InsaneHABSfan

1. Kovalev- Yup! Give him a Centre! 2. Koivu- Fearless after the puck, hard skater, will finish a check, can score, excellent character. 3. Markov- sometimes does not look good defensively, but is a fabulous threat. 4. Higgins- NEVER TRADE THIS GUY! 5. Komisarek- This guy can just crush people. Hey Tucker, "Who's your daddy?" FREE AGENTS: 1. David Legwand- Would be a nice fit with Kovalev as he is offensively gifted, knows defense too! 2. Wade Redden- Would be the ultimate signing for the Habs. 3. Ed Jovanouski- Mean, Point man for power play, big, creative...... 4. Andy McDonald- 85 points with the ducks. Very elusive and gifted. 165 points in 276 games. 5. Brad Isbister- his size would give us someone to stand in front of the net and would not be too costly. Just give me Legwand on the Habs and I will be extremely overjoyed. You just have to watch this guy play. I do not envy Bob Gainey as there are many good players to chose from. Just get the young talented guys and let the Leafs sign the old Ontario boys so they can retire.

Avalanche in the west, Canadiens in the East. Life is good when both teams go far in the playoffs. This year was just not to be

I hope you are not eating a dozen donuts in one game!

I see the honorable President Bush and his Misinformation campaign works well in Canada. American's don't buy that crap, they are an intelligent community. The commercials on TV are State propaganda to try and brain wash the world there are no problems(Clean burning coal plants). Various areas of the US contribute >60% of Ontario's Smog from such sources as their Coal Burning plants. Canadian's love our little gas efficient cars while American's love the Hummer. Again, how is this better environmentally? I agree, Canada is a horrible contributor to greener pastures brought forth by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Both only care about corporate tax cuts and business incentives and have always paid lip service to the environment. Alberta is gearing up to become a huge polluting Province as they increase the oil output for the USA. (Hmmm, technically is this our pollution?) Kyoto is a joke because you can buy emission credits from say Sweden. How does this help the world and our conquest of planet cleanup?

marky_and_komi Happy Belated Birthday!!! WooHoo hopefully it was a fun day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I think I detect some hostility towards either the AVS or Theo.

Some Excellent arguements here. I too think Plekanec and Higgins are going to be a much larger part of Montreal moving forward than importing a free agent. Perezhogin is FAST and needs to be on the second line with Kovalev. (Plek at Centre?) Latendresse should not be brought up to the big club to stay unless he can get ice time. Too often promising guys are brought up and just sit. He has to play! Aebischer has value, is a very good goalie, but is not championship calibre. I watched him in a Colorado (NHL Center Ice) many times having a Tough night where he could not stop a beach ball. Too much inconsistancy in my opinion. Where he has value is to a club Desperate for goaltending or need of a Veteran goalie that has some skills they can work around. A very defensive club would do well with him as there would not be too much pressure for him to make 50 saves a night.

I was not overly excited about that signing. I was in SHOCK when the AVS got that excellent defensive liablility that got booed in Montreal. What is up with that?

RobRock I have to agree whole heartedly with what you said in the above paragraph. I noticed that Koivu really started playing better with Higgins on his line. These two guys really generate opportunities for the line and Ryder was able to blend in with them. It is not a big line however they do provide scoring chances. With a full season next year I expect this line to do better. Montreal has to get 4 lines to roll over every game. The teams that are in the 1/4 finals use depth instead of having 3 or 4 superstars. I keep reading on this web site how great Joe Thorton is. If you want a true champion Centre, it is Joe Sakic! Thorton chokes in the playoffs, Sakic is on a different level. Plus who is Thortons Daddy? The Habs. Montreal has youth to replace Ribero so he should be cut loose or traded for a pick. Time to let go as this guy gives nothing to the team. I expect the Montreal coaching staff to keep the Koivu line together and to create at least a second and third line to compliment the first. Exciting times for Habs fans as there is a future.

Very nicely said! I think many here (including me) had the wrong perception of Bonks abilities when traded to Montreal. Montreal's experiment with Bonk was to have a BIG centre to take on other teams BIG centre defensively (I thought he was going to be a scorer). He was not acquired to put up 100 points. You have to seriously ask yourself how he could perform this feat considering Montreal did not even have an 80point player this year. If you just forget Bonk's salary, then expectations would not be so high. I too understand that it sometimes looks like he is a big useless log on the ice. Watching him in the corners with one or two guys on him frees up another player in front of the net. Maybe this year he will be a little better offensively if Montreal sets up 3 good offensive lines. I was dissapointed in Koivu too, but he is the captain and a fearless leader which makes me want to watch him play. No player is perfect, they just have to work hard and there will be rewards in the playoffs.

