Permanent Rumour Thread

[hab29RETIRED]

It seems to me that what Gainey is doing is exactly trying to emulate the Devils. They have been a dominant team for 15 years due to Martin Brodeur with a descent cast and a good defensive system. Brodeur's breakout season came in 96-97 when he was 24 and the Devils have been riding him ever since.

If we are going to emulate the Devils we need Price (or Halak but that is much much less likely) to become dominant. This could well happen and if you want to emulate the Devils this is the only way for it to happen.

No slight meant to Brodeur, as he is my favourite modern goalie after Roy - although I absolutely hate him for his record against the habs - however, NJ's sucess is more due to their system then the guy behind the pipes. A testament to that is when Brodeur was gone for the bulk of the season last year, NJ had a career minor leaguer in the nets and NJ was still on top of their division and close to the top of the Eastern conference. The fact, I can't even recall the goalie's name speaks volumes on how good the NJ system is.

It doesn't even matter who the coach is - only drawback with Lou is he also has a penchant for pulling the rug on his coaches - even when the team is rolling along (see Julien), the team just keeps humming along.

The Habs for the past 15 years have had no system, no identity no soul. It isn't any pariticular position the habs need they need an identity and a system that defines them.

[hab29RETIRED]

I do think the Flames could have gotten more for Phaneuf than they did but he is not the great player many people think he is. He has been very average for the past 2 years and he is getting 6.5 million for the next 4 years.

However, the second deal (if it goes through) between the flames and the rangers is just horrible for the flames. Please tell me how this can be considered anything but insane from the flames point of view.

Jokinin hasn't had a very good year but previous to this year his goal totals are: 36, 26, 38, 39, 34, 29. This is a guy who still has value even though he is a UFA. He is the guy the flames got realizing it meant giving up Cammallari. Now they are dumping him (with Prust) for Higgins and Kotalik??? Two guys who look like they their best years (which weren't great) are probably behind them (although Higgins might recover). Higgins is a UFA but Kotalik is signed for 2 more years at 3 million per year.

This deal makes no sense at all. Maybe the flames want to rid themselves of Jokinin but why are they saddling themselves with Kotalik and his contract? I am pretty sure they are teams out there that would want Jokinin as a rental for this year's playoff - there was a bidding war for him at the trade deadline last year. Calgary gave up a first round pick and Prust and Lombardi to get him together 3rd round pick less than a year ago.

Maybe Sutter has come to his senses and canceled this trade. If it goes through there will be a lot of unhappy flame fans.

I agree that the Kotalik makes no sense - don't know much about him, but I'm just going by his production. Jokinen, on the other hand, is a guy who has NEVER made the playoffs until he was traded to the flames last year. He doesn't seem to be a guy who performs when there are expectations, one of those players who thrives on a lousy team and crumbles when there is pressure - which is why I was against the habs trying to pick this guy up. There is a reason why he is been on as many teams as he has. To me Sutter is hoping kotalik rebounds and provides secondary scoring and maybe trying to pickup more depth for another move. Jokinin is supposed to be a UFA who the flames are going to lose anyways.

[KoZed]

It seems to me that what Gainey is doing is exactly trying to emulate the Devils. They have been a dominant team for 15 years due to Martin Brodeur with a descent cast and a good defensive system. Brodeur's breakout season came in 96-97 when he was 24 and the Devils have been riding him ever since.

If we are going to emulate the Devils we need Price (or Halak but that is much much less likely) to become dominant. This could well happen and if you want to emulate the Devils this is the only way for it to happen.

Never gonna happen with Price. Brodeur and Price are not even from the same planet. Brodeur comes from Mars, Price comes from Venus.

In the middle of the 2003 playoffs, Brodeur's wife files for divorce and started harassing Martin, calling him in the middle of the night to tell him he'd never see his kids again. Brodeur carried the Devils on his back all the way to the Stanley Cup with a 1.65 GAA and 7 shutouts.

