ShortHanded
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Posts posted by ShortHanded
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That would have been worth price of admission:
Carbo: "Here Kovy, you stand and catch Saks as he tumbles into space. Then Saks, you do the same for Kovy."
Muller: "Err...maybe Kovy should go first.'
Long silence. Kovy and Saks staring at each other.
Kovy: "You first, cap."
Saks: "No, you first, All-star."
Kovy: "You first."
Saks: "You first."
...
Higgins (after 30-minute standoff): "I'm going to the mall to get drunk. Anyone wanna come?"
O'Byrne (without thinking): "ME! Er, me, um, not going to, er, get drunk, er...is, is that your purse, Tomas? Can I see?"
(Lapierre and Kosto sneaking hits of tequila in the background)
Thanks Tokyohabs. At least something habs' related is still entertaining -
if we have both Pronger and Bouwmeester that I don'T see why we'd overpay for komisarek
it,s dangerous thing to trade a 1st rounder to years in row when you're lacking key pieces in your farm system. unless he ends up with 3+ second rounders.
should he trade it I hope it wont be for a rental.
Pronger? Bouwmeester? I think expecting we'll be able to get both of these guys is a bit unrealstic.
Bou would be a dream, but to be honest, I don't want Pronger. Dirty, overrated...
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He has, and he desperately needs to simplify his game. Should he do so, I think others would follow his lead, and the Habs would be better as a whole. Instead, Kovy continually tries low percentage plays, loses the puck more often than not, and presents the wrong mentality to his younger teammates who look to him as a leader. I love Kovy as a player, and when he's "on", it's bloody amazing. But he's "on" far too little these days, and he has to go back to basics. He's got to make the smart play and uses other assets to create scoring chances. Others will follow.
That's spot on. I can't help but think his ego has a lot to do with this. if he'd just accept that he can't make those plays anymore, he could still be very effective with his talent and strength trying to play simple. Instead, it's like he has to has to has to prove he can still be a magician... Driving me crazy. I don't hate the guy like some poeple, but I'm glad he won't be here next year...
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The offense is sucking at the same time as the goaltending is sucking, That about sums it up.
Offense: STOP THE ######ING FANCY PLAYS! Why is Lapierre's line been so effective for over a month now? Because they play ugly but it gets the job done. I'm sick of the "Euro" style. SKost alone with the goalie and does a drop off pass to nobody? WTF?
And Koivu: you cant shoot. You're too small to screen too. Stop hanging around in the slot as if you were Brett Hull or in the crease like your were Tim Kerr. You're neither. Your job is to setup plays, not finish them. Let Dago or Higgins take the shots... on second thought, let Dago take the shots. Higgins is like Kovalev: only scores on breakaways.
And Kovy? Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. That's all. Nothing else. Stop the dangles and just shoot the MF'ing puck.
Plex needs to be drawn away from the heavy gravitational pull of Kovy's sinking ego. Higgins-Plex-AKost always worked. Put Koivu with Kovy. Let them have to work things out together. If they can't, ship them both out. It's about the team, not the players.
Play the shit out of Lapierre & Pacioretty. They're your two best forwards right now. Throw Dago on the right wing for good mesure.
And Tanguay, please hurry the hell up. We need you now more than ever.
Oh, and Bob? Are you still with us Bob? We know you're the patient type working in the shadows, but dont wait too long. And dont pull another Ribs-for-Niinimaa too, please?!
hmmmm... I agree with all of it.
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That second link is all well and good, except for the team that Bob put together in the offseason is not getting it done this year. Regardless of whether its injury or ineptness, this squad is not performing the way Gainey expected and something needs to be done.
This team has serious fundamental problems that need to be addressed. This team is soft. This team does not play defense well. This team doesn't score consistantly. The goaltending is very inconsistant.
The team takes alot of very dumb penalities This team powerplay stinks when compared with the last 3 years.
I am not saying that these are easy things to fix, nor maybe are the players out there for trade that may help all of these situations immediatley. But if these are the problems of this team right now, it stands to reason they will be the same problems in the future if you do not address them now.
The comment about making trades just for it being a centenniel year are bullshit. Because any chance you get to make your team better you do it. This team has too many fundamental problems to NOT make a move just becuase its your 100th year and you think you have a team to compete that really isn't competeing even when healthy. You could just as well be handicaping your future, even if it means doing nothing at this point. And even if it means the Centennial is not our year.
The soft thing is somethign we really have to address in some way, and not by getting goons or fighters but by getting players who aren't afraid to play rough and who don't play on the perimeter AND who have a lot of talent. People like Begin and Tom Kostopoulous are great, but their talent doesn't match their heart, and then there are others who's heart doesn't seem to match their talent. Somehow, the team culture needs to change so that it's unacceptable to play Samsonov style hockey.
