaberle.
So- who thinks Gauthier would actually be able to find a taker for Kaberle? I certainly don’t.
somebody asked earlier what moved I would make in the offseason to improve the team… Here’s my suggestions:
1) The obvious Gomes issue: if he is not tradable and can’t be bought with no penalty within the CBA period we send him to the minors
2) Sign Parise for what ever it takes.
3) Bring over Evgeni Artyukhin from the KHL. It is beyond me why this guy is playing in russia. He is a physical beast and can actually play damn good
4)Sign 2 solid stay at home physical defencemen ( O’Brien and Colaiacovo would be picks)
5) this is the hardest move but it has to be made: Trade DD (OR Pleks), Tinordi, Weber and 1st rounder to Anaheim for Getzlaf.
6) Resign Moen
7) sign a 4th line Center who is a face off and PK specialist… David Steckel(Not sure if available) comes to mind but there are other ones
this will be the line up:
Parise – Getzlaf – Gionta
Cole – Plekanec/DD – Pacioretty
Moen – Eller – Bourque
Artyukhin – Steckel – White
(Darche 13th forward)
Markov – Emelin
Georges – PK
O’brien – Colaiacovo
(Diaz 7th D)
I think we have a good team and there is no need to blow it up. just needs some tweaking
“5) this is the hardest move but it has to be made: Trade DD, Tinordi, Weber and 1st rounder to Anaheim for Getzlaf.”
Why even propose such a foolish trade? Obviously they can get much better for Getzlaf.
Full Breezer 4 Life
you are joking right?
DD (OR Pleks), Tinordi, Weber and 1st rounder to Anaheim for Getzlaf
I think that is even somewhat over paying for him but I put it just for good measure
Weber is crap. DD is mediocre/one-dimensional. Tinordi is a long-term prospect who may not make it. The 1st rounder is nice.
Now, you change DD for Pleks, and that is a much more attractive deal for Anaheim.
But yeah, the first trade proposal is a laugher.
Full Breezer 4 Life
What Bill said.
There is a tendency of fans to overvalue their own players. No way that Anaheim thinks DD, Weber and Tinordi plus a pick are worth Getzlaf.
On the other hand Plekanec has huge value. The only circumstance I would trade him is for a huge big time player, but Pleks is the sort of player sought by most teams that could make that happen.
I still wouldn’t make that trade. Plekanec is too valuable
“Et le but!”
I like most of what you said… but way too much for Getzlaf..he aint worth DD and a first rounder let alone Tinordi.
Wow.
Full Breezer 4 Life
I think you’re UNDER selling the value of DD… He has consistently been our BEST centerman all year long, and is an amazing playmaker.
We couldn’t afford that, Getzlaf won’t be traded, AK46 ain’t coming back, Kaberle ain’t going no where.
actually I noticed later that I forgot about Bourque but ya AK46 traded for a some draft picks b4 the deadline would do it for me…
Re Getzlad, I think every player in the league has his price and I don’t mind over paying for this one guy.
Also, I think Kaberle is more tradable than most people think. He still puts up point as a D and can definitely help a contender who is deep on stay at home defencemen but thin on backend offence. After all he was traded for a 1st and a 2nd just last year and went on to win the cup…
I think Kaberle is easily tradeable, I just don’t think he will be.
Disagree with signing 2 defensemen. We already have a lot and I’d rather we give the opportunity to someone young instead of having veterans blocking their development.
25 before 14
Stack the trade high for getzlaf… only if they take gomez
“4)Sign 2 solid stay at home physical defencemen ( O’Brien and Colaiacovo would be picks) ”
O’Brien fits that bill, but Coli? You have to be kidding…
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Yes, I’m a Hab fan..Wanna fight about it?
1) sure
2) sure
3) sure…if you are confident he can be controlled.
4) idk whatever
5) The Ducks would only take Pleks. it is very possible Saku goes to Europe, or another NHL team. Saku-DD combo is not what they want. Only having DD in place for next year isn’t what they want either.
Also, I watch the Ducks regularly, and tbh, Getzlaf is simply not that good. The entire second line regularly and for long stretches outplays the first. Getzlaf is almost as afraid to shoot as Gomez (which is weird given Getzlaf is actually good at it.), and you’re putting him somewhere without anyone even close to Ryan, Perry, or Selanne. He’s big and tough, and maybe that’s what we need, but that it is what Anaheim probably wants too. This would be a near impossible trade to get, let alone win in my mind.
Also, they have absolutely no need for Weber or Tinordi, although I’m sure they wouldn’t mind the later.
6) Trade him for picks. resign him in the off season or get one of the many others who do the exact same thing for the same price.
7) very much needed. We’ve had some good ones in this role, I’d like another.
this will be the line up:
1) Agreed
2) Maybe – need to put a $$$ limit to this idea.
3) Absolutely, although he is like AK, in that he disappears for stretches.
4) No. We have plenty of prospects coming thru the pipeline, why create a logjam?
5) No. I am a firm believer that you keep your 1st round pick (maybe swap for another 1st rounder, but keep the 1st rounder). I also think that Tinordi will be part of the answer for #4, so keep him. Yes, I would like to have Getzlaf, but not at that price.
6) Yes.
7) Don’t know who is available.
As it stands, we will draft three times in the top 60and 5 times in the top 100.
In the past 2 drafts we haven’t had a 2nd or 3rd round pick. In 2009 we also had no 2nd rounder, and 2008 we had no 1st rounder. It’s a miracle we’ve been able to draft fairly well.
Considering Timmins’ late round success, this could be a huge draft for les boys! In 2013, we also have a 1st, two 2nds, and a third.
The question is whether to trade some of these picks for success next year, or keep them for the longhaul, making our current vets (with limited windows for victory) expendable.
j.p. murray
I am firm believer in not trading picks unless;
a) it’s for a rental that will be resigned.
b) it’s at a point where the acquired player will immediately make an impact for a Stanley Cup contender.
My hope is the Habs just build slowly and from within. I also hope they stop the spending to the cap to merely put on the ice an 8th place team all over again.
I so hope the Vincent Damphousse becomes GM. He’d turn the franchise around and proper.
It is time to end the cronyism and nepotism that is fervent within the Habs organization. One need only look back to the 90′s to see what that brought Habs fans.
So we end the cronyism and nepotism by hiring a former Habs standout player and current Habs broadcaster as the GM, a man with no management experience?
I’m failing to see how that is a marked difference from our recent past.
Damphousse doesn’t work for Molson’s breweries or go to all the big Quebec sports galas.
I have listened to him speak, mind you on the antichambre, numerous times and he comes across as intelligent, level headed, with a vision and capable of making the right decisions.
He has my total vote of confidence.
Chris: would you like (in fantasy) to have Gillette back as owner? Haven’t things gone south more or less coincidental with his departure?
I agree that Damphousse would be pure cronyism. Let’s get a GM with business nous and solid GM or Assistant GM experience.
I have a real bad feeling about this deadline upcoming..
PREDICTIONS
1) AK leaves to a western team for a 2nd rounder and a nobody..