Carey Price cries when he his pulled from a game and needs hugs if a teammate calls him out.

See any difference? Mental toughness. Price has zero. At this point, Halak has way more chances to one day become a dominant guy than Price because Jaro has the mental toughness and discipline a pro goalie needs to be at his best on a consistent basis. Price can be Martin Brodeur in the 1st period and André Racicot in the 2nd and Ron Hextall in the 3rd. You cant build any long-term team around that kinda goalie.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

No slight meant to Brodeur, as he is my favourite modern goalie after Roy - although I absolutely hate him for his record against the habs - however, NJ's sucess is more due to their system then the guy behind the pipes. A testament to that is when Brodeur was gone for the bulk of the season last year, NJ had a career minor leaguer in the nets and NJ was still on top of their division and close to the top of the Eastern conference. The fact, I can't even recall the goalie's name speaks volumes on how good the NJ system is.

It doesn't even matter who the coach is - only drawback with Lou is he also has a penchant for pulling the rug on his coaches - even when the team is rolling along (see Julien), the team just keeps humming along.

The Habs for the past 15 years have had no system, no identity no soul. It isn't any pariticular position the habs need they need an identity and a system that defines them.

The irony is that the Devils achieved this by copying the Habs's model. Over the 1980s and early 1990s, WE were the New Jersey Devils. (And as I recall, fans endlessly bitched about our 'boring' style - more proof that these fans are never happy, ever). Anyway, I still think this team could contend within three years if we stick to our guns.

To me what Sutter is doing is amassing credible forwards. I actually think that's a rather good strategy given his team's utter dearth of forwards and very strong blueline. Not every one of those players will work out, but it's quite possible the Flames will be a better team once the dust settles.

Higgins obviously has a lot of teams thinking the way we used to think - that if he can just put it together...funny how certain guys seem to have caché despite a record of failure.

Edited February 2, 2010 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[Colin]

Rumour was that Kotalik said no to a trade to Calgary last night - because he had an NTC. Now the trade may be potentially back on. Why? Because they explained to him that he was going to be immediately flipped with Higgins and more to TBay. Just my own speculation.

ALso could be because the Flames want Callahan to flip instead. We'll see.

[hab29RETIRED]

The irony is that the Devils achieved this by copying the Habs's model. Over the 1980s and early 1990s, WE were the New Jersey Devils. (And as I recall, fans endlessly bitched about our 'boring' style - more proof that these fans are never happy, ever). Anyway, I still think this team could contend within three years if we stick to our guns.

To me what Sutter is doing is amassing credible forwards. I actually think that's a rather good strategy given his team's utter dearth of forwards and very strong blueline. Not every one of those players will work out, but it's quite possible the Flames will be a better team once the dust settles.

Higgins obviously has a lot of teams thinking the way we used to think - that if he can just put it together...funny how certain guys seem to have caché despite a record of failure.

It's no secret that Lou not only used the habs model as a blueprint, but also hired many habs greats to coach his teams. Which is why i don't get it when people criticize those of us who want the current habs management to use the same model.

Detroit also did not find success until they brough in Scotty. Was there any reason, why the Habs coudn't have brought him in as GM, 12-13 years after they should have????

Sutter looks like he is up to something, but I still think he should have been able to get a MUCH better return then he got from the leafs. Even if the Kovulchuk rumours are true, i just don't see how the flames can 1) resign him - why the heck would he want to play in Calgary when he can pretty much choose his dstination??? 2) afford what he is looking for - they would still need to move some big salaries (Iginla, Kipper, Bouwmeester from the core and then Reghyr and Lankow from other expensive contracts). On the surface it looks like they have the room to sign Kovulchuk, but then you factor in that their top center will be Matt Stajan and you have to wonder how successful a team can be with no depth up the middle. Sutter needs to fill the center position rather then pick up another scorer - unless he is also thinking of dumping his captain. If he is looking to make a move, it may be to move players to another team for another center. For the flames the center position has been an achilles heal, just as it has been for the habs. The difference being that the habs at least have had some good centers, but have had a lot of smurfs. The flames have let a bunch of no names play center until they picked up a career loser like Jokinen.

well the immidiate effect of the trades for the flames is being shutout by philly 3-0. I've lived in calgary pretty much all my life and have always hated them. Tonight I was rooting for them, in the off chance miracle the Eastern teams can suck enough to let the habs squeak in, but looks like Philly is gaining ground.

