Louis Leblanc has been recalled from Hamilton for the Canadiens game in New Jersey Thursday night.
Ryan White will not return to action against the Devils.
Travis Moen is still out, and Andreas Engqvist – who played 4:12 and was on for the winning goal in that Tuesday stinkeroo against Buffalo at the Bell Centre – was sent back to Hamilton.
The Canadiens began their Wednesday practice with some hard skating.
The thrust of the practice, randy Cunneyworth said, was getting pucks on net.
Possible line-juggling: AK46 with Plekanec and Bourque, Leblanc with Eller and Blunden, Gomez with Darche and Weber
Andrei Markov skated on his own for 20 minutes.
AUDIO from Wednesday practice: Max Pacioretty I and II | Lars Eller | David Desharnais | Randy Cunneyworth | Ryan White
• Upset! Max Pacioretty won the Carey Price Cup for January.
Loading ...
Hire Colin Campbell as GM.
Colin trades Gomez to Gary in Phoenix for Kyle Chipchura.
Fire Colin Campbell.
brilliant, throw in Kaberle as well
I was going to post something like that, yours is more to the point. I agree, though Malkin is the exception
For you anti-tankers: Ottawa dumped players and salary last year in Feb (Fisher, Kelly, Ruutu, Elliott) brought up or gave more ice time to soon to be NHLers (Cowan, Greening, Butler, smith, Winchester). After they did this, they finished the last half of Feb to April at 14-9-1 and picked up a bunch of high draft picks along the way. They are now in a solid playoff position this year.
Trade the guys you don’t want to rebuild with for some high picks. Take the pressure off, have some fun &restock the cupboards and flush out the bad salaries.
Tell LL to buy a house, keep spots for Gallagher, Tinordi, Beaulieu. Have some cash for a couple of free agents and suffer one more year (but maybe a Sens like surprise season) and bring the excitement back.
We have the core and goaltending that with the addition of 1 star player…. Toews, Kane, Malkin, Stamkos, syd, Ovi, the Sedins… Were all drafted by crappy teams. We can’t hope for the next Alfie or Datsuk seeking a diamond in the rough.
Start the trading, I’m sure we will all be happily surprised at the results. It won’t be a dreary Feb and march. I live in Ottawa and the city exhaled after they moved some key and loved players and the players played hard and fun.. And won games Some tough and unpopular moves to make, but Fisher is now forgotten and the Persian Prince is who Sens fans can’t wait for (nice OT winner for the swedes in the World juniors)
Most insightful post i’ve read on here in months. Nobody’s saying throw hockey games – it’s addition by subtraction. The moves made in the next month should reinforce the foundation that has been built for a strong future. If players aren’t in the teams plans for the future, then now is absolutely the perfect time to part ways and let the kids get their feet wet.
“Of course I’m crazy, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
- Robert Anton Wilson
Except…
Fisher wasn’t a dump…Ottawa wanted to keep him, but sent him to Nashville as that is the home base for his wife, country singer Carrie Underwood.
Brian Elliott was traded for Craig Anderson, who was 4 years older and who had a cap hit that was 5 times larger.
Ruutu was traded for a 6th round pick, Kelly was traded for a 2nd round pick (that ended up being 61st overall) and Kovalev was traded for a conditional 7th round pick.
The picks obtained in exchange for Fisher were used to draft Stefan Noesen (not Zibanejad…he was their own pick) and Matt Puempel (obtained by packaging two 2nd round picks for a late 1st rounder). I like Puempel, but he’s years away. I don’t know much about Noesen.
Who is left to bring up here in Montreal? We’re **already** playing a bunch of youngsters: Eller, Desharnais, Pacioretty, Subban, Diaz, Emelin and Weber are all regulars getting a fair amount of ice time. The cupboard is bare in the minors…we’ve tried Palushaj and Engqvist, the best of the bunch in Hamilton, and they weren’t ready. The only other players worth calling up are Louis Leblanc, who was called up, and Frederic St-Denis.
So I’m not sure exactly what Montreal should do differently.
And Nash, who may have been our most ready AHL prospect if he had not gone down with a shoulder injury.
We’re already pretty loaded with youngsters at the back. If Gill is traded, I think they will need to bring up St-Denis more than Nash, even if he’s healthy.
Nash is 24, and is a big 2 way dman. He put up 30 points in his first AHL season. I would have thought he would be higher up on the depth chart. Is St Denis more reliable in the defensive zone?
Nash is more offensively gifted, whereas St-Denis is better defenisvely. I like Nash a lot, but I’m not sure where he fits in with Diaz, Subban and Weber ahead of him on the offensive blueliner depth chart. I haven’t seen Nash enough, but he didn’t strike me as being particularly physical.
I’d like to see him get another call-up at some point, as he is an interesting prospect that the team needs to make a call on in the not so distant future. I’m just not sure if that time is now, especially if he’s rusty coming off a shoulder injury rehab. That’s not putting him in a position to succeed.
Well I don’t believe Nash will get a chance this season but I’m rooting for him to make an impact next season
Montreal tends to let players overdevelop in the AHL before they get called up. Montreal is a tough place to play and if you aren’t absolutely ready, you could get crushed. In my view all we need are a star number 1 center, a solid top 6 winger, a fourth line shutdown center, and maybe a new veteran shutdown dman. Then we lose Gomez, Gill, Campoli, Darche and one of our three centers we have now. Then we just hope for no more injuries.
I knew there was something odd about that photo of Leblanc so I took a closer look. Do you see?! He’s stickhandling WITHOUT ACTUALLY TOUCHING THE PUCK!
Now is it Louis or the stick that’s responsible for such magic?
Is it psychokinesis or the prototype of a composite stick containing the latest generation of methylethylpropylbutyl adapted to hockey?
If it’s psychokinesis, I hope it works out better for the Canadiens than the PK they’ve grown accustomed to. Or not.
But if it’s a methylethylpropylbutyl, well, that presents problems, too, as any baseball fan will tell you. It used to happen every spring.
There are some things man should not meddle in.
MaxPac – Desharnais – Cole
Bourque – ______ – Leblanc
AK – Eller – Moen (unless it’s a solid move)
Blunden – ______ – White
Markov(Please! For F’s Sake Please!) – PK
Emelin – Gorges
Diaz – ______
Price – ______
I could live without Pleks if we got a good return, his Mid season disappearing acts are getting to me, despite the fact that I dig on the turtleneck . If something isn’t done about Gomez, Oh man, I don’t even want to think about it! We could get something for that kind of money! There’s got to be something out there! Goodbye Weber! Sorry kiddo, you just ain’t got it. Otherwise, not so bad really. I just hope it ain’t PG filling the blanks!
u gotta put gomez on that team then its playoff contender
I support Scott Gomez
What happened to Kaberle, Gionta, Gomez, and Plekanec? Tough to get rid of $55,000,000 worth of contracts without taking any back…..
So Markov skated today. Well, whooptie ding-dong. My 9-year-old skated too and my grandma walked to the fridge by herself and, and both of them did the Habs just as much good as Markov. And my son didn’t need millions of dollars to skate a few circles, and you know what? If I want an autograph, he just gives me one! I’m sick of Markov, sick of “specialists” who obviously are not THAT special. I’m sick of players playing with the wrong guys, players not big enough, not skilled enough, players playing on the wrong side, players not playing 60 minutes, feeling snake-bitten, getting benched, getting traded – I’m sick of it all! I want the f-n draft lottery! I want Pierre McGuire’s SISTER as GM! I want a cheeseburger made just how I like it – and I want you to know just how that is without me asking! Is that too much to ask?
I’m so dang tired of guys getting pushed around and doing nothing but yapping. tired of winning two periods and losing the only one that counts. I’m tired of duos and trios and top 6 forwards, top 9 forwards, how about top 15 forwards – I mean let’s be HONEST! I’m tired of coaching changes and too many men on the ice penalties (okay that’s the one thing that’s gotten better), tired of losing face-offs, losing fights because we DON’T fight, losing games to teams way uglier than ours. Tired of media guys and dumb questions asked of hockey players in scrums. I’m tired of f-n Sydney Crosby (sorry Croz) updates, tired of TSN… I’ll say that one again, TIRED of TSN, and especially of creating so much drama over things that are not dramatic (did you know that they say the laugh track only works on things that AREN’T actually funny). I’m tired of James Duthie, who, if he has any brains and taste by now is also tired of himself. I’m tired of Pierre Gauthier calling the players “Mr.” like their last name is Rogers or like he doesn’t really know them very well, which is exactly what it seems like. (Their names are “skilsy” and “pleky” and “pricey” Goaty – go be a doorman or a waiter or something that suits your pasty demeanor.)
And I’m really freakin tired of thinking we can win when we lose, tired of expecting the guys who took it to another team one night, to show up again the next, or even in the same week. I’m tired of people explaining how we can make it to the playoffs when we can’t, tired of waiting for that extra goal we need to tie, when it’s not gonna happen. I’m tired of Molson writing letters about whatever and doing nothing about overpaid useless hockey players on this team. I’m tired of the dumb moves Gauthier has made gambling on guys no-one else wants (Campoli? Kaberle? c’mon!!!), tied of a GM who knows quality in hockey players about as well as he knows how to cook a steak. I want a high draft pick. I want a coach that ONLY speaks Farsi if he’s the best available professional coach on the planet – and I want him to thumb his nose at French AND English speakers when he wins.
What I really want is to have confidence in the team management. Because if we don’t have it, how do you think the players feel? And what kind of season are we going to have next year. All we can hope is that Gauthier is gone before he can do any more damage with one more dumb trade, and someone with a NEW plan is in place. Cause the old plan, and the old planner don’t work. And Molson – spend some of your hard-inherited zillions to put this team right. Or sell it to someone who cares more about sports and the pride of a nation of fans, than they do about selling stuff to people so they can get hammered, maybe laid, and just as likely barf their guts out, and now and then to kill someone by accident because they had too much of your product. Seriously, pay BACK or sell this team to someone who’ll do right by it.
I want goals and wins, and a team that WORKS. And some sort of sign it’s on the right track. And I’m still waiting.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
So, what’s up? /kidding/
Great rant.
LOL
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Brother Smartdog, you are preaching to the choir. Oh the days when we would win, and not whether but by how much. Alas, alas.
It’s a sad state. Another thing I’m sick of is this idea that we can’t be smarter than the GM. He’s got all this experience and amazing resources and thank god with all that help he makes some good decisions but some of the things he does are so obviously dumb it’s unbelievable. This team finally has a decent foundation, which is more than you can say for awhile but too many OBVIOUS gambles have sunk it. It’s sad. It needs someone else to fix it.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Hab fans hate losing and too proud to Tank…hear your wolf wolf bowser!!
Sounds like a bad case of Habbin’ fever. Is your nose warm?
Yeah but I had it in the toaster for awhile. Is that bad?
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
I hear ya, brother. It’s been that kind of season. It’s all about the crumbs now.
to many coffees.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGIY5Vyj4YM
Damn straight! Great clip.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Brother Bripro, enjoyed the link. I also love my dear Montreal Canadiens. We live in dark days.
