Commandant

What a start, all you can do is laugh.

Agreed. One/two scratches is okay for a kid, but if it becomes 3 in a row saturday, he needs to go.

Scratches: Weber, Leblanc. Meaning Campoli plays

The protest game happens against Tampa, the team that some of the protestors probably wish we were. - French Superstars (2 of them) - French Coach - French Goalie Yet still not doing any better than we are doing

Jarred Tinordi was named as one of Team USA's three best players of the tournament after 2-1 win vs Switzerland. Each team names a 3 stars for their own team, and he was one.

Agreed, we need that type of guy. Just don't think Orr is the answer. I liked Artukhin too. Another name brought up a lot is Konopka, but I hate him.

Randy should just come out and announce that scratching Leblanc is the retaliation to all those "The Coach must Speak French" pundits.

Agreed, I want this player, and Ideally a similar type player to be part of our top 6 Defence for next season as well. But I don't think Colton Orr is your guy on this issue, even if you want a forward. Not given the state of his career. I think the major concussion he suffered took a lot out of his game, and I'm not even sure he was good enough at the role you want to begin with.

Orr is also signed for not just this season, but next season as well. I wouldn't touch it with a thirty foot pole.

Orr hasn't been fighting at near the same rate as he was prior to suffering his latest concussion. I think you'd be picking up another Laraque. This time last year, he fought like crazy... but this season, not been used near as much, not as many fights, and not as good play either.

Gallagher won in a previous game. Some teams, such as Canada, won't pick the same player twice Player of the game is picked by team administration.

They basically used him PP only. His leg is clearly injured.

On the US and Tinordi. The team obviously had a very disappointing performance in this tourney, but I have to say in watching their games that Tinordi was their best player.

Deschamps had a decent, not great, but decent rookie year in the AHL last year. But this year he's regressed and has like 7pts or something in 30+ games.

I think with Kaberle and Markov under contract for 2 more seasons filling in the gaps, you can pull off a Philly style rebuild, where they plug in until the next group is ready, which we all admit will take some time. In adding Markov late this year, this will be very similar to what Philly was able to do in adding Timmonen. Its bringing a stablilizing #1 Dman into the situation, since he's a guy who hasn't played much in two years.

I can agree on that. He definitely is prone to rookie-like brain cramps even in his fourth season of junior, and I think he'll be like any defenceman and have them when he first gets to the NHL. Tinordi will have a roller coaster like ride in the NHL when he gets here too. Its the nature of young D and to be expected. I just thought you meant that he'll never be good defensively.... I think he needs time and there will be growing pains along the way, but should eventually grow into a solid defensive player. Hopefully Subban, Emelin, and Diaz continue to grow and have less defensive errors as they become the core of the team with Markov and Gorges, and then eventually insulate the Beaulieu's and Tinordis who come along next through their early years of brain cramps. Eventually Subban becomes good enough to replace the role Markov should be providing for us, a true #1 Dman (Subban isn't there yet) and Beaulieu and Tinordi replace what Subban is currently bringing (pretty solid play with occasional brain cramps).

You mean waiting like Dallas, the NY Rangers, Phoenix and Toronto who all drafted out of the NCAA, NTDP, or USHL in the first round last season while we were drafting out of the QMJHL? or Like Dallas, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Florida, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, San Jose and the NY Islanders did with 1st rounders in 2010? or Like Minnesota, NY Rangers, Columbus, Vancouver, and Anaheim did in 2009? Seems to me we aren't the only team looking at the US in round 1; and Leblanc, Pacioretty and McDonagh all look like sucessful picks. Tinordi is well on his way, and only Fisher seems to have been a mistake.

Sorry, wrote Pacioretty twice and forgot AK.

Todays lines Cammy - Plekanec - Cole Pacioetty - Desharnais - Kostitsyn Moen - Eller - Blunden Darche - Nokelainen - Leblanc and Gionta rotating Gorges - Subban Emelin - Diaz Gill - Kaberle

It was reported that We offered more money for Briere and lost him to Philly (who was the last overall team in the NHL that season). We offered more money for Shanahan but lost him to the Rangers. We offered more money for Smyth but lost him to Colorado. Offered the same money to Elias but he returned to Jersey. If you don't think that Montreal is in a situation where they are forced to "overpay" then I have some nice property in Brooklyn to sell you.

Obviously not every one of those is a disadvantage to all those cities, but they are present. The point is that there are positives in every other city, that aren't present in Montreal. In some situations... its only taxes + language that make a difference (see vs playing in Toronto) In others its taxes + pressure + language (see vs playing in Philly or Boston) and In others its taxes + pressure + language + weather. (see vs playing in the South) But in pretty much every situation; Montreal starts from a disadvantage of some type.

The Red Sox have just as much media pressure as the Yankees. Where are your sources for what Cammalleri was offered in Calgary? What was he offered in Toronto? Same with Hamrlik, what is your source on what he got offered there? I've never seen these numbers. As for Gorges, its funny how we criticize PG for rolling the dice on Markov's knee, but then say he should have given Gorges (who had the same knee injury and has been skating with a torn ACL since Junior apparently) for not wanting to sign him what would have been a 7 year deal in July? Both were risks.. but the fact was with Gorges we had the ability to make a more calculated move (RFA situation vs UFA) where we only had to offer him one year and then see if he was healthy. Giving Gorges a 7 year deal without knowing how he was gonna respond to the surgery would have been ridiculous.

thanks

I agree that both Tinordi and Beaulieu need AHL time, but I'm much higher on Beaulieu's defensive game than you are, like we talked about in the WJC thread. He reminds me a lot of Subban. I don't think he'll be a defensive liability. He needs time, but his game is getting there. Nygren definetely needs defensive work.

Montreal has - the highest taxes in the league - the worst media and fan pressure in the league - horrible weather compared to southern markets - the french/english issue which can get downright ugly at times (like now) - problems where you can't enroll your kids in English schools. and you guys wonder why it seems like Montreal pays a premium on contracts in terms of either years or dollars? Really?