JLP

I guess most of the people here can watch the Habs play -- some can go to the Big Bell and watch live, most probably watch on TV. But for those of us far-flung souls, the only choice is internet radio, CJAD, and that has meant listening to Dino Sisto calling the action. I never was crazy about Sisto, don't get me wrong I was happy to listen to the games, and he wasn't bad -- but he didn't sparkle, actually he made me uneasy somehow. I didn't enjoy the post-game call-in show because his attitude toward callers was often more than a little condescending and dismissive, and that sort of embarrassed me for some reason. Anyway with the fiasco Sisto won't be back this year. I for one won't miss him -- what about you?

I like Brisebois, hope he stays at a price we can afford!

Not a bad idea but I'd prefer Kovalev and give a coupla kids a chance -- we're deep with prospects and they have to play to improve. But the nostalgia angle is interesting, especially if we can't keep Brisebois (somebody tell me -- can we keep him at a reduced salary??? -- then we would have at least one contact with the glory of '93). And since the Kings are improving grace a les canadiens parti they have picked up, wouldn't it be ironic if we met them again in the playoffs this year? getting ahead of myself -- Kovalev is what I want to see happen, then everything else will fall into place! Oh, and since I'm all over the place with this post I want to add that I think Boullion is underrated and he can be a top-six D-man for the Habs -- because heart counts! [Edited on 24-7-05 by JeanLucPilon]

No, you're smart. Anyway, about goalies, in retrospect it's too bad we let Garon go now that the new CBA and Huet's 6+ month rehab have changed the situation for us, but hope Jose can play a lot and hope the good karma (from giving Garon the starting position he deserves) stands us in good stead. AND, on the nights he plays, hope Danis is spectacular and gets shutouts etc. We'll do fine this year. Oh, and one more thing -- Screw the Leafs! [Edited on 24-7-05 by JeanLucPilon]

Yup it has to affect the situation. Didn't Lemieux want Kovalev, and Kovalev might have been lured back to play beside him? Well now Lemieux has Crosby there isn't room for Kovalev on the first line, which probably means Mtl's main competition for Kovalev is gone! Yippee! If we couldn't get Crosby Pittsburgh is where I wanted him to go, Lemieux deserves him.

#5! Very good for the Habs, we will score a fine player. What are the chances we get someone who can start, who plays on the Habs this coming year?

They grew up in ice and snow, drawn south by the sun and sea?

Thanks guys but I still don't get it -- I want to know if Player A is offered US$2million by Boston and also by the Habs, which contract gives him the better take-home pay. Does it depend on citizenship and where he lives? If he's a single Canadian citizen and he moved to Boston he'd have more money after taxes, right? I know that Americans living abroad still have to file US income taxes on anything over a $70,000 excemption. Canadians living abroad don't have to file Canadian taxes. I wonder about Europeans? As I said I think the competing offers on a given player are going to get closer because of the cap, so what other considerations will players make when choosing which team they want to play with -- not including things like whether they have friends on the team or like the coach or want to be with a contender etc, mainly the financial considerations: 1. Taxes. 2. Cost of living (does/can the team pay for or subsidize accomodations?). 3. Potential for extra income through product endorsements (a star in Chicago or Toronto can get a lot to endorse, say, a restaurant chain's local campaign -- can a player in Pheonix get as much to do the same? What about Montreal, how much does Theodore get for endorsements?). Wondering how Montreal stacks up for a player who is looking at these considerations. [Edited on 22-7-05 by JeanLucPilon]

Is that specifically for the special buyout period that is being offered at the front of the new CBA? Because Brisebois has a club option year this year in his old contract, could this be a special exception?

I think if Kovalev resigns we move 10+ points up in the standings, middle of the playoff pack, and that's contender country! Off topic but an interesting point under the new CBA mobile players will be picking where they want to go instead of simply heading wherever the most money is, because the cap will narrow the gap in offers. I wonder, can someone tell me how significantly Quebec (Canadian) taxes effect players' salaries?

What about our second round pick, didn't we give that to the Rangers? Is that conditional on Kovalev resigning with us?

