Colin Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Just thought I'd put this out there. http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=1048 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mont Royale Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Well done, Colin. I agree with you on your major points. As far as Montreal never having the same allure as Toronto, I respectfully disagree. We can get there. Toronto has the same riduculous media. True, there's more focus on language/political issues in Montreal... but one thing that Gainey/Carbonneau can bring that would help us overcome that is: success. We can and (in a year or two) should be better than Toronto, which will make us a destination among those who want to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Horrible. Seriously, the quality of your aticles has truly gone down. Nah, just kidding. Good job. Hopefully we can now attract some marquee players and some Stars who've played with Carbo before. Your "Guy Carbonated Water" joke wasn't the best though. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Excellent article. From my perspective I hope that Bonk can continue his excellent play as of late and the Habs will have no need for Arnott. Bonk as of late has been excellent on the PP, PK and Even strength. In his last 4 games since he cracked the goose egg on his stats card for goals he has 5 points in those four games has an even rating and has controlled the puck with Bulis down low for long periods of time. He can be a #2 centre, he is very patient and the Habs a great thing with him, he is now healthy and I just hope he can continue his play as of late. Exempting that giveaway he made against the Avs. But his defensive zone break out work has been much safer since that game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Yeah, but three centres? Koivu Arnott Bonk That's a helluva threesome. Arnott takes the pressure off Koivu, and Bonk fills the defensive role with a flash of offence. After recent years, this would be a godsend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smon Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Yeah, but three centres? Koivu Arnott Bonk That's a helluva threesome. Arnott takes the pressure off Koivu, and Bonk fills the defensive role with a flash of offence. After recent years, this would be a godsend. That would be sweet. Especially since Bonk has started to get into gear last couple of games. :king: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 does this mean there will be a return of the end game reviews? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gohabsgo252006 Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 does this mean there will be a return of the end game reviews? I asked the exact same question in the end of the article response. I certainly hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Yeah, but three centres? Koivu Arnott Bonk That's a helluva threesome. Arnott takes the pressure off Koivu, and Bonk fills the defensive role with a flash of offence. After recent years, this would be a godsend. You don't see Plekanec as being in our plans? I'd take him over Arnott. Pleky can play RW but he looks much more confortable as a Center. He can play second line, third line, you name it. He also comes much cheaper than Arnott and is sure to play his heart out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 You don't see Plekanec as being in our plans? I'd take him over Arnott. Pleky can play RW but he looks much more confortable as a Center. He can play second line, third line, you name it. He also comes much cheaper than Arnott and is sure to play his heart out. Well, Arnott is a what if? scenario. Sure, with Carbo behind the bench it gives us a much larger chance of landing him, but that can never be considered a sure thing. Plex would make a solid 2nd line centre, I think, *if* he has some size and scoring ability on his wings. What he does have going for him are a Koivu-like work ethic and a lot of speed. While Gainey is a guy who likes size, I get the feeling that he'd be willing to forego that down the middle if, and only if, he had the appropriate players to assist the smaller centres down low. The issue for Gainey, as I see it, is defensive. It's not that a larger centre is any better in the attacking zone with the puck. Watch Koivu and you see that he uses his body very effectively to shield and retain possession. But down low in the defensive zone, aiding the defenders in containing the attack behind the net and winning those one-on-one battles, you either have to be extremely good with hand-eye, very strong for your size, or a big player. It's really as simple as that. Koivu is not the best defensive centre in the league, however he uses what size he has extremely efficiently to the point where his 5'10 frame seems at least a couple of inches larger with a few more pounds on it. If Koivu is maintained as the number one centre, the reality is that Gainey will look for a larger guy to fill the number two role to take pressure off Koivu having to face the better lines in hockey. While Koivu somehow always manages to make Thornton look silly, the Habs could seriously benefit from having an Arnott to go against the bigger men, leaving Koivu and his line to fast-attack against the slightly smaller centres. Don't get me wrong, Koivu can perform the major duties, but it would lengthen his career, keep him out of the injury booth, and offer the Habs a more dynamic attack should a large second line centre be found. Given a choice between an Arnott-type and a Plex-type in the second centre role, I'd have to go with Arnott and either give a fourth line with Plex as centre more ice time, or convert him to a winger to work either with Arnott, or on the 3rd line. In fact, since Plex works hard and is stronger than his size might otherwise indicate, I can honestly see him as a solid winger with the ability to win those battles on the half-boards and get the puck out of our zone, while naturally chipping in offensively. Otherwise, we sure have a great piece of trade bait. I don't like saying these things, but if we were to pick up another centre like Arnott, then using Plex to improve us in other areas works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Otherwise, we sure have a great piece of trade bait. I don't like saying these things, but if we were to pick up another centre like Arnott, then using Plex to improve us in other areas works for me. That I agree with! Honestly, if Pleks could bring in a young but promising d-man, I'd be all for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PB Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Excellent article. UFA players availability will go on increasing in numbers every years now that the UFA's status will be reached sooner by 3 years from the old 10 years period. The more of those players see Montreal as a desirable destination, the more selective our GM could be in terms of being able to fine tune his squad from one year to the next. Fortunate teams will rely on this prime source to effectivelly ad new players to their roster,.... while substracting players from their roster shall go out as trade in return for draft picks only. Its important to become a desirable destination for the players of this league as soon as possible. What would be the prime ingredient that could make Montreal a destination of choice for the UFAs ? I agree with MOUNTROYAL that.....SUCCESS.....is the prime factor required before Montreal get a wide open door on this crucial market in the same way that toronto and some of the futur power houses of the league will. I also see Carbonneau as an important step towards that success,.....so thats very good. My beef with Gainey is that his team might well be regressing in the standing this year,... which in my line of thought..........goes deeply against our chances to step up the rehabilitation process of our franchise,... as it postpone the days when talented players would want to come here and be part of the fun. In that overall context,... I thought he would made it its duty comme up with more helps than he did while in the off-season in order to avoid at all cost his team to miss the play-offs so as to start a play-off participation streak necessary before the players start looking at Montreal as a serious team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 (edited) Yeah, but three centres? Koivu Arnott Bonk That's a helluva threesome. Arnott takes the pressure off Koivu, and Bonk fills the defensive role with a flash of offence. After recent years, this would be a godsend. \ Also related to what Colin later wrote: notice the giant change in Koivu's special team participation... Short handed...under 2 min vs the Sharks and 0.00 against Dallas when he had almost 4 min vs the Avs http://www.canadiens.com/eng/team/redirect...&playerID=28735 this means someone is picking up that slack .... team wise I hope the reduction in Stupid Penalties has made this possible but also Bonk stepping up in this matter and YEs voila some more data more than 5 min against Sans Jose http://www.canadiens.com/eng/team/redirect...&playerID=29487 There is still too much to fit as long as this team keeps this up even with a lose or two I doubt Gainey will change anything (except of course back at the D ) and now wiht Markov gone for 3 weeks its a sign from the Hockey gods what better way to analysis your D when your forced to remove your best D We can only get better after these 3 weeks rest assured btw Were gonna get creamed at the Saddle 8 - 1 Edited January 18, 2006 by CoRvInA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTH Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Sans Jose *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoRvInA Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 *sigh* I had forgotten about it !!! and guess where my edited S ended up at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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