Jump to content

REV-G

Member
  • Posts

    535
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

Everything posted by REV-G

  1. At first I hated this deal, and after hearing the commments on TV from so called experts I hated it even more. One analyst asked how we were going to replace Cammy's numbers. In a nutshell, we just got bigger, got a player who's goals per game over the past 3 years are very very similar to Cammalleri's, is a big body who can go to the net for us, and is $3 million a year cheaper. I loved it when we picked up Cammalleri but the past year and half have not been very good at all. He did not help us much at all. He's only had one 39 goal season and has declined every year since. We also picked up a 2nd rounder and a prospect, while only giving up a 5th and a KHL guy we'll never use. I still want a new GM but the more I looked at this trade the more I liked it. I guess now we just have to wait and see.
  2. My two threads had two different emphasis. The first thread was to suggest that we shouldn't make any desperate moves to get rid of prospects or picks just to squeak into the playoffs. The point of this thread is to suggest that we shouldn't wait until April or May to start to work through any changes we need to make because IMO things are getting desperate right now and we need to act now and not wait. The intent was that these two threads should be addressing two different concerns.
  3. I can't remember the product but I remember the jingle...."Don't wait for spring, do it now". Or something like that. I think that needs to be what Geoff Molson sees and hears everywhere he looks these days. It should be going through his mind, and hopefully he's begun to act upon that thought. How much worse does it have to get before something effective and solid takes place. Two coaches have been fired. The team mishandled the implementation of Randy Cunneyworth worse than I have ever seen a situation handled. They embroiled the team in a language debate and created division instead of unity. Fans have held a protest outside the Bell center. Now two players, Cammalleri and Weber have publicly made critical and hurtful comments that have insulted and probably made angry both players and coaches. We have a GM that everyone is just waiting for him to be fired. And the trading deadline is in sight and barring an absolute hockey miracle we will not get into any big winning streaks and will be sellers [to whatever degree is debatable]. So the $64,000 question is, do we want to go through what's coming and needed with the GM who has been at least a part or at worst the reason and cause for all of the above? Personally I don't dislike Gauthier, I just think we need at least a minor to medium makeover and I don't think he's the guy to do it. But that's been said by lots of people in the media and in these blogs. The key for me right now is that the most important first step before the trading deadline, before we sell or buy anyone, before we begin any tweaking at all, and before we put a coach in place who can speak both languages, is for Geoff Molson to make a decision regarding our GM and I believe strongly that there is no point whatsoever in waiting for spring to do it, do it now. If it's Gauthier, then announce it, give him the power to do whatever needs to be done and let him loose. If it's not Gauthier, then hopefully you're right now making the calls and speaking with whoever needs to be spoken with so that we can get that postion filled. We can't wait any longer, a leader has to step up and do what's necessary so we can get things moving. By waiting we are just making all of our own people angry, as I'm sure it's affecting the dressing room, morale is affected, and our reputation is taking a beating around the league. I'm not saying we should rush into anything, I'm just saying don't wait for spring to start it all, begin to do it now!!
  4. I think you're absolutely right. Making the playoffs is probably the goal of most owners, then on to the cup. And I understand that buisiness side of it. But I believe for Montreal fans it isn't/shouldn't be just about getting into the playoffs, it's about winning the cup. That's what our focus and goal has to be. So let's make the decisions now that will get us to the place as a team where we will be a cup contender for years, the way Sam Pollock and Ron Caron did for so long.
  5. I cannot believe for one minute that we can even expect or think that we could actually lose only 11 regulation games for the rest of the regular season. Not this year!