As far as Higgins goes, I'd hate to see him in Calgary, bcoz, i am 99.999% certain that if he gets out of that Rangers circus and goes to a team that will let him play a 3rd line role without the pressure of living up to unrealistic expecations, Higgins WILL turn it around. If he is moved and provided with the right role, and he doesn't turn it around by the end of next year, feel free to roast me all you want.

Let's face it after a very disapointing year, Higgins went to the abyss of the NHL - the rangers are one of the most mis-managed teams in the league managed by a guy who the game has clearly pass by and still has a job bcoz of his name. Instead the idiot owners of the rangers still let give him a blank check and let him do as he pleases. Anyone other the Sather would have lost his job a LONG time ago. The only guy on the Rangers who is doing well is Gaborik and that's becoz he has WAY to much talent not to do well... Have I said how BADLY I wanted the habs to make a push for him. The slim dream was shot as soon as the habs signed Martin on as coach.

I really believe that if you put Higgins in a 3rd line role and tell him that any goals he scores are a bonus and you just want him to forecheck hard, drive hard to the net when in the other teams zone and kill penalties, he will put up 15-20 goals. Once he gets the confidence back, he can be a conistent 25 goal scorer - you just need to manage his expectations. You just have to keep him grounded and tell him what his role is and to just do what he excels at. To me having a Higgins forechecking hard and getting you a conistent 15-20 goals is worth $2m. The guy had a great work ethic, just doesn't have the hands to be the 40 goal scorer he wanted to be.

Never gonna happen with Price. Brodeur and Price are not even from the same planet. Brodeur comes from Mars, Price comes from Venus.

In the middle of the 2003 playoffs, Brodeur's wife files for divorce and started harassing Martin, calling him in the middle of the night to tell him he'd never see his kids again. Brodeur carried the Devils on his back all the way to the Stanley Cup with a 1.65 GAA and 7 shutouts.

Carey Price cries when he his pulled from a game and needs hugs if a teammate calls him out.

See any difference? Mental toughness. Price has zero. At this point, Halak has way more chances to one day become a dominant guy than Price because Jaro has the mental toughness and discipline a pro goalie needs to be at his best on a consistent basis. Price can be Martin Brodeur in the 1st period and André Racicot in the 2nd and Ron Hextall in the 3rd. You cant build any long-term team around that kinda goalie.

Roy was the same way. Wife is pregnent during playoffs and his response, better not be due on a game day

I'm not ready to write Price off yet. I think Gainey really didn't do Price any favors by handing him a starter role no matter how bad he played. I really hope they ride on Halak for the rest of the year and make Price earn every start. That is really the only hope Price has. He has not paid badly at all this year, but has shown terrible concentration and needs to be held accontable for his lack of focus.

Unless someone offers us something outrageous for one of our goalies, lets let them battle things out for part of next year and then make a decision.

Edited February 2, 2010 by hab29RETIRED

[alexstream]

Who the hell cares if he's gay or not? In what way does that impact his ability to do his job?

lol noah, where you from?

that was just a light line on the guy two pages ago. then fanpuck misread me, as usual, thinking that I was saying that all single guys are gay... then you talk about his ability to do the job?? wow. you guys are soooo funny. you guys really have a thing for creating drama out of the blue.

good and bad facts & rumours on Rejean Tremblay founded and unfounded

Rejean Tremblay is a real nice guy

He writes french tv soap operas like no others, most of them big ass successes (Lance et Compte, Scoop)

He is rumoured as being gay (pretty well documented, but who cares), but as noah said, being gay doesn't affect his ability to do his job (had to say it, so that noah doesn't ask the question again)

Most message board posters think he's a lousy journalist who lives in the past (e.g. he's always saying things like let's make the Habs lineup 100% "pure laine" french speaking québécois and is often quoted saying things that are inaccurate, precisely statswise.)

