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Demers' Observations - Kovy


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Demers was in good form tonight - he argued that Koivu's bad performance is a result of his being unsigned for next year (an idea Cherry later echoed), and he also mentioned that Kovalev 1. got in a fight with begin and 2. when Julien called the team together to solict player suggestions and analysis of what had gone wrong, Kovalev attacked him saying that Julien was the coach and it was HIS job to find answers. Factor in the further fact that Kovalev criticized the Habs' D for not getting the puck to the forwards quickly enough, and it sounds as though Kovy has been a negative influence in the dressing room for a while. Given his stature on the club, that's probably EXTREMELY damaging to team chemistry.

Hopefully tonight's win will help turn the page on all that.

As for Koivu, I don't accept distractions over contract as an excuse, unless they're going really badly. But players are human, I suppose.

Stangely, I feel better. It helps to have at least SOME explanation for the bizarre meltdown in team chemistry.

Edited by The Chicoutimi Cucumber
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Demers was in good form tonight - he argued that Koivu's bad performance is a result of his being unsigned for next year (an idea Cherry later echoed), and he also mentioned that Kovalev 1. got in a fight with begin and 2. when Julien called the team together to solict player suggestions and analysis of what had gone wrong, Kovalev attacked him saying that Julien was the coach and it was HIS job to find answers. Factor in the further fact that Kovalev criticized the Habs' D for not getting the puck to the forwards quickly enough, and it sounds as though Kovy has been a negative influence in the dressing room for a while. Given his stature on the club, that's probably EXTREMELY damaging to team chemistry.

Hopefully tonight's win will help turn the page on all that.

As for Koivu, I don't accept distractions over contract as an excuse, unless they're going really badly. But players are human, I suppose.

Stangely, I feel better. It helps to have at least SOME explanation for the bizarre meltdown in team chemistry.

Well first you seem to say Kovy said it wasnt his job to offer analysis then you say he criticized the defence.Isnt that what Julien wanted an analysis? Considering Kovy had been watching the team from the stands for a month maybe he knew what he spoke of. Anyways I wonder if Perezhogin's demotion has angered Kovy in the last few weeks. Markov's injury didnt help either. Russians tend to stick together

Edited by Strummerman
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Koivu's not being signed yet isn't particularly unusual. Most UFA's at the end of the season are unsigned. If negotiations are getting bitter, that would be different, but I don't know of any evidence of that. Pure speculation from Demers.

The Kovalev/Julien thing was interesting - I hadn't heard that before. The Kovalev/Begin incident has been blown out of proportion. That was some time ago, and they both said it was over with at the time. CBC showed Begin and Kovalev on the bench talking, so we at least know they're speaking!

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Demers keeps coming back on the verbal altercation Kovalev as had with Begin while

journalists where being in the room at that moment,...tackless as it was,...it as been quite

a while by now,.....so I suspect Demers insistence about it to be somewhat too personel, even

unreasonnable.

In that respect when he brought up the Julien-Kovalev altercation.....I didnt't know what to

think....considering my perception of Demers nowdays.

But as far as the excercise itself......Julien proposing players to ship in some suggestions....I

guess it most likely happen, but it seems a risky enterprise has you have no control over

what could be said and the consequences,...what about if Streit rised up and suggest that the Ch's

play will suck as long has Bonk will get his ice time with the team.....oups! more troubles.

More seriously,...I could see how Koivu could had been un-settle lately if trought his contract negociations,

any aspects of his relation with the CH had exposed something unplaisant to him.......lets not forget that

contractual's framework conscerning UFA are very different than the standard RFA,.....and there is room

in there for a variety of distracting effects to take place.

Cherry seems to agree that an unsigned captain facing UFA status.....is not the best situation.

In that respect, I would anticipate Gainey to follow trought docilely.......as he just cant afford any unavoidable disturbances to take place until the end of this season......... if want to save it.

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Kovy is wearing an A on most nights now. He now needs to lead, with our without his Russian counterparts. Although I believe the Habs should recall Zhog and he should join Koivu and Kovy on the top line, they were so exciting at the beginning of the year.

Demers is now a reporter he has anyone in his position will do, will blow up a story to create some headlines with his name attached.

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The journalists a la langue de Moliere do like to harp on the Kovalev-Begin incident too much. The two players involved downplay the whole affair but it still comes up often. Begin is a favoured child amongst the press, he gets a lot of face time. It's not only "the russians who stick together". Another topic that comes out often amongst our latin blooded bretheren is the fact that Koivu does not make an attempt to speak or learn any french. It pisses some of the press off I suspect and may be the root cause of some of the anti-Koivu crap we see in threads on occasion. The alleged Kovalev-Julien incident was a new take for me and without context I dismiss it until we can get more facts which is unlikely in the secretive world of pro clubhouses. Demers may have some axe to grind against Kovalev. What was also interesting was Gainey's comments in french regarding Zednick's non-presence on the bench last night. He essentially said that he spoke with Zednick and reported that he didn't seem to have his head in the game. During the warm up Gainey again noticed this lack of focus and scratched him so that there would be no risk that Zednick would hurt himself. Gainey noted that one must be in full form to play in the NHL. Well done Gainey, I hope Zednick got the message, cause he just got called out amongst his peers.

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Can someone tell me what the "Kovy-Begin incident" was?

Kovalev berated Begin verbally in the dressing room following a game. He said he shouldn't be shooting the puck at the goalie from outside the blueline. This happened in front of journalists and Begin didn't like it. A minor shoving match may have ensued but I am not clear on that. The next day the both boys said it was nothing and already forgotten, a moment of passion thing.