Not sure how accurate it is, but I use http://www.hockeytraderumors.com/article-6004--0-0.html to look at who is available to sign. Which is why I had brought up David Legwand at one time as he is a UFA which means the Habs can keep the youth intact. I think the days of over paying a superstar are over as some guys will sign with a club that can win. This is why Kovalev signed with Montreal, he likes the city and the team. there will always be teams that pay top $$$ and Kovalev is a little high on the pay scale but he does try. I hope Montreal just goes after younger free agents to gell with this team. Some older guys just want to do things their own way which will not help the ultimate goal. Ooops, almost forgot. KUDOS to all the memebers of this board for not voting for that Leaf defenceman with liabilities at playing defence. A very offensively gifted gentleman but the Habs sure made him look silly skating around him this year. In Toronto they are crying that he is not signed. I also want them to sign him, then I know Montreal will score in every contest against the Leafs this year. (Every little bit helps)

I read he had 4 goals and 4 assists in the European Champions Cup in 3 games. Source: http://www.eurohockey.net/players/show_pla...gi?serial=44685

Any Colorado fan knows the problems with Forsberg and injuries. He could be the greatest money player in the game if he is healthy. When he did not sign in Colorado it was a good and bad day because of the injury question mark. I think Clarke was expecting a full season but obtained a worn out unhealthy player. Clarke rolled the dice and lost. We will see what happens in the 06/07 season with Philly but they will be without Forsberg again until January 2007. That is a tough pill to swallow if you follow the Flyers.

You sir know how to shop for a great bargain. I cannot remember what I paid for me and 3 friends at a Leaf game but the beer was outragous. Think it was $8.50??? each or something like that, just cannot remember and did not care at the time. No wonder the Leafs have so much money, I helped pay Sundin's salary. Bad Habs fan I am!

CerebusClone I both agree and disagree with you. I agree 100% that Philly is a competetive team year after year. Where I disagree is his admiration for BIG slow players and not going after a premier goalie. If Clarke does not go after Biron or one of the better goalies then he again has defeated the purpose of his Forsberg transaction which is to win now. This year the biggest problems was injuries I have to give him that. But he did it with old guys that get injured and some of the young guys followed suit. Philly just does not even scare me any longer as I know Montreal can score on them. If they get a goalie, they will be better but Forsberg will be out until January 2007. Not good for them next year.

You make an interesting observation about Chipchura and Lapierre. Would it not be funny if Bonk and Zed were eventually demoted to Hamilton to be replaced by the two younger players? Chipchura may not be the fastest guy in the world but he is a winner with a winning attitude. If he starts out in Hamilton I will have to go see him play in a Bulldogs uniform.

I have to agree. He is worse than trader Phil was in Tampa. All the changes he makes and never to goaltending leaves the team weak in the playoffs. Plus he is just nasty like he was with Roger Neilson.

Is it too early for Montreal to go for a top $$$ forward thinking the cup is in sight? There are many young guys on the team that need to season one more year. Sure I would love to see him on Montreal but he is going to get top dollar for his skills. I don't count out the Rangers or some of the western teams that may show him the money. Montreal has a hole at centre and defense. All the cap room on one offensive player would not cut it unless they could part out players that have no future with the team. I'm thinking more on the line of Defense for the Habs instead of an allstar like Elias. (Edited me bad grammar)

I too got a little sick of this when Williams clipped Koivu, no penalty then next game clipped Markov, no penalty. He did manage to clip another player (Ribero?) with no penalty. I do not think the referees are watching high sticking as much, but I do remember a Montreal Defenseman getting 4 minutes for a high stick in the same game of two missed calls. It used to work out even in games with makeup calls, but this year YIKES!

Maurice will be a good fit for Toronto as he knows the organization and a few of the players. The only bad thing is Toronto fans think they are going to go shopping and get Elias, Blake, Sakic and all the good free agents out there. Unfortunately, anyone wanting to win will be staying away from Toronto unless they are ready to retire. Look for them to resign Lindros and a couple of useless Tire Domi type players. (They will never learn) They may get Anson Carter as they have some cap room and he likes the Leafs. Their young talent is actually not bad, however I expect an 82 game schedule of the "Sundin Winger shuffling the chair syndrome". There is just nobody of any stature to play on his wing on that team; yet the T-dot media will call them contenders again. Maurice will get the most of his young guys but it will prove in vain as they will miss the playoffs once again, and have a slightly better draft pick than the Habs.

I liked U2 at one time and played many of their songs on Bass Guitar when musician friends got together. I find myself withdrawn from the band due to listening too much to them and BONO trying to get his hand in our tax dollar pockets. If I were a mean spirited person I would dislike the man, however he is fightin a good fight and I wish him luck in getting charity money from the Harper Gang that rules the roost in Ottawa.

I don't watch soccer, but this is a good idea for hoops. You guys are right about overtime in hockey. I cannot think of a sport that is more exciting then the NHL in Overtime.

I think by my I.D. here you notice I too enjoy watching that Skilled team in Colorado. I lked Jose in Montreal and now look forward to him having some very good years in the AVS net.

Yup, every year the Leafs are a contender. But it is all in good fun to get the interest high and the advertising revenue flowing. We know the truth and the truth is Montreal is better.... hehehehe I sound like a kid in the playyard, Ya my brother is bigger than yours.