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REV-G

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Everything posted by REV-G

  1. For the money he's making and the production he's giving us Scott Gomez's contract has to be one of the worst in sports right now. I like the guy but for what we're paying him and what he's producing we could do a lot of things if his money, cap hit, was available to us. We could improve our team in very significant ways. So my question is, barring a trade which I can't see any team willing or wanting to do, do you think at any point during the season we would consider sending him to Hamilton and use the available money to bring in another center? In my mind the positives are obvious, but there are some definite negatives. How much would we hurt our reputation and would that make it more difficult for us to sign free agents? Also how much does it affect the rest of our players, team moral and the dressing room? However I think both Sheldon Sourey and Wade Reddon are two veteran players among others this year sent to the AHL by their teams so it's not like other teams aren't doing it. So would we consider it, would it be the right thing to do in the long run, and how long do we wait before we consider it?
  2. I think we're seen enough so far to conclude that we again have good potential this year. Whether we can keep winning at this pace remains to be seen. But I think we can see we have the potential to have another great run this year. We understand that hindsight has 20/20 vision, but I think our success so far has a lot to do with key decisions that were made this summer and even before that, where just as easily the opposite decision could have been made. Those decisions are now paying big dividends. There are many but here are what I think are 4 key decisions that have greatly affected our success and will continue to help us well into the future. 1. The decision to take a chance and keep Carey Price. So far he has to be the hottest goalie in the league. A league 1st star last week and as many shutouts in 13 games this year [4] as he had in the previous 3 seasons. He obviously is a major key as to why we're winning. Great choice. 2. Signing Thomas Plekanec and not letting him get away. An offensive threat and a great defensive player, he's dangerous whenever he's on the ice and he makes the players around him better. Can you imagine if we had made the decision not to resign him and instead let him go. He contributing a lot and he means so much to us I can't imagine seeing him playing for someone else. Another great decision. 3. Our defense. We seem to have a solid group of defenseman who are working well together. It's a good combination of youth and experience, young guys are playing but also being mentored and they're all getting the job done. Carey Price is right in giving them a share of the credit for his 4 shutouts so far. I hate to say this, because I really like the guy as a human being, but I'm actually glad at this point that we don't have Mike Komisarek on our team. Seeing him play last year and this I'm actually surprised at his poor play. Has he digressed or has he always been this weak? Maybe playing for Toronto has hurt him, and not having Markov. 4. Jacques Martin's coaches and system. At the beginning of this year I questioned whether our goalie coach was trying to change Price's style and I suggested this could be part of the problem. I think that question has been answered. While our PP has struggled it is picking up and I think we're #1 on the PK. And Martin's system must be working as we seem to have a good plan and we're executing it well. So I think we have to give Gauthier and his team credit. They made some key decisions which have turned out to excellent so far. I'd like to hear if you think there are any other major reasons why we're doing so well this far.
  3. It's only 4 games into the season but if sports writers can begin making observations, so can we. So, early in the season, here are a couple of simple observations. First, ever since the Halak trade everyone has been talking about how our success this season is going to have a lot to do with how Carey Price plays. If he had played poorly this far you can be sure everyone would be talking about it. But I've been pleased by what I've seen in Carey Price. To me he looks very solid, a few times even spectacular. He seems to be playing excellent positional hockey which is putting him in the right place to make the next save. He also appears to be very quick. Again I know it's early but I've noticed he's playing more at the top of his crease and challenging shooters and not getting caught deep in his net as much as I remember he did last season. So for the first two weeks, I think we should be encouraged by what we see in Carey Price. Second, a concern that is evolving is our lack of scoring. It's going to be hard to win a lot of games scoring just 2 or 3 per game. And along with that comes the lack of success on our power play. I wonder if keeping Bergeron would have been a good idea, if even for the pp. Missing Markov and not having MAB seems to be one of the keys in having such a poor pp right now. So it will be interesting to see if these early season observations continue or if they begin to change. Still too early to tell, but we've waited all summer!
