Washington is at the Bell Centre Wednesday night and the Canadiens will see the Capitals three more times before the end of the regular season.
Tampa Bay, Carolina and the Islanders won Tuesday night, tightening the race at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
The Canadiens are eight points out of eighth place and – gulp! – two points out of last.
And four fired Canadiens coaches – Mario Tremblay, Guy Carbonneau, Michel Therrien and Jacques Martin – were on the Tuesday night L’Antichambre.
Martin said he never lost the room and had the Canadiens playing competitive hockey, notwithstanding the Canadiens’ injuries.
• Geoff Molson grilled outdoors (Gazette video
• Dave Stubbs on Caps’ dog days
• François Gagnon on Tomas Plekanec
• Feature on Un canadien errant from the Commentariat
• The latest proof Phaneuf can’t fight
And here’s a taste of the Russian Eminem:
Loading ...
Why is Gauthier so hot on trading people NOW??? After the Cami trade, some GM’s were saying they wish the knew he was available. So Mr. I-keep-my-carrots-close-to-my-vest is undoubtedly missing out on opportunities from a) teams that don’t know he’s ready to trade and b) teams that aren’t yet desperate enough to trade.
Now we know why these trades always come out of the blue – secrecy is more important than effectiveness. And so is PG’s own desperation to make the playoffs and save his own tiny ass.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
You’re correct Smart pooch, I don’t mind the Cammy/Bourque trade…but this sudden/long overdue (but correct) about face in philosophy on the part of Gauthier, looks to me to simply be a frenzied attempt to conserve his precious arsiento. (Spanish?)
More like Molson has been reading HIO and finally figured it out. All these years of just making sure the Bell Centre gets a rock concert does not give the ownership any peace if the Habs suck. And the habs have sucked ever since before the lockout and even more after the lockout. It’s too bad Markov and Price were created during this time when the Habs were only about being lazy in their contracts and only signing players who no one wants and who are too small to fit anywhere in this new Crash The Net NHL!!!!! Yes Gary Bettman’s Crash The Net hockey league where goons get a get out jail card free from Shanahan if they can payola the little guy Bettman…..wonder how long before the NHL makes players wear those wacky Glow In The Dark skates and outfit all the arena’s with Black Lights….
How does secrecy help a trade — for a seller? It doesn’t. You get the most value selling anything when you create a market for the product/service/player/pick/etc. That’s why places like Sotheby’s have been around for a million years and why investment bankers make big bucks.
Burke — love him or hate him — creates markets for his players. You know they are available. He talks up their value in the press and keeps pushing trade partners for more value by threatening to move a player to a rival. He’s a much better dealer as a seller than a buyer (ref. Kaberle for a haul vs. overpaying for Kessel). Just like the CIA-esque Mr. Goat is a better buyer than seller (a second for Wiz where he would have cost much more nearer the deadline).
Gauthier should have made it known that Cams was on the block and leveraged one buyer against another, “hey, Feaster, who know how just upped the ante to a second rounder this year… what can you do?”
I’m not saying he didn’t max the value of this deal (or the Halak deal), I would just feel better knowing that we didn’t limit our options and played all the cards in our hand.
Just think we could have got Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin or even Charra if Gauthier had been shopping Cammy. No wonder we get these washed up veterans no one wants, and these tough guys who we sign but order not to be tough in Montreal…..
But honestly, which team would want Cammy, but it would be interesting if we traded one disgrunted superstar for another, look at how the habs lucked out with Frank Mahovalich in the days of old…
Dang… now I’m upset.
Seriously, when you see overrated, underproducing, highly paid guys like Kaberle and Penner moved on trade day for 1st rounders ++, you have to believe that Cammi could have fetched a first rounder. We will never know. So this discussion is academic at best.
But, if you use the NFL yard stick for valuing draft choices (a numeric system developed specifically by each team and you discount one round for future draft years, i.e. next year’s first is valued as a second), then we picked up Bourque and a third for Cammi, a fifth and Ramo.
I am optimistic that we could have had more.
SmartDog it’s like you said. He’s trying to save his ass. if they don’t make the playoffs. it’s a pretty good chance he’s gone. I don’t have a problem with him making trades. we need some but not for the sake of making the playoffs. for our future and a chance at winning a stanley cup. other than that. go with what we have and we’ll get a better draft pick.
I doubt the Molsons Committee To Help “CRAZY BOB”S HOCKEY EMPORIUM” is too worried about Gauthier. Join the mad hatter’s club that now runs the Habs…..crazy is as crazy does….
And your comment is based on LeBrun’s twit, or whatever it’s called. Look, you aren’t in the room when the trade is done. You have no idea who is available on any team. Neither do I. We can only speculate. But, to pretend PG is missing “opportunities” based on a twit is suppositoring an awful lot.
Burke spent years trying to trade Kaberle because he mouthed off about it ad nauseum. The team he helped win the Cup took him as a rental.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
That’s what drives me insane – not the moves themselves but the secrecy and lack of planning
Or, on the flip side…..maybe he’s trying to make the team better? Is that such an outrageous thing to do?
_____________________________
Don’t let the wultures getcha.
Of course he is (that is what is expected of a GM). But, when you make a complete “180″ in the philosophy you adhere to after approx. 2 years of blindly going in one direction counter to what everyone else is suggesting (with predictable results), and the light bulb suddenly turns on (exposing your plight and illuminating the possibility of your near future firing)…you act quickly (because the first thing you notice is that your own arsiento is hanging out there in the breeze. (sorry for the run on sentence)
Stupid blind hate?
C’mon Bob, I’m sorry your man-crush makes you overlook the worst of “Plex”.
Who lost the defensive zone faceoff in Game 7 OT vs Boston that led to the Bruins’ GW goal?
Who consistently seems to lose key faceoffs??
Who admits he plays like a little girl on the post-season??
Who passes when he should shoot and misses the net more often than not when he does actually shoot???
Call me all the schoolyard names you want but Plexy ain’t worth that contract and if he stays, mark my words, you’ll all be bitching about him
Halpern was thrown out…so is that Tomas’ fault?
PK’s bad clearing attempt…is that also Tomas’ fault
Cammalleri doing nothing to get the puck on the boards…is that also Tomas’ fault?
PK again not being to handle the puck…is that also Tomas’ fault?
Where was Gill to block a shot…is that also Tomas’ fault?
I like how you spun that all on Plekanec. Shows how much you remember of that sequence.
Apparently the answer to all of these questions in someone’s eyes is “yes”. Might as well cherry-pick every battle Cole loses to explain why he’s a bust too.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Of all the overpaid guys on the team, you’re calling out Plex? Man… I agree he’s not having a great season but his value the last couple of years has been huge. He’s a main reason our PK is so good, he’s been our top scorer the last couple of years.
I’m not sure he lost that facebook against the B’s but even if he did, guys lose face-offs, sometimes important ones. If you call out everyone that loses an important faceoff you’re calling out every player there is.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Goats didn’t sign Kaberle, he traded for him, hopefully he can flip him at the deadline
Maybe he can solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well.
That would probably be more in the ball park of trading Gomer for the first rounder.
You think we should trade Gomez to Palestine?
What would we get in return? Falafals? A pound of humus? Suicidal wingers?
you have to admit its an option that has not been discussed very much here at HIO….
“I reject your reality and substitute my own”.
- Adam Savage
OK what kind of slacker is Ryan White??
From the Wahington Post
Mike Green is scheduled this afternoon to undergo sports hernia surgery, a fairly common procedure in the hockey world
Washington assistant coach Dean Evanson commenting on Mike Green’s operation says he should be back in 3-4 weeks that it is a simple operation and that he had it done while playing in Germany.
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
Given the fact Ryan White plays with big stones and Green doesn’t, is that a correlation to the recovery required given the proximity of the surgery?
habfan53 i quickly looked between 2003 and 2006 to see how well each team that had a top 5 pick did in the following 6 years. I’d go back further but I have a day job. Turns out you had a 50% chance of winning the cup. It’s a rough analysis but the results indicate there’s probably something there. Sorry about the formatting but it should look ok if you paste it in excel.
Year Pick Team Player Did Team Win Cup? Years after
2006 1 STL Erik Johnson No
2 PIT Jordan Staal Yes 3
3 CHI Jonathan Toews Yes 4
4 WSH Nicklas Backstrom No
5 BOS Phil Kessel Yes 5
2005 1 PIT Sidney Crosby Yes 4
2 ANA Bobby Ryan Yes 2
3 CAR Jack Johnson No
4 MIN Benoit Pouliot No
5 MTL Carey Price No
2004 1 WSH Alex Ovechkin No
2 PIT Evgeni Malkin Yes 5
3 CHI Cam Barker Yes 6
4 CAR Andrew Ladd Yes 2
5 PHX Blake Wheeler No
2003 1 PIT Marc-Andre Fleury Yes 6
2 CAR Eric Staal Yes 3
3 FLA Nathan Horton No
4 CBJ Nikolay Zherdev No
5 BUF Thomas Vanek No
Nice list. Although there’s a problem with your conclusion that you have a 50% chance of winning the Cup after a top 5 pick. Some of those teams (Pittsburgh x4, Chicago x3, Caronlina x3) have several top 5 picks, compared to Montreal, Columbus, Buffalo, who have had 1. (For Chicago you have to go one more year to 2007 where they drafted Patrick Kane first overall).
So you can definitely make a correlation with having multiple top 5 picks and winning Stanley Cups, but even then it isn’t guaranteed (Washington x2) or even required (Boston x1).
In your defence, you called it a rough analysis, but I’m not sure we can draw any conclusions except for this: generally speaking, the more top 5 draft picks you get, the more likely you are to win the Stanley Cup.
Which really isn’t rocket science.
Right but look at who one .
Pittsburgh with Fleury, Malkin, Crosby and Staal.
Chicago with Toews, Kane and Barker
So they had multiple 1 round picks not just 1 year.
As for Boston they did not win it with Kessle but with Seguin (who played a minor role last year)
Do you really want to be that bad for that long?
