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CerebusClone

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Everything posted by CerebusClone

  1. Exactly. Steve Mason is a very good prospect doing amazingly well so far in his NHL debut. This a great, but I wouldn't yet compare him to a guy like Carey Price who came with elite potential and a ton of pressure on his shoulders, and who so far has delivered everything that could be expected of him. I have no doubt that the majority of people will remain far more confident that Carey Price will maintain and even improve his level of play than Mason maintaning his. It's like Brent Seabrook during his rookie season. He had a great start, getting 16 points and a +7 record after his frist 27 games. This was an impressive debut for this very good prospect who was doing far better than expected, and actually those numbers were superior to those of an elite prospect like Dion Phaneuf. Did that mean that Seabrook compared to Dion Phaneuf, not really, and in fact while Seabrook has become a very solid defenseman for the Hawks, Phaneuf is close to joining the NHL elite (if he hasn't already). I'm not saying that Mason won't become an elite goaltender in the NHL, and that he won't equal or surpass Carey Price... simply that there's no point even comparing them at this point.
  2. Tanguay won't be back for a while so we don't have to worry about that right now. For the immediate future I would not change the top three lines in recent weeks, and I would put Kyle Chipchura on the wing with Koivu and Higgins: Pacioretty-Plekanec-Kovalev S.Kostsitsyn-Lang-A.Kostsitsyn Higgins-Koivu-Chipchura Latendresse-Lapierre-Kostopoulos Obvisouly Carbonneau will prefer using Begin or D'Agostini on that line as he doesn't seem to like Chipchura, but I would like to see what Chipchura can do with talented players. I remember Chipchura did very well earlier this season when he played with Lang and Sergei. Also this way Carbonneau can't complain about faceoffs as Koivu will be taking them
  3. The players individually are not that amazing - at least niot by reputation - howeber the Blue Jackets play a solid defensive game. They don't usually allow that many quality shots in a game, and they do a great job taking care of rebounds. That doens,t mean Mason hasn't been great, and that he never has to make big saves, just that his situation is not as bad as people might think just before he plays for Columbus. I don't really think we should even Mason to anyone yet, he's a very good goaltending prospect having a great start in his career. Why not leaving it at that for now? More importantly I don't see the significance of even wiondering which is the better goalie, Carey Price was an elite prospect delivering everything that could be expected of him, he's backstopping one of the top 5 teams in the league, and putting up elite goaltender numbers... all this in the crazy Montreal market. I don't care how good Steve Mason's save percentage is, he can't do anything over the course of 40-50 games that can even compare to this. After 150 games, that will be another story...
  4. Just one thing about this whole online voting thing.... who cares really? First of all I can't recall any player in recent years that truly didn't belong at the All-Star game, and even though some will criticize the presence of Komisarek and Kovalev, one has become one of the best defensive defenseman in the NHL while the other is one of the most naturally skilled players in the world who was 11th in the league just last year in scoring. Second is really that terrible if the fans - for whom the game is for - occasionaly vote in a player that may not truly deserve to be there? Would it really ruin the entire event if - for exemple - the people in Ottawa voted massively for Jarko Ruutu, and he made the roster? I don't get why some people, including in the media, act like the possibility of seeing a not-so-amazing player at the All-Star game would stain the reputation of the entire sport. If the fans want to see a player at that game, let them have it.
  5. I mentioned this summer that I hope for his personal sake that he gets traded this year. I still think he can become a solid 3rd line shutdown centre in the NHL with some offensive upside, but it's pretty obvious that Carbonneau doesn't like him all that much. There's nothing wrong with that, the coach doesn't have to believe in every player in the organization however if we're not going to give him a genuine opportunity, then I hope we'll have the decency to let him get that opportunity elsewhere.
  6. I never said the Sens would be a contender with a different coach either, there's a serious lack of depth on that team. Pretty much all they have now is a trio of supertsars, and a bunch of glorified and overrated depth players like Vermette, Ficher, and Kelly who don't do much when not paired with one of the top 3 forwards. The only reason they can put together 2 decent lines on paper is because their superstars are making the others look a lot better than they really are. All opposing teams have to do is to concentrare on Spezza, Alfie, and Heatkey, and they can pocket an easy win. I was only making a reference to a comment about a lack of cohesion, and it is true that the Senators' play is a mess. Regardless of the talent level, the stucture and the quality of execution shouldn't be that mediocre. The Sens are by no means a contender, but strong coaching could probably make them more competitive, and fight for a playoff spot. For example the Canadiens were a pretty mediocre team on paper during the first years of Julien behind the bench, but we played fairly well, and we were still relatively competitive every season; we didn't always make the pllayoffs, but we were in the race until the very last week.
