IN THE HEARTS OF MEN

maybe just maybe releasing galchenyuk from his "shackles" and putting him at centre this very moment in habs history when we've had "the death of a legend" and the whole hockey world continues to wait for the next great in a hab sweater.... PK and price have arrived.... maybe this was the perfect time to launch galchenyuk to stardom.... if so, he really could be... le genius... lol

those red wings have always been riddled with talent over the last 20+years. from Fedorov, shanny and yzerman to lidstrom, datsyuk and zetterberg. Some might even say babcock himself has been under achieving with his detroit group and simply rode the coat tails of lidstrom all these years.... my order in importance to success of the team right now..... 1.price 2.subban 3.markov 4.pacioretty 5.galchenyuk and then a toss up from plex, sekac and gallagher (note: only reason plex is in this toss up category is the fact malholtra and eller have been great on the pk, defensive situations and at the dot)

Once again another post (not necessarily pointing to you 30/31 even though you do lead the hate on habs parade) that simply fails to paint a true picture of where the habs are currently. I mean with arguably the best goalie in hockey (price), one of the best defenders (subban) as well as one of the best veteran defenders (markov), a top goal scorer (patches) and a budding young talent (galchenyuk) just starting to scratch the surface of his potential, while not even mentioning many other good stories throughout this line up and all we get is the same old detractors towards the habs all the time no matter the circumstance. i never understood where you draw the line and say "ok this team is a contender now" and not a pretender. why 2 years? why not now? right now? do you know it could take simply one player to transform the make up of a team. last year imagine if vanek of the regular season panned out in the playoffs or price didn't go down after 2 periods in the ECF. why 2 years away? where do you add up all we are missing and say it will take at least 2 seasons to get to a sniff of the cup? In years past it was only the power play they say that kept us in the playoff race. Now we are in the playoffs despite the PP and bad stats.... to small to soft, so we got bigger and faster... now its the coaching... its always something!! why not now? since this core merged with the young core we have only progressed forward, continually getting better. we are now heading into christmas, still haven't hit any sort of stride and are just a few points out of the conference lead.... and again i stress we haven't even hit our stride, still tinkering, stilling finding our best form........all this with no PP? We are building now on a 3rd straight season of regular season success to go along with recent playoff success (not sure if making it to game 6 of ECF counts as success in the playoffs especially after building from a 1st round knockout year prior but it does to me). i think we need another top end forward for sure.... galchenyuk developing into 1? sekac maybe another? late acquisition again? and an upgrade to one of emelin, gilbert or weaver... is it beaulieau or tin man come game 82 of the regular season? or do we parlay one of them with a forward and a prospect to upgrade? i do believe that the acquisition of gonchar will continue to pay dividends throughout this season and especially come post april. great goaltending or great coaching? carey freakin price and I'm scared to even mention MT's competence thus far in his current stint with us - special teams are huge?..... didn't all of boston, LA and chicago recently have horrible PP success in their cup runs? just asking as I'm not quite sure. i do think strong 5on5 play coupled by a lock down PK is a must though! -the right mix of youth and experience? young guys - galchenyuk, gallagher, sekac, andrighetto, bournival, beaulieau, tinordi, bowman--8 young vets- patch, eller, DD, subban, emelin, weise, price, tokarski, tangradi--7 +2 vets- plex, paranteau, prust, gilbert--4 vets- malholtra, markov, gonchar, weaver, allen 5 that mix broken down really isn't that bad and come playoffs we might actually take a liking to all that experience on the back end... If we can make it to within 2 games of a cup birth all the while playing that series without our hands down best player in price, who is to say we can't take another step forward this season and make it the round table of Lord Stanley for dinner? are young core learned 2 seasons ago what it takes to win a series. last year they learned how much more it takes to get to the cup..... we all say were this and that and 2 years away to contending but the fact is we are already contending? what does it take to be a contender? a final four appearance LY= contending for the cup! We will be contending again this year for the cup for simple fact that we have way to much character not to get better and we have carey price. Our window has already opened as early as last season............. things have really changed in montreal over the last 4 seasons especially since the molson family returned.... the habs are on the UP and won't be coming down for a long while so all you TSN, sportsnet cynics can eat it, we are Canada's team and if you travel with the habs across the U.S you'll see we are their team as well lol... So continue listening to TSN, sportsnet and all that pro toronto,death to the habs talk and all the while my habs, our habs, MT et all will continue with this upward swing... The passing of Jean Beliveau really opened the eyes to the world of sports as to what the Montreal Canadiens mean to this sport, their fans, and this country. players across the planet seen first hand the ora of Montreal and that hockey is not everything but the only thing... meller93 21yrs of age.... the perfect age to celebrate under the street lights of montreal! God Bless #4 and God Bless our Montreal Canadiens!!