I hope Brisebois stays, at a lower price of course, but I hope he stays! A bigger D-problem is Rivet, who may end up being one of our highest-paid players, and does what exactly? Brisebois is an exciting player -- something will happen when he gets the puck (ok, not always something good), and am I wrong or did he lead the team in plus/minus last year? That can't be bad, and he knows how to make the open ice pass and put the offence in motion, that is his style -- you want tough stay-at-home, well we have Komi now. Brisebois is a good fit on the habs, I think, just need to keep him at a more realistic price. I PREDICT WE ARE GOING TO DO GREAT THIS YEAR!!!

We have some special rights vis a vis Kovalev, correct? Can someone tell me what the situation is regarding his contract negotiations, can we match offers or what? Also, do we get compensation from the Rangers if he goes elsewhere this year?

Thanks guys! The old team is starting to come back to me now. I hope we get Kovalev back we'd have one of the highest-scoring first lines in the league. Any possibility Brisebois renegotiates for a lower salary? And Rivet, man is set to make like $4 mil this year, is that right?

Yeah, Sakiqc, if that is true, I would hate it too, but don't you think we have to expect that sort of thing with the new CBA? NHL teams will still have higher payrolls than Euro sides, but the gap will not be as large as before and with the new NHL restrictions, some rich Euro teams should be able to scoop up some of the world's elite players. It makes sense -- ask yourself why should Stockholm fans have to live with the fact that the best Scandinavians have been playing in front of fans in, say, Arizona or Florida. So we better get used to it, and losing some of our better players may be the price we pay for hockey's resumption, and it is only fair, in a global hockey sense. wouldn't you say? About the draft, wow, after nothing for so long, suddenly everything is moving so fast -- Aug 6, less than a month away (By the way, this Aug 6 will mark the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and Montreal and Hiroshima are sister cities. What sort of weird cosmic energy might that bring the Habs on draft day?)

So we'll have Koivu centering the first line with maybe Kovalev and who else? Ribs with Zednick on the second with... Souray with someone on first defence pairing Theodore will be in nets... umm... (?) Oh yeah, Bonk centers the third line. can we start speculating now?

Everyone has to agree, he has a cool name though: "Yanic Perreault" A really cool hockey name.

Well, HabsWorld. I had intended to donate this to you at the start of the season as appreciation for your hard work. It's a cool $500 toward beer, pizza and 'incidentals' for the official HabsWorld victory party had we won the cup this year. Habs Bet to Win Cup Pays US$500 alas, now we can only read it and weep...

R.I.P N.H.L.

Me too! But it's night here so I'll have to check in the morning, it should be decided one way or another in the coming hours Hey, I notice you are in East Holland, are you near Arnhem? I go there sometimes, nice place I really like it.

Where are you guys getting the breaking news? Sounds like they are close here at the 11th hour, if the season is on I have a surprise for HabsWorld!

I don't know EA NHL so I can't compare but I played Eastside for quite some time before it became boring. You are a manager drafting and making trades and doing scouting and conditioning and setting lineups, different levels of difficulty and so on, highly configurable and quite addictive -- at first anyhow. I recommend it.

The fact goalies didn't wear masks until the 70s shows how the game has changed, it is all brute force now. I completely agree about the clutch and grab, that's why i favor a bigger ice surface so players have a way round that crap. Also, think there's any chance the players could be made to keep the sticks below the waist, those are friggin weapons they are wielding. Beliveau was a gentleman, hockey was a gentleman's game (oops, that's a bit sentimental, I forgot about th elikes of Ferguson and Shack) Anyway, did the Finnish game finish? Did you enjoy it?

Well, you know more about the game than I do. I thought for sure the big ice made for a faster game, the point about intensity is a good one, it is for sure more physical when there is less room, if that is what you mean. I would vote for something between th eNHL and the Int sizes, simply because the players have got bigger since the early days when th eice size was set, and more equipment as well.

Sure: 20.46 Ladislav Kohn (Mike Ribeiro – Mika Niskanen) 0-1 yv 28.59 Antti Hulkkonen (Joni Lius) 1-1 tv