Sir_Boagalott

Bob: Do you want to be packaged with Plex? Gui: No, I'll take the 800K

I clearly didnt state that Tangs is garbage, but the fact remains that Tangs was out on the Flames curb for pickup and Bob paid a hefty price to be able to remove him from the Flames curb. Ditto for Gomez but at least the Habs are already reaping long term benefits of that pickup. Even if Tangs had played the entire season and got 80 pts a 1st and 2nd rnd pick was still a high price to pay to do the Flames a favor by removing 5+ mil of cap space on a player the Flames were highly dissatisfied with.

D'oh. I knew Kosto was gone, but still I dont like seeing exHabs end up like that. I must admit that this new trend sucks, the majority of the recent exHabs seem to have flocked to teams the Habs hate. I wonder whats up with that. Begin signing in Boston still irks me.

I said back on the day Bob traded for Tangs that he over paid for him. If you want to slam Bob I guess you could argue that he over pays for the privilege of being a garbage disposal service to remove other teams garbage players. I'm not trying to say Tangs or Gomez are garbage, but they were unwanted waste that their teams desperately wanted to dump and Bob paid high premiums to be able to pick them up and did their previous teams a huge favor in doing so. This seems to be the price of drafting BPA. The only way to get players that you really want for cheap is to draft them yourself. Lang could still potentially come back but he would have to accept a low figure incentive contract and Bob would have to trade somebody, probably Plex. Depending on what Plex is awarded or agrees to will most likely determine if he stays or goes so there could be some changes still to come.

Thx for the compliment. I understand your concern regarding his assists. Remember one of my primary complaints from the last 2 seasons that I kept bitching aboot last year? The Habs waste so many odd man rushes by racing to the goal line. Its not a race. I swear Laps read my 1 post in one of those games I bitched aboot this because the next time he was in that position in that game what did he do? Exactly what I wanted him to do: He came to a complete stop. I was so proud of him. When you have the puck and go over the blue line at a 100MPH on an odd man rush and you stop the dmen will do 1 of 2 things: skate right by their assignments, or come to complete stop. Either of these things is highly beneficial for the offensive team because the other teams dmen will either now be out of position to check the players they are on. or be caught flat footed and your wingers are still going at full speed, generally right around them with ease. Believe me when I say that Laps has completely figured this out. The only reason why Laps didnt have more assists was because of some of the wingers he played with who werent smart enough to know what to do when Laps stops abruptly. Kosto a bunch of times would stop too, and thats the last thing the winger should do when his C stops on the rush. Laps would have way better and more offensively minded/gifted guys on his wings if he was 2nd line C. Watch next year and specifically watch the new Habs forwards, I bet all the new 1st and 2nd line forwards understand this. The race is to get the puck over their blue line, not get the puck to their goal line. i.e. watch Gomez race over blue line, then actually stop or slow down and stay in the high slot while his wingers + possibly 1 dmen keep racing in.

I think the fans who dislike the high numbers is because now even the players dogs have high numbers. Back in the good ole days only super stars had numbers over 30 and now every nobody seems to have a high number. You used to be able to see a high number and know that player was really good or they wouldnt have such a high number. Everybody knows who used these numbers: 99, 91, 88, 77, 68, 66, etc. Also like one person said about Spacek picking 6 as being a good dmans number. That no longer seems to apply which would also frustrate hockey purists. Back in the day you could tell what position a player was just by his number and that time is long gone now because of all 40+ numbers in use. Theres not many teams like the Habs that have so many retired numbers that the majority of teams couldnt have all their numbers below 30 or at least under 40. I'm pretty sure even the Habs could get under 40. However now all the teams seem to have numerous guys in the 50-90's for no apparent reason. Personally i dont really care either way, but it would probably be better and easier for the average fan if they tried to keep the higher numbers reserved for the more elite players and the lower ones to specific positions for regular players.

