Latendresse traded for Benoit Pouliot

[JCPetit]

It's always fun to see Montreal medias to cry about Lats' departure. Like they were big fans of him. Laughable to say the least; they were most critical all the time and now they blame the organisation.

It's a no-win situation for Gainey. Do one thing and you'll be criticize; do the contrary, and you'll be blame too.

Oh well... that's Montreal where people act like maniaco-depressives when they talk about the Habs.

[JCPetit]

Yeah, it's a problem I think a lot of coaches seem to have. I understand them wanting to develop guys as complete players, but I think they often go too far. They keep drilling defensive hockey and force them to fill that role. It seems to me that you want a guy to have already built up his confidence before you start changing his game. With offensive players, let them be creative and pair them with responsible players. Let them do what they're good at before you concentrate solely on what they need to improve. People always want to use Hitchcock and Modano as an example of how a great offensive player became a great complete player. The thing is, Modano was already established as an excellent offensive player before Hitchcock got involved. It's the same reason Rick Nash is a complete player and Nik Zherdev is back in Russia - Nash had already won a Richard trophy before Hitchcock rounded out his game. Zherdev had only moderate success and Hitch ruined his confidence by concentrating so much on the negatives. If you ask me, as long as a young player is playing hard, let him be who he is before you try to mold him. I mean, can you imagine if Lafleur had been just coming up in the 80's when Montreal started stressing defense first hockey? His career in Montreal very likely would have began just like it ended - poorly.

Interesting post. I also think of a good example of an established super-star who could not be transformed by an excellent coach: Guy Lafleur (and the coach was... Jacques Lemaire).

[JCPetit]

Pouliot does play centre and it is his preferred position.

Maybe that's why he has had a hard time to find his way so far playing out of his comfort zone.

He played centre as a junior, he told the journalists yesterday that he was almost exclusivly on the wing with the Wild.

Edited November 24, 2009 by JCPetit

[JLP]

wow, well the changed Habs keep on changing, that's ok with me I still don't feel a connection with our guys might as well shake it up some more and hope for the best!

[BTH]

I'm happy with this deal. Those who are bringing up Ribeiro syndrome when it comes to this trade might just be right - except Pouliot is the one that reminds me of Ribeiro.

With the Habs locked into so many big contracts and unlikely (when healthy) to ever get their hands on a top pick, I was worried that we'd be stuck in the 6th-11th range for the next 5 seasons. Pouliot is the type of prospect we want in our system. He's boom or bust - and has been touted that way since he was drafted - but he definitely has the ability to be an impact player.

As for the short term, I'm not sure how much he can contribute right away, but Kostitsyn will be able to fill Latendresse's shoes for the moment.

[kenadian]

Actually we (the Wolves fan I know) used to call him Benny..... (and I would add "and his Jets") since he is a deceptive skater with those long strides.

That'll be his song when he scores.........crank up the Elton!

Don't forget too all the fans/media calling for Lats to stay up his jr year .........

Edited November 24, 2009 by kenadian

[Habitforming]

He played centre as a junior, he told the journalists yesterday that he was almost exclusivly on the wing with the Wild.

Now if you'd just learn to read the rest of my post.

[JCPetit]

Now if you'd just learn to read the rest of my post.

Absolutely right. Sorry.

[Chris]

Well ilike the deal for many reaons as posters have said. Lats didn't play the way he was asked to, other younger players basically took his spot. The habs get a big centre with some potential.

I do think he'll be centre. Obviously Gomez is hurt, Metro can fill in anywhere but is overmatched playing with and against the big boys. He is much better suited for a 3rd line centre with Moen and Pyatt currently.

It gives 57 a chance to play with some good talent, maybe Cammi and sk74 until the injured players come back.

If he does well, Pleks can be moved for a 1st rounder. I know everyone wants pleks signed ASAP but i'm still not sold on him, his play has been excellent so far, however how many times have we sen the UFA guy play well 1 year and go right back to how he played before.

With all the injuries i doubt they make the playoffs, so getting an extra first, trading Hamrlik for young d-man just makes sense.

Let Martin teach the youth and new vets, the purging i don't think is done yet either.

That move was a no brainer for BG, good move.

[JCPetit]

Having read your posts, listened to RDS, looked at the newspapers, I still don't know what to think of this trade.

Well, obviously both players -- and both teams -- had lost confidence in each others. When it happens, I guess that the best thing is to say farewell. It's like a divorce "à l'amiable". You shake hands and wish your partner the best of luck...