2) Campoli goes to an eastern team for a 2nd or 3rd rounder and a nobody
3) Moen, Gomez, Kaberle all remain Habs…
4) Habs get in return..nobody big at all…and our new GM makes big moves in the offseason.
Just predictions, don’t bite my head off!
If your predications happen (excluding Gomea and Kaberle returning) I’ll be very pleased! Kostitsyn is an overpaid UFA, we need to get what we can for him!! Campoli is not worth a 2nd or 3rd rounder, he’s been a healthy scratch on several occasions and isn’t worth resigning (6th rounder would be sufficient).
The draft picks would help us longterm and the cash we free up would help us in the free agent market.
j.p. murray
Caps lost 5-2 against Ottawa..that team is going downhill too
Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom (inj), Green(injured most of the season)
A great core of second and third liners, and because most of them are individuals (not including Backstrom), they can’t win.
They Call Me Shane
There losing streak will end FRIDAY.
WRONG!!….That is when Les Canadiens jump back to within 5 points of the LAFFS.
except that they actually have good players. More than one line even.
Wow, how about that Ruutu contract? 17 goals, 13 assists … almost five million a year for four years.
What does AK46 get in the off-season??
Full Breezer 4 Life
I agree, but, Ruutu does bring a physical and agitating style AK doesn’t. Not just number of hits but effectiveness of them. But still whacked out contract.
What do you guys think of Hudler?
I figure we traded Cammy to get Bourque (Kostitsyns replacement).
Then we trade Kostitsyn for picks.
We use money we save for signing a new top 6 scorer.
I still think the Habs can make the play-offs. If they do they’ll be the hottest team in the league. Nobody would want to face them in the 1st round.
Sense the sarcasm?
It’s funny though. We are back to the square one, the debate of last summer. What was it again? I can’t go back and read my arguments because the mods have deleted them all.
Shane!! You have an archive of all my comments. Maybe you can help me out.
If I am not mistaken it went something like this:
The Habs need more size and grit, especially up front.
They need a more physically punishing defence corps.
They need a defence man with a booming shot.
They need a 4th line of significance; one that can crash and bang, drop’em if necessary, and be defensively responsible.
I think I also mentioned that the Habs needed to Tank™ a bit.
So here we are. Sellers. Out of it. And the bottom line is all those things I was clamouring for last summer are still true today.
Like we used to say back in the 80′s. There’s always next season!!!
The Habs do not need more size and grit, especially up front. They need people who can score. With Bourque, Kostitsyn, Cole, Pacioretty and Eller, the Habs have plenty of size and speed up front. What they’re missing is a true sniper, a 40 goal man who draws attention on the power play.
The Habs don’t especially need a more physically punishing defence corps (Subban and Emelin are more than enough in that regard), they need players who don’t panic when the puck is in their zone.
The Habs do need a defenceman with a booming shot, preferably a LH shot to partner Markov if he returns. Subban should be partnered with Kaberle, if he stays, on the power play.
The Habs have a 4th line of signifigance, they just couldn’t roll it this season due to injuries. A 4th line of White-Moen-Blunden/Darche would have been perfectly adequate. Unfortunately, White’s sports hernia killed his season, while injuries to Cammalleri, Gionta and Kostitsyn required that Moen and Darche be elevated to other lines as fill-ins.
The Habs need a healthy Andrei Markov and a return to form of Tomas Plekanec.
Will they win with all that? Probably not…the odds are pretty long. But they won’t be as bad as they were in this train wreck of a season.
Could Pacioretty be the 40 goal man we’re looking for?
Then we could go get a secondary scorer to replace Kostitsyn. Hemsky, Hudler, Jones or Doan. Or maybe make a trade with Kostitsyn for Chris Stewart like someone on the last page suggested. He’s not having the best year and may be available. He’s an RFA too.
So you agree that they should Tank™ then.
You win. Most annoying post of the year.
You’re too kind but you annoy with far fewer words. I concede this round but I will be back with more things to irk. You in particular.
when they have three games left and they need 7 points for the 8th position that’s when I’ll believe they’re done….
CAREY CAREY CAREY
They Call Me Shane
Is scary scary scary.
Richard R
Especially for laff fans like you. Keep your chin up, one day they may have a goaltender as talented as Price.
AH yes. The you’re a Leafs fan argument. It never gets old. But then again neither does inert matter.
Price should be traded immediately for Nash and Mason……hurry before the other GM wakes up and realizes he has been fleeced.
Agreed. This statement has logic and sense. Right now, there are still 42 possible points to acquire, and only 7 points are needed to catch the LAFFS. LES CANADIENS ARE STILL IN!!!!….no matter what the over dramatic, emotionalists say.
Ottawa is going to have to pay Karlsson a huge raise this summer, Doughty money?
And he was a 15th overall pick. Very odd how they got a good player with a middle of the pack pick.
They Call Me Shane
Karlsson is kind of small for a defence man that’s probably why he dropped in the draft as there is no questioning his skating & offensive abilities etc….
Pot stirrer, but your right.
They Call Me Shane
The two players that Gauthier should be using AK as bait for are Chris Stewart and Jack Johnson. Both are availble for the right price and both players fit our mantra moving forward. Obviously it would take more then AK but he could be a important piece to gettting conversations started.
I’de be ok with Stewart even though he’s not having a good season.
Is that the same Stewart we could have had off waivers for free?
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
my thoughts exactly.
No, it is his more talented brother
“Et le but!”
oops.
double oops.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
I hope when we trade Kostitsyn we get another pick for this year. We have 5 in the first 4 rounds but only 6 in total.
Um okay, so either HIO and RDS are somewhat affiliated, either they coincidentally think alike these days, either they were both lacking inspiration, either one of the two got their poll “inspiration” on another poll.:
RDS.ca
Quel ancien joueur du Canadien évoluant maintenant avec les Stars vous manque le plus?
Mike Ribeiro
Stéphane Robidas
Michael Ryder
Sheldon Souray
Seems like the results are different though. Ryder got only 5% on RDS.
And YES, I am bored.
Is there a E) None of the Above
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Nope. Apparently neither HIO or RDS ever considered the option e) I don’t care.
Pity, it would have the highest %.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
This team was never quite good enough to compete for the playoffs since the start of the season – they had to have an awful lot of things go right, and instead a lot of things went wrong.
There is a nucleus to build around at least, but anyone who had convinced themselves we were a legitimate playoff team after the slow start and the rest of the early season debacles was kidding themselves.
Time for next year.
Question for everybody. What would you like to see happen this off-season during free agency? (assuming all of the undesirables are removed from our roster)
As much as I’d like to not miss the playoffs again I really don’t want to overpay for a bunch of boat anchors again. I ‘d really like to establish a core of, mostly young, players who play hard for each other and the logo on their jersey.
So I guess I’d like to see a few moderately priced, yet solid, signings as needed to compliment our remaining core.
(Unless there’s some miracle trade that comes out of left field)
Nothing
Go to the draft, maybe trade one of our top six for another pick and start the 2012-13 season with the players who make the team, plus Markov!