As for the goaltending and goalscoring being inconsistent, this is less a culture thing in my opinion and more a development thing. We have a lot of AMAZING players coming up. but the key here is coming up. Price isn't the best goalie in the league now, but neither was Luongo at his age. My point is that Gainey took a gamble here and for better or worse, Price is the number one and he will be for a long time. We'll have to go through the growing pains with him. He's still learning. He's going to be great, just not this year, and probably not next year either. But his learning right now and all of these are valuable lessons that will help him become great.
Same goes for the younger forwards - Lats, Lappy, Pacioretty, D'Ago, Sergei Kost, and to a lesser extent Andrei Kost, Plex and Higgy. I expect more from the older three, but the younger ones are doing everything that could be asked of them and they'll improve a lot.
My thoughts:If anyone thinks this team, as it currently stands, can win two playoff rounds, than that person thinks it's worth acquiring rentals. Lord knows the Habs don't need to worry about playoff revenue this year of all years. Bubble teams that make big trade deadline acquisitions aren't doing so to win the Cup, they're doing so to try and make decent playoff runs that yield a good profit for the club, and momentum heading into season ticket renewals. So whatever Florida does, we should feel no need to "react" to their moves, for example.
Let the current group of guys sink or swim. There are too many UFA's for us to gamble big time on this group... if this team can't win two rounds as is (and when you're dealing with making it as one of the 4-8 seeds, the answer likely means no), then bringing in rentals is counter productive to how your team will fare in future years. If you can acquire a piece that you legitimately believe you can re-sign, or is already under contract and you think will help you beyond this spring, then get it.
Signing Marian Hossa never looked so good.
Absolutely agree. And I don't think we'll win two playoff rounds.
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Good reads, however, I have my own gut feelings about this Stanley cup winning business.
As unlucky as we have been this season, the playoffs are a whole other beast. We are not the best team in the league and won't be, at any point this season. Alright.
Detroit won last year, and was expected to win. Before that, how many cup champs were expected to win it? All that matters is that we get into the playoffs. From there, anything can happen. That's the approach I'm taking. There simply is no way to guarantee your teams wins a cup.
Luck, fortune, whatever you want to call it, plays a role in the playoffs too, not just in the regular season.
I'm not counting any of the 16 playoff teams out until they officially are.
Maybe the law of averages will take over and we'll get a few Philly-like bounces come the post-season?
What you're saying may be true, but at the same time, this team doesn't play the right "style" of hockey (aka, not willing to play rough or get pushed around) to go deep into the playoffs , and right now, they're not convincing anyone that they'll be able to do it on superior skill either. I agree with CC that we all just need to tamp down our expectations for the season.
I also think trading Kovy, so we can get something for nothing, would be a great idea if the interest is there with other teams. I don't think trading young guys in the system is a good plan right now, not for anyone short of Lecavelier or Bouwmeester.
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Nice pic of Price.
So true. I hope that's not this year's media picture. It's like the biggest triangle hair ever.... Actually, Danis' picture throws me off too... I seem to remember his hair being a lot thinner on top... Product, anyone (propecia maybe
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Yep, I agree. It would be silly to trade Halak. There is power in numbers. Look at all the recent teams that were powerhouses. None of them are anymore and the trend is that all gave up their insurance goalies. i.e. Ducks - Bryzgolov, Sabers - Biron, next Hasekless Wings? Detroit wont repeat this year if Osgood gets injured.
I've always said Biron > Miller and most people on this board laughed at me. A lot of people have the impression the Flyers knocked the Habs out of the playoffs last year. I beleive it was Biron.
I wouldnt trade Halak untill his contract is nearing an end. Hell I would even consider trading Price with the way Halak has been playing. Bob should get together with their agents and sign one of them long term. Whichever one values themself the least is the one Habs keep.
Seriously though Price would definitely get way more return than Halak. Price could probably get 3 1st round picks and I'm not sure at this point if Halak would get 1 1st.
Personaly I would even start doing the baseball percentages routine as to who starts each game. Play the numbers game and use their stats to decide who gets to start which game. i.e. with a left handed batter put in a right handed pitcher. In regards to hockey crunch the stats and know which goalie is better at what and play them accordingly. ex if Halak is better against teams that drive hard to the net he gets to start against teams that do that, or if Price is statistically better under prolonged PK situations play him against teams that get the most PP's or teams that at really good at keeping the puck in your end, etc. Whichever goalie has any statistical adv to give Habs best chance at a W gets to start.
Overkill much??
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I wish
I'll be the super good looking guy tapping on the glass
lol...
