The Chicoutimi Cucumber

Well, on some level I just don't understand it. Chippy play, even dirty play, these are one thing. Attempted murder is another. If the Bruins players are not in shock at what they just saw, then they are not emotionally normal human beings.

You called it. I knew that Patches and Subban were too good to be true - it was only a matter of time before one (or both) faced a catastrophic injury. Lo and behold.

Honestly, I'm surprised the Bruins don't have the simple human decency to mail in the third period and go home. They're not going to win, a young man's career and life may have been radically altered for the worst tonight - for God's sake, show an ounce of class.

It's not just this hit, it's the recurring pattern of vicious, career- and life-jeopardizing hits that has marked the NHL over the last while. It is unbelievable to me that a teammate who has seen up close what happened to Marc Savard - whose career is over and whose entire life may now be compromised by a savage cheap-shot - would willfully do the same thing on another player. This is a league where Sidney Crosby, the greatest player of his generation, can be, potentially, permanently damaged by thugs, with absolutely zero consequences. Someone will die if this doesn't change. It is, simply, sick.

I feel sick to my stomach. Pacioretty is lucky to be alive. Thank GOD he is not paralyzed. Chara will maybe get a slap on the wrist. The ######ing monkeys in the NHL head office probably feel that this is 'just' retaliation for Patches' shove of Chara after scoring a few games ago. You know what would stop this? If the team whose player was found guilty of deliberately injuring another player were to forfeit the points from the game - or better, forfeit two points the team already holds in the standings. They do that, BAM! This lunacy ends. This is the first time in my life I feel like not even following hockey any more.

I went with 1 on the theory that Moen or Pyatt or whoever will give it a go, but I agree with the logic above. If the Habs are smart they will play THEIR game, not Boston's: shut 'em down with ace goaltending and their patented 'bend-don't-break' defence, skate 'em into dust, pump a few in at the other end and restore the Prunes to their natural state: whining losers.

Crying about diving is just gamesmanship, but how do we know that Marchand isn't right on the other issues? - i.e., that the Habs are mouthy and prone to cheap shots? I remember reading a quote somewhere in the press regarding Plekanec, where an anonymous opposition player mentioned something to the effect that he was always full of welts and carved up after playing Pleks. That wasn't public trash-talking, and it surprised me, because I never thought of him as a stickwork guy. (Maybe I just don't pay enough attention to that when our guys are delivering it). The Flyers also commented on our mouthiness in the playoffs last year. In short, I doubt that our boys are exactly saints out there.

Wamsley and I had a few posts about this in the thread from the Florida game. Basically, there are 4-5 bona fide contenders this year - Vancouver, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, and *maybe* if we want to stretch it, San Jose. Pittsburgh is out because of their injuries, and Washington needs an army of therapists. That is an unusually thin pool. The question we should consider as Habs fans is not whether we can beat Philly (we can't) or Boston (we can), but whether we have as good a chance as anyone of going to the Finals should Boston and Philadelphia falter. And as I said in the other thread, we can certainly beat any of the other five playoff teams if we bring our 'A' game and have no further key injuries. Of course it'll be a dogfight, but I'm happy with our club in a 7-game series against anyone in the Conference except Philly and maybe Boston. It's harder to imagine how the Finals would play out - I can't even think that far ahead. But obviously we'd be a longshot to beat savvy Detroit, skilled Vancouver, or hulking San Jose (I think we stand the best chance against the Canucks). Heck, Nashville would be a horrible matchup for us because of the nature of their system and team. LA might be a good matchup, by contrast, because they're so young; our wily veterans could take it to them. In any case, the pessimists are right to say that we are not in the same class as those 4-5 top teams. They are wrong to assume that means we can't go the distance, first because upsets happen all the time in the playoffs, and second, because far fewer upsets will be necessary this season than in most years because of parity. Cautious optimism is the appropriate attitude.

We were completely owned in the 3rd period - rather worse than in the usual 'Habs-hold-on-to-a-lead' situation - which I'm sure the Lightning will point to as evidence that this was a flawed 'statement' on our part. However, when you consider that we were likely tired from the road trip, I wouldn't read too much into either the shot total or the doings in the third. This WAS a statement by les boys. You have to like the way this team is starting to get its game in order as the playoffs loom. Hell, even Gomer Pyle played well last night. Now - no further injuries please!!