Well, I just opened the window and screamed to the world: “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” and now the cops are pulling into the driveway! Seems the neighbours are mad as hell as well. And they did something about it.
Jezz JB, next time you go to the window remember to wear pants.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Good grief, you’re right! The cops showed me the bylaw! Whodda thunk?
Well just tell them to watch my newscast, for God’s sake!
You always come up with excellent clips. Thx for the laugh.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
The Buddhists are still looking for monks. It’ll give you time to meditate and get in touch with your inner point of light… which clearly isn’t working while watching hockey.
Actually, if you decide to go that route, bring Gauthier, Gainey and anyone else in management that ok’d the trade for Gomez with you…
Thanks for a good laugh… it was quite cathartic… maybe even therapeutic…
That made me lol SD. I think there are more sports journalists/reporters, etc., “reporting” hockey than there are civil servants.
Other than that how is your day ?
Great post!!
I agree.
I agree.
I agree.
I agree.
And I agree.
And I’m still waiting too, as we all are.
I could say I am tired of whingers, lol
The time it took you to write this post, you could have visited an elderly person who is lonely, or call an old friend you haven’t seen for a while. Maybe THEY are tired of you spending so much time on HIO, and maybe your wife is tired of you leaving the toilet seat up!
Cheer up mate and remember we are in a 30-team league and in a 196-country world. Not every country can be rich and not every person has food to eat. Watch hockey for the pleasure and don’t worry if they don’t win the Cup – it’s hockey that matters, not winning.
wow, he sounds so tired, so very tired.
“I complain but nobody listens” ;-(
you are righteous slovakHab
Impressive, doggy.
A lot being made out of Gaustad saying something to Patch about “where’s Chara?”. Jeez man, guys say some awful things on the ice or pitch or wherever you are playing sports. Doesn’t make you a bad guy, necessarily. I am sure anyone who has mucked it up a bit at a decent level of any sport has heard worse and likely said worse, I know I have. Stuff that is said is just sh*t, that’s it. You’re allowed to be rude, be a proper bastard, it stays out there and it should. There is always a line and most guys know that. Racism for example is never on. You can’t talk about a serious, current situation either personal or family. If Maxpac wasn’t playing and was still injured, nothing like that gets said. Talk about making a lot out of nothing. I would take Gaustad on this team anyday, though he should have done something during the Miller/Lucic thing.
Pacs & Gaustead stuff would have stayed on the ice if the media did not ask what was being said – So instead of a no comment being said, The truth was spoken what’s wrong with that with its
15 minutes being close to being over I hope……..
I don’t know if anybody has posted this but it is a pretty decent read.
I sit firmly in the #3 camp.
Nothing revolutionary in that article, except that they don’t realize that 2012 draft is really deep in D. What franchise centers are available in top 5?
So we don’t want a scoring winger instead?
Good link, thanks. #3 is really the long-view best option, but I take 2 issues: Firstly yo have to sell this to Eric Cole. He chose to come play for the Habs, gives monumental effort night after night and now you’re going tell him “thanks but we’d rather suck”. All the other players are either young so they’re part of the future anyway or old and on their way out anyway. Pleks and Gio are in between but I don’t think selling them on putting 2011-12 in the rearview would be difficult. Cole is having a career year and is a leader on the team. Tough to tell him it was all for nought.
Secondly, I am not convinced the player a top5 pick/player is the guy for this team. Grigorenko is the only centre, Yakupov is highly skilled yet a winger. Would the Habs draft another highly touted d-man. Not exactly addressing the future needs. The next best centre ( and Canadian) is B. Gaunce rated 12. If the habs end up with the 5th then perhaps trying to trade down? Risky.
Just some alternate arguements, looking forward to watching the prospects game.
Did you write the article?
Ok all you GM’s. Eller, Beaulieu,Gallagher,Kaberle for Rick Nash?
Mr. Bad Example!
Find somebody other than Gallagher.
You have to give to get.
Mr. Bad Example!
Well, that is just another “Bad Example”!
This site has become Pathetic. Your getting the best player in the trade and all your giving up is hope. Hope is for LOSERS!
Mr. Bad Example!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTf8QyFZBsM
Nope.
Take out any 2 of the 1st 3, add the 2nd rd pick from Cal in the cammy deal. Then I like it better. 4 NHLers for 1 is disproportionate
But it’s 2 NHLers, one of which we got in exchange for a salary dump.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
No.
Chris, re: Mcdonagh.
I know you have been following him and you liked him because I have read your posts in the past.
Here’s what I had read, heard, and seen myself.
I read and heard that the Habs were becoming concerned that he was not developing at the rate that they had hoped
I believe that he was cut (or not chosen) for the U.S Junior his first year and then he made it his second year.
I watched that tournament and Mcdonagh every time he was on the ice.
He was not one of the US top 4 d-men and I saw him struggling in his d-zone coverage on several occasions.
I’m not a scout – but my own view of his play coupled with the reports I had seen that the Habs were not that high on him, I was not at all surprised that he was traded.
I should mention that I went to a training camp at Jacques Lemaire arena in Lasalle where the Habs youngsters were skating and Mcdonagh was good, but not at all great at that camp.
It turns out that Mcdonagh, like Gorges and others, have a unique talent to play defence.
Their offensive skills do not stand out.
But they have great defensive instincts, great poise, and they make great decisions under pressure.
I was just making the same point that many have made.
When we drafted him there were some other very interesting players on the board.
Kevin Shattenkirk was ahead of Mcdonagh on the WJC team.
Ian Cole was ahead of him on the WJC team
Both were still on the board.
So Mcdonagh has had a break out year and good for him.
But it is not fair to call out Mcguire or anyone else for not seeing this on draft day.
Many people in Montreal wanted Esposito.
Pierre flipped out because Gainey picked Price over Brule…just saying!
Ed: Using the World Juniors to assess defensive defencemen is really difficult. I’m pretty down on that tournament because it is more of a showcase of offensive talent than anything else.
A defensive stalwart like McDonagh excels by always being in position. The book on him is that he was mobile, controlled gaps well and could throw his wait around when necessary. But most importantly, he played safe and he played in control.
A big part of that style of play is that you MUST be comfortable with your teammates, especially your defence partner and your goaltender. Communication is absolutely key, especially when you are playing against a glorified all-star team in terms of talent.
The World Junior teams typically get about 1-2 weeks to develop that familiarity before the games begin. That is not much time. Adding to that problem, if I recall correctly McDonagh suffered an injury (I have charleyhorse in my memory bank, but it has been a while) and while he played through it, he was slowed.
The reports I saw out of Wisconsin were always very good. People have to remember that NCAA Division I is not like the CHL; in the CHL, you will never see anybody over the age of 20. In the NCAA, it is not uncommon to be red-shirted in your freshman year and not see anybody YOUNGER than age 20. So for McDonagh to earn a top-4 spot on one of the powerhouse programs in the country as an 18 year old was impressive.
That, and the continued glowing reports I saw from Timmins in various places regarding McDonagh’s development, were why I was so high on him.
As you say, one can never be 100% certain that these kids will work out. But I saw nothing in McDonagh to make me question his development, and he certainly was VERY highly touted in his draft. Some of the rankings I saw had him as the best defenceman in the draft that could go as high as top-5, depending on need. When you looked at the Habs blueline, they had Markov and Komisarek at that time and they thought they had a lot of offence up front. McDonagh was a perfectly natural and reasonable pick, both in terms of talent and organizational need.
Esposito was viewed as a talented player who represented a huge risk/huge reward. Unfortunately for him, it hasn’t worked out.
Why would Columbus make that trade though? If they decide to trade Nash they need a big return. A very high pick and a prospect at least.
They don’t want or need Kaberle.
So they would be getting one potentially good player in Eller and two longshots in Gallagher and Beaulieu.
Still it’s better than the ridiculous trade rumour to the Leafs: Nash for Grabovski (pending UFA), Kadri (longshot), Schenn (way overpaid), and Komisarek (haha).
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Hell no.
Nash is a born loser – he belongs in a Leafs uniform.
I went to the CHL Prospects / Skills Competition last night. Fastest skater, hardest shot, most accurate, shootout etc. The closest they got to game action was 30 minutes (run time) of 3-on-3 / a good mix of events. Grigorenko looked OK – he and others saving it for the game tonight I suspect.
Dr Recchi was standing in on the Team Cherry bench. Being from Kamloops gets zero traction in Kelowna but he was greeted, altho a few folks almost upchucked when Rob Faulds asked him to flash the cup ring – and he did.
Can’t think of too many former Habs I would ignore, but this knob is a guaranteed exception to that : should have kept his size XXL yap shut about the MaxPac injury last season (maybe he’s a buddy of Gaustad’s) …
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
I used to like Recchi when he was a Hab but after those comments from him about Maxpac I hate his guts now.
I would hope someone lays him out at an oldtimers game.
One can dream…
Now that’s funny!
I got a visual of 80 year old Stan Mikita taking him out from behind!
To the music of Rocket Mat
They packed their bags last night, post-bite
Now all zeros at nine a.m.
And they’re gonna be cryyyyying by then, when the truth sets in
I miss the cup so much, I miss its sheen
It’s lonely in last place
Or for what coooooould have been
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time
Till the Habs raise Stanley holding a fine wine
They’re not the team we think they are at home
Oh no no no, they’re the tanking men
Tanking men burning out their bridges on their own
The Show ain’t the kinda place to raise your kids
In fact it’s cold as hell
And there’s no one there to stop the concussion hits
And all the bullshit from Buttman and gang
It’s just his throne five days a week
Oh Tanking men, the tanking men
And I think it’s gonna be a long long time….
A trip down memory lane for you…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EkEQk-z0eU
What a great series eh?
That was the year my wife realized how hockey mad our family was.
I have celebrated 13 Cups. My oldest son has only two and my youngest this one only. Middle son is a “Make me Laugh” fan so doesn’t get to celebrate any…maybe ever. Nah, love my son despite his flaw in CHaracter so hope he gets at least one…after I’m gone!!
You’re lucky in having been able to celebrate a few cup wins with your boys. My son was born the year the Habs won the last cup.
But not worries (for him). He’s already celebrated one. He’s a Bruins’ fan! I know….it’s tragic!
The Rocket wrote a song??!! Did not know that.
What about scores? Did he ever do those?
You forgot your…
Exclamation, Footnote, Mandatory superscripted happy face
Sorry, sir. It won’t happen again.
Exclamation, Footnote, Mandatory superscripted happy face
The only thing that really bugs me about the Habs Tanking™ and everybody accepting it is that I am going to have to come up with a new shtick now. Problem is I don’t know what could possible shock y’all at this point.
OK. I got it. I think the Habs should win the Cup. That’s right. In 2015.
So sue me!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHFDa9efCQU
Don’t worry, HH…I will never accept the Tank and therefore you can keep this schtick as long as you’d like.
A few diehards like me don’t believe that losing is winning. Must be my sanity gene. HaHave fun.