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Keep Halak until it get's to be a problem, I do not think it will be, I seriously doubt that he does not know that the plan is for him to back up price. Hey he could be riding a bus in hamilton. However having said that if we get a really good offer for him then it will have to be "best of luck see ya later" but we do not need to trade him at this point. And giving him away in a trade for gaborik would not make sense. His value will only increase.
totally agree. He's worth more to us now with the team than anything he could bring back, and he'll only get better. J.T. on habsinisdeout has a really good post about why it's better to keep halak here:
http://habsinsideout.com/otherwing/j-t/9901
Also, looks like Price is still under the weather with the flu and Halak will be playing tomorrow night...
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Supposed to be Price, but he missed practice today (sick) so if he's still sick they might give him the night off...
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Nope, the RDS thing isn't available in the US. They want everyone here to buy the NHL Gamecenter thingy. However, pretty much every Jackets game is on TV so he'll still be able to watch. I think I am eventually gonna get the Gamecenter, too. You get 60 days free if you buy NHL 2k9, so I used a Gift Card to buy the game and am gonna sell it as soon I get the promo code from it. Then if I sign up on November 3rd, I'll get 60 days free and then the rest of the season for 70 bucks. I end up missing about 3 weeks and end up paying maybe 85 bucks for something that costs 170. Not too bad.
Man, that sucks! but you've figured a good workaround and your video quality will be better than those of us watching it on RDS...
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I vehemently resist the idea of trading Halak. Why eliminate your depth in the one position that matters most? The Habs are likely to be at least slightly weaker next year due to UFA losses, etc.. This year is probably our best chance to win in the short term. So, we trade Halak...what happens if Price gets hurt? We win the Cup with Marc Denis?
No. Keep two good goalies. Then sort out Halak after this season is over.
exactly.
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A few days after the Habs are in town, so unfortunately it doesn't look like he'll be able to make it to the game with me.
Well, hopefully he'll be able to watch it online if he's out of the hospital (I assume you have the RDS package) and Les Boys will win him one. God Bless...
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Thanks for all the well wishes for my Dad, the surgery went off without a hitch. Finding a room for him took longer than the surgery itself, haha. One down, one to go!
Go Habs Go! Just got done watching the game and it was nice to them win once again after blowing a lead. This team is tenacious!
Good luck with number 2. when does it happen??
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agreed, but it sucks that he goes back after such a solid performance.
personally I think with do Latendresse a lot of good to go down for few games - come back with scoring touch he seems to have lost.
He is getting opportunities but no goals. Confidence sinking ?
Chipchura should stay for few games after that great game.
NO!!! I personally like Chips better than Lats but I see NO benefit in sending Lats down right now... He's not gonna score in every game and as long as he's getting opportunities and working hard (both are happening), there's no reason to change anything... Let's just let him play. His line has been the most consistent one, whether that's due to him or not, why mess with a good thing?
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I was just holding my breath for the game to end, but the way we were playing it was BOUND to happen.
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he's not playing. he apparently as a cold or something,but I think he'd still be irritated about being scratched.
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How do you all think Chips is doing tonight? I think pretty well overall... From boone: "Kyle Chipchura did not look out of place on the Robert Lang line. "
That's just what everyone's been saying: he'd be better on the third line than on the 4th. He'll still be sent back when people are healthy though, but it's still time to make a good impression...
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600 pts for Saku!
awesome. he's on fire!
and Halak has been really impressing me too.
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By contrast, the Nashville Predators event schedule consists of a 2-for-1 Pizza night in February. That's it. (I'm kidding, of course. The Predators could never afford to give away free pizza slices.)
heheh
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Playing Higgins with Plekanek and Kovalev would be the best solution for
Higgins to stop thinking and start playing hockey at a high level.
Still the rumor of Gaborik went straight to him. Every damn rumor go straight to him.
Being inactive and seing the team winning is frustrating, seeing your name again in the
paper you must feel totally armless.
With AK46 out and Plekanek on the need to get a jump start it would be profitable for all
these three guys to get going together and play a straight to the net style of hockey instead of
fancy doodle pop. And Higgins could bring that to that line.
You know, that's interesting perspective but we don't actually know that he's lost confidence. I think I would try SKost with on the "1st line" first, and Higgy with Lang, and then IF that doesn't work, switch them back up....
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good luck Fanpuck. Hope it goes well and we'll be praying for you...
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Humdinger of a thread.
Chips has a two-way contract. Lapierre does not.
Remember: hockey is a BUSINESS.
ah, as usual, Colin's voice of reason...
The letters of DOOM
in Habs & Hockey Talk
Posted
So pessimistic Chris, and yet so right!