BCHabnut

Sounds like Huet saves us. I think Price will be amazing, but I have more confidence in Huet stealing a game.

OK, can Lats play with Higgins and Koivu? How is Lats on the right side? This line looks good on paper. Set up man, energizer bunny digger, and big puck protector with good hands. One of the best line I can remember was set up very similar. Morrison digging, Nazlund setting up, and Bertuzzi being big. Lats actually reminds me of young Bertuzzi in New York.

Crap pwned by Semen.

Woooooooot. LIL T1TTies with the milestone. Many more to come I hope.

The bottom line is that there are a few (10) games a year that Saku doesn't play well. And when Saku doesn't play well, the Habs lose...End of story. So does trading him make everything better? In my opinion, No it does not. What makes everything better is depth in the top 2 lines. I am really fricken happy to say, for the first time in years, that a good right winger on the first line could change everything. Last year, when Higgins ,Ryder, and Koivu were on their "A" game, people were so happy that we finally had a true first line. Then Higgins was hurt. Lats stepped up and played well, but wasn't really a first liner. Ryder was more of a true goal scorer than Higgins. Higgins is a digger. Ryder is playing like a bum, so Koivu's bad games look that much worse when he has no support. I think Koivu is a great 4.5 mill guy, and a trade will not bring anything better. That said, everything is for sale for the right price.

Sounds like Price played well too. Gonna get up after nightshift to watch this on Canadiens Express. Gotta see how Sergei looked

You are preaching to choir. I think that if Koivu had a good right winger, he could make him look good sometimes when he needs it. You missed my point. What I meant was that if a player slows down, it's up to other players on the team to take some of the weight so he can find his feet again. Higgins is no problem, but he is a work horse like Smythe. Ryder's shot release was so important to that line.

Sounded like Price played well. Showed a little emotion too after the shootout.

Actually I was quite optimistic in 00/01. I knew that the team sucked. My expectations were low, but I also knew that their prospects were begining to look better.

What I find discouraging about the whole Saku thing is that every year Saku slows down or slumps for about a month. Maybe more. That is exactly when the team slumps too. It would be nice to have a team with the depth and character to overcome obstacles like this. Do I think that we should trade Saku. No. Having said that, everything is for sale, If the right deal comes along. I think that the rest of the team needs to pick it up during this time and earn their dough. As to all the line changes, didn't Lats look pretty strong on the first line? He should learn to play the right side.

There is no way I'm reading that long ass post. Too bad, there might be some interestiing stuff in it.

My money is on D'Agostini, Lil #### or Milroy.

I will always follow the games and watch when I can, but before I was going home early on an overtime day to watch the game. I'm not losing $180 OT pay to take the evening off to watch these guys scramble around. As to my being a faithful fan...I have been a fan of this team since I could speak, and that will not change. I paid big money to fly to Montreal from Northern Alberta to watch a couple very good games. I love this team. So piss off. I'm just bitter that they can't get it together.

I will still follow them, but won't go out of my way to watch every game, like I have been this year. If it's on and I don't have anything better to do, (like clean my toenails) I will watch.

crap....buncha bums. Pricey shows some emotion.

Koivu scores...fakes right pulls left! I hope

Sounds like Price is keeping them in this thing.

Why the hell doesn't he put Kovy up and Higgy down to the 2nd?

Listening on CJAD. Sounds like another yawnfest.

That's not gonna happen. Vinny is playing better than anyone else in the league. I could see Brodeur for Vinny happen.

I had a chance to watch the Penguins games in the West last week on TV without the bias of them playing the Habs. I think that both teams are similar. Except we don't have Crosby and Malkin. Haha, they are the Penguins. The only reason the Pens are somewhat successful is that they have the firepower to counter their horrible defense. Habs have the same problem. When Koivu and a goalie play well, Habs win. If either of these players is not on his game, we look like a Pee-wee house league team. The Pens looked the same. Horrible in their own zone, and only performed when Crosby made them look good. I know a lot of you guys really want more offense, and I totally agree, but I really think that our main breakdown is defensive. The problem with being an all offense team with a goalie is that when one of these elements falters, it's a tough battle. When both of these elements falter, it's a blow-out like New Jersey and Carolina. Therefore, I think that if this team can't find a way to defend in their own zone better, they will not make the Playoffs.

Smolinski has an offensive upside as a winger. Or at least he did when I used to watch him in the West. Lats picked up his game on the first, so who's to say that Smoke won't as well. Carbo is probably thinking that Smoke is better on the backcheck than Lats. Ryder and Bouillion are my selections for the press box. I honestly think that Gorges has looked better than the Cube this year. The huge upside to all Carbo's line juggling is that Dandy went from a "Farce" as a 4th "D" man to a "Force" as a grinder. A few more games and it might be time for a Dandy appreciation thread.

I thought O'byrne and Hammer looked really good together in the preseason. I was actually really surprised when he didn't make the team. Him and D'Agostini.

I have to say that it's nice to be debating over what to do with all of our depth players. Remember counting on Traverse back there and Breezy was our number 1? Dandy is doing a hell of a job. Leave him alone. Work Streit into the forward line up once in a while so he can get some confidence back. Bench Streit and Cube a once in a while and play Georges. He is a tenacious little guy. He doesn't give up on plays like Cube and Streit. BRING UP O'BYRNE SOMEHOW Actually, now that I think about it, would we lose Grabs if he was sent down and brought back up? Excuse my lack of waiver knowledge. I think Grabs should be sent down. No upside to having him there. Then O'byrne could come up. Streit could then be moved around a little more. The only problem there is having 2 Defensemen on the bench. You'd think that would improve the teams defensive play. I like Streit way as a forward.

As far as Koivu goes, I think he's the best player on the team. When Koivu has a bad game, the Habs have a bad game. It may be a bad statement for the team to say that, but when he isn't playing well, we totally count on the goalie to save us. I don't know why, but that's how it has worked in the past. I think the team is finally getting over that now that our 4th 2nd line is strong. Or are Kovy Plex and #### our 4th 1st line now?