  7. It was just an example of the type of deal we could do (and I don't think they have much Chris Higginses in their ranks). What I mean is that we don't necessarily need to go after the biggest names like Bouwmeester, but a nice solid all-around defenseman like Hamhuis, Salei, Morris, Kuba (although those 2 would be rentals), etc could solify our roster without having to give up as much in return.
  8. Very true. People are all about Mason because he had a save percentage in the high .930s, but after last night he's now at .932, which is pretty much the save percentage of Carey Price last season after he became our number 1. His stats will continue to fluctuate, and I expect him to finish somwhere in the .915 to .925 range, which would be exceptional. Mason is a great prospect who's doing amazingly well... but I wouldn't put him before Carey Price who's also doing amazingly well so far, on a longer time span, and with much more pressure and expectations on his shoulders.
  9. For Higgins and not much else, probably. However I doubt the Panthers would accept; they'll get much better offers, and for such little return they'll take their chances resigning him. That's why I mentioned a few posts back that I would like the Canadiens to acquire a guy like Dan Hamhuis, who would still be under contract next season. He's stuck behind Suter and Weber in Nashville, and I think he could use a change of scenery. Adding him to our current roster would give us a very solid top 4. As for Nashville they could really use some depth at the forward position, and a package including Higgins and D'Agostini could no doubt interest them. So maybe Hamhuis and a decent pick/prospect (ex. Geoffrion) for Higgins, D'Agostini, and O'Byrne (it would be a little unfair to him to let him rot in the minors). Once Bouillon leaves this summer, one of Weber or Carle (and perhaps even Subban or McDonagh) could complete our top 6 along with Gorges.
  10. Actually that sounds exactly like a coaching problem, a lack of cohesion in the defensive zone is a basic structure problem. The coach needs to get his players to stop acting like a bunch of headless chickens, and work with them on better positioning, support, and anticipation.
  11. First of all Mason's stats are barely superior to those of Carey Price when he became our number 1 goaltender last season. Also to believe that Mason will maintain such numbers on the long run - and they indicate his skill level - is ridiculous, even Dominik Hasek in his prime had trouble maintaining a save percentage in the .930s. Finally Colombus plays a strong defensive game under Hitchcock, and while they may not have a Markov, their top 4 of Hejda, Methot, Commodore, and Tyutin is quite solid. The Blue Jackets' problems are due to a lack of serious lack of offense, not defense. There's no doubt that Carey Price plays on the better team, however our defense has not played all that well overall this season. O'Byrne was struggling, Bouillon has been below average, and even guys like Hamrlik and Komisarek have not been all that great. However most importantly Carey Price plays with a ton of pressure on his shoulders, he must lead the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup, he comes with "blue chip" expectations, and he's doing great. Carey Price is putting up elite goaltender numbers for a Cup contender, and that is amazing for a 21 year old especially since he's been very consistent (no big ups, but no big downs). By the way I don't want to take anything away from Steve Mason, he's a great goaltending prospect. However he's played less than 30 games for a middle-of-the-pack team who isn't really expected to make the playoffs, and he hasn't really gone from any "downs" yet, which he no doubt will like everyone else (his numbers also include that exceptional 3 shutouts sequence). For all we know he'll hit some bad luck, and after 2-3 average performances, his numbers can quickly be back in the mid 0.920s. While he's been very impressive I don't think he can maintain that extreme level of performance, and it is too soon to compare him to anyone.
  12. You are probably right on this - and this is also my feeling - however I find this ridiculous. In my opinion AK46 has always been one of our more effective players at even strength, yes like anyone else he'll make the occasional mistake (and Brunet seems to be waiting for those so he can point them out, he doesn't seem to appreciate Andrei all that much) however I think he does a lot more good than wrong in those situations. Not that they should be taken too seriously, but his +/- every season (especially when compared to the rest of the team) also indicate that he's effective 5-on-5.
  13. One crazy idea could be to double shift him every once in a while (and perhaps Kovalev). They could alternate every other shift playing with Chipchura and D'Agostini on the 4th line, also giving these guys a better opportunity to showcase what they can do at the NHL level. The extra roster spot could even go to either Carle or Weber as the 7th defenseman, where they would play primarily on the powerplay and perhaps alternate with Brisebois on 5-on-5 depending on the score (thus allowing us to manage the aging Brisebois, and giving one of these guys some experience).
