Chris

I agree on that line up Habbie. However, i am hoping Carbo goes back to Komi and Markov. Rivet and Markov have never been a good pair for whatever reason. As they have been broken up numerous times. I would also put Dandy with Souray, he is really slow. Steit and Rivet. This gives them a D who has a little speed in each pair. P.S. Why is Traverse #7. That's just ridiculous.

Exactly Cataclaw, who cares where they are picked to finish. The Habs have an oppotunity to prove people right or wrong. The additions of Samsonov and Johnson should help out offensively. Although i have as many points as Samsononv does this year. So can someone tell him the season starts next week. IMO this is the last year we'll see the core guys around, i expect to see a much different roster next year. It will be alot younger.

Murray and Downey are valuable to this team, they are a couple of players who play with an edge, Murray was one of the better habs down the stretch and can kill penalties. Downey is a good team player and will drop them when he needs to. So they may keep extra forwards but those 2 guys ren't going anywhere.

If he is suspended for a few games then he's suspended. If he is good enough to make the team, he should be on it. If it makes him 1 year closer to being a free agent then it's up to management to sign him long term before that happens. The one thing he brings to the line up, especially in the top 9 forwards is toughness and size, which is somwthing this team doesn't have. Plus Perez and Kosty are basically the same player, i would have no problem trading 1 out west for a young D prospect in return.

Well i'm glad they showed up and played hard tonight. I didn't see or here the game just saw the box score. Glad to see there was emotion and even a few fights in there. Once again too many hooking and holding penalties. This will be there downfall this year if they don't get it together. Glad to here Kovalev and samsonov played well. Did they play together or apart?

Higgins Koivu Ryder Lattendresse Pleks Kovalev Samsonov Ribiero Johnson Begin Bonk Murray/ Downey and either Kosty or Perez as extra's

I said the young players are due for a raise, that includes Higgins. The D will be 1 rookie moving up with the habs either trading for or signing a top end D man.

How are the Habs going to have cap problems next year? They only have like 10 players under contract next year. Obviously the young players pleks, higgins, komi, lattendresse, either perez / kosty will be in for raises next year. Markov and Ryder have to be resigned for multi year deals. Rivet, Souray, Bonk, Downey, ribiero i beleive will all be moved or not resigned. That is like 9 mill off the books. Back to the post, i hope Lats does make the team, they need someone to hit, and play in front of the net. I would actually put him with Kovalev, move samsonov with pleks and johnson. This spreads out the scoring.

I thought i would start a topic about the upcoming Season. Where I think the Habs really are and what to expect. I'm not a new poster i was habschris last year but i forgot my password and needed to sign up again. I have red numerous posts over the summer and pre season. The losses don't upset me nearly as much as the poor effort it sounds like is going on. Good for Higgins calling people out, about time. First I'll start with the draft, i think it was a good draft heavy on D prospects. I think Johnson and Samsonov were great pick ups but i wouldn't play Kovalev and Samsonov together, they are basically the same kind of player. There was an article posted about the upcoming season that made alot of posters angry saying the habs didn't address certain needs, Center and D. Most importantly moving out the core players. The habs fightiong for a playoff spot. I for one totally agree with that assessment. Here's why: The center position is still way too small to compete with bigger teams. The team is still not physical enough, i count 3 players who are reliably physical, Murray Begin and komisarek. Please don't say Rivet or Souray, taking a roughing penalty after the whistle blows or picking the occaisional fight with someone smaller is not tough. With Carbo's announcemet of the lines, is there any one in the top 9 forwards who will hit someone or win a battle i don't think so. Please don't say this is the new NHL and teams don't need to be tough, Edmonton and Carolina were big, tough and fast, they made it to the finals. I think the offense on paper will be better but will it be enough? The D is average at best, no real good skaters or a dominant D. And last the core, let's be realistic, aside from Koivu, who is a leader out of his core. When Koivu is out, that's it the habs lose way more then they win. If the rest of the core were good leaders, solid talent, this wouldn't be a major issue. Ongoing trends with the core players: last 3-5 years. (Numerous coaches and fringe players) Unless the Goalie was the best player on the ice, this team can't win, whether that is / was Theo, Huet or Aebisher. With average goaltenbding this team would never have made the playoff the last 3-5 years. Never ready to play when the game starts, they always play from behind. Way too many penalties: I red they were in the top 3 in hooking and holding penalties last year, that's lazy, not skating, not winning battles. Don't play to win, they play not to lose, when they get up 1 zero, they play for a shut out instead of pouring it on. The PK and until last year the PP are just awfull. You would think with Carbo, Gainey, Jarvis they would know how to kill penalties. The good news: Great core of young players: Pleks, Higgins, Chipchura, Price, Lattendresse. I think the jury is out on what kind of players Perez and Kosty will be. Over all i think if they can play hard every night this is a playoff team and should on paper anyway be more exciting to watch and score more goals this year. Only time will tell. I think Gainey, Carbo and the orginization is heading in the right direction, I think in a couple of years they'll be a consistant top 4 or 5 seed playoff team. Let's hope this is a good playoff year.