He rides a big motorcycle, not sure it's a harley

He goes to vacation in Kay West

He is a good "bike friend" with Pat Burns. Everytime he goes to Florida, he has a bike ride with Pat. He talks about it from time to time on the Radio.

He has a passion for hockey

He is a die hard 70's habs fan and always will be. (which links back to the lousy comment, imo, it impairs his ability to be a good 21st century columnist, he keeps on refering to when he was on the "beat" talking to Yvon Cournoyer or to Jean Beliveau and then crap on the Habs cause he can't do that anymore and even if he could, he wouldn't want to do it with those guys... being able to sit wit the great in the 70 is awesome, but that's 40 years ago)

He is well respected for what he's done, but although it may sound repetitive, he doesn't really have credibility anymore in the press. Mathias Brunet will rip him once in a while, and rightfully so (e.g. at the beginning of the season, when Tremblay said that we should bring back dark french speaking guys who were playing in Russia -- was Dagenais one of them?-- instead of our english/foreign sounding names here).

[alexstream]

I really believe that if you put Higgins in a 3rd line role and tell him that any goals he scores are a bonus and you just want him to forecheck hard, drive hard to the net when in the other teams zone and kill penalties, he will put up 15-20 goals. Once he gets the confidence back, he can be a conistent 25 goal scorer - you just need to manage his expectations. You just have to keep him grounded and tell him what his role is and to just do what he excels at. To me having a Higgins forechecking hard and getting you a conistent 15-20 goals is worth $2m. The guy had a great work ethic, just doesn't have the hands to be the 40 goal scorer he wanted to be.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID and that'S exactly why he was happy to be traded.

my presumption is that after his 2-3 20+ goals season, higgins thinks he's a superstar and that it's everybody's fault.

he could turn around, but he has to get a gripe of his whole life first.

that's not easy to do.

[Colin]

Interesting.

Olli Jokinen, Brandon Prust for Ales Kotalik and Christopher Higgins

Trade call is done now, but there are reports that it won't be officially announced until tomorrow. Time for Mr Bettman to announce the finalization of the Bolts sale and then Lecav to the Flamers?

See what happens when I don't get enough sleep? I end up following strings which probably don't have any truth to them, but which still at least follow some modicum of logic.

[Peter Puck]

Never gonna happen with Price. Brodeur and Price are not even from the same planet. Brodeur comes from Mars, Price comes from Venus.

In the middle of the 2003 playoffs, Brodeur's wife files for divorce and started harassing Martin, calling him in the middle of the night to tell him he'd never see his kids again. Brodeur carried the Devils on his back all the way to the Stanley Cup with a 1.65 GAA and 7 shutouts.

Carey Price cries when he his pulled from a game and needs hugs if a teammate calls him out.

See any difference? Mental toughness. Price has zero. At this point, Halak has way more chances to one day become a dominant guy than Price because Jaro has the mental toughness and discipline a pro goalie needs to be at his best on a consistent basis. Price can be Martin Brodeur in the 1st period and André Racicot in the 2nd and Ron Hextall in the 3rd. You cant build any long-term team around that kinda goalie.

You are comparing Price to Brodeur, of course Brodeur is better now and mentally tougher. You need to compare Price to a 22 year old Brodeur. Brodeur's record was 19-11-6 with a .902 save %. Right now Price is 11-17-4 with a .910 save %.

By your logic, it is Markov who must be weak mentally since apparently he was the one who needed the hug which Price provided. What has Halak ever done to show any mental toughness? I'm not saying he doesn't have any; I'm just curious as to how you can see his mental toughness.