They Call Me Shane
Is any good defense men in the UFA market this year worth picking up?
More defensemen than forwards
Lidstrom, Rosival, Wideman (gonna get a big raise), Stuart, Kuba, Jackman, Sarich, Oduya, Suter (another big raise), Carle, and Allan.
I expect the Habs to make a strong pitch for Matt Carle from Philly
Cheap short term “protector” for the young guys.. Matt Carkner…
Also, Brian Allen is a former 4rth overall pick. 6’5″ 225lbs, tough, little offense.. may be way overpriced though.
Cool. Probably a smart move.
Can we scrape together enough defensemen without going to free agency?
I agree with Sholi2000.com below.. but for a different reason.
DO NOTHIN! or as we say around the dinner table “bilashi” !!!
Deep down I love the agony rampant in HIO when Habs are like this.
I love the posts… they are hilarious. I love the verbal fights. The sourpusses.
So give PG an extension. Give Kaberle a letter! Make Weber a part-time forward. etc etc!
What you you spoilt habs fans cant survive one more year of Leafs-like futility.
I just realized Dominic Moore is Steve Moore’s brother. wtf.
Thx the opinion Twilight
We used to be satisfied with making the playoffs. Now it’s we are not falling apart like the Maple Leafs. Our standards have fallen. What is worse, is this team’s standards have fallen. Have they finally hit rock bottom? The worst of it is, I doubt it. They need to admit and own their pathetic mediocrity from top to bottom. Until they do nothing will change.
Shut up about “standards”. We had a bad season. It happens to somebody every year. We we’re plagued with injuries and had a ton of inexperienced players. That’s the biggest factor for our failure this year. Both of those will be better next year.
Say what you will about the Habs and their hard-luck season but at least they’re going down with a fight. The Capitals are truly pathetic to watch. Getting bombed 4-0 by the Sens tonight and putting absolutely no effort forward.
———————–
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
Going down with a fight? Did you see the last few games?
—————-
McGuire for GM!
Roy for Coach!
Sh*t for Brains!
Sucking to high heaven. I freakin love it.
They Call Me Shane
Hey folks … Since we all know the Habs are sellers, what do you think would be fair returns for our trade bait? Here’s my thoughts:
Kaberle: 2nd or 3rd round pick or prospect & 6th round pick
Moen: Late 1st rounder/high 2nd rounder or prospect & 3rd rounder
Darche: 3rd to 5th round pick or prospect
Campoli: 2nd rounder or prospect
Weber: 1st/2nd rounder or prospect
AK: 1st rounder & more if possible or replacement roster player, like the Cammy trade.
You overvalued everyone except for perhaps kost, who might fetch this much if some other GM is a total idiot.
lol
It’s nice to dream. That said, this is a League where people in positions to make multi-million dollar decisions give Tuomo Ruutu $19M.
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
How about PK for Erik Karlsson?
Richard R
I never know when people are trying to be funny. You have to start using smiley faces when you are joking.
They Call Me Shane
I wouldn’t do it. I think PK will end being better within 2-3 years. I have no basis, just a feeling about it. Karlsson is small and I think this will catch up to him. Can’t argue with the points he’s putting up though
Subban is a pretty well-balanced D man. He can take a hit, and he can deliver some really nice ones. He’s still improving defensively, but I think he will become very good in a shutdown sense. He can also contribute offensively, an aspect to his game I hope will take off once he solidifies defensively.
Karlsson is great offensively, but I’m not sure he’s got the physicality to be good at shutting down other teams’ top lines. Then again, Lidstrom isn’t exactly physical. But I still think that, on the whole, the Habs need tougher D men and Subban is one that will be quite good at everything.
You know the culture is bad within the Habs, when Ottawa with its arguably lesser talented team outperforms them.
This team has turned into the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It shows well on them, when players like Ribeiro, Spacek, Halak, Ryder, and Pouliot slap’em around a bit.
Spezza v. Desharnais ; Whose team should finish high in the standings?
“Andrei Kostitsyn will be traded this month”
- Sean Bonjovi
Joonas Nattinen just scored his 5th goal in four games to get the Bulldogs back in the game, he’s playing well as of late.
Blake Geoffrion also scored one on the Power Play.
Geoffrion had the assist.
On Nattinen’s goal?
Yep
Then he’s got a goal and a assist tonight, hopefully they come out hard in the 3rd.
Here is one of the best sites for following the Hab prospects;
http://habsprospects.hockeyhq.net/
habs need to lose every game and finish 26 th or lower. better to lose then win now. shot at top draft choice if we get in draft lottery
Y’know, we’re having a bad season, but at least we are not the Leafs. These guys are falling apart when they have to be clutch – when they need to solidify a spot. The Sens were falling apart earlier but they got it together and I think they’re solidly in the playoff spot. The Leafs however, have not been winning must-win games, and the Jets or Panthers will likely bump them out. The lack goaltending, they are too streaky, and their D is not great.
I know we don’t have much to brag about, but a lot of the games we’ve lost were by a goal or apres regulation, which suggests that with a little more firepower and some tighter D, we would be in the thick of things… So people, at least we aren’t Leaf fans.
I agree, they are ripe for the picking, but I think they still make the playoffs as the east so bad, they will get in despite their crappy play. Look at Washington, they are getting hammered by Ottawa 4-0.
No need to explain the rest, at least we aren’t Leaf fans. Full stop. We should all pick up the phone and call our dads or mums or uncles or aunts or whoever it was that influenced you to being Hab fans when it could have been the other way. Terrible season, no doubt. A real clusterf**k. But my team has won 7 Cups in my lifetime, the Bruins only have 6 in their entire existence. Thanks Pop. Glad I’m not a Leaf fan
Hmmmm. I don’t think I have Ken Dryden’s phone number, but he lives about 2 miles north of me. Maybe I can go knock on his door?
“Et le but!”
There are definetely a few positives to take from this season.
We score more and we hit more. 2 good things.
I think the biggest thing this season was;
1. The absence of a top D-man(Markov if he ever play again)
2. The fact that we only have one line that works( A great one at that)
And im not sure how to fix that one! But we’ll see
All valid points Shane. I’d add we got bigger to your list also.
A funny read on NHL teams defensive systems:
http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/sports/blog.html?b=sports.nationalpost.com/2011/11/12/the-wonderful-world-of-nhl-defensive-systems
Note what kind of system the Habs have lol!
Now that is worth a full belly chuckle!
Hahaha, I read that already! And second read is still as funny!
I like most of this guy’s posts (even if he’s a Leafs fan).
After crunching the numbers, I came up with this as our salary cap next season:
Price 7m*,
Budaj 1.15m
Markov 5.75m,
Subban 5m*,
Kaberle 4.25m,
Gorges 3.9m,
Weber 2m*,
Diaz 2m*,
Emelin 2m*.
Plekanec 5m,
Gionta 5m,
Cole 4.5m,
Kostitsyn 4m*,
Bourque 3.33m,
Eller 2m*,
Moen 2m*,
Pacioretty 1.625m,
Fourth Line Player 1.5m*,
White 1.1m*,
Desharnais .85m.