Just for the record, your Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning was selected with the #1 pick in the draft.
The only reason the Giants got him, and won the SB, and are back again, is because they tanked. If they hadn’t tanked, they’d have some medicore retread at QB, like most other NFL teams, and like the Giants did every year before Eli (Kerry Collins), and never sniff the title.
So yeah, sports leagues give losers the best chance to win in the future. We need to tank like the Giants did.
Cough!!!!! What are you talking about? The Chargers selected Manning and the Giants selected Rivers. Manning did not want to play for the Chargers and the trade was made. I wish people would have the facts on here before making posts.
What Storm Man said. Fact check first, then spout off.
I received a great gift today! George Burnett, coach and GM of the OHL Belleville Bulls gave it to me today..
An original Hab’s 100 year team anniversary home (RED) PK Subban sweater. From the PK kid himself.
He signed it on the 7 and his two brothers Malcom & Jordon playing for the Belleville Bulls signed it on the 6.
I guess I had better get a frame for it.
That is very cool Ian. Enjoy it!
Wow what a great gift! Good for you bud!
What a great gift, Ian. Don’t wash it!
BTW, did he say anything about Brendan Gaunce drafted by the Habs? I think he would be a great fit. Looking forward to seeing him play tonight, he is playing isn’t he?
Out of curiousity, what do you base his being a great fit off of?
i scored 100 level seat center ice for the Sens Bruins game later this month..the big question is who do I cheer for..or should I say who do i boo louder?? decisions..decisions..
Don’t cheer for either team – boo the Brooms at will.
ALWAYS Habs -
D Mex
I know it doesn’t look good but I believe there’s still a good chance the Canadiens can make the playoffs – and, yes, I’m talking about this season.
They’ve played 50 games and have 47 points. I’ve looked at the schedule and of the 32 games remaining, there’s a whole bunch of four-point games to be played. If Montreal wins just 12 of them, that will give the team 95 points (12 X4 + 47) – which should be good enough for eighth spot.
And if the Habs give 110 per cent the rest of the way, the markup from the extra effort – 48 pts X 10 per cent = 5 pts (the NHL always rounds up) – would push Montreal to the 100 point level and first round of the playoffs,when anything can happen!
This kind of positive thinking should put an end to all this talk of tanking.
You’re welcome.
I can see that your mathematics is made of 50 percent formulas, 50 percent proofs, and 50 percent imagination.
And 99 per cent perspiration
Carry the knot.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Did Yogi help you with this John?
You forgot the loser point. You know. The 3 point games. So, using your logic,
that would mean potential 6 pointers against teams the Habs are chasing.
Habs could finish with 120 points if they play their cards right.
I briefly considered that but I didn’t want to be dismissed as a dreamer.
Are you sure you’re not my financial adviser?
Uncle Earl, is that you????
TANK!!! TANK!! Haha just kidding. What is sad is that they don’t really need to try to tank, they just do it. I’m positive about the future. The young talent Montreal has, the potential to get a Grigorenko…but getting excited about maybe getting the eighth spot, just to get beaten down in the first round and get a middle round draft pick – no thanks.
gilis way too old and slow dump him
Mike?
weve been in a 19 yr rebuild allready look how thats going
The most intriguing thing to happen this season was Cammalleri being traded during a game. lol
Losing, or not winning makes the team and all the talk around the team boring and petty. imho
If the biggest story out of last night is Gaustad and he said – he said, things are even worse than I thought.
Is this team not competing, or do they just not have the depth to win games? Sadly, I believe it is the latter.
I’ll still watch and hope for a miracle. As much as I love all those great saves Price makes, I equally enjoy watching our forwards make beautiful passes leading to beautiful or ugly goals, who cares.
I have been on PG’s side until now, but the GM is the only one with the power to change the fortunes of this team. If he can’t or won’t, it’s time for new leadership.
You might still watch LL but yesterday, as I was waiting for the Habs game to start, I noticed that the Bruins-Sens game was on. I hate the Bruins and am here nor there with the Sens. But the excitement of watching the Habs has been lost on me this year. I spent the evening wanting the watch the Bruins-Sens game over my beloved Habs. That was a sad realization for me. As long as the Habs have Gomez, I can’t really get excited to watch.
Well put LL. I am so discouraged with the teams lack of effort on many nights outside a few players. We know who they are. Are you comfortable with PG managing the rebuild? I don’t think I am.
I guess ProHabs, you and I are bored watching the same old, same old. (No goals)
As well as discussing the same old, same old. (Gomez)
You know when things are going badly, heads roll. Even though the guy losing his head is not always at fault.
Markovgate, unfortunately, may ultimately cost him his job.
That’s a Lotta Lip, LL, from someone who just turned 26!
Respect your elders!
.
.
.
Oh, BTW,
LMAO…
Based on yesterday’s experience, I see you’ve adopted a safe strategy.
Comment
Exclamation, Footnote, Mandatory superscripted happy face
OK I’ll respect the geez…I mean my elders.
In our day, we called them geezers.
I guess that’s a new generation sayin’….
(as he bends over and horks in his spittoon)
Just watching That’s Hockey and they just showed Alex Radulov on the bench in the KHL. Having a disagreement with his coach behind him so he smokes him in the face with his stick! Makes PK and RL thing seem a little tame now, doesn’t it?
I just youtubed it that was crazy, the weirdest thing is he goes right back to shuffling his papers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLkOLptnPAI
I don’t believe it was a disagreement.
He didn’t mean to hit the goaltending coach. Which is why he raised his hand after.
That guy’s tough!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Not sure if this was posted here, but some sad news:
Daughter of NHL great Phil Esposito dies
The Canadian Press
TAMPA, Fla. – The daughter of former NHL superstar Phil Esposito has died.
Carrie Selivanov, 43, died Monday in Germany of an unknown illness. She had been living in the German city of Krefeld with husband, former NHL player Alex Selivanov.
http://sports.sympatico.ca/nhl/daughter_of_nhl_great_esposito_dies/88ed729f
My biggest fear with having PG still in the position is that he’ll make the same mistakes as last year.
1. We have the makings of a perfect fourth line. If healthy, Moen, White and Blunden would work really well in my opinion. If we let Moen go, someone who fits in and is valuable, he will not be replaced via free agency because it’s PG’s MO to try to fill the void with someone from Hamilton. A big, physical guy who can kill penalties, fight, and score 10-15 goals a year is not available in Hamilton. LL is not a fourth line player.
2. AK cannot be replaced via FA or thru Hamilton. If we lose him, we are a weaker, not stronger team. Next year will be a replay of this year if we still have players like Darche, Moen, and Blunden (even though I love the guy) playing in the top six, or even top nine.
3. Anyone remember JM playing Darche on the PP for the first twenty games of the year, in….sane.
4. We cannot start next year relying on Markov to run the PP. Even when healthy, he’s not a shooter. I fear for Markov the first time he gets nailed, in Boston…..or anywhere. We need a big Stud D man. Period, someone who can shoot and hit, and stand in front of Price with balls.
5. Some changes need to be made, but the biggest mistake may be letting AK and Moen walk. If I were a guessing man, PG thinks Blunden is Moen’s replacement. I almost gaurantee it. Just like he thought PK would score from the point, and White would shore up the fourth line. Not all his fault mind you, but his decisions have come up snake eyes one too many times for my liking.
6. The Gomez contract needs to be let go, I don’t even hate the guy. He is skating, but there’s simply no production. Kaberle’s deal is hampering us now like Spaceks did last year. He’s playing better , but unless Markov doesn’t come back, which I think is a real possibility, Kaberle has to go.
7. Gill has been a warrior for us in the playoffs, and should be remembered as such.
8. It’s time for Pleks to get over the baby hangover. Come on man, if your hurt, sit, if not, get it going.
9. PK’s lack of success this year will help with his contract, probably a blessing.
This should be our best opportunity in years to put a real play in action, starting from the top. I’m not sure PG is the guy. I like the Cammy trade, but PG’s bad decisions regarding personnel all year have cost the team dearly.
Good post CF
Point 5. I agree that we let people walk too easily. I realize that a certain amount of a GMs job is guessing but take your example about Blunden taking Moen’s place – whatever happened to a guy winning the job? If Blunden outperforms Moen then Moen becomes tradable.
I’d like to see a little more certainty and less hoping.
If we become sellers at the deadline that’s OK. If we get some good picks back that’s OK too but please, let’s not get back under-performing project players in the hope that they just might need a change of scenery.
Cheers.
I feel you canèt make steps forward by simply letting good people go and filling the void with players of lower talent. It doesnèt work.
Good post. Thought I’d weigh in…
1. We have the makings of a perfect fourth line.
They’re OK. I wouldn’t overrate them. Moen has been good this year in his UFA… I’d get something for him now. We can replace him. Keep the other two because they should give you some good return vs price. I’d want a strong faceoff winner in the circle though…
2. AK cannot be replaced via FA or thru Hamilton.
True. But you can’t resign him at any price.
3. Anyone remember JM playing Darche on the PP for the first twenty games of the year, in….sane.
Yep. The real problem was the absence of a gun at the point or a true QP for the PP. Everything else is cosmetic, imo.
4. We cannot start next year relying on Markov to run the PP.
Disagree. We’re committed now. Accurate 94 mph slapper. Pinches when he needs to. One of the best first passes in the League. Good skater. Great vision. I’d play Weber with him. He’ll make that guy look good (provided he’s healthy).
5. …the biggest mistake may be letting AK and Moen walk.
Biggest mistake would be not to bury Gomer and addressing our PP shortcomings. Moen can be replaced. AK… not so much. He’d be a significant loss.
6. The Gomez contract needs to be let go. Kaberle has to go.
Yes and yes. Tough to do, but hopefully do-able.
7. Gill has been a warrior for us in the playoffs, and should be remembered as such.
Yes. And he should be traded at the deadline for a pick. With our thanks…
8. It’s time for Pleks to get over the baby hangover. Come on man, if your hurt, sit, if not, get it going.
That’s up to the coaches. His performance is unacceptable. Complete lack of leadership there and really disappointing from that guy (who has delivered a solid effort for so long…)
9. PK’s lack of success this year will help with his contract, probably a blessing.
Can’t hurt. He’s all over the place. Needs a big brother who he can look up to (ie, a player of similar skill…)
Keep the posts coming. Very topical… I suspect you’ll get an answer on most of those issues very soon.
size up front with talent: max-pac, cole, kostitsyn, eller, bourque that’s what you need to win today. the remaining forwards see what you can get for them. players with size and can score. that’s when you’ll see a decent team in montreal again. anything less. you’ll be looking at what you’re looking at right now for the next 20 years.
it would be a comforting thought if PG login into this site and took a look at the last two pole [85% rebuild the team and 92% keep Subban] and realize what people want. perhaps PG could save his job by just saying the habs are rebuilding and then do a decent job of it.
g
b
We are rebuilding. We have 8 players on the team now who are in their first or second full season in the NHL. That’s not including Blunden, Leblanc, and Engvist. Plus we have Gallagher, Bournival, Beaulieu, Tinordi, Holland, Ellis, Nash and several others developing.