Here are the stats of another 22 year old goalie: 13-27-6 with GAA 3.25 and save %0.898.

Obviously another bust that no team could build around. I'm sure Pittsburg regrets keeping Marc-Andre Fleury.

[Wamsley01]

Never gonna happen with Price. Brodeur and Price are not even from the same planet. Brodeur comes from Mars, Price comes from Venus.

In the middle of the 2003 playoffs, Brodeur's wife files for divorce and started harassing Martin, calling him in the middle of the night to tell him he'd never see his kids again. Brodeur carried the Devils on his back all the way to the Stanley Cup with a 1.65 GAA and 7 shutouts.

Carey Price cries when he his pulled from a game and needs hugs if a teammate calls him out.

See any difference? Mental toughness. Price has zero. At this point, Halak has way more chances to one day become a dominant guy than Price because Jaro has the mental toughness and discipline a pro goalie needs to be at his best on a consistent basis. Price can be Martin Brodeur in the 1st period and André Racicot in the 2nd and Ron Hextall in the 3rd. You cant build any long-term team around that kinda goalie.

Oh, you mean the mighty Brodeur who at 22 during the 1995 Stanley Cup championship year posted a 2.44 GAA and a .902 SV%?

When adjusted for a lower scoring era (1995 was the lowest scoring season between 1971 and 1995) the number is a pedestrian .896.

He also faced only 908 shots in 40 starts, a number that placed him 18th in the league even though 9 players played less games than him.

Instead, let's rewrite history to compare Price to the 31 year old Brodeur, yep, that is the comparable. Not the below average 22 year old on

the best defensive team in the league who tied for 22nd in SV% behind Wade Flaherty, Ken Wregget, Guy Hebert and Darren Puppa.

This is the type of nonsense that leads to this city eating it's own. This buzzsaw of unrealistic expectations that rip players to shreds and the

fanbase who sits back and pisses and moans "why do all these players regress in this city"? Poor us.

This scene plays out OVER AND OVER AND OVER like groundhog day. Jocelyn Thibault was ripped to shreds and the fanbase clung to the

saviour on the horizon, Jose Theodore. Theodore was the media darling as the prospect/backup. Then Theodore became the starter.

Theodore then became the whipping boy for the Canadiens Mensa Nation until his career was destroyed for Cristobal Huet. Huet was cast aside

for Carey Price who at 20 had a fantastic debut, until he faltered in the playoffs. After a dominant stretch leading the team to first in the Conference,

two shutouts in the first round of the playoffs, Mensa Nation threw him under the bus for Halak in Game 4. Now we are in Halak is the saviour mode,

if Price goes, where do you think this is heading?

This is like an episode of Three's Company with the same ######ing plot every episode. Halak will get pearl harboured for Cedrick Desjardins

and all the geniuses will side with the young unproven goaltender.

THis has been going on for close to 40 years. Vachon to Dryden, Dryden to Laraque, Roy to Hayward, Roy to Racicot, Thibault to Theodore,

Theodore to Hackett, Theodore to Huet, Huet to Price, Price to Halak. Give me a break.

Nobody remembers the brilliant year of Andre Racicot in 1993?

Racicot - 17-5-1 3.39 GAA .880 SV%

Roy - 31-25-5 3.20 GAA . .893 SV%

Did the Canadiens play with more confidence behind Racicot? That must be the answer, because before the playoffs, the Gazette poll overwhelming

had the fans supporting the trading or Roy to hand the job over to "Red Light". After being down 2-0 to the Nords, the media and fans wanted

"Red Light" to start Game 3. DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?

Patrick Roy was run out of town by a fanbase who watched him win two Playoff MVPs, 3 Vezina trophies and a perennial All-Star because he had

A BAD GAME. Arguably the greatest goaltender of all-time, deemed "not good enough", booed out of the Bell Center.

Wake up people. Price is not the problem, you and your expectations are.