*estimated salary
In total that equals 63.95m. I overestimated a bit and I don’t think Kostitsyn will be back, but we aren’t in bad shape salary wise… as long as Gomez is gone. There is only 11 forwards on the list but a player like Blunden or Geoffrion or Darche will fill it nicely.
Price and Subban won’t be that high and neither will AK as he’ll be on another team.
—————-
McGuire for GM!
Roy for Coach!
Sh*t for Brains!
Ya, I definitely overestimated to be on the safe side.
Nice work with the #’s but it’s the same team plus Markov (?) which probably will not make the playoffs. I think we have to up grade for at least one Enforcer and a big d-man.
Arrgggggg I have to agree with the Captain on AK.
“Kill the Women & Children, Save the Men”
Gay Pirates from an old Monty Python Skit.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Well if Kostitsyn is traded which it looks like that’s what is going to happen, that will open up 4m for a new top 6 forward. Leblanc will probably be up full time by then too.
If anyone’s expecting a huge overhaul next year then they totally mistaken. What we need are a couple small tweaks, another year of development, and *pray to god* a season without so many injuries.
We may be able to bring in a new top 6 guy, a bottom 6 guy, and a veteran depth dman. I think thats all we need, and all we’ll try to get.
If Price gets 7million per I’m going to VOMIT!
I am a huge Price and Subban fan, but I do not think they will get such contracts!
a) Price is our best player, but he still has a lot to prove.
b) Subban is still young and a RFA, which gives the Habs the advantage in negotiation talks.
Also, your lineup is essentially the same that is going to draft in the lottery. I am assuming Management is going to be hard pressed to make a significant move via trade or free agency.
Also, I expect the Salary Cap to go up 1 or 2 million dollars.
There won’t be alot of huge changes from this year to next. Losing Gomez, Campoli, Noke and Darche will allow 4 new players. Most of them already are playing. With Kostitsyn gone that could allow us to add a new scorer (Doan, Hudler, Hemsky, Jones), a bottom 6 guy, and a depth veteran dman.
How do you know we will rid ourselves of Gomez? Do you know something we don’t? Based on your calculations we have a huge problem salary wise with Gomez.
You think Price is worth 7 million? That price is wrong.
Richard R
I’ve stated twice now that I’ve overestimated on purpose to be on the safe side. I also don’t think Diaz and Weber will get 2m.
Subban at 5!? He’ll get 2.5 – 3m a year in a 2 or 3yr. deal imo
Hypothetically, if we got Guy Boucher as a coach….. yay or nay?
Anyone know anything that is not speculation about him and how he has done so far in the NHL?
J. Lemaire in spades..no
I don’t see how RC comes back and because of the importance of the French language to Quebec and Montreal it limits the list of candidates. I’d vote yes but what do I know. My hometown has no arena, I may not qualify as a true fan, and my farts smell worse then the air around the steel mills in Burlington. : )
Roflmao, haha
They Call Me Shane
I don’t mind getting him but only after a couple of years of NHL experience. Assuming Yzerman is not the type to panic fire Boucher after 1 bad season, I think we’re on track to have him after our current coach, or his replacement this summer, expires after the usual 2 seasons stay a typical Montreal coach enjoys (or endures).
▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭ ◌ ▭
Scouting is subjective.
Yay.
The problem in Tampa is very simple: no keeper. Roloson is dead last among goalies who’ve played at least 20 games with a woeful 88% save percentage. This has forced them to play Mathieu Garon who is only a bit better at 90%.
Tampa are 15th in shots against but last – by far – in goals against. They give up an amazing 1.3 goals per game more than number one St.Louis. They’ve also had lots of injuries on D.
The team is hampered by being relatively limited financially, and being forced to pay 1/3 of their wage amount to three players. They simply can’t afford a major league goalie.
So Boucher in Montreal? by all means.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
What do you guys think of Eller?
To me, he looks like he has some toughness and speed carrying the puck, but he has terrible hands, and no scoring touch.
Seems like he’ll often do a good job at battling for the puck, carry it smartly and quickly up ice, get to the blueline, and immediately get stripped by the defenseman.
Or he’ll carry it near goal, and lose control, get it taken away, or shoot weakly.
I dunno if he can learn or develop finishing skills, or if what we see is what we get.
Terrible hands, no scoring touch? Are you serious?
Good puck control, bad decisions and no finish.
That spinarama move he made in the shoot out was actually a complete fluke……
*******************
Bring on zee Fembaahhts!!
I’m not sure you’re watching the same player. Terrible hands? He’s got great hands. No scoring touch is due to low ice-time and the revolving door of linemates. Perhaps his play is also a reflection of how he is being coached. Defense first.
He will be a force.
Still young. Not as good as Halak.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
No hands? If anything, that’s been his strong point all along (aside from his defensive game), he’s fantastic with the puck – great puck possession skills. Scoring touch will come in time as he matures and learns to use his linemates more effectively. Just wait another year or two when he’s added more muscle to that frame as well…look out. Tons of potential with this kid.
Eller
Pros
Great hands.
Committed to fight for pucks. Gets possession and maintains it well.
Very good on ice vision.
Opens up ice for linemates and finds them with tricky little passes.
Strong defensively.
Has a bullet shot when he chooses to use it. Lightning quick release when he commits.
Hates being called Larry
Cons
The same committment to fight for pucks results in careless penalties.
Can hold on to the puck too long.
Revolving door 3rd line linemates makeit hard to judge what he can really do
Has a kind of half assed shot when he runs out of options and shoots as a last resort
“Et le but!”
There’s a doc on hockey (More than just a game) on Mountain Lake PBS tomorrow night at 9 P.M., if anyone is interested.
Richard R
Saw the tail end of it a couple weeks ago on gbh boston. Was pretty good, but struck me as “Home Game”, condensed to an hour to explain Canada to Americans.
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Lost a bottle of Kraken during this debacle of a season. Better gettem next year.
A few warm , fuzzy feelings that I will take away from thi season.
1: The development of the “Russian Eraser” Alexei Emelin.
2: Cole – Deharnais – PacIoretty… a top NHL line.
3: Despite the bumps in the road, Subban, Price and Eller’s rise.
One thing that will haunt me is the horrible OT/ Shootout record.
….Hab4life….
This team’s true colours were exposed about a year ago in Boston when the Bruins literally beat, embarrassed and mocked us 7-0.
We have been nothing but a pushover since then in every way.
When a 170 lb weasel like Ribeiro openly mocks and taunts us again last night and NOTHING happens, this team has lost all its soul….
Stop insulting weasels.
Ribeiro should have gotten slapped.
For those who love Canadiens memorabilia and want to help out.
They Call Me Shane
I don’t know if anybody here plays chess. If you do sign up at chess.com. It’s free and I play there often. I am always up for a chess challenge.
My profile: http://www.chess.com/livechess/profile/HardHabits
Just in case anybody has any desire too match wits with me mano a mano. Any takers?