I suppose that it was the best thing that could happen to Guillaume and Pouliot at this time in their professionnal carreer. It's hard to forecast who will blossom in his new environment.

IMO, Gainey has done what he could to get the possible trade. Guillaume's value was down the drain, I guess. A young, 4th pick over-all, is not bad given the circumstances. It's a long shot, for sure, but it has some potential.

Time will tell if this trade makes sense. Meanwhile, we can just hope.

Edited November 24, 2009 by JCPetit

[Fanpuck33]

The Canadiens played the same defensive style in the 60s and 70s and when Lafleur came up HE WAS forced to play

defense like every other player coming up in the Canadiens system. Talent dictated the 1980s philosophy, but the Habs

goaltenders put up huge numbers for more than four decades, it was not all because of their talent. Bowman was

one of the greatest defensive coaches in history.

Look at Lafleur's numbers his first 3 years in the league. He didn't become a dominant offensive force until he was 23 years old

and had paid his dues. Lafleur was going to be a star regardless of where he played, he chafed under Lemaire in the 80s because he was past his prime at 31. We are not talking about today's athlete who is training year round, we are talking about a player who smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day, partied through his twenties and was not surrounded with the talent he was in the 70s.

I'm not trying to say that Lafleur never played defense and never learned how. I realize the Canadiens were a strong defensive team throughout the 60's and 70's, but they were obviously a much more wide open team than in the 80's. I mean, many people credit (or blame, in some cases) Lemaire for establishing the neutral zone trap as a significant strategy in hockey. The trap is all about defensive first hockey, often at the expense of offense. Guy was still a point per game player right up until the very season Lemaire took over as coach. Guy's game was built on offense, with defense thrown in and that got reversed. Lafleur did earn his lumps and learned defense early in his career, but I seriously doubt that defense was stressed then to the extent that defense was stressed with the trap.

I didn't mean to say that Guy would not have been a star regardless of the system, I just meant to suggest his career could have been quite different. With his talent, he surely would have become a star, but you have to wonder if he would have done so in Montreal had he come into the league with the trap, where nearly all of his creativity would have been stripped from him as a youngster. Maybe I'm wrong because I wasn't around back then, but I've always thought of Bowman as a great two-way hockey coach, rather than a defensive coach. I was only around for his days in Pittsburgh and Detroit, but I never got the impression that he would be the type of coach to take away a player's creativity at the expense of defense. Rather, he seemed to give offensive players a chance to succeed while they improved their defensive play.

The basic point I'm trying to make is that I don't think it does anyone any good to force defense onto players at the expense of the rest of their game. I am totally in favor of getting guys to play better defense, I just think a lot of coaches go about it poorly. It doesn't make sense for me for a coach to put a player in a role that highlights his weaknesses. It makes far more sense to me to put a guy in a situation that gives him a high chance of success, so he can gain confidence while he learns the other parts of the game. Especially early in a career, I think that strengths should be highlighted, rather than weaknesses. Let players work on their weaknesses as they play their game. If a guy is being lazy in the defense zone, then by all means sit him for a couple shifts. But don't force him into a defensive role that is just going to expose his weakness.

I may be way off base here, but that's just my opinion.

[brobin]

Ribs is a very bad comparison..

For the record, Ribs was putting up more points then Plek did last year when we traded him. People around here act like he was getting 10 points when we traded him to Dallas and he suddenly took off! He also played with bums most of the time in Montreal (Dags anyone) and was just about to play with Kovy when we traded him.

If we traded Pleks right now, then we could talk Ribs, but Lats is the equivalent of Chad Kilger...

[Colin]

I find it interesting that in an interview yesterday, Martin commented on how the fitness level of the team was inproving, but still wasn't where he wanted it to be. There's been a lot of talk about Lats and his eating and sleeping, and I wonder where this fit in. Certainly fits the country club atmosphere that has been spoken about. What were Julien and Carbo doing with regards to fitness?

[BTH]

I find it interesting that in an interview yesterday, Martin commented on how the fitness level of the team was inproving, but still wasn't where he wanted it to be. There's been a lot of talk about Lats and his eating and sleeping, and I wonder where this fit in. Certainly fits the country club atmosphere that has been spoken about. What were Julien and Carbo doing with regards to fitness?

If our goal was to clean out the country club atmosphere, going from Lats to Pouliot was a massive downgrade. I think our goal was just to pick up a player with first-line potential.

[KoZed]

I find it interesting that in an interview yesterday, Martin commented on how the fitness level of the team was inproving, but still wasn't where he wanted it to be. There's been a lot of talk about Lats and his eating and sleeping, and I wonder where this fit in. Certainly fits the country club atmosphere that has been spoken about. What were Julien and Carbo doing with regards to fitness?

