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On this Drache thing...I agree that he is a marginal NHLer, but there is also a wider pattern of coaches on this team using such players on the PP and in offensive situations. Carbo used Smolinski and Metropolit on the PP; this was one of the key things that generated fan outrage and was widely cited in his firing. Then Gainey came aboard as coach, and eventually started using Metropolit on the PP again. Next, there was JM and his (occasional and grossly exagerrated) 'over-use' of Darche and Moen. Now Cunneyworth. To me, what this suggests is not that all our coaches are drooling hockey-ignorant idiots, but rather that the coaches have information or concerns of which we fans are not aware. In the first place, fans who rave about player X being used instead of player Y often are utterly oblivious to context (e.g., whether player Y was just on the shift before, that sort of thing). Beyond that, my own guess is that the coaches are going with the player who actually does what the coach wants. I will bet money, for instance, that when JM used Moen or Drache in offensive situations it was because those were the only guys who were actually driving to the net or going to the dirty areas in the way he was demanding. As a coach, at that point you have a choice: accept that the players aren't listening and let them do whatever they want and probably lose as a result, or go with the guys who are listening. I guarantee you that 99% of the angry fans would choose the latter if they were in the coach's shoes. This is why the incessant bitching about specific coaching decision X or Y is just tiresome noise IMHO. It lacks the necessary context to make sense of the decisions in question, and then blames the coach for that.

Darche didn't sign with the Habs until Martins first season. Even then he didn't make it to the big club until half way through that year. It was Smolinski who Carbo used to put on the PP and drove me nuts.

:lol: So now when Cunneyworth loses it's Martin's fault!!! Like I said ad nauseum, those who quarreled with specific moment-to-moment decisions under Martin will NEVER BE HAPPY under any new coach because that coach will ALSO make specific moment-to-moment decisions they don't like. Get used to it. In any case, I didn't like what I saw tonight - less structure than under JM - but the road trip will be the real crucible in which Cunneyworth instils his system and we start to get a read on how things will turn out.

Frankly, if we aren't going to make the playoffs, i'd rather finish 15th rather then 11th.

Geoff Molson has to stop catering to certain elements of the francophone press and start catering to the fan base who want a Cup-calibre team. Has Le Gazette ever been denied an interview from Mike Cammalleri? Has Le Journal ever been declined by Carey Price for a piece? Does PK Subban not talk to RDS after games. The definition of insanity is repeating the same behaviour expecting a different outcome. If you go by that definition, then the Canadiens management, to the top levels, has been out of their puck-loving minds for the past 17 years. Geoff Molson has a chance to bring some sanity back to the club. Hire the best coach you can find, not the best francophone coach you can find.

The cost for Turris was David Rundblad + a 2nd rounder. Thats equivalent to trading One of Tinordi/Beaulieu and a 2nd rounder I wouldn't touch that deal with a 20 foot poll. Bryan Murray paid a huge price for a kid with 46 points in 137 NHL games. As for Malkin, he also can play wing... I didn't see him ever really being on the market for the Penguins. I don't think they are interested in trading quality for quantity.