BTW. My favourite piece is the Tank™.
my dad or brother would kick yo ass
——————
The 2010-11 Stanley Cup was not won, but given
My 7 year old grandson would kick his butt!
I used to play quite a bit, mostly the kids at school. I beat most of them most of the time. I joined a proper chess club once just to see how I would do. I did alright in the one tournament that I played and got a decent (for me) official ranking out of it. I haven’t played much in almost two decades now. I don’t know if I will ever feel like it again.
Awesome. Let them know I am up for a challenge.
Never learned the game HH but my Grandson plays. I’ll let him know about the site. Be easy on him he’s only 12. : )
Notice I didn’t claim mine could beat him, only would kick his butt.
How good are you HH? I haven’t played for a few years, but I used to be decent player in my day. My favorite offensive game was the King’s Gambit, which I played often with pretty good success when I drew white.
How low have we sunk?
Being reported that Habs about to make a trade soon.
This guy has been super accurate and is followed by Darren Dreger himself. Let’s see if he is right this time.
https://twitter.com/#!/HockeyBreak
Personally, who would you want to see shipped out? Okay.. nevermind.. let me re-state this before I see a list of Gomez, Campoli and Kaberle.. who can you see being traded next?
Je pense que c’est Andrei Kostitsyn.
Kostitsyn. He is apparently the one PG has been shopping the hardest.
Could Vermette have been a good fit for us and let say for AK
That ship sailed…
Gonna be AK.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Vermette was traded today!
Went for a 2nd, 5th (chance to upgrade to 4th) and an injured goalie.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
I say yes.. we could have afforded what they got for him.
Wasn’t that twitter account linked to a 17 year old?
—————-
McGuire for GM!
Roy for Coach!
Sh*t for Brains!
How about we reunite the bros. I hear the Nashville crime syndicate is at least passable, especially if you’re into running moonshine.
How about a 1st and Austin Waston for AK+?
If Florida misses out on playoffs does the team their start slashing payroll? Just thinking if we clear some payroll who some teams are we may be able to acquire some talent for next year.
The only player I like from Florida plays goal and we don’t need that position.
They Call Me Shane
How about Weiss?
Richard R
Boys and girls, just went to Cap Geek and we are F#@ked for next year unless we can trade away some deadwood or they increase the cap. Unless we can dump Kaberle and maybe Borquue (not cause i want him gone but salary hit only and may bring a good return) we have only $7.75M in UFA’s & RFA to dump. AK $3.25, AP 883,000 , MB 615,000 ,PN 550,000 and Campoli 1,750.000 and Diaz750,000 who i would like to see back but is a RFA. No I don’t know how the non roster players work vs. the cap but we have 14 UFA’s & RFA’s in Hamilton including Geffferon (RFA). So unless some GM goes insane and takes Gomez and AM goes back to Russia and is knee caped by Chechen rebels and retires there’s almost$13M between the two of them.
Im quite sure someone will let me know if AM would have been put on the Disabled list at the start of the season would his salary counted against our salary cap this year or not?
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Andrei has been on the LTIR since last season.
All salaries count against the salary cap but teams are allowed to exceed the cap by the salary of the designated replacement player for the player on LTIR until the player comes back.
Confused yet???
Gomez will be bought out when the league institutes a 2 week penalty-free buy-out period after the new CBA is signed. (just like they did when the expiring CBA was signed)
I’d bet my non-existent house on it
How many players can a team buy out if this does happen? I’d like to see it also happen to AM then re-signed to a 1 year deal at a lower salary to see what condition his knee is. I was worried last Year and really concerned about it now.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
We have 43m tied up for next year which leaves us 20m in cap space. We have 9 RFAs and 4 UFAs. Plus the prevaling idea that we will somehow drop Gomez’s contract
Plus we finally won’t be paying Laracque anything anymore. NYI are still paying 2.2m for the next 3 years for Yashin.
I think BGL was around 750,000 so it does add a little more wiggle room. But what RFA & UFA’s do we keep?
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
He’s 500,000
You forgot to mention that Price and Subban will be looking for huge deals as well…. before next season.
Then they should go look elsewhere. They’re not there yet.
Richard R
Good article by Pat Hickey. Love the comment about AK46.
The Ruutu contract just shows that the insanity continues in the NHL.
Boucher on thin ice? What, people don’t like his 4-1 system
Once I say that I pretty much lost any repsect for the guy as a coach.
TB hasd more problemsm than coaches though.
Defence, goaltending, and Marty and Vinny aren’t get any younger.
They Call Me Shane
What scares me about that article is that Hickey mentions McGuire as a GM candidate, I am sooner to accept Roy as coach next season.
If Boucher is on thin ice the French Media will Demand he be hired here and won’t care what his record is cause he is french. Sad state of affairs.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
Not a true fan is total bullcrap. Its called being realistic. Ive watched the habs for 40 years and havent cared or watched any other team this ‘is’ my team period. If we did make it to the playoffs we’d get killed because we dont have the team or the coach.
There’s 30 teams now, times have changed…
Once again, you sir are not a true fan, and your delusional self-righteousness is annyoing. You leave nothing but negative comments, you “laugh” at the people who think there is still hope. What difference does it make to you if they have a little hope? If you only come on here to check if PG gets fired then do just that, no need in signing on and belittling people for caring, go back to enjoying the smell of your own farts. No one cares about you, or what you have done in the past 40 years.
I’m embarrased that you and I cheer for the same team, because you suck.
touche!
In fairness while we don’t like to admit it, don’t we all enjoy our own fa….
No, just pretentious people do, but you may have an excuse because yours may just smell a bit better than the air in burlington.
Do you have a list of the criteria for being a “true fan”?
Just want to be sure I measure up!
Would do all of us a lot of good if HIO could post the criteria, way less fighting then.
Yes I have a list of criteria on being a true fan, (rolls eyes) unfortunately asking if “you measure up” puts you squarley in the reject pile my friend…sorry.
So pretentious people are included in that criteria?
Cause it doesn’t get more pretentious then deciding who is or is not a “true fan”…just saying!
are you ok? Just sayin! You seem to be hung up on it, the comment wasnt even directed at you.
What to do with the dead wood… Some ‘SD inspired’ questions for the faithful. Would love to get your thoughts.
1) AK’s value just went up with Ruutu re-signing. What’s he worth?
IMO, a late first rounder and a dozen pucks or a prospect + a second rounder.
2) Moen. Keep or ship?
I love him, but I’d ship him as he won’t be part of a Cup winning lineup in 3 years. We’ll get value back. A second rounder + a project or a bonafied prospect.
3) Gomer. Assuming we can’t give him away this year – what do you do with him?
My preferred option is that we give him away for a 7th-9th rounder + future considerations to a team that needs cap relief.
Otherwise we ship him to Europe or bury him in the AHL.
4) Kabs. Assuming we can’t trade him, what do you do next year?
I put him through re-entry waivers after sending him down. Someone will grab him then and we pay half his salary.
5) Campoli. What’s he worth?