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
I figured the team that got the pick was more important than the player since it’s a team asset that can be traded. Phil Kessle got Boston Seguin and Kaberlame – I agree neither were a factor last year.
I agree the multiple picks seems to be the story:
Cup Winners:
2011 BOSTON BRUINS
2010 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
2009 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
2008 DETROIT REDWINGS
2007 ANAHEIM DUCKS
2006 Carolina Hurricanes
Anaheim has multiple top 5 picks if you go back to Stanislav Chistov in 2001 and so does Boston with Seguin in 2010 so multiple top 5 picks in the last 6 years is almost a prerequisite to winning the cup (5 out of 6) unless you’re the Redwings.
Teams that could win this year are:
ATL
BOS
COL
EDM
FLA
LAK
STL
TBL
NYI
One more pick would put us on the list and 2 more top 5 picks would virtually guarantee us a cup. The Islanders are the only team that hasn’t won a cup with 3 top 5 picks, mind you they still have 3 years to fall into the 6 year window.
Let me reiterate:
I think Dryden’s great BUT there are THOSE who feel his numbers reflect playing on an amazing team.
I remember the season Dryden sat out and the Habs rolled with Michel Plasse, Michel Larocque and Wayne Thomas… No Stanley Cup.
It is very unfortunatel that Dryden didn’t play better in the game versus Red Army, many of “THOSE” people often point to that game as evidence to their point.
As someone else pointed out below his ability to be sharp in games with few shots for extended amount of time was incredible. How often in today’s NHL do we see the busier goalie outduel to the other one. To me, Price seems to play better when 30+ shots come his way, in games with 22 or less (roughly speaking) is when we have our troubles.
Same goes for the ’72 series. It’s really the only blemish on Dryden’s career.
He looked bad on some of the goals but as time has gone by I have come to realize just how dynamic some of those Soviet shooters were. Maybe my initial judgment was a bit unfair.
Dryden has always pointed at that New Year’s Eve 75 game is the only one he wants back.
The Soviet high wrister was too much for Ken Dryden, but no problem for Vachon or Esposito .
Today’s concussion count is 28, with Philly and Pittsburgh having the most concussed players.
The AK46/Moen UFA watch is now at 40 days.
Tonight you will see three prime examples of why I live in fear that we might have to draft a Russian with our first round pick (with apologies to Malkin and Datsyuk)
Welcome to the newer NHL: The National Headshot League.
Completely agree on the Russian angle. Where are the top notch canadian kids this year? Forwards anyway. I realize Dumba is currently ranked 2nd, but if the Habs are looking for a centre, the top guys are all Russian
Damn, you beat me by 10 minutes. Just finished counting, but came up with 27 plus quite a number of “head injuries”, “upper body injuries” with no details and a few other suspects.
Where the hell is the league on this travesty? Planning the so called All Star game no doubt. How many real All Stars will miss that all important sideshow?
Bush league inaction by a bush league.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Hey Punkster, hope you are doing well. Do we know if Skinner is out again after the whallop to the head he took last night?
punkster, not all “upper body injuries” with no details are concussions. For example the Habs have had several “upper body injuries” this season but the have been heart related not head related.
http://musiccavity.com
Of course not. I’m sure there are lots of teams out there who would never, ever hide a concussion or concussion-like symptoms from the press. Like, oh, say the Pens.
Yep, lots of teams.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
What’s the league supposed to do? Players take the risk when they play. It’s not like we’re seeing droves of players quitting out of fear.
With that in mind, the league is trying to move on this, but they’re not going to implement game-changing rules overnight.
Concussions, while certainly an issue in the past, have not received this sort of attention before. You have to wait more than a year for long-term changes to a century-old game.
Tell that to guys like Crosby and Pronger. Tell that to their families.
It’s BS. This league has a dozen different solutions they could have implemented over the past couple of years; equipment changes, rule changes, penalty changes, actual enforcement of existing penalties, education for the players.
What have they done? Has the incidence of concussion been reduced? Great to see the issue receive increased attention but how about some increased action.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Wasn’t Pronger’s concussion from a high stick?
Malreg…they suspect it was actually earlier, in the Phoenix game on what looked like a regular hit along the boards where Pronger’s head actually struck the boards.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
LOL 24 Cups I know exactly what you mean! I get heat all the time and feel a like Cherryesque but I’m terrified we’re gonna draft a Russian in the top 10.
I’m surprised Boone hasn’t posted a photoshopped pic of Glen Sather’s head over Herb Tarlek’s body yet… with Brad Richards as Loni Anderson
OMG, the Ovie’s rap lyrics are so so… well… self indulging, let’s say.
The part where Ovie is in his white hat and white shirt reminds me of when Mini Me is rapping during Goldmember doing the prison rap for some reason.
“OMG, the Ovie’s rap lyrics are so so… well… self indulging, let’s say.”
No one has ever had self indulging rap lyrics before : )
http://musiccavity.com
So that’s why Ovie isn’t scoring like he used to, he’s giving up hockey for a rap career
Now that he is a rap star he is probably scoring more then he used to. Just not with a puck. (unless he is in to that sort of thing)
http://musiccavity.com
His Diastema must be the key to his scoring then, can’t be the rapping abilities.
guess… just sayin’
was all about his achievements in hockey.
Lots of rumours on twitter that habs are close to a trade with the predators. The three guys who are reporting all say they’ve got sources with the habs (take that for what it’s worth) and they’ve said that the deal consists of Kostitsyn and possibly Weber moving.
Based on past history, the fact they claim that the sources are from the Habs should make that rumour Null and Void.
However, what else are we to do but speculate.
AK/Weber/1st – Weber back.
More like Suter, and even then might need more.
Oh it may take more, but I am praying beyond prayer that PG is gonna hoodwink Poile. Poile afterall gave Franson and Lombardi to Burke for a player he bought out and a guy in the AHL.
If it’s more can Gomez be the throw in? Given his salary going down to 5.5 next year and 4.5 on the last year yet his cap hit remaining at 7.5 this could help a market such as Nasville.
I know I know, Gomez again.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
You are right Sly, that is the perfect type of team for him to fit onto. I just don’t know if his sample size of playing well has been big enough yet for someone to take that chance.
Can you imagine if Nashville had a line of SK/Gomez/AK and it flourished though?
Agreed. PG keeps everything pretty tight to his vest. I would imagine soon though the firesale will begin.
Speculate is all we can do since rumours are just in fact rumours. Still fun to talk about though
They all say they have sources but never reveal them even after the fact. Such an easy way to hide and act as an expert.
I have a gut feeling that Gauthier isn’t done yet. His last deal was a decent one. Hope he keeps it up and moves forward with removing the “SMURF” label from our club.
Agree Hobie, I think PG’s big mistake was not having the balls to turf JM in the offseason. I don’t think PG minds making the Habs bigger, but as long as JM was coach he couldn’t bring in those players.
The next Dman he gets in a trade will provide some muscle.
Neither he nor Boob Gainey should be allowed to fine tune their own mess.
Gauthier, as much as I was mad at him for not addressing the size issue over the summer, has really only made one bad move in signing Kaberle, I think?
If he could possibly unload Gomez in the off season through buyout or trade and adding to that the 3 mill we saved from Cammi, I dont realy see how PG would have too much of a problem resigning Key players next year.
-Ignoring the outrageous rumors Price will not make anywhere close to 7 mil.
-Gill is gone at the end of the year
-Pk will not be getting a huge contract after the year he’s had.
Assuming PG can get rid of either Weber or Diaz (hopefuly Weber), then does a Kaberle really look THAT bad as a 5-6 defensman?
I’m assuming you mean Kostitsyn and Yannick Weber… Although, Gauthier might actually be able to keep his job (MAYBE) if he lands Shea Weber. Based on the Cammalleri trade, I don’t think he’s in a position to hoodwink anyone.
The worst part about rumours, particularly those that start on Twitter, is how one person posts it, and 10,000 fans re-post it, giving it the air of legitimacy. I’m sick of being hoodwinked by guys on their iPhones, making stuff up.
Of course I’d love if it if we made a good deal with the Preds. I’m just mad at the internet!
Habsfansince91: as long as it’s an inprovement, not older players on the downgrade AK is one of our better players.
well if you follow credible people on twitter, you don’t see any of these BS rumors.
Was just on the RDS website, and noticed the main article entitled “Cunneyworth Joue Gros”, even though it was Bert Raymond (who’s absolutely ridiculous) I was intrigued. I read the first paragraph, and could not go any further. I find it amazing that a man like that can get paid to write. What got me is, that he said as soon as he found out cammalleri got dealt, he thought it was a 2nd round pick, seriously? He’s that out of touch with reality? I say send the poor old man to the glue factory where he belongs…
But he just learned the alphabet!
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Last night Carbo was saying that it was basically Raymond and that other worthless writer Rejean Tremblay that got him fired and although he did not say it I got the empression that he would rather cross the street then say hello to either one.
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
Gainey got him fired. Just another bad move by the master.
——————————————————————
”First of all, you have to have continuity if you are to have success,” Pollock told the New York Times. ”I think it gets the manager and the players to become more attached to each other.” – Sam Pollock
You should have kept reading. It gets worse.
He’s basically implying that because Gionta spoke English to two young children, and their Father had to translate for them, they now want to learn English.
Sad really.
———————————————————————-
Welcome to the newer NHL: The National Headshot League.
Red should tag along with him.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
Raymond and Tremblay Rejean should be sent to retirement. They are from another era where you could hang out with the boys on the plane and off ice. Ever since it changed they have been working on making the Habs pay for it.
Not defending Bertrand Raymond, but you completly misunderstood what he said. He said he spoke to someone from another organisation and he is quoting that person. That person said that when he heard about the Cammy deal, he figured the Habs would only get a 2nd round pick for him. He was suprised that the Habs were able to get as much as they did for him because it is difficult to trade an overpaid underacheiver.
My av is a painting by Ken Danby from the mid ’70s titled “In The Crease”
I love the rectangular net, the kind the town put in the outdoor rinks back in old TMR
Very cool smiler.
Danby has some great work out there, nice choice smiler.