  6. You can already hear the rumblings. GM Howson fires Scott Arniel and immediately declares that with the trade deadline in sight he's now open for business. In other words he's ready to begin to deal. Some teams recently have not waited till the traditional week or day or two before the trade deadline to pull the trigger on a deal but got a headstart on everyone and traded well before the deadline arrived. In order for us to make the playoffs I believe we have to win something like twice as many games as we lose between now and the end of the regular season. Over a 60% winning percentage is what we'll need. Unlikely, but which of us wouldn't love to see us get into a race and have it go down to the wire. That would be exciting stuff. But, not at any cost. Based on the moves Pierre Gauthier has made so far; firing Perry Pearn and then our head coach, and then taking on a huge contract to acquire Kaberle. The result? Many people have questioned out loud as to whether these are more job saving steps than anything else. Whether they're true or not I keep hearing rumours that we're talking to certain teams about acquiring another body. I'm just concerned about what we're willing to part with. I think Pierre Gauthier might be getting desperate. I don't blame him at all for wanting to keep his job. Who wouldn't? But not at any cost or with a desperation move. So I hope Geoff Molson will not approve any giving away of any of our key young players or draft picks just to acquire someone who might possibly give us a better chance of sneaking into the playoffs. I think some changes to our older core who might help another team in the playoffs wouldn't be a bad thing. I'm thinking of players like Hal Gill, Kaberle, Gionta, Campoli, Gomez [however we do it], probably Weber and maybe a fourth line guy or two. Personally I'd prefer to see us write this season off, be a seller and not a buyer at the trade deadline and get a high draft pick and begin to build again with some of our younger guys like Price, Suban, Max P., David D., Plecs, Georges and so on. Plus with some of our younger talent not yet in the NHL, the coming years to me look hopeful. But I'm not sure how much trust I have in Gauthier to simply do the right thing for the team for the coming years and not try to give something key away in order to maybe just make it into the playoffs or even end up coming up short andp still ending up giving away a young guy or a draft pick for nothing but a rental. So please, Geoff Molson, do not allow any desperation moves that involve younger players or draft picks. Hopefully we can get on a roll and make the next few months fun and exciting. But not at the expense of our future!
  7. Interestingly before I wrote this post about the possiblity of Andre Savard and Carbonneau returning I emailed a very popular and respected Montreal sports columist and asked his opinion and he said he would love to see the Andre Savard/Carbonneau team in Montreal. He also said he was surprised Andre Savard's name hasn't been mentioned.
  8. As I've read different blogs and articles over the past week or two the opinions seem to be fairly unanimous that GM Pierre Gauthier is coming towards the end of his time as our GM. Among the many suggestions I've read and heard about I don't think I've heard the name of Andre Savard come up. So my question is, would Andre Savard make a good GM for us and would Guy Carbonneau make a great coach on his second tour with us?? What do you think?
  9. I agree with that but the fact Gauthier decided to make a coaching change in December, I think Geoff Molson should wait till the New Year, hire a new GM and then as you said, pick a coach next summer when you know who available and who's not.
  10. I think my concern has been the overall direction of the team. We seem slow, dull, boring and can't score goals. Granted this is also a coaching result, but the players available are the GM's responsibility and ultimately everything having to do with coaching and players falls back on the GM. We have 3 or 4 guys whose contracts total more than 1/3 of our cap space. To me we have not managed that very well and next summer could be a problem when key guys are up for new contracts and we are already overly committed to a few. Gauthier's secrecy makes me wonder if he has lost sight that this is a game and that our team is a team supported by fans who want to know whats going on. They want good communication, not having everything shrouded in secrecy. Serge Savard recently reminded us that, more so than other teams, the Montreal Canadiens are really owned by the people. We want to hear from our GM and not have him act like this is the Pentagon or the Secret Police and that information abou the team and it's players must be kept a secret.. Granted he inherited this team which Gainey made over, but personally, while I like Eller a lot, I think we should have got a lot more for Halak by letting other teams know that he was available. Pierre McGuirre called that deal larceny, implying that St. Louis stole Halak from us because at that time Halak's value was at an all time high. For a starting goaltender in the NHL we should have received more in return. I know 1 GM stated that he didn't even know Halk was available and would have been interested in at least bidding. I think the Gomez situation has gone on long enough and should be dealt with soon if things don't improve and not wait till the end of the season [which in all fairness he may have a plan to do something about that situation]. We have also allowed some key people to walk away [raided??] as in Boucher and Brisbois. I think firing Pearn and Martin seemed to be moves that were made to appease people and keep his job. Also, and this may be petty, but why in the world does he call everyone "Mr."?? What is all that about? So since he has decided to fire the coach in mid-season I believe now is also the time for a complete change. We have an interim coach and I think now is the time to make a wholesale change and put in place a fresh new GM like a Jim Nil [sp?] or a solid, experienced GM who can get us back on track. I hope I'm wrong but this is beginning to feel a little like the Rejean Houle, Mario Trembley era with confusion, uncertainly, poor communication and no clear direction. I hope I'm wrong.