  14. Is he? He's skating hard and with some hussle, using his body to his advantage, playing a relatively good overall game, but not putting up much numbers on the scoresheet besides that one hat-trick(especially considering he's now playing 16-17 minutes every game, including some on the powerplay). After all he's only had points in 2 of his last 7 games. This is what I personally expected from a guy like Lapierre. He's centering a fairly effective 3rd line (although again they could put up more points considering their ice time), which should become an amazing 4th line once we have a healthy roster. No surprise there, and he's now playing as he should (we can once again thank the injuries for forcing Carbonneau to give Lapierre and Latendresse the opportunity they deserved). ------------------------------------------ One thing that is bothering me right now is how little ice time Andrei Kostsitsyn is getting. He's the hottest player in Montreal right now with 9 goals and 5 assists in his last 10 games, and yet he's hardly playing 14-15 minutes a game (while Lapierre is getting 16-17 minutes). This is a guy who's on the verge of becoming a constant scoring threat, and he's starting to look more and more like a game breaker now that he's not stuck in Kovalev's shadow. I would like to see Montreal fuel his current momentum, and give him the opportunity to take his game to the next level with an extra 3-4 minutes of ice time.
  15. Just curious, who's a better and more dominant centre than Lecavalier besides Crosby, Thornton, and Malkin?
  16. First of all no one said Gainey was actually negociating with the Lightning. Last I heard from Montreal is that we're doing just fine, but we might look into acquiring a defenseman, while the Lightning have repeated that they are not shopping Lecavalier although in theory no one is untouchable (the rest is all rumors). Second if Gainey is looking into - which he should if there truly is a possibility - it doens't mean that it is feasible and/or desirable for the Canadiens (or the Lightning). Gainey can look for solutions all he wants, it doesn't mean that an acceptable deal (or deals) can be reached. The rumor as it is now is not feasible as it would put us well over the cap.
  17. It's not quite the same however. Guys like Ward, Stevenson, Chounard, and Terry Ryan were mostly attractive because of their size and production at the junoor level, but weren't all that good overall. They were guys aiming for top offensive roles in the NHL, and they failed. I would put Andrew Conboy in the category of a Maxim Lapierre. These are guys that combine strong skating abilities, great size, as well as grit, which right there makes them interesting prospects. However everyone knows that these guys will likely never be more than 3rd and 4th liners, and therefore they come with lower expectations. Although they are slightly different players, my hopes and expectations for Andrew Conboy are the same I had for Lapierre, that he would become a great 4th liner, and perhaps a little more if he progresses really well. To me guys like Lapierre and hopefully Conboy are a big step up from the more tradionnal and limited 4th liners like Begin, Murray, Laraque, etc. They give you a lot more flexibility, they don't specialize in a single skill, they bring a lot more to the table, and you never have to worry about sending them on the ice (ex. unlike guys like Laraque or especially Ivanans who are barely tolerable as hockey players).
  18. I didn't brush off anyone, and especially never said he wasn't one of the most important figures in Quebec history, I simply added that like any other legend, the events that lead to him becoming this historial figure have no doubt been amplified to some extent. It doesn't mean that a lot - if not most - of these events happened, but what is taking everything thing you see on televison or read in a book (or newspaper) for granted, especially those who don't necessarily look at every side one side of these events (not saying the movie didn't, I have no idea how much research they did). Just to give an exemple I'll use another great legend, Babe Ruth and his called shot. People are taking for granted that he did indeed point to centre field and then hit a homerun in that spot. This is what the media reported, what real some fans who were at the game reported, and it was in the movie about the Babe. Heck I think there's even some footage that shows Ruth pointing somwhere, and then hitting that homerun. However in reality there's no real evidence that Ruth actually called that homerun, and after the game he was reported saying that he simply pointed towards the Cubs dugout, However the passionate media and fans perpetuated that beautiful story, and even Ruth over time changed his version of the story a few times. This is what passion does. People here love hockey. The Canadiens were a source of amazing passion for the fans (including the members of the media), a bright spot in their tough lives. They had one of their own being a great star player in the NHL, not to mention a great figure in the fight against anglophones (and there actually was a lot of injustice back then). There's no doubt he did get more abuse than other players, and there's no denying his impact on the Quebec society. All I was saying is that one must be careful when interpreting a movie about a great legend because the passion behind it has no doubt lead to some inaccuries, exagerations and misinterpretations.
  19. This is why I have high hopes about Andrew Conboy. Now obviously he will never lead the league in scoring, but this is a guy who brings a little bit of just about everything. He's willing to be an enforcer and defend his teammates, he's a great locker room guy with leadership skills, he can be a pest, he brings that great combination of imposing size and skills, he's gritty, and most importantly he's a decent hockey player on whom his coaches at every level seem comfortable relying on for any game scenario (PP, PK, 5-on-5, crucial moments). Otherwsie to answer the question I would say: Price Komisarek Markov Pacioretty A. Kostsitsyn The first three are obvious. As for Pacioretty and Andrei Kostsitsyn, I think they have the potential to be special players, and I don't think we would get an equivalent return for their services. Other guys I would be reluctant to trade away are McDonagh, Stejskal, and Conboy for pretty much that same reason. I would also add Lapierre, Latendresse, and perhaps Chipchura. On the opposite, younger guys who might have some interesting value that I would be willing to trade are Higgins, Plekanec, Subban, Halak, Sergei Kostsitsyn, and O'Byrne. It's not that are aren't or can't become good players, they're just players I feel might be overrated, and who might be good trade bait for a better player.
