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Who Will Replace Saku?


Bacchus

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The only player the Habs can't replace.

I was thinking of it and how to solve the situation. Here's my conclusion.

Let the line with Ribeiro, Kovalev and Bulis be our first line. Kovalev has been great thus far and Ribeiro should grow with the task. I know some of you question his character but this is an oppertunity for Ribs. If he get's the chance I think he will take it.

On the second line it would look tempting to rebiuld the rookie-line with Perezhogin, Plekanec and Higgins. But this is the playoffs and one with some experience should replace one of the rookies. Sundström, Bonk or Zednik? Bonk has been great so far and here's the problem. Do you promote him to the second line or do you keep the lines intact? I think Bonk deserves to be on the second line and therefore I suggest a line with Bonk, Higgins and Ryder.

Sunny has 3 points in 3 games and he's up next. Zednik is a playoff performer and Plekanec is next in line when it comes to centers.

Fourth line. Garth Murray. Alexander Perezhogin and the call-up. My vote goes to Andrei Kostitsyn.

Why? Montreal scored just one goal last game. Any offense is welcome even at a loss of saftey in the defensive department. Huet might be the best goaltender in the leauge and the defesive is intact and has done a fantastic work so far. I trust them. And maybe Kostitsyn and Perezhogin can work some red-machine magic?

Bulis - Ribeiro - Kovalev

Higgins - Bonk - Ryder

Sundström - Plekanec - Zednik

Kostitsyn - Murray - Perezhogin

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it will certainly be interesting to see what the lines look like today. And I hope the Habs have better luck on the ice that I'm having at the roulette table.

-JLP in Vegas, due to watch the game with the Cirque de Soleil guys this afternoon.

Revenge Time!!!!!!

Get well soon Saku.

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Koivu cannot be replaced... but maybe someone will be given a chance and will be inspired to take their game to a new level. We know we have players that can dazzle from time to time... maybe they'll take his injury to heart and put that focus on the task at hand.

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I hope Kostytsin gets his shot. Look at what Wolski is doing in Colorado, I think Kosty could have the same type of effect with Les Habitants. He won't replace what Koivu does, nobody on the roster could, but if guys like HIggins, Bonk and Plex pick it up on the ice we can go out there and win one for our Captain.

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Being that I don't want Bonk moving to the top line because it would effect his pk time, what if the lines were:

Kostitsyn - Ribiero (*shudder* I know) - Kovalev

Higgins - Bulis - Ryder

Zednik - Plekanec - Perezhogin

Murray - Bonk - Sundstrom

I'd hate to screw with line chemistry too much, but this seems to work out assuming Kostitsyn takes his role and flourishes...

*prays*

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One thing about Andrei that isn't known, (and this would apply to those who have only seen him play for Montreal) is that he is an aggressive forechecker. He's been training now for 2 years to understand the 2 way game. I think he's ready and mark my words for all who have never really seen him - PREPARE TO BE WOWED! :hlogo:

PS. When I say forecheck, I mean his style reminds me of a defensive (or offensive hitting) Sergei Fedorov back in the day. And, I'm not sugar coating this. We might want to put him with Perezhogin and Kovalev. If there still exists a language barrier (doubt it), Belarussian is practically Russian anyway. Just a different dialect. Sort of like a Newfie talking to a Texan.

GET WELL SAKU!

Edited by ATHLÉTIQUE.CANADIEN
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They said on TSN tonight that Kostitsyn will replace Koivu on the top line. I assume Higgins will center Kostitsyn and Ryder. This may turn out to be a Carolina killer.

I agree. I am definitely excited about this one.

GO HABS GO!

Get well soon Koivu! :hlogo:

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RDS just confirmed that Bonk will be centering Higgins and Ryder tonight.

Lapierre, Downey and Kostitsyn have been practicing in the mean time.

Maxime Lapierre is a natural center with good speed that affectionnate physical play and althought

his drafting was relativelly hight (60), he was mostly developped to play the kind of game usually

seen played on a 4th line........I can imagine him being prefered by Gainey over Downey or Kosty for

different reasons in each cases.

In taking that route a minimum of parts are being moved around from the original lines.......and that could have been Bob's priority no.1 in the decision process.

Bonk and Koivu are certainly different animals on the ice and the whole Higgins Ryder interaction will

certainly be obvious even for the untrained eyes..........I am shure Bonk is right into it...but I hope he'll

have enought energy to keep bailling us out when we are killing penaltys.

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Good call. I like this move actually.

I hope they're wrong. We need Kostsitsyn's skills more than we need Lapierre's safe play. I like Lapierre, and I'm looking forward to seing him in the lineup next season, but I believe that speed and skills are going to win this series, and we're short on that with the Koivu injury. Besides, we have plenty of guys that can hold the Canes down temporarily, but we'll need to score some goals if we want to win.

Also, the Canes have a young and inexperienced (although very good) goaltender; let's capitalize on that, and make him look bad. Kostsitsyn finished very strong in Hamilton, and he's ready to contribute; let's see what the kid's got.

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I hope they're wrong. We need Kostsitsyn's skills more than we need Lapierre's safe play.

I agree, actually. In fact, one thing I don't see staying the entire course of the game is Bonk centering Higgins and Ryder. I still see Plekanec eventually being the center on the line at some point.

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I hope they're wrong. We need Kostsitsyn's skills more than we need Lapierre's safe play. I like Lapierre, and I'm looking forward to seing him in the lineup next season, but I believe that speed and skills are going to win this series, and we're short on that with the Koivu injury. Besides, we have plenty of guys that can hold the Canes down temporarily, but we'll need to score some goals if we want to win.

Also, the Canes have a young and inexperienced (although very good) goaltender; let's capitalize on that, and make him look bad. Kostsitsyn finished very strong in Hamilton, and he's ready to contribute; let's see what the kid's got.

I hear ya. I grunted when I heard it was Lapierre over Kostitsyn. Check out my previous posts in this forum.

Anyway, I think the big key here is Lapierre is strong on the faceoffs. Maybe Gainey needs to counter their centers all he can.

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In bringing in Lapierre as a center no players from the previous 3 games need being taken out

of the allignment. Sundstrom and Murray have been on the top of their game at even sthrenth

so far while being out of this world when killing penaltys.

Explosive attack and team cohesion have been at the heart of our excellent performances so far

and I presume that Gainey had to narrow it down in preserving cohesion over attack in

making up for the lost of Koivu's total package.

Now lets cross our fingers that some of our offensivelly gifted players will rise up higher to

make up for Saku's lost.

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Explosive attack and team cohesion have been at the heart of our excellent performances so far

and I presume that Gainey had to narrow it down in preserving cohesion over attack in

making up for the lost of Koivu's total package.

Now lets cross our fingers that some of our offensivelly gifted players will rise up higher to

make up for Saku's lost.

I couldn't agree with you more. Keeping team cohesion going is good. I just hope someone stands up to be the sparkplug to keep the team moving and reacting.

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CKAC just confirmed,....Streit in as 7th D......Kovalev will double-shift up front.

Interesting. I actually like this. More Kovalev is good. More Kovalev with shorter shifts is even better.

It would have been interesting to give Kostitsyn a shot though.

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I agree, actually. In fact, one thing I don't see staying the entire course of the game is Bonk centering Higgins and Ryder. I still see Plekanec eventually being the center on the line at some point.

Why would Gainey undo our best line since the beginning of the playoffs?

The Perezhogin-Plekanec-Zednik line will not be touched, I'm 100% sure of that.

Bonk will stay there unless he does horribly, which he did not last game when he replaced Koivu.

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