Great picture.
Is it me or does all the Hab coaches become more likable AFTER they’re fired?
Absolutely Jim, the fact that I am starting to like Mario Tremblay is proof of that. But I want none of them coaching the Habs again.
Looking forward to tomorrow Jim, drive safe, supposed to get about 5cm tomorrow from noon to 6pm.
Carbo or Mario would both be fine Canadiens coaches and their French is impeccable.
——————————————————————
”First of all, you have to have continuity if you are to have success,” Pollock told the New York Times. ”I think it gets the manager and the players to become more attached to each other.” – Sam Pollock
Stifled by management.
It looks like it ! A few weeks ago everybody wanted Martin`s a** kicked out of town but now he`s a good guy. Hypocritical attitude that confirm that medias and amateurs speak under the spell of emotion and do not necessarily think before giving their opinion.
PLEASE check out this BEAUTIFUL article by Eric Engels:
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=41425#.Txbu2Su01-l.facebook
He talks about the Habs’ dressing room dynamics and PK’s struggles.
That is a fantastic article and I did not know Holik had a blog either… I am still induraited today with the revelation that Martin embarassed Cammi by telling the room he came and asked for the C…when a player comes to the coach he should expect the coach to not reveal the details of that conversation…that was classless and I am sure Martin regrets it because it is quite evident that that little comment led to a whole lot of internal strife amongst the guys..and ultimately it may very well have been the downfall of Martin. You can bet nobody else came to JM with anything ever again…you can see the divide it would create with some guys thinking Cammi should laugh it off with others probably agreeing with him, he reportedly gave PK the PRimeTime nickname and the more I think of the whole sitaution I can see how divisive it must have been…..
Interesting take on PK by Erik Engels on HockeyBuzz.com.
I happen to agree and I think its great that Bobby Holik weighed in too.
Let PK play, coach him , but dont stifle the enthusiasm, point out to him to pick his spots, pick a 5 game period to work on certain aspects. Minimize giveaways, defensive coverage…etc. That sort of thing. I think he still has upside and didn’t like the way Martin handled him last year. His offensive game will come too.
And to Mr. Boones point -work on hitting the bloody net. You have taken how many shots in your lifetime of hockey?? Hit the bloody net. (That goes for a lot of habs) . It does not have to be canonading every time . Strive for an accurate shot on the PP…..
Watch how FrankenChara often ‘takes something off’ his shot to keep it low and make sure it’s on the net. With PK it’s just a wild field goal off the glass almost every time.
——————————————————————
”First of all, you have to have continuity if you are to have success,” Pollock told the New York Times. ”I think it gets the manager and the players to become more attached to each other.” – Sam Pollock
Its a learning curve for sure for PK. It is surprising that no one is working with him on that shot. But I think a lot of that comes from proper use of him on the PP. They should be setting him up on the left point to give him the better shooting angle. I remember the goals he scored on Thomas last year and thats where they came from. Beautiful one timers! But no they are leaving him on the right side and he is getting blocked or cut off and in turn leading to frustration and less than satisfactory offensive results on PP and overall.
“I reject your reality and substitute my own”.
- Adam Savage
Bang on, Boonie but nobody wants to hear it or read it
I loved Ken Dryden and I know the stats but come on other than the amazing ’71 playoff that he stole, he played behind the greatest team in hockey history and that is where the debate does come in.
I’m a goalie cuz of Dryden, I wear #29 cuz of Dryden, I was just saying there is another side that sees things not so Bleu Blanc et Rouge
You don’t have to be the greatest of all time to be beloved. I wear my Dryden mask t-shirt
I am not going to argue Dryden’s bona fides with a goalie… But he was the man when I was growing up. I had my stick cut short enough to put my chin on it just to play road hockey.
PS – you’ve Av looks more like Rogie.
Yep, it’s Rogie – second picture from the top, on the right of the column. I had that card.
http://kingscast.net/rogie-vachon/
I don’t think there has ever been a better goalie in history that could go 10 minutes without a shot and stay focused enough to stop a breakaway or a great scoring chance. As a goalie. like myself. you should know that’s not easy to do.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
I have to show my many Russian friends on the island this video to further ridicule them, then ask for a translation. I’m sure he’s singing about his greatness.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
When you do find out provide us a loose translation, perhaps I will get to laugh at Ovie again after you tell us.
Cheers Sly
Roger Wilco, will do.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
With a lot of fans talking about tanking to rebuild the team I went back to when we last won the cup. Since then I could only identify 2 teams that WON the cup after getting the 1 st pick and 1 team did it with the 3rd
Tampa 6 years after taking Lecavelier (drafted ’98 won ’04)
Pittsburgh 4 years after Crosby (’05- 09)
Chicago 4 years after Toews (’06-’10)
Upon further checking since the ’2006 Draft only Chicago with Toews and Kane have won “THE CUP ”
The Kings and Islanders have had 3 top 5 picks since the “06 draft and are no closer than Montreal.
Emonton, Florida, Colorado, Tampa, St-Louis, Washington and Boston ( Kessel now with T.O. got Sequin from T.O)
have had 2 top 5 picks. Other than Boston none have won a cup and Boston did not do it by tanking.
Other top 5 picks were chosen by Philly, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Toronto, Atlanta/Winnipeg, Columbus and New Jersey.
Again no cups
For the record Montreal’s last top 5 pick was Carey in ’05
There is no garantee by tanking and thyere is no garantee of even being better
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
Great point. You need more than high picks to be successful. You need to build a TEAM around the right talent drafted (typically, but not exclusively at the top of draft) and developed properly. Columbus, Winnipeg/Atlanta and scores of other teams have had long stretches of picking in the top 5 to 10 and still suck.
Chicago’s Cup winner had (I looked this up once, and going from memory) 10 first round picks. Many picked in the bottom half of the first round and many acquired in trades. They played supporting roles but were critical to the TEAM’s overall success.
I think a top 5 pick would help us -greatly. Price is good example. Over the years we have not drafted/developed elite talent from the lower parts of the first round or the draft’s nether regions. With the playoffs a bit of a longshot at the moment, a roster up against the cap and worthy RFAs to sign (Price, PK), we need to move parts that would be useful to contenders to HELP ensure success on draft day. There are no guarantees, but moving up in the lottery might help.
I’m always amazed how a fan base can overrate and overvalue their own (especially Laff Nation).
Habfans are just as guilty (was Ken Dryden really great?). I still don’t see what everybody sees in Markov and Plekanec.
Yes, Andrei Markov is an above average defenseman on both sides of the puck but he is not worth anything being this decade’s Gord Kluzak.
As for Pleks, the fans McCabe’d management into that contract. Holy crap, he is a hard worker, a great special teams guy with some offensive pop but he’s basically an above average 3rd liner!
Two overpaid bodies that no one dares comment negatively about here other than an idiot like me but let’s take the blinders off, the Habs could’ve done better
Dryden played 7 full seasons, won 6 Stanley Cups, had 57 career losses compared to 46 shut outs and 74 ties. Not many goalies have loss totals that are most closely met by their shut out and tie totals.
For the sake of inclusion, he also had 258 wins, about 5 times as many as his loss total.
70 losses in 8 seasons and 6 Cups in 8 seasons. Yup, Dryden was great.
Giving you’re opinion on players doesn’t mean you’re an idiot. It means you’re an intense fan with a show-me attitude.
Dryden showed me 6 Cups, but he won me over in 71 when he stopped the offensive juggernaut the Bruins were that season.
Consistently in the top 30 Centers in Scoring while drawing shutdown assignments and PK duty. Yeah your right, an above average 3rd liner.
Sushhhh…. I made some points about Markov being overrated in the offseason, stuff like his best finish in Norris voting was 20th (one time) and that he had no end of season All Star consideration in any year. He never led the league in points, assists, hits, plus/minus or other stat and got pilloried.
Plecs is a solid, two-way centre. Offensive skills, defensively responsible, gives an honest effort but wears down from playing too many minutes due to a lack of a true number one pivot and JM’s unwillingness to play someone else on the PK and in clear defensive roles.
Both players are solid but not spectacular. Unfortunately, we lack elite players at those positions, so management fosters the idea that these are our stars. They play star minutes and get paid a little above their worth (owing – appropriately – to offset higher taxes and the desire to keep homegrown talent here)…
But, they I don’t believe they would STAR on elite teams. If we were Boston or Philly or Detroit or —- Markov would be backseat to Chara/Pronger/Lidstrom. Plecs would be one of many in spreading the wealth in Boston, subordinated to Giroux in Philly and behind MVPs in Detroit. That’s not disrespect, it’s the right spot for those players relative to the league’s elite talent.
I think Markov is among the elite…it is pretty clear how our team fares with and without him. You are correct hat a guy ike Chara or Pronger is a better player as they are equally intimidating defensively…and Lidstrom is the smoothest and best ..perhaps ever at his role (that may surprise some but look at what he is done..and quielty..it is astonishing). Markov is probably IMO the next best guy in the Lidstrom class in the league offensively (or was a couple of years ago when he was healthy…who knows anymore). Markov was better than the Enstrom’s, Greens etc defesnviely, he was better offensively than the Weber’s,etc. Nobody I know of has said he was the best but to say he was not elite I think is pretty unfair.
Pleks is not as good of a center as Markov is a dman (or was)but he is about as verstatile and steady as they come…yes, he is thrust into a role here that is beyond his abilities offensively and that is compounded by his overuse in other roles and the phsyical punsihment the Habs in general take and he is always given the top defensive assignements. He handles all of that famously…if he is the number 2 center…we are great…or even if he is the 1b center and we have depth behind him we are fine…when it is he and two guys without 2 years in the show obviously there is trouble. Oddly enough I think Gomez is going to play a little better and will smarten up….I think he realizes that this is it…this next little stretch will decide whether or not he is traded, sent overseas, buried in the AHL or brought back. He is not the guy we thought we were getting but he is not the guy we have had either…and he can and could have helped had he been around to make life easier for Pleks.
