tagomagotexas - (arnab m)

Member since June 16, 2011

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• Comment on About this season ... and next season ... and the one after that ...
  I'm struck by Ottawa's ability to beat us despite a cap hit that is more than 10 million less, without Spezza or an effective Karlsson for much of the series. It is indeed a testament to size, strength, and effective un-costly contracts. Guillaume Latendresse is their fourth highest paid forward. Really. I think it points to a serious rethink in a Habs strategy that has continuously relied on speed, skill, and character, with less emphasis on pure weight. The sad issue is that under the current roster, playoff success with limited penalty-calling is going to depend on taking hits and maintaining speed - everyone will have to perform like Gallagher. This is simply not possible. I think it is a very good thing that the Canadiens failed in such spectacular fashion this year. Bergevin now knows the changes to yield long-term playoff success - relatively low-intensity regular season hockey shoudn't be the concern. The issue is sustainability, depth, size, and strength to continue to fight through long, physical playoff games. The focus is on reasonably contending within 2-3 years, I think. To this end: DEFENSE 1) Buy out Kaberle immediately. 2) Wait it out on Markov until his contract ends next year. He's done. 3) Emelin - lock him up. 4) Diaz - wait and see on final year of his contract next year. But I think it doesnt really matter. Too soft and too small. 5) Drewiski - no 6) Tinordi and Beaulieu - future looks excellent. Continue developing. Tinordi was exceptional during the series, I think. 7) Bouillon - I like him as a 5th-6th paired with a large D, but he's nearing his end. I still think he'll be useful next year for a final year. 8) Subban - lock up long-term. He, not Price, is the cornerstone of the organisation now with Chucky/Gally coming. 9) Gorges - find a way to trade him. This is a problem contract. 10) The focus, if there is any cap space left next year, is to get a good, strong, tall, D-man, immediately. FORWARDS 1) Gionta - I think the team will have to wait out the final year of his contract next year. 2) Desharnais - trade him while you can, or be forced to wait it out as he drops down the depth chart over the next few years. 3) Plekanec - if there is a small guy to keep it is him. 4) Ryder - gone and hopefully replace with a better alternative. 5) Bourque - I think he's had a strong year on the whole. Gritty talented forward. 6) Chucky - continue developing but exciting. 7) Gally - continue developing but exciting. 8) Prust - continues to be an excellent deal. 9) Moen - paid slightly too much to be a crappy fourth liner but hopefully he improves. I still believe he is good depth to have. 10) Pacioretty - I am going to continue to believe that his subpar season and horrendous playoffs were a combination of bad injuries and 2nd season star complex. I think he'll bounce back and continue to be a strong driving forward. 11) Eller - future looks great. 12) White - continue supporting. 13) Halpern - I love guys like this, maybe a little younger, come playoff time. Price - I continue believing he's an excellent and possibly elite-level goalie, too cool for his own good, and with continued nagging flaws in his own game. However, I think the defence has really let him down throughout the year, and that this is not reflected in the stats.
• Comment on Liveblog: Senators draw first blood ... literally
  i don't think the issue is skill - it's intuition, something softer. price has always struck me as cool and calm, too cool for his own good. have you seen theodore's vezina winning season? solid goaltending is skill, that is price. elite level goaltending is skill and something else altogether. certain goalies (ie theodore) have it for a specific period of time. historic goalies (ie roy) have it most of the time.
• Comment on Liveblog: Senators draw first blood ... literally
  i say stick with price for the duration of the series as a test. it's clear that there is a clear weakness in our third line defense and we have a goaltender who is not making critical saves to back them up. we continue to miss size. not meant as criticism because there are still many positives - with a bit more gas and more driving to the net we have a solid set of forwards (a bit more depth would always help of course!). it is really a make or break year for price. i don't think he can save the series on his own but he is giving up goals at critical moments. oddly enough ottawa's opportunism is reminiscent of the early 2000 habs - exactly what i miss.
• Comment on About last night ...
  i think the difference in perceptions to price are about his traits as a goaltender, rather than statistics, which generally put him in the top-tier among NHL goalies. he's not what i would say an 'emotional' goalie, like theodore, hackett, or even huet. he's less inclined to make miraculous saves, to move intuitively. he's a consistent, cool, calm top tier goalie. nothing more, nothing less.
• Comment on About last night ...
  the issue is not about retaining high draft picks or maintaining the quality of them (with MB/TT i trust that we will on both fronts), but in providing the right environment for these players to develop properly. that's also connected in many ways to signing and trading for players who are not just high performers, but also character players who provide leadership and translate their skills in the room - markov and komi a great example.
• Comment on Eller back in line up for Sunday's game against Devils
  if reports are true and the habs are offering pk a 2 yr / 5M contract, they are very clearly low-balling - and I think it's about maintaining some semblance of critical cap flexibility for a competitive playoff run next year. a quick hit at capgeek reveals, for 2013-2014, that the habs have to sign/replace armstrong, desharnais, white, palushag, nokaleinen, bouillon, weber and budaj with approximately 11 M. assuming desharnais gets a raise (4M), the others get around what they're currently making (6.5M for the others), kaberle is bought out and his cap hit is used for subban (4.2M) , there is no cap space or flexibility left. a 2.5 M offer provides flexibility - bouillon could be replaced by a bonafide top 4 D-man to complement markov, subban and gorges, armstrong could be replaced by a strong second or third third liner - both potentially difference makers between a peripheral playoff team and a competitive one next year. all this to say i think subban is critical to the team, is worth at least 3.5M/yr on a 2-year bridge contact, and at least 4.5M-5M+ on a long-term contract. numerous analyses of his play has been done, and if anything the above figures are on the low-scale for what he has accomplished over the last 2 yrs in montreal.
• Comment on Gomez sent home, he'll be bought out
  not woulda. technically he's being assigned to hamilton, he's just not going. his cap hit remains 6.4.