Someone on the other page said the drafting of Patrick Roy was a bit of a crap shoot. I dont think it was. Savard knew what he was doing. Having had the privilege of seeing the expansion Granby Bisons, Roy was facing close to 70 shots per game for them. Despite the not so great win/loss record, Savard figured such peppering would make him a good goalie one day and that was his logic for drafting him.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
yea, bring back serge
You really think Markov is gonna turn the team around? dream on. Get rid of him? with a bum knee? Without even seeing if he still has it? I say give the guy a chance WHEN he is ready and get off his damn back. Maybe you need your knee f’d up like he had it and see how you go on.. I’ve had that injury, it’s not an easy one to get past. It takes a lot of time most of the time. He already rushed back once and look what happened.
Engqvist down and Leblanc up. Engqvist had a good game and on for a goal with 4 mins playing time. What are these coaches smoking man! This coaching staff hasn’t got a damn clue. You can’t just keep swinging players in and out, they need a fair shake not this BS come up for 1 or 2 games, oh you didn’t do exactly what I said, you’re going down BS. That’s a clear sign the coaching staff hasn’t got a clue.
Season is a write-off, face it. It’s time to rebuild but get rid of Gauthier first.
I agree about markov but how do you get rid of that contract, its kinda like the kaberle one.
You had the same injury as Andrei Markov? Is that where you became so smart? While convalescing you read dozens of encyclopedias and journals about the latest towels.
I do agree though the coaching staff is clueless.
Just a quick rundown of some of the things that have happened under Gauthier’s watch:
1) Erik Cole – arguably the best UFA signing in the NHL last year
2) David Desharnais – on pace for 58 pts. Signed for 2 years at $850k/yr.
3) Alexei Emelin – 16th in the league in hits, promises to be a force on the back end for years to come, was convinced to come play in North America
4) Josh Gorges – 1st in the league in Blocked shots, signed for 6 years and has the makings of a future captain
5) Carey Price – our franchise. not traded.
6) Lars Eller – actually developing (unlike so many former can’t miss prospects) into a fantastic 2 way Centre in the biggest fishbowl in the league
7) Max Pacioretty – sent down the AHL to become the top line LW we hoped he could be.
8. PK Subban – called up from Hamilton during the playoffs as a 20 yr old, and hasn’t been back since. Our future superstar on defence.
9) Tomas Kaberle – since coming to Montreal is scoring at a pace that would give him 52 points over an 82 game schedule. Only 4 defencemen scored more points last year.
10) Tomas Plekanec – averaging 64 pts/season over the last 3 years while also being the team’s leading PK forward. Signed for 5 years.
11) Raphael Diaz – UFA defencman playing top 4 minutes and on pace to put up nearly 30 pts in his rookie season.
12) Tinordi and Beaulieu both earned rave reviews in the last WJHC as potential top pairing defencemen in the NHL.
(Stupid Gauthier)
you forgot scott gomez
I thought Gainey was GM when that trade was made.
If Gauthier gets credit for not trading Price, for the mere existance of Subban, for Patches and Plekanec, for signing Gorges when he could’ve had him cheaper last summer but gave Marky (older, more injured) a long term contract instead, he can freakin’ well take “credit” for Gomez, who he has NOT be able to dump and who was drafted when he was the pro scout in charge.
You’re seeing a barely half full glass as overflowing.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
listen to the smartdog he knows his poop
you’d think with all that we’d be winning the president’s cup.
i guess out of necessity, living in toronto has sure made you see the glass half full.
you also highlighted 3 centres in your review. too bad we only have two spots for them. you also highlighted 7 D. too bad in addition, we have markov and others signed too.
also, given the dollars committed across the board (e.g. kaberle), how do you suggest signing and keeping all those awesome players you listed together under the cap?
i wouldn’t call that such great management, would you?
Obviously this has been a lost season in Montreal – it just goes to show the insane levels of parity in this league. We’ve lost the 3rd most games in the league to injury and that’ll kill most teams that don’t have Malkin
Kaberle’s contract is nowhere near as onerous as you might think. Remember, we shed about $3m/yr in the Cammalleri trade.
And I’m just posting this to remind people that yes, there’s been a lot of good done under Gauthier. It’s not been as abject a failure as it’s made out to be.
I agreed with your post
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
with all due respect, the team began the season with several players who belong in the AHL. the team is at max in payroll and at min in standings. i do not care how you keep score. the bottom line is the standings.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
I concede Gauthier has made some good moves. Signing Cole and bringing Emelin and Diaz have worked out well. But holes on defence and at center were evident at the start of the season. He must have thought that Engqvist was ready for 4th line duty and that Gomez would make a magical rebound. He bet wrong on Markov’s health, lost Woywitka (not that it mattered), signed a useless Campoli, and took on Kaberle with his fat contract and soft play. Then there’s the circus with the coaches and the Cammalleri mini-soap. Panic, patchwork, churlish impatience and wishful thinking are also Gauthier traits. In Habs history, better GMs with better teams were fired for a lot less. No, Gauthier is not stupid, not entirely, but he isn’t a visionary and consistent enough to warrant keeping.
Markov will be 34 this year and I do not wish him the slamming and banging of giant forwards now patrolling the NHL. Diaz is very quick but still gets nailed now and then. The Habs reached their peak last year losing by one game to the Cup champs. The Gainey rebuild is done, time to begin another. Play more kids get a draft or two. Moen is too great a player to give away.
Too great?
Ok so trade him instead of giving him away.
Try to re-sign him in the offseason maybe, but if he – on his own or in a package – can fetch something valuable, pull the trigger for sure.
Should try to resign Moen now, if not trade before deadline.
He could be of some value to a contender and hate to lose him for nothing.
Priority 1 – Trade
Priority 2 – Re-sign
He’s not worth passing up the return so no, don’t sign him now. If you get the return AND him to sign in the offseason, then ok.
When was the last time a guy came out of the booth, that has been out of the league more than 2 yrs, became a GM or coach and it ended well. In any pro league. Anybody?
When was the last time one of them was as smart as Pierre McGuire and had previous coaching and scouting experience and not just some ex-player that wanted to give coaching a try?
Pierre McGuire and the word smart should never appear in the same sentence.
Edit: unless you are being incredibly sarcastic, or the word “not” appears directly before the word smart.
This is where you look at the best organizations and you attract their personel.Someones assistant GM and someones ass. coach with experience. This is no time to guess and hope. We have to look for pedigree and people who are in the league. Dale Hunter is spinning his wheels in Washington. We don’t need a junior coach either.
John Davidson. Not a GM but serves as President for Blues. I believe he plays a role in player personal decisions. I understand your point though. I think most of us fans are so desperate for a change we’d be willing to consider anyone.
I think Davidson is on his way – and he is making some very brave moves.
Blues are a terrific, young team.
Davidson isn’t the GM. He hired Doug Armstrong, who was an Assistant GM in Dallas for 9 years and the GM for an addition 6 years. He has worked in various capacities as a GM or assistant GM for the Canadian National Team program, and served as the Director of Player Personnel for two years before being hired as the GM in 2010.
John Davidson, now the president of hockey operations for the Blues, comes closest.
McGuire would not be an upgrade… I hate that guy he’s all mouth.I am one of the few that believe our current GM is doing the best job possible.You don’t throw out the baby with the bath water.We had unusual amount of injuries the first of the season. Yes there was some mistakes but look where our current GM works … In mad hockey city Montreal.
its amazing that Pierre McGuire is being considered as the Habs GM.
I remember laughing at my brother (a Sens fan) when McGuire was being considered for the Sens GM position before Murray was re-signed.
I think McGuire would be an upgrade over Gauthier, only because he hated the Gomez trade. The fact that Gauthier was the head pro scout when Gomez was acquired speaks volumes about Gauthier’s talent evaluation skills. Everyone and their mother thought the Gomez trade was dumb, except for Gauthier and Gainey.
I hope Molson fires Gauthier ASAP and the rest of the Canadiens management, save Trevor Timmins. Hopefully Julien Brisebois is the next Canadiens GM, or maybe Claude Loiselle.
The current state of this team is pathetic. Remeber when every Hab fan was laughing at the Leafs a few years ago? Bad contracts, small, soft, even Tomas Kaberle… The only thing going for the Habs is they still have the first round pick.
I know alot about hockey stats and also have a big mouth. AM I now a front runner for the job?
Have you ever coached in the NHL or been a pro scout and been recommended by Scotty Bowman?
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/watch-stunt-driver-score-trick-shot-goals-ice-214223515.html
I mean the video is whatever, but the real gold is the last comment in the article…
Alfa Giulietta – 2 goals
Gomez – 0 goals
isn’t it “interesting” that the SAME guys here at HIO that rip Mcguire for having no GM experience or recent NHL experience,
were leading the bandwagon and cheers when Gauthier was hired with his 30 years of experience??
in other words, you never know.
Gauthier had all of the credentials and STILL messed up.
There is no set “formula” to succeed in the NHL.
Some guys who are brilliant fail.
how many were ripping Bowman’s son after he had to break up his team?
how many were ripping the Bruins management for counting on Tim Thomas to carry the load 2 or 3 seasons ago –
and ripping the flyers for those crazy trades this past summer??
there are so many “experts” on this site.
100%
I’m pretty sure Pierre McGuire won the snap-on of the year award, in 2009, that has got to count for something.
Anybody ripping the Flyers for trading Carter and Richards and their 72 year contracts for those packages, especially with Giroux there, didn’t watch many Flyers games ( or know much about Voraceck or Simmonds for that matter).
The only thing I questioned was signing Bryz to that ridiculous contract. Nothing against Bryz, but you never sign a goalie to such a long contract, especially one that hasnt played for you yet.
Ed I am not in favor of McGuire, but I also was not impressed or happy when Bob handed the reins to PG, for that matter wasn’t too happy with JM either. I have always held BG in high regard and hoped he knew better.
McGuire “might” be a good GM, but to hire someone with almost no experience as a GM for a team like the Habs seems less than acceptable to me.
This organization deserves a Ken Holland level GM. What we will get, well could be more of PG or who knows what. Important to remember none of us will have a choice or say in the matter, we just all have opinions.
I would love to get Holland. But that’s not happening is it?
seriously, Burlington, Mcguire needs to know every player on the ice in order to do his job.
he has studied every player inside and out – and I think his experience at the ice level gives him a unique point of view – attitudes of players, who is leading, who is moping,
I have nooooo idea if he would be a good GM or not – but at least he would start the job knowing that size matters.
gauthier didn’t even know that, apparently
and for Hard Habits below:
many here on HIO thought Gauthier would be the right guy for the job,
more were positive on Gauthier than negative.
I want names ed. I don’t remember there being many people in PG’s corner. The few that were would have supported Don Cherry’s dog Blue if somebody spray painted the CH logo on its back.