What a lot of you seem to be confused over is the fact that most enforcers whose job it is to fight are afraid to engage BGL. Just because there isnt a fight doesnt mean that BGL isnt a deterrent - thats the reason there isnt a fight because BGL sure is hell of a deterrent. Most players in the NHL are probably self conscious of hitting players from behind or running a goalie that happens to be a BGL teammate because they are afraid to fight him. On multiple occasions when the other team were pushing around the Habs net last year I was able to read their lips when BGL skates over and it was always an almost identical thing said: "no f'n way". Sure there was no fight but the pushing ceased and desisted instantly and these players vacated the area ASAP when BGL came by. The tough guys are only interested in aggression against Markov, Gorges, etc. They know BGL would destroy them. Personally I beleive that Carbo's biggest mistake was not knowing how or when to use BGL. Carbo seemed to decide to sit BGL if the other team didnt have a large enough guy or enforcer. The Habs season was ruined in 1 game in which BGL sat out. It seemed to me that the other teams were completely aware of BGL absence. I swear when the opening face offs happened the other teams would look around and be like "oh BGL isnt in this game, your not so tough now are ya" and they'd get their shots in while they could. Sure with some of changes the Habs have gotten tougher. However the Habs still have quite a few players with some size that are incapable of winning fights on a regular basis. If BGL is used as a punching bag maybe this can be improved upon. I'm sure BGL could teach a bunch of them handy tips, like how to jockey positioning, whats a dominant stance/position, & how to maintain one, how to punch, pin their arm, free yours, etc. i.e. Gorges was dummied by Burgeron, Gui maybe big, but he punches more like a girl than a 220+ lbs man, Laps seems to workout and get bigger every off season and I dont recall seeing Laps get in a real fight but if he keeps getting closer to Moens size than he should learn how to.

I think its funny how lots of people think Bob should have resigned Tangs to a big long term deal. Tangs quick recap of last year: was good almost pt/game, massive shoulder injury, returns, shoulder injury Does signing somebody who had 2 shoulder injuries on the same shoulder to a high amount long term deal make any sense? Signing Tangs is not without risk but so many suggest signing him like its a smart thing to do and that Bobs dumb for not taking on the risk.

Have you thought aboot the reverse effect of this though? i.e. If you trade away all of your soon to be UFAs every year do you really think that would impress potential UFAs and encourage them to sign with Montreal? to only be shipped out of town when their contracts are nearing an end when they too are soon to be UFAs? If Bob had traded Souray, Striet, Kovy, etc do you think Cammy, Gionty, Spacey, Gill etc would have signed here? Probably not because they would be thinking "gee, do I really want to risk uprooting my family when the Habs ship me somewhere else in which I have no control over in the final year of my contract". Also hindsight is a funny thing. If Bob had actually traded the soon to be UFAs that most people argue should have been shipped most of them would now be bitching that the Habs would have won the cup if only Bob hadnt traded away Souray, Striet, etc. However we all know that with them the Habs didnt win the Cup but if they were traded that would for sure be the reason why they didnt win.

Actually if last year was any indication that statement isnt entirely correct. Every game BGL played in the other teams werent as physical against the Habs. However in most games that BGL was in the pressbox the other teams physicality was highly increased because there was no BGL threat with him sitting in the pressbox. I can recall several games where the Habs were getting knocked around big time and every 1 of these games BGL was in the pressbox. I remember 1 game specifically where TB played way above their size and were taking runs at random at Habs players and the Habs had no response for it because TB knew BGL wasnt in the game. You are right that BGL wont be needed every game to fight, but he truly has zero effect if he isnt even on the bench. If theres absolutely no possibility of BGL coming on the ice the next shit then he is no deterrent. BGL needs a roster spot in every game to be effective. If Martin chooses to send him out on the ice every game is a different matter. Martin always needs to have the BGL option available so if a player hurts a Habs player in any game BGL is always close by and can do something aboot it.

Oh I know. I'm not suggesting Moen starting anything with Komi. I'm specifically talking about when Komi goes into the corner and does his usual tough guy pushing thing. After a few shoves by Komi I bet Moen will probably respond with real punches and if he catches Komi with 2 or 3 Komi will drop. Moen is Neils size and Komi is afraid of engaging Neil big time. Sure Moen isnt as good of fighter as Neil but either way Komi is afraid of being punched by guys that he doesnt have 30+ lbs on and he only has 25 lbs on Neil and Moen. Komi will only shove guys within 30 lbs of him, and then only up to point and then back away before they can retaliate with fisticuffs. The sad truth is even in most of Komi's fights with guys he does have 30+ lbs on he still doesnt like to engage in punches and will just wrastle the guy to the ground when they start to punch him. Sure Komi has man handled some players in fights and pushed them around like rag dolls but they are all a lot closer to 6' 200 lbs. Komi doesnt seem to have the leverage or strength to do that to guys who are 6'2+ 215+ lbs. Most 6'2 215 lbs guys are probably aboot the same strength as Komi although Komi weighs a lot more, Komi is just has a larger frame with thicker waist. It would be interesting to find out what they bench press, etc because I bet its basically the same amounts and reps.

