BTH Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 I was close to counting this as our 3rd good performance of the season but I would have liked to see more desperation once we lost the lead. Kovalev is not the reason for our slump, he gives us the same performance every night it just happens to work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. Even when it isn't working, he still has some use, especially on the PP, which he showed last night. Even in his 47 point season, I didn't mind him (as much as Theo, Ribs, Dagenais, etc). Too many people have put the spotlight on Kovalev. He is only one player in 23 and he's playing as well as anyone else on the team. (Big thumbs up to Higgins, Plekanec and Andrei last night - now let's play these three together!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habsfan Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Happy to read that a few people here realize that Kovy is NOT the problem on this team. It's lack of effort by almost every player on the team!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobin Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 Don't get me wrong, Kovalev is not the only guy struggling, but he is far less coachable. As others have said, he tries to do too much, when the coach is asking everyone to keep it simple. This is why he is a coaches nightmare. There are also a lot of young guys who look up to him and take their cue from him. People are quick to blame Carbo but I don't see the evidence. I see Carbo saying the same things we are. I see Carbo very annoyed at the team's lack of effort. I see Carbo working on specific PP plays that pay off, when the players use them. So clearly Carbo is not sitting there doing nothing. Has Carbo lost the room? I doubt it, but I am sure he is struggling to find ways to get Kovalev in particular back on track. Does that make him a bad coach? Not to me. I think Kovalev is a huge challenge for any coach. Carbo has some faults, particularly in poor communication with players, but I would not lay all the blame on him either. A team is collection of personalities and there is only so much you can do to manipulate a team. At the end of the day, I hold the multi-millionaire players responsible when the coaches are giving them a good strategy, but the players don't execute it. If Carbo was telling the team to try to pass more, slow it down, and dipsy doodle, then yes, he would be an idiot, but that is not what he asked the team to do. I think what is really needed is for the team to have a meeting.. a little peer to peer discussion about responsibility and personal effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brobin Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 One last comment, and I say this with great trepidation.... If Kovalev needs to go (and that is Gainey's call), then he will need to replaced offensively. Dare I suggest Sundin....... Of course, someone would have to switch to the wing, maybe lang? ... but imagine Sundin anchoring the booby Boys... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 One last comment, and I say this with great trepidation.... If Kovalev needs to go (and that is Gainey's call), then he will need to replaced offensively. Dare I suggest Sundin....... Of course, someone would have to switch to the wing, maybe lang? ... but imagine Sundin anchoring the booby Boys... Well, Koivu (he of the 55%+ faceoff rating) has been playing wing on the PP beside Lang (he of the sub 46% rating). .........figure that one out sports fans. Always fun to start the PP CHASING the puck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Boagalott Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 (edited) Kovalev is not the reason for our slump, he gives us the same performance every night it just happens to work sometimes and sometimes it doesn't. Even when it isn't working, he still has some use, especially on the PP, which he showed last night. Even in his 47 point season, I didn't mind him (as much as Theo, Ribs, Dagenais, etc). Too many people have put the spotlight on Kovalev. He is only one player in 23 and he's playing as well as anyone else on the team. (Big thumbs up to Higgins, Plekanec and Andrei last night - now let's play these three together!) w0w, its aboot time somebody finally agreed with me on that. I said that all through last year and all summer long and everybody always says keep Kovy, Pleks and Andrei together because Kovy had 80 pts last year. Who cares though. Whats more important, Kovy hitting 80 or Higgs, Pleks and Andrei each getting 80? I know which I would prefer. Besides out of the 4 Kovy is the only 1 who has the pure talent to be able to get 80 pts on any other line. Happy to read that a few people here realize that Kovy is NOT the problem on this team. It's lack of effort by almost every player on the team!! Its true that 1 player cant cause a slump but 1 player can still make or break a team. The Habs arent playing bad because Kovy isnt putting up points. The Habs are playing bad because Kovy isnt putting in 100% effort. If Kovy was giving 100% and pointless the Habs would be doing better. Dont forget that Kovy is almost the Captain of this team and the young Russians especially look to him for leadership and idolize him. When you see your idol out on the ice making puppies you cant wait to jump over the boards to get out there and start making puppies of your own. Laziness is contagious and all the young Habs are learning from one of the NHL's best. Edited November 20, 2008 by Sir_Boagalott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 w0w, its aboot time