DON

NHL teams typically use 10 different d-men in a year, so we have 8 and likely Pateryn or Dietz will also get a game or two, unless Habs stay relatively healthy on back end again this year. I think the depth of bottom six forwards made Moan quite expendable and extra year of salary was likely also a big factor. With the PP absolutely sucking for long time, Bergevin had to try and add 'something'. I think dlbalr made a good argument a while ago as to, "Why' Bergein may have been shopping for a d-man. I like the experience he brings and I assume he is still good puck mover and Holy Moly........3 Russian d-men, interesting. Beaulieu and Tinordi have both played OK and will get their games in. I guess I would say is a smart deal and quite like it and Bournival is likely smiling today also with spot opening up for him, so add a 42 yr old, trade a 32yr old and make room for a 22yr old.

Well..if they flip DD & Eller spots in roster and see how DD does playing bottom six minutes, checking and playing PK (and what his offensive production is) and GLUE Pacioretty to Eller with top minutes and lots of PP time. And then if Eller is still as bad as you claim, I would concede he is "the issue". Till then excuses may be valid and I think Eller might do better in offensive role than DD would do defending?

Come on, Rene is not a powder-puff player like the 3 butterfly chasers I mentioned, he will at least hit (a bit) and go into a corner or two (when he is feelin it), hands of stone now but crap happens to some careers. And I was just railing agin the +Cammalleri reference of someone anyways.

I know dlbalr has good examples of Lefebvre's ineptness and kooky moves, but I think he is doing all exactly as Hab Mgmt tells him to. Did Bergevin sign Corey Locke or couple of other top offensive AHL vet, No. So maybe Lefebvre is told to make do and if lose, not priority #1 anyways? Dogs PP went 1-11 on weekend and maintains a much worse % than Habs. You would think having both teams simply suck on PP would be a bit of concern for Bergevin.

Poor Gomer! I stuck by, pulled for him for the longest time, but he just had lost-'it'. I imagine 30/31 was same as majority of HabFans and cursing every shift he hit the ice and J.Martin for playing him so much!

Ya Scherbak looked OK, (but I missed much of game) That Jake Evans has 6pts in first 10 NCAA games, nice to see for a freshman. (he just went pointless and -3 in 2 games vs MInni. , who are stronger team than Irish)

Not as a regular, no is my guess. Big step from playing 17-20yr olds and vs Pro players. I will wait till he hits AHL to see how that goes first. But is great to see him so improved and hate to be negative as maybe Timmins-Bergevin did see something other than Ht-Wt and 'I want to be the next Lucic!".

For sure kid has skill and tantalizing size/speed/hands. But, he will go through a slump and how he (& MT/MB) deal with that will be interesting. Don't say I want (or ever wanted) Rene to play over him, but MB must give direction on whether or not he can put Bourque in pressbox for every game; if MB has plans to try and trade him for "Bag o Pucks" and retain some salary, or take some underachieving guy whose contract runs out this year. Like I said before, would be very small minority of HabFans who will miss Rene and are not excited to see how good this Sekac is. Habs need frickin offense...period and if Sekac can bury 15 or so, would be a bonus.

When record is 10-4-1, made playoffs all 3 years under New Mgmt, overachieved and made final four last year? How is that an appropriate time to crap on...almost every player, repeatedly? Maybe simply a very pessimistic, very critical fan (not that there is anything wrong with that)?

Maybe which flavour of hot wing is best! or can MB look for a replacement for Lecroix (and not be a coach from Hamilton)?

I haven't slagged him, I simply argued he should start in AHL, even if for just 5-10games. And with the depth on Habs of vet forwards, don't you think he would of been better off playing games consistently since early Oct? What does a month in AHL mean to a 10-15 year career, hasn't ever hurt any player one bit (cept scaring Nygren in Murdertown Hamilton).

Toss up - Kessel-Semin or Cammalleri, as to who is softest floater in NHL.

see Korp already got it covered, delete this thread admin.

Anyway, is there anyone who would miss him? Not many eh. Likely one of Sekac-Bournival-Hudon-Andrighetto am sure can fill his role.

not sure what this may mean for him? dlbalr should fill us in maybe?

Nice to see Bozon with 2g-4pts in 4 games 11g for Scherbak in 14 gms and only held pointless in 1 game, looking good eh. Lernout has been fairly quiet, has been staying out of penalty box but not adding offense lately (and he does play point on the PP), 1a in last 5 games.

But some haters, actually don't curse him every game anymore and if you measure success as Wins-Losses and making playoffs, not much of an argument how he has done. I know some will say that a chimpanzee could steer this team into playoffs and a competent coach would have won a cup with the last 2 years rosters.

Well he did get 30 in 46 game season, so bit better pace than 30pts (54point pace), maybe he peaked way too early in career?

Not so, they also went to other teams like NY-Boston-Chicago, whereas Habs get a walk-on like Guy Lapointe or if French player wouldn't come to Habs, they bought the whole league he played in to get him, etc etc They had first dibs on the cream of crop for Quebec kids forever didn't they? Which wasn't quite the same for ONT kids and Leafs, was it?

Some team stats; #1 faceoff% 8th PK 9th blocked shots 17th GAA 19th hits 22nd +/- 6th worst Giveaways 26th best Takeaways 27th Scoring 28th PP Thank Price that Habs were still in game after the 1st period (and most games). (some discount his impact he may have had in Semi-Finals, I dunno 'What if"?) (edit: CC I didn't read you post till after and actually came up with 'dunno' independent of your post, so no I am not mocking, that's all)

Good thing all Chicago Cub fans arnt I take it you are not a Chicago Cubs fan, nor can understand why anyone in right mind would bother cheering for them. All you have to do is look up definitions of 'Fanatic'.

Even a Gallagher just went log stretch with zero points, so will Sekac have fortitude to fight through a slump and do enough away from puck to stay in lineup? we just don't know yet.

By having choice of all the best Quebec players is big reason Habs won so many cups, isn't it?

NO not sold yet, and I did say he looked OK, but was not OK to sit him in pressbox so long and Hamilton top line was a much better option if not going to play him. And hope he can make an impact, but we have had D'Agostini & Hossa who also came in and looked super at start but... so maybe give it a month or 4 before really make any long term projection. Maybe he and Larry can be a good combo, both can skate and forecheck well.

Looks like will be another 'sketchy' season, I guess can just hope maybe squeak into playoffs this year.