After this whole hoopla about playing the kids on D and so forth, nobody even thinks of mentioning how the 2 deals for allen and gonchar essentially free'd up 2 spots in the line up for young guys like sekac now a staple on this team as he should be and another for a bournival (andrighetto, tangradi, bowman recently). so we have gotten younger up front with exception of the defence getting more experienced... i think gonchar has been a welcome addition as well. we tend to forget that gilbert is playing a #5 role now... hardly, the reason for our struggles. the real issues.... SCORING -a struggling power play to go along with being one the most penalized teams and not drawing many ourselves.... and a team offence thats just horrible at times. -sekac, paranteau, DD, eller, plex, galchenyuk and gallagher really have to start contributing on the scoresheet at a more regular clip. - gonchar needs to step up with some secondary scoring to assist subban and markov on the back end. Carey Price's record when the habs score 3or more is astonishing!

don't look now but that horribly coached tampa bay team just loss to that amazing buffalo team 2-1 SO....

yes the team was in a slump which prompted the rant.... but like i said, if you think bylsma was pitts all powerful saviour who pulled them out of the slump and that gonchar being out for 57 games and how the pens instantly started winning at a high rate once he returned for the last 20 games didn't matter then i seriously question your integrity as a hockey guy... again, like i said, just look at our struggles with markov in the lineup over the last 5 seasons compared to the 2 seasons he missed.... it will blow your mind how the habs record is completely flip flopped... if i had time this morning id put those numbers together for you.... byslma isn't the perfect coach... nobody is... as good as hitchcock is he's been fired, quennville fired, hartley was out of work for a while and fired, crawford still can't get a job etc.... its funny you'll say carbonneau didn't lose the room cause koivu said so but therrien did... what was that word CC was using?? yes he hadnt coached since but remember theres only 30+jobs in the NHL and when you lose your place it gets hard to get it back especially when you don't have many games under your belt... now I'm not saying he's greatest thing since slice bread just saying I'm enjoying this MB era so far and MT is doing a fine job give or take the mistakes in conduction with the successes

i can't really remember who was available that was purely anglophone or "unable to communicate in french" but their wasn't to many options either way... -the rookie therrien was fired from montreal and rightfully so -he led pitts AHL affiliate to back to back calder cups right after -fired in pitts after taking them to game 6 of a stanley cup final if i recall to detroit in 08/09, Malkin won the Art Ross over Ovechkin in the points race and finalist for the Hart. Crosby finished third in league scoring with 103 points despite missing 5 games. The Penguins' record dipped mid-season but yes lifted after head coach Michel Therrien was replaced by Byslma and defenseman Gonchar returned from injury. The effect was almost instantaneous and the Penguins recovered enough to secure home ice advantage in their first round matchup. His downfall in pitts i believe was AS MUCH to do with gonchar being out for all but 25 games that season as his hard ass mentality. sergei did have 130+points for pitts the 2 years prior combined and pitts had zero replacement for him until he returned. we need only look as far as our team and how it has faired with andrei markov out of the line up for so long... technically speaking we were team on the up (losing in ECF mind you after losing markov in game1, carey price anyone???LY) we were head and shoulders a different team without markov and this team our team has had a complete turn around since his return. People say he was a little to hard for poor cindy crosby and company to handle. Although Pitts won the cup(they were stacked BTW once gonchar returned) they have done a good didly F##kin squat since with Byslma and his soft as cottonelle approach to coaching outside of strong regular season numbers. i for one wouldn't like to see a coaching change unless its for an elite coach like babcock only. this team has a good thing going in spite of all the negativity and for all this head calling, the guy has consistently shown he can win not only games but cups at multiple levels of hockey and should get a chance to see it through unless we slide out of the contention... i think he's evolving as coach let him evolve...