However,you say we overstate their value….to the Habs their value cannot be overstated…they are the two most important guys not wearing goalie pads. Markov when healthy is one of the best pp quarterbacks in the league as evidenced by our pp record with him in the lineup vs without, he is an elite puck mover and is able to be used against top opposition and on the PK….that says something when a guy like him offensviely can play in those situations….that is the diff between he and a Kaberle.
Hard to disagree. They (Markov, pre injuries), are our most important and valuable players without goalie pads. I didn’t mean to imply that there were not highly skilled players and that we (and every other team) needs them to be successful.
I had hope to make the point, that we need players one notch above them at those positions to truly compete.
Very fair and good assessment Krob. Agree
.
Interesting fact: in 2010-11, Plekanec was third in a player poll of “who is the most underrated player?”
Plek’s worth shows up in more places than the scoreboard. If they hadn’t signed him, things would look incredibly dark
“Was Dryden really great.”
Was Dryden really great??????
Was Tolstoy really literate?
Was Gandhi really a pacifist?
Was Lennon a Beatles?
Was Hitler really anti-semetic?
Was Dahlmer really a gourmet chef?
Was it creation or evolution?
Was this statement really thought out before printed?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
Your stupid blind hate for Plekanec doesn´t get less ridiculous when you repeat your bs every week. Everyone who´s not completely dumb can see that he isn´t an ideal first line but a very good second line center who is absolutely not overpaid. This third line center bs makes you look very dumb.
For what it’s worth, the two hosts on the Ottawa sports radio station are picking the Habs tonight because of their strong play over the weekend and the fact that the Capitals played last night and lost to the Islanders.
We all know JM is still on the Habs payroll, but if someone not knowing it, watched this interview from Radio Canada:
http://www.radio-canada.ca/audio-video/pop.shtml#urlMedia=http://www.radio-canada.ca/Medianet/2012/RDI/2012-01-17_22_45_00_nsports_002_500.asx
may get the wrong idea that he’s down on his luck trying to get his hockey school started after getting fired as head coach.
It’s funny in a weird way seeing JM, smiling, stapled his own flyers on the board of a local rink.
▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁
☞ I can’t really hear what Jeremy says, because I’ve got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears.☜
Is he scouting for us?
If “yes” is that good? Do we want players he likes on our future rosters?
I wish JM nothing but success, however it bugs me he is allowed to comment on the team’s current woes when he is currently employed. If he were canned then sure, fire away.
I read his translated comments but most of his points defended his decisions. I’d actually like to hear him tell us what’s wrong with this team. He has insider knowledge and a credible perspective.
At some point we have to stop sugarcoating this year’s record. Injuries, bad calls, bad mojo, too many posts, too much youth… Yeah, ok, but we can’t be this bad without a real structural problem.
He looks like a guy who needs to be busy during hockey season. It was funny seeing him staple that flyer holder to the wall. What can you say? The guy is a coach.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
Dale Hunter returns to the scene of Vendredi Saint!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYnfRDwhaLM
What a rivalry that was!
I like how Hickey snuck in the old Markov-won’t-play-this-season shot at the end of his article.
It’s pretty clear – and more clear by the day – that the Wiz at 36 mil for 6 years (or whatever) would be better than Markov’s deal.
Sad.
Wiz has missed a fair number of games himself…. currently out for a few mths.
Yeah but he might actually play again someday.
Wiz’s contract is rediculous. I would rather have neither of them than have wiz at that price for 6 years. Wiz is a not a good defencemen but has a wiked shot and plays with an edge.
He has missed the majority of this season and when he has been in has not produced anywhere near his money. It was not a mistake to let him go.
Markov is only on a three year deal and will be back next year. It is obvious that the habs didn’t have a full picture of the injury and it was a risk that back fired badly but I would still rather have a risky 3 year deal on Markov than a 6 year deal that over pays wiz.
I don’t know…it’s been so long since Markhov has had any reasonably continuous game action that despite his obvious talents (displayed several years ago now)…I would say the Markhov deal eclipses the Wiz deal when it comes to being ridiculous.
In other words, Markhov may come back and make me eat my words but I’m sticking with my original reaction (last summer) to the deal/letting the Wiz go…big mistake.
Wiz is having the misfortune of experiencing the trifecta this year: a Shannie Suspension, playing for a real shitty team(worse than Islanders) and then a knee injury. On the whole he was an extremely capable defensemen for our team last year. He certainly energized our PP with 2 resources. The shot…..it came as advertized. PK units & goalies had ever right to fear that laser of his when they saw him in the wind-up mode which led to #2 – Passing….JW’s scoring was down on the PP but he had terrific pin point passing to his fellow team-mates in setting up goals. This became a very useful diversion as teams concentrating on his shot would leave a ap for him to snake a pass through directly to the scorer or to the set-up man. He was a force to have out there and we certainly have him as one of our contributing factors as why our PP sucks this year.
“I reject your reality and substitute my own”.
- Adam Savage
Holy cr@p, Wikipedia is down for 24 hours protesting something… Where are our supportive facts going to come from?????!!?
Mine are from the NHL itself
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
Good thinking. I’ll have to bookmark that.
Evidently the LLOSJ can get away with a few oversights . Hardly a critical look at the recent play of the heretofore annointed face of the game. RE: Ovechkin- No one works harder? Didn’t see every game but from everything i read this guy was screwing the pooch half the time.
Game changer? Sniper ? Yes but working hard all the time? Dont think so. This guy was one of the reasons Boudreau got fired plain and simple. And by the accounts of the guys covering the team there were many nights when his effort simply was not there.
But he is a guy who can sleep for half a game and then burn you. Does this guy set an example for the rest of the team. Probably not. Hard worker is so overused…..
Habs need to keep him to periphery and hope he stays uninterested tonight.
Brings to mind the old expression, “the world needs ditch diggers too”. A hockey team needs snipers too.
Guy Lafleur didn’t have to shadow offensive players, he had a role suited to his unique talents. When the Isles drafted Bossy – who had slipped to 15th, because of perceived defensive liabilities, Al Arbor said something like, “I can teach a lower pick to backcheck, I can’t teach natural talent”.
Seems to me the best coaches know how to use all the parts create a winning team… Wealth and poverty of hockey clubs on an individual player level.
Martin’s inability to maximize the abilities of each player is IMHO his biggest failing as a coach. The cookie cutter thing is great to cover the shortcomings of talentless teams, but wastes the skills of talented players. And, may have frustrated some along the way…
Agree but until Ovie buys in the Caps are not going anywhere. Even a gamebreaker has to use his teammates.
Other than highlights and games against us, I don’t watch the Caps, so this is a very limited view. He is motivated when he is motivated, I don’t think coaching has much impact on guys like him… Or AK27
They need to get him scoring again to be successful. I like what lemaire did with kovalchuk last year giving him as many 30 second shifts as he wanted. He played 27-28 minutes per game in the second half – and his scoring picked up.
It would have been nice if JM was this passionate as coach as he is being in this interview on tsn990.
Have I got it wrong? We don’t actually HAVE to be Hab fans? We have a choice? Who knew?
Schools closed?
JM is on TSN990 right now talking to Tony Marinaro
Is JM the new BGL?
Is Marinaro sucking up????
Good interview so far…although JM says Muller leaving had no effect on the PP or dressing room mood…I say bull s***!
Just finished cleaning off the rink in -25°C temps (-34 really). My lord, now this is MB weather.
Also finished reading Mr. Boone’s story on Normand Harvey. You have to love these guy’s stories. Put’s a smile on this here fan.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Hey Shane!–Cold here today, but not that cold. The ice must be cracking.
I always thought teams took on the persona of their coach to be successful in some ways, the team is becoming Randy Cunneyworth which is a great thing because I miss the Habs that had that “presence” that Nilan, McPhee, Skrudland and the no-nonsense grit types provided.
Here’s hoping Blunden stays, Bourque flourishes and White stays healthy cuz this team can rock
Man, how good of a season is David Clarkson having in New Jersey. He has 17 goals this season. Good on him. I have always been a big fan of how he plays the game. He is like a Travis Moen accept tougher and better hands.
He would be awesome on any teams bottom 6.
Please do us a favour Mr. Geoff Molson, sell our team to someone who has passion and wants to bring a Cup to Montreal and willing to tank and trade!
That is, if anyone wants to buy our club with what’s going on in management and on the ice with players we have assembled who don the CH jersey.
“We will win the Cup one day only with ? in the nets “
Hey Boone!
When you going to do a profile on RetroMikey?
I’d love to hear from which source his endless insight stems from!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Haha, I would love that.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
Interesting idea Matty, hey read further down, I posted something you need to read my friend.
Gerald just like my home, we know who weard pants in yours. Good thing for Matty though. See ya tomorrow! : )
Hilarious
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
Well aren’t we Mr. Happy this morning….
That was the Positively Cheery RetroMikey. You should hear him when he’s upset…
double- oops.
Back without a loss first? Drooling with anticipation? Or should I say, “Woof, woof!”
Forgive me if I go on a little rant…..Gauthier isn’t perfect, he has made some rough moves, but some good ones too….that being said the Habs GM history is not a pretty one. Say what you want about what PG has done but he’s got nothing on some of the major blunders in team history…
*Trading Higgins, Ryan McDonough and Valentenko for Gomez and Pyatt….I know PG was on staff but BG still pulled the trigger on this one.
*Trading John Leclair and Eric Desjardins for Mark Recchi…..
*Trading Patrick Roy for Andrei Kovalenko and Joceyn Thibault
*How management single handedly dismantled the 93 cup winning team in essentially 18 months…..Mulller, Keane, Carbo, Leclair, Desjardins…all gone for nothing! Please don’t say oh but but we got the great Pierre Turgeon and Mark Recchi was here all of 3 years.
Bruins Suck.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
Briuins are winners, we suck.
Sorry Boone, most of our Habs fans can’t admit we stink.
“We will win the Cup one day only with ? in the nets “
Bruins are winners, we aren’t and we suck.
Sorry Boone, most of our Habs fans can’t admit we stink.
