Latendresse 10 pound lighter

[saskhab]

Smoke only had a 50.4% FO% last year in the regular season, and was at 46% in the playoffs. He's a decent faceoff guy, but Koivu was much better than him (54.9 %). Everyone else on the Habs was below 50%, though for Bonk & Begin, just barely (49.8% and 49.7%).

[Athlétique.Canadien]

Smoke only had a 50.4% FO% last year in the regular season, and was at 46% in the playoffs. He's a decent faceoff guy, but Koivu was much better than him (54.9 %). Everyone else on the Habs was below 50%, though for Bonk & Begin, just barely (49.8% and 49.7%).

Yeah, but career wise he's always done well. He reminds me of Randy Gilhen but he'll get more points.

Edited September 7, 2007 by Athlétique.Canadien

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

My only worry with Smoke is that his production in vancouver was awful. Of course, THAT team has a harder time scoring goals than Toe Blake does getting his number retired.

[saskhab]

My only worry with Smoke is that his production in vancouver was awful. Of course, THAT team has a harder time scoring goals than Toe Blake does getting his number retired.

He played with Trevor Linden and (I think) Matt Cooke. Not exactly a ton of offensive potential there. I don't know who he'll play with in Montreal, but if he's in the "shutdown" role I'd expect a drop in his 18+24 stats from last year for sure. If he's put in some offensive situations he should be able to chip in about 16 goals and 35-40 points, though.

[Easy Ryder]

Without Souray shot on power play the habs will need somebody near the goalie the block his vision

and take soft rebounds from our defense low firepower. They need Latendresse on the first unit and in

front of the net thats where he is gonna get his goals.

If only Ryder could do that he would score fourty a year but he is always positionning himself 5 feet from the boards,

same for Kovalev. So the only option is to remove Kovalev or Ryder from the first power play unit.

So first PP Ryder Koivu Lats uo front

Second Higgins Smoke Kovalev up front.

First wave PP defense Markov-Kots!! some would say ?? but he has played a lot at the point and will have the chance to show is shot.

Second Streit- Breezer

[Chris]

So you don't want Hamrlik on the point? He has a cannon, beleive me will be paired with Markov.

[saskhab]

Hamrlik will definitely be part of 1 of the PP units. Markov & Hamrlik will have to play their opposite sides to set up the 1 timer, though.

[lazy26]

Hamrlik will definitely be part of 1 of the PP units. Markov & Hamrlik will have to play their opposite sides to set up the 1 timer, though.

Hamrlik can play both sides.

[Tony]

Hamrlik can play both sides like you said but he prefers playing on the left side.

[JMMR]

Hamrlik can play both sides like you said but he prefers playing on the left side.

Is that the crip side?

[Tony]

It's the one with the blue rag hanging out of his pocket

[KoZed]

Hamrlik will definitely be part of 1 of the PP units. Markov & Hamrlik will have to play their opposite sides to set up the 1 timer, though.

Just like last year with Souray, so no real change there. Except perhaps that both Hamrlik and Markov will take more shots.

And I'm guessing the second PP pair will be Breezer+Streit... there its interesting since one of them will have to play their off side... likely Streit.

[lazy26]

Just like last year with Souray, so no real change there. Except perhaps that both Hamrlik and Markov will take more shots.

And I'm guessing the second PP pair will be Breezer+Streit... there its interesting since one of them will have to play their off side... likely Streit.

It's not that uncommon for the points to play their offside on the PP so they can more easily unload the one-timers. Streit shoots left and Breezy shoots right... I don't foresee any great difficulties.

[Tony]

Markov too has a good shot. Obviously it's not as good as Souray but can still pot in 15 goals if he tried to shoot more.

At this point, I can see Brisebois playing on either PP line since he can either pass it well or shoot it well.

Let's just hope his back can withstand a full NHL season.

[Dirty Harry]

Latendresse is great on the puck, who said he isnt.

He is very strong on it, very hard to knock off, he keeps it close to his (large) frame (and let me tell you as a dman myself, I dealt with those sort of players and its always a bitch to get the puck off these sort of players), comes in and then lets loose his strong wrist shot high from in close, even when a dman is grappling him cuz he`s so strong. He scored most of his goals with that kind of rushing, the goalies have a devil of a time with that attack also, they have to stay low to prepare for a deke once he starts getting close, leaving some room up high where a good scorer can roof it.

[lazy26]

Latendresse is great on the puck, who said he isnt.

He is very strong on it, very hard to knock off, he keeps it close to his (large) frame (and let me tell you as a dman myself, I dealt with those sort of players and its always a bitch to get the puck off these sort of players), comes in and then lets loose his strong wrist shot high from in close, even when a dman is grappling him cuz he`s so strong. He scored most of his goals with that kind of rushing, the goalies have a devil of a time with that attack also, they have to stay low to prepare for a deke once he starts getting close, leaving some room up high where a good scorer can roof it.

For sure... who can forget that goal against TB or the penalty shot vs OTT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u9exCmHfs0