Edited February 2, 2010 by Wamsley01

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Oh, you mean the mighty Brodeur who at 22 during the 1995 Stanley Cup championship year posted a 2.44 GAA and a .902 SV%?

When adjusted for a lower scoring era (1995 was the lowest scoring season between 1971 and 1995) the number is a pedestrian .896.

He also faced only 908 shots in 40 starts, a number that placed him 18th in the league even though 9 players played less games than him.

Instead, let's rewrite history to compare Price to the 31 year old Brodeur, yep, that is the comparable. Not the below average 22 year old on

the best defensive team in the league who tied for 22nd in SV% behind Wade Flaherty, Ken Wregget, Guy Hebert and Darren Puppa.

This is the type of nonsense that leads to this city eating it's own. This buzzsaw of unrealistic expectations that rip players to shreds and the

fanbase who sits back and pisses and moans "why do all these players regress in this city"? Poor us.

This scene plays out OVER AND OVER AND OVER like groundhog day. Jocelyn Thibault was ripped to shreds and the fanbase clung to the

saviour on the horizon, Jose Theodore. Theodore was the media darling as the prospect/backup. Then Theodore became the starter.

Theodore then became the whipping boy for the Canadiens Mensa Nation until his career was destroyed for Cristobal Huet. Huet was cast aside

for Carey Price who at 20 had a fantastic debut, until he faltered in the playoffs. After a dominant stretch leading the team to first in the Conference,

two shutouts in the first round of the playoffs, Mensa Nation threw him under the bus for Halak in Game 4. Now we are in Halak is the saviour mode,

if Price goes, where do you think this is heading?

This is like an episode of Three's Company with the same ######ing plot every episode. Halak will get pearl harboured for Cedrick Desjardins

and all the geniuses will side with the young unproven goaltender.

THis has been going on for close to 40 years. Vachon to Dryden, Dryden to Laraque, Roy to Hayward, Roy to Racicot, Thibault to Theodore,

Theodore to Hackett, Theodore to Huet, Huet to Price, Price to Halak. Give me a break.

Nobody remembers the brilliant year of Andre Racicot in 1993?

Racicot - 17-5-1 3.39 GAA .880 SV%

Roy - 31-25-5 3.20 GAA . .893 SV%

Did the Canadiens play with more confidence behind Racicot? That must be the answer, because before the playoffs, the Gazette poll overwhelming

had the fans supporting the trading or Roy to hand the job over to "Red Light". After being down 2-0 to the Nords, the media and fans wanted

"Red Light" to start Game 3. DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?

Patrick Roy was run out of town by a fanbase who watched him win two Playoff MVPs, 3 Vezina trophies and a perennial All-Star because he had

A BAD GAME. Arguably the greatest goaltender of all-time, deemed "not good enough", booed out of the Bell Center.

Wake up people. Price is not the problem, you and your expectations are.

I don't know whether Price will be great or not. What I do know is that everything Wamsley says here is spot on.

[JoeLassister]

Oh, you mean the mighty Brodeur who at 22 during the 1995 Stanley Cup championship year posted a 2.44 GAA and a .902 SV%?

When adjusted for a lower scoring era (1995 was the lowest scoring season between 1971 and 1995) the number is a pedestrian .896.

He also faced only 908 shots in 40 starts, a number that placed him 18th in the league even though 9 players played less games than him.

Instead, let's rewrite history to compare Price to the 31 year old Brodeur, yep, that is the comparable. Not the below average 22 year old on

the best defensive team in the league who tied for 22nd in SV% behind Wade Flaherty, Ken Wregget, Guy Hebert and Darren Puppa.

This is the type of nonsense that leads to this city eating it's own. This buzzsaw of unrealistic expectations that rip players to shreds and the

fanbase who sits back and pisses and moans "why do all these players regress in this city"? Poor us.