“We will win the Cup one day only with ? in the nets “
Maybe if you post the same thing just one more time it’ll sink in to all of us unworthy of your insight.
———————————————————————-
Welcome to the newer NHL: The National Headshot League.
Butta bing! Speaking of suck, I hear the Laffs are hiring losero fans as we speak.
You obviously don’t get the joke. Relax buddy.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
Guess you had to read Mr. Boone’s last editorial and thoroughly digest it to understand the funny of your comment. Maybe this would have gone over better:
The heathens are at the gates… and they’re wearing a strange looking “B” on their animal skins… barbarians?
RE SHOOTOUTS
Yesterday when I was complining about our lack of success in shootouts i posted incorrect information . In my defence i misread the game recaps. Even though they went uncorrected here are the correct numbers.
Montreal 4-23 4 games with 0 shootout goals
Opposition 10-20 1 game with 0 and 3 games with only 1
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
Any News on Gauthier’s travel to NJ? Did he get a good trade (Parise + a prospect + a draft pick for AK or Moen + a prospect + a draft pick) or did he just went out on a date w/ Lou Lamoriello?
EDIT: say, that russian girl on that OVi rap on YouTube kinda looks hot (I don’t know to others but to me yes.)!
Why would NJ agree to that? I would not take it if you included AK and Moen.
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
I think he went to try to sell Gomez back to the Devils. His shpil went something like this:
“Did you see that last game he played? After such a long layoff? Wow. What a player… Wha? Salary? WE didn’t give him that kind of money… talk to Sather. I’m just trying to RIGHT a WRONG, after that terrible man stole Gomez from you. Yes, I’m aware that Sather is an ex-Hab… What’s your point, Lou? Please, please, take him back.”
Actually, Gomez did play a pretty good game. But, if he doesn’t score by mid-February, which will make it a full calendar year since his last goal, … it’ll get nasty on the blogs, in the media, and in the stands.
To Mr. Boone, very nice write up on Un Canadien Errant.
To Normand, was nice to read about your past and present, you add alot of insight and colour to this site. We are fortunate that there are so many passionate Habs supporters around the world and that this website provides a venue for us to discuss (maybe argue) our varying opinions on this passionate subject of our Les Habitants.
Okay, enough nice talk, I am pulling hard for Gomez tonight I think he will help this squad. (Surely that can draw some ire!)
When the site’s posters avoid the H word, this can be a fun and informative place. Glad the calendar’s set back on 2012 today.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
I never gave up on Gomez Gerald! It was Martin that could never put the proper players together and roll 4 lines. Gomez will make a huge difference to the kids.
Last night Martin said that he stayed with Gomez too long.
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
It was a great article, nice to put a face to the poster sometimes. (I said sometimes!
)
+1
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
Gomez?!?! WHAT??!! ARE YOU CRA…wait, I will be rooting for him as well.
I think his play last game silenced a lot of his critics…for now. Let’s hope he keeps it going tonight. I love the fact that RC is making him earn his way back into the top six.
And the Habs should send a thank you card to Ryan Miller for taking the negative spot light away.
There is no room for him on the top six. 4th line with 3rd line duty sometimes is all he should get.
******************************************
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
***Habs Forever***
I’ve got a #91 sweater burning a hole in my bottom drawer that I’d like to be able to wear one day…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
By the way I have a confession Matty, at the Summit Gift exchange when the number was called, my wife jumped in excitement and asked what I wanted. I told her I wanted the Gomez jersey, Yes I wanted it! She grabbed it, came back to the table all excited, then she proclaimed “Oh that was Matty’s number” To which I naturally said, screw Matty I want the jersey. Of course my wife is a nice and noble person and insisted it was yours. So then I was forced to turn the tables and make the big presentation like I planned for you to get it!
I feel so much better now, but i feel my evil intentions caused you to hit that turnstile that night on the subway, I am therefore eternally indebted to you my friend. Please forgive….
Hahahahaaaa!
Oh maann, that is priceless.
Finally a weight off your shoulders, no doubt! Gerald, you’re a good man. I’m glad I have the sweater, and if I manage to score tickets to another game this year, I promise to wear it in the honour of you and your fine lady!
As for the turnstile, you are entirely exonerated. I place the blame squarely on Geoff Molson’s head. Surely those extra-large Bell Centre beers were a result of his scheming…
(still chuckling. Hoo-boy that’s great…
)
—Hope Springs Eternal—
nice work and a nice piece on one of our mot valued contributors.
but
Bruins still suck!
“Et le but!”
Gerald, thanks for mentioning the article on Harvey by Boone. I would have missed it. Great stuff!
I promise this, If we win the next 3 games in regulation, we will make the play offs and be a contender.! I just have this feeling, that the boys are buying in to the Cunnyworth game plan. We do have the talent!
Ian you are worrying me, one minute I read the 10 loss we are toast post, and then I see this optimism. There seems to be a case of Bi-Polar spreading about this site uncontrollably. The cure is in the bottom of a beer bottle consumed while watching the game tonight. Enjoy my friend!
No it is a math fact, 10 and we are done! So I feel the boys understand this and our play offs start tonight my friend.
Wake up Ian! Wake up! You had a nightmare.
Back to reality, the team needs a major overhaul to get back to the old days of winning.
“We will win the Cup one day only with ? in the nets “
Did anyone catch the clip of Brian Burke watching the fight?
He looked like a guy sitting front row at a strip joint.
Creepy.
“Of course I’m crazy, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
- Robert Anton Wilson
I have heard much about this, but didn’t see the clip including him, if anyone has it handy would love to see. I am guessing the necktie was draped around the neck given this man has no concept of a Windsor Knot!
http://video.mapleleafs.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hcatid=802&id=150544
You have to watch it to the end of the clip for the Burke replay….
Holy crap! PureGuava’s description is spot on. Haha.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
I saw it . I thought he wanted to kill Phaneuf for fighting and possibly getting hurt. After watching the fight (?) I would tell him to stick to body checks you CAN”T fight.
to paraphrase Nixon: If the Bruins do it, it is not illegal
Nope, he’s saying “Come on Phaneuf,” and at the end he says “attaboy”.
He loves that sheeee-it.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
So does the line of Plex, Bourque and Blunden get to shut down Ovie and Semin tonight. If so, I like the chances of the DD and Eller lines outplaying the rest of the Washington roster
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
My only worry is the Laich line. Otherwise, it’s the Caps’ 2nd game in two nights. And, hopefully, that means some sort of advantage.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
I say lets give PG a little respect if not for any other reason, he is not afraid to make a move. He gave JM a fair chance, but I think we are starting to see the team he wanted. He could not fire JM with the contract Gainey gave him with out giving him his time. I truely believe his next move is to trade Pleks. He has value but I don’t think he fits the type of player PG wants at centre.
Much prefer reading today’s dialogue on HI/O than yesterdays.
Big game tonight, I have a feeling we will play well, hope it is enough to win.
How much money will Hammer have on the wall in the dressing tonight?
CHeers to all!
To Ed and DearyLeary, great posts below regarding PK, bang on from my perspective.
Mr. Bourque with a Gordie Howe HatTrick tonight!
I hope RC gets the changes right to get 2 1/2 Men out against Hammer. With their speed it should be good for another 3 goals for the good guys! Vokoun always seems to play well against the Habs, maybe we’ll get Nervirth.
I love how this team is now playing. They forecheck and they are in the other team face. It’s fun to watch and I not hearing anything now about the french issue. RC needs a big pat on the back for all that he had to deal with . As far as Cammy, enough said. lets move on and play the next big game.
I know G-Man, I’m not upset Cammalleri was traded, I just thought, like a lot of us, that Goats could’ve gotten more, same with Halak but it is what it is…
I trust RC which says a lot cuz I couldn’t really trust any Habs coach since Bowman, they all seemed like outside forces or selfish agendas were at play.
RC doesn’t seem to give a shite
I would like to play devil’s advocate today. I know this will generate a lot of negative responses, but I think Pierre Gauthier is doing a pretty good job. I know his handling of the firing of Pearn, Martin and the trade of Cammy was not handled very well, and that he should be more available to the press to answer questions, but his moves have been decent. The Cammy trade was a good one, trading a one-dimensional smurf for a big, mean winger, a prospect and a 2nd rounder. Signing Eric Cole, great move. Bringing in Emelin and and Diaz from Europe to make our defense younger and more mobile, good move. Trading O’Byrne for Bournival looks like it will pay dividends in the future.
Remember he didn’t sign the smurfs to big contracts a few years ago, that was Gainey. He didn’t trade for Gomez, again Gainey. His drafting looks to be decent, with five junior prospects in the World Juniors tourney to prove it. And before you jump up and yell “Markov signing” you have to believe that he had clearance from the Montreal team doctors to sign him. I guarantee that the team had specialists look at Markov’s knee in August and gave Gauthier the green light to sign him. Obviously something happened after the signing, probably Markov re-injured something while training, to prevent him playing. This can’t be blamed on Gauthier. There is no one on this site who can tell me Markov isn’t better that The Wiz, who Gauthier let walk last summer.
“We know that hockey is where we live, where we can best meet and overcome pain and wrong and death. Life is just a place where we spend time between games.”
—Fred “The Fog” Shero
I will nitpick a little.
The Woywitka waiver was badly handled.
Diaz with Weber on the team makes no sense.
The big beef with PG is his poor handling of crises. He is a reactionary type instead of being a pro-active manager. The firings this season seem to have been knee-jerk and not well thought out. Markov on one leg is better than the Wiz. Too bad he needs both legs to skate.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
I agree that Gauthier is not great at handling certain situations, but I like the fact he doesn’t make hasty trades to just make trades. Weber will be moved before the deadline. And would Woywitka have been a big addition to this team? I don’t think so, just a bigger version of Campoli.
“We know that hockey is where we live, where we can best meet and overcome pain and wrong and death. Life is just a place where we spend time between games.”
—Fred “The Fog” Shero
I would rather have a larger depth Dman than another tiny tot. That’s why I was not impressed with putting him on waivers.
One game at a time, that all they have to think about. If they stick and prepare that way and stop worring about the payoffs and who is in front of them, they have a chance.