  11. I believe Geoff Molson had to approve the decision to fire J. Martin. So if he is in a hands on mode, what in the world is he doing sitting back right and letting this language debate overshadow everything else resulting in putting his new interim coach and the entire team and city through all this. I believe the order of priority needs to be first put a proper GM in place immediately, then let that experienced GM put a coach in place. How often have owners tried to use a band-aid approach when they know down deep a larger change needs to take place. Our team's confidence, reputation and performance are all being battered. We've fired two coaches, we are still struggling as a team and the core seems to be very suspect. Our GM has made some horrible contract choices and we are getting older and more tired looking. And now he has saddled us with a divisive coaching dilema. It's not the interim coaches fault. He seems liked and respected by his peers and players. There needs to be wholesale changes and now is the time for our new owner to make changes to what he has inherited. Write this season off, get an entire new, desperately needed, management team in place and get the honor and reputation of the Montreal Canadiens back in place. Why allow this be a 7 or 8 month long debate. Make the tough, needed, decision now and let's start getting this team back on track with the key management and coaching postions filled with smart, competent In my opinion we are looking like incompetent owners and managers that our team should not be saddled with. Do it now, don;t wait for spring.
  12. I was born and raised in Montreal, an anglophone who has been a Habs fan for 50 years and have lived in Ontario for the past 20 years and subscribed to RDS the whole time, only so I could watch my team. In light of all that has gone over the past 30 years in Quebec I think it was a foolish, not well thought out plan to fire Martin and replace him with an english only coach. It's not Randy Cunneyworth's fault, he is who he is. But Gauthier has put himself, his coach and the team in a very difficult, controversial place, and one that I think has little chance of success unless a miracle occurs and the team starts to turn around it's so far disappointing season. Pierre Gauthier should have known better. In my opinion, anyone who has any history of the Canadiens and Quebec, knowing the ever-present and up till now seeminly weakening separatist movement with it's concern over the french language being diminished, and knowing the possibility of another NHL team relocating in Quebec city, should have known that this city needs, must have, a coach who is fluent in both english and french. The Toronto media would never accept a coach of the Leafs they couldn't interview and get quotes from. It just wouldn't happen. It's common sense. Solution: 3 options. 1. Pierre Gauthier and Geoff Molson put up with this growing angry backlash against a foolish decision till the end of the season which means being willing, and forcing others to be willing, to put up with a ton of scrutiny and criticism. Bad choice. 2. In order to quell the storm they put Cunneyworth [as much for his sake as well] back as an assistant and bring in an interim french/english speaking coach. 3. They not wait till the end of the season, but appoint a new head coach sooner rather than later. My choices in order of preference: 1. Alain Vigneault [under contract-not available. Would it be worth a call to see if he or Boucher could be freed up?? Trade??]. 2. Guy Boucher [under contract-not available]. 3. Guy Carbonneau. If I remember our team finished in first place with him as coach and he was a finalist for coach of the year. When he was fired he had won the previous 5 of 7?? 4. Final three choices which to me are not the best for different reasons: Bob Harley, Marc Crawford, Patrick Roy.
  13. Let me make a bold prediction. I don't think Kaberle fit on the big bad Bruins nor on Carolina. And I don't think he lost all his ability in the past year. So, I think that while he will still be soft he'll make solid, timely breakout passes, do a very good job quaterbacking our PP and he will be a better fit on our team than the previous two teams he played on. He'll be an upgrade over what we've had and we'll win more games because of our improved PP! I also think he will make some poeple a little better. That's what I think is going to happen. Now we just have to wait and see!!
  14. Ok, with that being the year Crosby was drafted, you're right, I think it's a given that Carey would be in a fight for the number two spot. In light of what you pointed out, it would be very interesting to see who would go #2. Goal scorers seem more numerous than #1 goalies. It would be tight but I think I'd take Price #2.
