The Chicoutimi Cucumber

Bouwmeester would be just the ticket, as would Cammalleri or some other legitimate top-2 centreman. I continue to believe that the 'UFAs hate Montreal' theory is overblown. These guys are mercenaries, and if you pay top dollar and can plausibly show that you've got a shot at being competitive (which, despite everything, the Habs can), they'll come.

What's the scoop on Perezhogin, anyway? With Carbo out of town, it might be worthwhile seeing if he has any interest in coming back - unless his game hasn't improved. He was young, so improvement is possible. Any word? As for Plekanec, he seems to be a very fragile player mentally. He lost the first half of the 2006-07 season being intimidated by Kovalev, before finally taking flight...and he lost this season due to fragile confidence (that, and an unwillingness to play in traffic, which in my opinion is the single biggest hurdle he needs to overcome if he wants to recover his status as a legitimate #2 centreman in the NHL).

No one has the 'right' to publicly humiliate and try to ruin the career of a 21-year old (or anyone else). I think you have a right to boo the home team if they're letting you down, and of course to boo and jeer opposition players. But this Montreal habit of scapegoating a specific individual and focusing all resentment at the team's poor play onto him is indefensible. It was indefensible when they did to Laperriere in the 1960s, inexcusable when it happened to Koivu after the altercation with Ribeiro, inexcusable when done to O'Bryne, unforgiveable when it was done, most famously, to Brisebois - and equally, if not more, disgraceful when done to Price who is one of the youngest players around. 'Bullying' is exactly what it is, and bullying of the most cowardly kind, because it hides the individual in the safety of the braying, anonymous pack. And then these same cowards have the nerve to be indignant when the player responds by waving his arms - when they themselves would probably break down like babies if subjected to the same treatment for even two seconds. SHAME ON YOU, MONTREAL FANS.

Gainey has clearly established that he is the Alpha male in dealing with the media, and part of that is being willing to insert the knife when the opportunity affords itself. I wasn't too keen on the blatantly sexist 'baking bread' remark, but his original crack about the guy's wife not recognizing a thoroughbread was one of the best insults I've heard a public figure direct any ANYONE in some time. An absolute classic worthy of Pierre Trudeau himself. These media clowns need continual reminding that they're not the ones running the show in Montreal. Gainey did that beautifully yesterday, while also standing up for his players *and* brilliantly undercutting the likelihood of a Lecavalier deal. A virtuoso performance.

Wow, I missed that - but good for Kovalev. Between his comments and Laraque's, I don't think there can be ANY doubt left that some key young guys on this team did indeed allow the partying and distractions (and probably complacency) to detract from their preparation and their play. I think it's fair that these players be called out - they are, after all, betraying their teammates, even if unintentionally - but I have to wonder: were Kovy, Laraque and other vets telling them this the whole time? Or did they just sit by and watch the train wreck? (We'll never know, of course - but it gets back to that question of mentorship. Then again, some lessons have to be learned through experience. The real test will be if the Kostitsyns come back fully motivated, focused and prepared next season).

That was GREAT - as was his remark about 'assholes' driving players out of town. One thing every player on this team knows: the GM has got their backs.

I don't know...I think he sounds pretty composed, pretty self-aware; my impression is of a calm - also proud - young man who sees himself as still very much learning. It was interesting to hear him admit that, with the gesture, he was deliberately trying to remind the fans of the ramifications of booing. Contrary to the standard analysis, I think we've got a cool customer here, a comparatively mature kids who's come a long way fast and is stolidly trying to grow into the role. I also like the fact that he stands up for himself. He bluntly said he feels like he gets thrown under a bus at times - by the fans and media, was my intererpretation. That's good. I think honesty with the fans will actually take you further than that ridiculous, meangingless NHLspeak most player spew. I feel better about Mr. Price having seen this.

Sure sounded that way.

Yeah, and he singled it out as one cause of the second half collapse. Good for Bob...although it won't exactly grease the wheels for a future deal, I suppose. (Which doesn't bother me, since I'm leery of that absurd contract). Best news from that conference is that Gainey clearly intends to stay on, if he isn't fired. Phew. EDIT: judging from the audio clip from the Gazette, sounds like Komi is getting ready to leave. The classic 'no comment, it's not in my hands' kinda stuff you always get from guys planning to test the market. Interesting contrast with Koivu, who seems willing to be very accommodating.

It's pretty simple. If he wants to stay in Montreal, he will accept being paid like Regher. That is a perfect comparable. Otherwise he will flee to the highest bidder, the two or three nutter organizations who will be happy to pay $6 mil/year for a 5-goal defenceman, i.e., Toronto or the Islanders. Unfortunately, partly because of his own play this season, we can no longer use the argument that he should stay with us if he wants a chance to win. Here's where Gainey's 'the Canadiens are a family' organizational philosophy will be put to the test. Does Komi have the :hlogo: tatooed on his heart? Or is he happy to play the mercenary? (If I were him, I'd also consider my tendency to be a much diminished player when I'm not paired with Markov...but I doubt he'll think about that).

Well...if he demands $6 mil, do you sign him? What's the point of raging at the Habs for the salary cap? But I agree, he should be re-signed and I think he will be, and under $5 mil would not surprise me at all.

