Chris

Way too many good young wingers on this team. Never will happen.

They looked lost in the first period with Markov. So i don't know your point is. He had numerous turnovers in the first just like everyone else. The D zone WILL be the unduing of this team, they had to have had more turnovers then shots. They were lucky to win last night with the 2 periods they didn't show up in. Bad News: Stupid Penalties AGAIN Turnovers (they have more turnovers then a bakery) Can't get the puck out of there own end. Only a solid 20 minutes again Good news: They played the best period they have all year A Koivu sighting, nice to see. 2nd line looked great again Were physical for about 30 minutes 2 points and a win When they actually play hard they can do damage. I am still not even convinced they can make the playoffs, they have good spurts and really bad ones in the same game. Much tougher schedule now. I am one who is hoping for a higher pick and moving the core out and missing the playoffs will help. However i must admit i will never routte against the Habs or think they should tank. So the chips will fall and we'll see where they are.

Score 40 goals. Or even 30 goals for that mwtter. No questions his talent, just the results.

If they iliminate fighting the sport will lose all credibility. All the "hard core" fans would leave. 97% of the players want fighting in the game, so why do the media and others (tree huggers, bleeding hearts) care. It's not there place to say what goes on in hockey. If you do not like fighting don't watch. You are in the minority, only iliminating fighting will hurt the ticket sales, not keeping fighting. Unfortunately the Habs don't have any fighters, which is why they are soft, they really need a real goon badly. Another stat, teams that fight alot make the playoffs, don't beleive me, look it up.

He will be offered the rookie max. He really has no choice but to sign for that money. He can't get more anywhere else. He'll be #1 in Hamilton next year with plenty of playing time. He and Halak will then vie for the number 1 spot after that.

He is playing with 2 players who work hard and if Kovalev doesn't the fans, media,coaching staff all can see it. He can't blame his performance on his line mates any more. lapierre and Begin work hard, go to the net. Since he has joined the line it has been the second best line they have. Pleks Kosty and Higgins #2 and Bonk #3. Koivu line is worthless unless they are the PP.

The Habs aren't playing bottom feeders anymore, they now have a tough schedule this week and based on past performences they don't play too well against this weeks teams. So everyone needs to calm down. if they make it they make it, i don't think they will but i ahve been wrong before.

II still think the core needs to be blown up. I don't know or even read jack Todd but you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Lets look at the facts. The core, vets etc have NEVER been more then an 8 seed They have went threw 4 coaches, no change in performance. They are in the bottom 5 in every category besides PP and Short handed goals. They have been to the 2nd round twice int he last 6 years (only reason was goaltending). They don't play hard, too small and soft. This year with the emergence of the young players they have basically rendered themselves useless. So yes they need to blow up the core but it won't be that easy. Contracts of Koivu, Kovalev, Dandy and Bouillon may be very difficult to move. No reason to resignRyder or Souray. Markov has to stay. I would let all the other UFA's go, resign Johnson. Spend the money on2 UFA dmen. Lats Koivu Kovalev Higgins Pleks Kosty Torres type player Chipchura Johnson Begin Lapierre Streit / Boogard Markov Hannon Komi Timonin Gorges Dandy Huet Halak Younger, bigger, faster.

The D needs to be revamped. I beleive you will see only Markov resigned. I would think that BG will also try to move either Dandy or Bouillon. I also think he will try and sign a different UFA D man, (Hannon, Timonin) someone like that. Souray for what he brings is not worth even 4 mill. Great Shot, but doesn't help elsewhere. Back to the post, If Ninimaa wants to resign for a little less money, he would be a good 5 or 6 D man paired with Gorges. They need more speed and puck movers on the back end

What will bite them is the 2 months they took off after Xmas. They will have no one to blame but themselves. Every team plays the same amount of games.

Zero. They haven't even locked up a playoff spot. You guys need to calm down a bit. They are curently beating bottom feeders.

No. They only play 20 minutes a night. Until that changes (which it hasn't all year) they won't make it.

Beause he didn't hit, skate or play with desire on his other call ups. As simple as that.

