DON

How bout agree to disagree on several items sir, different point of views it seems, which is fine. Have a good weekend.

Yes, sorry; was kind of retorical and should of said too bad the NHL games cant be as entertaining. Even the 8-0 game was better to watch than NY vs Caps grinding it out and dumping it in the corner over and over. Pitt- Philly was only good (fun to watch) match-up i have seen. Maybe they do need to make goalie equipment even smaller (as it was in 80s) or some other tweek? Beaulieu had an OK-good game, couple assists i think and flashs of his top-end talent; but still leaves guys wide open in own end/front of net and was lucky Rimouski totally forgot to show up. He will learn next year in AHL i imagine.

I am with ya, and on the #1 line we will have Ovechkin-Crosby-Stamkos

Your home grown idea is simply common sense, i am a fan and hope for more Canadians to be on team, but wouldnt skip a better player/coach to achieve that, makes zero sense unless winning is not #1 priority (which it seems is the case for Molson and my main point of earlier post). Harold Ballard was of a similar opinion and Don Cherry is as well, but you have to admit that their attitudes are just a bit passe dont you think? As for the majority of Habs fans, we want a winning team. You do realize the draft is a crap shoot? And hindsight makes it so easy to criticize that it is inane. You arnt really quoting Pierre McQuire are you? You threw that in there as a joke eh?

The WHL game was another exciting one, why are the junior playoffs that much more exciting than NHL trap games?

#19 is my favourite player of all time, but would he consider being Assistant? His agent hinted he might be? I am all for that and also for giving Carbo another crack. I think Kovalev was just a bit much for him as a rookie coach, maybe?? But i would just as in favour of keeping both Randy's and add Carbo.

36 goals as rookie was very well done and Habs are not shy to go after Swiss players. I had kind of equated him to maybe a David Perron, skilled, good skater and super around the net, average size. And he stands out as a possible steal in 2nd round? Habs can use more top 6 skilled offensive prospects for sure.

You must plan on cleaning house? Whereas i see only 1 swap of centreman for Plekanec. With Stastny centering Pacioretty at the world's and both piling up the points, he seems like would be a nice fit and Aves may be into acquiring Thomas?

Looking good and look forward to seeing some of Hab prospects battle it out next week. I thought OHL final would be closer, but not over quite yet. The WHL series will likely go 7 games. It was quite interesting to see Henrik Samuellson get suspended for a nice cross check to head, apple didnt fall far from tree. Pacioretty and his future Hab centerman Paul Stastny each had 3 points today.

It is just a bit annoying, and an oversimplified anology would be; that every year the Habs 1st round pick must be from Quebec, when we all know there are better choices (most years). same as Bergevin promoting more scouts in the Q? why; there are but a couple in the first few rounds of past few drafts? Wouldnt it be more prudent to say, we are going to beef up our scandinavian scouting dept, becasue past few years there are dozens of top notch prospects? Anyways, would Guy Charron be a good canditate for coach, he played with habs in 70s, was assistant coach with Habs in 2003-04 and has been coaching for 20 years now? I would think he would be better choice than Roy, if only that he has the experiance. But i know nothing of personality/coaching abilities?

thanks Sweet, 32nd! How bout Nashville's pick, is that settled now? 32nd, 53rd and 63rd should be about right? or not quite set in stone till season completed totally?

You mean 34th of course (where you guys have him, or did you concede to the lower spot?) As much as he is a good pick, there will still be lots of others to pick from, right through our 4th (64th) pick, if Timmins hasnt swung a deal by then.

Highly doubt he is trading #3? Just too many super looking prospects in top 5 to pass over. Already have a Wilson or 2 in the system, Staubitz/Shultz/Conboy, 9 goals in regular season in junior dosent translate to a 1st round pick. But some team will pick him too high, only becasue he is big and fights, same as Rangers with McIlrath in 2010, who is an OK and very tough d-man but shouldnt of gone 10th; or Dallas with Oleksiak last year, who is frickin huge, but likely a very long term project and Andy Sutton type of player. Hab can get just as tough a player in 2nd round, with Lukas Sutter who can fight and score or Dalton Thrower who also plays with Saskatoon and fought Wilson at prospects game, but he is a 20 goal scoring d-man, and at least one of these 2 will be available at 33rd. But i would bet Timmins will make a swap at draft, but whether it will be up or down this time is only question. (Last year traded down for extra picks and year before traded up to get Tinordi) It may depend on whether a guy high on his list slides, say a Gaunce/Collberg is still available at 22nd, he may toss 2 or 3 picks in to get him??