i think they quit on him.... you could see it.. and of course koivu is gonna say hell no what else could he say..

alexandre daigle? like seriously? alexandre daigle? a leaf fan would like/wish to compare galchenyuk to dangle

galchenyuk will get a bridge deal as his agent will be looking for big money long term

he still isn't taking the puck to the net... sure he has shown that he can skate pass and stick handle, he can dangle around the perimeter as well but the truly best players in this NHL go to the blue paint not around it... thats all he needs to do.... cut inside not outside with the puck

the team quit on him... its like parros saying he wasn't knocked out.... just cause he said it doesn't mean its true

if MB was at the helm we could of probably went for tostito scoops and have them throw in a couple dips.... ill admit... I've never responded to anyone in 10 years more so then him. guess i needed someone to finally get me going... thx

really??? i don't think either would destroy us in a series....

losing to buffalo? is it that bad? whatever happened to teams knowing and playing well against their division? oh ya thats right.... nothing! division rivals are just that division rivals! as for galchenyuk? he needs to do 2 things to get to that next level 1) take the puck to the net!!! he's playing perimeter hockey and needs to go to the net not around it! 2) work on his shot accuracy.... grade A chances are just missing right now but all of sudden they won't be every time we lose it about the coaching... unless someone has a replacement for him can we stop already (lets visit the babcock situation if or when it arrives, maybe we can lure bowmen back)

yup no doubt stamkos is that elite goalscorer we crave but..... our goaltender is impossible to upgrade at this point! why in the world would we downgrade the only player who plays 60 minutes a night for anyone not named Wayne Gretzky, Patrick Roy or Marty B? The Habs have won 24 Stanley Cups for one simple reason.... they have taken care of their net first and built from the back forward not the forward back!! It has taken awhile to reap the rewards of sticking with Price but if our record over the last 3 seasons is any indication..... Price is more valuable then almost all players in hockey right now..

as MT would say... "Deptt is good"

so eric tangradi gets a shot on the 4th line.... looks like he'll be crashing and banging the sabres this week end!

emelin has replaced gorges on the left in the top 4.... gonchar has replaced emelin on the right in the top 4 gilbert right now has replaced a platoon of bouillon, beaulieau and murray on the 3rd pair and weaver replaced diaz on the right after the trade for weise. gilbert has been brought in at half the wage to replace gorges who is a bottom pair guy that we over paid and over played every night! as for PK, i can't wait till he reaches mid season form, I'm hoping it comes right in time for holidays when we head out west twice!!

yup but lets pick on gilbert instead today..... yes all defenders make mistakes, gaffs, that lead to goals. its the nature of the beast that is defence!! you don't make sense sometimes.... are we comparing gilbert to kaberle and murray now? subban, chara, weber, keith and doughty don't make mistakes that result in goals?? i don't get where your going with this? and bouillon was a very serviceable defencmen BTW. gilbert is being paid as our 5th best defencemen behind subban markov gonchar emelin and for all i can see has been earning his pay so far this season.