The only thing RC has done wrong was not open his introductory press conference with “bonjour” and say that he was going to be learning francais….
What he has done right is treat every player equally and enforce TEAM concept.
Too bad Cammy didn’t get it
Let’s face it, smiler. One of the smurfs had to go. Getting a big body like Bourque in return is a nice bonus. Now, if the Habs can trade Pleks for Malkin, 8th place will look rosier and rosier.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
HEY!!! That was my trade proposal. Go find your own.
And by the way, my proposal last season of Plekanec – Kostitsyn – Weber – 1st round pick (2011) and 2nd round pick (2012) for Malkin – Depres still looks good to me.
They might have done it when Malkin’s knee was busted. They aren’t doing it now, given Crosby’s injury uncertainty.
And there I was, hoping that PG had some, um, exclusive photos of Shero….dang!
he did that.
It’s kind of depressing knowing that there is an 80% chance the remaining games mean squat for the Canadiens.
Considering the past 17/18 years, we were pretty lucky to have two very entertaining playoffs the past couple of seasons. The group of players we had defied the odds and eliminated two very good teams and took the eventual Stanley Cup champs to seven games last year.
I’m hoping we won’t have to defy the odds anymore. I hope we have a big, strong and talented enough team to be among the favorites.
I think we have a good mix of players now or the potential to, depending how Bourque plays and what Gauthier decides to pull out of his hat next.
If we had a healthy Markov and were getting $7 million worth of production from our number one center we’d be in the middle of the playoff picture.
I’m keeping my faint hopes alive that in a few months all the hockey world is talking about how the Canadiens overcame so many distractions, controversy and adversity to make the playoffs.
If not, with everything settled down in training camp next year, the Gomez and Markov situations straightened out and the team starting fresh – I think this can be a pretty damn good team.
I’m with ya because I’m seeing the same things.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
This is how The Caps were projected to line up against New York last night:
Forwards
Ovechkin-Johansson-Semin
Knuble-Laich-Brouwer
Chimera-Halpern-Ward
Hendricks-Eakin-Beagle
Defense
Alzner-Carlson
Orlov-Wideman
Hamrlik-Kundratek
Goal
Vokoun
Neuvirth
IMO, missing Backstrom and Green leaves big holes in their lineup.
After the first line, it gets pretty thin offensively. Laich and Brouwer only have 23 points, Knuble 11. Halpern centres their third line even though he was Montreal’s 4th line centre last year. Their 4th line brings toughness, but little offense, combining for 4 goals total. To me, the Caps line up with a first line (missing Backstrom), two third lines, and a marginal fourth line.
On defense, Mike Green leaves a big hole. Wideman and Carlson have been forced to play big minutes, even though they play more of an offensive game rather than an all-round defensive game. Orlov is a promising rookie, but still learning the NHL, so his minutes are usually kept around 15. Hamrlik has been forced into a top-four role again, but the consensus seems to be his game is in decline.
Everyone says Washington is a big disappointment, but I think they are like all the teams fighting for the last playoff spots: key injuries have exposed a lack of depth, making them very beatable. I think the Habs match up pretty well against this line-up if they play like they have been playing.
Lose 10 and we are out!
So we can ill afford to have a lose tonight. But I think we are getting better each outing. Just MAYBE we peak at just the right time! Never know!
We are gone ! Us peak ? huh ..that’s a fantasy if I every heard one. We won many impressive games this year…and 2 in a row and always thought ok here we go..were gonna turn things around…I am not getting deceived again..it’s over !
Sure easier on the stress level your way, but I know hockey! and if everyone starts to play for each other the way we did last game, there is always hope until the last game. I have seen teams down by 3 games and win 4 straight to win a series. You just never know.
One thing is for sure, I like our game a heck of a lot more under Cunnyworth , at least it is entertaining again.
It definitely is better under Cunnyworth …and don’t get me wrong..I hope we turn it around..I just don’t want my heart broken from wishful thinking..at the same time I hate the tank concept…you play to win the game..you watch..to watch your team win the game…how boring would a tank be..I always want my team to win…no matter where they are in the standings. The tank thing is not directed at you Ian..I know you are against it too…it’s against the many others who preach that here…and I hate it..I don’t believe in tanking !
It is the character of some people to gaze into the abyss. Not all can handle or even comprehend what faces them and survive.
I was never against Jacques Martin as a coach. It’s hard to be, given a .554 winning record in the regular season with the Canadiens, who were hardly a powerhouse team during his reign. The two years full seasons he was with the Canadiens, he brought them to the playoffs and did very well. One shot from eliminating Boston last year, right? Eliminating Pittsburgh and Washington the year before? This year, they were a couple of points out of the playoffs when he was fired. Since his firing, they have slipped to 8 points out of the playoffs.
Just what did certain fans and media want him to do? Place his hands on Markov’s knee and start his second career as a healer? GIVE hands to Gomez, Cammalleri, Andrei K et al? Magically add experience to the blue line? I listened to him last night on L’Antichambre and I heard a guy who is logical, has good common sense, and possesses a sharp hockey mind. He may not be the best ‘players coach’, but every one of the coaches on the panel were fired after 2 1/2 seasons (Martin, Carbonneau, Therrien, Tremblay). They all had very different styles of coaching. Add Alain Vigneault (3 seasons) and Claude Julien (2 1/2 seasons) and you have as eclectic a group of coaches as you could find in the modern era of the NHL. Yet all had about the same life expectancy with the Habs. What exactly do fans want in a coach? What does the media want in a coach? I know that a coach’s job is perilous in the NHL, but what exactly are people’s expectations of a Canadiens coach?
If you want to refute these ideas, start your response with this:
Yeah, I know Martin had a .554 winning record during the record during the season with a team of middling talent, got to the playoffs both his full seasons and performed, had a solid NHL pedigree, spoke English and French, BUT (fill in your answer here).
I just hated the way Martin coached and used his players, even when he was in Ottawa. But I stuck with him because of what the team had accomplished the previous two years. When he broke training camp this fall, the team and Martin was not prepared properly for the start of the season and after 15 games in, I quit on him as did most players. Cunnyworth is doing just great turning this ship around!
I have long thought that in the modern NHL the job of coaching a team of multimillionaires who want 1st line minutes the life expectancy for a coach is about 2.5 to 3 years.
If you are the authoritative style of coach the players eventually resent you enough and lose enough “fear” to undercut you.
If you are the affiliative style of coach, they eventually take you for granted.
Either way it seems very likely that after a couple of years they stop listening.
In the modern NHL coaches like Barry Trotz are real oddities, and not just because he is one weird looking neckless mofo.
“Et le but!”
I’ve always thought that the smart teams keep their coaches. The GM seeks out players that will fit into the team’s plans. Too often, a “talented player” thinks he can do things his way for the team to succeed. Too often, management buys in. That’s how you get the Caps. Minus one of their best coaches ever.
You know if Martin is still working for the team as a scout perhaps he should shut his mouth about team issues and what happened as a coach. All it serves to do is air dirty laundry and damage player’s confidence.
So you know what RDS? Find something better to do please. Molson – silence your employees please.
Geez. Do you really believe all the players are so weak-willed that a comment from a former coach will damage their confidence. I didn’t know the Habs were running a day care for children of low self-esteem.
the point is that martin is still actively working for the Habs,
and as part of the organisation he should not be on TV saying things like he did last night.
I think that point is valid.
I don’t think it will damage the player’s confidence.
But I do think that it serves a negative purpose and helps extend the negative feelings around the team.
the guy got fired for a reason.
maybe he should just keep his mouth shut for a while.
Agreed.
I was astonished when I read that he was going to be on Antichambre, sitting next to a group of blowhard former coaches whose job is to provoke are stir.
I expect that his being allowed on was conditional on it not being on a habs game night, and i have to believe that he was given some instruction on subjects not to discuss.
I expect that the habs org has enough respect for martin and doesn’t really need a million dollar scout and so would be quite happy if someone hired him to coach. So ther may be a balance of letting him keep a profile that keeps his name active in coaching hires.
“Et le but!”
You think he didn’t “have permission” to be on the show? He’s not a newbie.
Last I looked, we live where freedom of expression exists. Maybe, just maybe, the players should look in the mirror.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
Excuse me? If you went on TV right now and badmouthed your current employer / coworkers how long would you have a job for? Especially a nationally recognized brand?
JM needs to shut his mouth or be canned.
SO, Booooodaj again tonight?
If Price comes down with the flu or gets hurt in warmup, yes.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
I heard that PG was in New Jersey yesterday……..wonder if there is anything to it.
Good deals on large screen tvs.
Nobody beats The Wiz!
“Et le but!”
I wanted JM to succeed here in spite of my reservations about his rep as a defensive coach.
I wanted him to pull a Demers and win one of those unlikely Cups and he came close in ’10.
But in the end, today’s game and its players have passed him by.
I’m very impressed by Cunneyworth, knowing full well it takes awhile to get a team to change
Pete–Your post is my post my friend!
Ian we make the playoffs if price plays better.
this was my response too when he was hired. i was disappointed that the habs had hired someone who was a poor fit stylistically for the habs, but more than that was “yesterday’s man”
still i wanted him to succeed.
Similar reaction to Demers. Never a big fan of his seat of the pants coaching and had serious doubts but hoped for success. his style was possibly actually a good thing to coax an overachiever team like 93, but would have a short shelf life
“Et le but!”
Win the shootouts! Simple. There are six points we have relinquished this season on shootout losses. It is not Pricey’s fault. We just can’t frikkin’ score. They try to go in too close and make the fancy deke moves, or go five hole. Shoot the damn puck! Pick the corners. That is how most shootout wins are happening. Remember, in every sport it is missed opportunities and mistakes which always,always determine the outcome …. Just win,Baby ..
Thanks Mike on the very interesting read on Normand and thanks Normand for your very readable and pithy insights. “Boston Sucks” comments add little to this forum (the Bruins do suck, but I’ve backed the Patriots since Steve Grogan/Russ Francis/Darryl Stingley days).