thx!! Colin knows whats on the floors of the showers in the NCAA. (posted just to make Trizzak happy)

Its a shame about Plex. I do like him but Plex seems to be like Higgins in several regards. Both have a lot of potential but neither seem to be able to reach their potential even when given more responsibility and they both lack consistency. Both tend to have great hot streaks in between prolonged slumps. Personally I dont really see the need for Plex any more. Everybody is saying we need another centre, and by my count thats not entirely true. Laps has way more offensive prowess than most of you think. I wouldnt mind seeing Laps replace Plex on the 2nd line and let Chips and Metro fight it out for 3rd and 4th. After all Laps is the Habs largest C and you can tell by looking at Laps that he has been working out during the off seasons to get bigger and stronger. Every year Laps has out done his last seasons best and I think if he is promoted to 2nd C that this wouldnt change. Laps would adapt yet again and flourish in his 3rd different assignment/role in 3 years. Laps 1st year he was the agitator, 2nd year he was 3rd line C shut down defensive guy. and year 3 he could be the 2nd line C leading the 2nd line of attack. Laps is blazing fast too and he does have a nose for the net, and if you gave him an offensive 1st assignment I am sure you would see other teams routinely tripping, hooking, and holding him. The PP alone that Laps could generate being 2nd C IMO would make him a better choice for 2nd C than Plex. If Plex does agree to reasonable contract terms I wouldnt ship him out immediately but I would still consider swapping Plex's usual role with Laps.

Ya, know nothing me said that BGL should be used in front of the net during the regular season and almost evrybody here laughed and said what a dumb idea that would be. Then in the playoffs Bob started playing BGL in front of the net and was a genius. Unfortunately it wasnt quite genius though because BGL had never done that before so he didnt know what to do. Learning on the fly in the playoffs probably isnt the best idea. I hope Martin does another BGL suggestion I had and gets BGL to push all his teamates around hardcore in practices to the point they snap and retaliate against him. Most of the Habs need to learn how to fight and BGL would make an excellent fight coach/punching bag for them to learn how.

I know and fully understand what you are saying. However look at Bob though and his career. Bob is a nice guy who has a lot of class. Signing guys who want to play for you for cheap only to turn around and send them packing is a classless thing to do. Understand now why Bob isnt into it? When your team is playoff bound it is also classless to trade away some of your top players just because they could potentially leave as free agents in the off season. At some point a team needs to try to get as far as possible and that wont happen if your liquidating your top assets at the trade deadline because they might walk. SUre Souray and Stiret walked for nothing, but had Bob traded them at the deadlines I'm pretty sure more poeple would be even more pissed off if the Habs failed to make the playoffs those years because of it. I also agree that not doing contract negotiations during the season is a bad move but even that makes more hockey sense than wasting 50% of draft picks on drafting NCAA guys who are off to college for 4+ years and then still need at least 1 year in the AHL.

I highly doubt that. Mara doesnt through punches like a girl, and I dont beleive that he routinely takes himself out of a play to make 1/2 a hit along the boards either. I wonder if Habsfan and the others will still miss Komi when he tries pushing Moen around and Moen knuckles him senseless. After all Moen is over 210 lbs so he is within Komi scared threshold.

For 6 mil/year Sakic can keep sabotaging the Avs cap. I lost a lot of respect for Sakiq last year for signing for so much at his age on a team that he loves playing for. Yes, I totally agree. Its a recipe for either of the Habs new wingers to get Tangd up in the corners again. I wasnt surprised at all when Tangs got injured yet most people here thought I must be psychic for seeing something like that happening over the course of an 82 game schedule to a small guy on a line with 2 players who rarely go into the corners so Tangs had to. Speed and skill always wins over slower lesser talented guys every time. Heres proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA8IkwnmvjA

Yep, there was a disagreement with the Sens and the Habs poached him before Frank Jay and the Sens could reconcile their differences. Now all the Habs have to do is fire Timmins and let Jay have the reigns. Timmins and his tunnel vision regarding drafting so many NCAA picks out of the Tri-State area isnt working out. Timmins NCAA love affair needs to stop ASAP or the Habs wont draft anybody who will be able to play before Gomez, Gionta, and Cammalleri's contracts are up.

