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cfposi

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Posts posted by cfposi

  1. Yep. What Bob said was perfectly true - Kostitsyn, Lapierre, O'Byrne (who Bob believes to be ready and we're talking about a quote from Bob so it's pretty damn relevant) and then there are three maybes, Grabovski, Ferland and Price. I don't think Ferland will ever make our team and Price will probably next season. Grabovski, who knows. I don't think we'll ever have a center spot open for him but maybe he'll play LW for us.

    Ya, Grabs will likely play wing. Seems like Carbo like having 2 centers on each line for face-off prowess. Grabs is an exciting player to watch and makes things happen with his speed and creativity. I see Kovalev hands on this kid...but much much faster. The only downside is his size. He has been injured several times, but if he continues to mature and buid strength, he can be a VERY valuable player. I truly hope we see a Lil'#### - Grabs - Big'#### line one day soon!

  2. Lats can't go to the AHL.

    He is on the big club to stay, he brings what few Habs players have, he hits, plays in front of the net and good hands.

    He'll be paired with Kiovu or Smoke.

    lats had very similar numbers as Kovalev with alot less ice time.

    Ya, those are the two most likely options for him. I see Lats starting with SMokes and moving to the top line like last year if they need him. I just hope the keep Higgs-pleks-kost together!

  3. Nah, I wouldn't do it. Straight up Souray is better, offensively and physically he brings more to the table. Hamrlik is a good player, of course - but offensively he isn't contributing, and while good defensively he similarly lacks good foot speed/mobility.

    The offensive comparison is fair to Hamrlik. Once Phaneuf made the Flames Hamrlik was no longer the guy to take the shot from the point or set up plays as much on the PP.

    In Montreal, Souray had to be injured to not play at least a minute and a half per PP opportunity.

    I don't think Hammy was brought in to replace Souray's shot, rather he will be a responsible D who can help teach the young kids. I think O'Byrne/Streit will replace the point shot. They both have great shots. The blue line could look like:

    1st PP shift: Markov setting up Steit

    2nd PP shift: Hammy setting up O'Byrne

  4. I can GUARANTEE the passport issue will be cleared shortly. He (or his agent) waited too long before applying for his visa. This is the delay...Passport Canada is severely backed up right now. So what normally would have taken a week, is now taking 8 weeks to sort out because of backlogs in the office. Most people at PC have been reassigned to help deal with the overwhelming number of Canadian applying for passports. Combine this with the manpower shortage at missions abroad and you have one very delayed and very dissapointed Lil'####.

  5. Grabs has seniority on Chipper...so I see him getting a shot, but maybe on the 4th line. People seem to forget that Chips was an AHL rookie last season, he can do with another year there (I think thats why they brought in smoky for a yr). Here is what I hope for:

    Grabs - Koivu - Kovy/Ryder (Grabs is a hard worker who will do well with Koivu as an attempt. one of Kovy/Ryder need to be let go)

    Higgs - Pleks - Kosty (This line deserves a chance to thrive)

    Lats - Smoky - Lapierre (Shut down/irritant line with 2 centers for face-offs)

    The Greek - Chipper - Lahti

    Extra: Streit, Begin

    on D now...

    Marky - Komi (Why mess with success)

    Hammy - O'B (Hopefully he can teach O'Byrne how to play like Phaneuf)

    Gorges - Dandy (Give Gorges a chance...he has potential dammit! If that fails, put Streit on full time)

    Extra: Streit, Bouillon

    Goners: Murray, Kovy/Ryder (no matter what the permutations...either one of Kovy or Ryder need to go to make room for youth.)

    Hope I didn't miss anything. Won't comment on goaltending...that is another can of worms. By the way...this is simply what I would LIKE to see, not a prediction.

  6. No way TB is going to do a straight up trade like that for Richards...and I dont want his salary. As for AK, noone will want him until they see him play a few games this coming season. Perhaps good deadline bait with Ryder.

  7. The thing is...I really don't think we did that badly. I say this with the DEEPEST respect for Red, he is a hockey LEGEND and deserves that respect. But here is the thing...

    Blame it on the flu, or whatever, but this team was seriously chugging along in the first half of last season. They were comfortably in 4th spot with Higgins injured to-boot! I think what made this team collapse was a lack of experience and leadership (from the GM all the way down).

    The fact is, this franchise dealt with alot last season...BG was not at his best (and he can't be faulted for that), Guy C was inexperieced as a coach, The second line did not even come close to clicking, and 90% of the team almost went tot eh hospital with the West-figgin-Nile virus. I am not saying that we will not hit roadblocks next season, but we will be better prepared to deal with them. Adding two veteran guys like Smoky and Hammy will help.

    Smoky is Bonk, but younger and more upside. Hammy, speaking to my good friend from Cgy, is similar to Markov (flies under the radar but plays a very important role on the team). I won't call this UFA period a success, but I won't call it a failure either. I am glad we didn't lock up guys like Smyth and Briere to long-term cash-cow deals. This is NOT the best UFA crop the NHL has seen...trust me...we can do better through trades or patience. Look out next summer when we no longer are paying for buy-outs and Kovalev's salary.