  4. I'm not sure if this is a legitimate question or not but I thought I'd throw it out there to chew on something other than turkey this Thanksgiving Monday. I'm wondering about Carey Price's goaltending style. I may be wrong on this but I seem to remember that when I watched Carey at the World Junior Championships win gold I seem to recollect that he was more of a stand up goalie. I've noticed now, and I heard at least one hockey analyst observe after the opening night loss to Toronto that Price was going down early. I like Carey Price and I hope he does well. He played really well against Pittsburgh in their second game and I guess if he has a great season this question is unnecessary. But I wonder if they have tried to change his style. I thought Halak stood up a little more and a little longer than Price last year, and I wondered then if going down too soon and too often was a problem, although that's just a fan's observation and I could be wrong. I think I've noticed that there are too many times when he goes down early and just tries to block most of the net and hope the puck hits him. Obviously if he's being screened he has no other choice, but I'm not talking about those times. I can't remember at exactly what point Montreal changed their goalie coach and brought in Pierre Groulx, but I wonder if this has contributed to any of Carey's struggles. So the question is, has Carey Price's style been changed and if so has this helped or hurt him?
  5. I haven't followed the AHL very closely but from all that I read I thought that Cedrick Desjardins was a great find, a young goaltending prospect who did really well in the AHL last year and maybe could have seen some NHL action this year if Auld faltered. I think he won the memorial cup with the Remparts and a championship with the ECHL, and they trade him for a 24 year old Russian still under contract who didn't do all that great in either the NHL or AHL! Did they move him because they thought he could never make it in the NHL or is there someone they had to make room for? Puzzling to me.
  6. I don't know about you but I think it's time someone like Brian Gionta or one of the coaches took Maxim Lapierre aside and explained to him how a pro athlete should act. I think the faces he makes at other players is absolutely childish and he looks ridiculous and it reflects on the whole team. When he does that I'm embarressed for the other players sitting with him. I like Lapierre and the way he has played during these play-offs but please, would someone go to him and tell him to grow up. Can you even imagine someone his age acting that way, and on national TV? And can you imagine former players like Beliveau, the Richards, Lafleur, Robinson and most other current NHL players seeing it, or them ever acting that way. I know Lapierre's role is to be an agitator and a pesk and get under other people's skin, but do it with hard work, hitting, winning the battles for the puck, not acting like a six year old making faces and mocking people. Lapierre should make other players respect him because of his work hard, hitting and winning the battles. I'm sure other teams don't like him or respect him as a person not just because he's on the other team and is an agitator. But because of the ridiculous way he acts as a person. It's time for him to change and give it up!
  7. One of the sports writers wrote this week that if the Montreal Canadiens played all season like they have in the play-offs they'd all be in traction by now, or something like that. The idea was that you couldn't play every game all season long the way they have been playing in the play-offs, and I think they're right. My son and I were watching one of the games against Pittsburgh and he said to me, "I love play-off hockey, it's so much better than the regular season". And he's right. So should that be how teams build now, mainly for the play-offs. Other than making the play-offs is the regular season very important any more? Over the past week or two I've heard a few players say that all you have to do is get invited to the dance, make the play-offs, then anything can happen. What the Canadiens did in the regular season and how they made the play-offs this year is, at this point, forgettable and unimportant. Many said our smallish players couldn't make it through a regular season and then do well in the play-offs, they'd never be able to stand up against all the physical play. And so as of today, our smallish players have knocked off the top team in the east followed by the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, and are now in the final four out of 30 teams. So much for that theory. When Bob Gainey hand picked this team last summer, was he just lucky or did he pick character players, with talent, who could come together at the right time and do some serious damage in the play-offs, as we've now done? Hal Gill was a good defenceman during the regular season, in my opinion, not outstanding. But after winning the cup last year Pittsburge let him go, we picked him up, and he's been a monster the entire play-offs for us and Pittsburgh likely would have done better with him. Built for the play-offs?? Because of what's happened in the play-offs this year, I'm beginning to wonder if we're right in making our goal to finish first in the regular season. Maybe we shouldn't kill ourselves to try to finish first, but have our main goal to make the play-offs and then go for the gold. I've never really thought about this before, but is it possible to build a team that is geared mainly for the play-offs? Have we unintentionally done this, or is it simply that we're coming together at the right time. We've still had key injuries, but we're still winning. For me, I think our team this year has changed my view of the regular seaon. As long as we're in the play-offs I'm not going to be very concerned about being in 1st. Our goal should be to have a solid hardworking team, with talent, so that when we hit the play-offs we can have years like this one. It's been so much fun! The best in many years. Way to go Bob!