Some massive mistakes in today’s sportsworld:
- Expecting C Ronaldo to produce for his national team
- Making Mark Sanchez or Tony Romo your franshise QB
- Having a 1 hour ESPN special to announce your “decision”
- Hiring McGuire as your GM, coach, scout or costodian
You know who was one of the most mediocre GM’s going? Scotty Bowman. When he went to Buffalo he was acknowledged as a brilliant hockey mind, had been an NHL head coach for 15 years, coached under Sam Pollock, had the best team ever. Guess what happened. Buffalo eventually sent him on his way. He was just “ok” but nothing special. His gift is in game management, sensing who is “on” and who isn’t and adjusting TOI accordingly. Being a GM is more than having 20/20 hindsight. Would Pierre Mcguire make a good GM? Who knows. It is always a crap shoot, draft someone that turns out way better than you could expect at that position (hello Patrick Roy at 51st in ’84, and hello Stephane Richer as a 2nd round pick, etc. etc.) and suddenly you look smarter than you maybe are as a GM. Have a free agent signing crash and burn and suddenly everyone thinks you’re an idiot. We are all good looking back and KNOWING that Ryan McDonagh was going to excel, and KNOWING that David Fischer would not. Hey, they both looked pretty close to the same when drafted. We are all Monday morning qb’s. Currently Pierre Mcguire is too.
As one of those ripping the idea of McGuire, I can emphatically deny any such cheering for Gauthier.
With that said, I can also say that Gauthier hasn’t been nearly the diaster that he’s made out to be on this site. He got burned by the Markov signing. It happens, and he’ll have to hold the bag on that one.
But he wasn’t exactly flush with options. The player that hurt the most was probably losing Hamrlik, but he was getting long in the tooth. Not replacing him with a solid, minute-chomping veteran defenceman was a mistake.
For anyone who would like to learn who Pierre McGuire is,
he’s live on TSN990 right now.
who dosnt know who pierre mcguire is ? lol
Even better question, who cares who Pierre McGuire is?
Why has nobody noticed that the Habs only right handed players are Diaz, PK, Leblanc and Gionta? Only ONE of the top 9, and he’s injured. All this noise previously about getting a right-hander for the PP on D, but not in the forward ranks…
*Weber and Enqvist are too but they don’t count
this aint baseball just put the puck in the effin net
Seems like the problem with our Habs is scoring consistently, as well as the lapses on defense. We have 5 players who average 20 goals a season, and a great goalie, but we haven’t been able to win more than we lose. When you look at our losses at of them were by a goal, then some in OT/SO – our inexperienced D and problem scoring has made it so that we struggle to hold a lead and to make come backs. So… what to do?
enquvist is the worst hockey player i have ever seen he’d be benched in beer league
I support Scott Gomez
Well seeing as how he’s been almost a point per game in the AHL this season, and I’m fairly certain that the AHL is a stronger league than your garden variety beer league…I think I’m going to have to disagree with your assertion.
poor kid, cost mtl a game, and now hated on for life.
Since when is Gill considered a kid?
Somehow your two statements, right together like that are lol funny.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Hal Gill (-2 for the game) was on the ice when Buffalo scored the winning goal. The Sabres were able to score because Gill failed to cover his man Gaustad. Will Gill also be sent down to Hamilton along with Enqvist?
________________________________________
“Hey Richard, two minutes for looking so good!”
Danno, shhhhhhhhh. We don’t want other teams to know Gill is not very good outside of the PK. I am hoping someone thinks of him as a top 4 dman andHabs can gathe a high round pick for him.
BTW , not sure I’ve told you this before, I love your avatar. Tremendous.
Worse yet, he will be traded to a Cup contending team. Probably wishes he was in Hamilton right now….
We all saw it coming but it’s still a bit of a shocker.
Cole, Patches, and DD gave us some hope for this year. But the D was too inexperienced, the coaching too old-fashioned, the line juggling too confusing (heck, even the line CHANGES were confusing) and from what I hear, the strippers just too damn hot!
But I’m still curious to see if the Habs can improve their play, be more consistent, score more goals. There’s work to be done to prepare them for next year. And of course trades to be made. Some interesting things here yet.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
What? Saw what coming? What… what do you mean? Do you mean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMc263klrMQ
That’s it. Gotta get me some o’ them glasses.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
I’ll take the hair!
Well, I am guessing it is good news that Markov skated 20 mins today after 15 mins yesterday. Probably too late for this year, but if this team could have a healthy Markov for all of next year, that is a big improvement to PowerPlay and our zone breakout. Not to mention taking some minutes off PK.
As I have posted before, imperative we see him play some significant games and minutes end of this year so we know what we have there.
well, actually it was imperative to do that before PG bet the season on his return. but, yes, without markov next season is similarly challenging.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Cripes but I’m on a roll!
Markov will soon be skating 30 minutes. Yes half an hour!!
Scurrying away, afraid that his prediction is too bold but proud of having laid it all on the line!
he was skating last April to see if he would be ready for the playoffs.
its the “pivoting” that his knee will not allow him to do effectively at the NHL level.
that’s where the damage was done
lets sign him to an extension first
The legend of Andrei Markov, just like Big Foot, Yeti, and Nessie he is often talked about but hardly seen.
The Habs have one player that has averaged 20+ goals a season through out his career – Gionta. that pretty much says it all.
Pleks must be extremely close. Probably around 19.2
Plekanec averages 21.3 goals per 82 games. He had 125 goals in six seasons prior to this one. He averages over 20 goals per season.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Eric Cole has 203 goals in 670 games which is 25 per 82 game season. Prior to this season, he had 184 goals in nine seasons or 20.4 goals per season, including games missed. He has 19 in 50 games this season.
For Plekanec see above. AK47 has 98 goals in 366 games or 22 goals per 82 games. In four seasons, he averaged 21 goals per season, including games lost to injury. Rene Bourque averages 23 goals per season.
So the team has five players with 20 goals per season. Or is my math wrong?
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Ak too, he is just a shade under 22 goals per 82 games.
René Bourque comes in at 23 goals per 82 games.
y i edited my reply to include your stats. good job. it took me a while to calculate them. amazing how an incorrect comment gets me to waste 15 minutes doing math.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
It’s not wasted, well not to me, I like this kind of information, plus it’s something to contribute to the website.
They also have exactly as many goals for this year as goals against: 130. That says a lot too — namely that this team needs some tweaking (and a new PP game plan) but no big overhaul.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
similar to what J.M did earlier this year with no success with pleks, i think that if we put Gomez on the point on the P.P with Subban we could spark our p.p desperate times call for desperate meseaures
I support Scott Gomez
Scott Gomez rules.
Scott Norwood may always be remembered as the guy who missed the kick and cost the Bills a super bowl but on this SUper Bowl Sunday even he will be happy he is not Scott Gomez.
I don’t know what Norwood does for a living these days but I would bet Gomez makes more money than he does.
Laces out!!!
How about Hal Gill or Moen at the point.
Can we hire, gulp, Chara to teach Gill how to exploit his height to have a 100+mph slap shot…
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
❝ I can’t really hear what Jeremy says, because I’ve got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears.❞
If Carey Price played as well as Henrik Lundquist, Montreal would be hosting a playoff round. For all the changes people demand, the best, easiest and cheapest fix is to get Price to the elite level. As I posted elsewhere, a strong powerplay might add a dozen goals, but elite netminding would save 30 goals plus add a handful of shootout points.
The NYR have four more goals that the Habs in two less games. That is with Gaborik and Richards and a bunch of young forwards. If the organization could coach Price better, let him develop and not put an AHL defense in front of him, Montreal would be in great shape. It is a shame the organization cannot accomplish this.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Gosh.
L Price is the least of our concerns if u watched teh game last nite price played great
I support Scott Gomez
if Price is great then the reason montreal has allowed 30 more goals that NYR is that PG put an AHL defense in front of him. the fix is really easy. Fire PG and get some NHL defensemen.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Ok…but Lundqvist is having one of the greatest goaltending seasons in NHL history. If the season ended today he’d have the 2nd best Save Percentage and 47th best GAA in NHL history.
Well King Henry has the third best SV% in the league this season, forget all time. Thomas had better a better save percentage in 2010 than Lundqvist does this season. Four netminders have .934 or better save percentages this season (HK leads at .938). The league is changing, there is less scoring per game.
HK is third in GAA this season at 1.87. Price’s 2.40 GAA is closer to average than elite. Let’s get him from 2.40 to 2.00 and worry about going from 2 to HK’s 1.87 later.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
ok so we trade pleks and buy out gomez this summer. DD and eller become 1 and 2 down the middle… who becomes the third center? Enqvist? nokes?
Boom baby!
WE would obviously have to be geting a playmaking center back in the Plekanec trade. Just hopefully not Sam Gagner.
i think we trade pleks and keeep gomez
I support Scott Gomez
dump gomer , no cap hit
IF McGuire became GM this sumer, here is your 2012-13 Montreal Canadiens.
Moen Lecavalier Penner
Skille Gomez Gionta
Bourque Roy Blunden
Hendricks White Gaustad
Ballard Gorges
Diaz Kubina
Aucoin Alberts
well, PG didn’t actually have 20 NHL ready players on the opening night roster. so i think McGuire could beat that.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Care to explain how this happened?
IT would start with a Eller, Emelin and 1st for Lecavalier.
you know, it would be worth it for the entertainment value of seeing someone actually trade all those players, even if the team played poorly.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Pierre McGuire is an idiot.
That’s one sorry lookin’ line-up
I take it Dr Rex you will win the lotto max this friday as well .
after the guastad scored, he gave Gill a shove, very similar to how maxpac pushed chara. interesting thing is that Gill just ignored it and skated away.
This team is so boring.
Timo! Lets you and I get a franchise and put it in Q city or Regina. Hire a European G.M. and coach that do not speak English or French. Only hire European players that do not speak English or French.
I am in, Ian.
If it’s Regina you guys need a patrner? I agree the team is boring. So much “drama” not enough good play.
I like Regina. But I think Saskatoon would be better for a NHL hockey team.
You’re right. Saskatoon would be better. Thought we had one along time ago with St. Louis moving. “Saskatoon Berries” Bad name but still signed up for seasons tickets. Wild Bill Hunter rip.
Don’t worry, we will pick up JF Jacques off of waivers and put him on the point of the PP.
Boring is the new exciting.
no affence to scott bowman but isnt he like 92 years old cmon man the guy is pretty old
I support Scott Gomez
Breaking news : Old people are actually old.
More at 6.
yes and when ur old ur more likley to die
I support Scott Gomez
You were supposed to wait untill it was 6!
How old is old?? When do I get there?
So I might be old….Does that mean I have to undergo radical therapy?
A quick little history of McGuire’s blunders:
- Criticized Habs for picking Carey Price. Mindboggling I believe was the word.
- Cirticized Habs for not making a stronger move for Dustin penner at last year’s trade deadline. Which would have meant more we would have given up a 1st and TInordi.
- Criticized Habs for giving Cole four years even though any less and he would be with Caroline still. Clearly the best UFA signing this year and the only forward who plays every night.
- Criticized habs for passing on Angelo Esposito in 2007 draft. DId not agree with taking McDonough or Pacioretty ahead of Espo.
