Montreal Gazette

Habspark

Member since October 8, 2011

Habs fan since: Birth
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  • Comment on Audio: Habs sign Subban to two-year deal
    Well done MB, but also well done PK. This is great for the team, MB comes out looking strong and I'll be cheering Subban all the way and looking forward to him re-signing a Pacioretty/Price-esque deal
  • Comment on Would hockey fans forgive and forget another lockout?
    We are all hockey fans, as such I don't think any of us can throw off that switch. I don't know the ins and outs, but that initial offer from the owners to start the ball rolling (end of july was it?) should have been laid down a long time ago, probably even last summer. If they know from the last time that this can take the best part of a year to sort out, it smells both of arrogance (to players and fans) and incompetence that they have not taken measures to pre-empt that from happening this time around. I'll never stop loving hockey and I'll never stop going to habs games, but if we do end up having two lockouts eight years apart, though it does not seem to worry them, the NHL will look pretty bad as professional sports organisations go. I can't say at this stage, but If the lockout continues through another season, I may not be happy about increased prices for a game ticket in the future, afterall it is the extra revenue that constitutes the need for these negotiations in the first place!
  • Comment on Coaches make nice, almost, after Devils square series
    Hey Habsburl... In reply to your question earlier: Yes and yes, and thank you for your kind feedback again, Habsburl. To fill you in: I love hockey, so not my first time to the World Championships. If Montreal make the playoffs, I'm at the Bell Centre, and if it is going to be a good game - wallet/time-willing - I'll be in Boston, Pittsburgh, wherever. Once the Habs are out, some years I keep following, some years not, it just depends, but I'll always keep an eye on the World Championships - it is great hockey. If we don't make it (like this year), if I can - no question - I'll be at the World Championships (admittedly, first time since Quebec!) I'd prefer to watch the Russians (particularly this year) any day over the teams in the playoffs right now (and I've caught a few games)... That said, obviously when I booked my tickets I was hoping that Canada was going to be in Slovakia's place! I'm fortunate in getting to see alot of sport on both sides of the pond, and for me it's very interesting to see the similarities/differences/prose and cons between them all. My loyalties lie firmly with Canada, hockey and the Habs. I am possibly more passionate than most about enhancing the game internationally because I mainly spend my working life with sports-mad Europeans! They tend to thoroughly enjoy the hockey - for the sport (who wouldn't?!) - but some less polite ones comment that the atmosphere at the Bell Centre is 'artifical' and slightly lacklustre in comparison to what they are familiar with - upsetting, particularly for me who has to hear it and attempt to explain/promote it with good humour, but sadly (between you and any others reading) I can see where they are coming from. The hockey-loving ones among them knock Canadians/North Americans for not showing much of an interest beyond their own shores, the old cliche, and that gets the others on the bandwagon - with yours truly caught in the middle again! So, I know my recent comments have more than likely been boring/irrelevant/antagonistic to those engrossed in what is happening in our backyard, but my reasons for these attempts to spur some enthusiasm into the the World Championships might make more sense to you now! In my opinion, we have a lot to learn from other sports and their culture, and if we took the positives and amalgamated them into our own hockey culture (emphasis on the positives - I would hate for the Bell Centre crowd to turn into a Chelsea FC mob), we wouldn't just be promoting our hockey team, but ourselves internationally. I say this all with special preference to my home, Montreal - the last things I want is the Air Canada Centre becoming the best place to watch hockey - we can lead, the others can follow! This however explains my emphasis on the atmosphere at world championship hockey games (I'm not going to start comparing the noise to a soccer match, the game dictates that), because they really do put us to shame in Montreal, with a many thousand less fans! I would love to meet a Czech who could catorgorically say, yes, Montreal fans are the best in the world - not someone Anaheim saying we are the best in North America. Interestingly, I was talking to some of the organisers within the IIHF and they were saying that it's not difficult to get the Europeans to take part - they love representing their country and they always have support in the crowds which grows the further they get into the tournament. But, the North Americans who come, come purely through patriotic pride and say it's not easy for them when there is (a) no support in the stands (it's usually only a few family members - and one brilliant guy from the Yukon this year!), (b) people viewing the tournament as second-rate/irrelevant compared to what is happening in the NHL and (c) comparatively very little coverage at home - I wonder if this is at all related to the bosses not wanting to encourage their players to play internationally? I don't think anyone expects a stadium's worth of Canadians to spend hard-earned bucks on flights to Europe every year, but I think every (underlined) North American at/who appreciates the WCs wishes for more positive coverage from the media at home (and sadly this site, which I enjoy at all other times, is a prime example). Some hockey unsmarts are quick to denegrate the tournament, not knowing that the standard of hockey to be seen really is world-class, played out by men passionate to win for their country, but by not at least reporting on it enthusiastically, it is a sad slight on Canada, and the States. Well, Habsburl, if you're still reading - well done, and sorry to have probably repeated already spoken thoughts, but rather than just replying with a double yes, I know I am outside of the norm, and probably not a very popular voice, but I hope I make a bit more sense to you now! Here's wishing to a gold for Team Canada which will just add to the mass euphoria of our Stanley Cup making it's way down Ste. Catherines in 2013, and then repeat it all with an Olympic gold to boot in 2014 - Cheers!
  • Comment on Coaches make nice, almost, after Devils square series