Trade Plekanec and stuff, for upgrade in size at least; 1st line Pacioretty-Joe Thorton-Cole or 2nd line Bourque-Stastny-Gionta or 2nd line Bourque-Getzlaf-Gionta

Didnt say there are not good french coachs and i am not anti-french, but eliminating all who cant speak it, no matter what resume is, seems so Don Cherry-like (childish) and that is what is being done to cowtow to media, politicians and Savard/Molson agenda; at cost of possibly not hiring best person for the job. Am i wrong in that assumption? Just my kooky opinion, thats all.

I agree, but like i said politics will ultimately determine who is coach and i bet if Roy would say yes to job offer, it is his, for better or (likely) worse.

Bieksa is a super comparison in many ways. He would be a steal to get in late 2nd round, but will likely be long gone.

Not a chance Florida would trade him and he is not worth trading the #3 pick for neither. Grigorenko/Galchenyuk/Forsberg probably will be better NHLers. He plays on a stacked junior team, even Sergai Kostitsyn racked up huge points in junior thanks to great teammates. But i might trade the #3 pick for Couturier, whom Philly will never trade neither.

Sad fact is that politics is still the #1 factor for hires and team success comes second, seems a very outdated and backward way of doing business. Not another sports franchise like it anywhere i dont think? Gerard Gallant could be best available, but likely just not french enough, which is just too bad. So bring on Roy and let the gong show start. Would be entertaining for sure, successful might be another matter.

But is that really enough to get worked up over? Leafs screwed up, live and learn. As i said, you still aint got a clue what the other 90% of teams are doing/gonna do/pick in the crap-shoot, so really, odds are it will amount to dick-all risk and more that Burke wants camera or air time to rant, when he really should be out of a job by now and just another err on his part. As bad as Gauthier was portrayed, he does not even come close to Burke's record of ineptness.

Cant argue one bit with anything you say. The Halak thing didnt even cross my mind though, hindsight stuff is history and prefer to look forward. I had a similar feeling as you, but towards Pacioretty and i thought he wouldnt even get 20 goals. And they say he is playing very well at world's also, which is super to hear. So my crystal ball aint worth much. Louis seems a smart player and a hard worker, who just needs improved strength/skating.

Burke didnt sign a smart contract with Dudley, not the first time he fooled up, i say screw him it is a business isnt it? Next time he will not include consultants not under contract or "free agent" management personnal, be a good but tough lesson for Braniac to learn, i have no sympathy. Why would Timmins care who Leafs want (very minor advantage)? After first several players or 1st round, no one knows who will be left nor what the other 28 teams want or will pick? And the Leafs are no draft gurus are they? I know it is a big ol boys club with lots of under the table agreements, but Bergevin might as well start by pissing off Burke, i am good with that.

Sure i get ya. Burke will whine about anything, like a spoiled kid. Toronto is perfect place for him. I still disagree about Dudley and draft and see the rush as an attempt to get mgmt all in place ASAP, so coach hiring, UFA-RFA contract and July 1st are all sorted out and make sure all are on same page. What does that Larry Carriere guy do? Is he a AGM?

I assume you just have a gut feeling Eller wont keep developing and be a top 2 centre within year or 2. You could be correct, but i think he is bigger and a better skater than those you listed and doubled goal production in 2nd year, as i said with little summer/fall training, so i am hopeful he becomes a 65-70 point guy. But i am always overly optimistic about young Habs. I also see Louis Leblanc also coming to camp as a different and heavier player, as he is a fitness freak and also will not be rehabbing shoulder this summer/fall. Dont see Louis ever being a 40 goal guy, but maybe a Mike Richards type?

Has to be a short list of 4 or 5 players at most. I Hope it is Galchenyuk, but i could maybe see Columbus grabbing him, so Grigorenko is likely favourite, find out in 6 weeks or so.