This scene plays out OVER AND OVER AND OVER like groundhog day. Jocelyn Thibault was ripped to shreds and the fanbase clung to the

saviour on the horizon, Jose Theodore. Theodore was the media darling as the prospect/backup. Then Theodore became the starter.

Theodore then became the whipping boy for the Canadiens Mensa Nation until his career was destroyed for Cristobal Huet. Huet was cast aside

for Carey Price who at 20 had a fantastic debut, until he faltered in the playoffs. After a dominant stretch leading the team to first in the Conference,

two shutouts in the first round of the playoffs, Mensa Nation threw him under the bus for Halak in Game 4. Now we are in Halak is the saviour mode,

if Price goes, where do you think this is heading?

This is like an episode of Three's Company with the same ######ing plot every episode. Halak will get pearl harboured for Cedrick Desjardins

and all the geniuses will side with the young unproven goaltender.

THis has been going on for close to 40 years. Vachon to Dryden, Dryden to Laraque, Roy to Hayward, Roy to Racicot, Thibault to Theodore,

Theodore to Hackett, Theodore to Huet, Huet to Price, Price to Halak. Give me a break.

Nobody remembers the brilliant year of Andre Racicot in 1993?

Racicot - 17-5-1 3.39 GAA .880 SV%

Roy - 31-25-5 3.20 GAA . .893 SV%

Did the Canadiens play with more confidence behind Racicot? That must be the answer, because before the playoffs, the Gazette poll overwhelming

had the fans supporting the trading or Roy to hand the job over to "Red Light". After being down 2-0 to the Nords, the media and fans wanted

"Red Light" to start Game 3. DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?

Patrick Roy was run out of town by a fanbase who watched him win two Playoff MVPs, 3 Vezina trophies and a perennial All-Star because he had

A BAD GAME. Arguably the greatest goaltender of all-time, deemed "not good enough", booed out of the Bell Center.

Wake up people. Price is not the problem, you and your expectations are.

This post, sir, has been redirected in HW's lounge...

[fromage]

Patrick Roy was run out of town by a fanbase who watched him win two Playoff MVPs, 3 Vezina trophies and a perennial All-Star because he had

A BAD GAME. Arguably the greatest goaltender of all-time, deemed "not good enough", booed out of the Bell Center.

Roy never played at the Bell Center for Montreal.

[Colin]

Theodore then became the whipping boy for the Canadiens Mensa Nation until his career was destroyed for Cristobal Huet.

He was in a Propecia induced haze at the end of his tenure in Montreal.

[Chris]

That Jokinen deal makes no sense. Kotalik doesn't seem like like a Sutter type of player, either does higgins really.

I'll assume Sutter isn't done.

When things are quiet on the rumor boards is normally when BG is up to something or maybe he is sleeping. I'm not sure.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

That Jokinen deal makes no sense. Kotalik doesn't seem like like a Sutter type of player, either does higgins really.

I'll assume Sutter isn't done.

When things are quiet on the rumor boards is normally when BG is up to something or maybe he is sleeping. I'm not sure.

Maybe he is going for a bike ride with Rejean Tremblay?

[KoZed]

Wake up people. Price is not the problem, you and your expectations are.

Wamsley, you're the one that needs to wake up. We are talking about Gainey wanting to build the Habs around Price the way Lamoriello built NJ around Brodeur. Of course we will compare Price with Brodeur at any age. Why should we limit ourselves to comparing Price to Brodeur at the same age? Out of fairness for Price? Hello?! We're not trying to find the best way to spare Price's feelings here, we're trying to dissect a situation to figure out weither element A (Price) can do the same thing element B (Brodeur) did in his career. We got a very well documented, proven track record for Brodeur, the real smart, intellectually relevant thing to do here is to compare A with what B was and became later because its' that very later part you are trying to copy!