A 3rd or 4th rounder?!
6) Weber/Diaz – what do you do with those guys?
Frankly, I never want to see a D man under 200lbs unless they are a bonafied PP specialist/QB. I don’t see these guys ever being strong or good enough… but maybe we’re seeing Mark Streit again here. What do you think. What are they worth?
I’d get a pick and a project me thinks. They have some potential. Weber has a cannon of a shot and Diaz is good all around but just doesn’t have the size.
7) Darche – Love the effort and he shows up in the playoffs. Someone would want him.
I’d do him a favour and ship him to a contender – to thank him for his valiant effort. We’d get something. A 4th rounder + future considerations?!
1) Kostitsyn has been brutal lately..hopefully we can still trade him for a 1st rounder.
2) Moen is only 29. He is a solid player who all teams love to have that can adjust his role to many situations. Moen is tough and keeper for sure.
3) No team would take Gomez…EVER. We have to hope before the new CBA next season that each team can part ways with a player without it counting against the cap. Or we bite the bullet and buy him out.
4) Kaberle isn’t as bad as Gomez but close. No team wants him. He stinks defensively, really stinks. And with smallish\weak defensive players like Weber and Diaz already on the team, something has to be done. One of those 3, minimum has to be moved.
5) Campoli…3rd round pick?
6) Weber or Diaz has to be moved, probably Weber for a real defenseman.
7) Darche…3rd round pick?
Aye there must be Scottish Blood that runs in the veins of the Molson’s as thet “nay be paying a shilling to Gomez to play in the AHL”.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
It may be true that the overwhelming majority here share your judgement of Gomez, & you are all entitled to your self-confidence.
It just has to be said again that the derided minority of ofttimes right. And that mimority here say that Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player, and here with a sensible coach or elsewhere he is going to be an important high-level asset.
The derided minority is sometimes right. However…
When the minority is one person.
And when the question is fairly simple, and answerable using empirical fact.
Then I would bet against the minority.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
VancouverHab,
A jab at the Molsons not Gomez. i posted last week several times that Gomez was playing his best hockey this year since he started playing with White. I also defended him 2 days ago asking anyone if they would turn down a $7.5 M raise. No one responed they would.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
God Lord, Ovechkin is not playing tonight.
Now that’s what I call trying to lose with authority.
When asked about his injury his reply?
I have no spine.
They Call Me Shane
Would you take him on the team if cap space could be made? I.E stuff Gomez in a hockey bag and ship him off to Washington?
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
Oh that’s a tough one. The guy is a scoring machine, but at the same time brings down the dressing room with his “I’m way more important than you” attitude.
He comes off as loner, and an individual.
He parties too much (hearsay?)
He’s a country first personality.
So my answer is…..
NO
At his salary I would rather 2-3 Pacioretty’s.
They Call Me Shane
Well, say for example, you don’t give him a letter…..yet, at max an A in the future, keeps down his superiority complex.
He’s the kinda player that would (I think) excel in Montreal, and it strikes me that he’s fed up with the Caps. It might just be so crazy that it could work!
Probably would cost a first rounder as well, unfortunately. Gotta give up alot to get a franchise player from another team.
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
+1. Didn’t see your reply but had to jump in. He loves attention and he’d get his fill in Montreal.
______________________________________________________
Lost a bottle of Kraken during this debacle of a season. Better gettem next year.
To get OV, I bet it takes three years of first rounders, plus Pacioretty.
They Call Me Shane
The only caveat might be that I think his “look at me” personality would thrive under the heat lamp in Montreal.
______________________________________________________
Lost a bottle of Kraken during this debacle of a season. Better gettem next year.
What is with peoples love affair with AK46. He really isn’t that great people. The experiment is over, move on.
It’s the hair.
I like his smile.
They Call Me Shane
Yes the hair but last week we all heard how he and Gomez were so well liked.
His name reminds me of your avatar….”Grosse Poutine”.
Well he did sign my Young Guns rookie card last September. LOL
Rumour on the internet has him going to Nashville for Radulov’s rights.
———————–
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
Head case for head case. Not likely. Radulov must stay in Russia for one more year anyway.
oh man, that can’t be good for the Canadiens.
I’d like to see him go to LA for Kopitar.
AK, & Our 2012 2nd for Kopitar. But that weould never fly in real time.
They Call Me Shane
Radulov – plus hire his old coach from the Q.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
If they get a 1st round pick for him I’d dance the night away…
I’ll be there with you. The way things are going it will be a first and a prospect or a 1st and a 3rd. Take it!
I agree Smedley.
I like his boyish enthusiasm…
The Canadiens have 50 players under contract with 6 more on the way from the CHL and possibly a couple from the ncaa. For the period between the end of the junior/us college season until July 1st do NHL teams get a break on the 50 contract limit, or do the Habs need to clear out a ton of players in the next few months?
“Andrei Kostitsyn will be traded this month”
- Sean Bonjovi
Teams have four different “roster” limits to balance under the league’s regulations; a 20-player “dressed list” for games, a 23-player active NHL roster, a 50-contract maximum, and a 90-player maximum reserve list.
The 50-contract limit has an interesting distinction in that the limit pertains to the season(s) for which a contract is valid. All NHL player contracts expire on June 30. The year varies from contract to contract, but the day remains the same (as we’ll discuss more when we look at player contracts in later editions of the feature). Knowing it has expiring contracts coming off its 50-contract maximum, a team can sign players to contracts for the following season. By doing so a team may have more than 50 different players signed to valid SPCs, as long as 50 or fewer are signed to valid SPCs for that current season AND fewer than 50 SPCs on tap for the upcoming season.
http://oilers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=430807
ie; As of this moment Habs have 50 under contract plus 3 Juniors under contract for next year.
Thx guys.
“Andrei Kostitsyn will be traded this month”
- Sean Bonjovi
Ruutu; 4 years $19million with Carolina…
Insane money being thrown around the league for “meh” players these days.
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Don’t let the wultures getcha.
Someone on another site suggested that is the money it takes to keep a player in Carolina … I can believe it. They also cited the Hurricanes not trying to keep players over the past few years and how that has hurt them … cannot comment on that. But it is a hell of price to stop the bleeding.
Does it make him easier to trade now that he’s under contract?
Overpaid like that?
Only if your name is Glen Sather and you have the Habs on speed dial
“Et le but!”
Yeah, I was just going to post that. That’s too much money for him in my opinion. I know he brings a lot and it’s not a huge over-payment, but it’s still an overpayment.
Without getting into comparisons with Gauthier, Rutherford does some really questionable things.
A few tidbits from some Leafs fan at a TSN blog:
Trade Toronto/Carolina: Lupul, Phaneuf, Gustavsson, Kadri, 1st & 3rd round picks for Cam Ward and Eric Staal.
TRADE UPDATE: Darren Dreger trades his red pen for a blue one and a pencil to be named later!!
This just in: Leafs trade Grabovski for Nicholas Cage & John Travolta – face-off specialists.
The leafs entire defence for a fine set of pylons.
