hankhab

I'd love to see Kost get a real chance, with NHL calibre players....and I'd also like to see Zoig with Ryder and Ribero...unfortunatly, unless Julien hit his head got some sence knocked in, I don't see it happening. I hate to be sucha pessimist, and I hope I'm wrong, but I see my beloved habs being out of this one right from the start. Man, that last game was awful, and left me very bitter. Right now, this team is doing way more things wrong than right. I'm going to see a movie, I'll check the score out when I get home.

My prediction....4-1 coyotes...Julien again plays dags-ribs-ryder all night, and they combine for -3 and no goals..Zoig gets 3 minutes, scores on a beautiful breakaway, and then is benched for the rest of the game...Bulis misses 3 open nets, Souray and Komisarik combine for 20 minutes in minor penalties. Theo gets pouty after letting in 2 or 3 softies....sorry guys, but its getting ugly, and there's no way the habs are winning this one.

Maybe you people have grown too comfortable with losing...the current losing streak, even with out our best players is simply unacceptable. Even worst than the losses is the total lack of effort by the team..and that, my friends, has to fall on the coaches shoulders. Anhyone who watched that game Saturday must realise that Perezoigen was the best player for the habs...yet, he recieves almost no ice time. This guy should be plating 18 minutes a game with his talent level...I think he would be amongst the rookie leaders with that kind of ice time. Instead, he sits, and we can only hope Julien doesn't break his confidence, like he has done with Pleckanic a few times this year allready. Juliens stubborn refusal to play the young guys is making me sick...I hope someone else is in charge of the bench when Latendresse makes the team next year.

Julien wasn't hired by Bob, so I'll go out on a limb and say most likely move is Julien shipped out, replaced by Guy Carboneau...and after Claudes misuse of Perezoigen last game (who was the best player on the ice), I'm about out of patience with the coach....2nd most likely, Ribs n Dags for Sykora....

Definatly Chris Nilan....not just for his toughness, but for the pure entertainment value...who else could slam the penalty box door after fighting, and make that "why am I getting a penalty" face? Also, the fact that he was from Boston must have gotten under Bruins fans skin.

It seems Marcel Hossa has been a healthy scratch for the Rangers the last couple of games...so I guess all the whiners can stop crapping on Gainey for the Murray swap for awhile. As Gainey identifies prospects he feels won't work out, he'll drop them...as he did when he first sent Hainsey down (he might not have wanted to lose Hainsey exactly when he did though) and when he traded for Kovalov. The simple fact is, prospects don't allways work out.

Has there been anything more in the French media following Ribero's selfish remarks about Ryder? As a fellow Newfoundlander, I'd like to see Ryder challenge him in practice...he'd wipe the floor with the little idiot...

You guys had better get used to Gainey...if you followed him in Dallas, he has allways been very patient, and his moves are usually calculated. He will not be pushed into making rash decisions because of media pressure or panic, and we should all be happy for that, since it's all we seen from the Houle regiem. Also, in todays NHL, with the cap and all, its much harder to move players, especially if your team is close to the cap. For instance, the Lafs have been trying to move Allison, Antropov and or Ponikerovsky for quite some time now, apparently, with no success. We've seen rumors of maybe Souray being moved, but I don't think you'll see that either. Anyhow, if we're speculating, how bout this...Ribero and his buddy dags for Tyler Arneson...rumor has it that Chicago is looking to move him and get a more offensive centre...and who's more offensive then Ribs? (I find him quite offensive...) Kovalov Koivu Ryder Zednik Arneson Perezoigen Bulis Pleckanik Higgens Begin Bonk Kovalov (double shift the offensive guy) or maybe a call up for fourth line...not to shabby, eh? Especially if Julien would recall the success the team was having when he was rolling 4 lines [Edited on 2005/12/5 by hankhab]

I met Jean Beliveau at the airport in Toronto yesterday...from what my Dad and others say about him, and looking back at his great career, maybe he should be our favorite habs...his reputation as a gentleman and statesman for the game seems well founded, as he seems to be a very humble, approachable man, and seems greatful for his fame...current players would do well to use Mr. Beliveau as a role model, I think.

Theodores best period of hockey this year, and the second line looks better than it has so far this year....also, I'm now convinced that Perezohgen will be a star in the NHL...go Habs!