- Criticied habs for trading away Huet in 2008 deadline despite the fact he constantly badmouthed Huet and pushed for Price to be the starter just weeks ahead of that.
Thats enough for now but clearly this franchise would be hurting alot worse if he had the controls over the last 5 years. Although Im sure he would have cloned 12 Moen’s by now.
I’d rather give him a show on RDS than have him be GM, Scotty Bowman’s recommendation notwithstanding.
Yep. McGuire is a Leafs kind of GM, not a Habs kind of GM.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
So they’d be in 8th place instead of 14th.
Ouch! That hurts to read
For the 1st time in what, 7 years?
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
❝ I can’t really hear what Jeremy says, because I’ve got my two Stanley Cup rings plugging my ears.❞
Dr Rex is my kind of doc. Do you do medical marijuana prescriptions?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Yeah if McGuire was running this team they would be almost as bad as they are under PG. Wow that is scary.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Let’s not forget him guaranteeing that Montreal would rue the day they let Komisarek walk, that he carried Markov and that he, Beauchemin and Schenn (?) were going to be the reincarnation of The Big Three.
It’s a long list of misses, and of equal importance is I’ve never heard him admit any of them.
That’s absolutely the #1 thing that annoys me most about him – he acts like he’s the biggest brain in hockey, and yet never ever will cop to making an error in judgement.
if you listed the mistakes other GM’s have made, I think your analysis would be more thought provoking.
same guys on HIO that have ripped Mcguire were SURE that Gauthier would be a great GM cuz he has 30 years of losing experience.
since my habs are done im just looking really foward to the warmer weather and go outside and enjoy it cmon summer
I support Scott Gomez
You seem to have gone to the Scott Gomez school of dedication and determination.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
LL should not have been sent down in the first place. Darche and Weber should not see the ice this season again. I share Boone’s view that Pleks should be available — he’s not himself this season.
What does it say when PG’s acquisitions — Campoli, Nokia — are scratches, and when Kaberle was benched? If Kaberle didn’t have such a large contract, he would be sitting too (rightfully so).
I would trade Pleks in a deal that includes Ott and Souray coming back. Ott is a physical, versatile forward who plays on the PP and PK, and who has loads of character. Souray has a bomb from the point and was great on the PP here. He no longer needs to be a top pairing D. With Emelin, Gorges, and Subban, Souray can play the 4-5 role and contribute on the first wave of the PP with right-handed shot PK.
We should pick up JF Jacques off of waivers just so the fans would have some fights to cheer to (half-kidding).
Non playoff teams generally rebuild by getting younger.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
I agree — other UFAs we should trade, like Moen and Gill, can be shipped for prospects or picks.
In any case, Ott is the same age as Pleks and a veteran presence on the blueline in the form of Souray would be wise if we replace old man Gill.
lots of bodies to replace on defense. souray is too old to get 82 games out of him. gill is too old to pay a full season even if he returns. the defense is reliable gorges, over played subban and four question marks. maybe emelin. maybe markov gets healthy. kaberle is not going to get it done on defense, maybe on the PP. campoli, diaz and weber are marginal and cannot eat minutes. i think the team needs two more defensemen even with markov.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
I for one have had enough. I’ll watch a game if I’m free, but its no longer a priority. BG&DG’s plan for speed and skill to beat size and strength in the new (now newer?) NHL didn’t take into account that teams with SIZE could have speed and skill too.
Would love to see a % of how many minutes the team has played in their own end this year. No question Markov would have helped, (he of the quick outlet pass) but they have no answer (other than Price) for big forwards pounding the net. Last night’s winning goal was a perfect example.
Oh, and they can’t score, mostly because they can’t get out of their own end.
But you know, I could tolerate all of that. There is some young promise on this team and in the works.
It’s the classless management that is doing me in.
I remember reading an article in either the Gazette or the Star about a retiring usher. He had worked at the Forum his whole life. Most of the staff were lifers. We not only had the best team, we had the best Hotdogs, the best ice, the Canadiens set the standard.
Ronald Corey put an end to all that. BG, he of the great pedigree brought some of it back. But his crass treatment of Julien, then Carbo tarnished the brand. Again. PG, though, has sunk us to new lows.
Which brings us to now.
I agree with Red Fisher, sort of. I’d bring back Serges, not as GM (maybe to start with) , but COO, or some such title, and have him put a new management team together. But I’d do it soon.
Serges would work to restore the luster the team lacks. He might be able to convince the Franco players to come home, work with their media and, more importantly, build an organization we all could be proud of.
personally i think the kaleta celebration after scoring on the open net deserves more of a reaction that what someone said on the ice.
“where’s chara” is gettin people upset?? boohoo
Kaleta is a D-i-n-k . Just youtube Ryan O’Byrne beating the snot out of him and you will feel better
Who’s Andre Markov?
gomez needs more ice time to be effective much liike pleks needs less ice time
I support Scott Gomez
seriously…..lol
I am starting to think habs17 is a Magic 8Ball which spews Gomez Propoganda.
Hey, at least it’s funny! More fun then the tank crowd as well.
Agreed.
I was at the game last night, and watching #14 let players go past him into the corner then follow them and not hit them … nuff said .
Realistically, who can we catch?
1. Anaheim. 2 pts fewer but a game in hand. 8-1-1 in their past 10. They are rapidly falling out of the top 5.
2. Buffalo. Tied with us. Ryan Miller was poor after his concussion but if last night is an indication, he has regained his form.
3. Carolina. 2 pts fewer but have played 2 more games. Traditionally a second half team. Hopefully they go on a run.
4. Edmonton. 4 pts fewer, and they play in a much tougher conference. It’s going to be difficult. RNH is ready to come back, which will boost them.
5. Columbus. Not possible. We ‘d have to forfeit the rest of the season or appoint Barry Melrose as coach to have an outside chance.
So realistically we are shooting for #3 with #2 an outside possibility.
Grigorenko maybe?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Good call on Melrose! lol
I’m all for Grigorenko over Yakupov. Bust you never know… these guys could be the next Svitov and Stefan.
“There’s genius everywhere, but until they turn pro, it’s like popcorn in the pan. Some pop… some don’t.”
- Jerry Maguire
No harm in trying for a good pick this season.
There’s lots of talk about line combinations, missing pieces, soft D, etc., and it’s true that there are some problems here. But there’s one glaring problem that will ensure we lose in perpetuity until it’s resolved, and that’s the PP.
Here’s why:
Montreal averages 2.6 goals for per game and 2.6 goals against. That’s 130 goals so far this year, and 130 goals against. (Surprised? I sure was.)
Statistically those numbers mean the Habs should win as many games as they lose — and in an 82-game season with some overtime losses, they should end up with a point total around 87-93. Good enough for an outside chance at 8th spot.
Now imagine if our PP had been a bit better — not astronomical, but say an increase from our brutal 12.5% to 18.9%, good for a PP% tie for 9th place with Colorado. That would have given us an extra 12 goals — given our extremely tight GF:GA ratio, probably good for another six or seven wins at least. That’s 12-14 points. Add that to the point total above, and you’re looking at 99-107 points on the season — good enough for home ice in the playoffs.
Sure, some other tweaks can improve the team. But at the end of the day, what makes us a challenger won’t be the difference between Bourque and Cammy, or the identity of our 4th-line RW. Even a good team — and this isn’t a bad one — just can’t win with the worst PP in the league.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
Cunneyworth has been in charge of the PP ever since Pearn was fired.
Is it the coach or the players?
Good question — either way, something’s got to change, because the PP is what’s turning them from a top-ten team into a bottom-ten one.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
I think it is a little of column a and a little of column b. The players are for sure not executing on the PP that is for sure but it is hard to know how they are being coached to play it. Didn’t the bulldogs have a great PP last year with cunneyworth?
The top 10 in powerplay in the league includes Edmonton, NY Islanders, Toronto, Florida and Colorado. The bottom 10 includes St. Louis, NYR, LA, NJ, MN. So half the teams in the top 10 may not make the playoffs and half the teams in the bottom 10 may make the playoffs.
Last year Boston ranked 20th in powerplay. Two years ago, Chicago ranked 16th. Pittsburgh won the Cup ranked 20th.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Right — the PP is more important for some teams than for others, based on their style of play and overall game plan. But it’s exceedingly important for the Habs, because all other things being equal, it’s the reason we’ll finish near the bottom instead of near the top.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
well the PP is important to montreal because they lack elite 5 on 5 players and their goaltending this year is not elite. but if they had the best goalie, power play would matter less. meaning, if Price dominates the league, they can get away with a weak powerplay. 30 goals separates him from the top netminders. Maybe Montreal coudl add 12 pp goals, but if Price plays to his potential they could save 30. They could get 7-8 more points if Price could dominate the shoot out. I submit that if Price was top three in the league, Montreal would be hosting a playoff round.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
If Price can pick up his play a bit, the team gets even better, but his high number of goals against is also a function of his high number of starts (tied for 4th in the league), and his lower save % is partially because his soft D allows lots of scoring chances at even strength.
I’m not making excuses for him, but his numbers are dependent to some degree on the play of his D — which this year include two sophomores, two guys who’ve never played in the NHL before, soft-as-butter Campoli, and an aging Hal Gill.
I think the value of a goalie is actually pretty overstated — when good #1 goalies stop 91.5% of shots (Price) and top-three guys stop 93.3% (Thomas), that’s a difference of 1.8%. IMHO, that’s a tiny difference that’s easily accounted for by the quality of the D in front of them.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
I totally agree about the AHL defense. Montreal has not acquired a good young defensive defenseman since Gainey traded for Gorges.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Yep, you’re right — I’d love to see a big mobile stay-at-home D on PG’s UFA wishlist.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
We don’t have to imagine what a good pp would mean ..we have had one for the last 4 years
Right — and we made the playoffs each of those years, only once finishing worse than 2nd in our division. The only year we did worse than that — 4th — we made it to the conference finals. That all looks pretty good compared to this year.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
How “wealthy” is Geoff Molson? Is he Mark Cuban rich along with sports passion? In other words, will he tell his GM even if you can’t make a trade with Gomez, I will eat his salary in Hamilton.
I ask this question genuinely, as I am wonder if he is willing to make less money for the good of the teams long term success.
After the new CBA gets hammered out, I believe Gomez will be the first victim of the “Amnesty Clause”. So, I guess the short answer is, yeah, rich enough.
Yup, this.
I look at it a little differently. By sending Gomez to Hamilton he can teach the younger generation how to be professionals and show them what it takes in preparation etc and to provide veteran leadership.
I think that would be more useful for the dollars owed than what he is contributing with the big club.
He seems like a good team guy and I think he would be good in this role….
I believe he is somewhere between Richie Rich and Scrooge McDuck
Mr. Lodge rich?
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
Molson is not going to eat any contracts. There are still a lot of payments left on the franchise purchase. Any GM who signs a player to too much money and too long a term should be fired, especially if the player doesn’t perform. PG and BG should be nuked for taking over the Gomez contract.
