Colin

In Subban's post-game presser, he's saying all sorts of very nice things about Kessel. Please no. Please don't let this mean he's been told to grease Kessel's wheel when the latter gets traded to Montreal. Nononononononononono Subban: “I don’t think Phil (Kessel) gets enough credit for his personality. He’s a personable guy if he knows you.” Subban: "If you put a microphone in (Kessel’s) face & ask him stupid questions, he’s not going to show that (personable) side of himself" Subban: I don’t think (Kessel) gets enough credit for showing his personality. He’s an outgoing guy and he’s really funny." Nononononononononononono

Not such a safe bet! You cost me $2.8M!

They are the Leafs. *coughCourtnallforKordiccough*

I believe you. In general, though, that usually means the opposite. No offence meant, but Montreal has pulled off so many left-field trades recently that, when someone says no, I kinda think yes. LOL Anyhow, it'd be silly not to at least consider it since he and Chucky played together - and played well.

De La Rose is surely giving Bergevin some really interesting problems. He's good. Really good. Do the Habs need Eller anymore? Or, if Eller plays well on the wing - and since he has size - does that make someone else expendable? I know it's early in Rosie O'DéLa's career, but I'm really impressed.

Well, I meant Eller - plus something else... for Yandle. If the Yotes did Eller for Yandle straight up, I'd sing dance and be first in line to put in my resume to Yotes ownership for the now empty role of GM.

Emelin + for Yakupov.

Eller + for Yandle. Book it Dan'o.

Sweet goal, sweet shift. Wonder how close he is... next season forcing himself in?

All this talk of #1C and #2C makes my ass twitch. Sure, we need that legit number one guy who's big, strong and dominant - Galchenyuk soon enough, I believe - but as things stand today, why do we have to have labels? It's not like Weise is a legit #1 winger, is it? No, these lines are mashed so the Habs can roll three legit threats and have a fourth that can stir the pot. I'd say our record is a testament to not having an absolute need of a #1 guy down the middle - can't we all agree on that one, tiny point? We can all argue about the "ideal world" scenario until we're blue in the face, but that won't change the reality of now. The Habs need Chucky to mature into that role, they need another power winger, and they need one more top-3 defender. That's the ideal world. Part one is under way, and if the rumours are to be believed, Bergevin is working hard on the latter two, such that some of the pundits are fairly certain Montreal will pull off a deal that will turn heads. Will he get a #1C? Honestly, I doubt it. I think he's looking winger and defender. His number one C just needs another few weeks/months of seasoning. So when we sit here and decry the output and effectiveness of DD when he's playing well enough to earn every single penny and he keeps guys (like Pacioretty!) happy, then why complain? DD is what he is, is paid as such, and until he's traded or usurped, he's in that position.

For the coin he's making, I don't see any problem with DD in the least. Yes, he has plenty of limitations, but equally yes, he's value for dollar. Perhaps more important, he seems a fit with the rest of the players, who apparently pull for him because he's an underdog. Whatever keeps that dressing room pulling together, IMO.

The Jets traded Kane, Zach Bogosian, and unsigned goaltending prospect Jason Kasdorf to the Sabres on Wednesday in exchange for Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, prospects Brendan Lemieux, Joel Armia and a first-round draft pick. As per TSN. That's a huge Winnipeg win, IMO.

Remember when half the posters on this board wanted to keep Halak. Good times, good times.

OMG that was a GORGEOUS suit. Sheesh. Sartorially challenged.

Is it possible that, through all the controversy and complaint, Therrien has done one thing extremely well: The Habs seem to be in better *condition* than most of the rest of the league. How else to explain the team consistently getting better as each game progresses? How they seem to do quite well in back-to-backs? As I see it, this is a well-conditioned team.

Habs are defensively atrocious so far in the second. Like, atrocious. Partial break and 2v1 from the bullion.

Oh gawd please never Kessel. Dressing room cancer if it's to be believed, and if you look at his body language and the way he acts on the bench, it gives a pretty clear indication that he's *apart.* I don't care how many goals he could score, I think he'd be more of a disruption to a team that has a very tight dressing room. Why take the chance that he could rip it apart? No no a thousand times no.

Cuke goes all Plato on our asses!

I see your point and raise you with: Have you watched Montreal play? How many times have they been outshot? While they aren't nearly as scrambly in their own zone as they used to be, they still get penned far too often. Look, I enjoy stats as they give a great general idea of what you're looking at. Stats, though, aren't the be-all and end-all. I mean, Montreal's CORSI is below 50% and every team around them in the standings in considerably above. If you want to enjoy a stat, then how about that one? What does it mean? Means someone is saving a lot more pucks than the Habs are shooting...

Um, wait... DD *does* go through that kind of drought. He's still here. Still kicking!

What would people think of a trade that centred around Tinordi for Yandle?

Take one player off each team. Their most important. Which team plummets most? Montreal probably not in the playoff picture - all due respect to the skaters. They are not well enough coached as a unit to win without Price. Despite an abundance of talent, we scramble nightly in our own zone. Price is, IMHO, *easily* the league MVP. Shouldn't even be close. Now, better question: imagine how good the Habs could be with a coach that preached a better defensive system?

Ooooo. I join the game thread and the Habs start to collapse.

If it was anyone other than Patches, the leg would have been broken clean off. But since it was Wolverine, he finished his shift with nary a pause.