Chris

Yea i agree, i actually think Chpichura will make it. I think they need to sign a couple of couple of big tough grinders a Primeua, Torres a couple like that. I I think Johnson will be resigned. He would be a great teacher for Chipchura.

I think you will see Higgins Pleks and Kosty as line 2. Chipchura and Johnson, will be part of either the third or 4th line, with Begin and lapierre doing the other line. The Habs need to add some size and grit to the 3rd and 4th line. A real goon will help. I honetly don't know who is on the farm currently besides Chipchura and lapierre who should make the team next year.

Rivet just needs to shut his pie hole and worry about his new team. i don't care where he signs as long as it's NOT with the Habs. He should spend his energy trying to do his job.

If he goes he goes. There is much better young talent already on the roster. If he doesn't want to be a habs, good ridence. It's about time the Habs clean house and get rid of whinners (not saying perez was), people who don't give there all to play for there team and players that just float. Hopefully he is the beginning of other players leaving (kovalev, Samsonov) I can think of a few others. Why does everyone make the jump that because a few Russian players don't want to be here or whine it has some thing to do with other players coming in. BG is VERY well respected. Money and actually winning has more to do with players coming over. Markov likes being a habs, I wish they had maore players like that.

You guys must be living in fantasy land if you think the habs have a great or even good defense. The difference between the habs D and the teams in the playoffs is those guys actually know how to play D, they are better and they know how to win, play the body, move the puck, win battles but your right other then that they are good. The numbers don't lie. It's one thing to be a Habs fan but there is a reason this team rarely makes playoff appearances. They are not that vgood. Only in fantasy Habland are these guys good.

Well said. How many #6 Dmen can 1 team have? As for the Price being moved, there is no way you trade a possible franchise goalie for anyone. Especially ast age 19. See the Patrck Roy trade. That trade didn't turn out too well.

They have some high end talent almost NHL ready. The dead weight are the players on the roster holding these spots away from the youth. How many years have they said kovalev needs different line mates? Maybe he is the problem. This team needs to turnover to the youngsters, they are the only ones who seem to care or work hard. They also need size grit and a real tough guy.

The cube sucks. That's what people have against him.He is a #7 on every other team but Montreal. For some reason most people think he is incredible. I will give him credit for hitting against the boards, but if he isn't doing that he is worthless. There is a reason he went through waivers TWICE. Punkned, you need to watch good teams play, cube in no way is a 3rd pairing on other teams. Everyone on this team has had bad years for years and most everyone says "wait until next year" well next has been coming for 5 years now, no improvement.

Thanks for the info, i thought last years deal made him UFA this year.

Also remember, If i am not mistaken Ryder is a UFA this year and may sign elsewhere. So johnson is a perfect fit for Chipchura to play with. Very similar styles and smarts.

The Islanders you guys mentioned were known for there skills but Nolan made them work in all 3 zones and they did it. Several of them were benched when they didn't. My point is talent is fine, but with no work ethic, physical play you get the Habs the last 5 years. If anyone is impressed by what that has brought you have low standards. Theo was the ONLY reason the team has made it past the first round in what 10 or 11 years. As JMMR stated about the Habs speed, i really don't think the team is all that fast. I only think Higgins, Pleks, Dandy have great speed. Perez is quick but other then that i wouldn't say anyone has alot of speed.

Hey CC, obviously we don't agree on much but i did say replace those players with talented youth, you gave the examples of Vhipchura and Murray which is fine but i think we know i was more talking about grabovski and Kosty and maybe in little kosty. As for hard workers teams that work hard overachieve and overcome talent by hard work. So yes i would rather have a hard working team then the crap that has been on the ice for the 5 years. See the NY Islanders, oh wait there hard workers beat the great and talented habs team and made the playoffs. What has all the talent of Koivu, Kovalev, Ryder, Samsonov brought to the team? Nothing but early tee times. As for the + - being over rated i totally disagree again, it says alot about the team on the ice and who is doing what. Tom preising from Ottowa had a better plus minus then the entire habs combined. Oh wait, that team is in the playoffs too.

Yea, i think they are funny too. So I'll open another can of worms it mentioned tampa moving Lacallier for Price. That would insanity. Price will be a Stud goaltender.

I avtually don't ahve any idea, maybe it is. I just saw it over lunch and thought i would throw it out there. However it doesn't need it's own thread like Brisbios did. Until something actually happens i don't beleive it.

I agree with needing beter D, beleive i think they need 4 of them. It's just not going to be #43. I doubt Carbo's coaching philosophy is your best 4 players are minus 90 and don't work hard. I have said it 100 times the system works fine when you have good players. Devils, Dallas, Vancouver and Minnesota dodn't have problems making the playoffs with that system. It's ok to blame the players.

Ek says Kovalev to Washington (e3) whatever that means.

Koivu, Ryder, Souray minus 78 or something. They get the majority of points on the PP. Nothin 5 on 5 , unless you count picking the puck out of there own net. Kovalev as well, minus 19 i think.

All this team has is PP specialists. They need some players who can compete 5 on 5. So the bottom line is he IS NOT going to be a habs next year.

Kovalev, Ryder, Samsonov, Koivu are also taking spots from younger and quit possibly better players. I think the players listed above were a minus 80 or something. So this team isn't going anywhere with these players either, i just don't understand why alot of you give these guys passes but the actual hard workers can get shuffled out of here no problem. There are mony Habs who don't deserve the money they are making. What has happened in the past 5 years while moving fringe players around? Nothing the core continues to be an 8 seed on there best year. Moving Johnson IS NOT going to make the team better. Moving out the ACTUAL underachievers will.

Man you guys are a tough crowd. You give all kinds of players passes on there efforts but Johnson, Pleks and Bonk were the only ones who showed up about every night but you have to blast Johnson. There is 15 players you should be calling out before Johnson. He kills penalties, plays against the other teams best and chips in some points. What else do you want him to do? He would be a good winger to play with Chipchura, I don't think Bonk is coming back, They need a gritty left winger Torres type and that woud be a decent 3rd line. Begin and Lapierre on the 4th.

1 great player isn't going to do it. There is alot of garbage that needs to be taken out before this team is one player away. Alot of that garbage has several years left on contracts.

Thanks PB, i'll try. The Habs just need to keep building from within and STOP looking for 1 player to save the team. The team is heading in a good direction and has very good youth. When they start winning the big boys will look at Montreal as being a good place to play.

The problem is the Habs aren't a good team. 3 playoffs in 8 years isn't good. Unless you meant packaging them to different good team.

Well the good thing about those rumor sites is that they are right about 1% of the time.

Dandenault has a couple cups. I would take scneider to replace Souray. As the other poster said, he much more well rounded then Souray and would come cheaper.