tom gilbert is an efficient hockey player... he won't dazzle like subban or throw the body like emelin.... rarely takes chances which makes him safe and efficient. he passes the puck out when he can and chips it out when he has to... as a defender he'll make mistakes ultimately leading to goals against, its the nature of the beast! all defenders have gaffs, some more then others

thats not what you said... u said we play best when we play run and gun... definition of run and gun is edmonton in the 80's... habs are nothing of the sort... i also think the lop sided losses has to do with us more then the other team styming us!! more so, with the forward assignments lost on the defensive side of the game... like i said this system "for what it is" demands a 5 man D approach. Usually one D steps up to the puck carrier which means the forwards are 100% accountable to back check hard all the times picking up the forwards entering the zone. if you look at the PITTS game and Rangers game you'll see... moore goal- bad bounce but plex caught floating and not picking up moore as they enter the zone off the face off stepan goal- great backhand pass by st.louis but patches who normally is a beast on the back check doesn't pick up the trailer in stepan (you'll notice DD btw defending hard on the play;) just saying it isn't all bad) st.louis goal- pick pocket nuff said hagelin goal- both paranteau and eller chasing duclair to no avail leaving gilbert alone trying to cover hagelin and he frees his stick off a spin move nash goal- sums up the night as all of patches, paranteau and DD give zero effort on a 1 on 3 along the boards allowing NY to easily skate the puck out and find nash streaking up the gut bennent- bad pass by beaulieau nuff said downie- lazy défence by patch and a bad read by beaulieu leaving him in no mans land allowing letang to come in off the sutter- gallagher gets back but floats and picks up nobody!! crosby- prust caught floating again at the hash and not picking up sydney coming in off the side boards on the PP. 6 of 9 goals i would attribute to the forwards not buying in "to a defence first and the offence will come approach" in just these 2 games.... and thats why we get blown out in the the losses. if you broke down each blowout i could bet that 70% of the goals scored are on forward defensive break downs.

nope... -the habs do well when they play a high forcheck and sound 5 man defence first game, when the forwards back check hard, forcing teams to shoot from outside and collapsing while blocking shots.... -a lighting fast transition game through the neutral zone/ counter attack causing odd man rushes, fast breaks , one on ones and breakaways... while holding possession once in the OFF zone is the montreal canadiens at their best. just look at there most recent 6 game winning streak as a prime example so what might be portrayed as run and gun is actually an all team effort to defence first which allows them to take advantage with an all out attacking counter! run and gun= no attention to defence and trying to simply outscore your opponent

gotcha he also had another almost 30pts the following season.... to go along with his minus 19 and horrible defensive play... his offensive prowess in AHL has yet to come to fruition in montreal but his game in his own end is suspect still. I'm not saying he isn't going to be a stud! I'm saying he's only 21 going on 22. It will not hurt his development going down, it will help!!

expect beaulieau being sent down momentarily especially with no games till friday/ saturday, back to backs with the streaking sabres....lol he just doesn't know his position well enough... sure he can skate like the wind and has a great shot.... but when all is said and done he seems to pass to the wrong guys at the wrong time, chips the puck when he has an outlet, spins with the puck when he should chip the puck, dumps it when he should skate it in.. chases a guy when he should clear the front of the net etc... he needs to be hamilton's best defensmen first... everybody needs to get there heads out of clouds. the same guys who want Gally at centre and beaulieau in the top 4 wanted boucher and muller at the helm.... just look at Julien and his NY counterpart as prime examples of how that worked out for us each time. PK Subban was hands down without question the best defensmen on his team and arguably in the whole AHL when he made his jump... not everyone is a McDonaugh, who can seamlessly become one of the best d-men in all of hockey right away. Beauliau has had a fair shake at making an impact dating all the way to last years playoffs. I for one am not convinced letting beaulieau play significant minutes up here is the right thing to do any more.. not on a team that 16-6-1 sitting atop the NHL and with tonnes of room for improvement. he wants TOI with one of the best teams in hockey? prove it in the AHL which hasn't happened yet! I'm tired of the mirage that is youth over proven experience... do you really think the habs are better this year with beaulieau over gonchar? get real cause gonchar has out performed him 10 fold in just a handful of games so far this season.... MB has essentially bought beaulieau and tinordi an extra year of conditioning by acquiring allen=tinordi, gonchar=beaulieau.... good for him for recognizing they aren't ready to help us contend for the cup yet and not sitting on his laurels. I WANT A CUP NOW!!!!!!! not tomorrow