SAKS-AVENUE

Atlanta.

Man the conversation is all over the place. I'll take this moment to comment on all topics quickly. Seems like everyone is coming back for HW training camp, and getting their thread chops going. 1. KOMI will be a stay at home hard hitting MOFO forever. I can't see him becoming a threat offensively. If we plan on being leaders of the pack for a while we need to keep guys with a gift for scoring goals or setting up plays in the PP position. KOMI should do what he does best Hit and Hit some more. If we look up to him for production on the powerplay will mean we are not doing so well. 2. CHIPS? I suppose he could be a BrindAmour as some have suggested and if it happens ...COOL. I see him more as a steady, hard-hitting, Leadership out the wazoo Brian Skrudland type of player. Maybe for some of you that might be a disappointment but I feel it's more realistic. I should also add there is nothing wrong with that. Skrudland had a good, long career which would be great for Chips. 3.Screw Detroit. Montreal will kill them with one hand tied behind their back! Should I start my *Montreal will sweep Detroit* *no jinx* thread early this year. Well maybe I'll wait until April. 4.Lang? I'm glad with the signing. Sounds like he wants to be here. Good thing! Now, Carbo won't mess with the first line and neither would any of us right now. But hey, if last years first line comes out of the gate slow I wouldn't be surprised to see Lang replacing Pleks in a second. You know, when Pleks plays like a little girl. Considering Lang and Kovalev had breakfast and talked about the good old days don't be surprised if Gainey goes looking for Straka by December. Where is that guy? in Cleveland or in France. My point is a lot of things are going to change this year. One thing you can bet on is Koivu will be holding up the CUP this year!!!!!!! Wooo hoooooo!!!!!!! oh ya I hope to GOD Price has a solid year or we are screwed.

Ek has the Habs talking deal with the Kings. Exchange of prospects. Are there any centers on their farm? Never can tell. Since we've drafted so much D. Gainey can only thicken us up through trade .......hmmmmmm

Don't forget the help in face-offs! * I just went and checked his game by game logs last year and Lang's face-off percentage for most games was well above 65% for most games , a lot of games in the seventies and a few hitting 80%. Not to shabby. I'm going to bet that is the main reason Gainey brought him in knowing that is a big concern of ours. He will definitely be getting 1st PP unit time for that reason alone.

Getting Lang is going to change things up but I wouldn't go demoting Saku just yet. Like we've all discussed a million times on here The guy has never had quality players to play with. We finally get some talent here and you want to put him on the thrd with Latendresse . I doubt that very highly. Replace him with a guy that's way older and slowing down even more then Koivu himself. I guess you forgot what he brought in the play-offs last year. I'm not going to try and pick the lines but without a doubt Koivu starts the season as #2 and he is only #2 because Pleks had a good season with Kovy and TlTS not because Pleks is a bonafide first line centre. Watch how quickly Sak's becomes first line centre again should he and Tangs click............ Lang starts as third line centre.

You might be on to something Fanpuck. I'll bet a million bucks the Habs win the game they wear those shirts in. Simply because the other team will get vertigo trying to focus. Maybe the Habs should change to this type of optical illusion sweater for good. I'm excited for this year. Seems like the Habs are really going to celebrate in style every 10 games or so. NICE!

Yup, once a year along with Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, Alssya Milano, Me, etc........

Very true. I'm so pissed. I really do understand that what Mats is going through is hard, but geez! Can't help being a frustrated fan knowing what he would bring to our team. I want to hate him and forget about him but it's hard. Especially when you see Gainey trying to talk him into it. That's the worst part. Bob is being really good with the words he chooses to use with the media but you can tell he really, really wants Mats something bad. I do hope it works out.

Ahhhhhhhh boy............Just when I was starting to let go. Gainey speaks and starts the roller coaster ride all over again. Gainey sure does have a way with dealing with the media and my brain. He just might get Mats over here boys. Here we go again!

I'm all for Chips, screw Sundin....his ship in my eyes has sailed. It just won't be the same if he was to join now. The dedication I expected from him is way off the map from what I thought. As far as us all agreed as a group on "WE need a centre" I'm starting to think Saks might come to some serious life this year. Let's sit back and watch, the guy is a firecracker and I'm sure this summer,with all things considered, is lighting a fire under his butt. It's time.....he has Tanguay as a linemate, Higgins will step it up this year or loose his spot to Latty. While Pleks, Kovy and Big #### will have there own thing going on as support.........SUPPORT?............Saks has a linemate and SUPPORT?..........since when? GO SAKS GO!!!!!!!! I proclaim it's "THE YEAR OF THE SAKS" boys and girls. Let's go with what we have F**CK SUNDIN! and I mean that!!!!!