I must get a different feed then the rest of you. 1 solid period again. I am certainly not going to defend Aebi but the game wasn't lost by him. While it is cool to jump on Aebi for alot of you. I'll give you a stat. The top 3 scorers are MINUS 70. There aren't more then 5 teams who are that bad combined. Have you seen the D zone end coverage and turnovers? Holy cow these guys are so bad in there own end. Another night of 1 Souray Bomb gets him off the hook for another horrible effort. No way sign that guy. I'm not sure why everyone thinks this team is close or has a chance to make it. Top PP, no question, short handed goals again, outdtanding. Evry other category, bottom of the list. You can't win consistantly that way. I thought Kosty was good most of the night. No one else stood out. Another game closer to a high pick.

Sounds like people are already making excuses for poor play over the weekend. The bottom line is the Habs need to suck it up and play hard and win games if they want to be in the playoffs. There are many teams that have above 500 records in back to back games. i don't hear them making excuses.

Always a good subject with plenty of thoughts. I eject the core and vets. Perez Koivu Lats Higgins Signed center Kosty Primeau Chipchura Johnson Begin Lapierre Boogard / Murray Markov Hannon (signed UFA) Komi Timonin (signed UFA) Gorges Dandy / Streit Huet Halak Kovalev retires Vertigo Samsonov baught out traded Other UFA no contracts Bigger, stronger, tougher, faster and D that can play D and move the puck. I know i'm dreaming but the post was if i was BG.

Oh, my fault. Sorry about that.

Alexstreem, what do you mean better with Higgins? Do you mean the combined minus 50 they were? Worst amoungst any top line. Or do you mean they could only score with the man advantage? 5 on 5 that trio was awfull.

Yes, i agree. Ninimaa and Gorges although he hasn't played much bring to the table what the Habs normal 6 D don't have, they pass the puck well, skate better are quite honestly smarter (in a hockey sense) then the others. I would keep those 2 in.

Finally close to a 60 minute effort. Hey where is all the Aebi is god talk today? It's funny when the habs win, no talk about the goalie but when they lose it's all about the goalie. Very strange. Like I said if the other 18 do there part the goalie just has to play solid. Great penalty control which is nice to see. The youth looked great last night. Ryder, Ninimaa, Gorges even though he didn't play alot looked solid. Actually some forechecking and hitting last night, not alot but for these lazy players it was a solid physical effort. They actually even cycled the puck several times and got some scoring chances, i had to make sure i was watching the right game. Moved closer to a playoff spot, although I am not to happy about that, i still don't think they'll make it but they are losing spots in the draft. Bad News: The D zone coverage was brutal, i have never seen 5 man units just stand around and look at the puck. Is that a system? The d zone turnovers again a huge problem. How Souray logs all that ice team is beyound me, he was acceptional bad last night. Like I have stated all year, the core (vets) are pretty much worthless. The Habs play a beter game when these guys are out. After watching the game last night that just reinforces what i have been saying for a couple of years: 1. The core is totally over rated for there talent and leadership. 2. They make no difference in the outcome of most games. 3. They have made themselves irrelavant by there lack of work ethic, slow speed, D zone is probably the leagues worst as a group, lack of size. So, Let the kids play, it's a much better product.

The habs have played the same way for 4 coaches now. It's the players. So to pick out Carbo as fault or comparing him to other coaches is bad, look at the Habs ex coaches, all in the playoffs with different teams. It's the lazy players, beleive me.

It was a circus but again that is all irelevant stuff as far as Nolan goes. Look how many people he sits if they don't play hard. He will sit anyone at anytime. Nolan controls how they play on the ice and could care less about the other BS.

I doubt that as far as Islander fans go, they have a much better roster then last year. They have a great coach who motivates his teams to play way over there heads. If you don't play hard you don't play for Nolan. The Habs have the same core which has never done anything and a rookie coach. I think Islander fans would have taken there chances.

I would bet if the other 18 played hard and didn't take too many stupid penalties people wouldn't notice Aebi.

The Habs have the 2nd worst record in the league since Xmas. Only Washington is worse. That is going to change. I said it before: No Effort + No pride + No talent = No Playoffs. Let's hope for a high pick.