huzer

I really started to get into hockey once I hit high school. Our gym class was street hockey in the fall, indoor hockey in the winter (with some volleyball), and street hockey in the spring (with some softball). Each time, you got to choose which sport you wanted to play, and I remember tossing my stick in the pile and the gym teacher throwing them to each side to pick up teams. Funny story, my brother in law is from Cornwall, and used to go to Royals games. He gave me a Doug Gilmour signed stick about a year or two after Gilmour had played for the Royals and he played for the Blues (I think). I broke it at school during a game. I didn't think much of it until I really started watching hockey more. Flash forward to 2001, and Gillete had just bought the Habs and they were doing training camp in Vail, CO. I went up to watch, and was standing along the glass while they were on the ice in a fairly empty rink. Jeff Hackett was flipping pucks against the glass where I was standing and chuckling, soon a couple of other guys joined in. That's when I finally noticed a guy standing next to me, I looked over and smiled, he looked at me and smiled. It was Gilmour. I told him the story of using his Royals stick and he offered to sign one for me. I've never been much for autographs or collectibles, so I politely declined and was just happy to be talking with him. I met a few other guys that afternoon when they went mountain biking, all in all a neat experience as the players were pretty relaxed as there wasn't a throng of people following them everywhere. I remember the Cup in '86, the playoffs the following years, but definitely have fond memories of '93. Still have all of my ticket stubs, and I went to every single game in Montreal that playoff year. I had a boss (worked at Radio Shack at the time while I was in college) that would get on the phone lines with me while at work, trying to call through to the box office every time the next round went on sale. First few games, I got standing room only tickets, but from the 2nd round on, I got good seats in the whites. The euphoria of that season has stuck with me forever, and even when the Habs when another Cup, I don't think I'll have that youthful excitement. Just a special time in my life that year. It was also fun to go to a D1 NCAA hockey school (Clarkson), there were a few future NHLers there at the time, Craig Conroy, Todd Marchant, Todd White. So for me, it's not a player or two that sucked me in. Hockey was just what I grew up in. I do, however, still wear #21.

That's the same for me....heck, that's pretty much my criteria at the youth hockey level.

Wow. Just wow.

Here we go again...2-0....now 3-0. Can they hold it? Stay tuned!

Since Lucy has been mentioned, I’ll go with Andrew Ladd. I know the Chicago connection with Bergevin was talked about when he was UFA.

Impact UFA forward, Hall is about it. RFAs, offer sheet candidates? Barzal?

Are we rebuilding through the draft, or plugging holes? It's one or the other, unless the Habs are suddenly going to become a successful UFA shopper and not have to give up any assets to acquire all of those missing pieces.

I asked earlier....who was throwing around first round picks other than Tampa yesterday? Where is this guarantee that other teams were offering a 1st + good prospects for Petry and Tatar?

I'll watch the Habs until the end of the season...once the playoffs start, I'll hitch my wagon to the Avs and watch their run.

A lot of the fans complaining about Tatar and Petry not being traded would then be the same fans complaining about Bergevin not loading up with UFA talent or making "hockey trades" that would solidify the lineup. Look, I'm not thrilled either, but in one breath saying trade everyone, then in the next that the Habs need a better LD, backup goalie, and a top 6 player...ugh. Edit: Serious question: For those that said GMs lost their minds this trade deadline, what trades, other than Tampa's two crazy 1st round deals, were massive over payments?

I didn't say anything about staying the course, I said my deadline expectations. I didn't EXPECT players with term to get traded. Expect is a much different word than want or need. Would I WANT an influx of first round picks and top level prospects? Sure. However, when the Habs acquire picks, I'm not necessarily jumping up and down with excitement given their history of development. I usually have extremely low deadline "expectations" whether in buying or selling mode.

My expectations have been met at this point. I expected Thompson and Scandella to be moved, was 50/50 initially that Kovalchuk would be traded. Maybe Cousins gets moved next? I did not expect the Habs to move anyone with term, despite the shouts of FIRST ROUND PICKS! TOP PROSPECTS! for Tatar and Petry.

So will Kulak keep 77 or go back to 17? All of the injured players he was signed to replace are back. Liked seeing him play for the Habs.

Habs are 6 pts back of the Leafs, and play them one more time. 4 back of Panthers and play them twice. Is Bergevin really a seller at this deadline?

Probably Koivu, in his knee injury season. I believe he was above a PPG, but only played a little over half the season. Edit:....56pts in 50 games in 96-97