  8. I don't know about you, but for me, watching our team in these playoffs has been the most fun since our last Stanley Cup. It's like the old Montreal Canadiens pride has returned. No matter how this series goes, I have been entertained and have been so impressed with how they have battled, fought, blocked shots and never given up. It has been so much fun to watch. The younger guys, including Halak and P.K., are getting incredible playoff experience, and the older guys are battling and leading the way and it seems like everyone on the ice is giving everything they have. The shot blocking has been amazing, their refusal to give up on the battles for the puck has been non-stop and overall our team should be making everyone proud. What incredible character and team-first attitude they have all shown. From the coaching, to the goaltending, to the defence, to the forwards, to the special teams, they all seem to have made the decision to go forward with a never give up attitude. I know it's still early in this series, but our guys have battled and fought and already knocked off the best team in the league and I think, for where they finished in the standings, and now without Markov, they deserve all the credit. I am again very proud of our Montreal Canadiens!
  9. But Latendresse had played on top lines in Montreal and had important roles at times, skated on the same size ice surface, played against the same teams and goalies but as soon as he arrives on a different team, he blossoms almost immediately! I can understand Pouliot better bacause as you pointed out, he played in a very defensive system and couldn't be free to do his thing. But it seems different with Latendresse. Something's strange!
  10. I don't have the answer to this question because I don't follow teams like Minnesota very closely. So I'm asking, how in the world has Guillaume Latendresse done so well after he was traded from his native province, where you'd think he had lots of motivation to play well and look good in front of family and friends? My guess is that he probably grew up dreaming of playing for Montreal, so what happened? Before the trade he played 23 games for Montreal and had 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points. Since the trade he's played 47 games with Minnesota and has 24 goals and 10 assists for 34 points. This season he's played roughly double the games for Minnesota than he did for Montreal, so if his goal production had doubled we wouldn't be surprised. But his goal production since the trade hasn't doubled. He has scored 12 times more goals and ten times more assists and 11 times more points in Minnesota than he did in Montreal this season. So what in the world is up?? And that hasn't happened to other guys on Montreal. Injuries aside, Gionta is having a close to a career year. Mike Cammelari would be around 35-40 goals without injuries. Andre Kostitsyn was playing great. Thomas Plekanek is having a career year. Benoit Pouliot has played so much better in Montreal that he did in Minnesota, and he's resurrected his career almost from the first game he played here. So what in the world has happened. New guys come in and flourish, but a guy who grew up here and played hockey here has to be moved to Minnesota before he blossoms! Doesn't make sense to me. Can anyone explain it?
  11. Over this past week I've heard and read some observations and criticisms, that if they're true, will seriously handicap us and not allow us to be in a position to move forward and improve over the long term. there seems to be 3 key areas that may need serious attention and change if we hope to move into a contending position. 1. Our drafting and scouting department. This morning in the Gazette Jack Todd reported that an unnamed source told him the Canadiens were one of the few teams that do little regarding scouting European players. The result is we have handled poorly the Europeans we have and overall we have a very poor track record in this area. Also the very low number of impact players we have drafted over the past 5 or 6 years has and will seriously hurt us. We need to make some major changes. 2. Long term planning in regards to contracts and cap space. We have three important players to sign this summer and it's going to be very interesting to see how we do it. We have a few very bad contracts that may be very difficult to get out of. 3. Our coach's system. I have to admit I haven't paid a lot ot attention to this recently but earlier this year it seemed our players were running around, other teams were getting 40+ shopts per game and our goalies had to steal a game for us to get a win. In fairness the recent road trip turned out pretty good. But if these are legitimate problems, we're going to need some major changes.
  12. Without listing all our injuries this year, I think most would agree that we have had more than our share of major injury issues and have been without top players almost all season. Granted, every team has injuries but I don't think it's unfair to say we have had more than most this year. So I can't help but wonder what kind of team we really have. I mean, if we had at least most of our team healthy and playing, where in the standings would we really be? Personally, I think that with the play of Halak and if the top two lines were healthy, we would be far ahead of where we are in the standings and with the difference in points between so many teams being so small, I believe we could easily have been in the top 4 or 5 in our conference. If we can make the playoffs and stay healthy, we could be coming together at the most important time of the year. So the question is, if we were [and become] relatively healthy, how good a team are we?
  13. I read on one of the boards that the following deal is being discussed by a few "experts" out there who think it could happen. What do you think? To Montreal: Cogliano, Brunnstrom, Smid and Dallas #2 2010, #1 2011. To Dallas: Grebeshkov, Horcoff, another prospect player from Edmonton and Montreal's 3 in 2010. To Edmonton: Price. Richards, a Habs Prospect, a Stars #2 next season.
  14. I heard from a few sources that we have called Pk Subban from the Bulldogs to the Canadiens. Can anyone confirm this?