Look, you can invent any stats you want and twist them any way you to try to put Price in a positive light. You can use any incoherent line of argument like "Dont compare the 22 yrs old Price with the 31 yrs old Brodeur; but do compare the 60 games two-times-Habs-season-saving-AHL-dominating Halak with the 30 games unproven 1 game a month Racicot's situation vs to the 22 yrs old unproven Price and the 8 seasons Cup Ring-bearer Roy" and other assorted sophism to make it look as if Halak is a flash in the pan not worth an afterthought -- further, indirect support in favor of Price.

I wont be having another damn debate about Price vs Halak, especially if it leads down the road of being told that, really, "On the 3rd Wednesday of the month between the hours of 8:34pm and 9:12pm, when the Moon is in its last quarter, vs opponents playing above .551 who have red in their jersey colors; Price's stats crushes Halak's" There's qualitative things that stats can't show.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. You've seen goalies come and go for as many years as I've did Wamsley; even despite your Price bias you have to be smart enough to see that Price doesnt have the attitude and mental make-up to be a reliable, consistent franchise goalie as expected. He's been a mental mess since the All-Star Game of 2009. Dont bitch that fans' expectations are the problem here. This is the Habs' top brass expectations we've been talking about all along. We're talking about the Habs' expectations that they can build the franchise on Price's shoulders the same way NJ has on Brodeur's shoulders. What is Brodeur's distinctive, intangible quality if not incredible mental strength? And you'd want us to not question Price's own mental strength? That's what the whole freaking point of the discussion is about!!!

[JCPetit]

For the 2nd time, Réjean Tremblay has been with Fabienne Larouche for SEVERAL years in the past.

She may look like a man, but she's not. That being said, did Tremblay turned gay when he turned 50 ?? Maybe, who knows ?

Cuz he wrote Lance et Compte !!!!!

Believe me, Fabienne Larouche was quite a beauty when she was younger.

[KoZed]

yeah, Rejean Tremblay says that "gorge profonde" (which means deep throat... and knowing that he's gay, I can't imagine what his source and him do together) told him that.

Gorge profonde = Deep Throat = the Watergate source = an expression for any kind of anonymous source? Did you really not see the reference?

And since when is Rejean Tremblay gay? This is the first time I ever hear about it. He's date Fabienne Larouche for years and then had a string of nubile early 20 girls.

Believe me, Fabienne Larouche was quite a beauty when she was younger.

Yep, seen pics of her when back when she was a teacher. I would really have wanted her to keep me after class!

[rafikz]

I just read that Montreal's bottom two lines for the Vancouver game on Tuesday are:

Lapierre-Metropolit-Moen

Darche-Bergeron-D'Agostini

Sweet fancy moses! Those lines are brutal! I don't know what to hope for at this point. A trade seems in order for a top-6 forward but with Cammalleri and A. Kostitsyn out, will it matter?

I like the defense pairings for tomorrow's game:

Markov-O'Byrne

Hamrlik-Gorges

Gill-Weber

I think Martin should be trying to grow O'Byrne and playing him with Markov is a good start. I still say BG should try and move Hamrlik and Gill via trade and incorporate Carle and Subban into the mix. It's time to rebuild the defense core.

Man, still can't stop thinking of those forward lines...

I agree, the defensive pairings look great

Also, as you said, a trade may not matter considering the absence of AK46 and Camcorder

One word:

Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank

[Chris]

A trade will matter for next year and learning whatever the "Martin system" is for the new players. That's why i think BG needs to start getting some trades going, pick a goalie, move the other one and try to move a minimun of 2 defenseman.

Please add some real grit. Having Moen as your only gritty forward and player is embarrassing.

Is Seguin a center?

[Colin]

even despite your Price bias you have to be smart enough to see that Price doesnt have the attitude and mental make-up to be a reliable, consistent franchise goalie as expected.

I could care less about the debate, but while you're accusing Wamsley of manipulating facts, you're stating your opinions as fact as well.

[Chris]

Hall and Fowler are i beleive the consesus top 3. (Seguin of course)

[Chris]

I can't beleive Goaltending is such a hot topic and people get so worked up about it.

That is problem 999 out of 1000.