Molson is not so rich he can piss away the approximately 12 million left.
It’s funny reading to all the billionaires on this site saying what they would do.
That is why I asked Gman, he financed most of the purchase price didn’t he?
Exactly. He is wealthy, but is not cash rich. Compared to other multi-millionaires, anyway.
Details were never disclosed. I am not sure if the ownership group payed $575 for 80% of the team or the team was valued at $575 and they paid 80% of that for Gilette’s share. Molson Corp is a 20% owner. The Molson family, Solidarity Fund QFL (invested $50million), David Thompson (rumor says $20 million) and possibly other investors bought the team. It is not clear how much debt the investors used to finance the purchase. They rejected provincial funding and do not have to make any disclosures.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
It wouldn’t be Geoff Molson personally who would eat the contract anyway, it is the Club.
And the Club is rich.
Very very rich.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Also, besides having to eat the Gomez contract, there is the Markov problem too. Apparently, and I don’t know if it is true or not, but Markov’s contract is NOT covered by insurance, so the Habs will pay his salary whether he ever plays another game or not. Combined with Gomez’s contract, thats around 14million a season for the next 2 years after this season that Molson has to eat.
The actual amount paid by each party in purchasing the Habs has not been revealed. Molson heads the ownership group which includes several corporations. Debt was used to finance the deal.
Molson paid as much as $100 million more than the team was worth. Since they are leveraged and need to pay interest, it is not clear how much cash is available for buyouts and how much is needed to service the debt. Because the team is owned by a consortium, Molson cannot just write a check to fund losses. Each party has to fund the losses in proportion to their ownership stake or risk dilution. Molson’s hands are tied because he is not a sole owner of the team. I do not think the team will throw money around until the owners earn back the $100million they overpaid for the team.
By overpaid for the team I mean that they paid more for the team than the business can earn over a multi year period. They overpaid for the strategic value of the brand name. Since they used debt to do this, they need to be careful.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Mark Cuban’s worth about $2B, and the Molson family’s worth about double that.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
I would like to see the habs pick up UFA Bryan Allen in the summer. Steady eddy stay at home guy with a bit of an edge. Would play well with a PK subban
Shane O’Brien (D) 6’3′ 230 LBS only signed a one-year-deal with the Avs last summer and is a UFA again. He could also work well as our 5th or 6th dman.
I don’t know much about him. Is he decent?
that’s hilarious. Have you ever seen O’Brien play.. he’s a pylon with less mobility. Who drinks like a sailor we DO NOT NEED a player like him.
hmm he’s a career plus player who came off a really good playoff with Nashville last season…
Yeah and I’ve seen him play. He’s big, tough and more mobile than Hall Gill and better defensively than Weber, Diaz or Campoli.
like I said, he’d be a great addition as a 5th or 6th defenseman.
Any other questions?
PPL need to understand that one of the greatest guys in the game , gomez is not going anywhere get used to him till MAYBE next year
I support Scott Gomez
Hey may be a nice guy but he will not be a hab after this season. With his cap hit and his current abilities his NHL career is drawing to an end.
PK ponders a serious question
At the risk of sounding like a broken record here, Gomez doesn’t belong here. It’s strange, anyone who’s watched the last dozen or so games that he’s played has seen a player that is fast, with some fight, and the ability to stand in front of the net and be a pest. The issue is that it hasn’t worked for 5 seasons (three here) and it’s bore no fruit this season. You can have this type of player on your roster as your 3rd or 4th line center and get full value at 10 minutes a game for 1-2 million a season….but the contract…yikes.
I think we can now definitively say that he has been given every chance to succeed here, and that he’s a great guy – but let’s not fool ourselves, the only reason that he has been given so much rope is because of the money.
It’s time to let the money go.
nothing is going to happen to gomez this year
I support Scott Gomez
That sounds like you are his bodygard and will totally protect his life against the threats of malcontent Habs fan.
That’s like saying “I support teenage pregnancy”
Sounds like the Pope to me.
buzzzinga
I suspect our next GM will probably be Larry Carriere, with Brisebois and Loiselle as strong possibilities if Molson wanted to go outside the organization.
Oh please no.
Edit-meant to say Please no to Carriere. As for Brisebois and Loiselle, I don’t know, Brisebois is only 32, so not sure I am comfortable with him being the Habs GM with no prior NHL GM expereince. As for Loiselle, have to admit I don’t know much about him as an executive, but I remeber him as a player.
or 41.. ya know.
I think the habs should go for jeff carter
He could be that big center we have been looking for. His contract is over the edge but i think he could work well here, hes struggling this season but he has proven in the past he could put up solid numbers
maybe AK46 and a pick for carter?
Thoughts?
i would let plecky go instead of AK , we still need his size and he will take a discount which you dont hear to often
thanks
Carter has AllStar talent and has had some big numbers…but.
1. 10 Year Contract
2. Rumoured to be quite the off-ice party guy, Pronger had little use for him and Richards off ice lifestyle as it related to getting ready for game day.
3. Consistency.
He has NTC first 4 years of that deal then limited. And would he even want to play in Montreal?
Montreal is not the place for another young “Party Guy”.
Who would want to play in MTL.? Our general fan base is rabid and unforgiving, which lets the media behave badly so they can sell more crap stories to the rabid fans, which eventually pressures the organization into some sort of placating gesture which is usually a bad hockey move. As a long time Habs fan, I’m not loving the organization right now and don’t trust it. How can I fault a player for not wanting to come here?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Jeff Carter has 10 years left on his deal at over 5 million per. I think that’s a huge commitment considering he has been hurt all year. Also, I know everyone wants AK46 out of here, but he is young, big and seems to be having more fun now then ever.
i agree that the 10 years left on his deal is a commitment and over 5 mil per is expensive but if there’s is one thing we need its a big center with talent
Gomez will most likely be bought out or sent to the minors next season (leaving a hole in our lineup)
Carter is struggling this year but he has proven in the past he could be a consistent player (54,84,61,66 pts total in his last 4 seasons)
yes hes struggling but remember he is playing for a team like Columbus
As for the party factor i really don’t think that will be a issue. People can say his lifestyle is a problem but even with those distractions he put up great numbers with the flyers.
I think he would take montreal over columbus without any question about it.
and Personally id rather keep plek over AK46 but that’s just me
I wish I got paid based on whether I looked like I was having fun. AK’s numbers are pretty terrible this year…..is possibly 40 point guy with almost 4 mill a season?
40 points is a good season for AK….that is not the numbes of an offensive dynamo
Over his carreer, averaged out, he gets about 47 points per season.
So 40 points is not a good season for AK, it’s below average.
I don’t think he is worth 4 millions, so it will be interesting to see what his next deal is.
in the NHL he has had:
2007-08 points 53
2008-09 points 41
2009-10 points 33
2010-11 pomts 45
avg 43 points
If you include he is on pace this year for 38 points
avg 42 points
So yes, I was slightly off at averaging him at 40 points but his avg is below 47 points. If it wasnt for his one season at 53 points is average would be below 40
I’m counting points per game, as he has had a few seasons under 82 games.
208 points divided by 366 games = just about 0.57. This would be his PPG.
Apply that over a generic 82 game season, and you get 46.74 points.
I really think PG should pull the trigger
Carter is for sure on the trading block
AK46 & a pick should be able to do it
if not maybe AK46,Weber and a pick?
+1
Both Pleks and Eller have shown an ability to generate offense while playing a checking role but I think Pleks is tired and running on empty. Maybe it was leaving everything on the ice for the Habs for two seasons and then having this dogs breakfast served up but whatever the case, I think it’s time to put him on the third line and let Eller generate chances for the second line with AK and Bourque. Whatever the case, I don’t get calling up Leblanc unless he is playing on the top two lines; he is not a checker or energy guy. And I think demoting AK to one of those lines is pointless as well. Double shift the bottom six, they shouldn’t be eating up too many minutes in any case.
I think that AK, LL, and Eller is the way to go. Play them for 20 minutes a game through thick and thin – and teach them.
“Of course I’m crazy, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
- Robert Anton Wilson
No argument with that.
I think the Leblanc callup is good. Hopefully he plays with Eller and Ak they had some chemistry last time up. Hopefully Blunden goes to 4th line. Weber should play as a Dman or be traded. To continue playing Weber as a forward does neither the team nor Weber any favours at this point. (my humble opinion)
There is a possible lineup posted just above Burly, take a gander.
Yah, I would be happy to see AK/Eller/Bourque also. That would leave Gomez/Plex/Leblanc.
The only problem with doing that, are you pissing off Pleckanec? I mentioned on the previous thread, I think his ego is already a bit nicked up. YOu provided an excellent post Shiram, regarding nicked injury, ill father, newborn baby. But end of day he is a pro hockey player used to be numero uno center. For him to be played as 3rd line center, well I would hope it pissed him off, it should.
He might be pissed, and it could definately affect his play, but he seems like the kid of guy that would no complain about that.
Still I’m glad to see him with 2 legitimate wingers in AK and Bourque, it’s annoying cause AK was doing good with Eller, but there are only a few top 6 wingers on any team.
Leblanc/Eller/Blunden will be an interesting line to see as well.
It gives you a more rounded set of lines, with Pleks line being a good 2-way line, DD being the PP and offense zone center and Eller getting mostly the tough assignements.
Leaving hopefully Gomez to play just under 5 minutes…
Why move Kostitsyn? To help Pleky out?
I like A Tits with Eller.
I’m just glad to see Gomez is not with Plekanec anymore, and that he is on the 4th line.
I hope the team looks at resigning AK, if a deal is not reached then trading him is the option.
This team has some good pieces and suffered an injury ravaged year along with a coaching change.
Gill, Gomez, Campoli and Kaberle should be the guaranteed trade bait.
all depends on the $ and term AK is looking for. I am pretty sure he will be looking for a raise and long term deal, I don’t think he will sign for the same $ he’s making now. As a UFA, he might find some dumb GM willing to give him 5mil/yr for 5 years.
He did say he wanted to stay in MTL, and would be willing to take below his UFA value to stay in MTL.
Now what he thinks his ufa value is, no clue.
Still it’s a good comment considering the guy was demoted from the first line to the third, and had his PP time basically killed.
I think it speaks volumes to how happy he is to see JM gone. I could be reaching with that comment, but from afar watching that is my first thought.
I thought about that, and it makes sense to me.
He probably enjoys some of the key Habs players as well.
I like AK, but as you said, we don’t know what he and his agent think his UFA value is, but if they think he is worth close to 5 mil/yr, then I would trade him at the deadline.
i think he would be overpaid at 4 mill a season but I bet he gets more than that
I can’t wait to see a Pacioretty vs Gaustad scrap on Feb17.
I could definitely see Ryan White doing that. He is going to want to show the team what they missed, and Mr. Gaustad will probably rue the day he made the comment.
Either Pacioretty or White, both can take hits at an opponent and both can hit hard. If Gaustad wants a fight with either Canadien come next game, then he’s gonna have it. Hopefully, no Pominville or Roy or any Sabres dude will rescue him.
