DON

Damphousse is just a RDS guy right? So i wouldnt worry about much he commented on, maybe he is a good guy and all that, but he is not even involved in hockey is he? a new Hab scout?? I almomst totally agree, Dumba's seems a bit lost in own end, but his offense could be super and Murray is what he is, a solid all-round d-man, as someone said, he is like Niedermayer but wont have the offense. Only time will tell and if Timmins called Murray's name, that would be dandy with me as well. And Bergevin could trade a d-man on JUly 1st to make room for Murray this fall. I cant remember when the last teenager who suited up and had a good career with Habs was, never?

Would love to have opening round 5 game series, would be sweet and done in NBA (or used to be) but hell will freeze over first. How bout back to back games in every series (bring in conditioning as a bigger factor), oh again dosent fit with maximizing TV revenue, so another no go. Scrap more exibition games, start earlier. Summer Hockey is just wrong in many ways, i am only saying chop off 2 weeks is all. It would be very easy to speed it up, but it all comes down to $$ (and to a minor part, schedullin issues).

But (as a Dumba promoter) Dumba has already spoken about his defensive liabilities and recognizes it is his weak aspect. And they say defense is something that can be taught (in AHL), and Subban is one example of a very similar player, who now dosent take himself out of position to make the big hit; as much anymore and is learning the defensive side of game. But Dumba, has all that cant be taught, skating, puck skills, offensive instincts, open-ice hitting, leadership and he is very tough kid for his size, so if Timmmins called his name at #3 (which i think unlikely) i would be very happy, but still would prefer slightly Galchenyuk.

But he definitely plays on the edge; many times i think he is getting a penalty and it goes un-called, not sure why, maybe becasue he is not a whiner, plays consistantly tough/clean and dosent piss off refs post whistle? But before he came to NHL, it was said he did have a reputation and drew Kasparitis comparisons.

I started watching in 80s and still love the wide open, fast, hard hitting, higher scoring game, to a soccer match-up. The WHL finals was just that for all 7 games and made for very exciting and entertaining hockey. I would say start with goaltending equipment, ignore the goalies whining and make it sensible size. Is an easiest of fixs. Maybe do as the NBA has and institute a defensive zone penalty for trap and collapse around the net defensive system. Try and have more objective Referring, who arnt total puppets of Bettman and GMs. Call the same hooking penalty in pre-season as is called in last 5 minutes of game 7 of finals, it is done in every other professional sports league, who, unlike the NHL, actually have some integrity. There is a reason the World juniors draw every Candian Hockey Fanatic to watch every X-mas. Even a final without the Candians was a super game to watch. And the memorial cup shouldnt be any different. The NHL season should be ending right around now, not June. I hope Phoenix wins cup, but summer is here. Go Blue Jays!

Stastny is an upgrade in every catagory, cept PK maybe?? Stastny is 12th in league on face offs (which is one achilles heal of habs) Thomas is 54th and has been his whole career sub 50%. Stastny has him in size, he is a NHL average 6'0" and 205lb, Thomas is not even average size. Stastny has bout same points in over 100 fewer games. Stastny is 3 years younger. Stastny has 3 years with 70-80 points out of his 6 years in league on a shitty team. I am not saying Stastny would be a cure-all and the guy to go after; and i also love Thomas's play and his has an affordable (undervalued maybe) contract; but if Bergevin is too reshape the team i see having 2 small forwards as top 2 centres as the first place to start a retooling. But a Stastny-like centre, could be JoeThorton/Marleau/O Reilly/Stall/Getzlaf or any of a number of all-star centres would fit between Cole and Pacioretty nicely, and Stastny seems to have some chemisty with Max. And many other GMs might see Plekanec as a nice fit for an underperforming/stagnant team.

Good one! I think a 2nd line of Bozon-Galchenyuk-Gallagher could be a very popular and productive one in 2 or 3 years?

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.