This is a huge problem though and I had heard several months ago that the NHL would be looking into it after the Wings resigned Franzen to yet another one of these contracts. The Wings have to be the biggest exploiter of the cap rules. The NHL needs to get smarter and treat this like the government does when somebody buys a car for $1. When you a buy a car for $1 and the tax is 15% you dont pay 15 cents tax. You pay the tax on the cars real value. The Wings truly are circumventing the CBA rules by signing players to way under valued contracts for crazy long contract lengths. While it is true that this will eventually bite them in the ass near the end of these contracts but in the mean time how many times will they get to the Cup finals when they are icing a 80 mil team for 55 mil? Hard to beleive they've been to the Cup finals twice in the last 2 years. For the next 5-8 years the Wings will be icing a team that is worth around 30 mil above and beyond what the cap limit allows. There needs to be a black book with values for what the players are actually worth and the cap should be based on those valued instead and not based on contracts of players who agree to be under paid for 20 years so it circumvents the cap rules.

I think Koivu will end up with the Sabers. That would be most fitting and would lead to the most interesting division rivalries ever. Kovy just signed with the Sens, so if Koivu joins the Sabers there will be an ex Habs on every division rival.

The one person who Martin has worked with in the past that would definitely excite me is Frank Jay. C'mon Martin get'er done!! The Habs really need to start drafting non NCAA players in the high rounds who might actually be in a Habs jersey before the new big 3 contracts are up. Wouldnt that be nice for a change.

This is reminiscent of Ryder. I'm starting to get a bad feeling that Bob isnt trying to get them to buy into a long term team concept like the Wings have. i.e. push camaraderie and convince the players to stay together and sign for less and remain a highly competitive team for a prolonged time. It seems like the majority of them are me 1st and the gimmie gimmies. All I can say is that I seriously hope Bob is still perusing Kovy. I know there isnt enough cap space but thats the point. Bob needs to sign Kovy right now for cheap using cap space as the excuse as to why he cant give Kovy a big contract. After Kovy signs trade Plex and possibly even the Kosty bro's too. I imagine they will be troublesome to sign and keep not to mention the company they keep. The cleaning house sweepstakes should continue until all the problems and uselessness is removed. Sure Kovy has spats of uselessness but he can and does show up big time when he wants to and he generally always puts up points in the playoffs. Plex on the other hand is only shows up on the game sheet in most playoff games. I'm bummed Higgs was traded because he actually gets points in the playoffs. I hope Bob tried to send Plex packing 1st.

What pissed me off the most aboot that interview was when he says he left a hockey hotbed for hockey's Mecca. :puke: Just cuz Laff fans cheer for shit year after year doesnt make it Mecca. Mecca is a holy place and the curators of it arent allowed to constantly piss in the holy water. I bet he will tough guy push people 1/2 as much too. scared shitless of Lucic - check scared shitless of Neal - check scared shitless of Peters - check scared shitless of Laraque - check Now there is somebody he is terrified of on every team in his division. I will miss all the ex Habs except Komi. IMO Habs fans have been over rating him for years. Now all the Habs fans will get to see him with an unbiased home team view and I'm sure most will be shocked at what they see.

I dont think thats an expectation but a wishful thinking prediction. All the numbers are high. I've been saying for 2 years now that the AK's shouldnt play together and apparently my wish has come true. Only I didnt necessarily want Kovy gone. Now that Kovy is gone A Kosts should highly increase his goal totals. Kovy was really holding A Kosts back offensively because A Kosts a lot of times would pass to Kovy instead of scoring himself. Although I do think A Kosts could possibly get 50 G in a season I dont think it will be next year and it would probably be a career high year for him if he does ever does get 50. I could easily see him getting 30+ regularly and around 40+ when he has a great year. Martin needs to start getting him to shoot more, especially 1 timers. I swear he never practiced 1 timers at all last year even when Carbo had him on the point on the PP. It seriously looked ridiculous, and it shouldnt have because he has a sweet shot. If A Kosts is put in more situations where he has to shoot it will cause more goals. A Kosts has 1 of the best shots on the Habs, with or without Kovy. Kovy shot is more accurate, but A Kosts release I think is faster.

Doh, so they wont be tossing deep fried squid on the ice anytime soon?