somebody finally agreed with me on that. I said that all through last year and all summer long and everybody always says keep Kovy, Pleks and Andrei together because Kovy had 80 pts last year. Who cares though. Whats more important, Kovy hitting 80 or Higgs, Pleks and Andrei each getting 80? I know which I would prefer. Besides out of the 4 Kovy is the only 1 who has the pure talent to be able to get 80 pts on any other line. I didn't want to re-unite them last year but now it is the move to make. These three have chemistry together every time two of the three are on the ice together and the team is in need of a line to wake everyone else up and lead the charge (that's how we've always done it despite our depth). I don't really like the idea of a Tanguay-Koivu-Kovalev power line but if we're going to be doing that, we may as well use these three together and then re-unite Sergei-Lang-Kosto which did well to start the season. Tough luck for Latendresse to be on the odd man out on fourth line - I wouldn't mind swapping him and Kostopoulos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Boagalott Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 I agree but why not play Kovy with Lang? I know not many will agree with playing either Kosto, Begin, or even BGL with Tangs and Koivu but those 2 are so talented it shouldnt really matter who the 3rd guy is. Plus a larger more physical guy would suite their styles and open more room for them. Lats kinda fits that role, sometimes when he wants to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 I agree but why not play Kovy with Lang? I know not many will agree with playing either Kosto, Begin, or even BGL with Tangs and Koivu but those 2 are so talented it shouldnt really matter who the 3rd guy is. Plus a larger more physical guy would suite their styles and open more room for them. Lats kinda fits that role, sometimes when he wants to. Laraque on the first line wouldn't be necessary. Just use Latendresse: Tanguay-Koivu-Latendresse Skostitsyn-Lang-Kovalev Higgins-Plekanec-Akostitsyn Begin-Lapierre-Kostopoulos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 I disagree with calling Kovalev selfish per se (although the end result might be the same) - I think he is supremely confident in his own abilities. I get the sense, completely from my perception and without direct evidence, that when Kovalev feels things are going to hell he takes it upon himself to change the game. I think he can be quick to stop trusting the other players around him and try to make plays on his own - in his desperation he can make incredibly high risk plays (like ultra-low percentage passes), which can lead to him perceiving an increased need to take the game away from other players and win the game on his own. That Kovalev doesn't seem to have an innate ability (or predilection?) to drive for the net makes this a particularly bad strategy, but his skating, shooting, and passing skills make it understandable. I think this is a particularly difficult pattern to break. Every success is a confirmation that his plan is working, every failure (whether his own or the failures of his teammates) is a confirmation that his plan is necessary. Punishment is relatively ineffective in fixing this situation not because Kovalev is obstinate, but perhaps because there is a simply a perception gap between him and the coaching staff - how can Kovalev do what Carbo wants in a given situation if he simply does not see the situation that Carbo sees? I think the best way to get Kovalev away from the ultimately counterproductive figure-eights and behind the back passes, etc... is to try to find a way for him to trust his linemates. This might involves putting Kovalev on a line with players he thinks he can play with or getting Plekanec away from him to show Kovalev that if given the puck he can score. To that extent the current lines make sense. Especially if you think the Kostitsyns might be helped by playing together. I think this is a superb, speculative analysis on how Kovalev's head works. It comes much closer to my own impressions than the standard "he doesn't care" argument. I think Kovy does care, but that his response to slumps is precisely as desribed here...he only goes into outright "apathy/hostility" mode when it leads to conflicts and punishments from the coaching staff and attacks from the media and fans. Nice, thoughtful post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_Boagalott Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Laraque on the first line wouldn't be necessary. Just use Latendresse: Tanguay-Koivu-Latendresse Skostitsyn-Lang-Kovalev Higgins-Plekanec-Akostitsyn Begin-Lapierre-Kostopoulos But they are using Lats. Like some have suggested Lats isnt that usefull standing beside the net. Lats isnt a physical prescence around the other teams goalie enough on a regular basis. BGL would get lets of attention standing near the other teams goalie being a screen and just causing a general disturbance. Opposing teams would probably have both Dmen wasting their time dealing with BGL leaving Tangs or Koivu wide open. Lats might be able to do that, but he doesnt and wouldnt be as good at it anyway because BGL is a larger bigger screen with a lot more power. Plus the best part of trying that line would be when the opposing teams dont like BGL being that close to their goalie and are foolish enough to try to do something about it and BGL gets to beat the crap out of em. Theres no instigator penalty if they are pushing him 1st. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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