  15. With Bob Gainey going into semi retirement and Pierre Gauthier replacing him, I wonder who will replace Gauthier? Gainey had to have had a job description for Gauthier with day to day responsibilities, and now there is no one doing that job. So I wonder if Gainey's departure means the beginning of a domino effect of changes down the line. What could happen if they do replace Gauthier and hire from within? I wonder if this had all been thought out before. I like Jacques Martin but I was surprised he was the guy they picked to coach the Canadiens and I was also surprised that he left a GM position to go back to coaching. So is it possible that Gauthier replaces Gainey, Martin replaces Gauthier and Guy Boucher becomes the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens next season. The Bulldogs are in first place in their division and conference and 2nd overall in the AHL. At this point it seems like Boucher is doing a great job and someone will want to hire him for the NHL, especially with the success of some younger coaches who have come into the NHL from the AHL. Does anyone think Martin will be a long term coach for us? I don't. But the thought of a Guy Boucher, who is really good with younger guys, which we have a lot of, coaching the Canadiens could be really exciting!
  16. We've all probably heard the expression, "sometimes the best deals are the ones you don't make". I think that can apply to the Canadiens over the past while. Personally I'm very glad we didn't make two trades, that if the insiders were correct, we were at least close to making. The two deals I'm talking about were for Vincent Lecavalier and Iyla Kovalchuk. Based on his numbers this year and his salary I would not have wanted us to give up young players or picks for Lecavalier who may be beyond his prime and we'd be trading for someone who may have started on the downside of their career. I think that happened when we traded for Dennis Savard. We gave up future potential for a player whose best days were behind him. As great as Lecavalier has been in the past, at this point in his career, I'm glad we didn't give anything up for him. Regarding Kovalchuk, I heard Elliot Freedman say on the radio last week that the President of the KHL, Alexander Medvedev, told him that he wanted to build the KHL around Kovalchuk next season when he became a free agent and that he could earn $10 million tax free in the KHL. In Freedman's opinion there is a very good chance that Kovalchuk will play in the KHL next season. So for us to have given up young players and picks for a rental, to me that is a total waste unless we were a strong contender for the cup. So, while Gainey may still make some deals, I'm glad we didn't make these two. They are both great players, no doubt, but I don't think they'd be good long term choices for us right now.
  17. There's a pretty big negative side to these trades Toronto has made that I heard Doug Mclean talking about today on the radio. I haven't done the numbers myself but according to Mclean, with the Phaneuf deal, Toronto has now committed half their payroll to their defence, and now, when they sign the Monster, they will be paying their goalies an additional $9 million, which is huge. When you add that up Mclean says they have very little money left to pay for some good forwards. They may now be in serious salary cap problems come this summer.
  18. I can't honestly believe what Burke continues to say. He trades away their 1st two picks plus a second for a guy who might get as low as 20 goals this year. If he wasn't injured maybe we're looking at a 25 goal year. But two high 1st rounders plus a second and Burke keeps saying he'd do the trade again today. There's comes a point where you shouldn't say anything other than, let's wait and see. But to continually say, based on this year's performance, and when your coach has just called him out in front of the whole team, that he'd do the trade again??? He needs to learn when to stop talking when the moves he's made for the most part have turned out very poorly, at best!
  19. But the problem with keeping SK is that it seems he doesn't want to stay. So if he's going to end up leaving, getting Cogliano may be a good move.
  20. Maybe there's something I'm missing here, but Eklund keeps talking about the Habs being interested in Andrew Cogliano from Edmonton. But when I look at his numbers, he's only scored 5 goals with 6 assists this year. He's a centre, so who would he be an upgrade on and who would we want to give up for him. Edmonton's not going to give him away. He's young and probably has good potential, but why would Eklund keep saying that Montreal is interested in getting him? Second, Christopher Higgins. What in the world has happened to Higgins? He's got 5 goals, 6 assists and is -12. When he came up with us he was fast, getting better, a threat short-handed, and if I remember he scored around 25 goals one year. So what happened? I always liked him and it's sad to see where he is right now. What do you think he needs to get back to where he was?
  21. I've noticed two things about Halak and Pouliot. First Halak. It seems to me that they may be intentionally giving Halak the easier games, playing against teams that are below them in the standings, to boost his trade value coming up to the trade deadline. Carey Price has defintely played against the stronger teams and so his record has not been as good, while Halak seems to have played exclusively against the weaker teams. Not a bad strategy if it brings us a top 6 forward instead of a second rounder. Second, Pouliot. I've noticed two major differences between Pouliot and the departed Latendresse. I think they both have good shots and hockey sense, but in my books Pouliot's skating and speed is one major difference between the two. The second advantage Pouliot brings is his willingness to drive to the net. Thursday nights goal was an example of him driving hard to the net with the result being a goal. I've noticed that some of the chances Pouliot's had, when he hasn't scored, have come with him heading to the net. Halak and Pouliot are interesting comparrisons. One, Halak, is playing well to probably get traded to another team, while Pouliot is playing well to try to stay with his new team. I hope they both do incredible.