  15. When I look at our team and who we have and where we are, there are moves we've made that I'm glad we made and others I wish we could have back. I know that it's easy to look back and say what we would have done. But for discussion sake, for me, these are some of the good, bad and ugly moves we've made over the past years. The best move I think we've made over the past 10 years or so was taking a chance and drafting Carey Price. I'll always remember Pierre McGuire being astounded that we "wasted" a top 5 pick on Price when he thought we should have picked a solid defenceman. I think his comment that night was "this is off the charts". I'll admit I was disappointed with that pick because I didn't know anything about Price. But what a stroke of genius. In hindsight, knowing how Carey has played, if he was drafted today, would he be #1?? I think so. The second big move that I think changed our future and direction for the better was Gainey's almost unheard of total remaking our team three years ago. It changed our whole chemistry and from what I've heard the entire atmosphere in the dressing room. Being able to sign Cammelari and some of the others gave us a whole new look that I think we badly needed. The only player I wish we had kept was Saku Koivu. If I remember correctly, getting a first round pick, eventually Max Pacioretty, and getting Josh Georges as almost a throw-in, for Craig Rivet and a 7th rounder was a great move that has had a huge affect on our team today. Trading Halak turned out to be the exact right move, but to this day I think we should have been able to get more for him. Although in my opinion we are seeing the beginning of a very solid player in Eller. As much as I liked both these players, not signing or being able to sign, Mike Komisarek and Alex Kovalev was a big plus. But I also think we made a mistake in trading Ryan McDonough [sp?]. I think just being willing to take on Scott Gomez's salary should have been enough and we should not have had to include a #1 pick that I think we even moved up to get in the draft. I'm not sure what to say about Mike Robiero. I think he was very disliked in this city by many people at the time of the trade and it may have been a case where a player simply had to be moved. But could we ever use him today! However I'm not sure any other scenario would have worked at the time of the trade. But again, we should have been able to get much more for him. As for coaching. My feeling is that we would not have done significantly better if we had different coaches in place. Like him or not, I think for the most part, JM has gotten the most out of the players we've had. And I think we've had pretty good to great assistant coaches over the past 5 years. So those are some of the key moves I think we've made that have been good and not so good that have us where we are today. What do you think, agree or diagree?
  16. I've read a few commments that some people feel Yannick Weber should be traded. I think that would be a very bad move. Weber has slowly emerged, or is slowly emerging as a solid contributor who adds depth that we might be in trouble if we didn't have. Besides being able to play defence and forward, which is a great blessings to have, he also had been one of our steadier defencemen playing somewhere around 20 minutes a game. I think he has the best plus-minus among defencemen, has a great shot which he has used to score some very timely goals and without him we would have to either make another trade or go with someone who has less experience and brings less to the table. To me he is a great young guy who is developing and growing and could be like Josh Georges who when he first came to us was borderline to even make the team and now is in our starting 4. For me, it would be a big mistake to let him go.
  17. Ok, it's still early, but maybe it is time to at least ask a few questions, put a few things on the table. To begin with, so what exactly are we seeing here? There seems to be two options. Either this is a bad team that is going to struggle all year, or things just haven't come together yet but it's only a matter of time before things begin to turn around. Personally I think it's the second option. I think we do have a good team but with the injuries, new coaches and players plus maybe playing a lot of rookies and keeping quite a few extra players around in the preseason, we haven't had any time to come together as a team. Losing 3 of 7 starting defencemen to injury and having to go with first year defencemen is certainly going to hurt over having the veteran defencemen we thought we were going to start the season with. One blogger also pointed out that we have outshot most of the teams we've played and it's only a matter of time before we start putting some pucks in the net. And once Markov and our other two injured defenceman return, and our injured forwards are back this team will begin to move and score and we'll be ok. I think we all hope that's the case. However if it's the first option and what we're seeing right now is what we're going to see all year, then here are some of the options that might be what's causing the problem. I wouldn't blame Gauthier at this point. He and Gainey put together a team that came very close last year to doing some real damage in the playoffs. I think we were all proud of them. I don't think he could or should have dismantled the team this summer. But there are questions about letting go some of the players he did. But hindsight also has 20/20 vision! Coaching: If the team continues to struggle a valid question may be our coaching. Is it time for a change. Is the system that seems to have worked for the past few seasons, when the players followed it, no longer working in today's NHL? Does Kirk Muller leaving have that big of an impact? But from what I've read, the players are listening to, have a lot of respect for, and really like the new assistant coaches. So for me, it's way to early to be able to answer some of those questions about coaching. More time is needed to decide if any of these positions are the issues. Have we suddenly gotten old as a team in regards to our top 6 forwards? The Scott Gomez question will be around as long as Scott doesn't turn things around and really begin to produce. But at this point in the season is there any way to get a better replacement? There's lots more we could say but that's probably enough for now. So what do you think? Is it still too early or is the writting beginning to appear on the wall??