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I think you may have misinterpreted what he was saying about Koivu being unsigned, he was not implying that it was a distraction for Koivu.

What Demers was saying was that, it's very difficult for a captain to take control and lead, to get in the face of a Ribeiro or somebody else, when all of the parties know that he's not signed and may not be back next year because of that. I agree completely with that assessment. Hopefully BG can get him resigned, because after last night, Koivu is back.

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The incident where Kovalev criticized the D did not occur. Kovalev told reporters that somehow only the French media managed to misjudge what he said. They even asked other Habs defensemen about this and said that Kovalev never criticized the D.

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I don't think Kovalev agreed with Julien's offensive philosophy.

(See http://forums.habsworld.net/index.php?showtopic=5459 for elaboration.)

I think Kovy was correct in disliking this philosophy (as our offensive stats under Julien seem to bear out). Therefore, it was natural that he would show some disdain for the coach. When you're working with someone every day, it's hard to completely conceal your true feelings day in and day out.

Kovy's frustration with Begin's shot probably stemmed from the fact that when you take a useless shot, you have no chance to score, and more importantly, *you give up possession of the puck.* You then spend lots of time and energy trying to get it back.

I like the new offensive philosophy on the team and I think you'll see it start to bear fruit in the coming weeks. People are down on the team now, but they don't seem to take into account that they have just recently played a brutal schedule against division leaders *on the road.* As the quality of opposition becomes more "balanced," I think you'll see more Habs' victories.

- Jack

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Gohabsgo, I appreciate the correction - you're right, that was Demers' main point. But I don't think it makes much sense. A leader's job is to lead, NOW. Who cares about next season? If Koivu said to me, in front of the whole room. 'Cuke, you're playing brutally, suck it up, and follow my example of on-ice excellence,' that would make an impression - there's no way I'd be going 'why should I listen to this guy? His contractual situation for next season is unclear.' Would people stop listening to a Mark Messier or a Jean Beliveau because they are likely to retire the following season? Surely not. So I think Demers is confusing the concept of a lame-duck COACH with a lame-duck captain. I question whether the latter really exists; you either have good or bad captains, period.

Jackp, that's a very insightful analysis, thanks. While I think that 'waiting for legitimate opportunities' can sometimes result in too much *precious*play - i.e., the old European failure of dipsy-doodling and passing the puck but never actually driving at the net and shooting the damned thing - the Don Cherry 'shoot from anywhere' philosophy is kind of moronic as well. More importantly, it helps to explain Kovy's headspace, which will always be one of life's great mysteries. :rolleyes:

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Kovalev berated Begin verbally in the dressing room following a game. He said he shouldn't be shooting the puck at the goalie from outside the blueline. This happened in front of journalists and Begin didn't like it. A minor shoving match may have ensued but I am not clear on that. The next day the both boys said it was nothing and already forgotten, a moment of passion thing.

Oh ya. That was after the Washington game. I'm with Kovy on that one - Begin wasted the puck whenever he touched it.

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Here's how the conversation went with my girlfriend during the Demers segment:

*5 seconds after Demers starts speaking*

Girlfriend: "...can we please not watch this?"

Me: "I am very interested in this, it's about the Habs."

Girlfriend: "His voice is aggravating, and that double chin....it's hypnotic. Please change the channel."

Me: "I wish you'd stop talking."

Repeat that all throughout the Hotstove. I barely heard a word being said by the panelists.

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Here's how the conversation went with my girlfriend during the Demers segment:

*5 seconds after Demers starts speaking*

Girlfriend: "...can we please not watch this?"

Me: "I am very interested in this, it's about the Habs."

Girlfriend: "His voice is aggravating, and that double chin....it's hypnotic. Please change the channel."

Me: "I wish you'd stop talking."

Repeat that all throughout the Hotstove. I barely heard a word being said by the panelists.

You're not going to get far ignoring her or is this just a strategy to help you in your pennance? :P

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You're not going to get far ignoring her or is this just a strategy to help you in your pennance? :P

:D You're right. I shouldn't ignore her. The couple times she wasn't with me during a Habs game were the complete blowout losses and badly played games. Every time I've been near her have been wins, or at the very least...close games.

She's become my lucky charm for Habs games. I should be at her door, with flowers, 7:00 pm sharp every game day, and paying attention to her, not the Habs, during the games.

THAT is my penance!

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The reason Koivu could not get in anyones face regarding their play was that his own play sucked. He needs to get his game together (great first step against Toronto) before anyone is going to listen to him.

I suspect that the reason Koivu's contract is not resolved is because Koivu wants a large, multiyear deal based on him being our number 1 center for the next 3 to 4 years. I (and probably Gainey) don't believe he can be that number one center. Either Gainey wants a shorter term, or he wants Koivu to take 2nd line center money.

If they don't get on the same page soon, I suspect Koivu will be traded at the deadline or will have to wait until the summer to see his true market value. I don't think he will like what he sees.

While Koivu is an above average player, he is a 60 point a season guy, small, and heading into the downside of his career. Very few teams are going to consider him the first line center on a cup contending team. A 2nd center on the cup contending team, but not first center.

I sure hope he faces reality and tells his agent to get a deal done with Montreal. If we can keep him for a reasonable price, Gainey will have the room to look for a complementary, big, number one center down the road.

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There is nothing in our system to fill the no. 1 center role and since Gainey cannot rely on

the UFA market with certainty as a mean that will provide him one at some point, never mind

on short notice,...Koivu is an absolute keeper,... but I can see the deal being finalised on the first week

following the end of the season.

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Weight could have filled the #1 centre role... he is highly costly tho.. 5.7 million /yr ... BUT Carolina grabbed him up earlier...

Edited by newf
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