  22. I know it's only been, what, a week and a half? But I'd like to know what you think about Pouliot so far. He's not a rookie so hopefully what we're seeing is the real him. Personally, I've been surprised. Knowing that he had been a highly touted 1st round pick, but then had not done very well in his first few years in the NHL, and ended up getting dumped for Latendresse, I was hoping for maybe a rebirth, but with expectations not too high. I don't know about you but I've been really impressed and pleased with what he's showing us. He seems fast, good control of the puck, very good puck sense, and the guy can shoot. He seems to fit like a glove with Gomez and Gionta. I've seen him hit a few people and doesn't seem afraid to get involved. So, this early in the trade, I think we've come out way ahead as he seems to have more talent and ability than Latendresse ever did. The key now is for him to be consistent. We might have stolen one here!
  23. In light of all the changes we've made since last June I really like where we finally are as a team right now. But in order for us not to just make the playoffs but go deep and do some damage I think 6 things have to be strong. Some, like injuries may be somewhat dependant on luck, but mostly it will depend on skill and desire. Here are my 6 for the new year. 1. We have to remain healthy. What a difference it's made to have our injured players return. Markov getting points in every game he's played in since he's been back from his injury and Gionta and Pouliot bringing speed, spark and scoring threats to Gomez's line. And because these guys are back every position down the line gets a little stronger. Remaining healthy is a key. 2. Goaltending. Our goaltending has to remain as sharp as it has been. Both goalies have stolen games for us and that's what we need. Personally, I hope one of them gets traded. I like both of them a lot. But I don't think we can keep them both, and Bob won't let either get away for nothing. I think at this point with Halak being the 1st star in the NHL last week, we should get close to 1st string value for either one. So if we can add a solid, legitimate top 6 forward we will be that much stronger as a team. 3. Players like Cammalleri, Plekanec and more recently A. Kostitsyn have to continue to play well and score points. If Pouliot can score and have good chemistry with Gionta and Gomez we'll have two really good scoring lines. 4. Martin's puck control system game plan has to be working and more effective with all our players back. We can't let the other teams continue to be in such control of the puck that they end up getting 40+ shots every game. 5. Our special teams have to continue to be strong. Number 1 in the NHL on the PP is fabulous, but we have to somehow draw more penalties and drastically cut back on the numbver of penalties we take. 6. Markov and Hamrlik have to lead our defence and as a group play solid defence in front of whoever is in net. Defencemen like Bergeron and O'Byrne have to be stronger defensively and Bergeron needs to continue scoring and O'Byrne has to be physical. There may be more that's necessary, but for me these are the 6 most important. Here's hoping the new year will see us rise in the standings, remain healthy and come together as a tean the way we all think we can.
  24. I have a feeling we might have suddenly slipped into a position that on one hand may be envious for some teams, but may end up forcing Gainey's hand in regards to dealing one of our goalies. Both goalies struggled at the beginning of the year and then both had hot and cold streaks. Then they both began playing very well. Carey Price was playing very well in Nov and beginning Dec., then lost a few games. And during that time it seems that as Halak rode the bench he could see the writting on the wall and quietly asked for a trade. Then when Halak did play, he shot the lights out and won three straight. And the tide has shifted again in Halak's favour and Carey Prcie is sitting, which he can't be too happy about. So Halak's not happy sitting and Price is not happy sitting. So we may have arrived at a place where we have two goalies who have both proved that they are legitimate starters in the NHL. So what are the options? I think if we don't do anything we will lose one and get nothing in return. Barring injuries, I can't imagine being able to keep both goalies happy and by the trading deadline or at the end of this year we are going to have to make a move. I know this has been discussed in other threads, but I think the question about who we keep is a very real and good question at this point. If we ever let one of our goalies walk {KHL?} and get nothing in return, that would be disastrous for us, as what happened with a few players over the past few years. We would have spent the time and money on developing a #1 goalie just to let him walk away and star for someone else. Can't happen! So we hae arrived at the place where we're going to have to do something. At this point neither goalie is going to be happy playing second fiddle. They both want, and should be, a #1, or at least have the opportunity. So now we have to decide who we keep and who we trade. A tough decision for sure.
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