This just in: Leafs trade The Monster for The Bus Driver – makes more stops.
(How about Ralph Kramden then?)
The Leafs will never compete for anything other than 8th -10th place with so many secondary players on the team.Keep Kessel,Lupul,re-sign Grabovski,keep Gustaffsen,and offer any 6 players in the system to Columbus for both Nash and Carter.Now we have two top lines.The defense is a sieve. Pretending this group will become the core of a Stanley Cup team is ludicrous.All you have to do is watch them all run around with their heads cut off game after game.
Someone in TO is willing to give up 6 to 8 players for Nash & Carter. Why not Montréal?
Monster, Schenn, Komisarek, Armstrong, Finger to Montreal for Gomez… Help that team TANK to get the 1st overall pick. Gomez is starting to heat up in the points column.
Yeah, right. Two goals.
Blunden, Leblanc, Campoli, and Kaberle for Schenn and Gunnarsson.
I’ve heard that Toronto has even offered up Raptors and BlueJays tickets for R. Nash……wow!!
Richard R
So the Fat Lady turns out to be a guy in drag. Who woulda thunk it?
Richard R
it has been over for a long time..it was pretty clear this team was not good enough – better to accept it and do your best to change it as quickly as possible then to pretend.
need a new GM, and a new coach and a new identity…they gave it a shot trying to be Detroit #2 – skill, puck possession, no toughness, killer PP etc but turns out – you need to have the right talent to pull that off…rest of the league relies on a mix – time for our Habs to realize it (its pretty clear to most everyone) and work towards it.
But you need the right talent and luck to be any of the other teams too so I would really prefer that MTL. sticks to its guns and fine tunes a squad to play a beautiful game than for the Habs to become the BruinsNorth. I think Pleks and Eller are a fine start at the C position, especially with Pacioretty and Cole on the wings. LL seems to fit and I think AK with some love and new contract could fill a role. Blunden, White and Moen on the fourth and the Habs are a mere three forwards from figuring it out. Try Desharnais at wing and see if that flies. Maybe just two forwards …. D is coming along and probably best promoted from within.
.
I agree 100%.
I posted a reply to a post by HabFab below but in the wrong spot which I have now corrected. The . actually contains a terabyte of my accumulated wisdom (to age four) which I’m temporarily storing here while I sponge wash my memory banks.
DO NOT CLICK ON THE DOT!
For a sec there, I thought I had a dead pixel….
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Don’t let the wultures getcha.
I didn’t click on the dot, but I asked Gomez to clean it with some Windex ™ and he said sure, as he isn’t that busy right now.
Make sure he doesn’t skip the corners.
Didn’t Hickey make a $20.00 bet that The Habs would make the playoffs with Francis Gagnon on his heels of last season’s bet with Rick Moffatt with Moffatt saying Price would have more wins than Halak (Mr Hickey’s choice)…….
Indeed. And last season’s bet was a trifecta, with Moffat saying Price would have more wins and superior GAA and save percentage.
Mike Boone
Hockey Inside/Out blogger
Gazette City columnist
mboone@montrealgazette.com
Shane and I were discussing not too long ago the prospect of Carey Price playing at the World Championships should the Habs fail to make the playoffs. It seems like the playoffs are a distant dream at this point – I still want to hope but it’s going to be a very difficult struggle. So that said, should Carey go to the World Champs and win himself a gold medal?
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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
I think the international experience might be of some help but man, he’s playing a lot of hockey this year. I’d vote yes but I could do a Thomas like flip flop.
Ha! “Thomas like flip flop.” Good one.
He should go. He’ll have to play better to win a gold medal. He needs to learn to play under pressure.
No. He’s played too much already.
Mike Boone
Hockey Inside/Out blogger
Gazette City columnist
mboone@montrealgazette.com
My five thoughts / questions on recent happenings and ideas:
1.) Ribeiro was punk while he was here and the fact that he doesn’t know he was a punk and that his career was probably saved by being shipped out proves (to me) he is a punk. Okay, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy but I’m okay with that. All that being said, he is not wrong that media was part of the problem and I have no problems with his pride demanding his “star skate”.
2.) Pleks is a rare talent even if he isn’t a truly elite centre in the NHL. His versatility and creativity remain a rare commodity and remind me of the type of player that the Red wings build on. Do we really want to trade that. Rhetorical question with an implied answer of “only if you are nuts”.
3.) Cunneyworth has been better than JM but he cannot stay. It’s not a language issue with me but a “tainted by association” issue. That and the fact that he is line juggling like Martin which just kills me. You might be able to scramble into the last playoff spot but it is highly unlikely you are going to scramble out of a playoff series.
4.) We have a lot of young players that need coaching and serious influx of talent waiting in the pipe that will require both fan patience (oh oh) and the proper coach.
5.) Draft scenarios …. given the general agreement that the C position is in demand all over the league, will the Habs be able to maneuver an appropriate positional pick so as to not overpay but also to get a real talent?
I support David Desharnais …. ; )
Ribiero was the leading scorer here. I do not think his career needed saving. He remains the most successful forward drafted by this organization over 18 years.
This team is not close to contending and Plekanec is turning 30. He has peaked as a player and the team is rebuilding. This is the perfect time to trade him.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Not sure what you are talking about. In his final full year, Ribs came in 4th behind Kovalev, Koivu and Ryder. That was 2005/6. Lock out. Previous year, 2003/4 he was 1st by two points over Ryder and cleared Koivu considerably. Then his head got fat, which is my point. Previous year he was 14th! One season doesn’t make a career but he has always thought it did. I am glad they got that attitude off the team.
The problem for RC is he was thrown under the bus the day language became an issue. How can we judge the guy? He’s whipping the donkeys he’s got with an imaginary whip.
How’s that working out?
Hope he gets a nice job and a cushy bonus out of this, he deserves it.
I agree that RC was put in an untenable position and unfairly pilloried. But for the players and their development, his trials are irrelevant. I wish he had been given a fair shot and mandate … it also would have been better for the players. But he was not and the team cannot hold itself back for any one man.
When Jacques Martin was fired, I was quite certain the team would plummet in the standings. As a coach, Martin has flaws, and many of the criticisms of him were justified; but under him, the team was consistent, there were few bad games, and the results (after a bad start) were about what you could expect from a team with only moderate talent and missing key players. Randy Cunneyworth has not got a lot of coaching experience, and it shows. The team looks what it is – a bad team which nevertheless does some things well (i.e., kill penalties) and plays a very good game here and there. What we haven’t seen is the kind of consistency we saw under Jacques Martin. Some nights the effort is there; on just as many it doesn’t seem to be. There are claims the team is playing more exciting hockey; I’d say this is true only some of the time. The Jersey and Dallas games were at least as flat as any JM coached. But from the beginning, there seemed no reason on earth to imagine that Cunneyworth could get better results out of his players than JM did.
Not many bad games with JM? I’m pretty sure we sucked just as bad early on in the season as we do now. I’m not saying Randy is the man but I’m happy to have moved on from Martin’s system. Depending on what Gauthier does from now until the draft I might be happy to see all of management changed since its been almost 10 years of no success under these guys. At a certain point its time for a full change, not just replacing coaches and GMs with their assistants..