Since this is a game tread, a few comments on the game... 1. Habs won this game with hard work and great skating....there is enough talent on this team to play with any team in the league, havn't been able to say that in a while. 2. When the goal was dissallowed, former Habs squads may have fallen apart, but this team plays on...same with the late tying goal by Islanders...this Habs team has the confidence to stay level headed and play on. 3. Theodore has looked better the past 2 games, but is still down way early, he has to work on that...but his play is much more encouraging as of late...still like to see Danis get into more games... 4. Sheldon Souray needs to be demoted, he needs more time to work on his game before he can be effective on PK and PP...give his minutes to Komisarik please! Souray is a better fir as 5th or 6th d-man right now. 5. Perezoigin, Plekanik and Higgens have been great! I hope Perezoigen gets to stay on the 1st line when Zednik gets back...in fact, I'm hoping Julien puts Zed with Bonk and Bulis for a few games while he gets his legs back. Man, next years camp, with Latendresse, Chipchura and Kostitsin knocking on the door, is going to be very interesting... 6. Despite being held off the scoresheet, Ryders game is returning...whew, good to see.

Did anyone else watch Quinn crying again after the game last night? I love it...this guy blames the officiating after every game they lose...and the media just sucks it right up! The Toronto media really is that stupid..do they really believe every Leafs loss is the result of bad officiating, or even crazier, some sort of conspiracy?...Yes, they do!

Sorry to say, Bulis, and no offense meant to you, but this is one of the silliest rumors I've seen...for one thing, Leafs management love McCabe, don't think they'd part with him, and Kovalov just played the game of his life (as a habs), so he's not goin anywhere either.

What about Sundstrum....is he hurt? What makes you think Begin will be on the third line?

Its way to early to call the guy a bust, but there have been some indications that he might not be quite the goaltender he was projected to be....yes, Caron is ahead of him on the depth chart, although Pittsburgh may just prefer Fleury get more playing time in the AHL. More importantly, I felt his last world junior tournement wasn't as strong as his first one, that he actually regressed from one year to the next, and if thats the case, then maybe Pittsburgh should be a little worried. I often wonder about the wisdom of taking a goaltender with such early picks....lets hope Carey works out, eh?

Hey there...I suggested a Zed-Plek_Ryder line days ago!

According to Spectorshockey, Georges Laraques days in Edmonton may be numbered....he's not getting much ice time, and is struggling....I'd be willing to give him a chance on the fourth line with Begin and Higgens....any thoughts?

Ribero's play has improved of late, but there is allways room for improvement. With Montreal's system producing tons of prospects...(Latendresse and Kostitsin will soon be knocking on the door), it'll be hard for a smallish centre with poor skating skills to hold on to hold on to a position next year. Ribero will have to excell in order to stay.

Pat Quinn, and his disciple, Tie Domi, are two of the biggest whiners in the NHL...oh, poor Darcy Tucker got hit from behind, and Eric got checked...oh my, someone should be arrested. Please! I'd pray for them both to be replaced, but that might make the Lafs better, so I guess we'll have to endure.....

If I were Julien, I would be in no rush to take Perezoigen off the first line, even when Zednik comes back...I like Zednik alot, but I don't think he could be a better fit on that line than zoig, who has better speed and playmaking abilities, and could very well be a star in the making. Might be better off putting Zednik on the second line, although Plekanic sure looked good there last night (with the exception of the brutal givaway in the first period). Hmmmm....maybe a second line of Ryder, Plekanic and Zednik, if Ribs doesn't continue to improve his game.More likely, though, would be Zednik stepping into the second line, Plek returning to a line with Begin and Higgens, making the fourth line, once again, the best there is in the NHL. What do you people think?

There's a big, physical defenceman out there, Brenden Witt, who is looking for a new home...however, I don't think Washington is looking to load up on defensive liabilities who haven't been scoring, so don't think habs will be getting him for Ribs and Dag...more likely, we'll see dags waived if he can't handle 4th line duty, especially after Zednik is back...maybe see the Habs dress 7 defencemen, and double shift a forward, or put Dandenalt up front for a few shifts a game. Oh...and now for second guessing time...should have waived Dagenais at start of season and kept Hossa...hindsight is 20-20! [Edited on 2005/10/18 by hankhab]

Does anyone else think Gretzky is in over his head in Pheonix? I mean, he's a guy who has never coached pro hockey on any level, with a team that is mediocre at best...how does he hope to succeed? I think he may have been a little headstrong in jumping in here, and somewhere, there must be a few nHL calibre coaches out there saying....I knew that would happen.

I think Theo will play, deservedly so or not....he usually plays well against Boston, it seems, plus he'll get every opperitunity to get his game together.

I'm not so upset about the Leafs placement on the list...they've played well the last week or so, or the Habs placement...haven't played great yet...but how about Carolina...how could anyone place that team as high in the power ranking as they are? ridiculous.

Giving Theodores rebound control and positioning struggles so far this year, maybe Danis should start the next couple of games...I know Theodore needs to get it going, but he really let some bad rebounds out there against the Leafs, and I feel he was responsible for 2 of the 3 goals...Danis looked much better in his only start.