Yeah, a rectal thermometer If it's true that when AK46 is hot, the Habs are hot, the most likely explanation is that he is a huge missing piece of our puzzle: a legitimate top-6 scoring forward with a physical edge. I prefer to think that a hot AK46 illustrates what it would mean to add a player like that to our roster. Sadly, he only plays like that for 15-20 games per year and I see no reason to believe that this will change. Enjoy his hot streak while it lasts. If it carries over into the playoffs, then I'll start to get excited.

On further reflection, the joker in the Eastern Conference deck may be Tampa. I don't believe they are true Cup contenders, but with their mix of champion vets and a burdgeoning Stamkos, they arguably occupy an intermediate zone between Boston/Philly and 'The Pack' (which includes Montreal, Washington, an injury-ravaged Pittsburgh,and whoever is in 7th/8th today ). I do think we can beat Tampa, but it'll be tough, partly due to the 'French Factor' of St Louis, Gagne, that fraud Lecavalier, and Guy Boucher, all of which will give the Lightning that little extra push you sometimes need. In any case, they're probably the hardest team to know what to expect from of all the playoff seeds in the East - it's quite possible that it will take either Philly or Boston to beat them.

Ha ha, guess I blew that one

Strange to say, I have dodgy feeling about this one. Florida looks TOO dismantled post-deadline. I'll bet they come out feeling weirdly liberated and re-committed, while the Habs are probably struggling to stay awake during the pre-game warmup against this nonentity of an opponent. Redefined opponent + uninterested Habs = potential blown points. Hopefully this is just paranoia on my part.

100%. Gauthier had three basic choices at the deadline: -dump assets to try for a run this year. Dumb idea given that we cannot surrender more picks and certainly not young blue-chippers like Subban and MaxPac. Not if we ever want to hit the next level and become true contenders. -sell aging war-horses like Hammer and Gill to the highest bidder in order to stockpile assets for the future. This would mean surrendering all hope for this playoff. Dumb idea given that, as per the above, we have a legitimate chance of doing damage. -stand pat and hope that Spacek comes back strong and that the team brings its 'A' game to the dance. Best option. I'd love for us to be Vancouver, but looking at the competition, you realize we're better positioned than most fans seem to acknowledge.

The fact is, there are very few authentic contenders in the league this year. Pittsburgh's injuries seem to rule them out. Washington is a massive question mark. So in the East there's really only Philly and Boston you can point to as rock solid. In the West, Vancouver, Detroit and possibly San Jose (notwithstanding their awful track record). This is something that critics of the Habs haven't really thought enough about. You can rail about us being a 'bubble team,' but all other things being equal, we have just as good a chance as anyone except Philly and Boston of making it out of the damned conference. Of course smart money bets against the Habs duplicating (or, dare to dream, surpassing) their run from last year; but the weakness of the field means that we actually have a credible chance of doing so. If someone knocks out Philly, there's no team I truly *fear* among the remainders. (Boston is a stronger team than us, but you know, when the habs play Boston weird things happen )

First, that's awesome work, BTH. Another example of an obvious and important theme that only finds systematic treatment on the internet rather than in the 'professional' media. Second, I think you are absolutely right here that the key to Habs' success is not the 'excellence' of the opposition so much as the style the opposition plays. At least when tolerably healthy, we are excellent against teams that play an east-west game. Against big, physical north-south teams with hermetic defences, we are doomed. But I'd have to take the time to go through that entire list to test this hypothesis.

Living in the Vancouver area, I find this quite intriguing - two key pieces of the Gainey Rebuild 1.0 whose stars have long since fallen, now find themselves acquired on the same day, by one of the only teams in the NHL that can legitimately claim to be a bona-fide Cup contender. There's a lot of fan/media interest in Lapierre here, in particular, because of his strong playoff showing last season...a point that does make me rather grind my teeth. When we moved him for Feasterling, I figured we were getting a bottom-pairing D-man back for a bottom-line forward and shrugged. Now we've got a marginal netminder back for a guy who, when he was on, was one of the most effective third/fourth-line C and agitators around. I have a feeling we could see Laps emerge as a key part of a long Canucks playoff drive. Ick. Higgins I expect less out of, but he'll never get a better chance to recover his career than right now, playing on a top-end club that asks him to be no more than a third-liner. Anyway...slightly surprised that this odd event hasn't sparked more discussion around here.

If we do anything with Gomez, the best time would be in the summer. Minimally disruptive, and you can exceed the cap if need be on a temporary basis.

See, 'strident negativity' is exemplified in a post that fumes at some length, saying things I've already agreed with as though we're locked in a ferocious argument Seriously, the only thing I'd say about your post is that I think we should first acquire a replacement, then move the Baked Alaskan. This can easily be done in the summer, when you're allowed to exceed the cap on a temporary basis. I still don't think 'dump first and ask questions later' is a good approach with Gomez, or, indeed, most other players.