    Just back from Helsinki, having watched the IIHF semis and the bronze/gold games, but followed the tournament throughout via youtube which was playing the games live. Some notes on the Habs players, Yemelin played ALOT of minutes… He was solid for the most part, but did lapse at least three times which resulted in goals against. However, against Sweden, he wound up Franzen something special and essentially bought two goals that way bringing Russia the win – Lapierre et al, eat your heart out! He played a good tournament and clearly has the coaches trust. Plekanec worked hard, smart as always, and looked great with Erat and Nedved (who did not resemble a 39 year old, fast, strong and worked very hard throughout)… Czechs were the only team who could have made the Russians work hard for the gold, but they just could not bury the puck in the net, despite some great positioning passes from Pleks. As a team, man, they were excited to take home the bronze, just a shame it was Finland they had to beat – 30 years since the hosting team of the World Championships has won gold! Eller played well on a weak team. I would not hold his statistics against him. Pacioretty was really coming into his own on a larger ice surface before the US were knocked out… Russia, undeniably, by far and away the best team in the tournament, with only 6 NHL players… An Olympic calibre Canadian team would have been lucky to beat them… They skate harder than anyone else (almost as if they have different skates on) and have ridiculous skills… Ovechkin came in late, but the chemistry was instantaneous. For the Olympics, the smart money is on Russia – and the noise will be deafening! In short, they are an absolute pleasure to watch, similar to the Flying Frenchmen of old I would think. A couple of players who stood out to me and probably won’t get much press were: Antti Pihlstrom, Finnish winger, very fast skater and a real work-horse. Petr Prucha, Czech forward, much like Pihlstrom, and netted the critical goal in the bronze medal game. And… Mikko Koivu – don’t get me wrong, I love/loved Saku, but man would his ‘little’ bro look good in a Habs jersey! VERY smart player, strong on the puck, and a great leader. Re the crowds/atmosphere – you have got to love the European hockey-fans: Considering you have a mix from various countries in the seats, ie., not ‘all’ going wild for ‘their’ team, the noise generated by the various pockets dotted around the stadium is fantastic. Unlike Bell centre games, there are no computer-generated calls for ‘make some noise’, or ‘oh “lait”‘ etc., they are spontaneous, consistent and LOUD, with more than just the equivalent of ‘go-whichever team-go’, they have several different chants and songs which they drum out (literally). As a country, Finland/Helsinki is pretty similar to Quebec/Montreal, I can see how Saku felt quite at home here. Some highlights: Slovaks beat Czechs in the semis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nffFVZRa22k&feature=relmfu Czechs win bronze: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SgWJ7HyTAw Russia win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CgsXYhaL6g
  • Comment on Coyotes refuse to be roadkill in L.A.
    Some highlights: Slovaks beat Czechs in the semis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nffFVZRa22k&feature=relmfu Czechs win bronze: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SgWJ7HyTAw Russia win: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CgsXYhaL6g
  • Comment on Coyotes refuse to be roadkill in L.A.
    Just back from Helsinki, having watched the IIHF semis and the bronze/gold games, but followed the tournament throughout via youtube which was playing the games live. Some notes on the Habs players, Yemelin played ALOT of minutes... He was solid for the most part, but did lapse at least three times which resulted in goals against. However, against Sweden, he wound up Franzen something special and essentially bought two goals that way bringing Russia the win - Lapierre et al, eat your heart out! He played a good tournament and clearly has the coaches trust. Plekanec worked hard, smart as always, and looked great with Erat and Nedved (who did not resemble a 39 year old, fast, strong and worked very hard throughout)... Czechs were the only team who could have made the Russians work hard for the gold, but they just could not bury the puck in the net, despite some great positioning passes from Pleks. As a team, man, they were excited to take home the bronze, just a shame it was Finland they had to beat - 30 years since the hosting team of the World Championships has won gold! Eller played well on a weak team. I would not hold his statistics against him. Pacioretty was really coming into his own on a larger ice surface before the US were knocked out... Russia, undeniably, by far and away the best team in the tournament, with only 6 NHL players... An Olympic calibre Canadian team would have been lucky to beat them... They skate harder than anyone else (almost as if they have different skates on) and have ridiculous skills... Ovechkin came in late, but the chemistry was instantaneous. For the Olympics, the smart money is on Russia - and the noise will be deafening! In short, they are an absolute pleasure to watch, similar to the Flying Frenchmen of old I would think. A couple of players who stood out to me and probably won't get much press were: Antti Pihlstrom, Finnish winger, very fast skater and a real work-horse. Petr Prucha, Czech forward, much like Pihlstrom, and netted the critical goal in the bronze medal game. And... Mikko Koivu - don't get me wrong, I love/loved Saku, but man would his 'little' bro look good in a Habs jersey! VERY smart player, strong on the puck, and a great leader. Re the crowds/atmosphere - you have got to love the European hockey-fans: Considering you have a mix from various countries in the seats, ie., not 'all' going wild for 'their' team, the noise generated by the various pockets dotted around the stadium is fantastic. Unlike Bell centre games, there are no computer-generated calls for 'make some noise', or 'oh "lait"' etc., they are spontaneous, consistent and LOUD, with more than just the equivalent of 'go-whichever team-go', they have several different chants and songs which they drum out (literally). As a country, Finland/Helsinki is pretty similar to Quebec/Montreal, I can see how Saku felt quite at home here.
  • Comment on Lockout ahead?/Devils square with Rangers
    PS I am not for one moment suggesting people should not watch the Stanley Cup playoffs - they're great - but I am stumped by how little interest there is in the Canadian national team defending 'their' sport on the global scene. Most other countries love their national team, but seemingly not Canada! It's not like the games are being played at the same time, but no reports, no updates, no 'watch it here' and mainly very few people taking any interest whatsoever. I am clearly out on a limb here, but I find it extraordinary... And a little sad.