Gaustad is a lot bigger than Ryan white….a lot bigger
Yah, and i think White is alot tougher…..alot tougher.
lol well we know one thing for sure White has a much bigger heart ……alot bigger and that is displayed by his effort level
+1 Kooch!
Good call up if he does in fact get to play with Eller. I can see the two of them being pretty dynamic together on the ice. Imagine a Leblanc-Eller-Kostitsyn line?
Having Blunden on the third line isn’t so great. Hands of stone. good energy guy though
Yeah but he will do an admirable job while waiting for Moen to take that spot back. I think with Eller and Leblanc on the line his job will be less to score and more to make sure he’s a net presence and giving them space. I think it can work.
Here’s hoping. I will be sad when Moen gets traded this year
The only logical reason as to why LL was called up was due to the 2 “OLD” smurfs not scoring in this lineup (#14 and #11). They’ve done nothing but passes and assists. They need a young gun to score and the recent guy sent back (Enqvist) ain’t doing that at all.
“Where’s Chara”… Hey Gaustad where’s Lucic! What a douche bag!
If we had a heavyweight he could have knocked his teeth out. Chickenshi*.
http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/John-Ferguson
What solace is that when the game was already lost?
Agreed shiram. A punch to Gaustad’s pie hole would have been fun to see as a fan but I’d rather have a 60min. effort and 2 pts.
like I said on one of my comments, a Max Pac vs Gaustad fight would be beatiful on the ice come 02/17/2012.
Given the circumstance of that play as opposed to the Lucic hit, the severity of the injury, Gaustad was an idiot to say that. I do hope he gets his medicine. FOr the Buffalo team to shy away from standing up for their all star goalie as it relates to Lucic is far different from standing up to Chara whom no one in the league can take on.
Edit: If Lucic hit Price like that, I would fully expect a Ryan White, Bourque, MaxPac, Emelin, PK, Blunden, Moen type player to immediately put the boots to Lucic.
I would expect it too but we’ve been pushed around and have been pussy-footing for years. It’s only the last few weeks to a month that I finally see some toughness throughout this team. We don’t have an enforcer but guys are grinding it out in the corners and pushing back when pushed. I love seeing Eller & AK46 throwing their bodies around out there!
According to Gaustad the “where’s lucic” is what was said to him to provoke the Chara comment….who knows the truth and really who cares. Players crap talk all the time and gaustad is a goof
A goof I would be glad to see wearing the CH…
he has 5 goals and 7 assists in 44 games….he is big yes, but our team is getting bigger already. gaustad isn’t fast and is a meathead.
I will agree that it is sad that we were pushing around by the sabres of all teams last night.
Is it just me or has Josh Gorges getting a lot meaner lately with his play. That guy is awesome
He is large and plays large and is one of the better faceoff guys in the league AND he’s from Fargo (not that that means anything, but pretty wierd place to be from) … what more could one ask for from a third/fourth liner?
I agree on your Gorges comment, he seems to have more edge to his game lately. And Gaustad is a meathead. During the past offseason I thought he may have been a good pickup for our team, but given his role on the Sabres and how he has not produced offensively and not provided much physical push back in other games, I no longer have interest in him as a player for the Habs.
I like having Leblanc called up now. With the team pushing (or supposedly pushing) every night for a playoff spot, this will expose him to a high level of intensitiy that will help his development for next year and beyond.
I can see him in a third line role for the rest of the season which should give him about 8-15 min. per game…good exposure for the kid even if the Habs don’t make the playoffs.
If we are sellers up to and including Feb. 27th then we should have an opening for him to stay the rest of the year…but if for some miraculous reason we make a strong push and become buyers at the deadline, Louis could still benefit from some time up with the club now.
Yep. Don’t know wtf Engqvist was called up for, he’s not ready. Louis has shown stones here, give him a run ’til the spring.
http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/John-Ferguson
Maybe they don’t want to burn the first year of his contract….
Agreed, although it will serve very little benefit if he plays with the ‘Darches and Blundens’. I hope RC gives him some time with some of our better offensive players (if they can even be called that…)
Leblanc will be exposed to “a high level of intensity”? Is that what we saw last night?
Is there any empirical evidence out there of McGuire’s hockey knowledge?
For example, has he ever been prescient about a draft pick?
Did he foresee the future success of players like Jeff Skinner or Claude Giroux? Or PK Subban for that matter?
We know he thought it was madness to pick Carey Price in 2005. Who would he have picked? Gilbert Brule was next, and he looked good on paper. Jack Skille, the next choice?
Has he ever called a trade correctly (*)? We know he thought Komisarek would bloom freed from covering for Markov. We know he called Schenn, Komi and Beauchemin the next “Big Three”.
Now everyone makes mistakes, but when did he call something correctly?
(*) The Gomez trade doesn’t count. Everyone called that one.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Mcguire’s quality seems to be based on the endorsement from Bowman, but that seems like fallacious appeal to authority.
It was probably a favor owing
I’m 100% with you. I think he is a boob personally from a broadcasting standpoint.
I also think if you can’t get a job in your field for well over a decade then I guess you are not some secret lost gem……
He never really did much as a coach or an assistant coach but that was a long time ago….I just don’t see why all of a sudden he is a great choice for a GM.
Seems like you’ve already made up your mind and this is a rhetorical question, a polemic. You’re saying stand pat with Gandhi Gauthier?
http://ourhistory.canadiens.com/player/John-Ferguson
How do you get that because he doesn’t want McQuire that he is saying PG would be staying?
I’ll put you down as a “Nope – can’t come up with any good examples but I’m sure they exist”, OK?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Louis “The Great Lewhite Hope” back with the big club? Hopefully it’s for more than 4 minutes of ice time.
Markov up to 20 minutes. Just waiting for the report that he is being shut down. Then we can all use the IF word for next season.
He won’t be back until March if at all this season. Is there really a point to bringing him back in March or just to see if he can still play
I’d say yes there is, it could gice some helpful information to the GM going into the free agency period.
Maybe trade bait but I would still think that is pretty risky considering I would bet if they did trade him and he was able to play his worth would be lessened by not playing the vast majority of this season
I was thinking more along the lines of if he cannot play or his play has worsened alot, well that’s important information when considering free agents/trades etc…
If the Habs go into next season not having a clue about Markov and how he can play, we are likely to see a repeat of what we are seeing this year.
True about the free agent angle but is there any quality pending UFA D out there that we could pick up instead? I’m asking because I have no clue. I mean, just look at Campoli and what a bust that was. What about prying from Washington for his last year? He filled in nicely when Markov went down.
Here are the upcoming D free agents.
http://www.capgeek.com/free_agents.php?year_id=2012&team_id=-1&position_id=D&fa_type_id=2
Absolutely, we need to know if he has healed or not. We cannot head into next year not knowing if he can play again or not.
First…lol…and don’t know what else there is to say about this sad team of players
spot on post – not really a lot to say
The only thing there is to say about the Habs is they’re a “sad team of players” as you put it. Nothing else…..
Isn’t it sad that the team sucks that bad that we all think DD is an awsome #1 centre?
Richard B
Agree. Price is a world class goalie with the mental strength to be successful in the toughest hockey market in the world. Those other 3 are very good goaltenders though but untestested in this market so I couldn’t tell you how they’d do for sure but my guess would be not any better.
.
I wrote that the best chance for this team to win is to support Price which means better player development, better defense ahead of him (fewer AHLers more NHLers) and playing a game that suits his style. I wrote that the quickest fix is to give Price the tools to succeed. That’s what other teams do for their elite goalies and what Montreal is not doing for Price.
Now to dissect any one game is silly. Price lost the game. He played great. That happens. It does not change that Price is viewed as a top goalie but the team is allowing .6 more goals per game more than teams with elite goalies and losing in the shootout. Easier to fix that, than to make Desharnais 6″ taller.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
I think Henrik’s gold medal in the Olympics and performance in the largest city in North America is some validation of his talent.
Price is a world class goalie on a team that allows 30 more goals ( in 50 games) than other teams with elite goalies. That is the opportunity. That is the easy fix. Does that make sense? There is a disconnect. Price is elite but the team is middle of the pack in goals against. That sounds fixable to me. Is this hard to understand?
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
Fixable yes. Easy, debatable. The Habs have some serious cap issues going forward which will limit the ability to make wholesale changes. I am thinking this is more long term with changes coming from the farm and future drafts. Agree about King Henry. He could play on my team any day.
I agree, the organization is poorly run. They are messing up the team. Buyouts are necessary to make this work. But Price is a building block and the team is massively under delivering relative to the talent he brings to the organization.
Two good defenesmen would cost combined $8-9 million per season. Half that money was wasted on Kaberle in a panic move. The other four million could have come from a higher cap or from demoting a veteran. I cannot help that PG makes it harder to fix this team.
Blue, blanc et rouge. Red and White for Canada. Blue for Smurfs.
If possible, I’d like to see Markov play so we can get some sort of idea of what we have going forward. But maybe you’re right. Maybe it would be best to let him sit until next year. I dunno, it’s a corker if you ask me. Which you didn’t.
Amen!! The Habs aren’t making the post-season. The only thing to look forward to in the near future is seeing Gautier getting fired and a glimpse of the direction the new management will take. At least, when that starts we might be able to muster some hope, like ok, at least the new re-build has begun. But til then it’s just depressing…
Grigorenko, Gaunce
I want Stanley!
I want Stanley!
I want Stanley!
I want Stanley!
I want Stanley!
I want Stanley!
I want Stanley!
Forsberg. 6ft2, RHS, Skilled. Already playing in a man’s league. Total package.
Fav player: Peter Forsberg,
and he is being called the next Daniel Alfredsson.
Not a bad comparison.
Having won Stanley..
Sergei Federov
Pavel Datsyuk
Evgeni Malkin
Sergei Zubov
Vladimir Malakhov (yes, poor example)
Alexander Mogilny
Vacheslav Fetisov
Sergei Gonchar
etc….etc….etc.
You shouldn’t judge the many because of the few.
EDIT: And yes, Forsberg.
“the other (pick) for us finishing close to last”.
Hey, that has an exciting ring to it! Man, things have gotten sad.
————————————-
Listen to the Smart Dog. He knows his poop!
I’ve watched Grigorenko play a few times in Quebec. He’s good, and while it’s a bit early in his junior career to make a judgement, I’m not convinced he’ll be an impact player in the NHL. It’s only his first year in junior, though… For the record, Mike Ribeiro was much more dominant when he played for the Remparts (though he was 20… Grigorenko is not yet 18). Grigorenko does not make the types of plays and control the game like Ribeiro did. I liked the way Yakupov played at the world juniors… but he’s another smurf. Grogorenko is listed as 6’2. Wait, wasn’t Wickenheiser bigger than Savard?
If he slips, it’s Forsberg.
Dr. Livingston, control yourself!
Patience, man. All in good time, dear fellow.
Waiting for MacKinnon.
Mr. Bad Example!
I didn’t know they had moved Nova Scotia to Russia.
Duh!
Mr. Bad Example!