I agree. Something happened. Someone slept with someone's wife, maybe. Maybe there was a fight. Maybe those rumours re: rapes or other nightmares were true and (unsurprisingly) sewed serious divisions in the room. Whatever it is, a collapse on this scale doesn't just happen. Gainey will fix it.

Yeah, I almost mentioned Walter again. Notice how the Canucks are doing, too. :puke: Anyway, I ain't saying Walter's the saviour - just that they need to think in terms of systematic, structured, organizational mentoring. By all appearances, they aren't thinking that way now. The neat thing is that we can look forward to an EXTREMELY interesting off-season. This isn't entirely bad - there is a real fan excitement that comes from retooling, provided it's done well.

Cute! But can we please stop *assuming* all our players are going to run screaming elsewhere at the first opportunity? I take the punishment as it comes, not as hysterics imagine it might come.

The kid had more points than Plekanec this season. I thought at the time is was a dubious move to get rid of him given that our system is paper-thin at C; in pure hockey terms, that trade made no sense. Granted, we dealt that pick for Lang - superficially a great move - but we have a long term need for NHL-calibre depth at that position and you can do worse than a 20-year-old speedster in that sense. Oh well.

I didn't see the game. But reading about that gesture...it scares me. I think I agree with Patrick. How can it be that EVERY ONE of our major young players regressed this season? That's not normal. There must be a leadership or mentoring gap somewhere - and, contrary to those who blame Koivu, I think it's more complicated than that. (It may be as simple as the preponderance of young players on the team, none of whom can really mentor the other, coupled with cultural translation problems with the Kostitsyns, etc.; and maybe Carbo's notorious 'communication problems' really hurt the team culture by depriving the young guys of a head coach they could turn to). I've been wondering for a while if Canadiens' management have given enough thought to more formal organizational mentoring structures. Life coaching, not just ice coaching. Gainey may not fully realize the guidance these young guys need in this city; after all, he played before the media and internet got totally out of control, and on a team that had a critical mass of championship-calibre talent and leaders. I said a while back, half in jest, that Gainey should have Dryden or Roy give Price a call. Now I think it really might be worth doing. Hook Price up with one of these legends...build a relationship. Hell, getting Roy in here as an ASSISTANT coach could really help (unless he too goes nuts). Do something analogous with ALL the young guys. Montreal is not a normal city. The Habs need to have a specific strategy in place for developing young talent in the pathological environment that is Montreal. They're probably scratching their heads because they've done everything right by normal hockey standards...but this city ain't normal...

No GM will be as immune to fan pressure as Bob Gainey. Guaranteed. This is, in fact, his greatest single virtue as a GM in this ridiculous environment.

This is *exactly* what happens when you bring a goalie along too soon. I am TERRIFIED that we are in the process of ruining the most highly-touted young habs in a generation. Bob clearly did not anticipate the total collapse of the team's defensive game, but now that it's happened, the consequences are potentially grave. We just have to have faith in Price's resiliency. And clearly we do need to acquire a decent vet to mentor Price along, which is really a shame given the potential cap hit.

Yeah, this pining for Carbo from a fan-base that almost universally wanted him fired, until the exact moment when he was fired, might be the silliest development in this entire season. The guy hit his best-before date - not to mention that his fumbling and alienation of the vets arguably cost us the playoffs in 2007 as well. I love the guy and I'm sure he'll come back strong, but he was hardly the reincarnation of Toe Blake.

On a related note, we should be clipping and saving all the positive comments over Weber, so that when HE struggles at some point in his development, we can throw 'em in the faces of all the people who will then want to throw him under a bus.

Komi at somewhere between $4-5 mil might be sensible enough, no? I don't think he is *as bad* as he showed this season. Am I wrong? You definitely let Bouillon and Dandy walk, unless they are willing to re-sign at absolute cut rates. In a cap system you *have* to fill those depth positions with cheap youth, like Weber/O'Byrne.

Gainey needs to stay. But not as coach. Hire Hartley - he has the best c.v. of any available francophone coach - and move forward. Re-sign Koivu? I don't know. Tough call. The more I think about it, the more I think we should bite the bullet and let him go, then take than money to overpay (if needed) for someone like Cammalleri. (i.e., a young quality UFA C). Re-sign Kovalev? I used to think 'keep Koivu, let Kovalev walk,' but...Kovy is the guy who draws the other team's top checkers...that's always a useful asset... Re-sign Tanguay, no questions asked. Re-sign Komisarek. Yes, you will have to overpay. Too bad. He's core. The good news is, you will save major dollars on RFAs Plekanec and Higgins compared to what we'd have had to pay after last season. See if you have enough left over to sign or acquire a quality D. Otherwise, re-sign Schneider at hopefully a modest rate and cross your fingers on his health.

Well, he didn't complete the thought. He is probably more crushed than anyone involved, so I think he should get a *little* leeway. I'd like to see Koivu retire after this season, now that you mention it. It would resolve a difficult dilemma for Gainey ('do I sign this guy for $3 mil when he won't be worth it, because I have no other C in the system?') and absolutely force his hand when it comes to acquiring another good C. I am beating the drums for Cammalleri, not because I think he's so great, but because I think he'd probably be a credible Koivu replacement and wouldn't require a trade, just money.

OUCH. Gainey had better play Halak if the players are starting to lose faith in Price.