Montreal Gazette

neumann103 - (Peter Robinson)

Member since May 13, 2011

Toronto

Habs fan since: 1971
Favorite current player: Tomas Plekanec
All-time favorite player: Larry Robinson, Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden

Signature:
"Et le but!"

Recent Comments

  • Comment on Habs' Therrien not among Jack Adams Award finalists
    I think the big ice would improve the game. But something this big- changing the NHL to the international size - would have to be done gradually and take at least 20 years. Very few current facilities could adapt without major loss of seats and sightline issues. Given how much money is spent on these arenas, and given the current cycle where teams, promoters, operators and cities all revile anything older than 20-25 years as unworkable and in need of replacement, you would think that there would be more thought devoted to the flexibility of design. I understand that an arena like Barclays in Brooklyn was intended primarily as a basketball facility but you think they would design in a contingency for hosting an NHL team (and the 45+ guaranteed calendar dates that adds). With the recent disappointment in Seattle (that the Sacramento NBA team will not be re-locating there) I was again reminded of this short sightedness, as apparetnly their arena design didn't really even account for a proper hockey setup on current sized ice. As a Torontian I have seen it done almost right. People forget that the Air Canada Center was originally intended as a basketball facility and was well into construction when the Leafs were added to the group of users. The basic bones of the structure were flexible enough to accomodate the changes . I would love to see the NHL publicly embrace a strategic plan to move to international ice. MAke it a requirement for any new franchise or any new arena. With Gary Bettman's historic ties to the NBA he should reach out to suggest strategic partnership in planning any new facilities across both leagues to accommodate needs of the others. This would be in the interest of both as the model of common ownership of NHL, NBA and facility is probably the most solid out there and could substantially enhance the stability of teams in "marginal" markets for both sports. "Et le but!"
  • Comment on Habs' Therrien not among Jack Adams Award finalists
    Really? I don't recall the Rangers winning in the last 4 years "Et le but!"
  • Comment on Subban skates with Team Canada in Sweden
    JB What is the Knowledge network? My kids love the Wild Kratts and having another channel on speed dial could come in handy in mayhem minimization. "Et le but!"
  • Comment on Size isn't a problem with Habs, Plekanec says
    Today, they call it "finishing your check" "Et le but!"
  • Comment on Bergevin finalist for NHL's GM of the Year Award; Subban joins Team Canada
    Quoi? "Et le but!"
  • Comment on Eller/Habs meet with media for final time this season (Video)
    Andrew Berkshire takes a lot of abuse on this site. Sure, he can be a bit prickly but no more so than a number of posters here who publish gratuitous nonsense and regularly get a free pass. His article (and i suggest people read it) makes a number of reasonable points, backed up by some actual stats. While the reliability and consistency across rinks of these stats is questioned by many (including Berkshire) you can make some conclusions about a neatly defined dataset like this. As an example berkshire points out that neither a shooting percentage of 23% nor 0% is sustainable over time, but in a playoff series you don't need sustainable. I would not be in a hurry to rush out and bet money on the Senators luck continuing in the second round and if it did it would not be cause they are 3cm an 3kg bigger than their opponents. I happen to think that the definition of a scoring chance is dumb, but its use in this case kind of puts the lie to the meme of Habs only getting perimeter shots while the Senators ran wild in front of the net is disproven by that. "Et le but!
  • Comment on Eller/Habs meet with media for final time this season (Video)
    As a big Plekanec booster (hey i even wear a Habs turtleneck and #14 when I play) i kind of see your point. The scenario i envision though is something in the past like: In 2009 instead of making an idotic trade for Scott Gomez as the putative #1 Center give that role to Plekanec and offer sheet or trade RFA Dave Bolland from Chicago and give him the tough minutes defensive Center role. I picked Bolland as an example of the kind of player who would make sense. He would have just turned 23, was an RFA. Was kind of at the stage of his career Lars Eller was a year ago. But there are others. Effectively if you could have had a Lars Eller two or three years earlier and didn't have the distraction of Gomez forcing Plekanec down the effective depth chart it could have happened. People forget that Plekanec was not really a defensive star to begin with. He became that because that was needed and because with his skillset he could essentially adapt to anything. Edit: Oh and those who don't see this in Pleks should have watched some of his play in Kladno or in international when he has been the #1 center for the Czech team "Et le but!"