  18. From what I understand about Campoli he is fast and polished with the puck and able to cover up any mistakes he makes. But they say he can be weak at times in his own zone and can get pushed around a bit in front of his own net. Overall, I think a decent pick up that gives us some more depth.
  19. Eklund is reporting that news is breaking right now that the Canadiens may have found a taker for Gomez. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this??
  20. Like CC, I also like Gomez, and I think he is talented and would be hard to replace, but ONLY if he has a comeback-breakthrough year and not a repeat of last year. Let's face it, if he gives us a repeat of last year, either because of not buying into JM's system or because he's just declining each year, then he won't be that hard to replace. With the money we'd save on the cap hit we could certainly improve our team big time. So while I like Gomez, I hope for a trade, although I'm not holding my breath!
  21. I read in a blog today that there are a couple of teams interested or open to taking on Scott Gomez and his contract. Does anyone know if this has any substance to it?
  22. Some in the media have been speculating as to whether the Canadiens will resign Markov because of his two knee operations the last two seasons. After watching recently acquired James Wisniewski pile up the points I wonder if we will try to keep both, can we afford both, or if Wisniewski continues to score and play effectivly if we'll keep him and trade Markov at some point? It would be amazing, if Markov could stay healthy, to keep both. What an upgrade for us. What do you think?
  23. I know this has been discussed before, but after reading about our Dec 19 game against the Avalanche I have to ask: Does it seem like too many of our young players that we trade away respond and do quite well somewhere else. For example, Ryan O'Byrne. I read his comments and his coaches comments and how many minutes he's playing [20+] and that he has a pretty decent plus/minus rating and you have to ask, did we use him correctly, did we give up on him too soon, and did we do the right thing in trading him away? I think working through the defensive mistakes of young players like Subban and Picard are part of the price you pay in developing young players. But on the other hand O'Byrne is much older than the two I just mentioned, so was it that O'Byrne was still making rookie mistakes? I can't help but wonder if we're handling these players correctly. A few weeks ago I wrote that based on their present performance I was glad we didn't still have Komisarek, Kovalev and Higgins. But I sure wonder about Latendresse, Ribiero [sp?] O'Byrne and some others. From what I can see I don't think Sergei Kostitsyn is doing much with 5 goals so for me he's not an issue. Maybe this is just the law of averages that happens to every team. So my question is, are we just like every other team in trading away young players who struggle with us but seem to do well elsewhere, or are we not doing as well in developing younger players?
  24. For me, I'm really disappointed in 3 former players, who I thought were quite good for us, probably core players for a period of time. Mike Komisarek seems to be getting worse. One Toronto writer, Damien Cox, said he thought Komisarek was probably now Toronto's sixth defenceman. I saw a replay of a fight he had recently and it looked like he was pounded. I can't understand what happened to him. Was he that bad when he was with us and did playing with Markov make him look better than he really was. In hindisight, sadly, I'm glad he's with Toronto and not us. Next is Alex Kovalev. I hope no one tries to resign Alex. I like him, but his work ethic is getting worse, and it was never his strong point. Maybe he's just getting older and losing strength and stamina. Finally, Chris Higgins. He seems to have disappeared. I thought he was a good second line player but after he was traded he seems to have dropped like a rock. Were these guys really that bad or did they lose something when they left us?
  25. Hey guys, I asked a question. I think I'm getting the idea of your answer!
×
×
  • Create New...