  20. That's true, but itr's still nearly impossible for the Canadiens to free up enough cap room unless we let go of one of one of Koivu, Kovalev, Lang, Markov, or Hamrlik... in addition to Plekanec and Higgins. As I mentioned before we would basically have to keep a 21-man roster in Montreal, and send Dandeneault and Laraque to the minors. Unfortunately even if a deal for Lecavalier becomes a possibility, Bob Gainey might have to pass on it because he overpaid several marginal players, in particular Dandeneault (1.7M), Brisebois (1.5M), and Laraque (1.5M). Not to mention Bouillon (1.875M), but at least he plays regularly. I especially don't understand why we used up almost every penny left on our cap room to give bonuses to Patrice Brisebois, especially since he had hardly any bargaining power; a simple 700K for the season would have been more than fair while at least giving us a little bit of extra cap room.
  21. I wonder if Gainey shouldn't have suspended BGL when he showed at camp overweight at more than 260 pounds, like the Blues did with Keith Tkachuk a couple years ago. Especially for a guy who's carrying a groin injury, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial. Unless he had a valid reason, I think this was a lack of professionalism from Laraque who probably should have taken better care of his groin through core exercises, and even yoga (it may look "gay", but it does wonders). Good thing too that the guy missed the annual gold tournament this summer to not interrupt his "training", otherwise he would have showed up at 295 pounds
  22. At some point Carbonneau will need to learn to cut his bench a little, especially when we're looking for a goal to tie the game. There were moments last night where you could see that Andrei Kostsitsyn was on the verge of breaking out, and making a difference in the game. I think a head coach needs to identity those moments, and increase that player's ice time accordingly so that he can keep his momentum going, and get that extra goal. AK46 should have played a lot more than 14 minutes last night (even if you factor his major penalty, he would have hardly played 15 minutes). As for Kovalev, this is the same Kovalev we see every single game, he was only "invisible" because his individual plays did not lead to any goal. At some point in the 3rd he used Boston's defenseman to take a decent shot, which was blocked by Thomas; had he scored on that play, we'd be talking about a fairly good game from Kovalev. Otherwise it was a strong coaching display and a great execution from the Bruins, who reverted back to a safe and simple game because of their injuries. Unlike the Canadiens they don't have much NHL-ready depth at the minor league level (although I don't understand why Sobotka was sent back to the minors, I really like that kid), and they were stuck with Axelsson on the Savard line, and basically two 4th lines. Yet they managed to keep the Canadiens in check for most of the game, and gave up few genuine scoring opportunities.
  23. He shoudn't be a deal breaker for acquiring a player like Lecavalier, but I agree that it would leave a void to fill. Hopefully O'Byrne could come back strong, and play at least like he did last season, otherwise we could probably either make a minor deal, or sign a Danny Markov-type player to replace him this season.
  24. That was a horrible deal from Boston, that's not exactly the standard for acquiring a franchise player. In this rumour, Montreal is not giving up any core player. Plekanec is a fairly good two-way centre, but nothing more. Higgins has had no impact on the team this season, or even last year. Gorges would be the hardest one to replace, but he's nothing more than he very reliable depth defenseman. What could make this pill a little hard to swallow is what could happen with PK Subban and those 1st rounder. However although extremely likable, Subban most likely won't become a stud defenseman, and at best a very good offensive specialist. He could also be a career AHLer. Besides we have a lot of depth at that position to compensate his loss. As for the draft picks, we're talking about two late 1st round picks, none of which are likely to equal Vincent Lecavalier. Giving up a few nice players for a huge building block is a GM's dream. As for the cap issues, they're only for this season. Otherwise Lecavalier will have a cap hit of ~7.7 millions, which is under market value, and roughly the equivalent of the combined salaries of Saku Koivu, Mathieu Dandeneault, and Francis Bouillon, therefore something relatively easy to manage. I was only talking about this season, personally I don't think I would resign Tanguay as he's pretty much what I expected: a skilled support player for better offensive leaders who's a bit on the soft side. I think we have enough of those skilled wingers, what we need are the offensive leaders that will carry them (ex. Lecavalier, Kovalev from last season, or the pre-lockout Koivu). The only signed player we have with the potential to carry a line is Andrei Kostsitsyn, and he's not there yet.
  25. The Coyotes had 4 weeks to come to terms with Wheeler once he sent his 30-day notice that he would forego his senior year in college. They offered the maximum for an entry-level contract, but he rejected it, instead exercising his right to become a UFA. I believe the Coyotes were compensated by the league with an additional 2nd round pick.
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