Chris

Great points Zowped. But Higgins didn't play with Koivu and Ryder the second half. Once healthy he moved around and finished with Kosty and Pleks. The best Habs line down the stretch. So the reason you wouldn't keep those 3 together is they were like min us 60 while paired together. All your other points are right on. Couldn't agree more about the D. Hannon and Timonin would be nice.

I agree about carbo still learning and as you stated blaming Carbo for another meltdown is just stupid. This group of players hasn't done anything worth while. As for Rivet, he may have tried every night and a s you said he just isn't very good. I think all that needs to be said about him is he was benched once and left his team mates out to dry by leaving the building and not showing up. So that to me says maore about his charcater then anything. I like the future, the Habs just need to get rid of some more worthless vets not pulling there weight. I have no idea what went on with Perez, very confusing.

Because they keep signing players who are a cancer. Until Carbo took over theose players and other lazy players got a free pass for the last 5 or 6 years. Only the past coaches suffered any consequences to these players. Now that has changed, it's Carbo's way or the highway. I for one say it's about time. Also the system arguement doesn't hold water, most players interviewed said that Carbo lets them do basically what they want in the offensive zone but do have responsibilities in there own end. So to say the players are stagnet in the offensive zone just isn't true. I have an idea, blame the lazy players who get paid millions who rarely show up, don't play with passion or care if they win or lose. Carbo had no problems getting the young players to show up and play hard.

Man you guys are loyal. It sounds to me like a complete suck up trying to get his job back. I guess after sniffing around other teams know one else wants him either and he knows it. He has to say that to get his nice fat contract back. I don't buy it, and it was still a double sided apology, i was wrong but... He can go, he will not improve his game. It hasn't improved in years. Actions speak louder then words Alex.

For the record i said his D zone coverage was an F. He gets an A for the PP so i would give him a total grade of D+ or C-. Yes i would pair O'Byrne with Markov, might as well play him with the best so he can learn. Then you get another quality D to pair with Komi.

AC, the reason moving and Souray and Bouillon or whoever makes the team better is because they were really bad defensively last year. Probably bottom 5 in the league. Keeping the same players will NOT change that. They need to turnover and get some players on the back end. Signing Souray for 4 mill max and moving a few others i could live with. Souray could then be on the bottom pairing with Gorges or something only playing 8-10 minutes of even strength hockey. He can pick up the minutes on the PP. O'byrne moving up paired with Markov then getting A hannon type player to play with Komi as the shut down pair. Streit is a quality fill in.

I can honestly it won't be who is saying it, or switching back. Maybe you people on the other side will think it's nice to see Souray doing something other then picking the puck out of the net in his own end and taking stupid penalties. I agree with your post about BG revamping the D, I would expect not resigning Souray as part of that and trying to move another D man Bouillon. Dandy has more versitility by playing forward and actually isn' bad at that.

Just because the cap is going up doesn't mean Gainey will max out the cap. He was cl;ose last year and it didn't get him anything but an early tee time. I think they'll be around 44 million or so.

Defensive game B-, he was worst in the league in plus minus for defenseman. Do you go to school with a sharp grading curve or something? There is no way he rates anything but an F in his own end. Why does everyone talk about leadership? What has he done to lead the team, or where has he led them? No where. If you want i can give you some leadership quotes. "We have to play a full 60 minute game". "We are a good team just struggling to play well" How is that, does that make me as good of a leader as Souray? Face it he is gone.

I don't know anything about Lahti but if he is tough and gritty he's an upgrade to the 3rd and 4th lines. Russell is an AHL move. To fill roster spots of graduates. Graduates are: Kosty lapierre Chipchura Ferland or Milroy O'byrne (Souray's not coming back and the D needs size) Unless a trade happens i don't know how Grabovski graduates? He can't be a 3rd or 4th line player. Too small and gets hit alot. The Habs have way too many smurfs as it is. So there are spots on the farm that need to be filled. They need a real goon as well. Colton Orr and EL Diablo are UFA's i beleive.