Simon Winchester, the travel writer, wrote about Equatorial West Guinea as the worst place on Earth! How was it being there Normand?
I’ve heard a couple of Martin interviews post-habs and he seems to be selling himself. I think the firing did come as a shock and maybe he didn’t lose the room and maybe he did had an injured team playing pretty well. But his mistakes were obvious too – relying on the wrong guys, frustrating players when he should have been supporting them. I think this team was better last year (with as many injuries) because Muller filled in where JM left off. JM as a strategist is pretty good but Muller was the motivator, the defender of young talent, the “coach” when it came to one-on-one play. And without that, the team starts to drift, guys lose their confidence.
So yeah, JM, you mighta had a good system. And the Titanic was a good ship.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
I doubt he’ll ever coach again.
Dog,
any one who wants to support Martin always comes back to his “experience”
well, for someone with such “experience”, how could he misjudge
and mishandle our prized, free agent signing, so badly like a freakin rookie coach??
to take a power forward like Eric Cole, who so clearly was exactly the piece we were missing, who your GM went out and signed for big money and term, and NOT use him on the power play??
that was Martin at his very best!!!
he really had no clue that Cole could help his power play.
what kind of “experience” is that??
if I was GM I would have been steaming mad.
it takes a reporter from Toronto to ask your coach why he is not using Cole on the power play.
and Martin’s reply was priceless.
check out Cole’s PP numbers in Carolina, he said.
Cole is not a power play scorer, he said.
wow!!
Well said Ed.
I also liked your post below RE: PK
Habs, OLE !
Man, White will add so much to this team when he returns, I never knew a sports hernia could sideline you for 4+ months!
Yeah I watched a video last night to see what it actually was. It’s a piece of the small intestine dropping down throw the Groin muscle. The intestine can be strangled of its blood supply and the tissue will die. It is apparently really painful and the surgery has a long recovery time.
Will be happy to see White back!!
Link for groin hernia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6pwlIVQPVA
A case in point for my views on tanking: The Washington Capitols. No matter how many excellent draft picks, your team can still end up a middle of the pack dog. All that talent; so little heart.
Still, despite all the crap this year and their awful play, they are in 8th. They are in the Habs way. Time to make them clear space for the Habs to get on with passing them.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
Excellent point. Here’s the counter.
They finished with great records for the prior few regular seasons, like we finished first in the regular season. And, I’d argue that their high drafted picks have more trade value than folks on our roster, which aids their potential rebuild.
The bottom line is high picks are only one part of a rebuild. You need great scouting, player development, and luck. Detroit hasn’t had high picks, they have the other organizational strengths in spades.
… and the right mix of free agents, signed at the right time.
Montreal is very weak on player development and pro scouting.
http://andyfroncioni.com
To their credit the Red Wings had Hakan Andersson who is responsible for their sick drafting record. No team in the history of the NHL has pulled players like Zetterberg and Datsyuk, not too mention the rest of their excellent selections, from late rounds like they did. The only team that comes close in my memory are Serge Savard’s Habs.
Roy, Lemieux, richer impressive non first-rounders. Winners need the late rounders as much as the high picks. Gauthier’s background in player development should help…
Agree !!! In fact that is what differentiates winning the Cup and being competitive on an annual basis. Your late rounders have to overachieve and you have to find a diamond in the rough like Detroit.
I don’t know…the 1980-95 Los Angeles Kings scouting staff found some later-round beauties:
1980: Bernie Nicholls (4th round)
1983: Garry Galley (5th round), Kevin Stevens (6th round)
1984: Luc Robitaille (9th round)
1988: Rob Blake (4th round)
1990: Robert Lang (7th round)
1991: Alexei Zhitnik (4th round)
1993: Kimmo Timonen (10th round)
The Red Wings are obviously very adept at it. As it turns out, the Habs have also been very successful in the later rounds. Where the Red Wings have killed the Habs is that they routinely obtain top free agents and/or make big trades at the deadline that set them up for a few more years.
They actually chose future MLB pitcher Tom Glavine ahead of Robitaille in 1984…
I always wondered what was being said at the Wings draft table when they were watching player after player round after round pass by.
“don’t worry boys. no one else has any clue that we have 2 hall of famers we will draft later on”.
“in round 6, #171, we’ll take Pavel, and in round 7 #210 we will take Henrik”.
and these guys will lead our team for the next 10-15 years.
Really??
I think it went more something like this.
“we have a guy here named Datsyuk that we kind of like, he has some good skills, although he is smallish. Maybe we should take him and that other guy, what’s his name again, Zetterberg, as a flier, and see if they can develop.
“ya, its worth the risk of a 6th and a 7th. who else is left? no one really”.
you have to be lucky at the draft.
I think there are a variety of factors at play, but luck is huge.
One of the issues you run into is draft hype. Networks like TSN have very little substance, so they spend months hyping the World Juniors, hyping the draft, etc. And then fans pick up those hype-articles and get all hot to trot on people they’ve never once seen play.
I can’t be bothered. In general, I trust the scouts to do their jobs. Only in retrospect can I say that they were wrong. For example, I think Montreal’s Western Canada scouts must have been either cursed or incompetent in the 1990′s, given our abysmal record of drafting WHL players.
With a lot of the Europeans, the issue is how will they make the transition to smaller ice. Hence a lot of them fall in the draft. Russians have the added cross to bear of the KHL “threat”. I’m seeing it coming up all the time for the young highly-ranked Russian kids, which I find laughable. Yakupov, Grigorenko and Zharkov all came over to North America as 16 and 17 year olds to demonstrate that they want to play in the NHL.
That they have options should be seen as a positive. Instead of being stuck with a bust for 5 years, you can quietly negotiate with the KHL to take them off your hands. Guys like Perezhogin and Hossa are doing just fine in Russia, but just didn’t seem to make it in the NHL.
they may have been wise or just plain lucky cause why did your low draft picks have more success than you high draft picks. What have they drafted or developed in the last 5 years or so? The team is getting old and they will face problems in a few years. Their stars are well in their 30′s now. Lidstrom 41, Holmstrom 38, Bertuzzi 36, Cleary 33, Datsyuk 33, Franzen 32, Commodore 32, Stuart 32, Zetterberg 31, Kronwall 31 and all of them will be a year older in upcoming months
Jeff Molson was very carefull yesterday not to reduce publicly Gauthier`s authority ..Not sure he has that much of a free ride…
Find it funny this morning on how comments about Jacques Martin are mild and almost nostalgic. A few weeks ago there was not much poetic justice about his faith..Just wish people would be always as toughtfull and see things without being blinded by emotions…
HAHAHAHAHA
Russian rapping…that just made my morning!
“To disbelieve is easy; to scoff is simple; to have faith is harder”
~ Louis L’Amour
I’ve got the faith!
Hey Cammy missed in the shootout last night, nothing we haven’t seen before.
There is a lot of talk that PG is not done with the trades yet, I wonder if, and that’s a big if, the Habs go on a run and string some W’s if that will change his mind.
Although PG did say he thought that the Habs are too small. This is a statement where you would think that he is going in a different direction. Unlike a lot of fans, I am not calling for PG’s head. I do realize that we have been watching Gainey’s team that PG inherited. PG has said in the past that he believes in big skilled teams!
TO bad for us he waited so long to make those move
Gauthier was Gainey’s right hand man. He was in charge of pro scouting, which means he signed off on any trade Gainey made. And after the Lapierre trade he specifically stated he wasn’t worried about the size, or lack thereof, on the team
3 teams just a few points ahead of our boys, but within striking distance – Leafs, Capitals and Jets all lost last night.
There is a glimmer of hope at the edge of the frozen tundra.
Great man Sholi !
Yup, we’re just 5 points away from being 3 points out of a playoff spot!
http://www.puckbandits.com
All 3 games this week are must-wins unfortunately. Maybe we can lose one of them but that’s it.
25 before 14
There is no reason why the Habs should not win 4 of their next 5 games.
The Caps have been wishy-washy this season but still represent great potential. Ditto for the Pens. Toronto and Buffalo, being division rivals and two teams who tend to have the Habs number could go either way. Their biggest challenge for the remainder of the month should be the Red Wings. But let’s face it. They need to win 4 of the next 5. 3-2 will be a meagre step in the right direction. 2-3 would be more of the same. 1-4 would mean the play-off picture would be looking more and more like the Montreal team wont be saying fromage.
The way this season is going, and this is my cynicism speaking, they will likely lose 4 of 5 winning the game against Detroit.
The realist in me says the Habs finish January 2-3, the optimist says 4-1.
HH, your recent optimism has impressed lately. Why the change in attitude?
_______________________________
Opinions are like kittens, I’m giving them away.
Didn’t you get the memo? I am as bi-polar and theatrical as my avatar!! Don’t hold your breath my friend.
Went to the Carribean for 10 days and a new HH. Anything is possible
Deep down, and we’re talking “Journey to the Center of the Earth” deep, HardHabits is still a hopeful Habs fan. Of course he’s bi-polar, too. Watch this team enough and we’ll all get that way.
_______________________________________________
Tanking- The Losers way of winning.
HH reminds me of me. That’s why I love him! : )
nice doubleH.
we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
—————————————
Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.
– Augustine of Hippo
I don’t know, maybe it’s JM’s lack of an ability to express himself properly in French, but I take issue with this satement:
“Ce qui est frustrant pour l’entraîneur, c’est son manque de compréhension sur la façon de jouer un match de hockey. Et il y a aussi la question : est-ce que P.K. joue pour P.K. ou pour ses coéquipiers?”
Does PK really not understand how to play hockey? Or is it more likely that your style of coaching suffocates all of the things PK does well?
PK’s strengths include, I believe, carrying the puck, accelerating with that puck better than just about anyone on the team, and then moving that puck. When a breakout system more often than not involves ‘off the glass and pray’ it takes the puck out of PK’s hands. It’s not that he doesn’t understand how to play a pro style of hockey, it’s just that the tools that make him effective (by making space for himself and his teammates) are taken away in the way Martin wants people to play the game.
