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simonus

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    Habs claim Metropolit

    in Habs & Hockey Talk

    Posted

    Just a question, but why would we ever sent out our 4th line for a key faceoff anyways? We really want Stewart and Dandy/Laraque with Chips/Metro as the guys on the ice in a key situation? Players on the 4th line are generally the worst players on the team... and you don't send your worst players out for key situations.

    I imagine in such a situation - if you have a generally mediocre player who can take faceoffs - you put him out for the faceoffs with different linemates.

    or you put him on the wing instead of kostitsyn as insurance against your main center being kicked out of the faceoff circle.

    Laraque spouts off

    in Habs & Hockey Talk

    Posted

    Lost in all this is the fact that Laraque chose to spout off publicly at a moment when the team is battling desperately to recover from a disastrous slump and salvage the entire season. In doing so, he creates yet another distraction and more negativity, when the exact opposite is required. Whether or not he's being correctly deployed, he has no business taking this stand, at this moment. That is totally unacceptable and he deserves to be crapped on for it.

    this aspect bothers me the most. Laraque, aside from whatever other qualities he ought have, should at this point in his career understand his role as a veteran presence. His lack of ice-time is not affecting his ability to get a new contract (another 3 years away) or to hit any performance bonuses. I can understand his frustration at the lack of playing time, but I wish that he'd be able to not rock the boat for the sole purpose of assuaging his pride-related anger.

    Laraque spouts off

    in Habs & Hockey Talk

    Posted

    Which would have been better - Laraque shutting Lucic down the entire game or fighting with him? It was asinine to bench him for not fighting that game. Plus, frustrating him like that would be the best way to get him to fight.

    What makes you think he doesn't want to fight? The fact that he's destoryed 5 of the 7 goons he's pounded this year? If we had wanted a guy to just go out there and fight, we'd have gone out and gotten a guy like Shelley or Ivanans. I think it's a bit late in the season to be punishing the guy for being out of shape 6 months ago.

    I just don't understand you people. For years people have said they'd love a goon who can also play some hockey, but now that we have one, you call him out for not being the hockeyless goon you've dissed in the past.

    I never really wanted a guy to fight that much. I hoped that Laraque could be a nuclear deterrent who could keep the team out of fights and could make other teams lose their nerve to take liberties with the team. He has played OK when he has been in - but most of his lack of playing time has been the result of being injured/unable to perform rather than being the subject of benching. It is difficult to determine whether he is being deployed correctly because of the injuries, but a guy like this should probably only be playing 3/4 of the team's games (as his skills are not always necessary).

    I think we'd all agree that Laraque is only elligible for 4th line duties and recently that position has not been available. Stewart - the player whom he is most likely to replace - has played well recently, but I must admit that I am a bit surprised he has so completely monopolized the roster spot recently.

    These types of playing time issues tend to be the result of small sample sizes and I am sure that Stewart will soon return to the press-box/hamilton. When Tanguay returns he is likely the first to go and at that point Laraque will fight for time with Dandy, Kostopoulos (who has played ok), and Begin. I'm confident that Laraque's playing time will increase in the next week or two and this issue will go dormant until the next time he finds himself off the roster. As to next season, Laraque has a contract with the habs while his main competitors for ice-time do not. Surely one or more of these other complimentary players will not re-sign with the team and Laraque (if he hasn't been traded) will have a better opportunity to get his GP.

    Habs vs. Canucks | Game Thread

    in Habs & Hockey Talk

    Posted

    The stats certainly aren't with us on this one, as Vancouver has owned us for years. I don't expect a win, but I'd be encouraged by a solid team effort. I'd be even happier if we allowed less than 30 shots for once.

    that is only a stat insofar as it is a number. It has little to no meaning for tonight's game. With roster turnover on both the Canadiens and Canucks over the years historical stats like that have basically no predictive value.

    There are stats that look bad for montreal - for example, Vancouver has a much better Goals Against per Game and is 7th in 5 on 5 play - and there are some stats that look good for the habs - Vancouver has a bad PK and is the 3rd most penalized team in the league - but head-to-head win/loss records over several seasons doesn't really tell us anything.

    Habs vs. Canucks | Game Thread

    in Habs & Hockey Talk

    Posted

    You mean, "Get the wins started". We've only got a single win in a row right now.

    *sigh*

    Bobby Luo in Montreal... the dreaded Quebec born goalie playing for the opposition in front of friends and family... and this time it's a superstar goalie, not just a middle of the road one that tends to burn us as well in the same situation.

    The only thing we've got "going" right now is our PP, which is a start, I'll grant you that. But fundamentally, our game is still pretty soft and our lineup shouldn't strike fear into opponents (though on paper, our D pairings look good).

    We're unlikely to get more than 2 past Luongo and our D has been extremely porous... I think the last time we gave up 3 (well, 2 + EN) or less was vs. Pittsburgh at the beginning of the month. I don't see a win tonight.

    hey - sometimes when I'm down for a while I decide to reboot the system and feel better. Maybe I get down again, but at least I'm starting from a higher point. I've decided to reboot and feel better about the habs... I'm hoping the boys will do the same.

    Habs @ Penguins | Game Thread

    in Habs & Hockey Talk

    Posted

    Because Price is a 5th overall pick and halak a 9th rounder

    that's a pretty bad reason.

    I think one has to give Price tonight's game (and more games in general) if one believes that 1) Price has more potential than Halak, 2) is better than Halak right now, and/or 3) it is with Price, not Halak, that Montreal has the best chance to perform in the playoffs. I think 1 and 3 are true... and 2 is usually true even though Halak has played better over the past few weeks.

    because price played great last night, and why not give him a chance to further build back his confidence.

    agreed.

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