Yeah, JM was consistent – consistently MEDIOCRE. This is freaking MONTREAL. MEDIOCRE ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH – get it through your thick head.
Do you muddle through in your life? Do you work in middle management with a middle-y attractive wife and straight C kids and drive a freaking Toyota? And drink Molsons? Oh crap…
“Do you muddle through in your life? Do you work in middle management with a middle-y attractive wife and straight C kids and drive a freaking Toyota? And drink Molsons? Oh crap…”
Hey….I resemble that remark!
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Don’t let the wultures getcha.
About the only purpose for this site right now is just to get news when PG and Randy are fired. Beyond that I barely come here anymore. Check headlines, have a few laughs at some of ignorant fans that still think there is a glimmer of hope to get into the playoffs. Like getting into a round of the playoffs and watching them get beaten up anymore is even worth it. God, like the season wasn’t an embarrassment enough.
Well you’re not a true Habs fan by saying that. I would rather them be the 8th place team with no chance in hell of winning a game than not making the playoffs.
The playoffs are what every hockey fan lives for. It is 10x better hockey than the regular season and you never know what can happen once you get there.
Time to pick another team or sport for you I guess?
True HAB Fans want what it’s all about ….THE STANLEY CUP.
So where is the cutoff for you? If they finish 7th its OK, or 6th? Or 5th?
At what point do they have enough of a chance of winning the Stanley Cup to peak your interest?
5th place?
Actually don’t believe any team not in the top 8 spots in the league has won the Cup. So I guess 4th in the Conference is the answer.
Amen. I’ve even given up any hope of dumping floaters at the trade deadline.
Can we decline the rest of the season and start over?
Did you ever find the Stats guy web site you had asked about?
You are an idiot habfan4lfe. No one cares why you come here, or who you laugh at, and the reason for that is, you simply arent as important as you think you are. Go leave your asinine comments somewhere else.
I have been hanging on for as long as I could, call me a traitor, call me what you will, but the Habs are done. The defense is just too feeble and we’ve got only one line consistently playing well.
Unfortunately, guys like Bourque (0 pts in last 5 GP) , Eller (0 pts in last 5 GP) and Kostitsyn (0 pts in last 7 GP) have completely disappeared. It’s very frustrating.
Plekanaec has been on one night and off the next for the past couple months. Gionta’s injury hurts and Markov is still MIA.
With the 7 or 8 big contracts the Habs currently have, puls Price and Subban to sign, this team will not be rebuilding.
Maybe Kostitsyn get dealt but that’s about all that will happen.
So hopefully Markov is ready to go next year, the coach and system are set to go from game one and the defense and checking lines are toughened up.
There is no Oilers, Penguins or Hawks rebuild about to happen so the Goat better make some minor moves over the summer and have everyone pumped up and ready to go next September…and draft well with what picks we end up with after the deadline.
I have to admit that I feel part of those vanishing acts has to be attributed to the coaching: constant line juggling and giving ice time to … gasp … Gomez.
Hoping they do more then that like By By to Campioli ,Karberle Gomez for whatever and a good return for AK i’m all for it no guts that kid , Tampa already got 2 first rd and 4 second and still winning game
I think they’ll resolve the Gomez issue, Campoli is a UFA anyway so he’ll be gone but Kaberle will be very tough to move.
May be some D on playoff bound teams will get hurt in the next week
I think the fat lady was singing at training camp
Sorrry to say fellow die hearts, the fat lady has sung and shes singin pretty damn loud. Admit it………..on a funnier note, i was actually howling after that Ribeiro curtain call stint, anybody else?
Once a jerk always a jerk
I think most people would agree with this statement – the Habs are done.
I haven’t been able to sit through an entire game since Christmas time to be honest – it’s just too painful to watch on most nights. Last night, I sat and watched the whole game from puck drop to that last siren. What an embarrassment! It was very difficult to see how far this organization has fallen – and how far they have to climb to get back up. I guess the only thing left now for Habs fans is to wait and see what will Molson do. Will he have the guts to make the tough decisions and clean out management and start over form the top? Who will he get to advise him through this whole process? As much as I love Bob Gainey and everything he has done for this organization, this mess is him so he should also be removed from all decision making. If this is the case – who replaces him and offers Molson the sound advice to put this back on the right track?
Should be an interesting spring and summer to say the least…
In the meantime, there is always the Impact I guess – first game March 20.
Nothing’s over until the numbers say so!
When management shows me they are sellers, then maybe I’ll stop cheering for a win, and a shot at the Cup.
But that’s not me, I never give up, 21 years in the infantry wll do that to you.
They Call Me Shane
+1
Heck, if the team doesn’t make it, oh well, next year. There’s still lots of hockey left to be played, and it could very well go down right to the wire, which to me, makes it an even wilder ride.
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Don’t let the wultures getcha.
18-3 is what they need to make it.
The season is over. The never had a shot at the Cup.
The Habs will be sellers. They are for all intents and purposes already Tanking™.
It’s not going to take 94 points. 88 or lower, possibly.
Richard R
Oops. I meant 17-3.
If we go 15-4-2 we will have a 57.5% chance
Overall we have a 3.9% chance
Well, on the other hand, what if they get 3 wins in a row, and right back in the thick of it. Unfortunately, there will be alot of scoreboard watching going on as well.
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Don’t let the wultures getcha.
OH Yeah baby, you know it. Sure it would have helped to beat one of the worst teams int he league last night, but hey I’m not complaining. When the boys on the team give up, I’ll give up. That will never happen.
They Call Me Shane
We shall never give up, we will fight in the corners, in the creases and along the boards. We shall never surrender!!!
We shall fight to the last! And if providence so dictates that we fall on this field of ice. May our actions inspire others to pick up their sticks next season and like the phoenix arising from the ashes, go forth and avenge this disastrous season!
Man the antitank guns and cover us from “friend” and foe. We shall never surrender!!!
Holy crap Frank. Ate you an insperational speaker/coach in the mold of the characher played by Belushi in Animal House. You know, when the tough get going…….. : )
Who is that masked man riding with Tonto, is it? could it be? is that possible?
We shall never surrender!!!
… unless it’s a lead
OK I will follow you wherever you go John.
‘Sigh’
Another follower. I really should start a religion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqp89bkFe8k
Well, that was quick! I’m still working on the commandments. Can you start a religion with three?
Hope those commandments are “thou shall”….
Thou shall live life to the fullest without impairing another person’s enjoyment of it.
Thou shall show respect to every other living thing and leave the earth a better place in every aspect than what it was before your birth.
Thou shall love family and friends, and give aid to a neighbour, comfort to a stranger, strength to the weak, and hope to the despairing.
The Bruins and their fans are not of this earth so do what must be done to rid the land of this accursed tribe, and shell them.
That’s My Peoples
They Call Me Shane
1st Pats alumni….grunts rule, pukes droll baby!!!!!!!!!!!