  8. I don't know if he can be considered a prospect...we didn't draft him.

    we didnt draft beauregard, cote, or danis.

    Ok...let me clarify...Aside from the point that we didn't draft him, it was always my impression that he was picked up mainly to help develop the younger guys in Hamilton. I don't think anyone expected him to crack the lineup (with the exception of injury call-ups).

  9. true. But I do hope BG offered Plex more than just the automatic 10% raise. That's another way to make a player who was EXCELLENT down the stretch unhappy.

    Exactly...why do you think Ryder's efforts has been decreasing with time. I wouldnt want to put in 110% effort if my team kept giving me minimum raises for leading the team in goals!

  10. I would love to trade him for something consistent.

    His totals are consistent, but his play is not. He should (with effort every game) have 40 goals or more. He just doesn't show up as much anymore. I want the rookie version of Ryder back!

    Maybe he doesn't show up for a team that takes him to arbitration every season. I mean, C'Mon! I wouldn't want to put out effort everynight for a team that insisits on giving me the bare minimum every season...while overpaying guys like Kovalev! The habs should do the right thing here, pay him what he deserves or send him somewhere where they will.

  11. So, based on what we have today, I came up with these lines as the most likely (by my estimation). I have also included as extras, those who are left out, or those who deserve to be ont he team this year (in the very least):

    O-Corps:

    Kovy - Koivu - Ryder

    Higgs - Pleks - Kost

    Lats - Smoky - Lapps

    Begin - Chips - Lathi/Kosto

    Extras:

    Murray

    Locke

    Grabs

    Milroy

    Ferland

    D-Corps:

    Marky - Komi

    Hammy - Streit

    Dandy - Bouillon

    Extras:

    Gorges

    O'Byrne

    Janny

    Cote

    There just seems to be too much in our laps right now. Although I understand the benefits of depth, it seems to me that by signing Kosto and keeping either Kovalev or Ryder, we have (yet again) taken chances away from well deserving young guys. We seem to be ok on D, but our lines SHOULD look more like this next year.

    Lats - Koivu - Ryder/Kovy

    Higgs - Pleks - Kost

    Lathi - Smoky - Lapps

    Begin - Chips - Milroy

    Extras:

    Kosto

    Grabs

    Locke

    I base this on 3 things:

    1) Either Ryder of Kovalev are gone for prospects/picks (Ryder more likely)

    2) Kosto is kept as depth/grinder and we let murray go (finally)

    3) Grabs and Locke get priority call-up for injuries next year.

    Just my thoughts....but I just can't imagine how we will use all of these players next year. Eventually Hamilton will become a hindrance to the development of our young talent. I understand this organization's belief in being patient with the youth, but we already have guys in hamilton losing jobs because of a lack of space. I dunno...just a thought.

  12. Why do I get the feeling we are a little over committed on players? Maybe Bob IS trying set up a trade cuz this is our breakdown by position (List includes all current players signed as well as those most senior prospects):

    At C:

    1) Koivu

    2) Pleks

    3) Smoky

    4) Begin

    5) Chips

    At LW:

    1) Higgs

    2) Lats

    3) Lahti

    4) Murray

    5) Grabs (Also C)

    6) Locke

    At RW:

    1) Kovy

    2) Kosty

    3) Ryder

    4) Lapierre (Also C)

    5) Milroy

    6) Ferland

    7) D'Agostini

    At D:

    1) Marky

    2) Komi

    3) Hammy

    4) Dandy

    5) Bouillon

    6) Georges

    7) Streit (Also W)

    8) O'Byrne

    9) Cote

    10) Valentenko

    Seems to me that we have a surplus of NHL ready and close to ready players. I would we are done shopping in the UFA market...but we may have a big trade looming.

  13. If we're going to ice a make-shift checking line, Streit might as well play forward with Smoke and Begin.

    Smoke is a little expensive for a 4th line center...I Hope our O-lines will look like:

    Grabs/Lats - Koivu - Ryder

    Higgs - Pleks - Kost/Kovy

    Lats/Grabs - Smoke - Kovy/Kost

    Begin - Chips - Lapierre

  14. First of all, Hamrlik is a VERY solid pickup, second of all, Gainey may have offered the same money to others we don't know about, or acquired after their services and they may NOT have been insterested. I for one am happy to be gettng a solid D with offensive skills who WANTS to play in montreal. For all his talk about "unfinished business" Souray was after the money... a few words at the end of the day not backed up by actions... let's see what Hamrlik does on the ice. I guarantee defensively, it'll be a HUGE upgrade over Souray...

    Agreed...although Hamrlik is a downgrade offensively...that responsibility should be taken by the offence. The fact that a defenceman was one of our top scorers last season is actually a symptom of a horrible offence. I am much happier having 2 experienced top-4 D on the team who can get the rush moving with outlet passes and who can help develop our yound D-corps. As long as our offence finds some rythm next season, the signing of Hammy over Shelly is a significant upgrade.

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