Lats and Laps were praised along with Cammy by our new fitness guru for being "machines", ie. super serious about their conditioning.

It's quite ridiculous how all in a sudden all sorts of crazy hear-say are getting thrown around to paint Lats in a bad light after the trade. I suspect most are just attempts to make it look like Bob had no choice but to trade him. This isnt Ribeiro folks. Lats had no attitude issues. Just a guy Martin didnt like as a player and that Bob used as an asset to get a player the organization had always been high on and that they hope will fit the team's system better than Lats. That's all there is to it. There's no drama here. Just a plain ol' hockey trade.

[lazy26]

There's no drama here. Just a plain ol' hockey trade.

I don't know about that. I heard that Lats was out of shape because he spent too much time sexually harassing Youppi!. Bob had no choice but to get rid of him.

[bar]

The writing was on the wall during the sleepascandal a couple weeks ago.

[BCHabnut]

Lats and Laps were praised along with Cammy by our new fitness guru for being "machines", ie. super serious about their conditioning.

It's quite ridiculous how all in a sudden all sorts of crazy hear-say are getting thrown around to paint Lats in a bad light after the trade. I suspect most are just attempts to make it look like Bob had no choice but to trade him. This isnt Ribeiro folks. Lats had no attitude issues. Just a guy Martin didnt like as a player and that Bob used as an asset to get a player the organization had always been high on and that they hope will fit the team's system better than Lats. That's all there is to it. There's no drama here. Just a plain ol' hockey trade.

Ya, I agree. don't forget guys that Lats was very good last year. In a 3rd line role. I would argue that Kosto, Lats, and Laps were the only consistent line last year. I for one am sad to see him go. I really hope that Benny grows a heart here, otherwise, all we did was lose our biggest hitter. Didn't Lats lead all forwards in hits last year? I guess it will be a wait and see thing. There does look to be some upside to benoit though.

[Fanpuck33]

The writing was on the wall during the sleepascandal a couple weeks ago.

:?-

[Habsfan]

Lats and Laps were praised along with Cammy by our new fitness guru for being "machines", ie. super serious about their conditioning.

I also heard the same thing!

It's quite ridiculous how all in a sudden all sorts of crazy hear-say are getting thrown around to paint Lats in a bad light after the trade. I suspect most are just attempts to make it look like Bob had no choice but to trade him. This isnt Ribeiro folks. Lats had no attitude issues. Just a guy Martin didnt like as a player and that Bob used as an asset to get a player the organization had always been high on and that they hope will fit the team's system better than Lats. That's all there is to it. There's no drama here. Just a plain ol' hockey trade.

Bien dit!

I've got a bad feeling about this trade. A real bad feeling!

[Dalhabs]

I was in the same boat a few years back with a Theodore jersey, so this season I decided with the cap shrinking (possibly) and Gainey allowing 10-13 guys to walk away I would be safer to go with a classic and I bought a 1915 (CA jersey) with #9 and "Richard" on it

Buy a Gomez jersey. Noone will ever take that contract from us so he will be here for some years.

[huzer]

Lats and Laps were praised along with Cammy by our new fitness guru for being "machines", ie. super serious about their conditioning.

It's quite ridiculous how all in a sudden all sorts of crazy hear-say are getting thrown around to paint Lats in a bad light after the trade. I suspect most are just attempts to make it look like Bob had no choice but to trade him. This isnt Ribeiro folks. Lats had no attitude issues. Just a guy Martin didnt like as a player and that Bob used as an asset to get a player the organization had always been high on and that they hope will fit the team's system better than Lats. That's all there is to it. There's no drama here. Just a plain ol' hockey trade.

While I agree with your overall assessment, I think people are painting Lats in a bad light due to the comments he made after the trade.

[bar]

:?-

Lats was a healthy scratch for a game a few days back, as per team policy all healthy scratches are to be at the arena an hour before the game. Gionta had to be a late scratch and they were putting Lats in the game, but no one could find him. They finally tracked him down in his hotel room sleeping, 30 mins before the game.

[Chris]

I actually don't mind the move at all. I don't see Lats becoming a top 6 guy, not mobile enough, doesn't have the heart or desire to be around the net.

Will Polliot be any better? I have no idea but it'a a start.

Ok bar, figured it out, this is for you.

[bar]

I wonder at the cause of him not wanting to go to the net? Was he afraid to pay the price? Thought he was better than that? Any thoughts on why he never wanted to park himself there?