Since it's been so quiet from all teams I'm going to assume Sundin hasn't really had talks with any teams just like Bob expressed he hasn't heard a peep himself. I have a feeling we will get to hear directly from Mats what his intentions are next Friday when he gets bombarded by the media at the charity game or holds a press conference himself. Since Toronto is saying they are probably moving on I'm guessing it's HABS or retirement. I'm not buying the bullshit rumors about him dragging it out until december or later. At last years trade deadline he said he didn't want to be a rent a player and if he was to change teams he would want to be a part of a team from start to finish. Is there still hope? I guess we'll see next Friday.

I'm thinking your reply was not meant for me. I never suggested any of that. I was just saying......Ya if Sundin doesn't work out let's keep looking for the "Big centre" hole to fill. Schnieder would be a waste of time because I don't think we need him, our D will be very competitive for a long while on it's own.

I see your vacation is over. Welcome back Mr. Kotter.

I think it would be a waste of money and space. How does it go from Sundin to Schneider? We don't need him. Not going to happen. If Gainey gets us another player it WILL BE a centre.

I don't give a shit if he drank bigfoot piss or goat balls. I hope he puts the so called weight he's gained to good use. That is one dude that could be the cool version of Tucker or Avery. A whole other beast but COOL.

\ That blows. You might think that if Gainey feels like it's probably not going to happen then it probably won't. Seriously, if Mats was even a little interested in coming to Montreal he might ask at least a couple of questions. He hasn't let out a peep according to Gainey. He's not coming here. Lets move on. KILL THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!

Me so horny?

Nope, you actually brought up the staying in Montreal bit. I only heard extension. Great.......the EK of Japan is chiming in.......

You would have to dig around on google, or maybe someone here can point you in the right direction but at the beginning of the summer Kovalev's agent asked to give Kovy an extension this year and the news went away as fast as it came. Haven't heard anything since. For all I know they are working on it.

Like Ryder did? After watching that contract year performance I realized it doesn't always bring out the best in players. Maybe it's too much pressure they put on themselves. I heard a whisper this summer that Kovalev actually asked to renegotiate his contract. They went away fairly quickly, I guess Bob wasn't into it. Soooooooooooooo this means two things......... 1. Kovy wanted to take advantage of his stellar year because he himself knows it will be almost impossible to match or beat this season, he just doesn't have enough in the tank to repeat. Or....... 2. He will be so bummed and distracted by the fact Gainey shrugged off his request .The disappointment Kovy will suffer will have us witness a season of uninspired effort all year long. I know "NEGATIVE". I can't help it. Kovalev always seems to find a way to bum me out. Only last year did I start to really like the guy. I hope I'm wrong and he's been sitting at home watching tapes of his glory years so he can double last years performance. GO KOVY GO!!!!!!!!!

Regardless of most opinions on this forum, Dandy is still a good hockey player. Very versatile and helpful. It's too bad that he has been overshadowed by young talent and will suffer some major ups and downs this season regarding ice-time. But, just giving him away happily to the Bolts? Why? So he can go have a great season and then you can start a "Bob should have got more for Dandy" thread. I think if Gainey really wanted to ditch Dandy he would have by now. I hope he has a good season, The little time Carbo did use him last year, he showed up, you can't argue that.

Beer caps tonight? I can't do no wrong. Just cleared four even when I actually tried to miss by being lazy. IT WENT IN. If this keeps up Sundin is looking our way real soon. Possibly tuesday morning. Wait till EK gets a load of this!

There is absolutely no way this is anywhere near the truth. Now the media is reaching and it's actually very sad.

I guess we can look forward to a season full of Higgins rumors. Unless he comes out of the box and shuts people up right away. I wouldn't mind Hemsky, but I have a feeling the first thing Carbo would do is work on his defensive game which would bring his point totals down and just seem like a lateral move anyway. I'm expecting a big year from Higgins this season, so lets assume this is just a rumor SPECTOR-Hemsky to Montreal?

Well the plot thickens and gets a little more grim for us Habs fans. If Sundin has "negligible interest" In coming to Toronto or Montreal and his first choices are apparently New York and Philly why would Sundin carry on on. Let Gainey know that it's not going to happen. New York Post