Ironically I think that because PK is still playing Martin’s style of hockey, he’s been looking (and perception is the issue here, he’s still playing a very strong season despite a lack of goals) less useful than last year (where he also had a slow start to the season). He’s still putting up points, he’s playing 25+ minutes a game, all while matching up with the other teams’ top lines. The thing is that he’s taking time to make his decisions, he’s not accelerating the second he takes possession of the puck, the way he did as a rookie. It takes time to build instincts as an NHL defender, but PK has the raw athletic talent that when those instincts become second nature he’ll start to look more crisp.
Eller had similar growing pains last season and even the beginning of this season, he was thinking too much, and when he made a decision people were on him and the play ended up disintegrating. Defenders have a steeper learning curve, and I think it’s a testament to PK’s commitment to the team (part two of JM’s statement) that he’s slowed down to think more.
Most young players who burst onto the league scene have coasted on superior talent and athleticism their entire careers. PK was head and shoulders above even the AHL when it came to talent. The NHL has probably been the first instance since he first started skating where he’s really been challenged. If people want to throw him under the bus, or trade him already, then PK will be a lost cause. If they want a useful, puck moving, power play weapon, strong skating defenceman, they should lighten the eff up.
Smart coaches use players in situation to take advantage of theirs talents ,remembering the day went Lemaire was forcing Lafleur to play the trap now that was a shame
at Dreary,
3 years ago when Martin was hired by Gainey I protested the move. I never stopped protesting until he was finally removed from the position.
Now the Habs can move forward and build a real team.
A team based on team toughness, aggressive forechecking and backckecking, winning battles on the walls, and going hard to the net.
Martin played passive hockey in the middle of the ice, the “neutral zone” game that I freakin hate to watch.
When Subban came along, he was electric.
I compared Subban to a lanky, early 20′s, Vladdy Guerrero, who I had the great pleasure of watching at the big O.
Vladdy was PURE TALENT.
he made mistakes – swinging and missing at curves that were 3 feet outside and in the dirt with a man on third and less than two out . over shooting the cut off man with the rifle arm that he possessed, trying to to stretch a double to a triple with less than 2 out, etc.. etc.
Subban is PURE TALENT.
he makes mistakes – shooting wide on the power play is terrible hockey, coughing up the puck when you are last man back is a fundamental mistake –
but Subban needs to be allowed to play like Subban.
he needs to feel confident that his game – skating aggressively, hitting, stickhandling, and shooting – all will be permitted under a coach’s system.
when vladdy struck out in that “clutch” situation, there were “old school” baseball pundits who jumped all over him.
but others maintained “let Vladdy be Vladdy”, and he will mature at his own pace and play for 15-20 years at the highest level.
now Vladdy is probably heading to the Hall of Fame.
your analysis of Subban, Dreary, is bang on!!!
Subban is a special talent.
he needs coaching.
he needs a mentor,
he needs fan support!!
It takes a certain type of coach to handle a player like that
Martin was the wrong style of coach for Subban
Trade AK and Weber to the Caps for the 1st pick they got from Colorado for Varlamov.
LMAO. That’s the funniest deal that you have posted so far, Dave. Good one!
How about AK, Weber and Kaberle?
I’ve got to get out the door but I really love your new avatar. Very creative.
Talk soon.
and Schultz
if markov is not even skating yet there is no way he is playing this year, and PG knew this when he got Karberle , worst part is he keeps lying to the fans.
I assumed he was done when they signed Kaberle. I thought that was the general consensus.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
What another great night of hockey. The Leafs lose in their typical fall from grace mode. Score 2, Captain loses a fight, and the GM looks like a freakin barbarian cheering them on. He just doesn’t get it.
Foligno may get the slap on the wrest today. His hit was pretty low, and since Marchand got one, who knows. It was a damn nice check, but it was a little low, and late.
Ah the Leafs lose, like the losers they are.
Jets lose.
A surprise no show by the Tanking Caps. If there were any team in the league that isn’t showing up with a multitude of talent it’s the Washington Capitals. These guys are so bad they should lose their draft pick in the first round for no other reason than just being horrible. Ovechkin, not even two years ago the world was trying to figure out who was better. Sid the Kid, or OV. Well Sid the Kid not even playing is more wanted that you. Sorry buddy, but you gotta lay off the rakia, and Russian pole dancers and start taking our Game more serious. You owe it to your owners, management and fans.
Helmets in the warm-ups. My God, you would think with the way these guys are firing pucks around that they would know by now it’s not wise to go without the lid. Not much more needs to be said, except learn from the mistake.
So looking at the morning standings. The boys are working towards getting into the last three spots any higher and than that’s eaten crow time. But to be realistic 6-8 is where they’re going. Washington, and Toronto have been dropping from top to bottom mid November. Winnipeg is no better or worse for that matter than the Canadiens, so I expect to pass them in two-three weeks. Where on the standings they’ll be passing them is another story, maybe for 7th, maybe for 8th.
Buffalo is a lost cause. Another team built on FA, and tiny picks that aren’t doing anything.
Maybe the Habs lose the next four games then this opinion will be all for nothing, but it sure makes it all interesting.
We here in Brandon have a big meeting with the Telus Cup people. This meeting decides if I get two trips to Montreal this year or four J
This civilian life is awesome. No more 7 mile runs in the cold. No more ruck sack marches that last so long you’re your thighs are hairless. No more crawling for breakfast because of a tactical feed and the best part. Home when the kids leave for school, and home when they return. Then getting your ass kicked on NHL 12 xbox by a 11 year old.
To the staff here at Hockey Inside Out. Great Job last night, keep up the good work and I’ll have to start advertising here
HAPPY WEDNESDAY ALL, SHE BE A GREAT DAY
CAREY CAREY CAREY
GO HABS GO GO HABS GO 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
If everyone could be as uplifting as you Sholi.
And I agree.
Carey! Carey! Carey!
Go! Habs Go!
Bah, I’m just a fan with lots of heart. You all know they can do better. Losing this many games in a season by one goal, with an average team makes me wonder what they could do with just one more natural goal scorer. I thought it was Cammalleri, but his head got in the way of success and that’s not management’s fault.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
I guarantee you, come next year, those Lafs team from Toronto will do the same “fall from grace” mode like they are showing right now in the regular season. Brian Burke will again make another “blockbuster announcement” trade come postseason.
One of my pals from the Island put a slam on facebook about how he’s enjoying the Habs fall from grace. He’s a leafs fan, and I am very patiently waiting to poke him in the gut in a couple weeks when the Habs rise from the Dead
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
The Jet are missing 3 top guys they should be doing better
Yes very true. I’m just bitter because I couldn’t get season tickets. Hoping next year all the kids who can’t afford to go sell their seats. So I can watch the Eastern conference again, and before they move to the awful Western Con. (not awful teams, just horrible to watch hockey)
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com Inc.
Custom Sports Figures
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Well said!
+1
“To disbelieve is easy; to scoff is simple; to have faith is harder”
~ Louis L’Amour
I’ve got the faith!
Don’t know about Ovie’s rap skills but that girl in the video is crazy good looking!!
Hahaha. Ovie rapping. That was rich.
he looks kinda cute like a 10yr old kid who just learned how to rap IHMO.
Here’s the video of Jacques Martin joining L’Antichambre in RDS: http://www.rds.ca/canadien/
From the looks of if, I kinda felt he’s joined the “losers mentality” club along w/ Therrien, Carbonneau, Tremblay, Gagnon and Langdeau.
Funny how Claude Julien and Alain Vigneault weren’t invited.
I don’t think that’s a good idea right now.
Vigneault says Julien is stupid. Julien thinks Vigneault is Hypocritical.
Also, at least though those 2 are coaching other teams. While the other four, haha!!! I feel sorry for those guys at L’Antichambre.
I was being sarcastic. My point being that those two are employed by the NHL not waxing poetic as talking heads on the tube.
Hahaha, great name.
100% agree. I don’t think NJ would give him up though. He is too useful even on their PP.
We control the Gomez situation. His talent minus the term/value of his contract make him less than worthless. When this happens, the team needs to eat the deal and send the player to the minors.
Molson has the money and the organization needs to accept his mistake. If they need room (and they don’t right now), then demote him.
It may compound our problem to trade Gomez if we have to add players/picks to sweeten the deal.
A big stones joke is never complete without an obscure out of left field mention of curling… well played sir.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
Wealthy people remain wealthy by not spending twice for the same thing. They will not bury Gomez’ contract.
Scary?…would that not be a sign of the apocalypse?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
how much stock can you put in PJ’s opinion? (heh heh heh… Sorry, it is just one of those days)
Ahhh yes. The end is nigh.
- Honestly yours
I second that !
Habs, OLE !
Hand waving frantically yelling third. Very well put, whether i like or dislike PG as the current GM I like the trade he made with Cammalleri.
It was probably the loudmouth Burke again chirping anyways. He was still smarting from Cammy choosing Mtl over Toronto and now he missed at him again.
exactly. You have to know it was Burke, PG probably didn’t call Ciarelli either
Habsolutely,
I think that story was that Cammy went to TO to meet with them but Burke was in Sweden getting “The Monster” (lol at the nickname) signed. Don’t know if Cammy talked to someone else there about a deal or not, but then he signed in Montreal.
- Honestly yours
Hahaha. Yeah, that, and the truckload of money BG backed up to his door. LOL
- Honestly yours
I believe you’re correct. I’m pretty sure PG would have only shopped him to the West. Trading him to a team in the East, especially with the uncertainty of re-alignment and which teams might actually end up in your division, wouldn’t make sense.
- Honestly yours
Agreed, if a GM didn’t know Cammy was available, then he is not doing his job. All you keep hearing from GMs is that they are trying to improve their team on a daily basis. If that is true, then how come a GM wouldn’t know that a particular player was available.
What aging veteran would ever want to come to Montreal to finish their career? And why are the Habs still trying to keep the CraZy BoB’s Hockey Emporium for Washed Up Veterans and who can’t skate TOo GooD open anyway? We all know CraZy BoB’s Hockey Emporium for mighty midgets is now closed….