Tremblay was an abomination as a coach, but he is a pretty enjoyable analyst/commentator IMHO. (He'd probably make a good coach too, now that he spent all those years learning the trade at Lemaire's knee). However, having suffered through the Houle years I do respect anyone who goes apoplectic at the mere sight of him. Incidentally, and unremarked by too many, Benoit Brunet has quietly grown by leaps and bounds - yet another dyed-in-the-wool Montreal Canadien abusively treated by ungrateful fans Bergeron, though, always was and remains a clown, another one of these 'experts' whose opinions are no better than those you'd get from a soused separatist in an east-end Montreal bar. I can understand people liking him - people like Mike Milbury too, right? - but respecting his opinion is another matter. Now as to the most pressing question of all: the Muppet Pierre Macguire most resembles is The Count. 'One, one orgasm over Mike Komisarek! Two, two orgasms over Mike Komisarek. AH AH AHHH!'

I'm hazy on the specifics, but there was some story going around that Robinson had inquired about openings behind the Habs' bench and had not been taken up on it. I think we can all agree that we'd like to see Big Bird back with les glorieux. Most likely, it had to do with Jacques Martin wanting people he felt comfortable with. His prerogative, and considering the number of people who want raw rookie Kirk Muller to replace one of the winningest active coaches, it was probably a wise strategic move by JM to keep Robinson at a distance - if indeed that's what happened.

Like I said, sending him down without having a replacement lined up is dumb. Sending him down *this season* is also sheer lunacy (unless you magically garner a 2nd-line C at the deadline - but even then, the consequences for team chemistry at a crucial portion of the season are unknowable). None of this should rule out making a move for a replacement during the summer and *then* either moving him, should anybody wish to claim him for a song, or just burying him in the minors. Habs29 is too stridently negative for me, but he's spot on to say that Gomez this season has been one of the very worst second line C in the NHL. Bringing in even a middling-quality guy as a replacement, and then spelling that guy off with Desharnais as need be, would make vastly better sense in hockey terms because of the salary it would free up. Teams like Chicago and Philly have indeed been willing to carry bloated contracts and nevertheless succeed. But they have also shown a willingness to be absolutely ruthless with players who they no longer feel help their team (e.g., Huet, Leighton). I have no problem with the former, but it needs to be combined with the latter. Will this scare away UFAs? Why would it? Gomez has earned himself no better. At the end of the day, UFAs respect a winner - look at how they're willing to go to franchises like Philly and Boston that have a track record of treating their players like dirt.

Dumont does indeed show every sign of being done. He's pushing 33 after a long career and his numbers went into preciptious decline last season, a pattern which has intensified this year. Those aren't good signs. He is also on a team starved for offence; so without having claimed to observe Nashville closely, he probably was given every chance to find his game and played himself off the top lines. Unless, indeed, it's a mutual salary dump (as it would be with Spacek involved, say) - or else a rental acquired for minimal cost on our part - it's hard to see why the Habs would make this move.

Agreed. The kid is a beast like we haven't seen in Montreal since the arrival of Saku Koivu. The only issue with PK concerns what goes on between the ears. If he allows the combination of Montreal + all the success get to his head, then at some point he will regress and perhaps crash and burn. This is where the internal leadership of guys like Gill is so key. (And yeah, Robinson wouldn't hurt ) But there is no question in my mind that he has it in him to be a top-10 NHL defenceman of his generation. In about 20 years of watching as a conscious adult, I've never seen a rookie defenceman come in and make such an impact on the Habs. Not Chelios, not Desjardins - nobody. He's the real thing, if you ask me.

On Gomez: you can't just 'get rid of him.' You need a replacement. Desharnais may or may not have it in him to be that replacement. This is the *only* reason why dumping him in the minors - not this season, but afterwards, or at some point into next season if he continues to struggle - is a bad idea in hockey terms. Almost any 2nd-line C out there would be an improvement. And if that replacement costs (say) $5 mil in salary, you garner yourself another $2 mil and change to play with. (If the replacement is Desharnais, then you clear over $6 million, and are perhaps in a position to build a real contender next season, assuming DD can cut it). Some people seem unable to come to grips with the depths of Gomer's suckage this season. He's been unacceptable. Period. If a replacement is viable, then you do whatever it takes to dump him and his salary. The only caveat is if he has been playing injured - of which I haven't heard any suggestion.