C'mon guys. It's true those guys throw a body check every now and again, Streit does work hard but they lose way too many 1 on 1 battles, get knocked off the puck way too easy. Therefore that is why they are soft. Plus you can't have a D core of smurfs. See No Playoffs unless the D changes significantly and I think OByrne will be there.

Exactly, great points Fanpuck. There are no "home town discounts" anymore or rarely. The Habs aren't close enough to the cup currently to get a player to say "these guys are close, i have to play there". sorry but i totally disagree with you on Bouillon.

If you don't think your worth 6 mill but someone offers you 6 mill are you going to turn it down? My bet is no and neither will Souray. He will go to the highest bidder.

The problem with the vets and the core is everyone always says wait, he'll improve and they never do. He does hit well against the boards but otherwise he is prettyt much worthless.

Boy i hope your wrong. This could be the softest D in the league.

I actually think he has a pretty good shot at making it. The reasons are: 1. Souray will be gone 2. BG has to move Bouillon, Dandenault or Streit. All soft players and small. The D needs a shakeup. 3. The same D next will result in no playoffs again. 4. O'Byrne is physical, pretty good skater, decent passer and reliable in his own end.

Well i wouldn't say it's useless. Especially in Souray's case. He had like 5 goals even strength, the majority of his points were when his team had the advantage. When even and shorthanded are added in you'll see how useless he is. I also realize it's not all one person fault you get a minus. But you can't pay 4-5 million for the worst plus minus defense (i stand corrected) or a PP specialist. He is totally one demensional. He'll take the money and run.

He did have the third worsed plus minus in the league for defensemen. You can't exxagerate that. I have said it all along, he is GONE.

Fisher also said it was a no brainer resigning him and I agree. The number is fine with me (although i'm not paying it). Fans, posters whoever get caught up in numbers and so do I, When you look at players who make big bucks on this team who aren't producing, those are the guys you should be debating, not Markov. I said it on another thread, the players in the NHL know how good Markov is and that's speaks alot more then the media or armchair GM's. (like myself). But it was a No brainer signing.

Because he is incredibly slow. Lats can outskate him.

Garbage traded for Garbage. The Habs don't need Aucoin or Samsonov for that matter. Look if Detroit is interested something like Bouillon and Samsonov for Lilja or something like that.

Yep, i still don't know why people don't think Pleks is good. I'll say it one more time, Higgins Pleks Kosty were the players down the stretch doing the damage. (obviously the PP was good). They have great speed, play in all 3 zones and they all specialize in something a little different. Which will make them very dangerous next year.

You are aware that Kovy had the highest ice time avg for forwards. Even when he was on the 4th line. Ryder may have flaws but he puts up numbers. Better then Kovalev anyway. How much more time do you7 want to play Kovy? Ryder is good trade bait.

They are NOT going to be traded for vets. BG has already said so and i'm sure he has had numerous offers for them. Higgins is NOT moving to center. He is already the best LW the habs have. Lats is playing the wrong wing. Youth Will fill the spots vacated by small moves over the summer, not resigning Bonk, the D and possibly not signing Johnson. I'll also bet there is NO saviour UFA coming to town. Sorry the "youth"

Good points and insight. I agree with the future is the youth and a fix it free agant player is not is BG plans. I have been saying that all along. ANother poster mentioned the team has all the leverage on young players, once Higgins, Pleks, Kosti, Komi get to be 25-27 you will see those players getting longer deals. My opinion is that BG didn't think his youth would be NHl ready this quickly, thus he signed players Koivu, Kovalev Bouillon, Dandy to contracts that were a year or 2 too long. Now the youth has to wait to get serious minutes. I for one think BG has done a great job. Ranked #2 as far as depth in the orginizations. Dallas did always make the playoffs witrh good teams. Not great.